How do we stop kids killing each other?
Current mood: determined
Category: News and Politics

I was watching BBC last night, Newsnight. The subject was the rising number of teenagers killing each other in London (though this is a national problem, not confined to the capital). There was nothing new in the discussion that resulted. The lack of male role model, the broken home, lack of opportunity, poor education........... and on, and on. Finally, someone got close to the problem when they stated that the police were ineffective. All of the previously mentioned factors play their part in the breakdown of discipline and respect for others, but the role of the government didn't really come under scrutiny (unless I missed something, I admit I wasn't on the channel right at the start of the discussion). The Police are one of the active components of the Home Office; and together with the Crown Prosecution Service, the Courts, and the Prison Service, they have one of the most important roles in prevention of crime. I know some police officers, and they say that the biggest problem is that when they arrest people, a good percentage of them are never sent for trial, and still fewer receive any kind of sentence for their criminal actions. Given that the magistrates and judges are put in a position that they can't imprison people because the prisons are already overcrowded, what can be done?

We have a catch twenty two situation here. People committing crimes should be imprisoned, but can't be because of overcrowding, this means that they get laughable punishment like community service or curfew tagging. To young people who are already in an environment where there's no discipline or consideration for others, this lack of consequences just encourages them to behave badly, and from there, it's often just an escalating level in the "out of control" existence that a lot of the kids live. They aren't all going to turn out bad, and in spite of everything that young people face, most of them turn out pretty good; but a percentage of them will be drawn down a path that includes crime, drugs, and violence. Once in that world, it seems as if all boundaries disappear, and the only thing that counts is to "never back down." The whole "respeck" thing means that some of these young people replace family with the gang, and to this they show their allegiance, if necessary, to the point where killing is an accepted part of "honour."

So, what's the solution? I don't know. There's an army of eminent sociologists with degrees and Phd's by the sack load who can't find a solution. Maybe they can't admit that their whole path over the past thirty years has been to be too concerned with not offending the rights of those who break the rules, and not concerned enough with those who suffer the consequences. In a country where criminals are given more protection under the law than their victims, is it any wonder that kids laugh at the Police, Magistrates, Judges etc.

At the risk of sounding like some stuffy old git, we need to return to a more disciplined society. We need to return to the idea that if we want something we work for it, save for it etc. It's not there to be stolen, it's not ours by right, just because we want it. Real respect isn't won by carrying a bigger knife or a gun, it's earned by hard work and showing respect to others. Education needs to be better at preparing our young people for the world around them, and maybe the way we teach needs to receive a shake up. Maybe we need to stop making it easy for people to sit around, taking state handouts, instead of working and earning a living. Make the individual responsible for his or her actions, and if you do something wrong, you should pay compensation in one way or another to the victims. We are the most spied on society on earth, so why is it so hard to catch the perpetrators of street crime? And once caught, they should receive real punishment, not a slap on the wrist and told to be good!!! If it means building more prisons, so be it. It will provide employment at least. And don't make prison a comfortable place, with TV and games. Prison should be about giving people a chance to study to improve themselves, and if they're not prepared to do that, hard labour. We should also make it a part of the prison sentence that all drug addicts are rehabilitated. The trafficking of drugs in prison must be crushed, and those caught in it should receive the maximum sentence themselves, or rehabilitation cannot take place. We should stop mixing first offenders with career criminals, as this seems to be an "education system" itself. Many of those coming out simply use the skills they've learned inside to become better criminals. So perhaps a two tiered system would be better, with first offenders in prisons with a good education programme. This would hopefully give some offenders the incentive to avoid returning to crime on release. For the persistent offender, hard labour and compensation to the state/victims should be the reality of a long sentence.

As it is at the moment, prison is not the likelyhood for most young people involved in gangs, criminality etc. And this breeds contempt for society, and a "you can't touch me" attitude. Pushed to it's most extreme length, the result is an escallating number of stabbings and shootings. We have to remove this "you can't touch me" belief, and put in it's place the fear of consequences for evil actions. This won't happen if Magistrates keep issuing a "slap on the wrist" when a spell in prison is the appropriate sentence. How can we expect better of the Police, if all that happens when they do catch a criminal, the legal system lets them off?

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Afganistan Blue on Blue
Current mood: intense
Category: News and Politics

Like many people who can get Sky TV, I've been watching Ross Kemp in Afganistan on Monday evenings. For those not fortunate enough to see this series, I'll give you a brief synopsis:-

This is a no punches pulled look at an infantry unit (1st Battalion Royal Anglian Regiment, "The Vikings") on active service in Afganistan's Helmand Province. Ross Kemp, who's already won prizes for his factual documentary series on the worlds nastiest street gangs, spent months with the regiment that his father had served in, to see for himself the reality of modern warfare. The first programme showed him getting a crash course on basic infantry soldiering (amongst other things, he turned out to be quite a good shot). He interviewed several of the wives and partners of the men due to go on the deployment, finding out how they felt about their men going to one of the world's most dangerous places. The last scenes showed him arriving in Afganistan with members of the Battalion, at the same time, the remains of a fallen soldier were being flown home. I think at that point, the seriousness of his undertaking was brought home to him in the most startling and sombre clarity. Subsequent programmes were filmed in Camp Bastion and the front line, where he and his camera crew were right up there at the same risk as the squaddies taking fire, with AK rounds, and RPG's flying just over their heads.

In last night's programme, one of the main themes was in regard to an incident where a USAF pilot bombed the good guys in an air support strike. I remember this incident from the reports in the press, with some papers  condemning the USAF for being careless and not doing their job properly. The public perception in the UK (by those who've never been in any danger at "the sharp end") was in stark contrast to the views of the men on the ground in Helmand (Guarding the Kajaki Dam). Ross talked to the men of the platoon that had lost three soldiers KIA, and two seriously wounded to the bomb dropped from the F15. The men he spoke to all refused to condemn the US pilot, saying that the air support they got from not only the USAF, but RAF, Dutch Air Force etc was absolutely vital, and that it was often called in very close to their own positions. They all said that a split second could make the difference between a successful strike, or a friendly fire mistake. Having served myself, I know what they were talking about. Delivery of ordnance is a very exact science these days, but when the margin for error is so small, an accident can happen, with devastating results.

Whatever your views about the war in Afganistan, this series shows our troops doing a thoroughly professional job, and we should be proud of them for the courage and sacrifice they're prepared to make on our behalf. Governments may demand that we commit our armed forces in wars that many people don't agree with, but the blame or otherwise is fairly on the shoulders of the politicians. Our men, be they British, Canadian, or American, fighting in the Middle East, in Afganistan and Iraq deserve our praise and honour, and our support. Those countries who call themselves Allies, but shirk the responsibility of commiting their forces in a combat role should hang their heads in shame for their craven behaviour.

Currently listening : Wagner - Der Ring des Nibelungen / Levine, Metropolitan Opera (Complete Ring Cycle) Release date: 12 November, 2002

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Benazir Bhutto
Current mood: contemplative
Category: News and Politics

I love to be proved right, most of the time, but when Benazir came out of exile and returned to Pakistan, I said to friends that I expected someone would murder her in a matter of weeks. It gives me not a single shred of satisfaction to be right on this occasion.

Benazir wasn't perfect, but she was a voice for moderate government in a part of the world that desperately needs moderation. Pakistan is teetering on the brink of either draconian martial law, or equally draconian Sharia law. The fanatical islamic fundamentalists, who are hand in glove with Al Queda must be dancing with delight (except that any form of celebration like singing and dancing is forbidden by fundamentalists). Pakistan has been drifting towards fundamentalism ever since the founding of Mudrassahs (religious schools) teaching a very strict interpretation of the Qur'an, which reduces women to little more than uneducated baby makers and servants; and anyone who is not (according to their interpretation) following their beliefs is an infidel, not worthy of being considered as anything but an enemy to be destroyed. Benazir had a huge following of moderate Pakistanis, particularly women, who hoped to be allowed more freedom under a liberal government. I know that Pakistani people living in the UK will mourn her death, and many will be fearful for relatives still living in Pakistan as violence fills the streets of the towns and cities.

The western powers have also lost someone who would have stood firm against terrorism, had she returned to power. With the problems in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran, and Afganistan, the last thing we need is more instability in that part of the world. If this is what religion gives the world........

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Rememberance Day
Current mood: disappointed
Category: Life

Yesterday was Rememberance Sunday for the UK and British Commonwealth. A day to remember those men and women who lost their lives in war since the First World War. As someone who was proud to serve my country for eleven years, this day, and the ceremony attached to it never fails to leave a tear in my eye, and when the loan piper plays "The flowers of the forrest" a traditional lament for those we have lost, I defy anyone with any feelings to not have a lump in his throat. I lost friends and colleagues in the Falklands war, and in the conflicts before (in Ulster and elsewhere), and this day, especially, reminds me that I'm fortunate to be here to remember their sacrifice.

I think the thing that saddens me most is that we seem to be heading towards a very uncertain future. Putin in Russia seems to be intent on re-creating the levels of mistrust that were the foundations for the cold war, and Islamic Fundamentalist terrorism, the Taliban, and so on, guarantee that Britain, the US, and our allies, will be committing our military forces around the globe to protect western interests for the foreseeable future. Make no mistake, the wars of the future will be over energy and/or religion. It's clear that Russia is using it's massive reserves of oil and gas to bully dependent countries, and the powers of the Middle East are either close to destabilisation, or are already actively or tacitly supporting terrorism. The state of emergency in Pakistan is fermenting a fresh group of fundamentalist terrorists who are waiting to seize power, and will doubtless make our position in Afganistan even more precarious than it is already. Iran's intentions to become a nuclear power are also a clear threat to any chance of peace in the Middle East. This area of the world has been fought over for more than five thousand years; the Persians (Iranians) and Babylonians and Assyrians (Iraqis) waged barbaric wars of annihilation for centuries. This looks to enter a new round of fighting, with various meddling agencies lining up to provide third party assistance to the warring factions inside Iraq.

I know a lot of people feel we should pull the troops out of these conflicts, and let them fight it out for themselves. This, unfortunately, ignores the much bigger problem that will result in wholesale slaughter of innocents, the destabilisation of oil prices (which are already the highest in history, and still edging upward), and the resultant destruction of Western Economies. Al-Queda and their supporters would be happy to see the West in turmoil, and would be further encouraged to new acts of atrocity. Putin would love nothing quite so much as to have America come, cap in hand, to beg for oil to keep it's economy going, same for all of the West. The need to develop low cost alternatives to oil has never been more crucial to the survival of the West, and rather than burying our heads in the sand, as seems to be the united policy of all of our governments, we should be actually doing something, rather than talking endlessly and doing nothing. It's really in oue interests too, as wecould be developing clean alternatives to present technologies. All the time we sit on our hands, pretending everything in the garden is coming up roses, our future economic prosperity (never mind the increasing damage to out environment) is slipping further and further into the hands of countries who want to control the world for whatever reasons (politics, religion, economics, choose  your favourite).

In the meantime, we're committing our armed forces into countries that don't want us there in the first place. I can't speak for the support that US forces are receiving, but I do know that my government is being criticised for the lack of support in terms of manning levels, suitable equipment; and support for those who are returned to the UK, particularly those injured in service, has been condemned as woefully inadequate by the servicemen on the receiving end . The British Legion,  the organisation that  helps service, and ex-service personnel has stated that the UK government is neglecting the needs of serving members of the armed forces, and  neglecting those who have  already suffered as a result of service. If we are committing our men and women  to serving in dangerous theatres of operation, the least we can do is to take care of them properly, both while on active service, and on their return. People who join the armed services know, on signing up, that they may at some point be killed or injured; I know it was something I accepted as an occupational hazzard when I joined. However, the least we can do is honour a committment to their care, in return for the risks they are prepared to take on behalf of our nation.

I've never asked this before, but can all of my readers pimp this blog? You never know, it might shame my miserable government into doing the honourable thing by our servicemen and women.

Thanks and kudos go out to all of the serving men and women from the UK, US, Canada, Germany, and any other country who's serving. Our nations should show you the gratitude you deserve.

Robin.

Currently listening : The Diary of Alicia Keys By Alicia Keys Release date: 02 December, 2003

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NFL experiment
Current mood: hopeful
Category: Sports

Well, the Dolphins played the Giants at the home of what our colonial cousins would call soccer, and it was an outstanding success. Most Americans were surprised at A) the atmosphere (it was like the Superbowl inside Wembley Stadium), and B) the knowledgeable crowd. It was a shock for a lot ofthem to know the game has a big following here in the UK; and of course, those of you that know me, know that I'm the Chairman of the number 1 team in the UK, London Blitz.

So, what are the long term aims of the NFL? The most obvious is to make money. The idea of playing the Superbowl outside of the USA might at first thought seem preposterous, but consider the fact that even the biggest stadium in the US can only have a capacity of around 120000, and the hugest majority of viewers, spread across the world (over 2 billion viewers, it's believed) will be watching on TV., and could be anywhere from Adelaide to Zanzibar. Given that, the game could be put on anywhere, and still attract the same total viewing  figures, which is where the real money is made. The sort of people who can afford to buy tickets for the game could most likely afford to fly to it if it were in another country. I imagine there are legions of Americans who would combine a holiday in Europe with a trip to the Superbowl in Wembley, or the Stad de France in Paris. But this is relatively easy; the real goal, I believe, is to export the game itself. The NFL would re-brand to become the IFL, International Football League. With aircraft like the A380 allowing sleeping travel over long distances, it wouldn't be that difficult to fly the Berlin Storm to play the Seattle Seahawks, or the CapeTown Zulus to play the Sydney Sharks. The Superbowl winner really would be the World Champion, in the real sense of the title. The first step has been taken already, to prove the feasibility of taking not one, but two teams to London. The next big challenge for the NFL is to grow the game in the chosen countries, with local talent, not a massive number of American players. The biggest issue that faced the NFLE experiment was that there were very few players from the countries in which the teams were based, and that doesn't generate sufficient interest from the local population. For the next stage to succeed, the NFL has to help the national leagues to improve their own standard of players and coaches. My own team, which is, as  I say, the number 1 ranked in the UK would struggle against a DivII college in the US. To reach even that level, we've taken years, and had no financial support, very little active help from people who could help us if they really wanted to. Another problem we have is government policy towards sport; athletes of all disciplines succeed in spite of the system rather than because of it. It needs an organisation with the muscle of the NFL to drive up the standards!!!

Of course, everything I'm saying is speculation, and maybe owes more to my dreams than reality; but the NFL is, above everything else, a massively successful  money making enterprise, and expansion across the world is what makes sense, even if it's a long way down the road.

Currently listening : Kelis Was Here By Kelis Release date: 22 August, 2006

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London Blitz, UK National Champions, BritBowl XXI winners.
Current mood: ecstatic
Category: Sports

We did it!!!!!!

Undefeated season, divisional title, National Championship!!!!!!

I was still recovering yesterday, and my boss wouldn't give ma a day off; so you can imagine how I felt. This is my second championship, the first was as a player, back in 1985. Our team photographers will be posting stuff on our website www.londonblitz.com soon, and I'll put some new pictures in my gallery.

We've gone from the team that everyone expected to beat, to the team everyone expects to get beaten by, in five years. I know pride is supposed to be one of the seven deadly sins, so I guess I'm just one sinning Mofo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.dirtysi.com/blitz/

Check out the team entry music, bearing in mind that our opposition had already run out to the "Imperial Stormtroopers march"

Currently listening : The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill By Lauryn Hill Release date: 25 August, 1998

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what men notice when they see a woman for the first time
Current mood: excited
Category: Romance and Relationships

This is not a topic that I've written about before. I suppose, being in a pretty stable relationship, I'm not supposed to even be thinking about the girls I meet in a "potential mate" kind of way. But damn it, I can't help but get "those" thoughts when I see a good looking girl........... I'm only human ;-)) :-))

I found the following on the web while I had a rare 30 minutes of nothing else to do, and I thought I'd share it with you after showing it to one of my female work colleagues. It surprised me that she found some of the comments a revelation; I thought most women would already have it all down!!!!

So, forgive me if I'm not sharing anything startling with you, but maybe you'll enjoy reading anyway.

What Men Notice When They First Meet You

From highlights to heels, guys reveal what works--and what doesn't

Let's face it: We all want to look sexy sometimes. And whether you're into a vintage style, or the full-on va-va-voom, we have to wonder, what do guys notice? If you ever wanted to know about men's preferences—like whether your Manolos even register on his Richter scale—here's your definitive guide. In this excerpt from The Manual, you'll find out for sure what men find sexy.

Attention to vanity will seem shallow at times, but in the game of love, it's very important. Most people I see are lazy in this department. And, not surprisingly, these are the same people who complain, saying things such as "People are so superficial," "I want him to love me for what's inside," or "I hate the gym." Well, no one is telling you that you can't dress as you choose. But when you put those constraints on yourself, you're limiting the number of men who will find you attractive. In the end, meeting the right person is a numbers game, and part of getting those numbers rolling is how you dress.

A Woman's Closet, Designed by Men

Lingerie
Lingerie can be inexpensive, but it can't be the kind that comes in a package of three (white, pink, and blue). Nor can it be the "granny" kind with a waist that reaches up to you rib cage and that hangs like a diaper. Lingerie is one garment that you should find as sexy as he does. And it benefits you, too. Women have told me that when they wear nice underwear, even though no one may see it, they will actually walk and talk differently, just knowing they have a little sexy secret. If lingerie can do that to a woman—and we already know how it affects men—then don't you think you should go out and get yourself some? You have tons of choices, and when it comes to lingerie, men like just about anything.

Shoes
Again, we don't care. We know you like them. We don't understand why you like them. All we know is that many of you have closets full of them, and we've figured out that since you spend so much time and money on them, we can compliment them to flatter you. That's about it.

Most likely, if a guy tells you what nice shoes you have, he's either gay or "working on you." My friend Mari recently told me that a guy came up to her in the airport and complimented her on new shoes. She's so sweet that she thought he meant it. I'm not saying that they're not nice shoes. But have you ever heard a man say, "Well, the thing that caught my eye was Shirley's shoes. I love those pumps, and when I saw them I knew she was the woman for me"? I don't know a single male who would say, "Dude, this chick had the hottest shoes on last night. Damn, I should've gotten her number." It doesn't happen. Shoe flattery is for one purpose one: flattery. Have I made my point?

There is one style of shoes that men notice, and that's high heels. But heels are more about what a girl looks like in them than about the shoes themselves. Heels make feet and legs look sexy. The classic example is a girl wearing high heels in a bikini. Cheesy, and not particularly functional in the sands of Miami and L.A., but men notice for sure.

Hair
Hair, on the other hand, is, sigh, one of the sexiest things about a woman. Hair grabs us and doesn't let us go. Think octopus tentacles. Your style, color and texture are no matter. Your hair only needs to have a clean, tousled, just-out-of-bed look. My opinion is that most women look sexier with longer hair than shorter. Men like long, sexy hair largely because we don't have it. Plus, very few women can get away with that short boyish look. Next time you're out in public, watch how men look at women with long hair versus short.

On a related note, hair salons suck. I can't believe what they've done to some of your mops. They're not just ruining your hair; they're wrecking your love life. With the Internet and a gazillion fashion magazines at your fingertips, you've got plenty of references. Please think sexy and spend the time and money to get the right do. When in doubt, turn to whichever celebrity women are getting the most attention for being sexy, and copy them. Messy sexy is what you should be after: think Sheryl Crow, Jessica Alba, Jane Seymour and Reese Witherspoon.

A few more tips: Don't color your hair based on the swatches you picked up at the paint store. Other styles to avoid include bad bangs, mullets and that "business in the front/party in the back" look. And stop cutting your hair short as you age—there's no need to.

Dresses
Every woman wears a dress differently. The only hard-and-fast rule is to pick a dress that accentuates your best body parts. Whether you have a gorgeous back, incredible thighs, or lovely collarbones, stock up on designs that not only fit but also highlight those attributes.

Your shape and height determine much of what you'll look good in, but here are some general rules of thumb:

Shorter Girls

• Wear heels. Heels create the illusion of longer legs. And as I've said, they're sexy!
• Buy a dress that vaguely clings, while still allowing your bum to move freely. Check out the red carpet "best dressed" lists for examples.
• Loose cotton dresses are best if you have some pounds to shed. They give us a hint of your bum and legs without a solid picture. We have vivid imaginations and we fantasize you better-looking, not worse. (We're on your side here. Just give us something to work with!)

Taller Girls

• Stand up straight, shoulders back, chest high.
• Wear longer dresses that hug your legs a bit. You want a fitted design.
• Pick either heels of flats, depending on how tall you want to appear.
• Make sure that at least 60 percent of your skin is covered by the dress. You have a lot of skin, and a little goes a long way.
• As with shorter girls, loose-fitting, sheer cotton dresses that cling a little are great for those of you carrying a bit of extra weight.

Tops and Bottoms
This is fairly straightforward: You need to have tops and bottoms in your closet that you have no doubt are "man killers." Call it your "good luck resisting me" section. This is the part of the closet that houses the cleavage cuts, the tighty tops, and the bootylicious jeans. Feel free to mix and match from the more "domestic" side of your closet, but never forget: it's a jungle out there, and sometimes it pays to get a little wild if you want to survive.

Glasses
Glasses are hot! Hands down. Just make sure you pick a great style that flatters your face and keep the lenses free of eyelashes and finger prints. I love chicks in glasses.

Reprinted from the book The MANual by Steve Santagati. Copyright © 2007 by Steve Santagati. Published by Crown, a division of Random House, Inc. -->[if gte vml 1]> -->[if !vml]--> -->[endif]-->

Currently listening : Evolution of Robin Thicke By Robin Thicke Release date: 09 February, 2007

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London Blitz reaches the final
Current mood: excited
Category: Sports

Those of you who've checked me out will know that I'm involved with London Blitz American Football Club (ranked number one in the UK). In fact, I'm the club chairman as well as being part of the coaching staff. We've had an outstanding season with 9 wins, 1 tie, 0 losses. Our defense has given up less points than any team in the entire league, allowing only 74 points against in 10 games. Half of the season has been played without our starting QB, and we still managed to score 259 points on our way to winning the division, the second highest total. If you want to know more: www.londonblitz.com

Yesterday, we played our long time rival, London Olympians, in the semi final for the National Championship, BritBowl XXI. It was a tough game, as are all of our encounters with the "O's" Last year, they beat us at BritBowl XX. This time, we came out winners at 23 - 10, completing three wins in one year against a team that used to give us a thrashing on every occasion.

Our success is down to a long term programme of excellence. We have made it a point of growing players from within our ranks, rather than the "quick fix" of enticing players from other teams. That's not to say we haven't had players joining us from elsewhere, but this is, I believe, due to a good programme, and a well run club, on and off the field. We've gone, in five years, from the team everyone expected to beat, to the team everyone expects to win. We've done it without big money sponsors, or bringing talent in from the US. The few American players we have are living and working in London anyway, and are just glad of the chance to play the game they loved at High School.

In two weeks time, we'll be running out onto the turf at Don Valley Stadium, in Sheffield, so I hope you'll all be cheering for London Blitz!!!!!!

Currently listening : Unfinished Sympathy By Massive Attack

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Premier Division Champions!!!!!
Current mood: high
Category: Sports

Well, some of my readers know that I'm the chairman of London Blitz American Football Club; and those of you who've followed our season (www.londonblitz.com) will know that today was the last game of our regular season. American Football in the UK is a spring and summer game, owing to the fact that a lot of teams use either soccer or rugby clubs, oth of which play in the colder part of the year (though sometimes it seems like soccer goes on for ever!!!).

As I was saying, today was the final game of the regular season, and we were playing our cross town rivals, and the team that beat us in the Bowl game last year, the Olympians. Today we won 20 - 10, in what was probably our poorest performance of the year. So, we've clinched the title, with 9 wins and 1 tie, no losses. Tonight, I'm tired but elated; of course, I have to put it all to one side tomorrow, because in two weeks time, we enter the semi final of the play off for BritBowl XXI.

As they say, there's no peace for the wicked, and all I can say is...... I must be more wicked than most!!!!!!

Currently listening : Evolution of Robin Thicke By Robin Thicke Release date: 09 February, 2007

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Poor little Paris, Part II
Current mood: annoyed
Category: News and Politics

.. S BO --> .. S IIMA --> ..> ..>

Ms Hilton was released from jail for unspecified health reasons

.. E IIMA --> .. S SF --> A Los Angeles judge has ordered Paris Hilton to appear in court on Friday morning to determine whether she should be returned to jail.

The celebrity heiress was allowed to leave jail on Thursday, only three days into a 45-day sentence for violating probation on a drink-driving ban.

She was given an electronic tag and ordered to remain under house arrest for the remainder of her sentence.

Her release on unspecified medical grounds sparked widespread criticism. .. E SF -->

She is due in court at 0900 (1600GMT) on Friday, where Judge Michael Sauer, who sentenced her to jail at her trial in early May, will hear the case for her "reassignment" to house arrest.

Jurisdiction row

The office of the Los Angeles City Attorney filed a petition on Thursday demanding LA's Superior Court to show why Sheriff Lee Baca should not be held in contempt of court for releasing Ms Hilton.

.. S IBOX --> ..> ..> .. E IBOX -->

It also demanded that Hilton serve the rest of her sentence in jail.

"The decision whether or not Ms Hilton should be released early and placed on electronic monitoring should be made by Judge [Michael] Sauer, and not the Sheriff's Department," Jeffrey Isaacs, Chief of the LA City Attorney's Criminal Branch, said.

At the time of Hilton's release, Steve Whitmore, of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said: "After extensive consultation with medical personnel, it was decided this reassignment should be done."

No details of the medical problem could be given for "privacy reasons", he said, but insisted she had received no special treatment.

Civil rights leader Rev Al Sharpton condemned the release as showing the "double standards" of the US legal system.

"This early release gives all of the appearances of economic and racial favouritism that is constantly cited by poor people and people of colour," he said. "There are any number of cases of people who handle being incarcerated badly and even have health conditions that are not released."

But New York civil liberties lawyer E Christopher Murray said house arrest was a more appropriate sentence for a celebrity.

"Sentencing Paris to jail for an extended period of time was an example of a celebrity being treated more harshly than an average person," he said.

Monitoring ban

The socialite and pop singer was arrested for driving under the influence last September and was given probation, which she violated several times by driving with a suspended licence.

When Hilton was originally sentenced to 45 days for violating probation on a drink-driving conviction, she was told there was no prospect of early release.

Judge Sauer had also specifically ruled that she could not serve her sentence at home under electronic monitoring.

The sentence was later to cut in half, to 23 days, on the grounds of good behaviour.

Hilton's full sentence - including the house arrest - has now reverted to the original 45 days.

Mr Whitmore said she had officially served five days in jail - including late on Sunday night and the early hours of Thursday morning - meaning 40 days of house arrest would complete the sentence.

She was held at the Century Regional Detention Centre in Lynwood, California, where her lawyer said she spent 23 hours a day in a solitary cell.

She was separated from the main prison population in a special unit for celebrities, public officials, police officers and other high-profile inmates.

After her first night in jail, her lawyer said she was doing well and would "reflect on her life, to see what she can do to make the world better".

So, release on unspecified medical grounds....... does this mean that she needed access to her supplier, and this was not practical while in the luxury of her "celebrities only" cell?

I'm not often in agreement with Al Sharpton, but I have to say that he hits the nail on the head with a sledgehammer this time. Why should she be getting such prefferential treatment from the Sherriff's Department? Who's strings are being pulled here to get this useless drone released? And what kind of example does this show to everyone? To me it suggests that US citizens don't have a level playing field, with one law for the rich and (In)famous, and something totally different for Joe Public!!!! Hmmmm, nothing new there then, this just reinforces what everyone already knew.

As for the last quote:-

'After her first night in jail, her lawyer said she was doing well and would "reflect on her life, to see what she can do to make the world better".'

If silly little Paris really wants to do something to make the world better, she should try growing up and doing something useful, but I expect that, given a few weeks, it'll be back to normal behaviour.

Currently listening : Loose By Nelly Furtado Release date: 20 June, 2006

12:32 AM - 4 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment