space monkey?

Alright, I would like to think that I am still fairly young enough to not be completely out of touch with todays youth. I understand that by saying something like "todays youth" doesn't exactly help my case but thats not the point to this rant.

I read an article on msn.com about a young teen boy dying in the states from playing a game. What kind of game? you ask. Did he die from swallowing a Monopoly(tm*) piece? Perhaps he had too much fun getting into "Trouble" (tm). Or maybe one of those Hungry Hungry Hippos decided to finally get its fill by chomping on the boy.

Sadly this wasn't that kind of game. It has many slang names including "blackout,pass out and space monkey" but in medical terms comes down to "self asphyxiation" basically these kids choke themselves in the hopes of obtaining a high. What they don't seem to realize is that cutting off the oxygen to the brain CAN KILL THEM!

Supposedly this "game" is becomming all the rage, with kids even holding blackout parties.

Excuse me for a moment while I loose my composure. WHAT THE HELL?!!

Is this some kind of teen retaliation for all those anti-drug lectures? We take away their right of passage of getting high behind the school gym for the first time so instead they choose a far cooler and more rebellious brain embolism. I repeat, WHAT THE HELL!!!??

I have trouble with the fact that they are having parties to do this kind of thing in groups. "So son what are you doing tonight"? (naive 50's era father) "Well dad I think I'll head over to Timmy's and choke myself until I get stupid" "Allright son, just don't put yourself into a coma like the Smith boy did".

Yeah I don't think so. I'd rather have my kid smoking pot behind the gym. Of course I don't mean that seriously, I would hope that my kid doesn't get into that stuff at all, but I know as well as just about anyone that "experimented" at some point that its always there. Hopefully though I can have the relationship with my kid that they could ask me about and be smart about it.

Besides, if I can't choke my kid he can't do it either*.

* I was just kidding about that too....social services,you can quit calling now.