THIS kind of thing bugs the "xxx" out of me. You, too? Kids can't blow candles out on cakes at birthday celebrations in Australia's schools now because it SPREADS TOO MANY GERMS?
I know kids in their teens who've had way more antibiotics in their young lives than I will ever have if I live till I'm 100. Antibiotics are a good thing, but only if really needed. We need to let our kids recover from some infections on their own...let their little bodies learn how to fight off illness.
Do you think blowing candles out on birthday cakes should be banned? The 'experts' suggest parents bring cupcakes so the kid can blow his own cupcake candle out. I'm thinking this is a great way to build resentment and for kids to look upon their little classmates as if they're all Typhoid Mary....
This is SICK.......THIS situation REALLY needs an antibiotic! Don't you think?
SHOULD we be this antiseptic?
Z
56 comments:
I'm with you Z. Let them eat cake. and maybe some shrimp on the barbie.
Kind of silly for the Australian bureaucrats to spend so much time on "cake versus cupcakes" in schools. We need to send Michelle Obama over there to dictate their school menu.
Ugh. More madness!
Is Western civilization trying to promote germophobia?
Now, I do have two students with compromised immune systems in my classes this year: one with kidney failure and one with a serious digestive disorder. However, we still have birthday cakes with candles. And, yes, the kids blow out the candles.
Z - You bring up a good point about kids getting too many antibiotics and becoming immune to them.
I do think - however - that blowing out the candles is not a good idea. In our church the kids used to blow out the candles on a birthday cake for Jesus at Christmas and it used to bug me that they were blowing germs all over it.
But that's just my opinion.
You are probably right that kids need to get sick sometime.
Z, I agree in principle. The problem I see is the elephant in the room that everyone refuses to see, "the country's National Health and Medical Research Council". Medical Science mixed with politics is ALWAYS a bad idea. Unless you're progressive of course, and seriously, that social disease is something medical science should address!
Still in Honduras...
because I can't find a way to get back to 1950's America!
~ Will
They are allowed to eat cake??? Oh my, the cake may have germs on it too, or even IN it. Heaven forbid.
Remember the days when kids actually played outside, got dirty, muddy???? And they lived through it.
Debbie
Right Truth
http://www.righttruth.typepad.com
It's Australia. If they want to force everyone to wear Bozo The Clown suits, I say let 'em.
We simply need to shield this Aussie foolishness from our Supreme Court, since they are inclined these days to use foreign precedent in their rulings. At least the liberal justices, anyway.
Anonymous; when you'd like to leave a comment without the foul mouthed thing, do. thanks.
Everybody....We all know this nonsense is coming here, too. We've got it worse in some areas of life...
Will...I SO understand wanting to go back to those days! Did you find it in Honduras!? :-)
RightTruth...kids stayed out all day, ran around, ate dirt..cut themselves and rubbed the blood together to be blood brothers.
HOW DID WE LIVE!? :-)
We sure had fun!
We may as well give fines to people who sneeze or coughs.
What idiocy.
Frogburger
Why don't we just ban kids? They are so icky and dirty! PLUS(!) The benefits to working "moms". Now she can have a career without those needy little beasts getting in the way!
Andie
Z, I have found a freedom here that has allowed me to teach myself to swim for the first time at 62 years of age, to join in and sing Karaoke with friends, and yes, to appreciate some of the good things that are in the USA.
Life is quieter here, and more peaceful. The pace of life is slower, people more friendly.
Government here, at all levels, is less obtrusive. There is individual avarice, yes, but not the institutional harness that wants to limit everything you do, i.e. the cancer that is the US federal government.
People you don't know here will smile and wave when you pass on the street, or in a store.
It isn't perfect here. Nowhere is, now or at any time, but what I found here has been very good for me. I try to return the favor when I can. And of course, it's beautiful here. The green jungle of the island stretches out to the blue serenity of the ocean. Palms wave in the breeze. Chickens crow in the valley. It is beautiful here, and the islanders, except for that personal avarice I mentioned, wouldn't change a thing.
We have been amused by the lies in the press about this little country, but it isn't a big concern. Women here are likely to want to marry a rich gringo. Mostly though, anticpating getting to shop in Miami instead of here on the mainland. ;-)
~ Will
Divine...have you heard the term BABY BUMP now? It's as if it's not a child, it's a BUMP and media suggests that we have to watch every celeb for the slightest blip on their anorexic bodies to SEE "IT"....
Unwed moms celebrating pregnancy,...sperm banks.....kids raised by nannies and daycare...
Pregnant moms wearing shrink-wrapped tops that frankly make you want to gag...TV shows treating pregnancies so cavalierly, Maury Povich, I believe, still has a show that does nothing but feature women looking to find which jerk is the father of her child...dna results come in, fighting occurs because one of the many possible fathers is upset..
GAD...yes, we're treating children as "icky" and "dirt"...scary times/
Will, I think that sounds wonderful and am happy you're enjoying that life so much!
I'd love to hear more about Honduras...I know little about it.
"I do think - however - that blowing out the candles is not a good idea. In our church the kids used to blow out the candles on a birthday cake for Jesus at Christmas and it used to bug me that they were blowing germs all over it."
That's why the Good Lord created frosting! It acts as a natural barrier to germs! You just scrape it off to get to the nutritional goodness underneath!
Part of me likes to think that happy things like Birthday candles, songs and cake help the immune system!
Andie
Andie, the beauty of freedom is that we have the choice to try to protect ourselves in our own way, to find enjoyment in ourselves and our families. When a neighbor disagrees, we can choose how we react to that intention.
When a government imposes a belief or behavior, our only choice becomes to what degree we surrender our freedom. For what it is worth, I believe there's more freedom and a better democracy here in this third world country than exists in the superpower of the USA.
I can't say about democracy but I will say Honduras probably has a LOT more freedom these days!
Will, on the other hand...how can you be that save so close to Guatemala and Belise, where I know for certain it's TERRIBLY dangerous there all the time?
One of my friends, Ed, just returned from 2 weeks in Australia. I guess it has become the pinnacle of socialism. He spoke of outrageous prices, high taxes and, of course, gun ownership is banned. How about >$7.00 per gal. gasoline, $17.00 per pack Cigaretts (yeah you shouldn't smoke-not my point here) or 50% federal income tax if you are a foreign resident! His son-in-law makes $300,000 per year* and he pays the Federal Government alone nearly $150,000! I asked what he gets for that, maybe a free house or something? Ed couldn't think of anything special. He said that he went to a place to watch Cricket (whatever that is) and there are 3 different levels of alcohol content in the beer. If you attend, for example, on Sunday night you can only have the lowest because, after all, the next day is Monday, a work day (I $#!t you not)! He also sensed that we aren't liked as much as we used to be. Apparently we are now some kind of World bullies. Gee, it seems to me that we were OK when we saved their sorry @$$e$ in WWII!
Socialism and Socialists SUCK!
*The Nominal Per Capata Gross Domestic Products (GDP) are as follows:
Australia $69,200
US $48,400
However, when the actual Per Capata Gross National Income (GNI) adjusted, for Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) is calculated, things are quite different:
US $48,890
Australia $36,910
Wait...they allow candles in school? Candles? With fire and stuff?
A rare day, I completely agree.
Good common sense post, z.
Thing is JonBerg that the standard deviation is less skewed in Australia.
They have been wise enough to avoid creating a serious underclass.
The Nanny State knows best!
Creating an underclass? Like the Welfare State does?
@Divine Theatre - You are delightful!
@Z - Dear, there is danger everywhere but the cemetary. I have been to Belize for a visit. Except for the tourist areas, it is a bleak unfriendly place. I have had no desire to visit Guatemala.
I did however peruse data from the internet, re: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (sorry I didn't save the link)
Their spreadsheet on reported intentional homicide statistics tell me that the combined murder cases for Belize, Guatemala and Honduras, for the year 2010, fell 16.5% below that for the US. I am not concerned about rates since there is such a huge difference in population.
I do not advertise my wealth when I go out. I do not wear a fancy watch, nor carry an expensive phone or laptop. I lock the gate and my doors when at home. I would behave this way back home in Texas.
I've been here 4 years or so and the nearest I've come to being shot was a "spontaneous riot", which was organized by politicians and executed by the school teachers labor union.
I believe my G_d brought me here. I have flourished here, though not monetarily. That hasn't been my priority.
The name I use, Tenmei, was given me by a friend. It's supposed to mean in Japanese, Will Of G_d. There are different ways to interpret that. For me, I try to follow that Will, His not mine.
Beyond that, I try to remember the 7 word description of Buddhism:
Everything changes, everything is connected, pay attention.
Z, thank you for your patience. I do carry on at times ...
~ Will
Andie..you are on a ROLE with this (I almost wrote ROLL, but that would put you on a par with pastrami :-)
ya, FIRE AND THINGS at SCHOOL? Hilarious! "Lions and tigers and bears...OH MY!"
We're afraid of EVERYTHING these days..it's NUTS
Yes, the welfare state is causing such a terrible underclass... WELL SAID, GIRL!!
Ducky...I'm so proud of you :-)
JB, the land of independent freedom seekers has become REALLY socialist, you're right...and New Zealand, too. Everyone I know comes back saying "Man, they have FLIPPED over there". It's sad.
They need John Howard back. But they were too stupid and dependent on gov't to realize it.
Tenmei, you carry on interestingly, no worries!
But I have a very close friend from Belise who was in the army there and Guatemala's police force. And I have friends who are interpreters in Guatemala..they say you can't even leave a laptop in your locked car while you're shopping.
My army/cop friend said that he's seen six people shoot a guy who stole a watch off someone sitting in a car.
Corruption is rampant...
He describes it a lot scarier than TX, I have to say...so do my other friends with family in Guatemala.
But, if you feel safe...I'm happy!
"They have been wise enough to avoid creating a serious underclass."
You must be refering to the former "White Only Policy". Although this policy was dismanteled in the 70's there are very few Asians and no significant numbers of non-indigenous Blacks there today.
BY THE WAY...The Reps have just picked Marco Rubio to respond to the State of the (Dis)Union Speech...
I'm really glad about that.
I hope the president hits immigration hard...let him have a Hispanic American counter him.
Bravo, Republicans...and I don't say that often these days.
Boehner must have had nothing to do with the choice :-)
The other choice I'd have is Paul Ryan.
Remember how horribly Jindal did a year or two ago? HOLY COW. This won't happen again, that's for SURE.
I think the 'serious underclass' comes from welfare dependency and I don't think Australia's quite as bad as we are yet...
JB, you sure there's not a significant Asian population there?
You should see some of the artwork of the Aborinees there...fabulous. That's a REALLY beautiful culture, I must say.
Z,
Pastrami on wry! tee hee!
Z,
"JB, you sure there's not a significant Asian population there?"
I'm sure I didn't say that! I said the word "few" in reference to Asians. I guess that I should have said "relatively small".
Reference for this came from Wikipedia-"White Australia", below. As you will note, there is no reference to Non-Indigenous Blacks. In the late 60's I checked out the possibility of migrating there. They had very little compunction in letting one know that they did not want what they perceived to be the situation in the US.
"The 2001 Australian census results indicate that many Australians claim some European heritage: English 37%, Irish 11%, Italian 5%, German 4.3%, Scottish 3%, Greek 2%, Former Yugoslav 1.8%, Dutch 1.5%, Polish 0.9%. Australians of some non-European origin form a significant but still relatively small part of the population: Chinese 3.2%, Indian 0.9%, Lebanese 0.9%, Vietnamese 0.9%. About 2.2% identified themselves as Indigenous Australians."
I have a suggestion that would surely make a neat compromise:
Someone should develop a special set of STERILIZED BIRTHDAY BELLOWS -- or possibly small hand-held, battery powered FANS -- sterilized too, of course, -- for the Birthday Person of the Day to hold at a safe distance from The Cake. Deft use of such an implement would make short work of the candle flames without compromising anyone's immune system.
Another possible alternative might be battery-powered ARTIFICIAL CANDLES that could be turned off a the propitious moment either by a hand-held remote control, device or a FOOT PEDAL placed under the table.
SO, The Asininity of The Law could be used by some enterprising individual -- or group of investors -- to turn a healthy (AHEM!) profit.
Bitch no more. The Problem has been Solved!
FT, One COULD say that's a solution!...But it's like pitting human against human ... like somebody's Typhoid Mary. Do you think holding a fan to candles is the same as blowing them out? But, of course, it IS a solution :=)
JB..thanks. I'd heard there were far more Asians in Australia than the stats bear out.
And yes, it's VERY difficult to immigrate into Australia...very difficult.
Pastrami on WRY...good one, Andie!
Z, you're absolutely right.
Our bodies develop antibodies to many kinds of bacteria when we're exposed to them. That's a good thing. It's the natural way to resist sickness.
This is nonsense about blowing out candles. How many here have become sick when candles on a cake have been blown out?
Give me a break! If we are too careful, and freak out about germs, we better not leave our homes!! Germs are everywhere.
This society is becoming
hypochondriacal and risk averse, which, in the long run will make us more vulnerable to sickness and disease.
Antibiotics work on bacterial infections etc. not on viral diseases. This is why vaccines are developed for viruses.
Yep Z, you're right on. This attitude today is a sickness if you ask me.
How do they handle every day life like: elevators and other confined spaces, playground activities,skin contact-the list goes on, ad infinitum? I get a mental picture of people going around in Darth Vader or Burka attire when not in their tin-foil lined domiciles. Oh well, what can you expect from a socialist mentality which eventually turns people into sniveling automatons? They should be more concerned with the sickness inside their heads. OK, I also know that we don't lag far behind!
Every time I've ever gotten a flu shot, I've become violently ill with the flu within a week.
Haven't had flu shot in 15 years or so, and I've only gotten the flu around 3 or 4 times since.
Yet they stick Chinese made and packaged birthday candles with lead-based dyes and pigments into frosting that was made and canned likely months before it collected dust on a grocery store shelf.
Damn dirty suburban hippies.
Stop fighting ignorance. You are interfering with evolution. These people and likely some of their offspring NEED to die.
It's Natures Way !
"This society is becoming hypochondriacal and risk averse, which, in the long run will make us more vulnerable to sickness and disease."
You are so right, Pris. It's already happened from what i can see.
So yo remember Ella Wheeler Wilcox? She was not a very good poet, but she became famous many years ago -- back in the 1930's I think -- for writing verse like this:
Talk health!
There's nothing that
Can either charm or please,
By harping on that minor chord
Disease! Disease! Disease!
May sound silly today, but I think the lady had a point.
Good to see you!
One of my mother's friends way back when I was a toddler once told Mother, "Stop worrying about him so much. Let him get dirty. It's good for him. Don't you know we all have to eat a peck of dirt before we die?"
Funny! I can still hear that woman's voice saying that whenever I think of it.
FT...EXACTLY my point! Good one!
and SOMEHOW, children lived back then, too!
Cipro...a widely used and powerful antibiotic remedy... destroys every good "germ" in your body.
Including those in the intestines, stomach and mouth. These "germs" help digest food and kill the bad guys in our bodies.
Yet...while taking 500mg a day for 10 days...and put you at risk...it does a hell of a job killing whatever infection has ailed you.
Pris said....
"This is nonsense about blowing out candles. How many here have become sick when candles on a cake have been blown out?"
Yes and if [that] kid is so sick what are the rest of them doing at the party, in the first place?
@JonBerg
" How many here have become sick when candles on a cake have been blown out?"
Well...I have to admit... that I did when I had to blow out 60 of them!!
And I started getting allergic to cake and candles at 40!
I took Cipro once...only a little and only a short while..
I hope I don't have to take it again, Imp.
I love your line about allergic to cake/candles..cute~!
"Well...I have to admit... that I did when I had to blow out 60 of them!!"
Whippersnapper !
@Kid
Old useless fart.
@Z
"I hope I don't have to take it again, Imp."
Why's that my dear?
It's just so strong...and I don't want to have anything again that needs it :-)
I'm glad it exists, believe me!
Andie, the dumbest people think they are the smartest and the smartest people realize how much they Don't know.
There sure is a lot I don't know. :)
@Z
"I'm glad it exists, believe me!.."
Me too....I have a running open prescription for the stuff....it really is a miracle pill.
@Kid
Getting very wise in your old age, eh?
Must be from all those BD's and candles?
Will Cipro help with my chocolate allergies? When I eat it my hips swell.
:)
@Divine
"Will Cipro help with my chocolate allergies..."
Hmmm.....switch to dark chocolate....it's actually good for you. As far as the hip thing....the chocolate should give you a nice energy boost...so you can jog it off.
"...so you can jog it off."
No! Not hard work and exercise! *gasp* There has to be a pill for that!
@Divine
"There has to be a pill for that!..."
Yea...but you don't want to get caught with it....Meth...LOL
A southern specialty.
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