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Edward Grim
Senior Member
since 2005-12-18
Posts 1154
Greenville, South Carolina

0 posted 2007-05-14 07:32 PM


If anybody doesn't know, the MPAA stands for the Motion Picture Association of America. They're the people that do such a lovely job of giving films ratings. And they do such a bang up job of it as well.

I was reading an article...
http://www.nbc5.com/entertainment/13300991/detail.html


...and in it said that the omniscient MPAA is motioning to make smoking a factor in a film's rating; possibly even earning it an R rating. According to the article, they're trying to discourage children from picking up smoking via a film's influence. This is total horse hockey! The PG-13's today are becoming more and more graphic with sexual content, innuendo, language and violence. But if someone lights up, it's a bloody R!

If they really want to discourage kids from smoking then they'll quit producing cigarettes called "Kool" (I wonder what that's supposed to mean) and they'll quit making fruit flavored cigarettes (yeah like those are really made for adults, gimme a break). And if they really want to discourage kids, they'll get the parents to do their damn job and parent the little termites correctly! How is it that parents can mess up their kids by ignorance and neglect and everybody else is blamed? Maybe if parents didn't let their young children watch PG-13's and R's, we wouldn't have this bloody problem!

And in case nobody knew, Big Tobacco funds all those "informative" Truth commercials and most of the antismoking campaigns. Very nice indeed.

So here is the MPAA. They will allow brief, upper and rear nudity, nearly unlimited sexual innuendo, two F words (more than two makes it an R unless one is said with an accent) and a considerable amount of violence (minimal amounts of blood) in a PG-13; but smoking will make it an R? I don't agree.

Head Cheese & Chicken Feet

© Copyright 2007 Edward Grant - All Rights Reserved
Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505
Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA
1 posted 2007-05-15 02:01 PM


Neither would Bogey.
Edward Grim
Senior Member
since 2005-12-18
Posts 1154
Greenville, South Carolina
2 posted 2007-05-15 02:18 PM


Bogey? As in Humphrey Bogart?

Yeah smoking in the 40's, 50's and early 60's was very high. Nobody really questioned the health aspect of smoking. It was like when cocaine first emerged in the world, nobody knew the dangers. Cocaine was in a lot of products that many people used, even children, I believe. I mean, I have nothing against smoking and I think motions shood be taken to prevent kids from smoking. But they're pinning the tail on the wrong donkey in my opinion.

Head Cheese & Chicken Feet

LeeJ
Member Patricius
since 2003-06-19
Posts 13296

3 posted 2007-05-15 02:44 PM


I don't agree either...to me, it is simply a ridiculous time wasted, money spent venture....I mean, don't these people see there are far more important issues going on in this world...or is it simply a bunch of control freaks who can't control their own lives, so they wish to control the lives of others.  

Smoking is by choice, just as is, pre-marital sex, drugs, abortion, religion, and life in general. Granted, they are unpopular issues, but they are issues that will always exist, black market or legal.  It is the choice of and by the person....  

These issues will, no matter what, always be around, always was, always will be....and no matter how badly some people wish to control others...the only person(s) they can control is themselves.

I tell you true...smoking and especially second hand smoke is not nearly as bad for you as they would have you believe.  

As a matter of fact, and I had to laugh, Channel 6 news reported the other week, new findings about smokers.  There are fewer and fewer smokers with cancer, then there are non smokers with cancer????  Hmmmm?

In other words, now I'm waiting to hear them say, "Well, then, it must be from 2nd hand smoke"?  Bull!!!!  

Unfortunately, if you would venture into cancer research centers today, they are packed, with more kids then ever before...and not many of them have even been exposed to cigerettes.

And by the way....This Thursday I am 54 days without a cigerette.  

More and more people have quit smoking in this country then ever before.  

I don't think smoking is good for some people, depending on their DNA, Genes and family medical history...not to mention, area you lived, grew up in, how many chemicls your body has been exposed to...meaning, chemicals in foods, water supplies...insecticides, radon, etc, but I have known smokers who haven't died of smoking, but have died of natural causes, because they were in their upper 60's and above.  

And I'm not promoting smoking, especially children...but regardless, the more you make of a thing, the more people want to try it...yanno

It's like teaching kids the do's and don't's....more you harp on it, the less you control....and you cannot control anyone's actions, but your own, and even that is a challenge some of the time....

LOL

Edward Grim
Senior Member
since 2005-12-18
Posts 1154
Greenville, South Carolina
4 posted 2007-05-15 03:35 PM


quote:
Smoking is by choice, just as is, pre-marital sex, drugs, abortion, religion, and life in general.


Yes, but people can be influenced to do these things, especially children and teenagers, even sponge-minded college students. The way college students work is that they are constantly surrounded by knowledge and one article can change their life. I've seen it first-hand.

quote:
These issues will, no matter what, always be around, always was, always will be....and no matter how badly some people wish to control others...


I don't know Lee. Television and films have changed drastically over the last 50 or so years. I've studied film history and the rate and degree of change is staggering. The amount of sex, language and violence in a film from the 40's was almost 0% and the amount of said elements in today's films is a percentage too high to calculate. The decline of wholesome films was rapid and there are no signs of a turnover. The only "wholesome" films you'll find today are children's movies and even those have adult innuendo that a film from the 30's or 40's wouldn't. Someone does need to control the garbage that goes on the screen today; instead of focusing on cinematic smoking, they should be concerned with more pertinent matters.

quote:
I tell you true...smoking and especially second hand smoke is not nearly as bad for you as they would have you believe.


No disrespect intended Lee, and I mean that to the fullest definition. But, as a smoker, I'd expect you to say that. And again, I mean no disrespect; I'm merely speaking my mind. I think cigarettes are very bad for the human body as well as second hand smoke. I've seen pictures, Lee, comparing smoker's lungs with non-smoker's lungs and the differences are radical. Let me give an example. I grew up with an alcoholic father, me and my three other siblings (I was the youngest). My brother and sisters as well as myself, vowed to never drink because we saw the damage and we had the bad memories and experiences. My brother, who is now in his 20's, drinks and is an alcoholic. All of the sudden, he doesn't remember the bad childhood memories or any of it for that matter. He doesn't think our father was an alcoholic nor does he think alcohol in excess is bad for you. I don't wonder why he thinks this way. Because if he condemns the alcoholism of our father, he'd be condemning the alcoholism of himself and he's not ready to do that.

quote:
As a matter of fact, and I had to laugh, Channel 6 news reported the other week, new findings about smokers.  There are fewer and fewer smokers with cancer, then there are non smokers with cancer????  Hmmmm?


This bit of information intrigued me. I think I have an answer as to why this is so. After a hundred or so years of humans beings exposed to cigarettes, we are developing a tolerance to it. It makes sense. What do you think allergy shots are? The doctor injects small doses of the allergens into your system to build your immunity to them. That's my take on it at least.

quote:
And by the way....This Thursday I am 54 days without a cigarette.


That's great! I have nothing against smoking, I've even been looking to getting a pipe (call me a Tolkein wannabe). But I do have problems with people thinking that alcohol and cigarettes and drugs don't affect people because they do.

quote:
And I'm not promoting smoking, especially children...but regardless, the more you make of a thing, the more people want to try it...yanno.


I agree. If you say to a child, don't open that door, don't open that door; don't you dare open that door. They're going to open the door.

quote:
It's like teaching kids the do's and don't's....more you harp on it, the less you control....and you cannot control anyone's actions, but your own, and even that is a challenge some of the time....


True. It's all about good parenting. I'm not a parent, nor am I in the position to be a parent for a very long time (nor do I currently have a desire to bring a child into this awful world), but I think I have a general sense of it. "If you starve a dog, the moment it sees food; it's going to overeat." I've always liked that little credo about parenting.

Thank you very much for your reply Lee, it was very insightful, and I hope I haven't crossed any lines. I'm really trying to do less and less line crossing.  

Have a good one.

Ed


Head Cheese & Chicken Feet

[This message has been edited by Edward Grim (05-15-2007 10:05 PM).]

Huan Yi
Member Ascendant
since 2004-10-12
Posts 6688
Waukegan
5 posted 2007-05-25 08:59 PM


.

"but people can be influenced to do these things"


Japanese Manga is shocking to Westerners;
is common, read everywhere in the country,
available from vending machines at Mom and
Pop grocery shops, yet we would envy their
relative absence of violence of any
nature in society.


.

Drauntz
Member Elite
since 2007-03-16
Posts 2905
Los Angeles California
6 posted 2007-05-27 10:07 PM




wait they might make drinking Alcohol an R
and a certain WxLxH measurement of poem.


rwood
Member Elite
since 2000-02-29
Posts 3793
Tennessee
7 posted 2007-06-04 11:54 PM


I think they should assign ratings for the potential crowd types Inside the theater seats.

R for ruffians who throw things, punch seats, and curse at the screen.

PG for punk-gangstahs who threaten to pop a cap into the characters.

No one under 17 allowed without their parole officer.


G for gabby lil chatter boxes who never shut up through the entire show. Gag order?

oh well? Such is life around the big-screen.

Is it the MPAA or the MPAATFBMVG

motion picture association of alcohol tobacco firearms books music and video games?


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