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Show F ^ ^ ^ ^ features@statesman.usu.edu 797-1769 — 4 - : - - - ^ ^ - ^ ^ - ^ ^ ~^^ - ^ ^ - ^ ^ ^^^ Life Wednesday, April 1,2009 . ..._ r._ 7Page-5-f—-\ 5 rI Focus: April Fools' wrong .Some April Fools' jojkes have ended in the death of a famijy pet. Aaron Anderson, an undeclared freshman, said he called his friend who lived When Nathan Maynes put salt in across the street and told him that his the sugar containers, he didn't imagcat was splattered on the asphalt after ine he would have to consume the being run over by a car. concoction that would result from the Anderson said, rfl ran outside to mix-up. the street to see rrty friend's reaction Maynes, a junior majoring only to find my own cat actually flatin communication, said tened." alter he schemed his April How's that for irony? Fools' prank on his mom, he After blocking off all the water was really putting himself at faucets in the house with clear packrisk for experiencing a tradiing tape, Jordan Shetlel. a sophomore tional family recipe in a whole in finance, went to bed awaiting the new light. pandemonium that his trick would Maynes said he thought his bring the next day. He said he woke scheme was clever. It was humorup early to use the bathroom and in ous watching his mother put more his groggy state forgot all about putand more salt in as she tried the stew ting the tape on the faucet the night that called for sugar. She realized that before. The' water exploded all over the stew was progressively tasting him, he said. worse and was most definitely not However, this prank was not a total gaining the sweetness that the recipe waste because Shettel said he still needed. Maynes said. His mother managed to soak a few of his brothrealized that her son had pulled a fast ers. It was worth soaking himself to one on her :u\i.\ in turn let him eat the see their reactions, he said. entire batch of stew. The old plastic wrapping the toilet "I felt so sick afterwards," Maynes trick never yets old. but undeclared said. freshman Nathan Call said to make By CATHERINE MEIDELL staff writer i sure that the trick is done with the right technique or it is really easy to catch, especially during the day. Call said he wanted to prank his brother on April Fools' with this charming trick; however, his brother saw the plastic wrap right away and laughed at him for not doinj; it right. A prank on a teacher went awfully wrong when a group of elementary school kids sprinkled cinnamon on their teacher's desk. Halt on Bennett, a freshman majoring in accounting, remembers this prank well because the teacher ended up in the hospital. He said that the teacher's students knew that she was allergic to cinnamon and figured she would be sneezing all day. Instead, she ended up in the emergency room. "She breathed it in and her throat started to close," Bennett said. "She wasn't a really popular teacher so a lot of people were pretty happy." The moral of the story? Think carefully before executing a clever April Fools' Day prank this year. -calkerinc. nwidcll (ahiggicnuiiiusu.edu LOL; l little l a t t e r goes a. long way By NATALIE CURTIS staff writer Laughter may not be an antibiotic or a prescription, but research and students agree its power is essential in healing, coping and surviving the challenges of life. Monica Hanson, registered nurse, said laughter may make a difference between the life and death of a patient because "it gives them the strength to keep fighting when everything else fails." There have been several occasions during her nursing clinical, she said, when she has seen laughter used as a healing tool. At the children's hospital in Logan, she said some of the nurses on the cancer floor dance and do crazy things for the patients. "It helps them to not be so sad." she said, "because it makes them laugh and cheers them up." According to the Australian Nursing Journal, some nurses in Sydney will be trained in humor therapy as a part of a new study to improve the health of people with dementia. In the article, a nursing professor in Sydney, Lyn Chenoweth, said this therapy works to manage behaviors that develop in these patients. "This new approach may provide staff with novel and effective techniques for preventing and managing the behaviors that can occur in dementia, such as severe agitation, apathy, screaming, pacing and aggression." Chenowelh said. In the Consumer's Medical Journal, W.R Frv Jr., a behavioral scientist and clini- STUDIES SHOW THAT LAUGHTER MAY BE THE BEST MEDICINE. According to a report in the Consumer's Medical Journal, people who replace anger with laughter have even been proven to live longer, healthier lives. STATESMAN photo illustration cal psychiatrist, said his research found that those who can replace anger, anxiety and hostility with laughter are more likely to live longer. The report also said laughter and humor are beneficial in "restoring balance, stabilizing of blood pressure, stimulation of vital organs, improving circulation, facilitating of digestive processes and inducing relaxation." I lansen said. "Laughter is essential to relax the body and reduce stress, which can cause or worsen disease." Laughter also releases positive endorphins throughout the body, she said. According to the Consumer's Medical Journal, "endorphins are chemically related to opiates, such as morphine and heroin, and act to reduce pain and generate feelings of well-being." The endorphins are "regarded as effective in contributing to a sense of euphoria," the report slates. Laughter can alter a person's thoughts, Hansen said, and also their entire mental world. "1 don't think people really understand the power that thoughts have on their life and their destiny," she said. "It's the little things that can make all the difference, so by changing someone's thoughts from negative to positive through laughter, we invite healing." Amidst life's challenges, people who are able to find their sense of humor and keep laughter and happiness alive seem to be able to handle each trial that comes their way. Ali Griffith, a sophomore majoring in dental hygiene, said laughter has helped her to overcome many things throughout her life. "It helps me to focus on the good things/' she said, "and makes me forget about the daily stresses of school and work." The positive outlook that comes with the remedy of laughter lightens hardships both small and lasting. Susan Morris, a case control social worker for Goodwill Industries, said she was abused as a child and also in her first marriage. "I was depressed a lot at that lime," she said. But later she said she found out thai life always felt better with laughter. Laughter brings more hope, peace, strength, self worth, unification, kindness and more healing, she said. "I am not certain about statistics." Morris said, "but I think many diseases can be healed with laughter as one tool." After being diagnosed with cancer and losing a pregnancy as a result. Morris said [lSee LAUGH, page 7 Get Spring Sal e New shipment of longboards from Loaded & Arbor 15% off < 2008 Bikes up to 30% off 2009 Cutter Single-speed style, no bitter aftertaste Sale $279.99 65 S. Main, Logan -Scott -Bianchi -Felt -Rocky Mtn Shoes & Clothes up to 40% off Sunglasses up to 50% off joyridebikes.com |