March 15, 2007

Laugh, Joke and Be Irish!

Live longer through laughter, thats the result of a study of about 54,000 Norwegians who were tracked for seven years

"Adults who have a sense of humor outlive those who don't find life funny, and the survival edge is particularly large for people with cancer, "says Sven Svebak from Norwegian University of Science and Technology, the research leader.

Results included:
Adults who scored in the top one-quarter for humor appreciation were 35% more likely to be alive than those in the bottom quarter. This is taking account of health, age, sex, lifestyle and other things that could affect survival.

In a subgroup of 2,015 who had a cancer diagnosis at the start, a great sense of humor cut someone's chances of death by about 70% compared with adults with a poor sense of humor. The research leader Svebak checked to see whether the least humorous people also had the worst prognoses, which would explain their earlier deaths. That wasn't the case.

So humour, laughter works, as we have pointed out so many times on this blog.

Just got the following joke through from my American colleague - enjoy!

Paddy was driving down the street in a sweat, because he had an important meeting, and couldn't find a parking place. Looking up to heaven he said, "Lord take pity on me. If you find me a parking place, I will go to Mass every Sunday for the rest of me life, and give up me Irish Whiskey!"

Miraculously, a parking place appeared.

Paddy looked up again and said, "Never mind God, I found one."

Happy St Patricks Day to all my visitors from around the world.

Thanks for making this site Googles and your Number 1.

Posted by Kevin Kelly at March 15, 2007 12:49 PM