Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down… Who knew that salty comedian George Carlin was on the cutting edge of scientific research when he made that observation about ways to stay young. A recent story by Knight Ridder writer Eric Adler in the Kansas City Star reports that a growing body of psychological research is bearing out the power one individual’s mood can have on others. (http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/living/13476128.htm) That’s right, my friends. Grumpy people are contagious! “It is one of the most robust phenomena I have ever seen,” said University of New Hampshire researcher Richard Saavedra. “And it’s all unconscious.” Adler reported that in May, Purdue University psychologists presented their findings at the annual meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association. Janice Kelly and Jennifer Spoor took 43 pairs of undergraduates and asked them to complete a task. One was designated the leader, the other the subordinate. The leaders were shown movie clips, this time of the “choice” scene in “Sophie’s
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When I used to visit my family in Kentucky I remember the saying they used when someone thought a little differently. “That boy ain’t right!”, they would note with a smile and shake of the head. That is how I feel today after my “ain’t right” brain somehow linked two widely disparate stories. Story number one was found in The Week Magazine and told about a growing number of multimillionaires who are leaving their money to themselves in the hope they will someday be brought back to life. The Wall Street Journal had originally reported that these very future investors are having themselves cryogenically frozen with the hope that medical advances will allow them to be revived. I don’t know about you but I am really not interested in coming back to life on this planet. Woody Allen’s classic line comes to mind when he said, “I refuse to believe in reincarnation because I don’t want to have to sit through Ice Capades again.” According to the
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I had to drop America Online years ago for spiritual reasons. Every time I would get “kicked off line” at the worst possible moment by AOL I would have a very difficult time applying Ephesians 5:4. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. I dabbled with instant messaging to communicate with a college-aged son. But my exposure to America Online has been from a distance in recent years. Today I found a story. about my old nemesis. Here is some of that report about a new advertising slogan that some are finding offensive. “America Online is now acting like God – using what some consider to be His very name in a marketing pitch for e-mail, voice chat, video chat, instant messaging, text messaging and other forms of communication. AIM’s new slogan is “I AM.” A customer interviewed at the site was not happy with the marketing approach. Ian Millar wonders if any
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You may have heard the news that a judge in Viterbo, Italy has been given the unenviable task of ruling whether Jesus actually existed. That would be a great example for the Southwest Airlines commercial campaign. Need to get away? Opening arguments began Friday in the case of an Italian priest accused by an atheist of breaking two Italian laws. The Reverend Enrico Righi is the defendant in a case filed by an old schoolmate named Luigi Cascioli (the next class reunion should be fun). Cascioli filed a criminal complaint in 2002 after Righi wrote in a parish bulletin that “Jesus did indeed exist, and that he had been born to a couple named Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem and lived in Nazareth.” Cascioli claims Righi broke two Italian laws by making this claim. The laws alledgedly broken were the “Abuse of popular belief” or fraudulently deceiving people, and “impersonation” or gaining by attributing a false name to someone. “This complaint does not wish to contest the freedom
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I would not be surprised to turn on the Simpsons TV show this week and see Bart writing on the blackboard… I will not lie to OprahI will not lie to OprahI will not lie to OprahI will not lie to OprahI will not lie to OprahI will not lie to OprahI will not lie to OprahI will not lie to Oprah Whew! Was I the only guy sweating yesterday as I watched discredited author James Frey (A Million Little Pieces) get taken to the woodshed by the Queen of Daytime? Comedians call some laughter the “laugh of recognition.” I would call my response yesterday the “squirm of recognition.” Any guy who has ever been caught in a lie knows the helpless feeling that Frey experienced. We understood that deer in the headlight stare, the stammering, and the defeated body language. The only thing I could not relate to was having to experience this on national television with a studio audience cheering
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I have been on the periphery of fame and fortune for most of my career. My real job as a television sports director has allowed me to observe incredibly wealthy people up close. It seems that the deadly duo of money and celebrity affects nearly everyone they touch and generally not positively. I have often told my sons that the children of rich and famous parents are usually maladjusted. And that is why I have taken the burden of mediocrity on my career. I did it for them. It is hard to imagine what celebrities go through in their lives. A life without privacy has to be difficult. The craving for celebrities in America has become a cottage industry with mulitple magazines and shows following every inane tidbit of their lives. This week Rolling Stone magazine went for shock value by picturing rapper Kanye West on the cover as a Christ-like figure with a crown of thorns on his head. Fake blood trickles down his face as he takes
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Several friends forwarded the congratulatory email they received from American Family Association President Donald E.Wildmon. The missives were probably to taunt me because I disagreed with the whole campaign. “Because of your efforts, NBC cancels Book of Daniel”, the message read, “The sponsors dropped the program. NBC then decided it didn’t want to continue the fight.” yay That is the most excitement I can generate over that news. My take on the show was it was a cultural open door to engage unchurched people in real discussions about Christianity and particularly Jesus. The hip and not very helpful Jesus of the show was a great starting point for some discussions if have had over the past month with unsuspecting viewers. Now the watercooler talk turns to how Christians want to censor television and have no sense of humor. If you have an apologetic defense for that please let me know. I don’t. So we won the battle. My question is simple. Was this
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