Get it right folks

Just yesterday I was reading a nice story when I got jolted by an elementary goof.

It was set in the early 60s (references to Gone With the Wind in the theaters, ticket prices, and a few other things). The writer had a character find out that a restaurant had Pepsi products, so she orders a Sierra Mist.

Instant disconnect. I knew Sierra Mist was a lot newer than that. A quick search revealed that it was introduced in 1999. A bit more digging (my memories of the time made it a bit faster, but it wouldn't have taken much longer without them) revealed that at the time Pepsi's answer to 7Up was Teem. (which, btw is still sold in some countries).

A while later, the time period is tied down to 1960-1963 by references to Jackie Kennedy being the President's wife.

Not long after we have the character being checked out by a doctor because there are indications of something odd internally. So they schedule a *ultrasound*. And it gets done with a handheld unit.

A bit more googling reveals that the first commercial ultrasound units went on sale in 1963 and were fairly large units on a jointed arm assembly (rather like dental X-ray units still are).

Folks, if you are going to write anything set in a period more than a few years in the past *especially* if you weren't an adult during said period, either get someone who *was* an adult to look it over or do a *lot* of research.

I recall having to point out to another writer that their story (also set in the early 60s) had someone using a credit card at a number of different stores. Problem is, back then, while they had "charge plates" (they were metal, not plastic) they were only good at a specific store or chain. You might have one for Sears or Bon Marche, but neither was good at the other.

On top of that they had prices *totally* screwed up. Way high for the period.

Yeah, looking up prices is a pain. Which is why if you aren't going to look it up *don't mention them*.

Childhood hell

Reading yet another tale that all too accurately recounts what childhood was like for many, I once again had the "If I were dictator" thoughts on dealing with such things. But this time a few new ideas came to mind.

Not sure how to break the culture of "don't involve the adults" that keeps so many kids enduring stuff that should never happen. Finding ways to make it obvious *to the kids* that adults who can't be trusted get punished for it might help. Meanwhile:

Fighting: Ok, many boys (and some girls) actually enjoy a bit of a tussle. Or at least have no problem with it if it's a fair fight and they've got a reason.

So outright saying "no fighting" is a non starter. Finding ways to limit it to something resembling mutual consent and one of one with no retaliation from "buddies" of the loser against the winner would suffice for that.

The big kid picking on the smaller kid (or other mismatches such as a kid with lots of skill/experience/strength against a kid without it) and ganging up should get treated as assault, with only some mitigation for age.

"Games" like keepaway are theft. Plain and simple. No excuses of the "we were just playing" sort. Again, *some* mitigation for age.

Damaging/destroying things belonging to other kids is vandalism. Period.

Adults who are supposedly supervising or otherwise responsible for the kids and either don't prevent this stuff or shrug it off get charged as *accessories*. As adults. (one of the new thoughts).

Somehow, I suspect that the teachers, coaches, etc who try to say "kids will be kids" or "the wimp needs to stand up for himself" or any of the other loathsome things that are too often used as excuses would change their tune is the "pranks" or "jokes" or "boisterousness" could result in them facing criminal charges. And face it, these things *are* crimes, even if current society doesn't want to treat them as such.

Alas I can't come up with good ways to deal with the "sports are super important" folks.

One thought regarding PE though. Heart rate monitors are pretty cheap, and pulse oximeters could be if they were produced in larger numbers.

I have this vision of a PE class were all the students are wearing them and some authority figure points at the readings for some kid like I was and reams the PE teacher a new one for telling the kid to try harder when the "wimp has a higher heart rate than the jocks and is struggling with a lot lower blood oxygen level as well.

Come to think of it, something like those, maybe with a couple other things like a temp sensor might be able to be pushed as a way to avoid liability for pushing kids too far...

Dealing with the various horrid memes out there, like "being brainy is bad" or worthy of getting picked on for, or that acting "gay" or "like a sissy" is worthy of abuse are another whole set of problems.

But being able to just stop the *physical* abuses would help.