The NSW Opposition Enviorenment Spokesperson, Catherine Cusack, is quoted as saying "Premier Kristina Keneally's waste policy is a carbon copy of King Canute's belief [that] he could stop the tide coming in by standing on the shore and ordering it to stop". (SMH, Sunday. 21/3/2010).

Poor old Canute, still being misunderstood a 1,000 years after his death.
Canute the Great did indeed order the sea to go back but only in order to show his courtiers and others that it would not do so as he was but an ordinary man and not some demi-god.

See:http://www.viking.no/e/people/e-knud.htm which is a site for school students and quite informative; perhaps I ought to email it to Catherine Cusack.

For mangling history, that isn't close to Vice Presdient Biden's comments about President Franklin Roosevelt's quick response to the Great Depression by going on television and explaining to people what was happening. Two problems, President Roosevelt wasn't president when the depression started, President Hoover was, and there was no television.

Was the person being 'electrocuted' aware of the rules and process of the game?

If not, this is where I think it becomes unethical. However, if he was privy, and agreed to it (providing he was in a mental state that could comprehend this), I don't think there is an ethical issue with this.

However, for the purposes of entertainment, it does seem a little barbaric. I would imagine that if all the music, lights, sounds and audience were removed, the electric shocks would be lower (hopefully lower than Milgram's, maybe the experimental nature of the actions meant that people pushed their own moral boundaries somewhat?)

Welcome silentmalek

I look forward to sharing your thoughts



The contestants thought they were electrocuting someone, but unbeknown to them it was an actor who was just acting like he was in pain each time they tried to zap him.

Incidentally this is from the Milking the devil inside post I think, however their are definite similarities with politics in the deception and cruelty!