A week ago my eldest went to watch a movie called Project X which is out at theaters across North America. The plot revolves around kids using social media to invite people to a party and they create havoc and destruction. A similar situation happened in Calgary when a few young guys took the liberty to invite the world to a friend’s home because the parents would be away. They received 1000’s of responses from all over the world of people wanting to attend. Fearful of things getting out of control, they turned to police to try and curb the unwanted riff-raft. Today it seems ‘funny’ to youth is vulgarity of the worst kind as well as inflicting pain, punishment and  financial disaster to make them laugh. Either I am too mellow and losing to much testosterone or I am out of touch with reality. What happened to the days when we watched live T.V., like the Ed Sullivan Show, Carol Burnett, and The Red  Skeleton Show? Even Saturday night live-SNL, with Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi and Mr. Bill, were tame in comparison to what we expose our kids to today. Unfortunately the riot in London, Ontario may have been a result,  directly attributed to a movie that seems to appeal to a certain sub culture of youth. Regrettably their actions, fueled by alcohol, tarnished the image of the responsible law abiding students and smeared the reputation of the  institution and city where this stupidity took place. Credit has to be given to Mayor Joseph Fontana, who took charge and made sure that the culprits will be arrested and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Social media is a  great tool but if used for the wrong reasons then chaos will result. Being my wife’s birthday maybe we can find a cheap bread and breakfast or SPA in London Ontario, this upcoming week. We might also be able to get some cheap  St. Patrick paraphernalia at discount prices?
Sincerely-Philip Magnoli, my friends call me Don Filippo