I've seen so much, I'm goin blind, And i'm braindead virtually

Surprise surprise....a new report by Dr Aric Sigman, who is an Associate Fellow of the Surprise surprise....a new report by , who is an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, is out claiming that TV is bad for children and can stunt their brain development. The next few paragraphs have been lifted from Yahoo News:

"Television viewing is also now linked with stunting brain development in the child's frontal lobes leading to reduced impulse control and increased antisocial behaviour."

"Teachers are under pressure to vie for the child's attentional resources which have been damaged by exposure to fast changing screen images. This leaves teachers facing a generation of children who find it more difficult to pay attention and thereby learn but also exhibit poor self-restraint and anti-social behaviour," Dr Sigman added.

Even moderate amounts of viewing can dramatically increase their risk of myopia, slow down their metabolic rate and may trigger premature puberty, according to Dr Sigman. It was also found to lead to a "significantly elevated risk" of sleep problems in adulthood, causing hormone changes, which in turn directly increase appetite and body fat production and damage the immune system leading to a greater vulnerability to cancer.

I can believe parts of this report but there are other parts that are sheer scaremongering and making assumptions to appear to tie in with conclusions they already made.

I think it boils down to being lazy. If you sit around watching too much telly, and not exercising of course you're going to experience slowed metabolism, sleep problems, and increased appetite. I get that if I spend even one day loafing around, so imagine what it's like for a growing child. I suppose this report would be an easy solution to the problems facing our children, and we could ban television and save the children but not all television is bad.

The main problem is the sheer dirge of programmes on offer to children and adults alike. If what children watched was regulated by parents and guardians, then TV would have a great place in society, instead of somewhere filled with gardening and makeover shows, puppets talking gibberish, and mindless soaps.

The brain is a muscle and needs to be exercised, if you don't exercise it, then it will cease to function to 100%, or somewhere nearing that amount. I've had times when I've not stretched my mind, gone with the flow for weeks on end and not been able to cogitate or articulate to a level I know I'm capable. But I've corrected this by trying to read more or see more by either reading more books, catching up with the internet, talking to people outside of my usual spere, and also watching selected TV programmes.

There is a load of crap out there but there is also a lot of good on the old gogglebox. TV's primary use is as a form of escapism and it's secondary use is for education, therefore there will always be a load of shite to get through before you get to the good stuff. TV programmes are made as a source of revenue, simply there to make you watch the adverts in between. It's sad but true, and therefore TV for the masses rules.If there's nothing good on Telly then don't watch it. Turn it off, and better yourself. You're bigger than a machine.

I've got to go now......Neighbours is about to start!