The lead time on overexcited science study press releases must be around two weeks, and so the 4th of July gives us time to freak out over some other news this weekend:
- Lord knows I've seen a few, but Barack Obama's speech last night at the 100th anniversary celebration of the NAACP is his awesomest ever, and not just because around 26:00 in, he gives America permission to whoop our neighbor's kids when they're acting up. Yes we can! [c-span]
- Which may be just what they need, since researchers in Montreal and Genoa who studied 779 at-risk boys from kindergarten through adulthood found that juvenile delinquency is contagious and official, early intervention makes it 7x worse. [eurekalert]
- Meanwhile, I'm sure Britons with two neurons to rub together wish they had a Barack Obama Paddle right now. Because the government's gone batshit, tinhat, paranoid-crazy, requiring anyone who comes into contact with schoolchildren--parent, teacher, volunteer, famous picturebook author on a reading tour--to get an I'm Not A Pedophile certificate from some giant database first. [ap/yahoo via dt sr freakout correspondent sara]
- According to a Queen's University Kingston study, preschoolers develop a theory of mind that is similar to or slightly different than adults'. Should I be worried that I have no idea what the writer of this press release was thinking? [eurekalert]
- In the least alarming recall announcement of 2009, Evenflo and the CPSC are warning consumers to remove the mirror sticker from around 25,000 infant toy cell phones made between Oct. 2008 and last month, because it might come off and pose a choke hazard. No incidents have been reported. Meanwhile, K2 just ate a second sheet from her sister's Curious George sticker book. Oy. [cpsc]
- Your kid on the autism spectrum gettin' you down? Just remember, you'll have the last laugh when he totally aces college. Then you can wear his Nobel around your neck on the playground and be all, "Oh, this old thing?" [chronicle of higher ed]
I've been whacking my neighbors kids for years, but now I have the President's blessing!!