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Radio4 mentioned that the government are planning to ban samurai swords.
So, to see whether people think this is a good thing the first person they interview is a woman whose son was killed by one.

That's fair and balanced reporting, well done radio4.
-------------------------------------------------
QUESTION TIME:
Answer ONE of the following TWO questions:
1) Underwear check
2) Ctrl+V
(I helped save b3ta! CowJam, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:01, archived)

4935717
(I helped save b3ta! RedStar returneth, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:02, archived)
Yes.

(I helped save b3ta! Noit happy baby orangutan, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:03, archived)
it is fair if you speak to the one person who has personal experience of the dire consequences
and then discuss the arguments as to why we actually need to keep a sword
(I helped save b3ta! Enigmatic ™                 Voice No More                  ©, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:03, archived)
or of course you could speak to someone who is offended on behalf of someone else

(I helped save b3ta! Enigmatic ™                 Voice No More                  ©, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:04, archived)
my underwear is pasted on

(I helped save b3ta! glued eel /questions/questionsyoudliketoask/post1648081, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:03, archived)
Pasted on what?

(I helped save b3ta! Noit happy baby orangutan, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:05, archived)
YOUR MUM LOL
/ac
(I helped save b3ta! RedStar returneth, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:05, archived)
And then interviewed someone who was against the ban, I assume?
Yes, that's fair and balanced reporting.
(rnuk http://flickr.com/rnuk, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:04, archived)
No it isn't.
The emotional impact of the first interview will make anyone pro-sword seem like a twat when really they just like swords.
(I helped save b3ta! CowJam, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:06, archived)
Only if the people listening are weak minded and guided purely by an emotional response.

(I helped save b3ta! Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:08, archived)
Like a huge majority of people are
either that or the response will be "well you would say that wouldn't you"
(I helped save b3ta! VampireMonkeyOnSpeed a super sexy sexual sex terrorist sex, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:14, archived)
Right. So the BBC is being entirely impartial but is hampered by the fact that people have emotions and opinions.

(I helped save b3ta! Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:20, archived)
yep
you need to interview someone who is for the ban but isn't so obviously emotionally skewed

or interview someone whose child was killed by a sword wielding maniac, but opposes the ban
(I helped save b3ta! VampireMonkeyOnSpeed a super sexy sexual sex terrorist sex, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:09, archived)
this ^
Part of the argument was that gangs of youths are using them. surely banning will either make fuck all differece or make them carry a gun or something more descreet.
(I helped save b3ta! CowJam, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:13, archived)
that's your personal opinion, though
It might well be right, but it has nothing to do with whether the reporting is fair and unbiased or not.
(loutre I've said too much, been too unkind, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:15, archived)
but, as VMOS said, the ban should be discussed on the basis of fact
not emotion

How many deaths are there per year by samurai swords? How many injuries? Are these perpetrated by sword nuts or just nutters (who are likely to use whatever's to hand)?
(I helped save b3ta! CowJam, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:22, archived)
yes
but you are allowing your personal opinion to cloud whether it's unbiased reporting or not.

It's not as if this person invented their child being killed with a sword, is it? It's one side of an argument. it's only biased if r4 don't put forward the other side of the argument too.
(loutre I've said too much, been too unkind, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:32, archived)
Yes, lets give them all swords so they don't carry guns

(I helped save b3ta! Enigmatic ™                 Voice No More                  ©, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:17, archived)
I'm in favour of this
instead of gangland shoutouts we can all have three-musketeers style battles.
(I helped save b3ta! Noit happy baby orangutan, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:28, archived)
I'm not sure
if you were pushing for tougher sentences for drink-driving, would it be unreasonable to interview someone who's child had been killed by a drink-driver?
(loutre I've said too much, been too unkind, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:14, archived)
That's not the point.
The BBC shouldn't be pushing for any point, they should just report the news.
(rnuk http://flickr.com/rnuk, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:18, archived)
and to make the story interesting let's talk to the interesting story persons
I would like to hear from the mother as although extreme it gives me an idea of how it affects someones life.
Rather than some boring MP speaking of how it was the childs fault for standing in the way of the sword.
(I helped save b3ta! Enigmatic ™                 Voice No More                  ©, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:22, archived)
Sorry, wrong wording
"discussing" rather than pushing would be what I meant
(loutre I've said too much, been too unkind, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:26, archived)
different kinds of issue
There is no beneficial aspect to drink driving, there is no time at which it is appropriate. If you do it often enough you will end up hurting at least yourself.

Owning a sword, however, wont lead to you plunging it into someone eventually.
(I helped save b3ta! CowJam, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:25, archived)
Those are opinions though.
Opinions I entirely agree with, but just opinions.
(I helped save b3ta! Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:29, archived)
I disagree
that there is any beneficial aspect to owning a sword, either, except personal freedom.

Assuming by "beneficial" you mean "beneficial to society as a whole" otherwise I could argue that on a purely personal selfish level drink-driving is entirely beneficial to someone who wants to get home from the pub and lives in the middle of nowhere with no public transport.
(loutre I've said too much, been too unkind, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:29, archived)
We're not necessarily assuming that though.

(rnuk http://flickr.com/rnuk, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:32, archived)
I'm confused, then.
that's what I read from the "beneficial" part of Cowjam's post. If he's saying there is nothing beneficial about drink driving he must mean there is something beneficial about owning a Samurai sword. Or have I missed something?
(loutre I've said too much, been too unkind, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:35, archived)
But does the chance of an accident outweight the warmth and lack of use of legs
that driving brings?
(I helped save b3ta! CowJam, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:32, archived)
Does the chance of a mental chopping off your head
outweigh the tingy feeling in your belly that owning a sword brings?

I have no idea. Let's report both sides of the story with some objective statistics and see what The People think. Because of the unique way we're funded and that.
(I helped save b3ta! Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:35, archived)
I've no idea
It's a purely hypothetical standpoint, and not one I would ever subscribe to.

But if you approach the samurai sword argument from that direction, then the benefits "none" are always going to be outweighed by the miniscule risk "someone might get cut"
(loutre I've said too much, been too unkind, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:39, archived)
{internal boring confidential information}
yes, ban samurai swords

then homicidal maniacs will be frustarated in their efforts

"i want to go out on a killing spree, but I don't have a katana, I just have a cricket bat, a kitchen knife, a meat cleaver, a hammer, a cordless hedge trimmer and a car, I can't possibly kill people with any of those, I'll just go and watch trisha instead"
(I helped save b3ta! VampireMonkeyOnSpeed a super sexy sexual sex terrorist sex, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:04, archived)
This.
Unless we ban kitchen knives as well.

I enjoy cutting my food with salad tongs.
(I helped save b3ta! chenobble rocking his explorer beard on, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 10:14, archived)
FLUUUUUFFFF!
estb.msn.com/i/B5/1EB965C07A92AB4A8AA3FB8DC1977.jpg
(I helped save b3ta! DeSpong currently knitting your suggestions - see profile, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:05, archived)
There's a video of it on the beeb somewhere.
It hops. As if those ears aren't quite ridiculous enough.
(I helped save b3ta! Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:10, archived)
01

(I helped save b3ta! SuperMatt, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:06, archived)
I believe I won yesterday's 'how many hysterical gazes can you get from boudicca' competition.
I realise I was probably the only person playing ... but every little victory counts.
(I helped save b3ta! Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:07, archived)
dgOrganisations

(likeajackhammer, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:07, archived)
is that some variable name or something?

(I helped save b3ta! Firkinfedup last shat on your wife's tits at, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:34, archived)
yup

(likeajackhammer, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:45, archived)
Yes, present and correct.

(I helped save b3ta! mr_wicksy is.... old., Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:07, archived)
OBSIDIAN NIPPLES!

(negative armadillo There never was much hope..just a fool's hope., Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:20, archived)
is that a good thing?
I'm all for nipples, but that sounds quite unpleasant.
(I helped save b3ta! Firkinfedup last shat on your wife's tits at, Wed 12 Dec 2007, 9:38, archived)