[blogfocus saturday] putting us straight

Popcorn

1. Jams O'Donnell puts us straight as to the dangers of popcorn:

Microwave popcorn is a tasty snack but it is potentially lethal. The threat does not from choking or anaphylaxis but from an incurable condition known as popcorn workers' lung.

It was the love of microwave buttered popcorn that caused a relatively healthy 53-year-old American to develop severe breathing problems. The cause of his illness was tracked down to the microwave popcorn he loved so much that he would inhale steam from the bag as it came out of the oven.

2. Ross Fountain puts us straight as to the dangers of pit bull owners:

I missed the Panorama edition on dog fighting last week and saw it for the first time last night on the BBC's sign language zone late at night. Watching the sign language for phrases like 'vicious dog' was somewhat disconcerting at first, as it seems to involve snarling like a dog.

I made my own thoughts about Pit Bulls clear a few months ago, in short not only are they intrinsically dangerous and unpredictable animals but the people who own them are the more likely to be the sort who would bring out the worst in any dog.

Popcorn from a different angle

3. Trixy puts us straight as to the dangers of calling a Constitution a Treaty:

It couldn't be plainer, could it. It is being referred to by MEPs as the 'Constitutional Treaty'. It's not a 'reform treaty' and Brown and Miliband are wrong when they say that they are fundamentally different treaties. And they know they are wrong, because even though they come out with claims about 'red lines' even European Commissioners are saying that they are lines in the sand, and not concrete.

4. Sean Jeating puts us straight as to the dangers of underwear:

"It has neither to do anything with politics, nor with language and literature."

"It's part of Omnium", said Tetrapilotomos. "Isn't it politics that your 83-years-old mother-in-law is demonstrating to her neighbours - and thus to the world - that she is ready for another season? And isn't it lovely to make a joke about her "unspeakables", and she would wholehearted laugh about her wicked son-in-law?"

When you understand this, e-mail me and explain it, would you?

Less clear photo of popcorn from an entirely different angle

5. Winfred Mann puts us straight as to the dangers of being a fat slug:

In fact, though Moore doesn't mention it in Sicko, all industrialized nations are struggling with soaring costs, due to new technologies and aging populations. Another subject that the obviously overweight director Moore doesn't bring up is that many U.S. experts are now saying that the best way to live longer and cut healthcare costs is simply diet and exercise.

6. Onyx Stone puts us straight as to the dangers of not thinking out the Milky Way:

If you have a distorted brain like mine, you've probably wondered about the angle on which the Milky Way cuts across the sky. It's just all wrong. The Moon orbits the Earth around the equator. Both north poles point roughly in the same direction. In like manner, the Earth orbits the Sun around its equator and, again, both north poles point in roughly the same direction. But neither the Sun nor the Earth are in-line with plane of the Milky Way. And the question is, why?

Finally, a photo of popcorn

7. John Hirst puts us straight as to the dangers of scrambled brains from being a Bilderberger:

"Ed Balls, the Children's Secretary, said he wanted parents to take responsibility for their children's behaviour". Like, for example, Tony Blair took responsibility for his behaviour of going into an illegal war with Iraq? I don't think it is just the children and their parents who are to blame, I believe that teachers and the government have to share the blame.

8. Ordo puts us straight as to the dangers of taking the Michael out of the English:

The likelihood is that Wales would do better financially from the public coffers by now if she had been treated as a region of England. According to the latest figures north-east England, for example - the region closest to us when it comes to economic performance - receives more public money per head than Wales.

That's it until Wednesday evening. Hopefully see you then.