An upside to swearing

Okay, I swear a lot. Which is why I'm glad to see this headline in the Independent.
Swearing outbursts 'can lessen pain' - Science, News - The Independent

There could be a good reason why hitting one's thumb with a hammer is likely to unleash the Gordon Ramsey within, say scientists.

F-word outbursts, like those the celebrity chef is famous for, can actually lessen pain, according to the researchers.

Swearing may be a good recipe for coping with physical knocks, their study suggests.

Scientists at Keele University in Staffordshire wondered whether swearing might have a psychological effect that increased pain tolerance.

To test the theory they asked 66 volunteer students to submerge a hand into a tube of iced water for as long as possible while repeating a swear word of their choice.

That's all fine and well except for this problem with accuracy between the Independent and the Guardian. (HT to Lay Scientist)

Revealed: Brown's secret plan to cut Afghanistan force by 1,500 - UK Politics, UK - The Independent

Gordon Brown set to reinforce troops in Afghanistan | World news | The Observer

Ouch.