Earlier this week I posted about more research from UNC-Chapel Hill. This particular research proved that people are more likely to have health problems the older they get. I had previously commented on UNC-CH research proving that soap kills germs1 and hugs are good. (Not to pick on UNC here; examples of this kind of research abound ? q.v., the recent Stanford University ground-breaking study that found that, per the Associated Press, “Women May Enjoy Humor More, If It’s Funny.”)
All of this “Well DUH” research reminds me of the “Monkey Torture” skit from “The State,” in which a TV talk-show host interviews a scientist whose life’s work is in the field of monkey torture. Here’s my favorite exchange:
Barry: Dr. Crank, what have you learned from your many years of monkey torture?
Dr. Crank: They hate it. The whole being tortured thing. Drives them nuts.
Note
1. Jeff Taylor wrote to me after I first posted the “soap kills germs” study to the effect that, common sense or not, there’s a growing trend of health professionals who consider “too much” cleansing and germ killing to be bad, without regard to the health of the individual patient (a very dangerous idea, as you can imagine).
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