A U.K. study released today has found that American children are prescribed anti-psychotic medicines at six-times the rate of kids in Britain.

At a time where psychiatrists and parents are both wondering about the over-medicated situation of our children, this report should certainly further the debate.

Many experts believe that this study is pointless because of the fact that prescription rates for these drugs are up on both sides of the Atlantic. If any study needs to be undertaken, these experts argue, it is one to focus on the long term affects of the anti-psychotic drugs for ADD and other ailments.

On the list of the most used drugs are those utilized to treat autism and hyperactivity. The study covered over 500 children and began in 1992 through the University of London’s pharmacy school.

In a stark disparity, a U.S. study released last year had found that the numbers for American children taking these medications actually has increased at a much lower rate that the ones reported in the U.K. study. The U.S. study concluded when comparing years 1996 and 2001 that yes, the numbers have doubled, but not at the six times-rate that U.K. doctors are claiming.

In 2001, it was determined that 45 U.S. kids out of every 10,000 were prescribed anti-psychotic medications compared to in 1996 where that ratio was 23 per 10,000.

The entire study can be found in the May edition of the journal Pediatrics.

Share This

Ling Ling, Japan’s beloved giant panda, died yesterday at the Ueno Zoo.

The 22-year-old panda was born in China in 1985 and made his debut at the Tokyo zoo in 1992.  He was the only giant panda the country held in captivity in nationwide zoos. Ling Ling’s 22 years is equal to about 70 in human years.

After centuries of conflict between China and Japan, the gift of Ling Ling was seen as a gesture of good will and faith toward normalizing relations between the two countries. Now that Ling Ling has passed away, the Japanese government has asked China to lease one or two new pandas to wet an appetite of a Japanese citizenry that can’t get enough of the lovable giants.

Japan’s prime minister is set to welcome Chinese President Hu Jinatao to Tokyo this week and hopes to sign a deal to secure two more pandas in the very near future.

Japan’s Ling Ling is not to be confused with the Ling Ling the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. had for 20 years until her death in 1992.

Share This

A child with two faces is a sign of wonderful things to come in Indian culture. For father Vinod Singh, the baby is simply, Lali.

The Saini Sunpuru resident welcomed his daughter who was born with two faces, two lips, two noses and two sets of eyes March 11. On Tuesday, his family introduced the little girl to a village, a country and a global community enthralled with Lali’s arrival.

Many in the Hindu culture consider Lali the reincarnation of a Hindu Goddess and consider her extremely spiritually important. But for Lali’s family, she is still the little baby who wakes them up in the middle of the night after relieving herself, hungry and cranky.

Share This

The blame for the death of Princess Diana lies squarely on the shoulders of her driver and the pursuing paparazzi.

That is the judgement of the jury looking into the death of the Princess of Wales in 1997 on a Paris roadway.  The jury determined that the death was unlawful. They were deliberating since April 2 in a decision that has no true authority for enforcing laws.

Yet, by finding the chasing paparazzi and Diana’s driver Henri Paul, completely responsible, the ruling of an unlawful death is still powerful in placing blame somewhere for a public in need of its assigning. Although purely symbolic, there is now some closure.

Their findings, at the minimum, confirm that the French investigation was accurate in its blaming of the accident on driver Henri Paul and the camera-wielding paparazzi.

Lord Justice Scott Baker said that there was no evidence that any government agency was involved in the accident as Dodi al-Fayed’s father has claimed.

Share This

Carrying the Olympic torch is supposed to be a once in a lifetime experience. With the 2008 summer Olympics fast approaching, the Chinese hosts are finding the world is not so thrilled with their hosting.

On three separate occasions the Olympic torch was extinguished Sunday as it was held running through the British capital. Protesters had approached the torch’s initial lighting in Greece with protests over China’s treatment of Tibet. The swell of anger in response to the Chinese government’s treatment of protesting monks in that country is growing daily.

The torch’s arrival in Paris today was met with the same anti-Chinese fervor.

It appears China’s Olympics have a real problem on their hands. The torch has been met with protests every single site where it has been illuminated. Normally, this is a world-unifying moment that lasts through the summer every four years.

Share This

London’s Heathrow Airport has a new terminal, and it was supposed to be a shining moment. Instead it has been a nightmare.

London’s most traveled airport has been making headlines all week, culminating in last night’s arrest of Naomi Campbell. ‘T5′ as the locals are calling it, opened to an eager public only to be disappointed by delays, luggage losses (including that of singer Calvin Harris, whose brand new album was in his bag), and uncountable total hours of delays to thousands.

British Airways, the airline behind T5, is blaming the newness of anything this large, when it’s finally operational, as the source of their ills.

“Problems developed that were not encountered during the extensive trials. There were problems in car parks, airport areas, computer glitches and the baggage system,” CEO of British Airlines, Willie Walsh said.

That pretty much sounds like everything that is needed to make a terminal operate efficiently. Outside experts have blamed the problem squarely on staffing.

Share This

For one hour on Saturday, the entire world turned off the lights. From the most famous landmarks in Sydney harbor to the lights illuminating the coliseum in Rome, to bring attention to the burgeoning climate catastrophe, they all went dark Saturday.

Earth Hour was marked across the globe as businesses and individuals alike sat without lights for 60 minutes on Saturday in an effort to show the world how much energy it uses.

London reported that energy usage for Saturday was down two percent across the board. One hour of energy-less time made that much difference in a 24-hour day.

This is an event that organizers promise will continue into the future when the world gathers on March 29 each year to turn off the lights from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. local time as we all try to become more eco-friendly.

Share This

The judge at the head of the inquest into Princess Diana’s death has determined that the royal family had no part in the accident and there is no conspiracy whatsoever.

Diana passed away after being chased by paparazzi in Paris in 1997 with her companion, Dodi al-Fayed. Since that day, there have been competing theories about the princess’ death, many with the royal family at its heart.

After hearing from over 250 witnesses, Lord Justice Scot Baker informed the jury that he had reached his decision with the following statement.

“There is no evidence that the Duke of Edinburgh ordered
Diana’s execution and there is no evidence that the security
intelligence service or any other government agency organized it.”

With that statement, the inquiry into Princess Diana’s d
eath should be a closed case. Now each investigation into
Diana’s death has determined the same cause - driver Henri Paul
was driving too drunk and too fast.

Share This

A man in Australia had his house burglarized Friday and was so upset about it he called the police. Now any normal person in the world would have phoned the cops, but when the item in question is marijuana…he might have wanted to wait until he calmed down before he called anyone.

As marijuana is illegal in Australia, when the police showed up at an unnamed man’s house in South Adelaide, the man who was burgled was arrested for possession.

The six intruders failed to get all of the man’s plants and police did not see any humor in the fact that a man wanted charges brought for stolen goods that were illegal in the first place.

The 35-year-old man has been released on bail after being charged with cultivating cannabis for sale. Police issued a statement:

“Members of the public are reminded that the growing of cannabis is not only illegal but can also attract other criminal activity such as home break-ins and assaults.”

Share This

It is a ceremony that dates back to ancient Olympia, the lighting of the Olympic Games torch. Held yesterday in Greece in anticipation for this summer’s China-hosted Olympics, the ceremony was brought to a temporary halt by protesters objecting to China’s treatment of Tibet.

The protesters were urging a worldwide boycott of the upcoming games as a proper response to the Chinese government crackdown on Tibet and their allies within mainland China. The group unfurled a banner featuring the Olympic rings as handcuffs before being pulled away by Greek police. The Paris-based Reporters Without Borders made their presence felt as three of their members were arrested.

As Liu Qi, president of the Chinese organizing committee was giving a speech to thousands in a ceremony that has been repeated for millennia, the group began their loud chants. Immediately following the banner unfurling, a Tibetan woman covered herself in red paint in front of the first Olympic flame runner.

Greek television carried the scene live while Chinese television quickly cut away to a pre-recorded segment.

Share This