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In-briefs
The largest study
of humor ever conducted recently wrapped up its research and determined
the world's funniest joke. Along the way it learned some interesting
things about cultural differences in humor.
The study learned that Germans found almost anything funny. Those
from the Republic of Ireland, the UK, Australia and New Zealand
enjoyed jokes involving word plays to be the most humorous. Americans
and Canadians enjoyed jokes where a character looks stupid or is
made to look stupid by someone else.
Gurpal Gosall, a British psychiatrist, submitted the world's funniest
joke. The conclusion was reached after an analysis of 40,000 jokes.
To view the results of the research, check out laughlab.co.uk.
John Walker Lindh, the so-called American Taliban, was recently
sentenced to 20 years in prison for collaborating with the Taliban
regime. Prosecutors initially were seeking the death sentence for
Lindh, but backed down when he agreed to a plea bargain.
Lindh, who converted to Islam at the age of 16 and traveled to Yemen,
Pakistan and then Afghanistan, said he would never have joined the
Taliban if he had known they sheltered al Qaeda. For Americans his
image has softened since his capture in November. Many now feel
that his actions were merely the result of teen-ridden angst-a bad
choice, but done in ignorance.
A new ad campaign by Democrats has Republicans in an uproar. Seen
on the Democratic National Committee web site, it features an animated
President Bush heaving a wheelchair-riding senior citizen off a
cliff. Twice.
The ad is designed to attack privatization of Social Security. Republicans
denied they favor this and were quick to offer this response:
"Democrats typically resort to scaring seniors through half-truths
and outright lies in an election year, but creating videos that
depict the President rolling wheelchair confined seniors off of
cliffs is absolutely reprehensible, even for them," said Rep. Tom
Davis, R-Va., as quoted by the Washington Post.
In a new book, Bush gives the low-down on his reactions to September
11 and the actions it precipitated. In the book he calls some of
his detractors "elites"; he says Hillary Rodham Clinton's use of
the infamous New York Post 9/11 "Bush Knew" on the Senate floor
was "irresponsible"; and he discusses the use of the death penalty
for John Walker Lindh.
The book, published by Regnery, is the most comprehensive account
of the political and emotional climate inside the White House during
the terrorist attacks. Bill Sammon, senior White House correspondent
for the Washington Times, authored the book.
Researchers think they may have discovered the reason why two percent
of people infected with the HIV virus never develop AIDS symptoms.
Called "non-term progressors," their immunity to the disease has
perplexed scientists for 20 years.
Scientists at the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center said they found
that non-term progressors have three hard-to-find proteins called
alpha-densin 1, 2 and 3 that block replication of the HIV virus.
The team has already fabricated synthetic versions of the proteins;
however, these turned out too weak to be useful. The hope is that
the proteins can be given to HIV-infected individuals. Whether that's
possible or if the proteins are capable of having an impact on AIDS
treatment remains to be seen, researchers said.
Scientists claim that humanity's tampering with land surface and
geological formations has as much an impact on the climate as carbon
dioxide. Carbon dioxide is one of the greenhouse gases that traps
heat in the earth's atmosphere and reputedly raises the global temperature.
"Our work suggests that the impacts of human-caused land cover changes
on climate are at least as important, and quite possibly more important,
than those of carbon dioxide," said Roger Pielke, Sr., of Colorado
State University, as quoted on cnn.com.
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