Another busy week has passed and I have left you blogless yet again, well almost. In my defence, I am hip-deep in a project that is sapping all of my creative energy (such as it is), and frankly I'm just too damn lazy. Fortunately for you, not lazy enough to let a Friday pass without another collection of thoughts and commentary to massage the kinks out of your brain in time for the weekend. With prose like that, it could mean only one thing ... I'm a crappy writer ... no, silly-pants, it's the Friday Time Waster Supreme.
Lazy Liars
A study published recently in my favourite academic rag Social Psychological and Personality Science concluded that people are more likely to lie or cheat if it's easy. The study conducted by the University of Toronto gave 84 participants a computer-based math test, but warned them that there was a glitch in the system. Half were told that hitting the space bar would display the answer. The rest were told that by not pressing the enter key quickly enough, the answer would appear on the screen. In other words do nothing - get it right.
Most did not cheat, but of those who did, like the no enter-key cheaters, it happened 1.5 times in 15. The space-bar cheaters did so an average of 0.18 times.
Rimma Teper, a PhD student overseeing the study, claims the distinction is in the action required. The first group have to intentionally cheat, the second group can argue that they didn't do anything and the answer appeared, which can be interpreted as somewhat less of a transgression. In laymen's terms "oopsie, my bad."
So, scientific evidence that people are more likely to lie if it's easy. Can't wait for Teper's next breakthrough study: Are men thinking about their feelings during game seven of the Stanley Cup playoffs?
...and they hand out PhD's for this.
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The Rock's Rock
Newfoundland and Labrador's ass-kicking premier Danny Williams surprised the province, and the country, by announcing that he was stepping down this week. The Rock's notorious leader stood up to Prime Minister Harper, Quebec Premier Jean Charest and even big oil, to turn the fortunes of his province to profit and success. His reason for leaving politics are personal, noting a desire to return to the business sector. The Premier described his tenure as a roller coaster ride. Many feel it was Williams' tough demeanour and powers of influence that helped generate much needed, and long overdue, prosperity for the province.
It is an abrupt and perplexing decision, and one can't help but speculate if perhaps he is taking a break before setting his sights on a bigger political stage.
We could sure do with a few asses being kicked in Ottawa. Stay tuned.
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How to Scratch Yourself From The Guest List
Who the heck is Pete Broadbent? He probably wishes no one knew. He is the Bishop of Willesden in northwest London, England.
Yes, and...
Well, evidently the saintly Bishop made some rather *ahem* unkind comments on his Facebook page regarding the pending nuptuals of Prince William and Kate (sorry, Katherine) Middleton. Such as:
"I don't care about the Royals ... there are more broken marriages and philanderers among these people than not. They cost us an arm and a leg. As with most shallow celebrities they will be set up to fail by the gutter press ... I give the marriage seven years,"
The gutter press nearly chewed one another's legs off in a feeding frenzy to report the Bishop's comments.
Broadbent has since apologized, acknowledging that his comments were "deeply offensive" and he added "I wish Prince William and Kate Middleton a happy and lifelong marriage, and will hold them in my prayers."
Okay:
A: How did this a-hole become a Bishop? Is there some sort of ordination by mail-order?
and
B: Bishop's on Facebook?! Okay, it's officially not cool anymore.
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I got your trademark right here...
What is the sure sign of success? Wads of cash? Gold plumbing fixtures? Naw, that's all window dressing. The real sign you've achieved ultimate fame and fortune is when you are surrounded by a gaggle of trademark lawyers. Such is the case for Warner Brothers' Harry Potter franchise. The stupefyingly profitable series has made the film company uber-mega-giga-billions of dollars. And like every other savvy business, Warner is securing future profit by busily slapping trademarks on everything attached to the wizardly tale.
Including, and I'm not making this up, Quidditch lingerie.
So far, no one has decided to produce undergarments named after a fictional sport that involves Chasers, Beaters, a Keeper and a Seeker, but Warner is taking no chances. From a marketing perspective, advertisers could easily pitch Quidditch underpants as the perfect thing to cover your Golden Snitch.
Enjoy the weekend. Go Als, go.
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