September 2007
The monthly, members-only, e-zine keeps AATH members updated on the latest developments in the world of applied and therapeutic humor. Each link will open a new window for anything outside the AATH website. All web links below have been carefully checked and worked at the time of publication. If the link does not take you to the listed article, please contact the owners of that website about finding that article. Disclaimer: Published by Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor. AATH accepts no responsibility for any claims, either expressed or implied, in this publication. The information and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of AATH, its officers, directors, staff, or members. |
Dear AATH E-Zine Readers,
Please email me at ezine@aath.org if you have an article, quote, etc. for future issues.
Thanks!
Chip Lutz,
Ezine Editor
Humor Research No laughing matter Guardian Unlimited - UK
A few years ago, Robert Provine, who is probably the world's leading laughter scientist…
http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/wellbeing/story/0,,2145578,00.html
Researchers design humorous 'bot' PhysOrg.com - Evergreen,VA,USA
... Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and coordinator of the Data and Knowledge Management research group. Taylor specifically researches humor in robots…
http://www.physorg.com/news106487230.html
Humor is a key to long relationships, experts say Mail Tribune - Medford,OR,USA
"What our research shows is that couples tend to be more satisfied if they have matching story profiles," Sternberg says. Pair a fairy tale believer with a…
http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070814/LIFE/708140304
READER’S DIGEST SEPTEMBER ISSUE. This is not an official endorsement but you should not do anything until you go to the store and buy this month’s issue of Reader’s Digest. This month’s (September) issue is their Laugh/Humor issue and has too many articles to list. Humor issue includes following articles, and more:
His & Hers Humor
Stop Clowning Around
Born Funny
Stand-up Comic's Funniest Lines Check it out online at:
http://www.rd.com/inThisIssue.do
His and Hers Humor. Reader’s Digest, September 2007. All of this leads to one of the great questions of the ages. Is my wife’s consistent good taste in humor representative of women everywhere? Is my proclivity for dim-witted entertainment typical? Or, to paraphrase Freud, what do women and men want to laugh at?
http://www.rd.com/content/the-different-reasons-men-and-women-laugh-out-loud/
Humor and Hearty Laughter Offer Measurable Health Benefits. The results of a study conducted at the University of Maryland Medical Center suggest that giggling and guffawing are good for your cardiovascular system. Researchers determined that after healthy subjects watched portions of a funny movie, their blood vessels expanded, significantly increasing the flow of blood to their hearts.
http://www.arcamax.com/yourhealth/s-201716-598242?source=1930
The Value of Humor to Health Care Professionals. Bennett (2003) points out that integrating humor and laughter into the health care surroundings proposes to improve a patient's frame of mind and quality of life.
http://generalmedicine.suite101.com/article.cfm/therapeutic_humor
Humor in the Workplace. Corporate Training, Jan 2007. Jocelyn Barrows. Working is often associated with too much stress, and that can be the main cause of illness, absenteeism and burn-out. Humor is a great stress reliever because it lightens your load and makes you feel good. You can't feel good and feel stress simultaneously, because the moment we experience humor, feelings like depression, anger and anxiety dissolve.
http://www.corporatetrainingmag.com/articles/ctmagazine_1202.shtml
How the brain laughs: Comparative evidence from behavioral, electrophysiological and neuroimaging studies in human and monkey
Pages 245-260
Martin Meyer, Simon Baumann, Dirk Wildgruber and Kai Alte
dult rats produce two distinct types of ultrasonic vocalizations referred to as 22- and 50-kHz calls, respectively. Emission of the respective calls represents signaling a negative or positive state of the rat organism
Science Direct
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleListURL&_method=list&_ArticleListID=616601836&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=d303d9d32814b3ff4aa61fad9ef69d80
Humor and the cardiovascular system.
Sahakian A, Frishman WH
Altern Ther Health Med 2007 Jul-Aug, 13:56-8
http://www.alternative-therapies.com/at/
What’s So Friggin’ Funny? Discover, July 2007. We may be the only species on the planet that laughs together in such large groups, but we are not alone in our appetite for laughter. Not surprisingly, our near relatives, the chimpanzees, are also avid laughers.
http://discovermagazine.com/2007/brain/laughter/article_view?b_start:int=2&-C
HUMOR in the NEWS:
Increase productivity by adding humor at work Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, NY, USA While you're awaiting the return of your full workforce, take a few moments to think about the serious role humor can play in your business.
http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070801/LIFESTYLE06/708010302
Fun is a Powerful Alternative Medicine – Just don’t Confuse it with Funny. It’s easy, and dangerous, to forget the distinction; when we focus on trying to elicit laughter we can quickly get discouraged because trying to create laughter puts a lot of pressure on us. http://zillionblog.com/anettcaine/2007/08/25/fun-is-a-powerful-alternative-medicine-just-dont-confuse-it-with-funny/
Office Humor Stimulates Creative Thinking. A Sterile all-work-and-no-play corporate environments simply drive people to other diversions — be it daydreaming, surfing the Web, or playing Solitaire — to help pass the time. By bringing laughter into the office, a business owner can at least have some control over when and how the entertainment happens.
http://blog.thecreativecoast.org/office-humor-stimulates-creative-thinking/2007/08/01
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Certification. Computer World. A time-honored tradition among technical people is to use percussive maintenance: When a piece of equipment isn’t working properly, give it a good whack. http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=296086
When it Comes to comedy, sex matters. egina Barreca, a professor of English literature and feminist theory who has made a career of studying men and women and humor, says women don't tell jokes -- they tell stories. Barreca was interviewed for a special issue on humor for Reader's Digest.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/upi/index.php?feed=Science&article=UPI-1-20070824-19575000-bc-us-humorgender.xml
My secret life as a doctor named Daisy Danbury News Times - Danbury, CT, USA Laughter, he found, increases circulation and cardiovascular fitness. Cousins literally laughed his way back to health and lived for many years after…
http://www.newstimeslive.com/news/story.php?id=1060345&source=tabbox
Laughter key to family's longlasting marriages The Register-Mail - Galesburg, IL, USA Good health contributed to the longevity of the unions, but Joann says she learned another secret to a long and happy marriage from the personalities of her…
http://www.register-mail.com/stories/080407/LOC_BDV6MJDR.GID.shtml
Laughter is still the best medicine Mexia Daily News - Mexia, TX, USA ... research on Nanocolloids: "Being unhappy can seriously damage one's health. Laughter is one of the body's safety valves, a counter balance to tension…
http://www.mexiadailynews.com/variety/local_story_219152921.html?keyword=secondarystory
Camp helps children of soldiers cope By Associated Press Kuuipo Ordway, behavior health consultant for Operation Purple who has attended some of the camps, said many of the children are nervous and have trouble concentrating and sleeping because they worry about their parents' safety or are…
http://www.chroniclet.com/2007/08/05/camp-helps-children-of-soldiers-cope/
Humor in Leadership Student Programs and Activities: Leadership ... You may be thinking people won't take you seriously if you make use of humor in your leadership role. If your meetings are one hour and you spend 50 minutes…
http://www.union.uiuc.edu/involvement/rso/leader_readers/humor.htm
Ghana: Sense of Humour, a Parody for Health? AllAfrica.com - Washington, USA It is also alluded to that, humor; those who deliver it as well as those who receive, or (perceive) it, benefit tremendously health wise.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200708080730.html
What Causes Cancer: Probably Not You AlterNet - San Francisco, CA, USA Laughter and humor has [sic] been shown to enhance the body's immunity and prevents against cancer and other diseases.
http://www.alternet.org/healthwellness/59096/
Is laughter the best medicine? WPTV - West Palm Beach, FL, USA "So if the health benefits of laughing aren't enough for you laughing ten minutes a day can burn an additional 40 calories about the size of a good piece of…
http://www.wptv.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=e080be0d-f09d-41ff-8490-5bfbef654b56
Everyone benefits from a little laughter El Paso Times - El Paso, TX, USA Bringing Good Health to You, the Medical System, and Society through Physician Service, Complementary Therapies, Humor and Joy" that we can choose …
http://www.elpasotimes.com/living/ci_6587622
Laughter hastens healing process, prolongs life Nigerian Tribune - Ibadan, Nigeria While emphasizing the importance of positive emotions such as laughter to the health of an individual compared to negative emotions, Mr Nwaogu stated…
http://www.tribune.com.ng/13082007/hlt1.html
Fun at the Workplace PR-GB.com (press release) - Sofia, Bulgaria Freedom is a very important requisite for happiness. The dress code in your office can be formal, but you must allow your employees to be expressive.
http://pr-gb.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10280&Itemid=9
Laugh Out Loud Times of India - India Psychological research has given credence to the old adage -- 'Laughter is the best medicine'. If not a panacea for all ailments, it's certainly a good…
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/HealthScience/Laugh_Out_Loud_/articleshow/2301407.cms
Bob Newhart nominated for Thurber Prize for American Humor, a ... Augusta Chronicle (subscription) - Augusta,GA,USA
AP The deadpan comic and sitcom star was one of three finalists announced Tuesday for the Thurber Prize for American Humor, a $5000 literary honor named…
http://chronicle.augusta.com/ap/193175865.shtml
Delivery, your way Chicago Sun-Times - United States Maureen and Brendan Gilligan wanted laughter to be part of the birthing process and they wondered how the hospital staff would react…
http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/baby/517223,cst-ftr-lifedel20.article
School Daze: Retreat teaches leadership is as leadership does Friday Flyer - Canyon Lake, CA, USA We learned that humor can be shared and can lighten everyone's day. We learned that balls thrown randomly by others may be caught, but balls thrown…
http://www.thefridayflyer.com/FF-2007-8-24/FFS-7533.htm
Fighting Cancer with Laughter WKRG-TV - Mobile, AL, USA Gerri Delmont says laughter is truly a medicine. "You're actually giving yourself a shot, a good shot of good health when you do laughter therapy…
http://wkrg.com/medical/article/fighting_cancer_with_laughter/4688/
The Science of The Daily Show Washington Post - United States "Our research found that when The Daily Show covers a topic, the humor comes in ridiculing politicians. There's an easy way to control that: just go on to…
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2007/08/23/the_science_of_the_daily_show.html
The World of HUMOR
HUMOR IN THE NEWS: RELATED ARTICLE
Laughter class relieves stress Green River Star - Green River, WY, USA Amazingly, jokes are not told in the laughter classes. "There can be many sensitive issues around humor, such as people not getting jokes or being offended…
http://www.greenriverstar.com/articles/2007/08/01/people/people1.txt
Dispatches From The War On Stress BusinessWeek - USA These include such suggestions as setting small achievable goals, breaking large jobs into smaller chunks, and looking for humor in stressful situations…
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_32/b4045061.htm?chan=top+news_top+news+index_careers
Things are good, so why are we so pessimistic? The Local - Sweden New research shows us that people around the world, including in the West, are satisfied with their lives and are enjoying a rising quality of life.
http://www.thelocal.se/8056/20070731/
Perceptions decide our happiness KC Community News - Overland Park, KS, USA I wasn't putting on make-up or glancing at the mail while driving, instead I thought about happiness. That's what most parents say they want for their…
http://www.kccommunitynews.com/articles/2007/08/02/sun_gazette/opinion/b.sg.opi.hoffman.rainbow.txt
What are the key ingredients to a happier old age? It's easier... MarketWatch - USA ... parents affects you, said Peter Ubel, a professor of medicine and psychology at the University of Michigan, who has conducted research on happiness…
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/here-key-ingredients-staying-happy/story.aspx?guid=%7BFD3F3A18-7DF3-4BF5-A3A3-B6438317E693%7D
The big happy Chico News Review - Chico, CA, USA Other research data, including a 2006 "Are We Happy Yet?" study by the Pew Research Center, found that there is a slight variance in happiness by age…
http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/Content?oid=370133
** The (12) Elements of Great Managing by Rodd Wagner By Ben Sharma(Ben Sharma) The 12 elements of management that make a difference that emerged from the Gallup research of over 1 million employee interviews over decades were: p xii 1. I know what is expected of me at work 2. I have the materials and equipment…
http://bensbookblog.blogspot.com/2007/08/12-elements-of-great-managing-by-rodd.html
EMPLOYEE HAPPINESS Recruiter Magazine - London, UK The research found that salary satisfaction has risen slightly to 54%, from 53% last year. On average, British people are 67% satisfied with their job…
http://www.recruitermagazine.co.uk/Articles/334501/EMPLOYEE+HAPPINESS.html
College health 101: a crash course Jackson Hole Star-Tribune - Casper, WY, USA Go to a concert and get lost in music and laughter with friends. * Use campus resources, Coryell said. Colleges know their students are facing a lot and…
http://www.jacksonholestartrib.com/articles/2007/08/22/features/health/fb7f13588b033ae38725733d00605fe6.txt
Humor Quotes
“I wonder if illiterate people get the full effect of alphabet soup.” – Jerry Seinfeld
“It is a curious fact that people are never so trivial as when they take themselves seriously.” – Oscal Wilde
“Laughter is the igniter of great expectations.” – Norman Cousins
“Never under any circumstances take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.” - Dave Barry
“Don’t sweat the petty things and don’t pet the sweaty things.” – George Carlin
“A gentleman is a man who can play the accordion but doesn’t.” - Unknown
“ You can’t have everything…where would you put it? - Steven Wright
