"Jumping " to conclusions...

The Information Age, has , as it were, sharpened the eyes, the ears, but numbed the part of the brain that evaluates things. 

The trouble is, having something appear on Page 1 of a national newspaper brings a certain "credibility" to  the news item,   that listening to a friend doesn't bring.  And so, in this age of limitless Fluid Intelligence, we gulp it all down. Without thinking.

And simply rush to a conclusion.  As is "jump". I now know how the phrase "jumping to conclusions " happened.

Today's papers highlight a news item  (" Cancer behind 70% of deaths in India's Atomic Energy Hubs ") ,  about prevalence of cancer as a cause of death in areas where the Department of Atomic Energy has its nuclear set ups. 

At a time when multinationals have been flooding us with items containing carcinogenic ingredients, and the populace is mindlessly lured  into undesirable lifestyles thanks to merciless marketing,  one can expect the above news to be made capital of , by those striving to be noticed.

 A friend, who as a closed community hospital doctor, observed patients  over the last many decades, and the prevalence of certain cancers among her female patients.  She knew many of these people socially.  And she often wondered if their  over usage of, and the proclivity to , using  various insect killing powders, lotions, chemical scrubs, not to mention blatant use of hormones-in-the-quest-for-looking-young-when-you-are-old  etc had a connection.  And did it have anything to do with the particulate matter in the house atmosphere having concentrations  of carcinogenic substances which the skin could absorb ?

Do we see news items  about these ?  No.  (Ha. They advertise in newspapers) 

Then , at a time when GP's are disappearing, and we remain blind to the patient's history, pulse, touch , gait, and  skin etc,  there is so much unnecessary radiation happening due to  overuse of technology like Xrays and scans. Even when MRI's is a safer option.

Do we see news items about these ?  No. Because  we use machines  in an unregulated way.  Sometimes to kill female foetuses.  And regulating the use depends on individual ethics. While rules are followed in the breach.


Olestra is an additive found in so many things like peanut butters, toothpastes, certain popular coffees. This is a fat replacement and causes diarrhoea, sticks to all the vitamins and minerals in your body, flushing them out.  Thereby denying you those, that protect you from things like cancer heart disease an blindness. It even affects your ability to absorb vitamins later on.

Do we see news items  about these ? No. (Ha. They advertise in newspapers)

Colas and Sodas. They contain high fructose corn syrup , which is harmful for teeth. Some even contain calcium carbonate and citric acid ; the citric acid is not of the type you see in fruits. Under heat and light, these substances turn carcinogenic.  And yet, our cricketers fall prey to easy money and endorse these for obscene sums, creating an entire generation of smitten unthinking kids.

Do we see news items about these ? No.  (Ha. They advertise in newspapers)

And then we have the shampoo wars, as if  your life depended upon clean, strong, tangle free, dandruff free, shiny, silky, smooth, colored, unsplit hair, never ever out of place.  Propylene Glycol and Ethylene Glycol are the star players in the carcinogenic stakes. You find them everywhere . Shampoos, cosmetics, hand sanitizers, hair spray, hair color , hair gel, massage oils, deos, baby wipes, even fat free ice cream !  And these 2 contribute to Infertility, Birth Defects, Nerve Degeneration, Heart Problems, Brain, Liver and Kidney Abnormalities, and Metabolic Problems.

Do we see news items about these ? No.  (Ha. They advertise in newspapers)

 

Go back to today's news item . About Cancer being the cause of death in 70% of deaths in Atomic Energy related areas in India.  

 

Most of these hubs, are residential campuses that are built around the set ups, with schools, hospitals , and other facilities. Many senior citizens come and live with their children who work there, because it is a peaceful protected life , away from the city hustle and bustle, and sometimes , there are grandchildren. 

 

We have a Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, that is very strict about safeguards for humans  working inside nuclear installations.  There are rules about protective gear, continuous working in a defined area, mandatory  radiation checks, and so on. These are strictly followed.   

 

Regarding the news item, is there any clarity about samples surveyed ?  Age brackets surveyed ?  Sample sizes ?  Final cause of death ?  Pre-existing illnesses ?  Hereditary illnesses ?  It is well known that several patients slip into depression for various reasons, which could lead to eventual death.

Unfortunately, in our pursuit of Fluid Intelligence, connecting, downloading, etc, we have learned simply to highlight things, without any supporting research related questions.  Highlighting Atomic Energy and Causes of  Death, is guaranteed to garner eyeballs, in a population that refuses to think and analyse. 

 

I would love to see  some articles about the carcinogenic ingredients in the  aforementioned, toothpastes, and shampoos, and deos.  

 

I would love to see an ad where , say, one of our sports icons, comes and says , "Guys , dont drink Cola; its harmful" , and pours it down the drain.   

 

I would love to see an ad of a  Page 3 type sensibly washing his/her hands with water instead of spraying hand sanitizer. 

 

I would love to see a baby being wiped with a soft fresh clean washed cotton cloth, instead of a baby-wipe. 

I know this will not happen.  Because , today, businesses run the News business. And advertisers are Gods. 

And it is more important to be seen eating a carcinogenic pseudo fat laden burger, as you smile into the camera displaying Olestra studded teeth, your ethylene glycol-supported makeup, and say, propylene glycol strengthened strands of hair which are so strong, they even shut your eyes to reality. 

 

On another note, why does this remind me of folks who promise all kinds of things, pull wool over your eyes,  just so you support them ? 

 

And then you find out that they are no good.