Archive for the ‘Switzerland’ Category

Switzerland to ban violent video games?

Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010

According to Yahoo!Buzz:

According to video game blog MCV, “the Swiss National Council has now officially passed a law that will ultimately lead to the complete ban of any violent video games in the country.” The exact requirements have not been decided yet. However, the Swiss government will have the authority to “introduce any measures they see fit.”

Move over Australia.  Switzerland will not be outdone when it comes to authoritarian control of free expression.

According to Yahoo! News, the National Council passed two resolutions which are not yet law:

The first resolution comes from the Socialist Party, which wants to “stop the manufacture, advertisement, importation and sale of any game that promotes as a means of advancement or ‘success’ acts of violence against humans or ‘human-like’ creatures,” according to Kotaku. This passed by a margin of 19 to 12.

The second resolution, pushed by the Christian Democratic Party, delves into specificity, seeking to “restrict the sale of violent shooters to children.” It passed by a margin of 27 to 1.

I haven’t seen anything to indicate there are any plans to censor sex-related material, but you can be sure that will follow eventually.

Posted in Censorship, Switzerland | Comments Off

Extra small condoms & safe sex for preteens

Thursday, March 4th, 2010

A Swiss company is marketing a small condom for 12-year-old boys in response to a government study showing more 12 to 14-year-olds are having sex these days.

Nysse Norballe, a spokesman for the company, said: “At the moment we are only producing the Hotshot in Switzerland.  [...]  The UK would definitely be top priority if we marketed abroad.”

[...]

The UK has the highest teenage pregnancy rate in Europe.

In the U.S. it is unlikely a smaller condom would get much support since many see diseases and pregnancy as a good deterrent to shameful underage sex.

Posted in Switzerland, Underage sex | Comments Off

Swiss prostitutes armed with defibrillators

Saturday, February 20th, 2010

According to The Register:

Prostitutes in the picturesque Swiss lakeside town of Lugano are adding defibrillation to their list of services following the death of several elderly punters whose hearts just couldn’t take the pace.

Imagine that.  Concern for the health of those who patronize prostitutes.  But wouldn’t that encoourage old men to go to prostitutes?

I doubt they would do that in the U.S. where many jurisdictions deny clean needles to drug users, condemning them to AIDS because clean needles might encourage drug use.  And let’s not forget the conservative opposition to HPV vaccine, thinking that the threat of cervical cancer is a good way to discourage teens from having sex.  Better to let ‘em die that feel free to engage in vice…

Posted in Prostitution, Switzerland | Comments Off