From the category archives:

Nanny State

Drive a Mazda? Don’t mind the SPIDERS. Or the recall. [nanny state]

by Rod Edwards on March 3, 2011

First Nanny State post in a while, but a funny one.

The Japanese automaker has issued a recall for 52,000 Mazda6 sedans due to potential obstruction in the vehicles evaporative systems. Apparently, the evaporative canister vent line of certain 2009 and 2010 Mazda6 models is the perfect home for a species of spider. If the web clogs the line, excessive negative pressure may build up in the vehicles fuel tank, which is likely to eventually cause a crack in the tank itself.

via Autoblog — We Obsessively Cover The Auto Industry.

Wow – really? Some of these recalls seem to be downright ridiculous. I remember a Ford recall from a few years ago wherein a leaky gasket could drip power steering fluid onto another gasket, which if it then leaked in turn could drip oil onto a manifold, which if sufficiently leaked upon, could accumulate enough sludge to contact an electrical bit, which if improperly sealed could cause a fire. OK, fires are bad, but is the onus really on manufacturers to conceive of every possible rube goldberg happenstance or chain of events that might befall car and driver? Same thought applies to Toyota’s floor mat issues.

Anyway, if you drive a Mazda, watch out for the creepy crawlies under your hood that are plotting to make your gas tank explode.

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Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior (Wall Street Journal)

by Rod Edwards on January 10, 2011

What Chinese parents understand is that nothing is fun until you’re good at it. To get good at anything you have to work, and children on their own never want to work, which is why it is crucial to override their preferences. This often requires fortitude on the part of the parents because the child will resist; things are always hardest at the beginning, which is where Western parents tend to give up. But if done properly, the Chinese strategy produces a virtuous circle. Tenacious practice, practice, practice is crucial for excellence; rote repetition is underrated in America. Once a child starts to excel at something—whether it’s math, piano, pitching or ballet—he or she gets praise, admiration and satisfaction.

via Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior – WSJ.com.

I have to imagine (as a non-parent) that there other factors that contribute to a child’s “success.” The definition of “success” for example, or the peer groups that they are exposed to. Nonetheless, an interesting perspective on a key psychological difference between two societies.

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Freedom of Choice Isn’t a Mixed Message

January 4, 2011

Here’s a letter to the Editor of the Calgary herald that  suggests that government should just ban cigarettes already: I very am confused by the mixed message our government is sending. The message is that they don’t really want us to smoke because smoking is bad for us, hence the warning labels, yet they will [...]

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I’m pleased to see the Brits don’t have a monopoly on Nanny State stupidity

May 13, 2010

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. – A fourteen-year-old autistic boy is facing terrorist charges after a sketch he made in school. via Autistic Boy Charged With Making Terrorist Threats Over Stick-Figure Sketch.

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Paul Chambers: My tweet was silly, but the police reaction was absurd

May 12, 2010

Don’t speak your mind: the British are listening. And they will arrest you, charge you, and make a mockery of “justice” in the name of “security.” The reason for the arrest was a tweet I had posted on the social network Twitter, which was deemed to constitute a bomb threat against Robin Hood airport in [...]

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The Nanny State vs. the Childhood Obesity Epidemic

May 11, 2010

Despite the Nanny State label, this is probably a good thing. That being said, our descent into idiocracy is only hastened when government abdicate parents of their responsibilities. Mom & Dad are too slovenly to feed the kids anything other than Doritos and McDonalds? Clearly the problem is… Doritos and McDonalds. “For the first time, [...]

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Scary Fundamentalist pegs the Burka Debate

July 10, 2009

Wow – an excellent, well-reasoned post on Burkas, human rights, religious freedom, and politician’s duties on matters of this nature: Edit: I shared Scary’s post on Reddit, which is always seems to stir up good debate. There are many arguments in support of banning the burka that, at first blush, are convincing. The burka is [...]

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Flagging Pedestrians [Nanny State]

June 22, 2009

Here’s a particularly interesting take on the age old suggestion that one hold their arm out in front of themselves when crossing the street. In Lemoyne, Pennsylvania, that arm is now grasping a traffic-cone orange flag to increase pedestrian visibility. I would be fine with this as an option for pedestrians (especially kids), were it [...]

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Smart Move or Nanny State? Britain’s Anti-Stab Knife

June 16, 2009

Kitchen knives are apparently the most commonly used murder weapon in Britain, absent firearms. Fortunately, there’s now an alternative. Up next: blunting the “pocket terror” of stabby pens and pencils, and forest patrols to elimate pointy sticks. I’m on the “nanny state” side here: if someone wants to do grievous harm, they’ll find a way, [...]

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