Internet Psychologist
After three months of TV we finally know that Matt Cardle is the winner of X-Factor. Last night a record-breaking number of people (20m) tuned in to see the ex-painter and decorator from Colchester win the £1m prize. Simon Cowell only managed to secure 3rd position with his group, One …
BBC Radio Four’s James Naughtie has been very naughty this morning. Live on air he renamed Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt using a consonant for his surname which was rather nearer the start of the alphabet. The slip up stood out like the proverbial sore thumb because it was so abnormal, …
Have you got your credit card ready? Today is “CyberMonday” the annual online peak of shopping – supposedly. It is reckoned to be a response to the gloom of “Black Friday” – which follows “Thanksgiving” in the USA and when people are, seemingly, somewhat depressed. They return to work today, …
The latest Harry Potter movie has opened to critical acclaim and to box office records. Millions of people will be watching “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1” over the coming week – indeed in the UK it has already taken over £12m in its first two days and …
Teenagers are often criticised for being “unable to listen” or “ignoring their parents”. How many times have you asked your teenage children to turn down that music, only to be ignored? Well, new research suggests they are not actually ignoring you. It is just that they are better able to …
Anger is breaking out behind the scenes at X-Factor, according to reports. It seems that Cheryl Cole is cross with some of her acts boozing, while her competing judges are furious she went off to the USA in the week, leaving her acts without a mentor. But the chances are, …
You can’t imagine former Prime Minister Gordon Brown having many friends on Facebook. Not because he doesn’t have friends, but probably because he is a rather cerebral person, who is likely to shun the meaningless chit-chat so prevalent in online social networks. I don’t know Mr Brown, but I suspect …
The President of Chile, Sebastian Piñera, arrived in London yesterday with a bag of rocks as a present for the Queen. Of course, those rocks were from the depths of the mine in San Jose where 33 men had been trapped for 70 days. The rocks are a symbol of …
David Miliband keeps reminding us that his brother Ed, is really a great leader. The former Foreign Secretary doth protest too much, methinks. When we have to be reminded of things, when politicians keep telling us they don’t mind losing an election or when some hapless no-hoper from The X-Factor …
City spivs might not choose to vote Liberal Democrat again after being attacked by Business Secretary, Vince Cable, today. They might choose to vote for another political party in the future. On the other hand, though, they might forget all about this little spat and support the coalition party once …
Hypnotherapists often ask you to imagine you are laying down somewhere peaceful; perhaps you are on a deserted beach in the afternoon sunshine where all you can hear is the sound of the water gently lapping the sand as you feel the warmth of the summer on your skin. Your …
The “Fat Cats” are back it seems; the latest figures on the FTSE100 shows that the bonus culture never really went away. Many bosses are paying themselves handsome salaries, even though some of their colleagues in the top firms are showing some restraint. They may need to, because today sees …
Tony Blair is facing a concerted effort to diminish his book, A Journey. A campaign has been set up on Facebook to get A Journey moved from the biography section of bookshops to the crime department…! However, new research suggests this effort is doomed to failure. Social scientists at the …
Taking your laptop for a walk may not be as daft as it sounds The image of a sad, lonely individual almost tied to their computer for 18 hours a day and making money from some Californian bedroom is great if you are from the Daily Mail and want to …
The problem of the 33 miners trapped 700m below ground in Chile is both dreadful and fascinating. Many of us are fully engaged with this story because it taps into several emotions. Yet those of us who are engaged with the story have not commented on it, we have taken …