Manic Monday

If it's the first Monday of the month, it must be Study Release Day.  I'm not sure, but I'll bet if you go back and look at news cycles for the past year, you'll find that on the first Monday of the month, every non-profit research group will have released their findings on any number of subjects.  Today doesn't disappoint.

First they were accused of driving people to suicide.  Then studies found they can drive mild-mannered individuals to murder.  Other times they compel people to wear monochromatic turtlenecks and funny hats.  Now?  Just listening to music can cause teens to become sex-starved lunatics hell-bent on bedding anyone and everyone.  It's true.  That is, of course, if this most recent study is to be believed.  What say you, oh good DadCentric visitors?  Did you find yourself filled to the brim with raging hormones after hearing Relax?  How about when you listened to Sheena Easton coo about her Sugar Walls?  Well, I know you couldn't resist when Prince sang about Darling Nikki, Head or maybe Let's Pretend We're Married.  Who could?  Sex fiends.

Do you believe that wrestling is real?  Do you think that one wrestler jumping off the top rope and delivering an elbow to his opponent's throat only causes the recipient to moderately flail on the canvas?  How about one 275-lb. individual running full-speed into another 275-lb. individual and clotheslining that person?  No actual damage could occur, right?  Do you believe that (now forgive me if I date myself) people like The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels or Hulk Hogan are to be held up as role models?  That they should be considered good images of what a man should be?  Then you probably believe that watching wrestling is on par with home life, familial relationships, friends and other, more pertinent societal influences and a tendency toward violence.  Just a guess.

Did you know that over 20,000 children are treated in US emergency rooms every year for shopping cart-related injuries?  Do you know why?  Is it because these parents used faulty carts?  Nope.  Were they racing one another up and down the aisles?  Again, nope.  Maybe they were recreating some of their favorite sitcom moments?  So sorry, wrong again.  Most injuries occurred because the children weren't properly strapped in.  Big shocker there folks.  Solutions?  Differently designed carts that seat the child closer to the floor.  Others would offer "passive protection" meaning the parent or caregiver doesn't have to do anything to ensure the child's safety.  Heaven forbid the parent or adult be responsible for the child's safety.  What is this world coming to?

And don't get me started on the lawnmower injuries cited in that same Dr. Koop article.  Paging Captain Obvious.  Captain Obvious, call on line one.