Monday, March 06, 2006

OK, OK, I hear you...

I have received a few good-natured complaints about my lack of blogging lately, which has resulted in my leaving my depressing "Dad's cancer/no Africa/Life sucks" post up for almost two weeks. Sorry. If I had posted anything sooner, it may have been even more depressing, so count your blessings.

Anyway, I am feeling better now that it's Spring Break. So here's a few things for folks to read:

1. I won the Outstanding Senior Major in Sociology Award 2006 (as previously reported on Waldie's World) I won't officially be awarded at the end of April, but the Professor in charge of the process told me I have won.

2. The 40-Year Old Virgin is pretty darn funny.

3. This is the world's ugliest dog, Sam. Many may have seen it before, but I had not, and I almost crapped myself in laughter and horror.

4. We did indeed have a lot of fun with Sean and Cheryl this Saturday in Greenwood.

5.And from the Sociology Department of USC, some interesting research about Southerners, from Dr. Brent Simpson (who's totally rad, btw):
Southerners are much less trusting of others, particularly strangers, than non-Southerners, according to research by a University of South Carolina sociologist.

Dr. Brent Simpson says his findings are relevant because other research has shown that lower levels of trust are associated with a variety of personal and social problems: less political participation, less economic development, unhappiness and shorter life expectancy. Previous studies have shown that many of these social ills have, at one time or another, plagued the South.

"Contrary to popular belief, Southerners do not rely on the kindness of strangers," says Simpson, whose research will appear in one of sociology's top journals, "Social Forces," in March.


Click here to read the whole article.

2 comments:

St. Izzy said...

First: At the risk of adding to your depression, I have to tell you that Sam is an ex-dog. Cf.:
Sam's Obit

Part B: On the strength of many people telling me how funny 40YOV is, I rented it over Christmas break. I laughed guilty at quite a bit of. Lizzy was horrified. I had to inform her that guys actually do talk & act like this, and that this goes a long way towards explaining why I don't hang out with guys much.

I mean aside from the fact that I'm just as boring as all get out.


Pax,
Izzy

Anonymous said...

Yes, I was going to say that Sam went on to meet his maker, too. It's better that way.
Also, southerners are friendlier, but from personal experience, sometimes those "friends" will just stab you in the back and call the police on you!!!! And didn't Blanche Dubois say that line about depending on the kindness of strangers? Wasn't she CRAZY???? Like some of my former "friends"???