Headline, April17, 2013

'''THE GEOGRAPHY OF JOY : !WOW!'''

To knowledge you all, and all the while to acknowledge you all, E Weiner travelled the globe in search of the planet's geographical centers of bliss. these were the happiest places he found:

1. Switzerland

The Swiss may not be the most exuberant lot, but they are content. The Swiss also have a strong connection to nature, and a healthy attitude towards all wealth. Then there's the chocolate, which triggers the release of serotonin in the brain.

2. Denmark

Danish expectation might be explained by their modest expectations about what the future holds. Such an attitude goes a long way towards making us content.

3. Thailand

The ''Land of Smiles'' could teach the rest of us a thing or two about the power of not thinking. Intuitively, the Thais know that sometimes it's best to turn our brains off. They have an expression that translates as
''Don't think too much.''

4. Iceland

Icelanders are happy despite the cold and darkness, or perhaps because of it. It fires their imaginations   -and Icelanders are famously creative, publishing more books per capita than any nation in the world and producing pop stars like Bjork.

Iceland's economic collapse has hardly put a dent in their national happiness.

5. Bhutan

This tiny Himalayan country has a policy of Gross National Happiness. What more can one think and say? 

And on the Happy Facts:

1. Male and Female are equally happy.

2. Married folks are happier than singles, but parents aren't happier than childless couples.

3. People who attend religious services are happier than those who don't.

4. People with higher degrees are less happy than those with just a BA.

But here is my favorite from first person accounts:

''When you land and shut down, the vibration is gone, the noise has gone, the ground has long since quit talking to you because there's nothing they can do anyway. Everything stops.

Now you are looking at this valley surrounded by mountains higher than the Grand Canyon and you are seeing what no human being has ever seen before.

That moment, whether it was two seconds or 10 seconds or whatever, it was, it was just different........... Very emotional''.

This post is respectfully  dedicated to Capt Eugene Cernan the last man to set foot on the Moon.

Good Night & God Bless!

SAM Daily Times - the Voice of the Voicelesss