Improbable Research

Worrying about the cost of medical care appears to increase the risk of dying after a cardiac procedure, a study finds.

So begins a May 17, 2004 report in HealthDay by Ed Edelson. Read the report here.

Thanks to investigator Kristine Danowski for bringing this to our attention.

Here are some photos from the Dublin show in this year’s Ig Nobel Tour of the U.K. and Ireland. Over the next several weeks we will be posting photos from the other shows on the tour, too.

The June issue of mini-AIR just went out. Read it here.

Contents include, among other things:

/ Staring and Blushing
/ Frog
/ Nano Name Correction
/ Walked Knots Correction
/ Sorgenfrey-Line Poet
/ It’s… It’s…
/ Pigeon-vs.-Missile Survey
/ Gumming-Up-the-Works Limerick Contest
/ Gnome, Nostril, Ides of June

There’s more good news about Troy Hurtubise’s latest invention, the blast cushion. Thre are lots of pictures, too. See here.

Analysis is not always as simple as it may seem. Here is an example. Two different researchers analyzed the same book. each wrote a review. Here they are:

From the Publisher: The classic study of Arab culture and society is now more relevant than ever. Since its original publication in 1983, the revised edition of Raphael Patai’s The Arab Mind has been recognized as one of the seminal works in the field of Middle Eastern studies. This penetrating analysis unlocks the mysteries of Arab society to help us better understand a complex, proud and ancient culture. The Arab Mind discusses the upbringing of a typical Arab boy or girl, the intense concern with honor and courage, the Arabs’ tendency toward extremes of behavior, and their ambivalent attitudes toward the West.

From Library Journal: Davis’s coming-of-age novel garnered good response when it debuted in 1979. Using high school wrestling as a metaphor for growing up, the book reveals how teenage protagonist Louden Swain deals with both his desire to win his weight division in the state championships and his growing love for Carla, an older girl who is temporarily stranded with Louden and his father when her car breaks down. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

A non-specialist, reading these two reviews, might almost imagine that they describe different books.

The two reviews are presented at http://www.bookfinder.us/review7/1578261171.html.