The Only Thing Scarier Than an Indigo Child...

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Wednesdays -- Not Just for Humping Anymore

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Apparently not everyone looks forward to Wednesday as the mid-point of the work-week anymore, according to a study in the journal Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology.

The study, conducted by Augustine Kposowa (University of California Department of Sociology) and Stephanie D'aura, studied suicide rates from 2000-2004 all over the United States. The goal was to find any relationship between "temporal" factors like day of the week and season of the year.

Surprisingly, the study found a much higher incidence of suicide on Wednesday (24.6%) than any other day of the week -- in fact, they were 99% more likely to occur on Wednesday than on Sunday!


Here's an actual chart from the study:

As you can see, Wednesday suicides are almost double nearly every other day of the week. Why is that?

Kposowa suggested in this MSNBC article that work stress may play a heavy role in this trend. I mean, think about it: you're on your third day of this damn commute, your annoying coworkers (not to mention that one particular crazy bitch who keeps pissing you off), your asshole of a boss...and don't even get me started on the kids and their last minute projects, after-school sports/band/glee club practice, parent-teacher conferences, etc...bills that are due before payday...that spouse/significant other who just won't pick up his pants off your livingroom floor and expects you to get his good shirt drycleaned for an important meeting tomorrow -- never mind the fact that you have projects of your own...

...Okay, I'm getting off track here, sorry...

The point is that everything seems to come to a head on Wednesday, of all days (and certainly not on Mondays, which is typically the most depressing day in the songwriting world). And the weekend (and any hope of a reprieve from it all) still seems so far away. So for someone who's already thinking about suicide, this overwhelming stress can be all it takes to push them into action.

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Why the sudden drop on Thursday? Well, I think that's pretty obvious if you accept the assumption mentioned above. By Thursday you've survived most of the week. Just one more day to go, and heck -- if it's really that bad, you can just start your weekend early.

How the internet and technology are fucking with suicide
trends

This study showed some major deviations from previous assumptions and findings regarding suicide trends. The first, of course, is that traditionally suicides were found to occur more frequently on weekends.

The second trend is that, contrary to previous findings that suicide rates increase in the winter, this study saw that -- if any seasons stood out at all -- suicides were lowest in the winter and highest in the summer.

Again, a chart pulled straight from the study:

No, the steadily increasing obesity rates aren't causing people to take the easy way out in avoiding swimsuit season.

Why, then, are suicides lower in the winter than in summer?

Again, Kposowa has a theory: email, social networking sites, and all those other annoying technological advances that intrude on my life (and yours too, no doubt) actually help people maintain a sense of connection with the outside world. They feel less isolated during those months when no one's going out because it's too cold. And where does everyone go? Why, straight to MySpace and other social networking sites, of course!

The same theory holds true for the weekend -- all those lonely people flock to social networking sites from Friday evening to early Monday morning, where they find mutual comfort in the cold, unloving arms of the internet and the artificial, asocial interaction it provides.

How this will impact your social networking comment postings

Don't put away those sexy images just yet, and don't abandon your pursuit of a really sweet sexual harassment lawsuit, folks.

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This is just one study -- one single study that refutes years of research on suicide trends. Yes, this could indicate a new trend in suicidal tendencies, but more studies are definitely needed before we replace those sexy hump day images with suicide hotline notices.

Which is a shame, because I'd rather see some creative suicide prevention comments.

Just because it's Wednesday...

Hey, call me if you get lonely,
ok?

Links from the blog:

http://www.springerlink.com/content/d236q44ut3582v91/fulltext.html

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31780455/ns/health-mental_health/?ns=health-mental_health
http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/trends.html

Gaffney, SC: Serial Killer Capital of the World?

No, not hardly. They're only on their second string of serial murders in less than a half century.

Of course, not many people are aware of that, what with all the media frenzy surrounding the recent bout of celebrity deaths and political scandals. North Korea launches missile tests like crazy and Iranian clerics denounce the election, yet this major international news is barely noticed as the media continue to report that Michael Jackson is still, in fact, quite dead (This man is no more! He has ceased to exist!) and that -- big shock here -- politicians cheat on their wives and misappropriate funds.

I guess, then, there's no chance of any real coverage of a string of murders in a town of less than 13,000 people.

Not even if they had two murders during all of 2007 and absolutely no murders in 2006? Why, they've had more murders in the past two weeks alone than they did over the past several years.

Even more interesting is the fact that this is not the first time this tiny town has been the scene of a string of murders that met the FBI's definition for a serial killer. In 1968 police arrested a man named Lee Roy Martin, aka the Gaffney
Strangler, who murdered four people and had even begun taunting police and the local papers with letters promising he'd kill more if he wasn't caught. He later died in prison (or did he? -- http://www.switchplates.netfirms.com/).

Maybe if this new killer were strangling his/her victims the media wouldn't be able to ignore it. This would be far too sensational -- a copycat serial killer. It's the stuff movies are made of...maybe the illegitimate child of Martin, or perhaps a split personality of a victim's sister who could never quite process what happened.

*sigh* This should be a huge story. CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, and countless AP, Reuters, and local news agencies should be camped out in Gaffney...interviewing "witnesses" to the current murders and the ones from 40 years ago, confusing the facts, reporting on every tidbit of gossip or conjecture they can get their hands on, frightening the townsfolk even more than they already are....

...then again, maybe it's better this way. The killer doesn't get the attention he's likely after and what little is actually reported has been verified and isn't just the latest gossip "reported here first." Yes, let these people suffer through this in peace. The FBI is involved, as are local law enforcement. They're not alone.

For some interesting coverage on the Gaffney Strangler:

Lee Roy Martin

Sister of Gaffney Strangler victim

Coverage on the July shootings:

Murder Timeline

Links to the latest news

More breaking news updates

The Gaffney Ledger

Armchair detectives following the recent murders



Update!!
Authorities believe they killed the Gaffney Shooter. My work, it seems, is done.

Eagle vs. Shark (2007)

Eh, it was another one of those indie movies about socially awkward people experiencing some fairly daily events. Nerds fall in and out of love, seek revenge on bullies, deal with dysfunctional families, etc.


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It had some God-awful hilarious moments. I probably wouldn't have watched it normally if it hadn't been for the fact that I needed a movie just interesting enough to get my mind off a recent trauma, but boring enough that I might not care if I fell asleep before the end.

Luckily, I didn't fall asleep and managed to stay up for all the awkward goofiness. And unlike with some movies in this same vein (Napoleon Dynamite is one that comes to mind), I stayed interested enough in other people's trivial lives to forget about the horrors that had just befallen my petty life.

You might be wondering what could possibly have happened in my boring little life that could leave me so upset...

It was a spider.

For those of you who aren't aware, I used to have a pretty strong fear of spiders. When I was a teenager it probably could have been classified as a legitimate phobia, as my fear of spiders and almost any bug that bites or stings did severely impact my life. Luckily, I worked through a lot of that, and I only mildly embarrass myself if a bee or wasp flies near.

As for spiders, we've established an uneasy truce: if they stay out of sight, I won't worry about them. I won't do preventative spraying (I hate chemical pesticides), but if a spider comes out in the open he is fair game.

The other night I saw a spider on my bedroom wall. It was just a few inches from where I was laying, reading a book. The damn thing caught me off guard and I froze just long enough for him to escape. When I pulled my bed away from the wall I didn't see him, but I did find a very fresh spiderweb (I spent two days last week moving every piece of furniture in my room to ensure I'd vacuumed everywhere and removed any pests before I moved into my mom's basement). I sprayed thoroughly behind my bed and set out to find something to get my mind off of how many other spiders might be lurking just out of sight, when I found this movie.

Now, here's the thing I want you to understand. One spider would not likely elicit this kind of paranoia from me; I have been killing, on average, close to a spider a day since I moved back to my mom's house. These range from small spiders to ones so big that you can hear them walking and they make an audible "thud" when they hit the ground.

I've been on edge for weeks. To lighten the situation I've made jokes. The first spider I killed was one of those gigantic ones, and I've been saying that he was the leader of the group and the subsequent spiders are minions dispatched to avenge his dishonorable death. He's sent big guns to intimidate me, stealthy ninja assassins, and even child soldiers like the tiny one I found in my blanket the other night. There was even an "aerial assault" as some strange flying bug has set up residence in my room (I'll get him eventually, too).

Eh, what's a girl to do? We live in a rural area, so spiders are a pretty common occurrence here. To make matters worse, this is just one of those times of year when we see more of them in the house than usual. As I unpack, clean and rearrange in the basement, I'll gradually get rid of them, though I'll probably end up flushing many more out into the open in the process. It's the way things go. In the meantime, I'm glad I have premium movie channels and a growing DVD collection so I can wile away the hours watching goofy, off-the-wall movies like Eagle vs. Shark to get my mind off the problem at hand.

Truth and Responsibility [OR] The Cult of Parenting

There's something bothering me right now, so I'm taking a few precious moments away from my packing to get this off my chest.

And no, it's not the radioactive green color of my poop. I think I've just been going overboard on the Lucky Charms lately. Damn those delicious marshmallow clovers!!

No, there is actually something else on my mind right now.

It's the amount of power people give children. I just don't get it. I don't assign any fault to nonparents, like my dad (yes, I do consider him a nonparent, and we'll likely get into that at a later time), who just don't understand anything about raising children because they've never taken this task on day-in and day-out and simply lack the wisdom that comes from the full-time parenting experience.

Nonparents are perfectly entitled to be baffled by the mysterious ways of child development. A little education might do you good, but some lessons can only be learned through experience. It's not your fault. Really.

No, it's the amount of power parents are willing to give their children that concerns me so much right now.

I've seen some parents who seem to be afraid of their children. How can you be afraid of something so much smaller than you? To be fair, it's not really a physical fear, so much as it is an emotional one. C'mon, folks! You set the rules, and it is up to you to require obedience. You are not your child's friend, so don't seek their approval. Children need boundaries and discipline, and they will only abuse and take advantage of your weak parenting.

Other parents worship their children. We've all seen those doting parents, like Cartman's mom, who think their children can do no wrong. Or the parent who (erroneously) thinks their child is somehow "better" than the rest because this particular offspring possesses some (non)unique talent, such as intelligence, athletic ability, or beauty. They parade their child around like some kind of trophy, demanding special allowances be made for their "special" child, and end up creating a monster in the process.

I'm certainly not arguing that children have an inherent tendency toward evil that needs to be beaten out of them or constantly monitored to keep in check. No, that smacks too much of religious fundamentalism.

The idea that children are all pureness and light is just as ludicrous. This is what has me so worked up right now: the parents of these so-called "Indigo Children." These parents believe their children have some kind of special power (in extreme cases) or that their children are somehow evolved beyond normal humanity (in more typical cases). Take a look at this description of what an indigo child is.

Excuse me, but what they describe is simply a spoiled brat. This is the result of raising your child without rules, boundaries, limitations, etc; they think they are above rules and don't understand why they should be applied to them.

I tend more toward John Locke and his philosophy of the tabula rasa ("blank slate"). Children are born with few tendencies toward anything (obviously, there are some behaviors like alcohol abuse or depression which we may be more prone to through genetics); it is environment, especially the influence of caregivers, which shapes the way children learn and develop.

This is not to say that we have no control over what type of people we are, of course. But as children we are largely shaped by our parents or other primary caregivers, and as we become adults we make decisions for ourselves and become the people we are. This is the very reason why we are raised by adults and eventually move out on our own; in the beginning we lack the wisdom and common sense to make responsible decisions on our own, and it is the responsibility of the parent to impart their wisdom and teach us the lessons we need to become adults. Yes, it is possible to learn these lessons on your own, but that is a much more difficult task, and many people fail without the proper preparations provided by parents and other caregivers.

Sheesh, talk about consonance. Try saying that last sentence three times fast.

Children who are never taught right from wrong, who are never taught about personal responsibility and accountability, who aren't required to show respect for others, etc, do not usually "grow" into these things. More often than not, they grow up to be amoral monsters who don't understand the harm they inflict on others with their selfish ways. In many cases, they do not seek specifically to hurt people; they simply don't understand the effects of their actions.

They may not possess the magical powers of little Anthony, but they can be every bit as dangerous to those around them.

Children who are taught early on the "why's" of right and wrong, personal responsibility toward self and others, and who are held accountable for their actions, on the other hand, will often grow up to be responsible, respectable adults -- or at least, they will be as children until they grow up and choose otherwise.

I simply don't understand how misguided parents can be. I don't understand this willingness to relinquish control to someone who cannot begin to match your experience and wisdom, to let them control your life.

Maybe, had these people chosen not to follow their children, they would have eventually joined a cult. Such is their insatiable need to find meaning in something outside themselves.

Even at my worst a few years ago, when I lacked any motivation to shape my life, I still didn't let my children control me. I have always been a strict disciplinarian (if anything, I have become a more laid-back parent as I've taken more control over the rest of my life). The changes I made in my life were not made because of my children alone; had they not been in my best interests as well, I would not have made them. Yes, I make decisions concerning my life in regard to how they affect my children, but their concern rarely overrides my own.

Yes, my children place limitations on my career choices, where I live, who I can date, who is willing to date me, what car I drive, how I spend my free time, etc. On the other hand, I could just as easily have had abortions or given my children up for adoption; I may still have eventually made similar decisions to those I've made as a parent, with or without my amazing children.

But the choices that come with having children were also beneficial to me, so I chose to keep them and raise them with all the love and discipline I can give. In the end, I'm happier with things this way. My career path may not be exciting, but it is reliable and interesting enough. I consider the safety of my home and car more than I did in the past, which is always a good thing. I spend less time drinking and smoking pot, and doing things that are healthier and more worthwhile -- another plus.

And, oh no, I'm pickier about the guys I date because I shouldn't expose them (my children, that is) to unnecessary harm! Oh, some guys who are too selfish or immature are automatically repelled by motherliness! Eh, so I have better built in screening. Big deal.

Please, don't get me wrong. I love my children more than anything. Through raising them I've learned many wonderful things and grown personally in ways I probably could not have without them. My children are unique and special, but so are all living things; therefore, my children are just as bound by the rules as everyone else, and they deserve the same love and commitment to preparations for adulthood as any other child.

My point, of course, is this: Parents who let their children control them are creating monsters. Parenting is a great responsibility, and one which should be carefully considered before jumping headlong into. Those who aren't up to the task, who aren't strong enough to set limits, who are so weak and looking for guidance that they are willing to surrender themselves to the supposed superiority of their own children, ought to pass. Maybe you should consider a dog, cat, or better yet a fish. Something that won't survive you and end up perpetuating your misguided behavior. The last thing society needs is even more self-absorbed, amoral nit-wits hell-bent on shaping the world and its rules to suit them.