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POPSTips from Thomas Edison on Living Optimistically Dr. Martin Seligman, the director of the University of Pennsylvania’s Positive Psychology Center, and author of Learned Optimism, has studied optimists and pessimists for 25 years. His research has found: Optimists * Less depression than pessimists * Better results than pessimists in most areas of life * Longer lifespan * Healthier than pessimists * Better than pessimists at work and in school * More friends and better social lives Pessimists * More depression than optimists * Inertia rather than activity in the face of setbacks * Feels bad subjectively–blue, down worried, anxious * Poor physical health * Self-fulfilling; pessimists don’t persist in the face of challenges and thus fail more frequently, even when success is attainable * Even when pessimists turn out to be right, they still feel worse than deluded optimists
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POPSInternational law should govern release of GM mosquitoes This brings up an interesting point - what is the role of the nation state as the world "internationalizes"? What good are EPA regulations when we breath polluted air from China? What good are European regulations on CO2 when the U.S. wont regulate? How does the U.S. compete in stem cell research when it has restrictions on funding? The nation state is no longer the venue for prevention of things like cloning, bacterial engineering, genetic selection, GM foods, etc. We may restrict cloning in the States, but then cloning moves to Mexico or China.
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POPSFree Market? Where are the defenders of the "free market "crying foul over government interference?
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POPSPuffy? Diddy? 'It's Not a Serious Thing' An interesting interview. I bet you didn't know that P. Diddy was helping his grandmother sew clothes when he was a teen. The story between the lines is of a mother with middle class aspirations.
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POPSSummer Allergies: For Many, Nothing to Sneeze At Food allergies are on the rise in the developing world. There is indication that doctors have given the wrong information in recommending that the very young avoid certain foods (such as nuts and peanuts) and maybe should recommend higher than 'normal' amounts. An interesting interview.
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POPSMoney makes the heart grow less fond... but more hardworking Specifically, those participants who were exposed to money spent less time helping a person who needed it, sat farther away from another person and preferred solitary activities. In addition, they showed preferences for working alone and asked for help less frequently. On the other hand, participants also revealed an increased desire to take on more work and showed greater persistence in difficult tasks. Very interesting. I wonder if there is a way to disturb this relationship, or more to the point, an easy way to do so. Additionally, what would be the impact of doing so?
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POPSThe Last Hero of Tiananmen After I left his apartment, though, I decided it was unfair to expect the elderly doctor to continue standing up to the party. He had already achieved more than most and paid a price for it. I doubted the government would ever let him visit his daughter and grandson, but how could anyone expect him to give up that hope?There was only so much one man could do, and only so much a nation could ask of him.
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POPSOil: $60/bbl. by next year (?) I agree that the oil market has been driven by speculation. I'd _love_ to see $60/bbl. if only to screw the world's oil-dictators. But should it go that low again? The best way to screw the world's oil-dictators is to find a successful alternative energy source and $60/bbl. oil will only dampen demand for alternatives. BTW, such wild price swings are a typical feature of an item whose supply is dwindling.
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POPS Tofu 'may raise risk of dementia' Emphasis on may . note that there may be other factors and that one study does not make "the truth". Nonetheless an interesting potential health issue.
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POPSMcSame McCain gives up on trying to campaign on the issues and instead brings in professional BS spinners from the Bush years to sow confusion and fear into the electorate. Let's hope this plan fails.
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