Headlines / Local / Commentary / Black History / Political / Entertainment / Education / Communities / In the Driver's Seat--Other News / Business / Sports / Health / Faith / Arts & Culture / Legals WEEK OF MARCH 11 - 17, 2010    Study: Happiness Is Experiences, Not Stuff Rachael Rettner If you’re trying to buy happiness, you’d be better off putting your money toward a tropical island get-away than a new computer, a new study suggests. The results show that people’s satisfaction with their life-experience purchases - anything from seeing a movie to going on a vacation - tends to start out high and go up over time. On the other hand, although they might be initially happy with that shiny new iPhone or the latest in fashion, their satisfaction with these items wanes with time. The findings, based on eight separate studies, agree with previous research showing that experience-related buys lead to more happiness for the consumer. But the current work provides some insight into why. Among the reasons: * People are more likely to mull over their material purchases than they are experiential ones, second-guessing themselves about whether they really made the best choice. * We tend to think of experiences more on their own terms, rather than in comparison with other things. * It’s easier for us to decide on an experiential purchase than a material one. * We’re more upset if we learn that someone else got a better deal, or that a better option exists, for a material purchase than for an experience-related one. Satisfaction with a purchase could also come down to mindset. When participants in one study thought of material purchases, such as a music CD, as an experience (many hours of enjoyable listening), they were more satisfied than those who viewed the purchase as just a material item. In another study, 142 participants were asked to think about either a material or experience-related purchase they had made that cost at least $50. Then, they answered questions about: how difficult the decision was to make; how concerned they were that they made the right choice; and how satisfied they were with the purchase initially and at present. The people who thought of a material purchase were significantly more likely to report feeling concerned about the buy and less satisfied with their choice at present than those who had recalled an experiential purchase. A third study involved 164 participants who were asked how they felt about a hypothetical situation in which they had made a purchase, but later found out that other, superior choices existed. They imagined either buying a material good, such as a wristwatch, laptop, MP3 player or a pair of jeans, or an experience, including a meal at a restaurant, a movie viewing, a New York City show, or an island vacation. Subjects who imagined a material purchase were more likely to be disturbed by the availability of better options, and in turn, reported diminished satisfaction with the buy, than those who imagined an experiential purchase. And participants were more likely to be jealous of a rival’s superior purchase if the item in question was a possession rather than an experience. Since materials are more easily compared with other things than experiences are, material buys bring more concern and less happiness than experiential ones, the researchers from Cornell University say. The results were published in the January issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Back to top  Hillwood High School Faculty To Lose Hair For A Cause Local High School supports Soles4Souls® by dying hair and shaving heads It will be a mountain like no other, a shoe mountain. Hillwood High School will conclude a month-long shoe drive collection with a special assembly in the school’s gym on Thursday, March 11th. Hillwood High School, in a partnership with Soles4Souls, has been collecting shoes and raising money for the last month to assist the victims of January’s earthquake in Haiti. Over 1,300 shoes will be on display in the form of a shoe mountain during the assembly. Also, the money raised by students will be displayed as several teachers will have their head’s shaved and/or dyed green. Soles4Souls is a Nashville based non-profit that has given away over 7 million pairs of shoes within the last five years to children and families in need. The event is for parents, teachers, friends and family to join in on the grassroots community efforts to raise awareness for a great cause.  Students at Hillwood High School decided they wanted to step outside the typical charity fundraiser scenario, and really make a statement.  The event will begin at 1:30 p.m. in the school gym. “When the earthquake in Haiti happened, we decided as a school we wanted to try to do something to help.  The students have been amazing collecting shoes and money to help the victims of the Haiti earthquake,” says Coby Ginsberg, Media Teacher at the Hillwood High. “Our organization is fueled by the seemingly simple acts of kindness by students like those at Hillwood High School. Something as simple as donating a used pair of shoes can truly change someone’s life, especially the victims of the Haiti disaster” says Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls. For more information about the program visit www.GiveShoes.org Back to top  Ed Cole named Executive Director of Transit Alliance of Middle Tennessee Ed Cole Ed Cole, the respected Chief of Environment and Planning for the Tennessee Department of Transportation, will be the new Executive Director of the Transit Alliance of Middle Tennessee, the 10-county private-sector advocacy organization supporting improved regional transit services in the mid-state region. Charles W. Bone, a Sumner County resident and chairman of the Transit Alliance board of directors, announced the appointment. He said Mr. Cole will begin his new duties on April 15. “Our region needs to move forward on a modern regional transit system, it won’t be cheap, and it will take a broad base of understanding among citizens and elected officials,” said Mr. Bone, who is chairman of Bone McAllester Norton PLLC. “Without better ways for Middle Tennesseans to get to work, home and school, our communities will be grossly limited in creating jobs for the future. Ed Cole is exactly the executive director we need to facilitate the leadership discussions and the public understanding that will be necessary to make serious progress.” Nashville’s Mayor Karl Dean, who chairs the Nashville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), said Mr. Cole’s leadership will help the mayors in the region and private-sector leaders make progress on regional transit improvements. “Ed Cole is the right person to head the Transit Alliance,” Mayor Dean said. “He has credibility throughout Middle Tennessee as an expert on transportation issues. He will be an invaluable asset as we begin the public education process about the need for regional mass transit.” Gallatin Mayor Jo Ann Graves, who serves as Chair of the Middle Tennessee Mayors Caucus, said it is “imperative that the counties of Middle Tennessee take a regional approach to solving our long term transportation needs.” “Nashville and its surrounding counties are competing with cities like Charlotte and Austin for business prospects that provide jobs to our citizens,” Mayor Graves said. “Ed Cole has the knowledge and understanding of the importance of a regional mass transit system and has the ability to bring diverse people to the table.  Ed will be a critical component in making rail become a reality. Commissioner Gerald Nicely, who leads the Tennessee Department of Transportation, commended Mr. Cole’s years of service and stressed the importance of the Transit Alliance. “Ed Cole has been instrumental in elevating public understanding of our transportation choices across Tennessee, and he has helped to make TDOT a better agency serving Tennesseans,” Mr. Nicely said. “The Transit Alliance will be well-served as it undertakes the important work of helping move our regional transit system forward.” Mr. Cole is a native of Salem, Oregon, and a graduate of Willamette University. He has masters degrees from the University of Florida and University of Tennessee and has been a Tennessean since 1972 when he joined the faculty of George Peabody College for Teachers. In 2001, Mr. Cole became the first executive director of Cumberland Region Tomorrow, a 10-county consortium of Middle Tennessee leaders visioning the future of growth and development in the region. He joined TDOT in 2003 as its first chief of Environment and Planning. In this capacity, he has worked extensively with local officials, citizens groups and other agencies in state government.   “This is a wonderful opportunity to continue my work with local officials and citizens throughout Middle Tennessee,” Mr. Cole said today. “One of the things we hear constantly is the need for transportation choices, which certainly include public transportation options. This is a terrific chance to be involved in this way in Middle Tennessee.” The Transit Alliance will work closely with the Middle Tennessee Mayors Caucus to develop a plan for dedicated funding for regional transit at the local level. The two organizations are also coordinating with the Nashville Area MPO, which will connect those local funds with federal transportation dollars in support of improved mass transit. Back to top    Disprove Tobacco Myths (NAPSI)-Fact-you can protect yourself from the No. 1 preventable cause of premature death in America: smoking. Sadly, many people believe myths about tobacco. Here are some of the facts: Myth--”Light” or “Low-Tar” cigarettes are safer than the others. Reality--There’s no safe cigarette. “Light” and “Low-Tar” cigarettes can deliver tar and nicotine, just as regular cigarettes. Myth--Since tobacco is a natural product, smoking is “natural.” Reality--Tobacco is not the only ingredient in most cigarettes. Cigarettes contain 599 additives that form over 4,000 chemical compounds, including carcinogens. Myth--Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women. Reality--While breast cancer is the leading type of cancer in women, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women and men. Myth--Secondhand smoke is not harmful. Reality--An estimated 50,000 people die each year as a result of secondhand smoke exposure. Myth--It’s time to turn the public health focus to more pressing issues, such as AIDS, crime and “hard” drug addiction. Reality--More people are killed by tobacco than AIDS, homicide, drugs, car accidents, fires and suicide combined. Nicotine is considered more addictive and harder to quit than heroin. Tobacco-related diseases kill half of lifelong smokers. Myth--It’s overkill to say pregnant women should stay away from secondhand smoke. Reality--Secondhand smoke exposure during pregnancy has been linked to sudden infant death syndrome. Evidence also suggests a relationship between secondhand smoke and childhood cancers. Myth--Smoking causes lung cancer only. If you avoid that, you have nothing to worry about. Reality--Smoking causes myriad cancers, including cancers of the lip, oral cavity, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, pancreas, larynx, cervix, kidney and bladder. There’s also heart disease, COPD, pneumonia, chronic bronchitis and many others. Myth--Smoking is a choice. Reality--Smoking is addictive. Nearly 90 percent of smokers began smoking before age 20. The tobacco industry has a history of targeting youth. Myth--If you really want to quit, you just have to put your mind to it. Reality--It’s best to consult a physician to create a personalized quit plan. Your quit plan should include setting a quit date, informing your social support network of your intentions to quit, and determining the best nicotine replacement therapy to meet your needs. Visit www.BecomeAnEX.org for your personalized quit plan.  Back to top