Surveys and research is a subject I have put off writing about, due to the fact they annoy me so much! But here goes.

Every morning I drive my partner to work in the centre of Sheffield.  The journey takes between half an hour to fifty minutes depending on traffic.  Sometimes we talk continually other times we are quiet.  Its in these quiet moments I listen to the news and traffic reports.

I do take an interest in local news and the world news,  over the past three or four years, I have become increasingly interested in research and surveys that are carried out by Universities and Colleges.  Often groups of scientists will apply to there University heads for funding in a particular subject, who in-turn may approach the Government of the day for funding.

My Bug-Bear or annoyance is the subject matter these scientists get funding for, and use their font of knowledge and University equipment to study!  I’ll list some of my most annoying subjects that get re-hashed year upon year.

“Alcohol and the effects on un-born children” this is a good one to start with.  The research is carried out by different groups of scientists around the country.  The results of their funded research is trotted out twice a year come rain or shine!  One group will say, a mother can safely drink two units of alcohol a day with no effect on an un-born child.

A month or so later another group of highly qualified scientists, will publish their findings which may differ slightly to the first groups findings, they may say,  No it’s one point five units of alcohol per day is safe for your un-born child.  The news presenters happily broadcast these results at least twice a year as regular as clock-work.

My sister who has two lovely children.  Commented on my annoyance at wasted tax payers funds, she agreed with me and said, “When I was pregnant I didn’t drink at all because I figured what-ever I breathed in or drunk and ate would be passed onto my baby, so I didn’t drink, its only for nine months”  I was super proud of my sister she had made her decision without a group of scientist, without Petri-dishes, or electron microscopes! And without £25,000 of Government money!