Beware the Ides of August:
- From the Money *CAN* Buy Happiness Department: The Los Angeles Times, among other papers, is reporting that money can indeed buy happiness, as long as you have more than other folks around you. Specifically, new research shows that the richer people are compared with others in their age group, the happier they tend to be. Researchers assessed age, health, total family income and the general happiness of approximately 20,000 20- to 64-year-olds using data gathered from 1972 to 2002 in the General Social Survey, a national survey conducted every one to two years. Tach and collaborator Glenn Firebaugh, a sociologist at Pennsylvania State University, found that physical health was the biggest predictor of happiness, followed by income and education. According to the findings, an individual who earns $20,000 more than the peer group average is 10% more likely to be very happy than someone who earns $20,000 less than the average. The absolute size of an individual’s income had only a small effect on happiness.
- From the Why Didn’t They Do This In The 1980’s Department: KFWB News 980 is reporting that a number of docents at the Ronald Reagan Library have been moved to “Docent Emeritus” status, and taken off of the public presentation roster. Specifically, twenty-seven docents have received letters notifying them they’ve reached docent emeritus status, meaning they will no longer be conducting tours. The docent emeritus designees have been given plaques and certificates of service signed by library director Duke Blackwood and former first lady Nancy Reagan. The library says docent emeritus status is an honor rather than a demotion and has nothing to do with age. Most of the docent emeritus designees are in their 70s.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled idocy.
