Decreasing dementia, one furious child at a time

By Laura Bardsley

Although it may seem that university and education in general could drive one to the edge of dementia and push them into its festering waves, recent studies have shown that further education might have the exact opposite effect. Cambridge University researcher Dr. David Llewellyn found that raising the school leaving age to 15 over the… Continue reading Decreasing dementia, one furious child at a time

The ghost of literature’s past

By Laura Bardsley

Recently reported in the New York Times, Czech novelist Milan Kundera was accused of turning a Western spy in to the communist authorities in Czechoslovakia in the 1950s. Kundera is a well-known dissident writer, famous for being strongly opposed to the communist regime. He was accused of reporting to communist authorities the whereabouts of Miroslav… Continue reading The ghost of literature’s past

Saint Valentine’s charm

By Laura Bardsley

St. Valentine’s Day is coming and it’s coming fast. Yeah, yeah, this must mean that it is time to truly show one’s hate for “corporation-created, greeting card holidays.” But Valentine’s Day, although decently rooted in the greeting-card business, is so much more than a money-making scheme. It gives a definite date to something one should… Continue reading Saint Valentine’s charm

As cool as a cult member

By Laura Bardsley

Although at first glance the kids parading out of the darkened movie theatre sporting lingerie and painted faces seem like the types you wouldn’t want to associate with, there’s still a temptation to further your knowledge about them. Said temptation is quite normal– human beings are curious about anything they don’t understand. This same temptation… Continue reading As cool as a cult member

When carrots cry

By Laura Bardsley

It appears the crunch is on for carrot production in the United Kingdom. Recently reported on the BBC, the European Union’s decision to ban over 20 pesticide ingredients has had a mixed response. To the farmers and pesticide companies, this is a kick straight to the nuts; they claim that it would cut carrot production… Continue reading When carrots cry

Gingers getting kicked – why do people take jokes so seriously?

By Laura Bardsley

Our generation is slowly becoming more and more sensitive about each other’s feelings. In our day and age, political correctness is a must to avoid offending anyone. We have established laws to protect each other from the lethal smoke of cigarettes, enforced helmets and vast arrays of safety gear on most vehicles and have laws… Continue reading Gingers getting kicked – why do people take jokes so seriously?

Online Only: A frightening failure in Chile

By Laura Bardsley

Recently reported in the New York Times, at least 1,800 people in Chile were not notified that they tested HIV positive. The public health system failed to advise at least 512 people that they had tested positive for the virus, while the private-sector did not notify another 1,364. In about half of the cases, according… Continue reading Online Only: A frightening failure in Chile

The numbers behind hunger

By Laura Bardsley

We’ve all heard the demands to end world hunger. But what about the price tag? Surprisingly, it would take $30 billion U.S. to put in place the agricultural programs needed to completely solve the global food crisis, according to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization. Although $30 billion dollars seems like quite a lot… Continue reading The numbers behind hunger

Attacking Obama

By Laura Bardsley

As the American election campaign draws to a close, the fanatics are spreading their wings more than ever. According to politico.com, at a recent rally in New Mexico for John McCain, the candidate asked a rhetorical question about his opposition, “Who is the real Barack Obama?” A man in the audience responded with, “Terrorist!” A… Continue reading Attacking Obama