If you could take a test that would determine whether or not you would develop a debilitating disease, would you? Classic economic theory says yes you would because then you could make specific plans for how to live out the rest of your life. But a study showed that people who have the ability to test for Huntington’s disease, a degenerative brain disorder, elect not to do so. Emily Oster, an associate professor at the University of Chicago Booth, said, “People derive utility and happiness from imagining the future.” In other words, they would rather not know.
A national survey indicates that the rate of smoking has dropped from a stalled 20-21% for the past seven years to now reach 18%.
Sleeping instead of cramming all night will help in acing finals. Research showed that learning a pair of two different songs interfered with birds’ ability to retain the songs, but when allowed to sleep, they were not only able to remember the songs, but were able to remember the pair of songs even if they were taught a third song.
What should you do with a half bottle of wine? Besides drink it! Put it in the fridge and it will keep for 3-4 days. White can be served cold. Red will need to be taken out 30 minutes prior to serving.
LA has approved an ordinance to ban plastic bags in stores, joining the cities of Santa Monica and San Francisco. Further, San Francisco tacks on an additional 10 cents to the bill for customers needing a paper bag. Not sure why it has taken this long! Why can’t the U.S. be like Germany? I remember vacationing there in 1997 when you had to bring your own bag to the grocery store.
The Dose of Reality
Oh, man. That is really hard. My head says I’d want to know if I was going to get a terrible disease…but in reality, I don’t know if I’d really WANT to know. So interesting!!
Yay about the smoking rate falling. It just needs to fall faster! –Lisa
Catherine
I know we are spoiled here in SF because not very many people smoke, so whenever I do see someone smoking, I throw a big fit and scowl.
Dana
I remember when I started using reusable grocery bags – I thought I’d never get used to it. Now it’s second nature for me to pull them out of my car before I go into the store. I guess that’s progress!
Catherine
Dana, that’s where I keep them too. Tons of reusable bags in our trunk.
Janine Huldie
Wow, I see both sides of this coin, but to be honest don’t think I would like to know it I was going to develop a depilating disease, because I would much rather live without fear of worrying when and where this would happen. But definitely food for thought and love your blurbs for the brain!!
Catherine
I guess you never know until the situation presents itself. I think I would want to know, but now that you put it that way Janine, I am not sure!
Michelle
That’s a tough one. Yes, I’d want to know, and no, I wouldn’t. I would never go see a psychic on the off chance that they knew something bad was going to happen…I wouldn’t want to have that sitting at the back of my mind!
Catherine
There is a psychic that lives on our block and I’m always telling my husband, we gotta go and check it out. Pure entertainment!
Joi @ Rx Fitness Lady
Unfortunately, this is the same crap people live by when having unprotected sex which leads to STDs! They’d just rather not know!
Catherine
Exactly, Joi! It is mind-boggling that people would rather not be informed.
Kate
Love these blurbs. I definitely always question how long wine lasts… now I can finally rest easy.
Catherine
Thanks Kate. We drink so much wine that we have a pump. But there are so many different tools out there to suction out the air!