Since the days of Alexander the Great, binge drinking has been a very popular past time - leading to him apparently killing a friend and burning down Persepolis while drunk.

Those are some Great shoes to fill.

Yet, governments, schools and the media have repeatedly tried to teach us of binge drinking's dangers. 

Dartmouth University has taken the lead, instigating a new nationwide policy to curb heavy drinking by their students.

Pour me another glass.

Binge drinking is defined as "the consumption of five or more drinks in a row by men — or four or more drinks in a row by women — at least once in the previous 2 weeks. Heavy binge drinking includes three or more such episodes in 2 weeks."

Seems I don't know anyone who isn't a heavy binge drinker.

Do you think this definition should be changed or should we change people's attitudes? Or should you follow HPD's no fools guide to drinking a lot but not dying?  . . read more

The films by Tropfest standards didn't really compare to previous years but there were a few highlights including the winner 'Shock', which poked fun at the lives of early morning radio presenters and the much maligned Kyle Sandilands.

The beauty of the event though isn't really in the films but in the atmosphere- thousands of film loving Sydneysiders coming together to enjoy the outdoors, each other's company and art.

Last night Sydney also held the colours and extravagence of Chinese New Year and the beginning of Mardi Gras week with a fair in Victoria Park.

Really makes you feel hope that under the layers of the luddites and the philistines that keep the Daily Telegraph, Alan Jones and the UFC in business that there exists an enormous culturally interested and thoughtful community . . read more

It's been a long time since I've seen one of those 'the end is nigh' billboard wearing guys, but after every news story I read recently I'm starting to feel the urge to imitate them.

Debate in politics and the media is a competition of who screeches the loudest and most obscenely. Not failing is preferable than seeking outright success. And the world's real problems need no solution if they aren't seen.

It's not new but the world is whimpering to an end that seems really nigh.  . . read more

As Easter approaches, the word resurrection is swirling around everyone´s minds - apart from the Jesus Christ side it simply means the rebirth of something that has died. Today´s question is: what would you like to see resurrected?

For me the first would be resurrecting the declaration of war. It might sound hokey to a generation that´s grown up on Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan; but in olden days when a country wanted to go to war it told everyone else what was going on.

You might want to call it outdated sportsmanship for a contest that has no morality but it might do something to give a war a bit of legitimacy.

My second resurrection would have to be drugs. In Victorian times drugs were out in the open and seen everywhere from Sherlock Holmes to Sigmund Freud; helping to make some of the greatest thinkers and artists the world has ever seen - a liberal drug policy should be resurrected. 

So what would you resurrect if you could? Tell us and remember...Disqus!  . . read more

The US is meant to be a Libertarian's wet dream, yet the Federal Government tells you which substances you can't consume and prevents certain groups from exercising rights which are enjoyed by the majority.

Gay marriage is still illegal and idiotic drug wars are being fought to stop adults from doing what they want.

Obama though in a landmark announcement seems to be turning the tide on this paradox by pulling his support from the idea that marriage can only be between men and women.

So, after repealing"Don't Ask, Don't Tell", Obama is definitely shaping up as the most gay friendly President in history.   . . read more

Today the U.S congress has agreed on a budget cut plan that will see $38b cut this year. Doesn't seem like it will do much to bring down a trillion dollar deficit but it might be damaging to some public works and public jobs. 

What was interesting about this though was how much the process symbolised the U.S.

It wasn't really a great win for either party, it avoided making serious changes and a serious analysis into the country's problems and it was replete with the kind of melodrama that would embarrass soap opera directors.

Congress' inefficient and reductive policy programme reminds you of the old saying that says "the opposite of pro is con, therefore the opposite of progress= congress."  

  . . read more

When "Sgt Pepper's", the Beatles' most ambitious album at the time, was released it's said that you could walk around Swinging London and hear splinters of the songs from every apartment and house you passed.

Such was the success and beauty of the album it became the soundtrack of '67.

Today with Radiohead's newest release in "The King of Limbs", history is being repeated. Facebook and Twitter are full of kids writing about it, the internet is full of illegal downloads and houses all over the world are full of Thom Yorke's haunting voice.

Kind of makes you feel comfortable to know there's something our generation shares.   . . read more

Has anyone thought about the farmers behind the fields?

Their land is taken over by strife, where their most precious commodity happens to be one of the most sought after and lucrative in the world.

Why wouldn't you grow poppies?

Besides, America has been destroying poppy fields and ruining these farmers ever since they entered the country. Things haven't changed.

Where there is demand there will be supply.

It's time to stop doing drugs and blaming our problems on the poppy fields.  . . read more

Those familiar with Huntington's  ‘Clash of Civilisations' are well aware of his theory on conflicts between different religions. The last few weeks have shown how close his theory is to actualisation. Churches are burning in Indonesia, the most populous Muslim state, and Christians are being bombed in Cairo.

On the other hand, let's not forget about continuous Muslim persecution in the West.

Now Sudan goes to the polls to divide the country into its Muslim and Christian sects - physical borders aided by theological differences.

What the Sudanese actually want is peace - religious difference matters little except to create the violence. What we can learn from this is that we should not get carried away with forming our cliques. The challenge for the future truly is protecting the freedoms of one and all.

One hopes that a free society doesn't mean a stupid focus upon voting like Iraq - it's when the ballot can be cast by Muslims, Christians and all forms of people living together as one.

It's not the vote that matters.

It's the person giving it.   . . read more