Meeting Places and Romance

Does It Pay to Be Smart, Attractive, or Confident (or All Three)? A study explores "Relationships Among General Mental Ability, Physical Attractiveness, Core Self-Evaluations, and Income"

A new study from Timothy A. Judge, Charlice Hurst and Lauren S. Simon of the University of Florida explores the age-old issue of attractiveness and its impact on career success. The study appeared in the Journal of Applied Psychology.

"Few personal characteristics are more associated with success in life than brains and beauty. Although the raw materials of neither seem particularly manipulable (both are heritable and relatively stable across the lifespan), the benefits of being beautiful — and the penalties for homeliness — seem particularly unfair. Countless parents have assured their children that it is "the inside that counts," with the "inside" presumably including one’s intelligence and personality. Indeed, these characteristics do influence career success. Yet, although the inside clearly counts, a plethora of empirical research has demonstrated that when it comes to income, attractiveness makes a difference too."

The Woes of the Single Humor Writer

Every trade has its tools. For a humor writer, the three most important requirements are a sense of the absurd, a computer or word processor, and a spouse — not necessarily in that order. Though the first two are key, without the last one, a humorist is truly handicapped. Not only are mates a treasure trove of comic ideas just by themselves, they can also provide children, who are an endless source of hilarity (as long as you keep that afore-mentioned sense of the absurd.)

What Is a Book Club?

Joan L. Cannon writes: I thought a book club would bear some resemblance to an English class, presumably without grades or written reports. Everyone would read the same book, and then the meeting would take place with everyone discussing the chosen volume for that session. Little did I know. Read More...

The Rules of Love (Supposedly Brought from King Arthur's Court)

Andreas Capellanus (late 12th cent.); Treatise on Courtly Love

1. Marriage is no excuse for not loving.
2. He who is not jealous can not love.
3. No one can be bound by two loves.
4. Love is always growing or diminishing.