Part of the problem with understanding this issue is the misleading nature of the statistics involved. For example, a while ago there were figures around saying that we threw away 30% of the food we bought. Closer inspection showed that this included used coffee grounds and vegetable peelings.

There's nothing like stats for muddying the waters.

I'm ashamed to admit this - but I'd probably like it.

I prefer to turn off the telly with the power of the hurled boot. There inn'arf a lot of crap on these days. And precious little else.

I wonder if they beat it out of them, or used rather more humane and effective methods.

D'yer know - one of the things that makes /real/ AD-HD kids different is their inability to learn to control their impulses.

Saying "Make them wait and learn from it." is like saying "Don't speak up and clearly for a deaf person, just keep mumbling and they'll have to learn."

That doesn't mean I agree with this idea - just that if you've ever had anything to do with the real thing you wouldn't think it's OK to wait for a hour in a line.

I reckon he's just not very bright.

D'yer know - kids sometimes cry. Sometimes you can stop them - and sometimes you can't. Sometimes you don't want to stop them - they may have done something naughty and need a minute or two without a cuddle to start to learn that some sorts of behaviour isn't acceptable. This happens when it happens. Kids don't choose a "good" place to have a paddy or be upset, they just do it when the fancy takes them.

If you find annoying kids annoying, just try to remember that a) for every angelic kid there are plenty of little devils, b) this is not necessarily down to the parents - kids are all different and have their own furrow to plough and c) quite likely you were a vile little bugger sometimes, too.

It's a thing for getting Boy Scouts out of Girl Guide tents.

These days they're part of the Scout Master's penknife, but this was from the Good Old Days when men were men, boys were boys and Girl Guides had strong thighs and wouldn't let go.

Dashon - "normally" is rather a wide word. I know at least two women in my daughter's school who have children less than nine months apart. It's quite common - probably because people think it doesn't happen and fail to take evasive action.

Oh - and there's a place not far from here which breeds leeches for the NHS. They use them to drain blood from small parts after microsurgery. I gather the finer blood vessels are slow to reattach and the only way to keep the refitted bit perfused is to drain blood from the far end. Leeches do this very well, of course.

Bee sting therapy is quite widespread, and like lots of this stuff is claimed by just about anybody to cure just about anything.
A quick google will throw up loads of sites.

I only got one right. Since we don't get NPR here it was entirely guesswork - but I'd have hoped to have got more than just one!

"Surprised to find herself pregnant"? With all that experience, has she not worked out what's causing it yet?

High, was he?

That spoon-bending Israeli - Geller - that's him. He claimed he could see the future.