Now please don't blame me for that title. A "Crime/Punishment" blog, http://crime.about.com/b/2007/07/12/late-nights-may-signal-preteen-probl... , citing a Penn.State scientist, says that "children who prefer evenings over mornings are more likely to exhibit antisocial behavior, rule-breaking and attention problems."

Well, OK, misunderstood kids are likely to rebell - I can go along with that. However, the suggested remedy is for parents "to be vigilant in recognizing early signs of eveningness, and not only encourage their kids to sleep early but also ensure they get the required amount of sleep."

When I had to go to bed early as a pre-teen/teen, I stared at the ceiling for hours. There was no way anyone could get me to sleep early (then or now). Those wide-awake hours in bed are a punishment.

The article doesn't exactly say that B-people necessarily will become criminals because of their biology, but that's surely the impression created. And this isn't the first time I've seen stuff like this, purportedly "scientific". I would hope that one of the goals of the B-Society might be to fight against such invidious interpretations of scientific results. Pre-teens can be B-people, too, and they need us to stand up for them.

--DSPS, 30/04/08