Gossip and the scientific method

Always use the scientific method in whatever you do. Do not state a
hypothesis as a theorem unless you have concrete evidence to back it
up. Quietly continue your research until you can defend,discard or
modify the hypothesis.


Why should you use "ordinary mouth" to spread rumours without photos
and/or video clips (which can be easily taken unnoticed with your
mobile phone's camera sounds off ) as evidence? You can even record
happenings behind closed doors by placing your phone's camera screen
against the keyhole! If you really saw it with your own eyes,please
record it for other people to see as well. Seeing is believing.

Without concrete evidence, you will only sound jealous and insecure
to all reasonable observers.

Things are not always what they seem to be. Always carry out a
thorough investigation before voicing your suspicions. If you don't
have enough time to investigate,please keep quiet. Silence is golden
in such situations.

Handling gossips

Nobody likes to be badmouthed behind his/her back,especially when the rumour is false. When this happens,what should you do? (a) confront the person (b) keep quiet and do nothing (c) badmouth the person in return (d) none of the above.

Eva, Ruth and Mary (not real names) were friends in school. Eva was a chronic gossip who loved speaking ill of people, especially Ruth, her squatter. "If Ruth is that bad, why is Eva still living with her?", Mary had always wondered.

It was therefore no surprise to Mary when she overheard Eva accusing her of having used her body to get better grades than Eva's. If you were in Mary's shoes,what would you do?

Confronting her (even in a peaceful way) could be futile since she would deny it and make Mary look stupid. Badmouthing her back would also reduce Mary to Eva's level. She kept quiet for a month before deciding on the way out.

Luckily for Mary, Eva and most of her listeners were Mary's Facebook friends. She therefore wrote a note about the folly of gossiping without having concrete evidence to back it up,especially in this age of mobile technology when you can easily take pictures and/or video clips with your phone unnoticed. The post appeared on the walls of all her friends, including Eva and her listeners. The result ? People started asking Eva to verify her claims and she could not. Therefore, the rumour died down and Eva's true nature was exposed.

A taste of his own medicine

Remove your name from the dustbin!

People are understandably reluctant to accept friend requests from
people they don't know well in real life. But what if a classmate,or
someone else you are close to in real life,
decides to ignore your friend request? There is a way out.

After your personal "period of grace" has expired,simply go to the
bottom of the
person's profile page and click CANCEL FRIEND REQUEST. He/she will
have one less friend request on his/her home page.You have
effectively removed your name from his/her dustbin of "unwanted
friend requests" .

If (s)he has a rethink later,(s)he will be the one to send you a
friend request.
That is how to turn the tables on such people and preserve your dignity.

Quotes

JUST ANOTHER SUCKER by James Hadley Chase

Harry Barber,a journalist ,has spent three and a half years in jail
after getting hot gist about a Chicago mob that had bribed its way
into Palm City and refusing to be bribed into silence.

After serving his term,he promises not to be a sucker again,but he
can't land a good job. He steals from the handbag of a rich woman,Rhea
Malroux,who "employs" him instead of getting him arrested. She hires
him to "kidnap" her stepdaughter Odette in order to get money from her
husband,Mr Malroux. His share is to be $5o,ooo out of the $45o,ooo to
be demanded.

Harry later gets a proper job with the police after agreeing to the deal.

The plan is hatched,but Rhea has other plans. She switches Malroux's
suitcases at the last minute so that he takes a suitcase containing
cut newspapers to Harry. Rhea's lover,O'Reilly, strangles Odette in
Harry's cabin before his arrival...

Eventually,the police make a suprise visit on Rhea and overhear her
confessions and O'Reilly's firsthand. O'Reilly is shot dead by the
police,Rhea gets a 15-year jail term while Harry gets a suspended
5-year jail term.

THE BIRTHDAY PARTY and THE NEXT ATTEMPT by Segun Adebanjo

THE BIRTHDAY PARTY
Alice Abram is her mother's only child in a polygamous family. Her
mother pampers her to a fault. She is already sneaking out to
overnight parties as a 19-year-old secondary school dropout in
Olorunda Village,with her mother's connivance.

She is later sent to Kajola to live with her maternal uncle James,who
gets her a job as a receptionist at Lancelot's Ltd. Along the
line,she acquires four boyfriends: Frederick,Femi Roberts,Chief Lawson
and Alhaji Sidiq. After quarrelling with her uncle,she moves into a
flat rented for her by Chief Lawson,who visits her once a month with
plenty of advance notice.

Alice organises a birthday party sponsored by all the four boyfriends.
A fracas ensues at dancing time among the four men and their friends
over who dances with her. The shame forces her out of town,without
informing any of her relatives.

THE NEXT ATTEMPT

In Lagos,Alice stays with her school friend Ngozi until she meets and
marries Yemi Robinson. She reconciles with her family.

Alice becomes panicky a few months into the marriage when she didn't
get pregnant. This is understandable considering her past. The couple
keeps running from pillar to post until Yemi gets tired of the stress
and secretly has a child by Chinyere Okonkwo. Alice faints on hearing
the news from Ngozi and is discovered to be pregnant at the hospital.