Dumb Ass Scientists

On my RSS feeds I stumbled across something that I just stared at for ages. 

“CHILDREN who eat too many lollies are more likely to become violent criminals as adults, new research finds.”

YOU HAVE GOT TO BE FRICKING KIDDING ME!  I’ve seen and done some stupid things in my time. This is right up there with the Snuggie and me doing a business degree and moving home from London. 

To me, this just screams of people who have far too much time on their hands.  Quit studying this crap and put your time and money into cures for cancer or fixing the Global Financial Crisis. 

I’m so baffled by this whole article that I have nothing else to say.  Except that I’m off to have some lollies… so you better watch out for violent tenancies later.

Only Child Syndrome? Kiss My Ass.

I am on only child.

Well that is not entirely true. I have a half brother who is 17 years my senior and never lived with us when I was a child, and whilst I love him, for all intents and purposes I am an only child. 

There is a stigma attached to being an only child that I have never been able to shake. People (usually people from large families) always presume that only children are spoilt and selfish.

G. Stanley Hall was one of the first professional people to diss being an only child. Calling it a “disease unto itself”.  Adler believed that only children are deficient and that only children have interpersonal problems and have tantrums if they are not universally loved. 

Now I’m sure they were very smart men but they can go shove their studies up their asses. They created a stereotype which has been stigmatic to only children for generations.

I do not personally think I am a selfish person.  I have never had issues with sharing anything, I always lent my friends whatever they wanted to borrow. In fact, as an only child I was always excited to have someone to share with (Except today when it comes to sharing men and books to people who don’t return them). So there is one myth busted.

In fact in recent years, academic people who study things have found that only children are better adjusted, achieve better results academically.  My parents have been able to give me things they wouldn’t have been able to do if I had had brothers and sisters.  That doesn’t mean I am spoilt though, I never had everything I wanted, but I did have everything I needed.

I like being an only child. I don’t believe it has impacted me in any way really. I’ve never had to share the remote with anybody which was great.  I learnt to enjoy my own company, which is a skill I think that many people need to develop.  I have made an extended family for myself made of great friends whom I love as much as any of my real family. 

What does scare me though is that in the future, when Mum and Dad are old and decrepit, I’m not looking forward to being the only one looking after them.  I’m not sure I’m cut out for that.

But as for being maladjusted?  Well Mr Hall, Mr Adler.. you can kiss my ass. 

(Sources as always from somewhere on Google/Wikipedia)

Swine Flu Panic

2009 Sure has been a year of doom and gloom news headlines.

The global economic crisis has affected us all and companies around the world have suffered.  But the people who make Dettol must be laughing all the way to the bank with the other big news of 2009 - Swine Flu.

Swine Flu seems to have touched all of our lives, and even I have indulged in a “I think I have a mild case of the Swine Flu” status update on Facebook.

I don’t pretend to understand what causes it, I don’t understand symptoms.  All I understand is that it has brought panic and has us all reaching for the antibacterial hand gel.  All of a sudden it’s an epidemic. 

I found it interesting that the news is reporting every death from Swine Flu like it is a front page story. Its not. People have been dying of terrible diseases since the dawn of time. For Example..

• Total Annual Deaths Worldwide from Regular Flu – 250,000-500,000
• AIDS – Killed 25 Million people since 1981
• Malaria – Kills about 2 Million people every year
• Deaths from Childbirth every year – over 500,000
• Spanish Flu – Killed 50-100 Million people in 2 years
• The Black Death – Killed 75 Million people
• Smallpox – Killed over 300 Million people in the 20th Century Alone

Deaths from Swine Flu – Less than 1,500.

The loss of any human life is a tragedy, especially from a treatable disease, and I am by no means trying to cheapen the loss that the families of the Swine Flu victims must be feeling.   However, as in the case of The Black Death, the strong survived, the weak perished.  Survival of the Fittest. It’s just how life is meant to work. 

So perhaps Swine Flu should get over itself, so we can have some new news on the news.

(stats are from World Health Organisation website and other reputable news websites)