Two news items, separated by thousands of geographical miles,but with a common leitmotif came across recently ..
Aussie bars...
First one relates to Down Under where a gay bar has won the right to ban straight individuals. It intends to provide "provide an environment in which gay men can express their sexuality without feeling threatened".
The news report published in The Independent on 29th May 2007, says that the gay men were being "gawked at" as if they were exhibits in a zoo. The Pub's owner said, "Heterosexuals have other places to go to; my homosexuals do not."
Pakistani courts..
On the other side of the world (literally!), in what is becoming an increasing turmoiled state - Pakistan , a court jailed the country's first publicly acknowledged same-sex couple for perjury.
The couple, who married last year had approached the Lahore High Court for protection, were instead turned away to the gallows for three years separately.
The couple on being queried said, “No matter, no matter. We love each other.”
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Why are ducks the funniest animals?
"For millions of years, In millions of homes,
A man loved a woman, A child it was born,
It learned how to hurt and it learned how to cry,
Like Humans Do!"
thus sang David Byrne in Look into the Eyeball.
But human nature has intrigued researchers, thinkers and philosophers alike over centuries. Some researchers have gone a step ahead and "created" a new discipline called Quirkology. It uses scientific methods to study quirky human behaviour.
Degrees of Quirkiness
1. Whether local suicide rates are related to the amount of country music played on radio?
2. Do vegetables have personality? ( Lemons are seen as dislikable, onions are stupid, and mushrooms are social climbers )
3. Are people named Bob more likely to have a rounder face?
4. Why ducks are the funniest animals?
and so on..
Quirkology - the book!
Prof Richard Wiseman at the University of Hertfordshire has written a book on it titled "Quirkology" which explores "the curious science of everyday life, including the psychology of lying, love, and laughter".
He even invites you to participate in future quirkology experiments here !
A man loved a woman, A child it was born,
It learned how to hurt and it learned how to cry,
Like Humans Do!"
thus sang David Byrne in Look into the Eyeball.
But human nature has intrigued researchers, thinkers and philosophers alike over centuries. Some researchers have gone a step ahead and "created" a new discipline called Quirkology. It uses scientific methods to study quirky human behaviour.
Degrees of Quirkiness
1. Whether local suicide rates are related to the amount of country music played on radio?
2. Do vegetables have personality? ( Lemons are seen as dislikable, onions are stupid, and mushrooms are social climbers )
3. Are people named Bob more likely to have a rounder face?
4. Why ducks are the funniest animals?
and so on..
Quirkology - the book!
Prof Richard Wiseman at the University of Hertfordshire has written a book on it titled "Quirkology" which explores "the curious science of everyday life, including the psychology of lying, love, and laughter".
He even invites you to participate in future quirkology experiments here !
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