Tired of thinking about Kate and Wills, those crazy kids, or how you might have to tamp down on your counterfeit purchases, and where did spring disappear to, anyway? Here is a bit of whimsy: Einstein, the "world's smallest horse," plays with an inflatable ball that is bigger than he is. Who wants to go in on an tiny office stallion? Everyone?

​According to a new joint study from Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, and England's University of Warwick, New Yorkers are the least likely of Americans to commit suicide. Even so, that does not mean we're particularly happy. Researchers determined that people's overall feelings of well-being may actually relate inversely to suicide rates, meaning that the "happiest places" end up having the higher suicide rates. Researcher Andrew Oswald explained that "discontented people in a happy place may feel particularly harshly treated by life," A/K/A, misery loves company. Whereas if you're the happiest person in a roomful (or state) of unhappy people, you probably feel pretty much okay, if in need of some new friends.

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​Are you in a bad mood? Of course you are! According to a new New York Times/CBS News poll, Americans are pretty much in the worst mood ever, at least since the "Great Recession," when, you know, we sort of had a right to be in a bad mood. For a while, we felt better about things, but now we feel worse again. This makes us even crankier! Here are some things we're cranky about:

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​Here is incontrovertible proof that Mark Zuckerberg is an evil, evil man: Scientists now believe that Facebook triggers oxytocin, also known as the "love" or "cuddle" hormone, which basically makes you feel like you're falling in love and that the world is a beautiful place full of butterflies and rainbows and adorable frolicking kitties and puppies. Until you stumble upon a photo of your recent ex and his new girlfriend, who is clearly a Victoria's Secret model. Zuckerberg!

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​It seems counterintuitive, maybe, but according to a recent study of 1,300 people to be published in the Journal of Happiness Studies, those who are "contented" are more likely to vote than those who are unhappy. Further, unhappy people are not more likely to participate in political protests, to volunteer, to contribute to candidates, and the like. There's little evidence that participating in politics makes you happier -- but people who were more satisfied with their lives had a greater chance of getting involved in politics. So, what does this mean for the Tea Party? [Newswise]

Here is your feel-good story of the day: It seems a miniature pony named Midnight had only a nub for a back leg. He was taken to a rescue in Fort Worth, and was in critical condition at the youthful age of four. The folks at the rescue asked, of prosthetics, "If it can be done for humans, could it be done for a horse?" And thanks to the wonders of science and technology, paired with the inherent magic of mini-ponies (plus $14,000), he can run again! Look at him go! Our hearts just grew a size.

[via Videogum]

​According to the latest in happiness research, you're better off "focusing on living with a sense of purpose" than you are trying to achieve "happiness," whatever that is. And, apparently, focusing on trying to be happy all the time may make you less happy. This is because things that may make you long-term happy -- like having kids or getting a degree -- may make you somewhat miserable in the short-term. But that's okay; it's your purpose!

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He does look pretty happy. [via NYT]

​The New York Times and Gallup have located the "happiest person in America." To do so, Gallup put together a composite for such a person, based on key happiness characteristics for 2010. The key to happiness is to be, said Gallup, "a tall, Asian-American, observant Jew who is at least 65 and married, has children, lives in Hawaii, runs his own business and has a household income of more than $120,000 a year."

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​Congrats, New Yorkers! Along with being the coolest, the smartest, and perhaps the most cynical and jaded interestingly beautiful folks around (that's a compliment), we also have the best knees, Crain's reports. Uh huh, that's right. (Hey, take a picture -- it'll last longer.)

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​Today is the day in which a whole lot of unfortunate health studies got dumped on us. Scientists must be pissed or something. Because it's not like any of this is news so much as it's just a nagging reminder of how we have too much fun in life and better rein it in, 'cause we're gonna die... which rather begs the question of what life is for, anyway.More >>