I ran a program for Physicians for Social Responsibility in the early 90s targeting childhood lead poisoning in Silesia. At the time, it was widely known as the most polluted place on the planet. Open lead smelters everywhere and home-based lead jewelry making. Very bad for children and other creatures.
In 1992, PSR began a lead poisoning abatement program in Silesia, Poland, a city that suffers from the effect of years of unchecked industrial, mining, and agricultural activity during the Cold War. More than 60 percent of the children exposed to pollutants from nonferrous smelting plants suffer from low body weight and height, and chronic bronchitis is reported in 35 percent of the children.
eta: 8 and 9 are too close to each other on the keyboard
At the time, it was widely known as the most polluted place on the planet.
Yeesh. No wonder all the cool kids are moving downwind to Lower Silesia.
For anyone interested in bizarre brain stuff - this is fascinating:
That guy was on NPR the other day.
Brain disorders are fascinating and scary.
Here's another post that I really liked by the same blogger: The Introvert Advantage
For decades, psychologists subscribed to the notion that introversion was a low-grade pathology. Although introverts make up something like a third of the world's population, it wasn't uncommon for psychologists to write clinical definitions of introversion that went something like this:
Introversion is normally characterized by a hesitant, reflective, retiring nature that keeps itself to itself, shrinks from objects, is always slightly on the defensive and prefers to hide behind mistrustful scrutiny.
(From The Introvert Coach)
Extroverts, on the other hand, were treated as paragons of mental health:
Extroversion is normally characterized by an outgoing, candid, and accommodating nature that adapts easily to a given situation [and] quickly forms attachments.
(From The Introvert Coach)
Modern definitions aren't as flagrantly prejudiced, but introversion is still stigmatized. Given the option, most people would prefer to be extroverts. Punch the word "introversion" into Amazon.com and you come up with a list of self-help books like: Introvert to Extrovert and The Highly Sensitive Person. Look up "extroversion" and you get a whole lotta nada.
But all of those self-satisfied extroverts out there might be interested to learn that recent scientific findings suggest that introversion is not a psychological disorder--it's a physiological trait with some distinct advantages.
...
Introverts, on the other hand, have such a surfeit of brain activity that it's sometimes difficult for them to attend to what's happening around them. While this might result in some social awkwardness, it has a host of benefits. Introverts have more acetylcholine, a chemical that enhances "long-term memory, the ability to stay calm and alert, and perceptual learning." They also have increased activity in the frontal lobe, which has been linked to high-level problem solving skills, long-term planning, and a facility with language. Perhaps, it's no accident that an estimated 60 percent of the world's best minds have been introverts. (Pop Matters)
Go Team Introverts!
Introverts, on the other hand, have such a surfeit of brain activity that it's sometimes difficult for them to attend to what's happening around them.
Remind me to adopt this wording. I suspect it'll go over better than "I'm too thinky to listen to you!"
Remind me to adopt this wording. I suspect it'll go over better than "I'm too thinky to listen to you!"
Or "You're just not interesting enough for me to listen to you!"
I think I will cafe-press myself a t-shirt that says "I'm too thinky to listen to you".
I pooh pooh in the general direction of you snobby introverts.
