PLEASE FORWARD/POST AS APPROPRIATE ================================================================ The mini-Annals of Improbable Research ("mini-AIR") Issue number 2004-11 November 2004 ISSN 1076-500X Key words: improbable research, science humor, Ig Nobel, AIR, the ---------------------------------------------------------------- A free newsletter of tidbits too tiny to fit in the Annals of Improbable Research (AIR), the journal of inflated research and personalities ================================================================ ----------------------------- 2004-11-01 TABLE OF CONTENTS 2004-11-01 Table of Contents 2004-11-02 Soon (and now)... 2004-11-03 What's New in the Magazine 2004-11-04 Clear-And-Pithy Contest 2004-11-05 New Zealand's Happy Hummer 2004-11-06 Australia's Happy Hum 2004-11-07 Lean Obesity Poets 2004-09-08 Election Results: Scientists vs. God 2004-11-09 Books Predictions Prove Correct 2004-11-10 RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT: Dementia Meets Democracy 2004-11-11 Cats for Everyone 2004-11-12 Gasotransmitters Limerick Contest 2004-11-13 On the Blog 2004-11-14 MAY WE RECOMMEND: Grudges, Rotter, and Cold Comfort 2004-11-15 Improbable Research Events 2004-11-16 How to Subscribe to AIR (*) 2004-11-17 Our Address (*) 2004-11-18 Please Forward/Post This Issue! (*) Items marked (*) are reprinted in every issue. mini-AIR is a free monthly *e-supplement* to AIR, the print magazine ---------------------------------------------------------- 2004-11-02 Soon (and now)... The annual Ig Nobel Broadcast on NPR will happen on the day after Thanksgiving. See section 2004-11-15 below Video of the Ig ceremony is online now, at ---------------------------------------------------------- 2004-11-03 What's New in the Magazine The Nov/Dec issue (vol. 10, no. 6) is the special IG NOBEL Issue, with full coverage and lots of pictures of the recent Ig Nobel Prize ceremony. It will be emerge from the printer in a few weeks. The table of contents will be available online soon. ---------------------------------------------------------- 2004-11-04 Clear-And-Pithy Contest THE CHALLENGE: Translate a scholarly thought into a clear, accurate SEVEN-WORD summary that ANYONE can understand. Here is this month's challenging passage: "Specifically, I have been concerned with the processes by which individuals construct and enact motivational 'agendas for action' that draw upon and integrate features of their personal identities and their social settings, and that guide and direct their pursuit of relevant life outcomes in diverse domains of functioning." It comes from , the web site of Mark Snyder. Professor Snyder sits in or on the McKnight Presidential Chair in Psychology at the University of Minnesota. To enter the competition, send your seven-word summary to: CLEAR-AND-PITY CONTEST (SNYDER) c/o ---------------------------------------------------------- 2004-11-12 Gasotransmitters Limerick Contest We invite you to enter the first and last annual GASOTRANSMITTERS LIMERICK COMPETITION, for the best (NEWLY composed!) limerick that elucidates this research report, which was brought to our attention by investigator Paulette Caswell, who sent it in response to an item in last month's mini-AIR. Caswell commented, "In regard to suggestions for inserting the term 'gasotransmitters' into party conversations, it might also be useful to indicate that all mammals apparently internally smell like rotten eggs." The citation is: "Two's Company, Three's a Crowd: Can H2S Be the Third Endogenous Gaseous Transmitter?" R. Wang, FASEB Journal, vol. 16, no. 13, November 2002, pp. 1792-8. The author, who is at the University of Saskatchewan, explains that: Bearing the public image of a deadly "gas of rotten eggs," hydrogen sulfide (H2S) can be generated in many types of mammalian cells. ... The endogenous metabolism and physiological functions of H2S position this gas well in the novel family of endogenous gaseous transmitters, termed "gasotransmitters." It is hypothesized that H2S is the third endogenous signaling gasotransmitter, besides nitric oxide and carbon monoxide. This positioning of H2S will open an exciting field... RULES: Please make sure your rhymes actually do, and that your limerick at least pretends to adhere to classic limerick form. PRIZE: The winning poet will receive a free, gasotransmitter- friendly issue of the Annals of Improbable Research. Send entries (one entry per entrant) to: GASOTRANSMITTERS LIMERICK CONTEST c/o ---------------------------------------------------------- 2004-11-13 On the Blog Here are some recent topics (a new one appears every weekday) in our blog: Man of Custard Sheep Intelligence Dr. Reisman's Dirty Pictures Who/What is Them? Policy on Sleeping Students ... and many others Reach the blog via ----------------------------------------------------------- 2004-11-14 MAY WE RECOMMEND: Grudges, Rotter, and Cold Comfort HUNT, HUNT, HUNT: GRUDGES "Consumer Grudge Holding," H. Keith Hunt, H. David Hunt and Tacy C. Hunt, Journal of Consumer Satisfaction, Dissatisfaction and Complaining Behavior, vol. 1, 1988. ROTTER: INCOMPLETE, BLANK The Rotter Incomplete Sentences Blank Manual: College Form, J.B. Rotter and J.E. Rafferty, 1950, New York, Psychological Corp. COLD COMFORT "Cold Saline Enema in Priapism -- A Useful Tool for Underprivileged," A.R. Bansal, R. Godara and P. Garg, Tropical Doctor, vol. 34, no. 4, October 2004, pp. 227-8. (Thanks to Simon Gibbons for bringing this to our attention.) ------------------------------------------------------------ 2004-11-15 Improbable Research Events ==> For details and updates see ==> Want to host an event? 617-491-4437. ==> SCIENCE FRIDAY WITH IRA FLATOW NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO -- FRI, NOV 26, 2004 Annual broadcast of special program about the Ig Nobel Ceremony. For local radio schedule, or to listen on the web, see www.sciencefriday.com RETIRED MEN'S ASSOCIATION, SUDBURY, MA -- FRI, DEC 10, 2004 ==== 2005 ==== CSUPERB BIOTECH SYMPOSIUM LOS ANGELES, CA -- FRI, JAN 14, 2005 AAAS ANNUAL MEETING, WASHINGTON, DC -- FRI, FEB 18, 2005 IG NOBEL TOUR OF THE UK AND IRELAND for NATIONAL SCIENCE WEEK -- MAR 11-20, 2005 MUSEUM OF SCIENCE, BOSTON, MA -- APR 1, 2005 I-CON 24, STONY BROOK, NY -- APR 8-10, 2005 NATIONAL WRITERS' WORKSHOP, HARTFORD, CT -- APR 16/17, 2005 IG NOBEL TOUR OF AUSTRALIA for NATIONAL SCIENCE WEEK -- AUGUST, 2005 CASCADIACON, SEATTLE -- THURS, SEPT 1 - MON, SEPT. 5, 2005 FIFTEENTH 1ST ANNUAL IG NOBEL PRIZE CEREMONY -- exact date to be announced (will be a Thursday night in the vicinity of October 1) -------------------------------------------------------------- 2004-11-16 How to Subscribe to AIR (*) Here's how to subscribe to the magnificent bi-monthly print journal The Annals of Improbable Research (the real thing, not just the little bits of overflow material you've been reading in this newsletter). ................................................................ Name: Address: Address: City and State: Zip or postal code: Country Phone: FAX: E-mail: ................................................................ SUBSCRIPTIONS (6 issues per year): USA 1 yr/$29 2 yrs/$53 Canada/Mexico 1 yr/$33 US 2 yrs/$57 US Overseas 1 yr/$45 US 2 yrs/$82 US ................................................................ BACK ISSUES are available, too: First issue: $8 USA, $11 Canada/Mex, $16 overseas Add'l issues purchased at same time: $6 each ................................................................ Send payment (US bank check, or international money order, or Visa, Mastercard or Discover info) to: Annals of Improbable Research (AIR) PO Box 380853, Cambridge, MA 02238 USA 617-491-4437 FAX:617-661-0927 ----------------------------------------------------- 2004-11-17 Our Address (*) Annals of Improbable Research (AIR) PO Box 380853, Cambridge, MA 02238 USA 617-491-4437 FAX:617-661-0927 EDITORIAL: marca@chem2.harvard.edu SUBSCRIPTIONS: air@improbable.com WEB SITE: --------------------------- 2004-11-18 Please Forward/Post This Issue! (*) Please distribute copies of mini-AIR (or excerpts!) wherever appropriate. The only limitations are: A) Please indicate that the material comes from mini-AIR. B) You may NOT distribute mini-AIR for commercial purposes. ------------- mini-AIRheads ------------- EDITOR: Marc Abrahams (marca@chem2.harvard.edu) MINI-PROOFREADER AND PICKER OF NITS (before we introduce the last few at the last moment): Wendy Mattson WWW EDITOR/GLOBAL VILLAGE IDIOT: Amy Gorin (airmaster@improbable.com) COMMUTATIVE EDITOR: Stanley Eigen (eigen@neu.edu) ASSOCIATIVE EDITOR: Mark Dionne PSYCHOLOGY EDITOR: Robin Abrahams CO-CONSPIRATORS: Alice Shirrell Kaswell, Gary Dryfoos, Ernest Ersatz, S. Drew MAITRE DE COMPUTATION: Jerry Lotto AUTHORITY FIGURES: Nobel Laureates Dudley Herschbach, Sheldon Glashow, William Lipscomb, Richard Roberts (c) copyright 2004, Annals of Improbable Research ----------------------------------------------------- 2004-11-19 How to Receive mini-AIR, etc. (*) What you are reading right now is mini-AIR. Mini-AIR is a (free!) tiny monthly *supplement* to the bi-monthly print magazine. To subscribe, send a brief E-mail message to: LISTPROC@AIR.HARVARD.EDU The body of your message should contain ONLY the words SUBSCRIBE MINI-AIR MARIE CURIE (You may substitute your own name for that of Madame Curie.) ---------------------------- To stop subscribing, send the following message: SIGNOFF MINI-AIR ============================================================