We humans are absolutely ridiculous creatures. Besides the obviously terrible, evil ways we can behave towards each other, not forgetting towards other species', we can behave in simply stupid ways that defy belief.
Although it appears on a great many other news sites, a few days ago I read a report on the BBC website about a ludicrous global craze - or 'scourge' as it has been termed - that is so damn stupid all I could do was shake my head. In the wake of utter nonsense like planking and pouring quarts of milk over ourselves - you know, for a laugh - we now have 'manspreading' to concern ourselves with. Even the word itself is preposterous.
Rather than me blathering on further about it, getting myself all riled up over nothing, here's the report for your amusement/fury/disbelief: Delete as applicable.
"Transport chiefs in the Spanish capital, Madrid, have launched a campaign discouraging 'manspreading' - men encroaching on other seats by sitting with their legs wide apart.
Bus operator EMT is putting up new signs showing a seated male figure, legs akimbo, next to a big red cross. A similar campaign is planned for the city's Metro system. The move follows an online petition by a women's campaign group, which garnered more than 12,000 signatures. Manspreading - which was accepted as a word in the online Oxford dictionary two years ago - is already discouraged in some other cities around the world.
EMT said in a statement that the aim of the new signs was to remind male travellers "of the need to maintain civic behaviour and to respect the space of everyone on board the bus".
The women's group Mujeres en Lucha (Women in Struggle) said in its online petition that it was not uncommon on public transport to see women "with their legs closed and very uncomfortable because there is a man next to her invading her space".
It's hashtag #MadridSinManspreading (#MadridWithoutManspreading) has been widely used on social media.
In 2014, New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority decided to crack down on the manspreading scourge with signs on the city's Metro that read: "Dude... stop the spread, please." The US city of Philadelphia also launched a "Dude, it's Rude" campaign, while Seattle's transport provider put up signs showing an octopus with its tentacles draped over bordering seats."
