A new study by Canadian researchers shows spanking children can do more harm than previously thought, including causing “long-term developmental damage and may even lower a child’s IQ.” Currently banned in 32 countries, physical punishment is still an accepted practice in large parts of the world. The researchers behind this study hope parents can take the discipline discussion out of an ethical realm and begin to look at the issue from a medical point of view.
Continue reading
It was that time of year again. You didn’t want to be left out, so you broke out the chips, got a beer, and parked it in front of the TV. You’ve were told this was going to be the nature of competition at its best, but instead you were assailed by America’s free market capitalism on steroids. Even the commercials were made to compete, in a knife-edge death match where only one could survive. Each tried to outdo the next with enough glitz and pop to make your teeth rot just looking at them. The network itself—not wanting to let this golden opportunity go to waste–competed on its own macro level, constantly reminding you of its featured show playing after the game. But you were smart, at least you didn’t start at noon to catch all of the pre-game hoopla. Because almost four-and-a-half hours of this mind-numbing monstrosity is enough. . .right?
Continue reading
As easy as it is to express ourselves in this modern age of instant communication, it’s just as easy to get burned. As we have seen in the past, there are constant reminders that if you’re not extremely careful with how you communicate, not only are you likely to fail in getting your point across to your audience—you put yourself in danger of getting into a lot of trouble. Mitt Romney is now under fire for his now infamous quote about being “not concerned about the very poor.” Adding fuel to the fire, the DNC is now using this in an attack ad against the GOP front-runner.
Continue reading
You might have read about the Hot Sauce Mom, who got into trouble last year for her unusual punishment of making her son hold hot sauce in his mouth for lying to her. It was kind of a modern “I’ll wash your mouth out with soap” kind of thing. But although the soap-in-the-mouth threat (and sometimes follow-through) was tolerated by many back in the day, this new hot sauce punishment trend is not feeling the love, so to speak. In the midst of all the controversy, there is now an elementary school teacher trying to get into the act.
Continue reading
It’s Friday! That means it’s time for another episode of All The [NERD] Rage, a lightning-round style review of the top nerd stories of the week. These are stories the Muggles may have missed. It’s time to catch up, so we’d better get started.
Continue reading
