Unhappy people watch more television...

...or does increased televiewing cause more unhappiness? If I spent more time watching the garbage that's on TV these days, I'd be unhappier, too.

Unhappy People Watch More Television
By News Staff | November 15th 2008 12:00 AM

A new study by sociologists at the University of Maryland concludes that unhappy people watch more TV, while people who describe themselves as very happy spend more time reading and socializing. The study appears in the December issue of the journal "Social Indicators Research."

Analyzing 30-years worth of national data from time-use studies and a continuing series of social attitude surveys, the Maryland researchers report that spending time watching television may contribute to viewers’ happiness in the moment, with less positive effects in the long run.

"TV doesn’t really seem to satisfy people over the long haul the way that social involvement or reading a newspaper does," says University of Maryland sociologist John P. Robinson, the study co-author and a pioneer in time-use studies. "It’s more passive and may provide escape - especially when the news is as depressing as the economy itself. The data suggest to us that the TV habit may offer short-run pleasure at the expense of long-term malaise."

Bullies enjoy seeing people in pain

Bullies may get kick out of seeing others in pain
By Julie Steenhuysen – Fri Nov 7, 8:15 am ET

CHICAGO (Reuters) – Brain scans of teens with a history of aggressive bullying behavior suggest that they may actually get pleasure out of seeing someone else in pain, U.S. researchers said on Friday.
While this may come as little surprise to those who have been victimized by bullies, it is not what the researchers expected, Benjamin Lahey of the University of Chicago, who worked on the study, said in a telephone interview.

There's a generation gap in fitness clubs

'Geezers get out'
New research finds that if the old folks like it, the kids will stay away
Sarah Schmidt , Canwest News Service

Young customers don't want old people around when they're eating out at restaurants and will avoid patronizing health clubs and other service industries related to physical activity if senior citizens are present, a new study suggests...

I prefer rude doctors, myself

Patients prefer polite physicians, says U.S. report
Wed May 7, 2008 6:27pm EDT
By Gene Emery

BOSTON (Reuters) - Doctors should try a new type of prescription -- being a little more polite -- if they want to connect with their patients, a U.S. psychiatrist suggested on Wednesday...

Yutes with TV in their bedrooms get dumber

Study ties bedroom TV to unhealthy habits in teens
By Will Dunham
Mon Apr 7, 12:04 AM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Teenagers with a bedroom television tend to have poorer diet and exercise habits and lower grades in school than those without one, U.S. researchers said on Monday...

People prefer trains that run on time

Headline: Report: On-time trains would reduce Amtrak's losses
Date: April 3, 2008

"Amtrak could significantly boost its revenues and cut expenses if
it improves its on-time performance, according to a report by the
Transportation Department's inspector general. Doing so, however, would
require the cooperation of the freight railroads, which host the
national passenger carrier on their tracks."

Wounded war veterans bring their wounds home with them

This will come as a surprise only to those who've never heard of war. And here's another possibility these "scholars" might want to investigate: Families and caregivers of those who suffer serious injuries not related to war may also suffer from stress.

Military families suffer collateral damage
Caring for injured soldiers has steep price: study
Keith Gerein, The Edmonton Journal

EDMONTON - When a Canadian soldier loses a limb in combat, or suffers paralysis or develops severe depression, the injuries can be devastating.
But when that soldier returns home, the impact can be passed on to spouses, parents and children -- caregivers who suffer in profound and often unrecognized ways, say the authors of a new University of Alberta study...

Crucifixion isn't supposed to be good for your health

The following items are excellent examples of one of the major errors of Roman Catholicism: Roman Catholicism teaches that the death of Jesus Christ on the cross isn’t enough to pay the penalty for all our sins. In contrast, the teaching of the Bible is clear: Jesus Christ has done it all, and there’s nothing that we can do instead of or in addition to what He did on the cross to achieve our salvation.

On the cross, just before He died, He said "It is finished." (John 19:30). The Greek word is tetelestai, an accounting term meaning "paid in full." Other New Testament passages that confirm this include:
I Peter 3:18a: For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God...
Hebrews 9:26b: But now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Hebrews 9:28a: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many...
Hebrews 10:10: By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Hebrews 10:12: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
Hebrews 10:14: For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

Obviously, if Christ has done it "once" and "for ever," it’s neither necessary nor efficacious to try to reenact Christ’s suffering, or to try to atone for our own sins by inflicting suffering upon ourselves. Moreover, we’re saved because of what Jesus Christ accomplished on the cross, not because He endured a certain amount of physical suffering. Mel Gibson is a Roman Catholic who believes that physical suffering is necessary for salvation; that’s why his movie The Passion of the Christ dwelt on the gory details of Christ’s physical suffering on the cross. The Bible on the other hand, doesn’t dwell on the gruesome physical details, but rather on what Jesus Christ accomplished on the cross. As the passages cited above state, He took the punishment that we deserved, and by the shedding of His blood (Hebrews 9:22b: ...and without shedding of blood is no remission) completely satisfied the demands of God’s law.

When Jesus paid the penalty for our sins, He paid a debt that was owed to His Father--not a debt owed to Satan, as some erroneously teach. The work of salvation was completely the work of God. It should be noted that when Jesus said "It is finished," He was on the cross; He didn’t finish the job in Hell, as some heretics in the so-called "Faith Movement" teach.

If anyone reading this blog hasn’t yet accepted Jesus Christ’s payment for sins, that forgiveness is available to you right now:
Psalm 95:7-8: ...Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your heart...
II Corinthians 6:2: ...behold, now is the day of salvation.
John 6:29: Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
Romans 10:9: That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Ephesians 2:8-9: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Warning: Crucifixion bad for health
From correspondents in Manila
March 19, 2008 09:43pm
Article from: Agence France-Presse

PHILIPPINE health officials are warning people taking part in Easter crucifixions and self-flagellation rituals to get a tetanus shot first and sterilise the nails to avoid infections.
Every Good Friday in the predominately Roman Catholic Southeast Asian nation, dozens of men re-enact the crucifixion of Jesus Christ by having themselves nailed to wooden crosses.
At the same time hundreds of others, mostly men, strip to the waist and whip themselves until their backs are cut and bloody as a way of atoning for their sins over the past year...

Man crucified for 22nd time
By Joseinne Ignacio and Samuel Medenilla in the Philippines
March 21, 2008 08:23pm
Article from: Agence France-Presse

A MAN has been crucified for the 22nd time in a gruesome Easter ritual.
Devout Roman Catholic Ruben Enaje donned a crown of thorns before being nailed to a cross.
The 47-year-old decorator was the first of 19 men in this northern Philippines village of San Pedro Cutud who underwent the bloody Easter crucifixion ritual, an extreme form of penance by devotees wanting to thank God for answering their prayers...

In order to discover what drives voter preferences...

...advanced brain research isn't necessary. The same information can be obtained just by asking women why they vote the way they do--which is why women should never have been allowed to vote.

Voters make decisions more on emotion than reason, author finds
Honest pitch will persuade quicker than facts, figures, even among sophisticated
David Zussman, Freelance
Published: Tuesday, March 04

...A recently published book authored by Drew Westen, titled The Political Brain: The Role of Emotion in Deciding the Fate of the Nation, provides a new lens through which to analyze and speculate on voter behaviour...

In essence, Westen challenges the popular notion that voters are rational and cool headed in their assessment of political parties and individual candidates. Westen argues that when strategists "assume voters dispassionately make decisions based on the issues, they lose."

In other words, based on their MRI research, when voters are asked to choose between reason and emotion, they always choose the candidate or party that evokes the emotional response...

Psychologists are the last people to discover the truth about human nature

Lack of free will may aid cheating
Linda Nguyen, Canwest News Service
Published: Wednesday, February 20, 2008

People are more likely to throw caution to their moral standards and cheat when they believe they have no control over their free will, according to two recently published academic studies.

The studies, both appearing in the American journal Psychological Science last month, found that participants were more likely to cheat when they were told that genes or the environment predetermines their behaviour...

People in love use pet names for each other

Of course, if they start calling each other nasty names, this could be a sign that the relationship may be in trouble.

Terms of endearment make hearts grow fonder
Chris Zdeb, The Edmonton Journal
Published: Friday, February 08

Sweetie. Darling. Adonis. Baby Boy. Jam Tart. Words of love: pet names for people.

They're more than terms of endearment, says registered psychologist Helen Neufeld; they enhance a relationship...

These scientists apparently don't have (or have never been) children

More evidence that scientists need to get out more often:

Generation Gap? 'Online Gap' Widens Divide Between Parents and Children

ScienceDaily (Feb. 5, 2008) — Instant messaging, blogs, Facebook, MySpace -- there are limitless ways your child communicates online with the offline world. And the risks and opportunities are only increasing.

A new Tel Aviv University research study has found that, despite what parents might believe, there is an enormous gap between what they think their children are doing online and what is really happening...

Don't marry someone you can't stand

Of course, the sooner the relationship breaks up, the less time the partners will have to get on each other's nerves.

Marriage: It's Only Going to Get Worse
By Jeanna Bryner, LiveScience Staff Writer
posted: 05 February 2008 02:19 pm ET

If your spouse already bugs you now, the future is bleak. New research suggests couples view one another as even more irritating and demanding the longer they are together...

Watching close, exciting games is more stressful than watching boring, lopsided games

Canadian Football League coaches (especially Danny Maciocia and Tom Higgins) have been very effective in recent years in preventing heart attacks by doing everything they could to remove all the entertainment from the games.

Don't be a Super Bowl statistic
Stress of watching the big game can be hazardous to heart, research suggests
By Jeremy Manier | Tribune reporter
January 31, 2008

Most sports fans can recall a close game that made their hearts skip a figurative beat, but a new study suggests that the stressful emotions of big contests may in fact increase the risk of chest pains or cardiac arrest in spectators...

Maybe drunks are depressed because they can't stop drinking

Alcoholics With Depression Less Likely To Stay Sober

ScienceDaily (Jan. 4, 2008) — It’s hard to stay on the wagon when you’re depressed, according to a new study of problem drinkers...

These findings aren't "surprising" to anyone who's ever lived near a frat house

These studies remind me of the episode of Get Smart where Maxwell Smart was showing Agent 99 a listening device hidden inside an artificial ice cube. According to Max:
"Professor Parker has tested this device in every known liquid. That's how he got his reputation."
"As a scientist?"
"No, as a drunk."

Drinking And Aggression Among University Students Often Depends On The Context

ScienceDaily (Mar. 4, 2008) — A significant proportion of university students experience violence, under circumstances that often involve alcohol. A new study has found that drinking at a fraternity, sorority or campus residence increases the likelihood of aggression, and that attending parties can especially increase aggression for women...

Inside College Parties: Surprising Findings About Drinking Behavior

ScienceDaily (Jan. 6, 2008) — Most studies of drinking by college students have focused on individual factors like attitudes, and have relied on self reports. A uniquely designed study instead had researchers visit college parties, gathering data on the spot. Findings revealed that drinking games and themed parties are associated with higher levels of drinking...

Football Game Days Tops For Drinking Among College Students

ScienceDaily (Nov. 19, 2007) — College students drink larger amounts of alcohol on football game days, comparable to well-known drinking days such as New Year's Eve and Halloween, according to research from The University of Texas at Austin...

Would you believe...Teen binge drinkers may become adult binge drinkers

Teen Binge Drinkers Risk Alcoholism And Social Exclusion As Adults

ScienceDaily (Sep. 10, 2007) — Teen binge drinkers are significantly more likely to become heavy drinkers as adults and find themselves with a string of criminal convictions, indicates a study in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health...

Heavy drinking shrinks brains...

...especially those of the scholars who conducted this study.

Drinking Heavy Amounts Of Alcohol Shrinks Your Brain

ScienceDaily (May 3, 2007) — Drinking heavy amounts of alcohol over a long period of time may decrease brain volume, according to research that was presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 59th Annual Meeting in Boston, April 28 -- May 5, 2007. The study found the more alcohol people drink on a regular basis, the lower their brain volume...

Scientists make the shocking discovery that young people imitate the behaviour they see on the screen

If scientists got out more often, they'd realize, as tobacco companies do, that most movies today are made for young adults and teenagers. This is why these companies pay actors to smoke in movies.

On-screen Smoking In Movies Linked To Young Adult Smoking Behavior

ScienceDaily (Oct. 3, 2007) — New study findings show that exposure to on-screen smoking in movies has a strong correlation with beginning to smoke or becoming established smokers among young adults 18-25, a critical age group for lifelong smoking behavior...

Teens Who See More Smoking In Movies May Have Increased Risk Of Becoming Established Smokers

ScienceDaily (Sep. 4, 2007) — Exposure to smoking in movies appears to be associated with adolescents' risk of becoming established smokers who have used at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetimes, according to a new report...

Exposure To Smokers In Movies Increases Likelihood Of Smoking In The Future

ScienceDaily (Jun. 14, 2007) — A new study appearing in the July issue of Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, reports that watching an actor smoke on the big screen may make smokers more likely to continue smoking in the future, and make nonsmokers more favorably disposed toward smoking...

Drunks get hurt a lot because drunks fall down a lot

Drinking Can Be Dangerous

ScienceDaily (Jul. 20, 2006) — People who drink alcohol are up to four times more likely than non-drinkers to be hurt from physical injuries such as a fall or punch, new research shows.

The University of Queensland study found any alcohol consumption quadrupled the risk of injury for the first six hours after drinking alcohol and this risk remained at 2.5 times that of a non drinker for the next 24 hours...

That's why they're called "bystanders"

As reported by Jamie Hall, in the Edmonton Journal, January 18, 2008:

EDMONTON - Bystanders are less likely to step in and help someone whose life is in danger if they're part of a crowd, according to a University of Alberta professor asked to comment about the recent actions of two Good Samaritans.

One man, an off-duty restaurant employee at Joey Tomatoes, was shot in the leg when he and a manager intervened in a fight; another, 46-year-old Randy Lintner, was killed when he tried to stop a fight outside a bar.

The men acted in separate incidents over the past few days, but in both cases several people were present.

"The likelihood that someone will intervene in dangerous situations diminishes as the number of bystanders increases; psychologists call it the bystander effect, " said Mitchell McInnes.

He...wrote his doctoral dissertation on Good Samaritans while at Cambridge University several years ago.

The bigger the crowd, the easier it is for people to diffuse responsibility, and shift or avoid blame. "People kind of freeze in those situations; they're inhibited by uncertainty, and by the fear of acting inappropriately," McInnes said.

Fawn Hagen thinks the recent spate of violence will deter others from taking similar actions. The restaurant employee who was shot is her sister's boyfriend. She identified him only as "Justin."

"He chose to help a man who was being beaten. His reward? A gunshot to the leg," Hagen wrote in a letter to the Journal.

"If this isn't a deterrent for the Good Samaritans on our city, I don't know what is."

Fear of personal harm, or legal liability, are among the factors that make them hesitate or stop altogether, McInnes said.

The latter has prompted a number of provinces--Alberta was among the first, in 1969--to enact legislation to protect Good Samaritans.

Essentially, the legislation protects Good Samaritans from legal liability in the event of damages or injury "unless they're grossly negligent or do something wildly wrong," McInnes said.

Walking might be good for dogs, too

Canine trainer could keep you healthy
Researcher looks into dog-walking as way to overcome barriers to exercise
Sandra Mcculloch, Times Colonist
Published: Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Out of shape? You might have a perfect fitness coach under your own roof.
A University of Victoria researcher is looking into the health benefits of dog-walking, something many dog owners may not realize offers beneficial exercise...

Unpopular girls tend to be fatter...

...or is it that fat girls tend to be unpopular?

Teen girls' popularity predicts weight change, study shows
Posted by Elizabeth Cooney January 7, 2008 05:04 PM

Adolescent girls who placed themselves low on the ladder of popularity were more likely to gain weight later in their teen years than girls who saw themselves as having higher social standing, Boston-area researchers say...