Dispensary Corner

A WORD to the owls. Referencing animals when describing fellow humans is common but generally unwise - to Australians an owl may be considered wise but to an Indian, owls are foolish.

Psychologist Nick Haslam of the University of Melbourne and colleagues published on the matter in the :ŽƵƌŶĂů ŽĨ >ĂŶŐƵĂŐĞ ĂŶĚ ^ŽĐŝĂů WƐLJĐŚŽůŽŐLJ.

Refering to someone as a sheep implies thoughtless compliance while rats, maggots, leeches, dogs, toads or cows are straightforward derogatory terms, Haslam explains.

Calling someone a chicken or mouse suggests fearfulness and timidity, and Haslam says all such animal comparisons are at risk of being offensive, are usually objectionable and in any case are decidedly “dehumanising”.

CLICK HERE for the research.

GET on your bike - if you want to lower your cancer risk, that is.

Researchers in Scotland have found that cycling to work is very good for your health with figures suggesting bike riders halve their risk of cancer and heart disease.

A five year study of 250,000 British commuters said cycling to work was particularly good because once the habit was established it took little willpower.

Regular cycling cut the risk of death from any cause by 41%, the incidence of cancer by 45% and heart disease by 46%, according to a report.