Blogger Indonesia A. Fatih Syuhud

This is a small study yet a little bit discouraging and should be a warning for mothers around the world: TV can overcome pain better than mothers do. Researchers in Italy found that cartoons helped distract kids from the pain of minor medical procedures.

In the small study, Bellieni and colleagues randomly placed 69 children, ages 7 to 12, in one of three groups to have a blood sample taken. One group was given no distraction during the procedure. In the second group, mothers tried to distract their children by talking to them, soothing, and/or caressing them. The third group of children was allowed to watch a TV cartoon during the procedure. See more here.

The children who experienced the most pain were in the group with no distraction. Their pain was about three times higher than the children who watched TV cartoons, the researchers noted.

The Study was published online Aug. 16 in the Archives of Disease in Childhood.

Child’s upbringing is unrewarding job for many moms, either from the ‘ungrateful’ kids or from careless husband. This is not to count any other house-wife job. Wife and mom’s jobs are never done, so to speak.

Therefore, to hear such not-so-good news should be a little bit discouraging for them to say the least. In the meanwhile, it’s also a very positive finding for moms to know what’s wrong with the way they treat their kids. Or is this finding a strong sign how powerful TV program, especially cartoon, is to the extend that moms can no longer ignore its influence? There is an ongoing interesting discussion among mothers here on this issue which many young mothers need to look at.

It’s important to note, however, that the study was conducted in Italy, a European country. To some extend, it might represent other western Europe or any other developed countries with similar culture, custom and way of life with its prevalent phenomena: busy parents, etc. It might not represent a phenomenon in any other country with entirely different tradition. Say, for example, Indonesia where some kids got religious education in their very early days of their lives. Interesting to know if there’s another similar study on how religious upbringing can make a difference to the kids in overcoming their pains.

For any young Indonesian mother, like Lita and others including young fathers, could you please share your experience with us?

Many people from the third world countries — where Muslims are in majority or not such as India– think that America under Bush and/or Republican in particular are very dangerous to the world peace as far as US foreign policy goes. But none of those the so-called third world people think that they are not alone. Therefore when the people from nations closely related with US policy like Britain think similarly as it’s obvious from the poll conducted recently and released on Friday, it comes as a real surprise.

As reported by the Guardian, UK, America is now seen as a threat to world peace by its closest neighbours and allies, according to an international survey of public opinion published on Friday that reveals just how far the country’s reputation has fallen among former supporters since the invasion of Iraq.

“Luckily” for Bush he falls short of Bin Laden in terms of causing danger to the world peace:

He is outranked by Osama bin Laden in all four countries, but runs the close in the eyes of British voters: 87 per cent think the Al-Qaeda is a great or moderate danger to peace, compared with 75 per cent who think this of Mr. Bush.

Yet, as the world only super-power, he should be “proud” of outranked Kim Jong-il of North Korea and other world leaders dubbed by him as the axis of evils and terrorists:

Mr. Bush is seen in Britain as a more dangerous man than the President of Iran (62 per cent think he is a danger), the North Korean leader (69 per cent) and the leader of Hizbollah, Hassan Nasrallah (65 per cent).

Accurately, America as a whole is also put to blame, for choosing him democratically as their leader:

In Britain, 69 per cent of those questioned say they believe U.S. policy has made the world less safe since 2001, with only 7 per cent thinking action in Iraq and Afghanistan has increased global security.

As we can see from the table, it’s not only British who think so, other US allies like Canada and and even Israel–the carte blanche recipient of US nod on anything– worried:

The finding is mirrored in America’s immediate northern and southern neighbours, Canada and Mexico, with 62 per cent of Canadians and 57 per cent of Mexicans saying the world has become more dangerous because of U.S. policy.

Even in Israel, which has long looked to America to guarantee national security, support for the U.S. has slipped. Only one in four Israeli voters say that Mr. Bush has made the world safer, outweighed by the number who think he has added to the risk of international conflict, 36 per cent to 25 per cent.

I’m a bit surprised with the finding. As a blogger who sometimes blogwalks to other world blogs, I can’t see the same feeling and thinking in some of British bloggers. Well, at least not as expressed by their expats…