Saturday, September 7, 2019

Faking Vacations With Professionally Edited Photographs. A Real Story



I realize that my life does not involve traveling around the world to visit glamorous places. I may travel a few hundred miles on vacation or to see a friend. On a rare occasion, I could take a flight to a popular tourist location. I probably take a few pictures of me next to a fountain, near the hotel or with the large mouse the place is known for having. I'm okay with knowing a trip around the world or spending months traveling through Europe, the Orient or Caribbean just doesn't fit well within my budget. I know my friends won't think less of me. I know they'll still invite me over to their place for grilled burgers and beer as long as my wife brings her much-loved pasta salad. It seems there are people who feel so much social pressure to go on vacation, they've decided to create fake photographs of themselves visiting different places around the world. Not only are they willing to show people fake photographs, but they're also willing to pay to have it done.

“Wow, here is a picture you at the Iditarod in Alaska wearing shorts and a T-shirt.”
“Yeah, the cold doesn't really bother me.”
“Oh.”

Here are excerpts from the story with my valuable insights in italics.

Looking to live the glamorous, well-traveled life, and stir envy among your Instagram followers, but can’t afford it? Well now you can have a photo of yourself digitally altered to make it seem like you can.
A Nebraska-based photo-editing service named Fake A Vacation lets users send in snapshots to have them superimposed onto fake backgrounds. Options include a sandy beach in Maui, the rushing waters of Niagara Falls, even the Grand Canyon at sunset.


I can imagine someone doing something like this in a lot of different places. I'm a bit shocked that it's a business. I am also a bit surprised it's located in Nebraska. I thought those Cornhuskers held themselves to a higher standard. I hope you don't go there to purchase corn and only get a picture of corn. I would find that upsetting. I wonder if they would offer people a chance to have a fake background on the International Space Station. I'm sure you would have to be a master at inventing stories to pull that one-off.

“You were on the International Space Station?”
“Sure, here is a picture of it.”
“Why are you holding a can of beer and don't have on any astronaut gear?”
“It was my day off.”
“This looks a lot like when you were at the picnic at our house over the summer.”
“Guess I have a habit of posing the same way for pictures.”
“Are you sure you were permitted to have beer on the International Space Station?”
“Of course, I'm of legal drinking age, why not?”
“Good point.”


“They fake it … sometimes because the actual vacation is too expensive, so they plan this way or sometimes they do it to get others envious,” says Tom Eda, who leads marketing and support for Fake A Vacation, adding that others have purchased faux vacation pics because they had to cancel their trip last-minute.

Fake A Vacation was founded in 2017, simply because there was demand for this service.

There is something very psychologically unhealthy here. I can't afford to have the vacation to impress others so I won't go, I'll just buy fake pictures to show everyone. I know faking an accomplishment is nothing new. This reminds me of a very formal dance when I was in college. One guy couldn't get a date, so he put a girl's sweater on the back o a chair and kept telling everyone his date was in the bathroom. I once saw someone driving a rather nice car. They told me all about it and even took me on a drive. I found out later it was owned by a friend visiting their parents. It just seems technology has been invented to make this sort of thing easier to pull off. Faking vacations, faking resumes, faking social media, I suppose the market of services to help delusional losers fake their way to social acceptance could be expanding.


Customers order their photo packages online; once it’s processed, they receive a link to send in photos. Fake A Vacation staff will suggest attire to wear in the pictures, which are then superimposed onto other backgrounds. Packages start at $19 and are processed within three business days.

I like how the business covers every aspect of the experience of creating a fraud. Details are important, and I can just imagine you wouldn't want to wear the wrong clothes to create a phony photograph. I do wonder why they can't just superimpose a person's head on another person's body in a popular vacation spot. This could make their customers appear to be on a vacation they can't afford with a body they don't have. I say if you're going to fabricate a vacation, make certain nothing is real.

Here is a link to the story.



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Friday, September 6, 2019

The Country of Georgia Wants to Make Wine on Mars. A Real Story



I think it is normal for a business to have a desire to expand its operation. There are those who feel international expansion is not enough. The winemaking industry in the eastern European country of Georgia wants to expand its operation beyond earth and on an intergalactic level. I would consider the desire to have an intergalactic business model quite a lofty goal. Georgia who want to be the first country to have a winemaking operation located on Mars. I'm sure they've had such success with their wine industry, they are ready to make expansion plans that involve the universe. They are preparing for the initial step of growing grapes on Mars. If this goes well, I wonder if they will try to have winemaking operations on Venus, Saturn and other planets in our galaxy. I'm sure once they succeed, their intergalactic grapes and wine will be quite popular.

Below are some excerpts from the story with my valuable insights in italics.

Nestling between the Great The Caucasus Mountains and the Black Sea, Georgia has a mild climate that is perfect for vineyards and has developed a thriving wine tourism industry.
Now Nikoloz Doborjginidze has co-founded a project to develop grape varieties that can be grown on Mars.
"Georgians were the first winemakers on Earth and now we hope to pioneer viticulture on the planet next door," he told AFP.


I can only imagine everything from martian grape juice to martian grape flavored jams and jellies, as well as martian grape ice cream and more, will be the hot ticket item back here on earth. I'm sure this will lead to future wine tasting trips from the earth.

“I'm glad you could make it to our martian wine tasting tour. First, let me start you off with some Mariner Valley wine. It has a sweet but robust flavor. Next well will have a white wine we grow near the Tharsis volcanoes that are known for being dry yet very flavorful. I hope you consider trying our Chablis made in Valles Marineris.”

“Has your martian wine won any awards?”
“We've won every martian wine contest in every category.”
“Aren't you the only company making wine on Mars?”
“What's your point?”


After NASA called for the public to contribute ideas for a "sustained human presence" on the Red Planet, a group of Georgian researchers and entrepreneurs got together to propel the country's winemaking onto an interplanetary level.
Their project is called IX Millennium—a reference to Georgia's long history of wine-making.

These Georgians have some extremely interesting ideas when it comes to traveling through space to distant planets. They weren't interested in developing things to consume to sustain lie or some type of shelter or other things required to survive. These industrious eastern Europeans wanted to make alcohol. I guess they consider it to be one small cabernet sauvignon for man and one giant pinot noir leap for mankind.


The scientists collected bacteria from regions of Georgia with "extreme ecosystems" such as hot sulfurous springs, then bred strains capable of living in Martian conditions, she says.

The idea is for the bacteria to transform the lifeless surface of Mars into fertile soil "on which future colonists will be able to cultivate plants", she said.

I find it interesting that scientists are willing to transform the lifeless surface of Mars into fertile soil. I'm sure this research will benefit people here on earth. We have places where people live that are nothing but lifeless surfaces. If it succeeds on Mars, maybe this can be done in some of the lifeless surfaces here on earth where people like to live. I'm sure the individuals who live in these places would be more than willing to learn how to grow grapes and make wine.


The plants will grow in a special facility located inside a trendy Tbilisi hotel, laid out in vertically stacked layers with carefully controlled temperature, light and humidity.
The next step will be to test Georgian grape varieties in a simulated Martian environment in a laboratory now under construction at the Business and Technology University.
"Plants will be subjected to sub-zero (Celsius) temperatures, high levels of radiation and carbon monoxide (and) high-altitude air pressure," said BTU Dean Nino Enukidze.

I can imagine telling the researchers about the experiment.

“The bad news is we are going to subject our grape plants to sub-zero temperatures and high amounts of carbon monoxide as well as radiation and high-altitude pressure.”
“Is there good news?”
“Yes, we are going to be doing this at the trendy Tbilisi hotel in a special facility there.”
“Will we be able to order room service while we work?”
“I'll have to check.”

Let's face it if you are going to work hard to simulate the Martian environment, what better place than a trendy hotel? You wake up, expose grape plants to high-altitude pressure, radiation, and carbon monoxide then call it a day. You have dinner and drinks at the bar, enjoy the hotel's sauna and pool then get up in the morning and start all over again. There should never be research without room service.


"In the distant future, Martian colonists will be able to grow plants directly in Martian soil," said Tusia Garibashvili, founder of Space Farms the company, part of the IX Millennium project.

I'm sure future Martian colonists will sit back after a hard day and work and enjoy a relaxing glass of martian malbec wine. They'll toast to the pioneers from Georgia who had the foresight to realize the importance of wine. They may not have all the things necessary to make survival easy for them, but they will have wine. Martian colonists may even try growing some hops and barley to create martian beer.

Here is a link to the story.


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Thursday, September 5, 2019

Russians and Koreans Trying to Build an Actual Jurassic Park. A Real Story


I've seen all of the Jurassic Park movies. I even read the excellent novel it was based on by Michael Crichton. I can honestly say that I enjoyed it as a work of fiction. I'm sure I speak for many people when I say, Jurassic Park is nothing I would like to see happen in the real world. There is a saying about people who fail to learn from history, they are doomed to repeat it. Maybe there should be a new saying. It should be about people who fail to realize fiction is better left as fiction and making it possible for a tyrannosaurus to run around during a picnic at your favorite park should not happen.

“What do you think about the Russians and Koreans making it possible for a tyrannosaurus to get free and roam the park?”
“It's really scary, but my running times have never been faster.”

Below are excerpts from the story with my valuable insights in italics.

Russia will unveil their plans to open a $5.9 million lab in the Siberian city of Yakutsk that hopes to quickly become a “world-class pale-genetic scientific center,” according to The Siberian Times.

Together with the South Korean SOOAM Biotech Research Foundation, Russian scientists from the Northern-Eastern Federal University are set to research the genetics of a number of extinct species once native to the area, such the woolly mammoths, woolly rhinoceros, cave lions, and breeds of extinct horses. Although their end goal is still a fair few years from completion, they say their research will help bring these extinct species out of extinction.


I can imagine there would be some serious culture clashes between the Koreans and the Russians.

“Do you have any borscht?”
“I'm sorry, we only have kimchi.”
“Do you have any vodka?”
“I'm sorry, we only have soju.”
“Okay, just give me a fork.”
“I'm sorry, we only have chopsticks.”
“This is going to be a long research time.”
“I agree.”

I wonder what the benefit there would be to having a woolly rhinoceros or woolly mammoth come back from extinction? Is there a market for rhinoceros and mammoth wool?
“I just love my new alpaca wool coat.”
“I know, I wear my camel hair sweater all the time.”
“I agree. My wife loves her woolly rhinoceros coat and I just love my woolly mammoth sweater.”

Maybe there are predators trying to encourage bringing back these large species. Cave lions would be good if you put things in a cave you wanted to keep safe.

“I would like some more borscht.”
“Okay, but it's your turn to deal with the cave lion we brought back from being extinct so it could guard our food.”
“Alright, I'll go.”
“One last thing.”
“What?”
“Could you also get some kimchi while you're at it?”


However, resurrecting extinct species is no small feat, primarily because DNA degrades over time. Even if some of the soft tissue is preserved in permafrost, scientists are left piecing together odd fragments of DNA. It’s hoped that animals such as the mammoth or cave lion have close enough living relatives to fill in the gaps, à la the frog DNA in Jurassic Park.

This gives me hope. I'm hoping the tyrannosaurus and all the other big scary dinosaurs featured in Jurassic Park have no close living relatives today. May the gaps in their DNA be far and wide. Why do we have to do dinosaurs? How about the golden toad? Seems like a good idea. I think we could bring back the Caribbean monk seal as well as the Pinta Island tortoise. If these creatures are brought back from extinction, and break free from their enclosure, I would feel pretty good about my chances of getting away from them.



Even if it’s scientifically possible to reconstruct an extinct species, it comes with a bunch of ethical questions. As Dr. Malcolm from Jurassic Park famous quipped, “Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.”

Have they not seen the movies or read the book? Each of these scientists should be forced to read Michael Crichton's book. They should then be forced to watch the movies.

At the beginning and end of each movie, someone should stand in front of them and say, “I know what you just read and saw are works of fiction. So, does life imitate art or does art imitate life? I hope each of you took detailed notes and realize how well those dinosaurs liked to dine on scientist du jour. These creatures were downing researchers like they were human pez. Think about what you're doing. It may be woolly mammoths and cave lions today, but before you know it, velociraptors are running around free and treating each of you as if you're a single serving of borscht or kimichi.”

Here is a link to the story.



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Wednesday, September 4, 2019

Research Shows Toddlers Know the Difference Between a Leader and a Bully. A Real Story




I must admit that during my time, I've seen some creative studies. Many of them appear, on the surface, to someone such as myself as pointless. I may not be a man of science, but I do struggle to see the value in analyzing toddlers to see if they know the difference between when someone is behaving like a bully, and when someone is being a leader. What would you do with such information?

“I think you are acting like a bully.”
“Nonsense, I'm making difficult decisions associated with being a leader.”
“Let's ask Tommy.”
“Why would we ask your toddler?”
“He's watched cartoon characters and knows the difference.'
“Oh.”

Below are excerpts from the story with my valuable insights in italics.


Researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champagne analyzed the eye-gazing behaviors of 21-month-old toddlers — one of the standard ways to measure expectations in children too young to communicate their feelings — while watching various cartoon characters. The so-called “violation-of-expectation” method is based on the observation that infants stare longer at events that contradict their expectations.

(Sarcasm Alert)

I suppose we are to believe that human beings too young to communicate their feelings can be a wealth of knowledge. Who needs to be able to communicate feeling when your eye-gazing behaviors can be easily measured to identify your feelings. This, of course, is based on viewing cartoon characters. I assume this may involve seeing the politicians in Washington DC as many adults confuse them as cartoon characters. A research method has been developed that involves infants staring longer at events that contradict their expectations. I'm certain many other things are taken into consideration before determining a toddler's feelings. They could be toddlers staring who are relieving themselves in their diapers, being fascinated by a bug on the screen and more.


The researchers detected a violation of the children’s expectations when the protagonists in the cartoon disobeyed an order given by the leader character, but not when an order given by the bully character was ignored. Results were consistent in a second experiment where differences in appearance between the leader and the bully were removed. In a third leg of the study, researchers tested whether the likability of the other characters influenced the toddlers by having the leaders leave

I wonder what cartoons were they using? Was it Sponge Bob Square Pants?, Steven Universe or maybe Ricky and Morty? I find it interesting these researchers were able to get cartoons to meet the expectations of children who could not communicate.

“Do do ma cat, me.”
It's obvious the toddler is experiencing the intense feelings created by the protagonist disobeying an order.”
“Wah, waaaaaahh, ahhhh.”
“The toddlers didn't like the appearance between the bully and leader being taken away.”
“Ma, ga, cat, go, go, no, waaah.”
“I can see the toddler is being influenced by the leader no longer being in the cartoon.”

All of a sudden all of the toddlers in the experiment are quiet.

“I suppose their expectations for cartoons have been met."
“No, their expectations for the need to be changed and fed have been met. I'm glad the aroma coming from their diaper isn't included in determining they're feelings. They would seem to hate everything.
“I think you're right..”



“Finally, when the likable character left, the infants expected the protagonists to disobey, most likely because the character held no power over them,” she adds.
The authors say the study confirms previous research showing that infants can recognize the power difference between two or more characters.

There have been previous studies? Other people have been paid to watch toddlers pay attention when cartoons are played? What a great job. I bet you could say anything about what the toddlers are doing and nobody could challenge you.

“Do, me, juice, cat, num, tree.”
“It is obvious the toddler feels the torment of the good and kind cartoon character dealing with the mean bully who is constantly outsmarting him. I can sense the toddler's struggle.”
“Ga, ja, foo, me, nana.”
The emotional struggle within these toddlers has reached a high level. We may have to stop the cartoons. It could be too much for them.”
“It's amazing how you know exactly what the toddlers are feeling.”
“What is even more amazing is how people believe I know exactly what the toddlers are feeling. I'm a researcher. People seem to believe I know what toddlers are feeling and the toddlers aren't able to say I'm wrong.”
“Oh.”

“Infants understand that with leaders, you have to obey them even when they are not around; with bullies, though, you have to obey them only when they are around.”


This isn't about leaders and bullies. This is about police and teenagers with their parents. You have to obey the police even when they're not around. Teenagers usually only obey their parents when they are around. Maybe these findings could help with future research when the toddlers become teenagers.

It's possible my blog article about it could inspire these researchers to perform other groundbreaking studies such as how toddlers know the difference between the food they like and don't like and why they make funny faces right before they fill their diapers or pass gas. I may not be a man of science, but I'm always willing to help.

Below is a link to the article







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Tuesday, September 3, 2019

Police Give Coloring Assignment Instead of Parking Ticket. A Real Story




It is easy to see when some people do not do a good job of parking their vehicle. I've seen vehicles take up two parking spots. I've struggled to get around vehicles that are an excessive distance from the curb. There have been drivers without a handicapped sticker who have parked in handicapped parking spots and more. The frustrating thing is with a little effort, these parking faux pas can be avoided. Some police have provided such people with a coloring assignment.

“Why are taking up three parking spots. You really shouldn't park sideways in a parking lot.”
“Oh, I'm only going to be here for a short time. I'm going to pick up some groceries, stop at the bank, get a prescription filled and look for a new pair of shoes. I'll be back here quickly.”
“That is not a short time. It could take you hours to do all of that.”
“Well, if I park as people want me to then I would have to back out and that would be unsafe. This is much safer for me. Everyone can see me and I can see everyone.”
“Other drivers also hate you.”
“I think it's because I color better than them.”

Below are excerpts from the story with my valuable insights in italics.


All you really need to know you learned in kindergarten…including how to park a car.

At least that’s the philosophy of one Southlake, Tex., police officer who came up with an original way to teach a lesson to someone who parked a pickup across two spaces.

I suppose giving a parking ticket doesn't teach the necessary lessons about poor parking. It is a lesson that comes with a financial cost. I imagine we should appreciate this unique way to get people to park correctly. I've seen so many bad parking jobs, I believe it's possible for there to be people who consider parking tickets as part of the costs associated with owning and driving their vehicle.

“You've paid your insurance and monthly car payment. What are these other charges?”
“Parking tickets?”
“Why do you get so many parking tickets?”
“Hey, parking where you want and how you want doesn't come cheap.”
“Oh.”


The Ram truck was over the line and encroaching on a handicapped spot, so the artistic officer drew a coloring book style page with an outline of the department’s badge that read:

“We noticed you had a little trouble staying in the lines when you parked next to a handicapped space … Maybe if you practice coloring our patch and staying in the lines here, it could help you avoid citations in the future?”

I would have loved it if they would have told this person to drop their coloring assignment off at the police station. A police officer could look at it, grade it and then give this person another one.

“What is this coloring assignment?”
“Oh, it's a picture of a prison cell.”
“Why do I have to color a picture of a prison cell?”
“We've heard you're looking for a job as a prison guard and thought this is something you could add to your application.”
“Oh.”

It appears the driver got off with the colorless warning for the minor infraction, which could have been fined $200.

I'm sure the driver came away from this situation thinking if they are good at coloring, they can avoid parking tickets.

“I have too many parking tickets.”
“You need to learn how to color inside the lines.”
“Why?  I avoided a $200 parking ticket by promising to color inside the lines. I don't know the connection between coloring and parking, but if it helps me avoid an expensive parking ticket, I'm all for it.”
“Do they have coloring books you could complete to avoid speeding tickets?”
“If not, they should.”


(Sarcasm Alert)

If this proves to be an effective way to have parking violators follow the law, the police may expand this program. They may ask people who are burglars to build something with legos. Someone accused of running from police may be required to play an intense game of chutes and ladders. A girl accused of shoplifting could be forced to play a game of Barbie dress up. I'm sure the list of future crimes that could be deterred using this intense method of punishment is endless.

Here is a link to the article.





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Monday, September 2, 2019

Is it Labor Day or Labor Hero Day? A Real Story



Today is Labor Day. It is a day when people in the United States pay tribute to all the things American workers have given to our country. I just want to discourage any type of humor that associates this day with women having children. We already have a day for that event. It's called Mother's Day. Labor Day is a holiday with a long and interesting history.

Below are excerpts from a story about Labor Day from History Magazine. My valuable insights are in italics.


In the late 1800s, at the height of the Industrial Revolution in the United States, the average American worked 12-hour days and seven-day weeks in order to eke out a basic living. Despite restrictions in some states, children as young as 5 or 6 toiled in mills, factories, and mines across the country, earning a fraction of their adult counterparts’ wages.

Isn't it interesting how many workers today still work 12 hours daily during every day of every week to make a living? I think it's called working in retail as well as the restaurant industry and more. The 1800s world was the world where my grandfathers immigrated to the United States and experienced life here. It's upsetting to know that greedy capitalists back then ignored restrictions and had children of kindergarten age working in mills. It's not something known for happening today. Children that age are now using the television, the computer and more for 12 hours a day.


As manufacturing increasingly supplanted agriculture as the wellspring of American employment, labor unions, which had first appeared in the late 18th century, grew more prominent and vocal. They began organizing strikes and rallies to protest poor conditions and compel employers to renegotiate hours and pay.


The workers told them, you may be greedy capitalists, but you need to be greedy capitalists who provide safe working conditions and decent wages. Your greed gets a lot of money, and we want more of it. The greedy capitalists then refused.  They asked what part of being a greedy capitalist did the workers not understand. The workers told the greedy capitalists they would strike. The greedy capitalists then said we won't pay you. The workers said okay, but you won't have anything to sell to your customers so you won't get paid. That got the attention of the greedy capitalists who went to their vacation resorts to think things over.


Many of these events turned violent during this period, including the infamous Haymarket Riot of 1886, in which several Chicago policemen and workers were killed. Others gave rise to longstanding traditions: On September 5, 1882, 10,000 workers took unpaid time off to march from City Hall to Union Square in New York City, holding the first Labor Day parade in U.S. history.

The greedy capitalists were willing to have local authorities break up the strikes. They believed the workers would be scared and run back to their dangerous and poorly paying jobs rather than face the authorities. The workers believed these greedy capitalists couldn't be wealthy without them. Every day of their life they faced dangerous working conditions for poor pay. Authorities trying to scare them into doing anything made the workers laugh and then angry. With their dangerous lives, the workers weren't afraid of anything. Our nation's history is filled with violent clashes between unions, greedy capitalists and authorities. It is heart-warming to think of thousands of workers willingly marching in 1882 to honor workers. I would like to point out we don't have any holiday parades to honor greedy capitalists.


The idea of a “workingman's holiday,” celebrated on the first Monday in September caught on in other industrial centers across the country, and many states passed legislation recognizing it. Congress would not legalize the holiday until 12 years later, when a watershed moment in American labor history brought workers’ rights squarely into the public’s view.

It's good to know the first Monday in September was designated as a workingman's holiday. Things are a bit different today. My grandfathers worked in steel mills. I was told they worked twelve hours a day for six days. On the seventh day, they didn't rest, the mill workers would be on the job for 24 hours straight for a shift change. I can't express my deep-felt gratitude to my grandfathers who came here, didn't know the language and worked so hard to provide a better life for our family. I'm sure my family's story is one that is common among many, many Americans. Now, our family even has some greedy capitalists. Things do change over time.

Labor Day is still celebrated in cities and towns across the United States with parades, picnics, barbecues, fireworks displays, and other public gatherings. For many Americans, particularly children and young adults, it represents the end of the summer and the start of the back-to-school season.


I enjoy the Labor Day weekend. Many people have a day off from work and spend time enjoying themselves. I like to also take time and give thanks to some guys who came here in the late 1800s, not able to speak English, and worked in hot and unsafe conditions for long hours for very little money. They did this for their family so they could have a better life. I like to sometimes refer to this as Labor Hero Day.

Here is a link to the story.

https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/labor-day-1

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Sunday, September 1, 2019

Attention and Alertness Increase After Just Thinking About Coffee. A Real Story




I admit to being a major java junkie. My wife tells all who will listen how I do not make intelligible sounds until I've downed my first cup of coffee in the morning.

“Good morning. I hope you slept well.”
“Mmmph, grummph, leeemph, seummph.”
“I see we have a level three coffee alert. Here is your coffee”

I then take a few gulps.”

“Ah, thanks, I just want to confirm, I'm still alive, this is still earth and we have more coffee.”
“No, no, and no.”
“What?”
“I'm just messing with you. Everything is fine. It's just fun to see that brief look of horror and panic on your face.”
“After my next cup of coffee, I may verbally berate you for having such fun at my expense during my pre-coffee morning stupor.”
“Before that can happen, it will take three cups of coffee.”

Now, according to a study conducted by our neighbors to the north. I can become awake and alert by just imagining coffee. I wonder if the researchers at the University of Toronto had their coffee before doing this study.

Below are excerpts from the story with my valuable insights in italics.


Researchers from the University of Toronto say that being exposed to things that stoke thoughts of drinking coffee can stimulate arousal in the brain and increase one’s alertness and attention similar to the way actually drinking a cup can. They examined a psychological effect called priming, in which subtle cues of something familiar can influence one’s thoughts and behavior.

If I were a participant in this study, I'm sure they would have told me to go back across the border soon after it started. I can honestly say there have been many times when I've had thoughts about coffee. I didn't feel my brain get aroused or become any more alert. What I felt after thinking about coffee is a strong desire to go and get some coffee. My alertness and attention were focused on making coffee in my house or finding a place to get coffee at the closest restaurant.

I wonder what happens when an attempt at priming goes terribly wrong and people think of the wrong things?

“Don't you just love java?”
“Sorry, I'm not interested in talking about computer programs.”
“Don't you enjoy java?”
“Sorry, I've never been to that Indonesian island.”
“I enjoy the smell of Java in the morning.”
“Again with the computer source code.”
“Do you ever drink coffee?”
“Is that from Chikmagalur? I understand it is known as Coffee Land of Karnataka.”
“I guess the research is right. Talking about coffee does get your mind stimulated and under the right set of circumstances, you want to hit someone.”


People from Western and Eastern cultures participated in four related studies, comparing coffee and tea visual cues. Participants exposed to coffee cues perceived time as shorter and showed more concrete, precise thought patterns. The authors believe that the effects are the result of subjective and physiological arousal.

“People who experience physiological arousal – again, in this case as the result of priming and not drinking coffee itself – see the world in more specific, detailed terms,” says Maglio.

Hey, I suppose this study proves it is not wise to mess with us, coffee drinkers. Unless you experience what we experience, you don't want to see what happens when we're engaged in physiological arousal from coffee. We can instantly get thought patterns that are precise and concrete. We can see the world in detail just by being given coffee cues. I think this is because we perceive time between cups of coffee as shorter and our precise and concrete thought patterns involve getting more coffee. You don't want to know what happens if you include a doughnut or chocolate scone cues with the coffee cues. Let's just say, I bet things would get real serious, real fast.


“In North America, we have this image of a prototypical executive rushing off to an important meeting with a triple espresso in their hand,” he says. “There’s this connection between drinking caffeine and arousal that may not exist in other cultures.”

Hey, North America is one of the wealthiest places on the planet earth. I'm sure executives running around with a triple espresso is a major contributing factor. After having a triple expresso, they may not be able to sit down for a meeting and feel the need to run. It's also possible when we don't have coffee, we're thinking about coffee as well as world domination. I'm sure there is a connection.

Here is a link to the story.


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