Richmond VA

6.05pm

Childhood TV viewing linked to teen attention problems

I saw this and i wanted to pass this along to you all in cyberspace.

NewScientist.com news service
Reuters and New Scientist staff :

Watching television more than two hours a day early in life can lead to attention problems later in adolescence, according to a large long-term study.

The roughly 40% increase in attention problems among "heavy" TV viewers was observed in both boys and girls, and was independent of whether a diagnosis of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder was made prior to adolescence.

"Those who watched more than two hours, and particularly those who watched more than three hours, of television per day during childhood had above-average symptoms of attention problems in adolescence," Erik Landhuis of the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand, wrote in his report, published in Pediatrics on Tuesday.

Symptoms of attention problems included short attention span, poor concentration, and being easily distracted. The findings could not be explained by early-life attention difficulties, socio-economic factors, or intelligence, says the team.

"This latest study adds to the growing body of evidence that suggests parents should take steps to limit the amount of TV their children watch," adds Bob Hancox, one of the researchers.

Mundane reality
The team studied the long-term habits and behaviours of more than 1000 children born in Dunedin, between April 1972 and March 1973. The children aged 5 to 11 watched an average of 2.05 hours of weekday television. From age 13 to 15, time spent in front of the television rose to an average of 3.1 hours a day.

Young children who watched a lot of television were more likely to continue the habit as they got older, but even if they did not, the damage was done, the study said.
"This suggests that the effects of childhood viewing on attention may be long lasting," Landhuis notes. He offers several possible explanations for the association.

One is that the rapid scene changes common to many TV programs may overstimulate the developing brain of a young child, and could make reality seem boring by comparison.
"Hence, children who watch a lot of television may become less tolerant of slower-paced and more mundane tasks, such as school work," he writes.
Net effects

It is also possible that TV viewing may supplant other activities that promote concentration, such as reading, games, sports and play, he says. The lack of participation inherent in TV watching might also condition children when it comes to other activities.

The study is not proof that TV viewing causes attention problems, Landhuis notes, because it may be that children prone to attention problems may be drawn to watching television. "However, our results show that the net effect of television seems to be adverse."

Previous studies have linked the sedentary habit of TV watching among children to obesity and diabetes, amongst other public health issues, see Childhood TV and gaming is 'major public health issue).




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Pine Cone...

I took this close up of the pine tree that was beside out room at the hotel.




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More OBX Pics...

I took this pic of the water tower in Duck, NC while we were eating at the restaurant in the bottom picture. The restaurant is called Fishbones Sunset Grill and it had very good food!

I took a series of sunset pics with my Cybershot and Cam Phone as you have seen in previous posts.




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Music Memories...

Isn’t it funny how certain songs can tie you to a time period or person? The other day I was driving down the road listening to a band called Revenge. The song was called "State Of Shock" and it was a new version released on an album called "One True Passion V2.0" I have the original version called "One True Passion" and the next album called "Gun World Porn" that the song came from. Any way, I am rambling with back information.

So, anyway, I was driving down the road and was listening to the song and it reminded me of when I lived in Nacogdoches Texas in Wind Hill apartments. I had a friend, Jason Rhame, and he loved that song and we would play the hell out of it all the time. He moved away as did I and we kept in touch for several years and then we lost touch. I moved around a little and so did he. Well, I decided to try to find him and I tried to get his parents number in Nacogdoches and called them, no answer, so I went to www.zabasearch.com and did a search for his name and I found it in Houston.

There were several of the name. I called a few and left messages to call me and low and behold I received a call last week from him!! It was good to hear from an old friend from long ago and to catch up on recent times. We talk about once a week and are going to keep up with each other. It is just funny how music can spark memories of events and time…



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Sun through trees.

I took this from work in parkinglot b4 work @ 6.20pm

A day is ending for some.

The sun is setting in the west

My speed

Mack: The Photocopier Squeals

This kind of relates to my last 2 posts about the end of summer and the returning to school for the kind.  My many thanks to Mac Hall for letting me post this. 

 

 

The Office Photocopier Squeals

 

The office photocopier can be a marvelous source of wisdom as well as of trivia. Sometimes one clears the scanner glass and learns what joys and revelations a fellowship / church / ministry / outreach / under the inspired leadership of Reverend Doctor Bishop Brother So-and-So has planned for the next Sunday.

 

Our lesson for today, however, is taken from a science quiz, the original of which was left in The Machine that knows all.  Here are some of the many connected bits of knowledge our tenth-graders are expected to master systematically: 

 

What substance releases hydroxide ions in solution?

 

What category of elements makes up Group 2 in the Periodic Table?

 

What are single-celled prokaryotes, organisms that lack a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles?

 

Define abiotic factors.

 

What is the biological mass in an ecosystem called?

 

What is a form of asexual reproduction in which the genetic material of the cell is copies and then the cell simply divides in two, forming two identical daughter cells?

 

What chemical substance slows or prevents the growth of bacterial microorganisms?

 

How many thanks do we owe Sister Thus-and-Such for playing the piano…wait…wrong document…

 

I conclude by making my own modest contribution: What is the predominant meter in Garth Brooks' "Friends in Low Places?"

 

A. Iambic pentameter
B. Trochee
C. Anapest
D. Budapest

 

For us parents the most important question in September is this: do our children have a set place and time for study?  Is their need to work to improve themselves respected by all in the household?  Do they have a quiet corner and good sturdy table at which to work?  A desk lamp?  Pens and pencils and calculator and paper?  A few basic reference books, beginning with an ordinary dictionary?

 

After all, life is not entirely about drunken movie starlets named after geographical features.

 

-30-
 

 

I would never wear someone else's name or likeness on my clothing, even if I weren't the man I admire most.

--
RMSTringer
+++++++++++++++

Blog Problems...

I am having trouble logging in to my blog tonight from work.  It will be a problem for em to get a post out other than a text post. i hope that this problem corrects itself soon.

 

Thank you,
--
RMSTringer
+++++++++++++++

Another realization of the end of summer...

As I wrote the last post, it got me to thinking about other memories.  One was that with the end of summer, there would be more order at the house. All of the kids have been out for the summer and have been able to say up all night and watch TV or surf the net.  They would sleep all day and repeat this again.  I was not real bad about this; perhaps only when I had a friend over and we would watch movies, o net was available back then. With the advent of school approaching, kids have to go to sleep at a descent time.  Our time for daughter is 10.30pm to be in bed and asleep. Not to be up asking questions and saying I forgot or I need to tell you something. Growing kids need their sleep and rest and this is an issue that we try to make daughter understand.  I was really never that bad about sleep.

 

Another realization is that there are no more real holidays until Thanksgiving and Christmas. Yes it is a long stretch until then.  Halloween comes around, but that is not a  holiday unless you are a pagan then you might try to get the day off. I can remember when I was in college having to go to football games during that weekend with the band.  When I was younger, I would go skiing with my father to Colorado. So that was something to look forward to during that long stretch between September and November.  After that, Christmas comes very quick so I would make my Christmas list and give it to all concerned…

 

Perhaps more later as I think about things.

 

RMStringer

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Let teachers and priests and philosophers brood

over questions of reality and illusion.

I know this: if life is an illusion, then I

am no less an illusion, and being thus, the

illusion is real to me. I live, I burn with life, I

love, I slay, and I am content.

(Robert E. Howard, Queen of the Black Coast, Weird Tales, May 1934)

 

Steak!

Need I say moor?

Lador Day BBQ

A nice steak makes all happy!

The End Of Summer...

Well my friends, another summer has come to a close.  Labor Day has come and tomorrow it will have gone the way of all other holidays of yesteryear.  With the closing of summer, all the kids will be going back to school with their mothers not believing that they have advance to another grade and they have grown another 2 inches!  One might say “ We just bought you jeans in March, I can’t believe that you have outgrown them.”  I have heard my wife say that many times.  With the closing of summer, people scurry around to get last minute items on the school list that their kids need. 

 

I always hated the last day before school started because the realization was there that school will start tomorrow.  Understand though, I did not dislike school. The Jerry Lewis Telethon that plays all day Labor Day long was always a final reminder to me that summer is officially over.   I always had a friend over that day and we would play but they had to go home because school was the next day.  I would always look forward to the weekends so I could go or have company at my house or stay with a friend on Friday night.  Another sign in the finality of summer is the fact that the day are starting to get shorter and the night longer.  With a hurried pace, kids will be going to school and getting assignments to take home and projects to work on.  With the Labor Day weekend nearly finished, families will finish up their last minute vacations and will return home to get things in order for the new school season.  But with the ending of summer, some things come anew. 

 

I always anticipated the starting of a new Television Season as the ending of summer always marked a new season of new shows and the continuation of old TV series.  Yes, the summer season of reruns is nearly over with the ending of summer. I can remember me eagerly awaiting the newest episode of Saturday Night Live or way back in the day, Miami Vice. With the ending of summer, the Big Networks will do Labor Day Marathons of the big TV hits from the last season so as to let everyone that did not get to see them the last year or missed a few episodes to catch up and get ready for the shocking conclusion that left you hanging in May of that year. Labor Day was always bitter sweet for me.  It meant that most of my Friday Nights were tied up with Football Games and performing with the band and long trips to away games.  They were hot trips as in Texas “winter” never really hit until December or January and the band uniforms were wool. It was also a time to make new friends that might have moved into the town and reunite with old friends that you lost touch with over the summer. 

 

The end of summer also meant that it was time to get new clothes for the upcoming school year.  I always love to go to the mall and get the latest fashion for men and getting a few new pairs of shoes. I was always a coat man and I love to be able to get a new one for the new year and I could not wait until it was cold enough to wear it! Yes my friends, the end of summer is and always will be a bitter sweet time for us all…

 

God Bless!

RMStringer

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Let teachers and priests and philosophers brood

over questions of reality and illusion.

I know this: if life is an illusion, then I

am no less an illusion, and being thus, the

illusion is real to me. I live, I burn with life, I

love, I slay, and I am content.

(Robert E. Howard, Queen of the Black Coast, Weird Tales, May 1934)

 

The Back Side...

The is a Panorama i made of the back side pool area of the Hampton Inn and Suits that we stayed at in Carolla NC, OBX

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George at feeding time!

This was a funny little video that i took of George the Gull getting fed peanuts. We saw him on Friday and then when we came back the next morning, he was there again. We fed him some more nuts and he would fight to keep other sea birds away. We went to the beach this morning before we left OBX and saw him again, so we fed him the rest off what we had...

He will be missed.

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Grasshopper

Grasshopper, originally uploaded by RMStringer.

I was at the hotel in Orlando Florida and i saw him on the back of a car. I thought that it was a good shot.

Going Down with a Fly Buy...

DSC02513, originally uploaded by RMStringer.

I took this while waiting to get a table at restaurant in Duck, NC. The restaurant is called the Sunset Grill and the food was awesome and it is know for breath taking sunsets like this one. I just happened to get several geese flying in the picture.

Our castle.

George...

Day 3. He is back!

Sunday morning @ 10.25am.

Our time is drawing to a close. we have had a good time. It will be fun to come back next year for a longer vaca at OBXNC!

Night...

Very calm and cool.

Nearly down.

Sunset Grill, Duck NC

Duck NC

Sound side on the bay.

Sun setting...

@ 5.30pm

Evening sky...

@ 5.20pm

Mid afternoon...

It has been very relaxing today

George!

We fed him yesterday and he is back today!

5.35pm

Sunset...OBXNC

Sunset...

Looking west to the sun.

Sea bird...

It is a gull. they make me mad. they beg!

The beach!

Carrolla NC

View from room

Hampton Inn

Duck NC

Food...

Torture school subjects children to lethal punishments...

You just have to love the State of Massachusetts!! When we live in Mass, there were over 40 registered Sex Offenders in the town. One of them was a dentist that molested patients while they were under sedation. In the town where I worked there was several "sex offender" schools way up in the hills. I kind of reminded me of Deliverance.

Now to this story.

Posted by Cory Doctorow, August 30, 2007 6:24 AM

Mother Jones has a long, chilling feature on The Judge Rotenberg Education Center, a private radical behavior-modification school based in Canton, Mass. The school is run by a rogue behaviorist who uses discredited "punishment" techniques -- electroshock -- on children as young as nine to change their personalities. Matthew Israel, the school's $400,000/year executive director, straps homemade, overpowered shock apparatus to children (including severely autistic and retarded kids) and has his staff administer strong shocks for even minor infractions. Some children have been shocked thousands of times a day, and several children have died at the school.

Eight states send troubled children to the school, where "high functioning" kids are "educated" by being sat in front of computers all day, running through automated tutorial programs. Talking, fidgeting, or acting out during this "school" time is punished with shocks. Some kids' shock apparatus misfires, shocking them without any provocation. The staff are instructed to activate the shock apparatus out of sight of the children, so that they can't mentally or physically prepare for it.

The Rotenberg process lacks any kind of scientific basis, and the school uses a 20-year-old film of its "successes" to convince parents to send their children to the program -- however, some of the success stories in the film are still institutionalized at Rotenberg 20 years after their "cure," wheelchair bound and in terrible shape.

Then, in June of 2006, a report produced by the New York State Education Department threatened to destroy the program's carefully cultivated image. A group of investigators, including three psychologists, spent five days at the Rotenberg Center and compiled a 26-page document packed with damning findings.

* Staff shock kids for "nagging, swearing, and failing to maintain a neat appearance" and once threatened to shock a girl who sneezed and then asked for a tissue.
* Some students must "earn" meals by not displaying certain behaviors. Otherwise they are "made to throw a predetermined caloric portion of their food into the garbage."
* When students enter and leave the school each day, "almost all" are wearing some type of restraints, such as handcuffs or leg shackles.
* "Students may be restrained"--on a four-point restraint board or chair--"for extensive periods of time (e.g. hours or intermittently for days)."
* Some students are shocked while strapped to the restraint board.
* A "majority" of employees "serving as classroom teachers" are "not certified teachers."
* Rotenberg's marketing reps bestow presents on prospective families--"e.g. a gift bag for the family, basketball for the student."
* Although the center has described its shock device as "approved" by the FDA in its promotional materials, it "has not been approved."
* The facility collects "comprehensive data" on behaviors it seeks to eliminate, but "there was no evidence of the collection of data on replacement or positive behaviors."
* The facility makes no assessment of the "possible collateral effects of punishment such as depression, anxiety, and/or social withdrawal."

This sounds on par for that draconian state that is about 50 years behind the rest of the USA due to it being a Commonwealth. As you can tell, i am not a big fan of that state and did nto like living there.

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895/150/I95 Interchange

895 Is Pocahontas Toll Way, 150 (Chippenham Parkway) becomes 895 at the top of the bridge/overpass because they all cross over I95 North/South and The James River.

This map gives you a look at what i am talking about.

View Larger Map

South 150

It is called The Chippengham Parkway.

Another incident...

Mom pushes Applebee's on breast-feeding policy.
WANTS CHANGE IN POLICY AFTER BEING TOLD TO COVER HERSELF

I totaly agree with the manager of the resturant in asking her to cover herself.

" waitress came over and said that if she wanted to breast-feed, she had to cover the baby with a blanket. Ryan said it was so hot that she didn't have a blanket. The waitress then repeated her request. Ryan said she then asked to see the manager and handed him a copy of the 2006 Kentucky law that prohibits interference with a woman breast-feeding her baby in public.

The manager said he knew about the law but a customer had complained about indecent exposure, so she had to cover the baby with a blanket."

Now when I go out to eat, I do not want to see a woman feeding her child with her tit hanging out of her shirt. I have been in many public places and seen women feeding their children with a blanket over their baby and that is acceptable to me and I am sure most other people. This woman asked for a booth in the back and proceeded to feed with no blanket.

"Sen. Tom Buford, R-Nicholasville, who sponsored the breast-feeding protection bill, agrees."She was not treated right under the new law," he said. "There should have been no comment made to her at all; the restaurant overstepped its boundaries. There's no way they can explain their way out of this."

Thirty-nine states, including Kentucky, allow women to breast-feed in any public or private location."

He is probably some dirty old man that likes this. IF you have to feed your children, go to the bathroom or use a blanket to cover yourself, not just flop it out and let the baby suck. I do not agree with the bill and think that it should have an amendment where the mother needs to use a blanket to do the feeding in a very public place like a restaurant or bus station. I do not think that just facing the wall is sufficient for such a personal and private matter especially is there were complaints like in this case.

She, in my opinion is making a spectacle of herself and this practice.

"August is World Breast-feeding Awareness Month, and Ryan has organized two related public events:• A "Nurse-In" at the children's play area at Fayette Mall from 1-3 p.m. Saturday. Ryan says the mall is not a target, but has a place for kids to play.• From noon to 2 p.m. Sept. 8, she is holding a "Nurse Out" with posters and breast-feeding in front of the Applebee's on Nicholasville Road.

She's also asking for a public apology from Applebee's and training for its employees about the rights of breast-feeding mothers. Some day, she says, she would like to see the international breast-feeding symbol of a mother and child in every restaurant that supports the practice.

"I'm not trying to be provocative," she said. "I want to teach."

What is she going to teach by doing this type of exhibition in front of the restaurant? It will teach people to think that she is a news monger and a complete NUT!! That is what it would teach me But then again, this is in Kentucky.

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Sugar Ghost Drinking with Paw...

This is out cat Sugar Ghost. She is a very strange cat and she will drink with her paws. She also likes baths and loves to walk in the snow!! We have had her since we lived in Colorado.

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Sugar Ghost

Drinking with paws

The RMStringers

I did a totally redesign of our site tonight.  Please go and let me know what you think.  It is only pictures.

Thanks,

 

RMStringer

+++++++++++++++++++++++

"We are all geniuses when we dream"

- E.M. Cioran

 

Miss Teen USA 2007 - South Carolina answers a question

She re-answered the question on NBC this morning. I will try to find her response soon.

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Bald Eagles...

Busch Gardens is a wildlife preserve and they have over 6 Bald Eagles that are wounded and cannot fly. They live their all the time.

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Alpengiest

0828071549, originally uploaded by RMStringer.

We rode it 5 thies today!!!

Genito & 360

Intersection @ night.

Neat night shot?

Genito & Old Hundred Rd.

Weekend...

Well, another exhausting weekend has come to a close. I worked all weekend long and I am tired today. I had to mow the lawn yesterday before the rain hit. So I got off at 7.15am and drove home, got here around 7.45 and started to cut the crass about 8am.. Needless to say I was dead at work last night. I have not gotten much sleep today as I have had to get a few things done. So, I am tired, cranky, and hungry. I need to eat soon or try to get a little nap in before I go to the gym and try to work out. I want to emphasize try.

I don't see any rain forecast in the next few days, so I might get to cut the grass before the weekend or at least I hope to do that. I will try to post a few items over the next few days.

RMStringer

#################

"Though no one can go back and make a brand new start,

anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending." - Author Unknown

New Thumbnail

Cool Blue lighted window.

It was @ Busch Gardens.

Heavy Rain! i64

Rain on i64 east.

I want one of these!!

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A strange match up...

Beaver.

Apollo's Chariot

Their could not be a more strange pairing than these two items; a beaver and a roller coaster. While we were at Busch Gardens the other day having our Ride-A-Thon (33 rides in an 8 hour period) we were ridding Apollo’s Chariot. It is a very good ride! Perhaps one of my all time favorites out of all the parks that I have been to. Well anyway, back to the main topic, Beavers and Roller Coasters.

While riding waiting to ride Apollo's Chariot there were beavers eating grass. We were like cool as BG is a nature preserve and a park all at the same time. So we got on the ride and after the first few drops we started seeing beavers lying around on the ground just eating whatever they eat. They did not seam to be bothered buy the loud noise or people screaming or for that matter, the roller coaster. So we were like SCREAMING BEAVER when we would see one of them. I know it sounds stupid, but it was fun with my daughter and her friend. We would all trade seats and take turns spotting the beavers during the rides. I would say "Beavers and Roller Coasters Kick Ass"! The girls would say they Rock!

It was a kind of bonding experience with us all and we had fun!! All in all, I think that we counted about 5-7 different Beavers during our 14 rides. Weather permitting on Tuesday, I think that me and my daughter will go back and use our VA Residence passes one more time before they expire…

It was a very strange pairing, nature and man at their best but on separate terms.

What is your opinion?

Philip Morris Building

Their main building looks like a pack of cigaretts. Their main HQ is located off of I95 North in good ole Richmond!

Orb Spider...

Doctor Strange: The Sorcerer Supreme

Old Dr. Strange Costume.










New Dr. Strange from movie

I watched the movie today and I was not disappointed at all!! Dr. Strange was always one of my favorite Marvel characters due to his immense power and use of magic. It was updated to the present era as opposed to the late comic book title. It starts off with several magical people fighting monsters in New York City with them crossing paths with Dr. Stephen Strange.

He is the gifted, arrogant surgeon that was riddled with guilt and we find out later whey this was and as in the book he has a car crash. He goes through the pains of realizing that he can no longer perform surgery and tries in vein to get his hands to work while exhausting his fortune. Destitute, he comes across an oriental man that gives him a map and is told that he will find what he is looking for. He makes it to the Himalayan city of the Ancient One and gets an audience with him. We see Baron Mordo, Wong and a whole cast of other people in an apprenticeship of the Ancient One. He takes Strange as an apprentice and we see the trials of this event.

We see the training and distrust between Strange and Mordo when we find out the Strange is to assume the mantel of Sorcerer Supreme instead of Mordo which begins a life long struggle between them. The Dread Dormammu tries to attack earth and come across, but is thwarted by Strange and the Ancient one who dies during this struggle. At this point, Strange becomes the Sorcerer Supreme and stops Dormammu from being able to cross into the Earthly dimension. Thus begins anew saga as it ends with Wong and Dr. Strange walking into the Sanctum Sanctorum mansion in New York City's Greenwich Village and closing the door.

I cannot tell everything about the movie. It had very good character development and action scenes. It is a good representation of the comic book. Before the movie was release there was a 6-issue comic book titled "Strange" series. I was written by by J. Michael Straczynski (Author).It was released last year that was to be the screenplay for a live action movie. It says that he has a skiing accident. In the movie we hear a reference to Dr. Donald Blake (Thor), but we do not see him. Also, we do not see him use any of his coined phrases like: "By the all-seeing Eye of Agamotto!" or "By the hoary hosts of Hoggoth!" Or how about "By the shades of the shadowy Seraphim!"

I can only hope that we see other releases with Dr. Strange as the main figure…

What is your opinion?

Going home...

9 times!