Tattoo Insight

From the book, "Deviance, Conformity, and Social Control In Canada", written by Bereska, I found a study concerning women and tattoo culture. Tattooing, throughout history, has been closely tied to masculinity, thereofore making it acceptable for men to promote body art. However, when it comes to women and tattoos, society holds a different judgement.

Social theorists, Hawkes, Senn, and Thorn (2004) conducted a study of human reaction to women with tattoos. They discovered that females with tattoos are perceived more negatively than non tattooed women!

WHY IS THIS SO?

It appears that tattoos continue to be seen as violating some of the standards of feminine appearance. Gender also plays a role; more men then women perceived female body's with tattoos in a negative light. Maybe this is so because of the ultimate threat to MASCULINITY, which is FEMINISM. Atkinson found that women who utilize tattoo culture are doing it to develop identities, established femininity or resistant femininity.

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Turkey Day

Turkey Day is fast approaching. A time where family gathers around a table full of delicious food and drink. But, do you know why Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving?

In 1578, and English Explorer named Martin Frobisher attempted to discover a passageway to the orient, however he ended up establishing a settlement in North America (Canada). He held a ceremony in Newfoundland to celebrate the success of his journey. This celebration is now known as Thanksgiving!

"O Lord that lends me life, Lend me a heart replete with thankfulness" - William Shakespeare.

FAQ: Why Does Turkey Make You Sleepy?

Answer: The armchair expert of the family blames the drowsyness attributed to the aftermath of a turkey dinner to the component tryptophan found in turkey, but he/she is wrong! This amino acid which promotes the production of serotonin (calming agent in the brain) is also found in chicken and ground meat at a higher dosage level than turkey. So, if you are feeling sleepy after eating your third helping of pumpkin pie, be sure to realize that it is simply because you have STUFFED YOUR FACE FULL!

Astronomy 101

Have you ever found yourself staring up at the sky in a state of pure wonder, just thinking about the origins of the universe and how EXACTLY we came to be? I have, many times with friends or on my own. The universe is a complex, vast, yet purely inspiring thing to gaze upon. Though I am a MIT student, it is required of me to take a science course, so this year I am finally getting it over with. Guess what I chose, Astronomy 101. Nothing makes sense to me, because my mind works in a different way, but I can tell you there have been some cool facts I have picked up over the past month.

That super bright dot in the sky that seemingly appears first before all the rest of the stars, is not the north star, it is Jupiter! Next time you are under the night sky, look up and you will see it shining brighter than the rest of the dots in the sky. I know some people like to believe things like this are UFOs but, science says no!

Also, if you have never thought of visiting the Cronyn Observatory on UWO's campus, I suggest you do it. Free of charge and worth the wait, you can go up and look at our galaxy, up close and personal! Be prepared to me amazed, but remember star gazing requires clear skies and nice weather, so take advantage of this opportunity soon.

A Dog Tale

For all those dog-loving people out there who think they know their pet well, I am about to reveal 2 simple truths about dogs that you might have never known. When you kneel down to give your pup a lick of your ice cream cone, your friends moan and groan at you thinking you are disgusting. You quickly defend yourself by saying, "Dogs have the cleanliest mouths" But, do they? How do you know?
Guss photo - room mates dog.

From the book, "Why Do Men Fall Asleep After Sex", researcher Joel Leyner discovered the answer to this widely held conception that a dog's mouth is cleaner than its owner. Sorry folks, but if you have been kissing your dog, sharing your cup of water, or letting your mutt lick your milk mustache off your face, then I hate to tell you that studies have shown that a humans mouth contains far more bacteria. Unfortunately, the urban myth suggesting a dogs mouth is cleaner is false. Your loyal companion seems to be wagging its tail a lot and you think "hey, my dog is happy!". But, is he or she really THAT excited to see you? Most dog owners believe that when a dog is wagging its tail that it is satisfied and happy. However, there is more to canine tail wagging than meets the eye. Wagging of the tail is a form of communication for dogs that can relate to many emotional states, not just happiness. Zoologist Desmond Morris contends that a wagging tail expresses a state of conflict; the dog's need to advance and retreat. On the other side, some have simply suggested that tail wagging is only a way of getting rid of energy. So, think twice before you think your dog does not have to go outside for a pee because he/she is wagging its tail!

What's that Smell?

I was at work the other day and considering that I work in a cafe, it is inevitable that I am going to encounter numerous people throughout my shift. Most of the customers are regulars who I have come to know (to a certain extent) and since I serve the same people every day, I have come to notice certain features about these people, mainly their SMELL.

Do not worry, the aromas that seep into the air from my regulars are not of a bad odor. However, there is ONE man who buys a small coffee every morning who wears Hugo Boss cologne. Now, you might be wondering how I know what brand of cologne he is wearing and I have an answer to that. I am VERY familiar with this smell because my ex-boyfriend from high school wore it. This particular fragrance TO ME is absolutely delicious. I would make him wear it when ever I was around. So, when this man comes in to buy his coffee, the world in my mind stops and all I can do is linger and ponder the time when I was acquainted with Hugo Boss cologne.

The fact that this smell has the power to take me back in time five years has caused me to research the relationship between smell and the psyche. My curiosity towards this lead me to the website www.askmen.com where I discovered why certain aromas trigger different emotions and bodily reactions.

Apparently a certain smell has the capability to affect emotions, moods, mate choice and more. The scents that are noses pick up send a signal to both the complex and primitive parts of our brains. Studies have proven that being exposed to different smells compels brain activity and physical activity to shift. Now, being a girl makes my daily run in with the Hugo Boss cologne wearing, coffee drinking man even worse because women have a stronger sense of smell than men. The last thing I want is to be reminiscing about boyfriends past, while my coffee pot overflows, but science says I can not avoid it. Research suggests that 75% of the emotions we feel on a daily basis are a reaction to the smells we are exposed to!

Java Joe

For my first official blog I would like to welcome all readers into the world of awe and wonder. Have you ever seen, heard, or felt something that was just a mystery to you? Have you ever wondered or been curious about something, but then just let it slide? If you are answering YES to these questions, I am in the same boat as you!

Often enough I stumble across a certain thing that sparks my curiosity, but I let it go. So, as a solution to this I have decided to dedicate my blog to exploiting all my curiosities that you might share with me, in hopes of reaching an explanation to those weird daily things that leave your mind puzzled.

A cup of coffee never used to be part of my diet before coming to university, but ever since I have dived into a relationship with Weldon library, I find myself needing a mug of java to keep me going. Now that I am a dedicated coffee drinker, I ask myself this question: Is there any benefit to drinking coffee other than the quick dose of alertness it brings? Some of you may be wondering the same thing, since we always hear negative statements about coffee like it stunts your growth. Well, I have found the answer. According to the book, "Why do Men Fall Asleep After Sex?" written by Mark Leyner and Billy Goldberg, M.D, the answer is yes!

Coffee has an additional positive property that can help any unergrad or graduate when it comes to exam times. Not only does it keep you awake with a jolt of energy, studies have proved that coffee can actually help improve memory. So, with midterms fast approaching come the end of September, the real question is should YOU go out and drink 5 cups a day to increase your chances of remembering that trick question answer? The answer is no, unfortunatey for those who are daily coffee drinkers, the more accustomed your body is to the stimulant, the less likely it is to improve your memory. Coffee as a memory enhancer has only been documented to work for those who are not regularly drinking java joe.