Talk of the Town: True happiness does have a price after all

THE general election squabbling and bickering might be subsiding, but did all that animosity actually affect our health?

Scots scientist and author Dr David Hamilton believes we'd all be much healthier if we made an effort to show more compassion for others and that simple acts of kindness can even improve our resistance to everything from ageing to cancer and heart disease.

Dr Hamilton says kind acts release the "love hormone" oxytocin into the bloodstream, making us feel all warm and fuzzy while improving the condition of the brain, heart, cells and even genes.

He's now set to explain all at a workshop in the Capital.

Sadly it seems his good-natured streak doesn't stretch to passing on his kindness theory for free: the workshop will set you back 65.

Olympic Games, set and snaps for skier Andy

FOLLOWING a recount it has emerged that Great Britain's haul from the 2010 Winter Olympics amounts to one gold medal – and a television. Edinburgh skier Andy Noble covered himself in glory by winning the sponsored competitors photography competition.

Andy, 26, from Barnton, received a 32in TV for his composition Downtime at the Games taken with a camera given to each of the GB athletes. The winning entry was described by judges as "full of joy."

Junk food

ANYONE privileged enough to be dining at The Prestonfield's posh eatery Rhubarb on Saturday night may have caught a glimpse of Garbage star Shirley Manson.

The glamorous red-head enjoyed a meal with her family in the hotel's Italian Room while on a break from her home in LA.

The city-born 43-year-old was among the first celebrities to champion the hotel, where her praise still features in the brochure.

According to sources at the hotel Manson insisted that her 30 set meal and two bottles of Pouilly Fume were far from garbage.

Sporting rivalry

THERE looks set to be some intense sporting competition between rugby and football later this year. It has been announced that BBC2 will be screening live coverage of the Scotland rugby side's Test match in Argentina on 12 June. A quarter of an hour later, on BBC1, there will be live broadcasting of England's football world cup meeting with the USA.

It remains to be seen whether Scots fans will choose to follow their national side, or cheer on the USA, but perhaps in the current political vogue there will be a third party compromise involving, say, an episode of The Bill over on ITV, holding primacy for viewers.