Browsing all posts in January, 2010.

The Curious Case of the Pig Farmer and his Wife

The infamous Caesarian Section, so named not because it saved the great politician from an early death (Julius Caesar was born by normal means) but because it was codified into law in the Roman Empire, was, sadly, the option of last resort through the dark and middle ages.
It was common practice to attempt to save [...]

You Can Take the Girl out of the City

One of the things we parents do to our kids is attempt to force down their throats foster a sense of appreciation for nature.
To that end, then, we took Stretch out into the vast wilderness (sorta) with a two day trip to a local park. He was working on some scout stuff, and we were [...]

Evolutionary Psychology is the Reason I Only Have Boys

Here’s the basic idea: Those personality traits that encourage successful reproduction in that person’s progeny are favored. Those that don’t, well, die out.
The idea has been around since the 1960s or so. Especially in the mating game, it explains a whole lot.
Like–why men have the roving eye. You see, a man’s investment in his progeny [...]

Dawn

To recap:
The Middle Ages, enlightened as they were compared to the Dark Ages, really didn’t have much on ancient Rome or Greece. Learned medicine was based on Galen and Hippocrates, who could do no wrong and knew all. Plebeian medicine was in the hands of the midwives, those folk heroes of the day who often [...]

Give Me Some Credit!

Actual conversation with The Grouch (18, going on 2, who was home for the holidays):
Grouch: I can’t send in my credit card payment. I can’t find the envelope.
Mother: You can send them in with any envelope. The address is on the statement.
Grouch: You can do that?
Mother: Yep.
Grouch: (Holding his check up) What do I put [...]

I Want a Wife

Not in the changing-my-sexual orientation kind of way. I’m actually fairly happy with my current spouse. But I’m thinking I could use another one.
Think about it for a minute. The husband goes to work, comes home, and gets fed dinner. Housework and laundry and errands get miraculously done while he toils away at the office.
And [...]

I Always Knew Kids’ TV Was Deadly

By now, everyone has read about the study that was published in Circulation that shows an increase in all-cause mortality for every hour of television viewed daily.
Specifically, this large, prospective, controlled study (the good kind) found that one hour of tv per day increased your risk of dying of cardiovascular disease by 18%, cancer 9%, [...]

Did You Really Just Do That?

An open letter to the lady who sat in front of us in the movie on Friday afternoon:
I realize it was dark. That’s because WE waited until most of the way through the previews, so we could find a wide open spot, far away from everyone else. And you came in later yet. But, still, [...]

That’ll Teach ‘Em

Everyone knows the story of how the Spanish explorers, near the end of the middle ages, conquered the New World with a combination of fire power and smallpox. Honestly, how else could a handful of guys, even with guns and priests who had their God on their side, destroy large and fruitful ancient civilizations such [...]

Science and the Death of Helicopter Parenting

I wish. But since I’m not convinced that helicopter parents are rational, I doubt science will actually convince them of anything.
Rational parents instinctively understand that in order for Johnny to grow up to handle his own life, you have to hand it to him, little by little. This we call, “learning responsibility.”
The helicopter parents call [...]