Parents inject kids with experimental growth hormone

[Set]

(Warning, rant to follow...)

As if we didn't get enough from the cattle we eat... Of all the stupid things people do, this one is on my top twenty list of idiotic things that piss me off. I saw this commercial for an episode of 20/20 and it was about parents with short kids. I wouldnt've paid any attention to that normally, but these people are injecting their kids with an experimental growth hormone to make them grow taller. And they do it every day. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want someone sticking a needle in my arm 365 times a year not including the shots I'd have to get from the doctor.

Talk about dumb. This would annoy me anyway, but since I'm not exactly an NBA basketball player it went straight past annoyance and outright made me want to throw something at the TV.

I know damn well this wasn't the kids' idea. No kid likes needles, and at that age they don't really give a rat's a** about how tall they are. I know I didn't. I still don't.

I guess it's because the parents are afraid the other kids will make fun of them. They'll do that anyway. The kid could be perfect in every way and their classmates would still pick on them over something. Or maybe they're afraid of the stereotype that all short people are weak, defenseless, fat, and possibly have a Napoleon complex.

What bullshit.

I, for one, am not obese, do not have a Napoleon complex, am not compensating for anything, and can kick the entire football team's asses. Stereotypes are worthless.

The strongest, most hardy creatures in nature are often the smallest. Like the cockroach. (Before you go "eww, roaches!" I know they're not appealing. But they're survivors.) The roach has been here for millions of years. It lasted a hell of alot longer than the dinosaurs, and even survived the mass extinction that killed off giant predators like ol' T-rex.

The most deadly jellyfish in the world is only about the size of a fingernail.

And nothing messes with a shrew. Nothing. They are, and I quote, "capable of feats equivalent to a man killing an elephant barehanded".

The most poisonous snake on earth certainly isn't the biggest.

The smaller the pinchers are on a scorpion the deadlier its sting is. Also the deadlist scorpion is not the biggest of all the different types.

Great Danes are the largest breed of dog. But they only live about five years and have more health problems than any other dog. The longest lived and least prone to health problems are more often than not the small breeds.

I bet you're sick of the examples already. But I have more. No, I'm not going to list them. I think you get the point. What's so wrong with being short huh?

And you people...yes you...the ones who think a werewolf isn't a werewolf unless it's above 7 feet tall...shame on you. You're certainly not helping. You may not think it's such a big deal, but you're only spreading the stereotype that small creatures are weak and worthless. You're nudging these already psychotic parents into stabbing their kids with a needle everyday so they can have growth hormones so they won't be short. Regardless of any possible risks to their overall health...it is experimental after all.

Rapid growth is very taxing on the body. It's not good for you. Especially unnatural growth, which is what this is. Why not just tell them to break and reset their children's legs with metal poles so they'll be around 6 feet? It's basically the same thing. Only the pain is more spread out and has to plague them daily for several years instead of for a month or two.

You want giants. Looks like you're gonna get them. Does that make you happy? It sure doesn't amuse me.

(/end rant)

[Lupin]

Actually, that episode aired yesterday.

The strongest, most hardy creatures in nature are often the smallest. Like the cockroach. (Before you go "eww, roaches!" I know they're not appealing. But they're survivors.) The roach has been here for millions of years. It lasted a hell of alot longer than the dinosaurs, and even survived the mass extinction that killed off giant predators like ol' T-rex.

But so have redwood trees, and look how tall they are

[Set]

It did? I thought it said...never mind. I'll just edit my post then...

Yeah well trees are alot different than animals. The don't need to move, being tall is an advantage for them. It's not for animals. Being too large is what made the Irish Elk go extinct.

[edit] You know I wasn't going to even post anything about it originally, but then I started to think about it and it annoyed me. And when I start ranting it's near impossible to get me to stop.

[Kzinistzerg]

I have tyo agree with that. I;m somewhat tiny, and i find it an amusing viewpoint. I like being tiny! people underestimate me, i can walk unseen easier, i'm lighter on my toes and can seemingly pop up next to people wihtout them noticoing. (if you're a head taller than me, I can pop up next to you, say hi, and walk away- and you'll never see me. my firends have look straight voer my head. in fifth grade, i was standing next to my frined jessica, and she said, "lauren! eher are you!" and loked overmy head. it's not evil, it's fun.) and i walk faster, and i can slip trhopugh crouds easily, and i can climb trees earier.

so whenever i fing people thinking short=bad, i just laugh. They'll never know.

I mean, why do you think most of my RP characters are 4 foot tall midgets? (who have a tiger side that's 5000 pounds, but that's besides the point).

and besides, insults coming from a tiny girl are so much better because i don't look like I coudl insult someone.

And my hair positively looks liek a mane- it's poofy, and i'm small.

see? fun.

[Renorei]

And you people...yes you...the ones who think a werewolf isn't a werewolf unless it's above 7 feet tall...shame on you. You're certainly not helping. You may not think it's such a big deal, but you're only spreading the stereotype that small creatures are weak and worthless.

Shame on us? For what? Wanting a nonexistant, fantastical creature to look like we imagine it to look? Well, sorry if it bothers you, but the plight of a bunch of kids being given growth hormones isn't going to stand in the way of what I think a werewolf should be. While I'm opposed to giving kids growth hormones without their informed, responsible consent, I don't think these two issues are really all that related.

That's like saying that we are discriminating against small creatures by wanting dragons to be large creatures (since most of them are generally accepted as such) or something. There's no inconclusive proof that dragons are large animals (since there is no inconclusive proof of dragons) but modern society generally accepts them as such. Plus, they look cool that way.

Or like suggesting that we are being racist against black folks by depicting unicorns as white (I know there are a handful of exceptions). Once again, we aren't doing anything wrong, we're just showing them as they are generally thought to be and how we feel they should look.

Just because a majority of werewolf fans think werewolves should be tall beings doesn't mean we are discriminating against short people. Short people can become werewolves, just as easily as tall people. They will just be short werewolves. Gestalt height is completely open to interpretation, 6'8" might be really short for a werewolf, or possibly really tall. It is all in how the writer or director chooses them to be.

There's nothing wrong with having tall werewolves, even if it doesn't cater to your obviously very strong feelings towards small statures. I don't care if a shrew is a badass, a lion or tiger or bear scares me a hell of a lot more. If many of us think that a tall werewolf would be more intimidating and impressive, we are entitled to that.

Sorry if any of that sounded mean. I didn't intend it to. But, just because a group of kids is being given growth hormones doesn't mean thousands of werewolf fans should reevaluate their perceptions of a fictional creature.

[Set]

While I'm opposed to giving kids growth hormones without their informed, responsible consent, I don't think these two issues are really all that related.

You'd be surprised. The most seemingly unrelated, inconsequential crap can have a big impact on things whether you realize it or not.

Like this for example: you may not think choosing orange juice over grapefruit juice for breakfast in the morning will make any difference on the test you take in school that day, but it could make all the difference in the world. You choose the orange, and your day goes fine. You choose grapefruit, spill it because of the seed you find in it, and your entire day is ruined. You miss the test, fail school, and end up working at McDonalds for the rest of your life instead of becoming president like you would have if you'd picked orange. The world goes to war because you weren't there to sign a peace treaty, and the globe goes to hell in a handbasket. All because you would rather have grapefruit.

It's kind of like the butterfly effect.

I don't care if a shrew is a badass, a lion or tiger or bear scares me a hell of a lot more.

That statement amuses me. Why? Because the animals that are feared by most people are spiders and snakes. Not blue whales, not elephants, not lions, not wolves. Spiders and snakes. Which aren't exactly behemoths, you know.

Why are they injecting hormones anyway? They could've just clicked on this: http://www.growtallerguide.com/

It was a banner ad that popped up in a conversation about how tall Edward Elric from Full Metal Alchemist is.

[Renorei]

While I'm opposed to giving kids growth hormones without their informed, responsible consent, I don't think these two issues are really all that related.

You'd be surprised. The most seemingly unrelated, inconsequential crap can have a big impact on things whether you realize it or not.

Like this for example: you may not think choosing orange juice over grapefruit juice for breakfast in the morning will make any difference on the test you take in school that day, but it could make all the difference in the world. You choose the orange, and your day goes fine. You choose grapefruit, spill it because of the seed you find in it, and your entire day is ruined. You miss the test, fail school, and end up working at McDonalds for the rest of your life instead of becoming president like you would have if you'd picked orange. The world goes to war because you weren't there to sign a peace treaty, and the globe goes to hell in a handbasket. All because you would rather have grapefruit.

It's kind of like the butterfly effect.

(Kickass movie, by the way. Though I would have rather they not publicized the actual butterfly effect, because for a while there only me and a handful of other people knew about it.)

Everything, in some way or another, effects almost everything else in some way. I don't believe in carefully calculating every single possibility out, because I will inevitably miss one (or 5,000).

Having short werewolves could have a countereffect. Say the Freeborn werewolves are short (as in, they decrease in height from their human form). And then say, the general public doesn't like the way they've been depicted. One of the major things that would separate the Freeborn werewolves from other Hollywood werewolves (besides the fact that they won't look like werecats or wereprimates or something) would be the height thing. It could, however unlikely, have a negative effect.

"Dude, those Underworld werewolves were cool!"
"Yeah, so were the Howling ones!"
"Yeah, but the Freeborn ones sucked!"
"Yeah, they were so short!"
"Yeah, you're right!! Therefore, shortness sucks!"

(yeah, yeah, I know that would probably never happen.)

My point is, we have no idea what effect anything we ever do may have, we can't sit around worrying about it.

The general perception amongst most people (I'm just making an assumption here, based on people who I know in RL who aren't in this forum) is that werewolves would grow in height. I, personally, love it that way and hope it doesn't change, especially not in Freeborn. Personally, I've never been the kind of person who questions the past, totally rearranges the present, all because I'm worrying about what effect it might have on the future. If something isn't broke, don't fix it.

But, then again, that's just me. Cool example with the grapefruit juice, by the way. Next time I have some, I'll probably subconciously be really careful with it.

[Lupin]

Why are they injecting hormones anyway? They could've just clicked on this: http://www.growtallerguide.com/

It was a banner ad that popped up in a conversation about how tall Edward Elric from Full Metal Alchemist is.

Yeah, I figure that. It looks like something I'd get in my junk mail box.

The 20/20 report said that each kid gained about 5in in height.

[Renorei]

The 20/20 report said that each kid gained about 5in in height.

Do you know if the height increase is in the legs or in the torso? Also, does it work on 'adults' (I'm 19). The reason I ask is because, I'd really like for my legs to get longer.

To be honest, I don't really need to be any taller. I'm a little above average, about 5'7". But, too much of my body is devoted to torso, and not enough to legs. I look weird.

And, since I'm more likely to be able to grow my legs than to have my torso shrink, I'm starting to look at different options.

[Lupin]

Do you know if the height increase is in the legs or in the torso? Also, does it work on 'adults' (I'm 19). The reason I ask is because, I'd really like for my legs to get longer.

No. They didn't say where the height gain was. They also said that in adults HGH causes an increase in muscle mass, not height gain.

[Renorei]

Do you know if the height increase is in the legs or in the torso? Also, does it work on 'adults' (I'm 19). The reason I ask is because, I'd really like for my legs to get longer.

No. They didn't say where the height gain was. They also said that in adults HGH causes an increase in muscle mass, not height gain.

OBSCENITY!!

[white]

@Reilune: While I agree with your main point, you are going a bit overboard. *stands next to Excelsia* I'm going to go over a few of the points you made that annoyed me because I'm too lazy to think up an intelligent argument of my own at midnight

The most feared animals in most people's experience are spiders and snakes, instead of lions, wolves, etc. because most people aren't around the latter group much, and have a general perception of them as noble, while the former are common in the developed world and are stereotyped as nasty, poisonous, malicious critters.

The "butterfly effect" you mention is completely irrelevant. Following exeactly the same logic I can come to the conclusion that wearing glasses makes me racist. Everything's interconnected; so what? Even if grapefruit juice might bring about the end of the world, someone liking taller gestalt werewolves doesn't mean that they don't appreciate shortness.

[Lupin]

Yeah well trees are alot different than animals. The don't need to move, being tall is an advantage for them. It's not for animals. Being too large is what made the Irish Elk go extinct.

Actually they do need to move, just not like you do. Otherwise they would break in the wind.

OBSCENITY!!

Well, both of the kids ended up being happy that they went on the treatment, though one did stop before they ran the full course, so I dunno.

[white]

Hmm. That does put an interesting perspective on it. I can't say I approve of subjecting them to experimental treatments like this, but if they like it...

[Aki]

While I'm opposed to giving kids growth
That statement amuses me. Why? Because the animals that are feared by most people are spiders and snakes. Not blue whales, not elephants, not lions, not wolves. Spiders and snakes. Which aren't exactly behemoths, you know.
.

Its because they're....Alien in appearance. People are used to things with 4 to two legs, and such.

Spiders have 8, snakes have none. Not to mention spiders also, you know, build webs and trap other bugs then inject them with their digestive acid and driunk out the melted guts. Kinda gross, ya know? And snakes swallow things whole, which don't bother me much, but for others it might.

I for one am afraid of spiders.

In the "OMG KIL LTHAT f*** SPIDER" way. They creep me out, But I sure as hell am squashing the little bastard. Big, angry bear. Well, *ahem* I'm Playing dead or whatever it is you do to get them away. Not going to mess with several hundred pounds of muscle.

Oh, and a Asutralian spider, the whitetail, has a Necrotic bite. Meaning if it bites you, your flesh ROTS. Lovely, huh?

Shortness doesn't bother me, I just don't like to see short werewolves that were tall (or average) humans. A shrinking werewolf looks kinda ridiculous, and with a Werewolf, the intimidation factor plays a big role in their overall prescence. Even a Midget Werewolf at least get taller in Gestalt that it would be noticable, not like till he's gone for four foot nothing to a size that'd make Basketball players envious, but a few inches or so. Maybe a foot (I tend to consider a foot the upper limit in height gain, myself).

Shortness doesn't have much to do with fighting ability, as intimidation. Look at Fantasy. A Orc, is usually big, tough, but stupid, and then, you got a Dwarf, who's short, but can kick some serious Arse. The Orc is more fearsome, while the Dwarf is probablly the better fighter.

etc.

[outwarddoodles]

I think it’s wrong not because of people fearing for being short, but because they are injecting hormones into little kids. I think of it as injecting steroids in the kids, and I don’t think that’s right. Though I understand the scientists must really know what they are doing in order to move ahead with this, I still don’t think they know exactly what could happen. I think maybe it’ll cause an early puberty, cause the kid’s hormones to be unbalanced, etc. And it’s just unnatural.

Do these parents know what they are doing? Have they acknowledged any possible consequences? What are the kids going to think when they’re older and learn what all the shots were for?

[Renorei]

OBSCENITY!!

Well, both of the kids ended up being happy that they went on the treatment, though one did stop before they ran the full course, so I dunno.

Sorry, I'm just angry about the fact that it causes muscle, not height, increase in adults. I'm very glad the kids were happy though. Though, I find myself wondering what effects that may have on them later.

[Scott Gardener]

Mixed feelings on this topic, too. (I was also mixed about putting the head of a dead fetus on top of a chicken. If you haven't seen the other topic, don't ask.)

I'm a proponent of genetic engineering, so I can't complain too much, here. But, I don't consider shortness something that needs to be cured. If it's possible to make short people taller voluntarily later in life, then, more power to them. But, to make kids tall to fulfill some social niche, that I'm a bit mixed about. Being tall is a social advantage, but a biological disadvantage. Short people live longer--except, perhaps, in the case of true dwarfism; conditions such as achondroplasia do cause some biomechanical problems.

[Set]

Eh...sorry if I sounded snippy about all this. But it annoyed me, and like I said, when I start ranting it's hard for me to stop.

It doesn't tick me off near as much as it did a few days ago. But I still think it's rediculous.

The grapefruit thing wasn't mine, btw. I stole that off a TV show. The concept in and of itself is not at all unique. I've seen similar things in books, movies, rantings of people in their Livejournals, ect.