“The worst-case scenario is what’s happening now.” Web comic xkcd succinctly sums up the state of the oil spill coverage on the news.

from the magazine The Week, 12/25/09 to 1/8/2010:

Feeling down sharpens your attention and makes you less gullible. …happiness…(removes) a layer of skepticism. …sadness “promotes information processing best suited to dealing with more demanding situations,” says psychologist Joseph Forgas.

Recessions may help us all live a little longer. When the economy tanks, people drink and eat less, sleep more, suffer fewer accidents, and live longer. Researchers found that americans were actually healthier during the Great Depression than they were in prosperous times immediately before and after…

Average compensation of the ten highest-salaried presidents of U.S. public universities: $533,000
Number of them who earn more than the school’s football coach: 2
Amount that Louisiana State University has raised since 2001 to care for its live tiger mascot: $3,750,000

Source: Harper’s index, March 2008