I too am bothered by the escalation of violence in popular culture. The other day we say a low budget "comedy" called "Bound and Gagged", which like the Coen brother's Fargo, showed scenes of violence, and then comedy. I found it impossible to giggle at a joke after seeing a rape, cold blooded slaying etc., but apparently alot of people don't have this problem. The movie also contained fairly explicit scenes of sex. The group I saw it with didn't find any of it erotic, and some even said the sex scenes were "boring" - more "mechanical" and "acrobatic" then titilating. It's sad that we are so exposed to sex and violence that it becomes boring to us. However, while it seemed sad that we were becoming numb to screen violence by being over-exposed to it, I was used to dismissing its possible consequences. Recently, however I heard a radio interview with a professor who specializes in military history and psychology. He felt that what we are doing to our children as a culture by exposing them to violence was the equivalent to what a modern military does in wearaing down the natural resistance of its recruits to engaging in killing and other acts of violence. He was really disturbed by the situation, which made me also wonder about it with a different perspective. Simone Fary, who always has to end quickly in order not to have her computer turned off by her toddler ---- To signoff SCREEN-L, e-mail [log in to unmask] and put SIGNOFF SCREEN-L in the message. Problems? Contact [log in to unmask]