Little word, big difference

[tsdragon]

Heard this on channel 12 (WWBT Richmond) News this morning (I was home nursing a bum knee):

"The heat wave raises the risk of small children being left in hot cars."

Actually, it doesn't. It raises the risk for small children who are left in hot cars, but it may actually make people think twice about leaving their children in the car, and thus may actually reduce the risk of children being left in hot cars.

That was my take. Comments?

Tracy Dryden

Meddle not in the affairs of dragons,
For you are crunchy, and good with mustard.

 

[Scott24x7]

Tracy,
Unless the world has become a more sick and demented place then the last time I checked (which I concede is possible), I think you're interpretation is what the communicator intended to convey. I would write an editorial, and send it back, singling out the grave error of the speaker, just to make an example of their bad journalism. (Is that over the top?)


Best Regards,
Scott

"Everything should be made as simple as possible, and no simpler."

 

[UniqueFD]

It raises the risk for small children who are left in hot cars

Or, what about another alternative: "... raises the risk to small children being left in hot cars."?

There is still something missing in these sentences, though - it raises the risk of what?. The news-reader was, no doubt, implying injury and perhaps should have said:

"The heat wave raises the risk of small children being injured when left in hot cars."

... although this is still unsatisfactory as it is still not properly spelling out the threat or the consequences, so perhaps:

"The heat wave raises the risk of small children dieing from heat exhaustion when left in hot cars."

It was a sloppy sentence. What was it's purpose? To warn people not to leave their children in cars during the heatwave? They why not say it as a warning, instead of reducing the impact by making a fairly impotent observation? Of course, I didn't see/hear the article, so maybe there was more to it. Nevertheless, it could have been put much better.

[personal aside] Tracy, sorry to hear about the knee. It's not likely to be a long term injury, is it? [/aside]

Tony
___________________________________________________
Reckless words pierce like a sword,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing (Solomon)

 

[CrystaLv]

The heat wave raises the risk of small children being left in hot cars."

When i read it fast without thinking much - impression is that people tend to leave small children in cars more often when weather is hot. It doesn't make any sense, does it?
So there is no children left in cars during winter time i suppose.

 

[sha76]

Surely the heatwave does raise the the risk of children being left in hot cars, the risk is negligble during a blizzard!

Why are people leaving their children alone in cars long enough for it to be a problem though?


"Your rock is eroding wrong." -Dogbert

 

[gbaughma]

Yeah... I read that the same as sha... it raises the risk of children being left in hot cars, as opposed to being left in comfortable cars, or freezing to death in a cold car.

Actually, I have happened upon cars sitting in mall parking lots with infants left in them while the parents went in and shopped. I also observed as the police that I called showed up, removed the child, and arrested the negligent parents. Am I a schmuck for doing so? I don't think so... better a lesson learned, or a child being taken from negligent parents than a dead, roasted baby.



Just my 2¢

"In order to start solving a problem, one must first identify its owner." --Me
--Greg

http://parallel.tzo.com

 

[Gooser]

Greg--

Way to go!

I've done the same thing, though I left when the police arrived. And it wasn't hot.

Who leaves there infant in a car alone? Stupid people.

I pity the kids.

v/r

Gooser

Why do today
that which may not need to be done tomorrow --me

 

[tsdragon]

Bravo to those of you who have observed children left alone in cars and reported it! You might well have saved the child's life. If not on that specific occasion, then perhaps the next time, had the parent not been, presumably, prevented from doing it again.

[aside]I am reliably, though not professionally, informed that, while I probably won't often need to stay home because of my knee, my marathon-running days are over (before they ever began, actually). I've got what is commonly called "runner's knee" (they used to call it "water on the knee"). Ironic, since I haven't run in years decades, and never was much for running (or any other exercise for that matter). It's uncomfortable and inconvenient, but not crippling. In my case it is apparently caused by my age (50) and my penchant for sitting with my feet curled under me, which I am now told is bad for your knees. Just another sign that I am no longer a sprightly youth (SIGH).[/aside]

Tracy Dryden

Meddle not in the affairs of dragons,
For you are crunchy, and good with mustard.

 

[Gooser]

Wow! Must be too early. I would like to say that there should have been their.

Back to the topic though, some newspeople and journalists have become so sloppy with their grammar, it is a wonder that they didn't just say, "Hot weather bad for kids in cars."

v/r

Gooser

Why do today
that which may not need to be done tomorrow --me

 

[sha76]

If it makes you feel any better I had that when I'd only just got into my teens, so no sign of age! I also now run, admittedly not far, fast or often but I can't blame the knee for that!
Just make sure you spend as much time as possible with it elevated for the next week or so & treat it very gently for a good while.

"Your rock is eroding wrong." -Dogbert

 

[tsdragon]

My boss gets a little annoyed when I prop my feet up on my desk, but now I may have an excuse. I keep it propped on pillows at home, when I can get the kittens off of them. It's getting better.

Tracy Dryden

Meddle not in the affairs of dragons,
For you are crunchy, and good with mustard.

 

[SilentAiche]

Dang, it Tracy!

You totally blew a possible punfest.

"Nursing a bum knee" was to become a joke about Yoga exercises (absent the part about "kneeples" and, er, milking bad jokes).

But, Junes Cleavage must be addressed.

Eddie, yeah, that's it!

[blue]_______________________________________________________
"Although many figures are strange, prime numbers are truly odd."[/blue]

 

[nicksims]

gbaughma,

You were absolutely correct for calling the police!

We live in a pretty hot place. You would think people would understand by now how quickly it can become extremely hot inside the car.

We regularly hear how someone left their kid in the car (infants are even more susceptible to the heat), ran into the store, only to find an ambulance when they return. Or their dead kid. Happens FAR too often.

The parent should be locked in the car. Maybe we should "crack the windows" a bit to see if they would be comfortable?

Tsdragon,

So I guess this means that-
"The heat wave raises the risk of small children being left in hot cars."

...should be "The heat wave raises the odds that some parents will leave kids in hot cars."

Nick

 

[Gooser]

The way to "crack the windows" is with their freakin' skulls!

...and shouldn't it be, "The heat wave raises the safety risk for children whose lazy-a__ idiot parents routinely leave them locked inside cars while they selfishly take some me time to go get a double-fat latte."

v/r

Gooser

Why do today
that which may not need to be done tomorrow --me

 

[JediBMC]

But what I am concerned with is parents that leave their children in comfortable cars in hot weather. After all, the AC will only work while the vehicle is running and the cold will disipate rather fast. It is good to note, at least by this report, that there is no increase in risk to small children left in trucks, SUVs, or minivans.

Perhaps this reporter (I use the term loosely anymore) should have phrased it this way:

The heat wave raises the risk to small children who are left unattended in vehicles.

-Brian-
Semper Paratus

 

[Gooser]

How about they just come right out and say it,

Hey, Jack@$$, don't leave your offspring unattended in a vehicle!

That's the way the news oughtta be.

v/r

Gooser

Why do today
that which may not need to be done tomorrow --me

 

[nicksims]

Hey Gooser,

Do you mean to tell me that you want the news to be direct, to the point, precise, accurate, ...

Society would fall apart. Mass confusion, mayhem, anarchy.

But entertaining!

Nick

 

[Gooser]

No, I guess I only want my news to be direct, to the point, precise, accurate, etc. ;-)

v/r

Gooser

Why do today
that which may not need to be done tomorrow --me

 

[Turkbear]

Hi,
I think that any parent that leaves a child alone in the car should have their parenting license revoked!!
( OH, that's right, you do not need a license to have children, just to drive the car....)





To Paraphrase:"The Help you get is proportional to the Help you give.."

 

[gbaughma]

Hey... they could always adopt my solution....

Sterilize EVERYBODY at birth... when you can afford to have it reversed, then you're ready (and have thought through) having kids.



Just my 2¢

"In order to start solving a problem, one must first identify its owner." --Me
--Greg

http://parallel.tzo.com