Real Time 20/20

I'm watching 20/20 tonight. Its topic is Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity. I'm going to comment on the top 10 list.

1. Multitasking makes one less effective.
20/20 says: True
I say: True. I realize that I'm from a different generation. I'm Gen-X. I used to listen to music when I studied, and it did help. But I've found that I can't really talk on my cell while driving. Hell, I don't even know how to text. I get distracted too readily. Maybe it's because I didn't grow up with all the technology there is now. It's entirely possible that those younger than me can do 2 or 3 things at once.

2. Only children are smarter, bossy, more intelligent, and not well-adjusted.
20/20 says: True
I say: False. I am the youngest of 3. I am the poster child for spoiled. I think it's terrible what 20/20 says. The research the program provides says that only children are given more opportunities because those children have all of the parental resources not available to families who have more than 1 child. This may be, that only children get all the financial and parental resources, but what are those children missing? I think only children miss the ability to learn how to cooperate with others. I think that's a big loss for them. I wonder if social IQ is better than intellectual IQ.

3. Mosquitoes bite some people more often than others.
20/20 says: True
I say: True. But not for the show's reasons. The show says that people who have high cholesterol, or those who drink beer, are more likely to be bitten. I think that one's blood type has more to do with it. I am blood type A+. For all my life, I've been attacked by mosquitoes. My friends who have different blood types have not been bitten as often as I have. This is my only proof.

4. Never put plastics in the microwave.
20/20 says: It depends.
I say: True. Why risk it?

5. Soap is soap.
20/20 says: Yes.
I say: Yes. It doesn't really matter whether you use antibacterial soap or regular soap, as long as you actually wash your hands. Please, for the love of God, wash your hands.

6. Abdominal crunches will flatten my stomach.
20/20 says: False.
I say: False. Well, they help, but it takes diet and exercise to create results. I'm not tiny, but I have strong stomach muscles. I've spent my life standing up straight and holding in my stomach. Yet, I wish I had the super abs. I don't. And for another dose of unfair, it's easier for men than for women to get fit.

7. A falling cat always lands on its feet.
20/20 says: Apparently yes.
I say: False. There is a bit of space where a cat is more likely to land on its feet. But always? Hell no! In fact, one of the ways to check for mental problems in felines is to hold it upside down over a soft surface, like a couch, and then stop it, to see if it rights itself. It the cat does not, there's a problem. (If you're a complete tool, don't try this. Ever.)

8. Red cars mean trouble.
20/20 says: False. Using the show's data, 1% of the cars whose plates are run are red, and only 11% of red cars are ticketed for a traffic violation.
I say: Maybe. Red cars are more noticeable, so it's possible that they are more likely to be pulled over for doing something naughty. However, this sounds like an urban legend to me.

9. Home alarms guarantee security.
20/20 says: False. The alarms apparently aren't strong enough, and people don't pay enough attention. It takes a lot of alarm setups to get this right.
I say: False. Nothing guarantees security. Alarms might help though. I know I'd feel safer if I had one for my apartment.

10. Dogs can smell cancer
20/20 says: Most likely. There is scientific evidence that dogs can be trained to look for specific smells. Of course, that's why we have drug-sniffing and bomb-sniffing dogs.
I say: Maybe. There's anecdotal evidence for this. I think dogs (and cats) can smell odors that humans cannot. Who's to say that they can't recognize when something isn't right with their person? I believe that pets have empathy.