I have a very dear friend who is half Italian, but describes herself as entirely Italian in temperment. When she is angered, she has a tendancy ti "blow up," then calm down and apologize, and blames it on her Italian genes. Once someone online reminded me of her reactions, so I asked if by any chance THEY were Italian ... because of my friend.

Of course people from any nationality can have all sorts of different personalities, as there can be short-tempered Swedes and calm Italians, departing from the stereotypes. And there are people who match the stereotype, and people who perpetuate them. I had a blonde friend, who was a very intelligent, athletic, a lifeguard, and would threaten to beat up people who made "dumb blonde" jokes. Yet I know other blondes who say "Oh well, I was just having a blonde moment ..." at any silly mistake they make.

We humans are such funny, perplexing creatures. To think, when my mother was in college (in the second class of women ever allowed at her college) year ago, her psychology professor told her he was sure that, at the rate science was progressing, they'd know everything about the human mind, and human nature, in ten years. He thought all mental illness we be understood and as treatable as a broken wrist was then. And that was more than 50 years ago. Optimistic, wasn't he?