My OperaQuick info, July 10
Monday, July 10, 2006 1:00:00 PM
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Witchcraft ban ends in Zimbabwe Sunday, 2 July 2006
From July the government acknowledges that supernatural powers exist - but prohibits the use of magic to cause someone harm.
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Paranoia 'a widespread problem' Monday, 3 July 2006
One in three people in the UK regularly suffers paranoid or suspicious fears, clinical psychologists have found.
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Ants 'use an internal pedometer' Friday, 30 June 2006
Researchers knew foraging insects could navigate using light from the sky, but were puzzled by the animals' ability to gauge the length of ground covered.
Stats
The study found that:
- Over 40% of people regularly worry that negative comments are being made about them
- 27% think that people deliberately try to irritate them
- 20% worry about being observed or followed
- 10% think that someone has it in for them
- 5% worry that there is a conspiracy to harm them
Ways to overcome paranoia
- Remember paranoid thoughts are common
- Share thoughts with trusted others
- Imagine another person's perspective
- Do not treat thoughts as facts and think of alternative explanations for events
- Try not to ruminate on the thoughts
- Do not let the thoughts stop you from doing what you want to do
- Remember the positive things about yourself
Words
slew (slū) -n. Informal.- A large amount or number; a lot
de·mur (dĭ-mûr') -intr.v.- To voice opposition; object
metalepsis -- A metonymical substitution of one word for another which is itself figurative.
phle·bot·o·mist (flĭ-bŏt'ə-mĭst) -n.- One who draws blood for analysis or transfusion.
blithe (blīTH, blīth) -adj.- Lacking or showing a lack of due concern; casual
