Psychological torture to be put to trial I recall that when the interrogation techniques at Guantanamo etc were first being discussed, the whole "playing loud rock music to make them talk" thing was treated very much as a joke. Of course, anyone who's lived next to a bunch of noisy gits who play loud music into the early hours would acknowledge that there's a certain extra level of lifestyle stress that comes with it. I don't recall the whole sensory deprivation thing getting discussed though. I think if the prisoner in question does turn out to have been driven insane by his prison treatment, it's going to lead to all kinds of extra tension between the middle east and the west. After all, it's the west who're supposed not to resort to this sort of thing. A quick link to information on the MK_ULTRA programme. I've read some stuff on this before, including that they managed to produce a complete split personality in one woman allowing her to work as a spy - the manufactured personality could be called up at will and the original personality had no memories or awareness of what the manufactured personality had done. I do wish I could remember her name because in my quick skim of this article, I didn't notice her mentioned.

Didn't they do that kind of spy thing in a film. Can't remember the name of the film, but the main charactor wanted to be a spy for a company to spy on other companies and at the end of the film, we find out that he was brainwashed to spy on the company that hired him in the first place, so they didn't know that he was a spy for another company.

Well its pretty hard to imagine that this could be done successfully and if it has been then, wow

Was the Manchurian Candidate about this sort of mind control thing too? Haven't seen it, but wasn't the guy supposed to go into "kill" mode on hearing a set word or phrase?

Was a book by "the female Robert Ludlum" that had something like that; didn't think it was that great. And the movie with Schwarz... Total Recall? Mel Gibson in Conspiracy Theory? as well.

Originally posted by meridianday Was the Manchurian Candidate about this sort of mind control thing too? Haven't seen it, but wasn't the guy supposed to go into "kill" mode on hearing a set word or phrase?

I haven't seen either the orignal and the remake by yeah, I think that's right, either a word, or a phrase or somehting like that would make the guy go and kill whoever.

Originally posted by CricketBeautiful Was a book by "the female Robert Ludlum" that had something like that; didn't think it was that great. And the movie with Schwarz... Total Recall? Mel Gibson in Conspiracy Theory? as well.

Total Recall was a similar movie to the film that I was think of where Arnie's charactor found out that he was brainwashed or something like that to be a fictional person, so he could infiltate the rebels and after killing them off get the "orignal person" back.

Maybe they should just put them into Big Brother or forced 5o watch it 24 hours?

LOL! I dont know but this all sounds sooo Zoolander to me!

IMI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gee! Look what's happening to the poor darlings who are trying to kill us. What a world.

If all the people in Guantanamo were definitely guilty, I probably wouldn't argue with you. However, what about the poor darlings there who were just in the wrong place at the wrong time and not actually trying to kill anyone? Is it ok to drive them insane? Also, do you believe that the people in the middle east reading that this is happening, are more or less likely to want to kill westerners as a result of this treatment? Do you think it's reducing the risk of terrorism? Do you think they scraped up every person related to terrorism and put them into Guantanamo? Or do you think there are still people at liberty over there who're going to use this information to help to inflame a whole new bunch of terrorrists? I don't see the treatment of palestinians by israelis reducing the number of suidide bombers, do you?

With the innocents were snatched by the US, doesn't that remind you what Iran did with those 15 Biritish marines.

Yes it does...Makes me wonder what the world is coming too!

I have a feeling that the 21st Century will turn out the same as the last one but even more worse by the past 7 years.

Many more over-weight kids. More people who won't venture out of their homes for fear, or because they think they've got all they need inside their own for walls. Can I sue the city and schoolboard for removing now-declared-unsafe jungle gyms and swings? Just finished paying for 12 weeks of sensory integration for my son: playgrounds and swings and obstacle courses. Huge improvement in gross motor skills, including motor planning and complex moves. If having that play makes such a difference, what about not having it? You know the game "grounder"? You move around the jungle gym without touching the ground. That sort of movement is a huge part of it. So's swinging the "wrong" way; lots of wrong ways, with targets and dodging. Add the social aspect of it, goal-setting, challenges, practice, solo-play. Chasing a ball around a field can get awfully boring by comparison, especially if that's all you have. So how many "average" kids could be "better-than-average"? How many "borderline" kids could be "average"? All for the cost of getting rid of the lawyers and lawsuits. My son is borderline. Great personality, very intelligent, so the teachers are more likely to adapt to his lack of concentration rather than get mad at him. But the rest? Then again, suing them would be denying that, ultimately, I'm the one who is responsible for getting him what he needs. I have the resources and ability; I won't take up the public funding that is already over-stretched. I will help create a demand for the therapists and training and studies to prove this sort of thing helps. (If we left it to the government, they'd fund one study by a non-believer, and no one would hear about it.) Videogames and internet are replacing real-world contacts. Kids are taught not to say "hi" to strangers. Neighbors who could help "keep their noses out of it". Not good. That's why I get out and tell stories and to go to storyteller groups. Stay an hour after school with the other kids (and moms). Walk to school. Chat while waiting in line. Tell the kid in the playground that what he's doing is not acceptable (and why), and make sure he sees my appreciation when he does good. I believe in the starfish principle. And the more who do, the better our chances.

In Britian, there's hardly any sports fields, sports aren't encouraged because they are afraid that t will teach kids how to be competitive, kids stay inside to play their PCs, PS2, PS3s, XBoxs, Xbox 360s, Wiis, etc or just wander around towns and cities wearing hoodles either making trouble or just doing nothing. It was different when I was a kid, we played in the cd de sac where I lived and played sports at least twice a week at school and I even jogged home from school (not to keep fit but just to watch telly but heck it made me fit). Surely we need playgrounds and sports to not only keep our kids bodies healthy but also their minds as well.

And what's wrong with competition? It's part of life. Failure and pre-competition nerves are things that you need to learn to deal with. As are respect for the other team and the ability to decide you're playing for fun. Competition can also be a tool to get them to work harder, if used right. Helping my team beat that team is incentive to practice and work together. Learn that, hey, practice helps! Fitness. Social. If the kid doesn't enjoy it, that's a different story. Or if the competition becomes more important than the game, to the kids or the mentors. But not using a tool just because it might have a downside? Here, let me dull your chainsaw and chisel. And your sewing needle.

I quite agree with you Cricked but that's politicians for yer. Also activitis like playing and sports will help to keep people not only fit and healthy but will keep obesity down.

Yep the biggest killer in GB these days is obesity. However what do politicians expect since they cut back on school dinners, cut back on parks and recreational areas, cut back on sports in schools. Ah well such is life.

The only thing they haven't cut down is the abuse the teacher get from the kids and classes sizes.