Constantly we are bombarded with statistics and studies telling us why we should or shouldn't do certain things. And often when I hear about these studies, I wonder how they were ever approved for grant money to do the study. Here is a perfect example of this.
Researchers at the University of New South Wales in Australia have recently published an article in the British Medical Journal (a very distinguished medical journal) that comes to the conclusion that head banging can cause mild traumatic brain injury, neck injury and concussions. Here's the article:
http://www.cbc.ca/arts/music/story/2008/12/19/heavy-metal.html
So lets look beyond the obvious here.... wait, there's no where else to look. Shaking your head around violently can cause brian injury? Trauma caused to the neck and head can cause concussions? Well HOT DAMN! Really! Let's ask Eric Lindros what head trauma can do to you.
Another great bit of research done. I would have liked to sit in on the grant approval meeting for this one. I think the conversation would have went like this:
"So you want money to go to heavy metal shows?" "yes" "And at these shows you're going to watch people thrash themselves around violently?" "yes" "And the conclusion that you want to draw is that people thrashing their heads around violently and smashing into other people may cause injury?" "yes" "Sounds like a sound investment to me"
Now, the term head banging kind of went out in the mid-90's. I was never very good at head banging. Generally the people who were good and looked cool had a big mop of hair (and if you look at my profile picture, I'm not so inclined). Anyways, I think I'm going to take my research idea about the effects of snow fall on peoples inclination to go skiing to the University of New South Wales. I'm sure they will fund me.
Here's to the weekend
-Vince