BTK: Classic Neutral

Dateline NBC had a special last week where they showed an interview with BTK. It was chilling watching a man who calculatedly killed so many people for over 30 years without getting caught.

Hearing him talk about these peopleand how he killed them—made my skin crawl! He had absolutely no remorse for what he did, or for the victims or their families. His victims were clearly conquests, not people.

How erie is that??!

There are no two doubts about it: BTK, aka Dennis Rader, was a smart man—exceptionally smart, yet obviously mentally off, way-off.

He made me sit and look at myself. Could *I*, Eyes for Lies, have picked up on this man? Could I have sensed something was up with him?

I sat and pondered it. Would I have fallen victim to this man and befriended him if he were my neighbor? That was my question for the day.

He certainly had the looks to make me “want” to trust him. He certainly had that going for him, — especially when he was young.

We naturally want to trust those who are good-looking.

Would my instincts have told me differently in the company of his good looks? Certainly, I’ll never know. I can only guess…

I am not psychic, so I couldn’t have known anything more then the average person, unless he told a lie to me or to someone else I knew. He may not have had the need to lie to me, so I certainly couldn’t count on that to tip me off.

However, BTK fits my classic description of a “neutral” person: He is a person who doesn’t get excited, doesn’t show highs and lows in emotions. He stays on a neutral playing field. He does not give others vibes of joy, sorrow, happiness or pain. He is always even-keel—which is a warning to anyone.

People who are genuine to themselves and others feel sorrow, happiness, joy and pain.

When you or I see someone who is not showing these emotions, while we can’t gleam they are lying, because not all neutral people lie, we can be sure of one thing: They are hiding something. That something could be anything: benign or cancerous. It could be fear, insecurities, emotional troubles, a bad relationship, a difficult past, etc. The possibilities are endless.

In the case of BTK, we now know what he was hiding. Murder—serial murder.

Neutral people are detached and for a reason. About that you can be certain.

The million-dollar question is: What are they hiding? What is the reason for the detachment??

I am pretty sure I would have noted that BTK, aka Dennis Rader, was a neutral person, and I would have been naturally curious about him to the extent that I would have watched what he said to see if it matched what he did. The more I would have seen him lack “normal” emotion, the more concerned I would have become — and likely withdrawn from him. That’s about all I can say about Dennis.

Then again, he was a master manipulator—a manipulator I hope to never, ever meet in my lifetime!

Skin cancer: Getting the facts

For the past ten to fifteen years, people in the medical field have been touting the seriousness of the sun, and skin cancers. Wear SPF, put on that sunscreen, they say. It could save your life.

Perhaps they are right, but I am still out in the jury room.

I don’t use sunscreen.

I refuse to douse myself in chemicals — dangerous chemicals we know little about. To me it is like borrowing money from Peter to pay Paul. Somewhere in that mess, I am going to pay. So instead of borrowing time, I choose to do what I know works — avoid the sun when I feel I am getting too much. Old wisdom.

I try to be cautious not to get too much sun for me. If I am out during the full sun of the day and I feel like I might be burning, I either seek the shade of a tree, or a don a hat or blouse. It’s that simple and no company makes a buck off of that logic! Plus, it’s totally safe.

Oddly enough, scientists just uncovered new data that even after all these years of sunscreen use, skin cancer is on the rise!

Go figure, we are nation that has become obsessed with sunscreen. I watch everyone slather it on. They do it in front of me, they talk about it — they even tell me about in their blogs. They are diligent people following medical guidelines.

You know it and I know it.

The study reveals:

A team of researchers led by Leslie J. Christenson of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., analyzed medical records of patients under the age of 40 in the state’s Olmsted County between 1976 and 2003. Specifically, they tracked the number of people afflicted with so-called nonmelanoma skin cancers, which include quamous cell carcinoma (SCC), as well as basal cell carcinoma (BCC), the most common form of skin cancer in the U.S. Over the study period, 485 patients were diagnosed with skin cancer. When the researchers controlled rates for age and sex, they found that between 1976 and 1979, the rate for BCC in women was 13.4 in 100,000. By 2000 to 2003, however, the occurrence had increased to 31.6. The rise for men was less dramatic, increasing from 22.9 in the 1970s to 26.7 after 2000.

Isn’t that interesting?

What has changed over the years?

Is it that women are nowing using sunscreen more than ever before in history?

That sounds logical to me.

The article instead deduces that perhaps young people are NOT heeding the message. Quite speculative that science is…wouldn’t you agree?

Among those young people — mostly women aren’t heeding the message.

Hello, women!

Look at your husband. Is he as obessive as you are when it comes to putting on sunscreen? Does he make sure the children are coated along with you? Or, is it you who worries??

Men haven’t been sold the bill of goods that SPF will reduce wrinkles because obviously they could care less about them. But as women we care — though most of us don’t know that our SPF doesn’t effectively block out the wrinkle-causing UVA rays. The best chemical agent responsible for that is banned in the U.S.

The marketing media targeted women and I’ll bet their message got across to women. Wouldn’t you? Heck, I’ve even bought the organic kind and stuffed it in my drawers just in case. That’s how strong the marketing message to buy was. It even inflicted a non-user like me!

Men, are you as obsessive as the woman in your life? Come on, be honest…this is science we are talking about!

I think not. I am confident you are not. I don’t even need to hear the answer, but honor me anyway. Please. Speak your mind for the benefit of others and myself…

So, what conclusion does this leave you? Are you getting the message that perhaps you aren’t heeding the warning — or perhaps the all-so-good-for-you potion might not be so good afterall?

48 Hours: Written in Blood

Did you see 48 Hours this past week?

It was an interesting story. I believe Sebastian Burns is definitely guilty as charged.

I wish this was a lie…

Dana Reeves, the wife of Christopher Reeves, has just been diagnosed with lung cancer.

She is only 44 years old.

Appreciate your health and good fortune for this woman, who has been dealt a difficult life.

My thoughts and good wishes go to her and all families suffering difficulties at this time.

Photo: Petunas

My garden…Enjoy.

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