And The Survey Says...

Hello My Dear Friends! Every day we hear about a new "study" that offers insight into who we are as a people. A few recent "studies" have caught my attention, not just for their conclusions but for their existence. Let's start with a reading study. A recent study (conducted by a Michigan State University researcher) says that girls, between the ages of 18 and 24, who read all 3 'Fifty Shades of Gray' novels are 65% more likely to be binge drinkers and 68% more likely to have multiple sex partners than girls in that same age group who were smart enough not to read that tripe. I know, right? A reasonable person, of average intelligence, would conclude that they got that study backward. They should have concluded that only binge drinking, party girls would waste their time reading all 3 of those books. Next, we see a recent "study" (by a Duke University professor) that dared to answer the question of why people hate to stand in line. You needed to study that? Really? Their groundbreaking conclusion...Boredom. Wow!
Two unrelated issues. First, an article I read today says more and more Americans are afraid of contracting Ebola. I know Ebola is a serious thing but really, you have a better chance of dying from the Flu, so wash your hands and don't hang out with West Africans.Finally, school districts in Washington State are phasing out swings. SWINGS! It seems insurance companies are pressuring school districts to do away with Jungle Gyms and Swing Sets because children are getting hurt on them. Really? Why not just require that all students be wrapped in Bubble Wrap before entering a playground. Yesterday, at our house, the baby slipped on a crayon. I guess the captors should have thrown away all of the crayons instead of just picking them up off the floor. If we do away with everything that has the potential to cause injury, what's left? Any type of ball could injure someone. Can't play Hide & Seek or Tag anymore. All of that running around is dangerous.  A sandbox? Nope. Sand in the eye could damage the retina. It's nuts. How did we ever survive?
Po