BlahStuff

How Not to Talk to Your Kids by Po Bronson (Interesting considering some gossip I’ve heard regarding how Bronson’s kid is handled day to day.) With nice extras in Po’s blog.

Then the students were given a choice of test for the second round. One choice was a test that would be more difficult than the first, but the researchers told the kids that they’d learn a lot from attempting the puzzles. The other choice, Dweck’s team explained, was an easy test, just like the first. Of those praised for their effort, 90 percent chose the harder set of puzzles. Of those praised for their intelligence, a majority chose the easy test. The “smart� kids took the cop-out.

As a so-called “smart” kid, I can recognize that. Luckily, my upbringing also offered example after example of work ethic and perseverance.

—

Pharm Animals Crank Out Drugs — Ew… I’m generally fairly pragmatic about stuff like this, but yeesh this makes my skin crawl.

This might be scarier, though.

—

This is awesome!

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991, signed into law by George Bush the elder, led to creation of the ragingly popular Do Not Call List. But tucked away in the bill was another important provision that entitles consumers to take what’s called a “private right of action.” For each violation of the act, consumers can sue for a $500 penalty. Violations include calling after a consumer has told a company to stop, or failing to provide the consumer with a copy of the firm’s Do Not Call policy.

That’s almost enough to make me start answering those “Unknown Name / Unknown Number” calls I get every day.