Links to Your World, Tuesday January 19

The NYT examines why college professors are a mostly liberal bunch: “Instead of looking at why most professors are liberal, they should ask why so many liberals — and so few conservatives — want to be professors. A pair of sociologists think they may have an answer: typecasting. . . . Journalism, art, fashion, social work and therapy are dominated by liberals; while law enforcement, farming, dentistry, medicine and the military attract more conservatives.”


Not Much Football in a Football Game: “Here's something even dedicated students of the game may not fully appreciate: There's very little actual football in a football game. According to a Wall Street Journal study of four recent broadcasts, and similar estimates by researchers, the average amount of time the ball is in play on the field during an NFL game is about 11 minutes.” And cheerleaders? "We make it a point to get Dallas cheerleaders on, but otherwise, it's not really important," says Fred Gaudelli, NBC's Sunday Night Football producer. "If we're doing the Jets, I couldn't care less." Ouch!


“James Cameron's completely immersive spectacle "Avatar" may have been a little too real for some fans who say they have experienced depression and suicidal thoughts after seeing the film because they long to enjoy the beauty of the alien world Pandora.” (CNN)


“We don’t know how to use aid to reduce poverty. Over the past few decades, the world has spent trillions of dollars to generate growth in the developing world. The countries that have not received much aid, like China, have seen tremendous growth and tremendous poverty reductions. The countries that have received aid, like Haiti, have not.” David Brooks, explaining that its Haiti’s culture that best explains its dire poverty, exacerbated by the recent earthquake. We should give to relief efforts following the earthquake, but long term development in Haiti involves changes to the culture.


How the Things You Own End Up Owning You


Study: 56% of young lovers are infected with HPV


“Known by various names around the world — including funky chicken, space monkey, sleeper hold and the blackout, choking or fainting game — the activity involves applying pressure to the neck to stop the blood flow to the brain and then releasing the pressure to create a temporary sense of euphoria. It isn't new: French medical books mention the scarf game as early as the 18th century, and deaths in Britain, Canada and the U.S. have occasionally made the headlines over the years. What is new — and frightening — is that teenagers are now uploading instructional videos to the Internet that glamorize the potentially deadly practice.” (Time article)


“Get Anchored” posts since last Tuesday:

Matching Funds for Haiti Disaster Relief
Any Takers for the Next Pleasure Cruise to Haiti?
Review of God's Battalions: The Case for the Crusades
Redneck Fire Alarm
The Coming Tax Burden for Being Married
Learning to Live God's Word and Not Just Protect It
Are Young Adults Really Abandoning Churches?
EW's Coverage of "The Lost Supper": Eww
Giving to Disaster Relief in Haiti
"Overeager to Accept Tribute from Popular Culture"
LeaderLines: There's an App for That
"Reading Someone Else's Mail"
Chemist and Christian
Winning Ways: Even If . . .