Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Clear Description of PTSD


one could say that in PTSD, the "emotional brain" assumes dominance over the "rational brain".

The reason appears to be the failure of the Hippocampus to create abstract verbal representations that inhibit the brain's access to sensory-perceptual recollections of the traumatic event (Conway & Pearce, Psychological Review, 2000).


When the brain is overwhelmed, the hippocampus shuts down. Not only does it fail to turn the trauma into words that can be processed after the event, but during the event, that shutdown impairs critical thinking. Ever hear about an event and wondered why so-and-so didn't just...whatever? They're not stupid. It's a brain thing. And, Mr./Ms. Armchair Quarterback, yours works the same way.

Source: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/recovering-trauma/201008/post-traumatic-stress

Advice From Disney Princesses

Hilarious!!!

Advice from Disney princesses.

Ariel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8xCgC3w1zs

Belle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uuk-h2ZYNJU

Geek Chic: The Pi Necklace

http://thegloss.com/fashion/random-photo-cheat-in-class-with-this-pi-necklace/

Why Smart People Do Dumb Things

The articles linked from this list are full of enlightening research. From why the written word is so powerful to backfiring rewards to stereotypes and more, this list has some juicy food for thought.

http://www.spring.org.uk/2010/01/10-more-brilliant-social-psychology-studies.php

We Like to Pick Our Own Carrots

This is interesting.

"According to research cited by Sheena Iyengar in The Art of Choosing, infants as young as 4 months enjoyed the power of choice to turn on music by their own volition. In adults, "neurons in the striatum...respond more to rewards that people or animals actively choose than to identical rewards that are passively received." Isn't it amazing that our very brain cells vibrate happily to our active choices?"

I'm wondering how this relates to all of the research showing that employees aren't terribly motivated by monetary rewards. If you gave employees a choice of money, vacation time, flex time, etc., would you get better work out of them than with the standard "Here's the list of things you have to accomplish to get your bonus" approach?

From whence the quote: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/changepower/201008/the-choice-motivator

Regrets of the Dying

These lists pretty much all say the same thing. Wish I'd taken more chances. Wish I'd asked that girl/guy out. Wish I'd ditched my job and followed my dream. And so on.

I'd like to replace all of these lists with "Wish I'd learned to accept that, at every point, I did the best I could with what I had and to appreciate the growing I've done along the way." After all, 50 or 80 years of building confidence in yourself should be cause for celebration, not cause to berate yourself for not having had your current level of confidence decades earlier.

Romantic Love is Motivating

I was struck by this paragraph in a blog post about the difficulty of breaking up.

"This brain imaging study of individuals who were still 'in love' with their rejecter supplies further evidence that the passion of 'romantic love' is a goal-oriented motivation state rather than a specific emotion" the researchers concluded, noting that brain imaging showed some similarities between romantic rejection and cocaine craving. "The findings are consistent with the hypothesis that romantic love is a specific form of addiction."

Good insight as to the ways in which our emotional beings can sometimes be so at odds with our analytical sides. Logically, it makes no sense to want to be with someone who doesn't want to be with you. Getting the heart on board with that thought is a whole 'nother story.

Post-It Note Art

These are amazing! Truly proof that the supplies don't make the artist.

http://johnkenn.blogspot.com/

Album Tacos

'Cuz adding tacos to album covers is just so...crunchy.

http://albumtacos.tumblr.com/

Monday, August 30, 2010

Nice Categorization of Needs

It's wrapped in an "if you want more, do these things" structure, but the organization of needs in the middle is nice.

http://www.angelamay.ca/index.php/2010/08/what-do-you-need/

Language Log Debunks "The Female Brain"

Language Log is a blog by Mark Liberman and Geoffrey Pullum. In this post, they debunk some claims made in Louann Brizendine's book "The Female Brain".

A Swipe at Neurosexism

A very interesting article by Cordelia Fine points out that brain research is being misused and misconducted to support sexism. A couple of quotes:

"Jost and colleagues have found that lower status groups have a remarkable capacity to rationalize what goes against their self-interests, internalize limiting stereotypes, and find legitimacy in the very inequalities that hold them back (see, for example [12]; [11])."

"And as Cameron [5] has noted in her popular critique The myth of Mars and Venus, the effect, and also perhaps the appeal, of the idea of “timeless, natural, and nevitable” differences between the sexes is that it “stops us thinking about what social arrangements might work better than our present ones in a society that can no longer be run on the old assumptions about what men and women do.” (p. 177)"

Source: http://www.cordeliafine.com/will_working_mothers_brains_explode.pdf

I Finally Have an Ism to Call My Own

I like this. It resonates with me.

"Our ignorance of the cosmos is too vast to commit to atheism, and yet we know too much to commit to a particular religion. A third position, agnosticism, is often an uninteresting stance in which a person simply questions whether his traditional religious story (say, a man with a beard on a cloud) is true or not true. But with Possibilianism I'm hoping to define a new position -- one that emphasizes the exploration of new, unconsidered possibilities. Possibilianism is comfortable holding multiple ideas in mind; it is not interested in committing to any particular story." - David Eagleman

Check out http://www.possibilian.com/

One More Thing the Buddhists Got Right

"It turns out that our sense of time is deeply entangled with memory, and that when we remember more – when we are sensitive to every madeleine and sip of limeflower tea – we can stretch time out, like a blanket. This suggests that the simplest way to extend our life, squeezing more experience out of this mortal coil, is to be more attentive, more sensitive to the everyday details of the world." - Jonah Lehrer, blog post "In Search of Time".

Seems like mindfulness is popping up everywhere these days... helping kids learn in school, having great relationships, and even stretching time.

Delusions of Gender

Fascinating interview with Cordelia Fine, author of "Delusions of Gender." I'm intrigued by the idea that people assign to biology/neurology anything they have trouble imagining different than it is.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/sciencefair/post/2010/08/neurosexism-cordelia-fine-interview/1

Bad Apples In Your Team Are Expensive

The article is on managers' needs to balance protecting their people with maintaining their own standing. Good advice all around, but I loved this part about the effect of bad apples:

"Research by Will Felps and his colleagues on “bad apples” bolsters this point. They identified three kinds of destructive characters, whom I call deadbeats (“withholders of effort”), downers (who “express pessimism, anxiety, insecurity, and irritation”), and assholes (who violate “interpersonal norms of respect”). Felps estimates that, compared to teams without bad apples, those with just one suffer a performance disadvantage of 30% to 40%. Rotten apples sap time and energy that could be devoted to useful tasks. Their negativity is also contagious—it infects coworkers, turning them into deadbeats, downers, and assholes just like them."

Source: http://hbr.org/2010/09/managing-yourself-the-boss-as-human-shield/sb1

Sunday, August 29, 2010

High Hurdles to Get in Raise Liking of Group

Interesting. Is this why guys are sooo loyal to fraternities?

http://www.bakadesuyo.com/do-we-like-a-group-more-if-it-puts-us-through

Pay Attention to Those TV Commercials

Very interesting. TV commercials work better on us when we're NOT paying attention.

http://www.bakadesuyo.com/are-tv-ads-more-effective-if-we-pay-less-atte

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Pet Cloud

So creative. Just think, you'd never have to shade your eyes with your hand.

http://superpunch.blogspot.com/2010/08/michael-caskers-my-pet-cloud.html

Friday, August 27, 2010

Bed Bugs Lose the Weirdness Contest

I think Isabella Rossellini's short film is even weirder than bedbugs. Love Jon Stewart's response!

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2010/08/27/bed-bugs-and-seduction/

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Awesome Star Wars Garage Sale Sign

This is great!

http://oddlyspecific.com/2010/08/26/funny-signs-fair-use-right/

Save Electricity, Snuggle Up

Fascinating. People near a loved one estimate the temperature of the room 2 degrees warmer than people not near a loved one. Grab a friend and turn down the thermostat!

http://bigthink.com/ideas/23013

Danny and Annie: a Love Story

Wow! This is the best love story I've ever seen. (Warning: requires Kleenex)

http://www.onecoolthingaday.com/today/2010/8/25/danny-annie-the-best-most-romantic-love-storyhave-tissues-wh.html

Hand Fork and Hand Spoon

I miss stumbling upon amazing design sense in Japan. That was one of the cool things about my stint there.

http://www.likecool.com/Hand_Fork_and_Hand_Spoon--Kitchen--Home.html

We Don't Like Covers

Finally, an explanation for why I've never had a thing for The Beatles doing their own stuff.

http://www.bakadesuyo.com/do-we-prefer-the-original-version-of-a-song-b

It's Sergio Mendes' fault that I sang Norwegian Wood with a Brazilian beat 'till high school. :)

Mental Whammy Works on Guys Too

This doesn't surprise me, but it's nice to have research to back up my gut feeling. Images of guys emphasizing their aesthetics make guys feel worse about themselves. Images of guys emphasizing performance attributes make them feel better.

http://www.bakadesuyo.com/is-it-only-women-who-are-negatively-affected

If you think about it, it makes sense. A person has little control over how close they are to the cultural ideal and much control over getting in shape for a specific activity.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Ninja Gingerbread Men

Too funny.

http://www.geekologie.com/2010/08/deadly_deliciousness_ninjabrea.php

Ink Cartridge Enterprise

Wow. This is amazing.

http://www.geekologie.com/2010/08/reduce_reuse_repurpose_ink_car.php

Camper for One

Wow. This is an amazing design.

http://www.geekologie.com/2010/08/camper_for_one_please_bufalino.php

Gotham and Meditation

Fun article by Deepak Chopra's son on his history with meditation. I can't believe he named the poor kid Gotham. Shudder.

http://www.intent.com/gothamchopra/blog/brief-history-meditator

Alan Alda On a Mission to Improve Science Communication

This is so cool. I wish the article had mentioned why he was inspired to start this program. I'm so glad someone is telling the scientific community that emotion and animation are the reasons their message is not getting through. If you had a favorite science teacher in school, dollars to donuts, it was because they were engaging.

http://www.the-scientist.com/news/display/57611/

Sleep to Remember

Not surprisingly, REM sleep is associated with better memory. We knew that, right? But did you know that the same brain areas that remember the past also light up to help you imagine the future? Oh, the implications...

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100815111456.htm

Monday, August 23, 2010

Why We Love Dr. Laura and Love to Blame the Unfortunate

This is a great article on our tendency to tell people whatever hurts them is their own fault.

"We don't, however, give up wanting more care, attention, protection, or love. We just stop asking for it, except under extreme circumstances. We adapt, much like camels have adapted over millennia to go for long distances without water."

The other thing blaming does is feed our denial. If I blame you for whatever horrible thing happened in your life, I can feel (blindly and wrongly) safe that it won't happen in mine.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/what-is-he-thinking/201008/why-we-love-dr-laura

How I Hate the Phone, Let Me Count the Ways

I just love that they're finally discovering that folk like me (introverted and highly sensitive) are they way they are because they are and not because they need to be fixed.

Last month, 64 of the 65 minutes used on my cell phone were for work. Yeah. I hate the phone.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/prescriptions-life/201008/why-it-s-hard-be-highly-sensitive-hsp-introvert

Your Hair Records Your Internal Clock

I love this. It's the closest we humans get to come to having rings like trees. Even more interesting than being able to read a person's circadian rhythms in their hair is the finding that people's clocks didn't shift as far their schedules. That explains so much about my life!

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2010/08/23/your-circadian-rhythm-is-recorded-in-your-hair-or-your-beard/

Relationship as Stress Innoculation

The findings of this study really ring true for me. When I look around at my married friends, I see them taking bigger risks and dealing with life's blows much better than my single friends. It's not that they have better financial or familial safety nets; they just have emotional support at home.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/choke/201008/spouses-can-be-stress-vaccine

Happiness is a Symptom, Not a Disease

Yeah. It's weird to compare happiness to disease, but the analogy fits... though kinda in reverse... Anyway, the upshot is that happiness is a byproduct of other actions in your life and not something you can go after directly.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/ethics-everyone/201008/achieving-happiness-paradox

But You Have a Pretty Face

And maybe that isn't such a bad position in which to be...

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/evolved-primate/201008/choosing-mate-is-it-the-body-or-is-it-the-face

Friend Matchmaking

On the one hand, a business matching people up to be friends is brilliant. On the other hand... How sad that it's come to this. The pure matchmaking model makes some sense to me. The rent-a-friend concept makes me go eew, but I can't really come up with a logical reason why. It's just a more direct version of paying for coffee 'cuz you like the folks who hang at your local 'Bucks or that kind of thing. Still. Eew.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/valley-girl-brain/201008/what-facebook-does-friendships

Forget the Shrink. Call Aristotle

This is a really interesting idea. Take your issues to a philosopher, rather than a psychologist or clergy. The author makes a really good point that many of our big life questions really are questions of philosophy, rather than dysfunctions of our psyches or weaknesses in our faiths.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/what-would-aristotle-do/201008/have-life-problem-ask-philosopher

Don't Let Anyone Shut You Up

Clever. And very powerful. From Indexed.

http://thisisindexed.com/2010/08/dont-let-anyone-shut-you-up/

New Business Opportunities for Starbucks

Can't you just see the coffee cart splitting lanes in LA traffic?

http://www.geekologie.com/2010/08/omg_id_be_road_raging_my_face.php

"It's complicated and there is no quick fix."

I'm noticing that a lot of things that bug me in the world have to do with sweeping pronouncements, sweeping generalizations, and a general tendency to one-dimensionalize large groups of people and completely ignore their diversity. Looks like the nutrition folk are starting to agree with me.

(The headline is lame. Read the article.)

http://www.livescience.com/health/genes-and-diet-interact-100823.html

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Finger Hug

This is so sweet.

http://sarz-way.deviantart.com/art/o-for-hugz-176368612

"To be sexual with someone is both an honor and a responsibility"

How much better would life be if people drummed that into their brains? About 30 seconds of thinking comes up with huge lowering of hurt feelings, reputation damage, lost friendships, etc. and a raising of the bar for all of the positive adjectives we associate with sex.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-pleasures-sex/201008/sex-the-pleasure-surprise-and-responsibility-seeing-your-partners-othe

The Mathematics of Hangman

This is not what I'd call an easy read, but it's really interesting. It's also so very funny to slog through a lot of technical mathematical logic only to get to the "is the scaffold drawn first or as part of the game" debate in the comments.

http://blog.wolfram.com/2010/08/13/25-best-hangman-words/

Another One for the Good Guys List: Marty Klein

"He is outspoken about many popular and clinical ideas about sexuality, decrying psychology’s gender stereotypes, sex-negativity, and what he calls 'the Oprah-ization of therapy.'" That puts him on my good-guys list.

My rant: Gender stereotypes are just as damaging and dehumanizing as racial stereotypes. The sooner we all figure out that the best relating and relationship advice ever is to drop all that crap and put forth the effort to actually see the other person for who they are, the better.

Here's the rest of Marty's bio: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/bloggers/marty-klein-phd

And a great article on being interviewed by a writer for what sounds like Cosmo and how she didn't like his answers.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/sexual-intelligence/201008/making-men-women-one-dimensional

Fellow females, take special note of the answer the reporter liked least. It's right at the end.

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Rotating Solar House

I love this idea, but not for the reasons you might think. Mostly, I just want to be able to turn whatever room I'm in towards the sun for a dose of natural light or away for a nap.

Source: http://techcrunch.com/2010/08/20/rotating-solar-house-generates-five-times-the-energy-it-consumes/

"When you are ready to pick a mate, go off the pill."

...and "take your Facebook picture mid-cycle."

Wow. The research coming out about how much hormones and hormonal birth control affect behavior is amazing. Everything from ovulating women smelling better to men to women on the pill picking different mates from women with natural hormonal cycles.

Source: http://news.discovery.com/human/women-ovulation-hormones-behavior.html

Plastic Into Oil

Obviously, it'll take more research to figure out if this process makes sense (energy to process vs. energy returned, byproducts, etc.), but it's nice to see people thinking in the right direction. If there's one thing we have lots of, it's plastic trash.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGGabrorRS8

Framing Over Facts

I'm fascinated by all of the research showing that facts aren't the basis of opinions. This study found that the frame weighs more heavily than the picture.

"Whether it is politics or science, audiences rely heavily on information short cuts to reach judgments. As part of this process, research finds that how a particular message "frames" or selectively defines an issue strongly shapes public opinion. On science topics, frames of reference that make general assertions about benefits and risks often dominate debate."

Source: http://bigthink.com/ideas/22955

Friday, August 20, 2010

The Variable Effect of Genes

The post is about Marc Hauser, Harvard Professor of Psychology, who is under investigation for scientific misconduct, but I really liked this paragraph about the effects of genes on physiology and behavior.

"Genes operate on behavior and physiology quite differently. On physiology, genes are indeed potent, determining how many limbs an organism will have, what kind they'll be, how big it will get, with relatively slight and slow-acting influence from the environment. Behavior is different. True, it's underpinned by genes, but genes don't determine it, except perhaps in the very simplest of organisms. Rather they make potentially available a wide range of behaviors (the more complex the species, the wider the range) from which the environment will select the most adaptive. It follows from this that while physiology is cumulative, behavior isn't."

When so many people are trying to blame genes and such for their behavior, it's nice to see someone point out that because we are complex organisms, we have lots of choice in how we behave.

Impatient Machine

I like it, but if I have to turn the crank to make it tap its finger, then I'm still the one being impatient. Mechanized, it would make a hilarious timer. Can you imagine trying to choose your next move on the chessboard with that thing tapping at you? Hilarious!

http://www.likecool.com/Waiting_Machine--Video--Gear.html

The Uni-Segue

This is very cool. A unicycle version of the Segue. It only goes 25 mph, so it's not my next commute vehicle, but I'm sure I need one for something. If they could drop the weight, it would be a good adjunct to a train commute. That whole power/weight thing might make that a nonstarter, though.

http://www.likecool.com/Ryno_Motors_one_wheel_electric_scooter--Motorcycle--Car.html

And the spec sheet...

http://rynomotors.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/spec-sheet-single.pdf

Ready, Aim... Dang. Still can't get in.

Video of various padlocks being tested for gunshot resiliency. Where do I sign up to do this test? I wanna shoot padlocks. Sounds like fun.

http://www.likecool.com/Padlock_Gunshot_Test--Tools--Gear.html

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Four Flavors of Shyness

Leave it to me to have the most difficult version of a difficult disposition. I couldn't take the easy road out. That would be too... well... easy. I'm fascinated that there are flavors of shy. That explains why we so often don't quite relate to the feelings and behavior of our fellow shyers.

Source: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-introverts-corner/200909/all-introversion-is-not-the-same

And to find out how shy you are...

http://www.wellesley.edu/Psychology/Cheek/howshy.html

The Practice of Friendship

I like classifying friendship as a mindfulness practice. It's so easy to go on autopilot and miss the deliciousness of the moments together or subtle clues that you're forgetting to give and receive what you need.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-meditative-life/201008/practicing-friendship

Painted Hand Art

These are beautiful. Some of them require a bit of looking to find the hands.

http://www.onecoolthingaday.com/today/2010/8/18/hand-painted-hand-art.html

This is Your Brain on Meditation

Very cool set of pics showing what happens to your brain as you meditate.

http://www.i-awake.net/2010/08/neurological-processes-during-passive.html

Beautiful Book Art

I can't do book art because I can't get past the guilt of defacing a book, but I sure do like it when other people do it. These are awesome.

http://www.dudecraft.com/2010/08/book-art-of-jacqueline-rush-lee.html

Questioning Gravity

As the guy who proposed the theory says, it may come to nothing. I just really like the idea of someone out of the box enough to question gravity.

http://bigthink.com/ideas/21826

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

The New Normal

Having gone through some grief and trauma in the last year myself, I relate to "life after loss, the survivorship itself and how the survivor lives that life" being described as "new normal." Just the other day, I described to a friend that I felt like the pieces of me that were blown apart are reassembling differently - a different shape, some pieces gone, some added - and that I was starting to learn how to be the "new me" and accept that the old me was not coming back. My own "new normal."

Source: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/geek-pride/201008/the-new-normal

Sports Bras and Support

My custom-bra-making group will find this one very interesting (custom-bras on Yahoo Groups if you're interested in such things). Check out this article on a study in England on what kind of support is needed for athletic activities. I thought the info on the direction of movement was very interesting.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/18/phys-ed-the-right-kind-of-sports-bra/

Men Are From Earth, Women Are From Earth, Deal With It

You'd have to be living under a rock to have missed the Oprah-spawned Mars/Venus religion. The content and the tone in which it was written (You know those guys who just plain like women? John Gray - who by the way got his Ph.D. from a diploma mill shut down by the State of CA, not a real university - is NOT one of them.) raised red flags for me and sent me on a journey into the world of gender research. What I found was a lot of hooplah being made out of statistically insignificant differences and a few "facts" that turned out to be things pulled out of his or some earlier self-help author's ass. My education was in mathematics with an emphasis on mathematical logic. Perhaps you can see, then, why this didn't sit well with me...

As BYU researcher Dr. Spangler says, "Despite fallacies in the popular literature, the ideas are embraced because they allow people an excuse not to spend the time and emotional energy necessary to truly understand each other." Amen.

Out with the old:
In with the new:

Bright-Sided Gets Broad Sided

I've been watching the skeptical and scientific segments of the blogosphere treat Barbara Ehrenreich's "Bright-Sided" as the Truth that will set everyone free if they'd just stop being so blind and see it. As this review points out, however, there's a good bit of chaff in with her wheat.

Sex Adds Brain Cells

I wanna know if those new brain cells add to memory and cognitive functioning, or do they just sit around thinking about sex all day?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/thea-singer/stress-relief-and-more-br_b_685146.html

Wanna Feel Secure? Get a Woman to Touch You

A whole new meaning to "It needs a woman's touch."

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/neuronarrative/201008/how-womans-touch-can-make-you-risk-it-all

Coolest Boat Ever

I'm just sure I need one of these. I have no place to put it and no place to use it, but I'm just sure I need one.

http://www.likecool.com/Seabreacher_X--Transportation--Car.html

I, Too, Love the Zipper Boat

What a great idea!

http://www.dudecraft.com/2010/08/i-love-zipper-boat.html

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Chiral Coffin

I like the idea of the chiral coffin, but I still don't see the point in burying bodies vs. cremating them.

http://www.likecool.com/Chiral_Coffin_Screws_Bodies_in_the_Dirt--Gadget--Gear.html

Gives New Meaning to the Term "Muscle Memory"

Researchers have discovered that muscles remember their glory days. It does seem that muscles get back to a previous in-shape state even after a long time. Maybe they've discovered why...

Source: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/08/muscle-memory/

One Part of Me Wants To...

This is so bizarre. It turns out the two halves of your brain can have different levels of motivation. Is this where we get that feeling that part of us wants to do x and another part y?

Source: http://www.bakadesuyo.com/is-your-left-hand-more-motivated-than-your-ri

Do Not Look Directly Into Laser With Remaining Eye

Wow. They finally brought the Linac Coherent Light Source online. I edited a bunch of papers on the concept when they first dreamed it up.

Source: http://www.siliconvalley.com/news/ci_15799184

Monday, August 16, 2010

Nice Guys Finish First, But...

They don't stay nice. From a nice article on power from Jonah Lehrer, author of How We Decide

"people with lots of authority tend to behave like neurological patients
with a damaged orbito-frontal lobe, a brain area that's crucial for
empathy and decision-making"

"This suggests that even fleeting feelings of power can dramatically change the way people respond to information. Instead of analyzing the strength of the argument, those with authority focus on whether or not the argument confirms what they already believe. If it doesn't, then the facts are conveniently ignored."

Source: http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB10001424052748704407804575425561952689390,00.html?mod=vocus

Friday, August 13, 2010

Social Stress and Inflammation

Ya ever know a really nervous person who was also always sick? This could be why...

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100809133323.htm

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Young Men Hit Harder by Breakups

I'd love to know if this holds true later in life. Like so many things, I'm guessing it doesn't change as much as we'd like to think it does.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100608135114.htm

and

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/25/fashion/25Studied.html

A Dose of Silliness

The Great White Snark sums it up perfectly... "has everything I could want in a song about a nerd-crush: a great tune, clever lyrics, a catchy refrain, and a delightfully-out-of-nowhere twisted ending".

http://www.greatwhitesnark.com/2010/08/11/up-up-down-down-music-video/

Italian Vogue Cover Story on BP spill

This is some beautiful photography by Steven Meisel. What a great way to use art to make a point.

http://www.vogue.it/en/magazine/cover-story/2010/08/water--oil

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Is Your Brain Male or Female?

They reiterate the (debunked) pulled-out-of-someone's... statistic on relative talkativeness between the sexes, but the rest of the test is kinda fun.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/sex/add_user.shtml

Blasting the Chattiness Stereotype

Measuring in natural settings agrees with the lab measurements that have been taken over the years. Now if I could just figure out how to update the mental software of the ignorami still spouting the bul$!#$ about women talking more than men....

http://articles.sfgate.com/2007-07-06/news/17253867_1_girl-talk-stereotype-louann-brizendine

Poor Dewey Ousted by Netflix

Very funny article on a college library dumping the Dewey Decimal System for Netflix categories. Ha ha ha!

http://www.cronknews.com/2010/08/11/librarians-abandon-dewey-decimal-system-in-favor-of-netflix-categories/#more-1694

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Don't Call Me Sid

If my name were Sid, I think I'd change it to Cookie Monster, too.

http://scientopia.org/blogs/childsplay/2010/08/blind-item-cookie-monster/

The Cat Couch

I'm just sure I need this.

http://thegloss.com/beauty/insert-your-lolcats-joke-here/

Drowning Does Not Look Like Drowning

I've spent a lot of time in the water over the course of my life and came very close to drowning a few times as a little person (which, oddly, did nothing to dim my enthusiasm for diving in again). This is info everyone should know.

http://mariovittone.com/2010/05/154/

Flame Thrower vs. Fire Extinguisher

These have got to be the ugliest guys ever to star in a music video. But the photography is really cool.

http://vimeo.com/13639493

The 22 Levels of Evil

Twenty two is such an odd (obviously, no pun intended) number. I kinda like that he didn't try to shoehorn his scale into 20 or stretch it to 25. Gotta love a brain that's happy with 22 classifications.

http://bigthink.com/ideas/21775

Maslow Meets the Modern Age

Finally. Proof that the machines really are out to get us.

http://www.geekologie.com/2010/08/i_knew_it_maslows_hierarchy_of.php

Beautiful Public Artwork Worth Every Penny

OK, they're Eurocents, but "worth every eurocent" just doesn't have that nice ring to it.

http://www.dudecraft.com/2010/08/obsessions.html

The time-lapse of the project over on YouTube is amazing. And a little heartbreaking.

Here's an article on the removal: http://scottburnham.com/2008/09/stefan-sagmeister-installation-removed-by-amsterdam-police/

Yeah. We'll Clear Your Face Right Up

This is hilarious!

http://xkcd.com/777/

Gummi Bear Lamp

This is wonderful! Can you imagine how sticky everything would be if you got a roof leak? :)

http://www.geekologie.com/2009/01/delicious_light_a_gummi_bear_c.php

The Eyes Have It

Not sure if these are cool or creepy...

http://www.onecoolthingaday.com/today/2010/8/9/the-eyes-are-the-window-to-the-universe.html

Very clever T-shirt design.

Love the ripples in the stripes!

http://www.threadless.com/product/2416/WAKE

Monday, August 9, 2010

An Interesting Discussion of the Masks We Wear

OK, so it's written about men, but pretty much all of it resonated with me, so if you're not biologically male, read man as short for mankind.

http://artofmanliness.com/2010/08/08/the-masks-men-wear/

I appreciate that they recognize that there is a time and place for masks but, at the same time, point out that they also need to be taken off.

Also gotta give 'em bonus points for using "sprezzatura" in a sentence.

Friday, August 6, 2010

Sensory Input And Emotional Memories

They're finally getting around to finding the why behind the what we've always known. Sensory input triggers emotional memories - your significant other's shampoo, the sound of a grenade going off, etc. The memories and the processing of the input are sharing storage space.

Source: http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2010/08/06/found-a-possible-link-between-emotional-memories-sensory-triggers/

Thursday, August 5, 2010

‘Nothing jangles a primate like crowding' - Lisa Feldman Barrett

Soooo true. And for some of us, the definition of crowding is hardly a crowd.

I hope the news that open-plan offices are counter-productive starts to perk out into the business world.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/your-brain-work/201007/misunderstanding-the-brain-is-bad-business

Bury Me in BBQ

This is a hilarious music video tribute to BBQ.

http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2010/08/bbq_is_not_a_verb_bbq_is_not_a.php

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Will I Grow Moss Like Stephen King?

Nanoparticles from ivy may replace the metals in sunscreen. This is very cool and good for the environment. But will I start to grow greenery like that guy in the Stephen King movie (played by Stephen King himself, if I recall correctly) who had to live in his bathtub?

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100719162955.htm

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

New Neuroscience As Seen Through Introverted Eyes

The discussion in the comments is enough to make this introvert hurl. Extroverts are *very* resistant to the idea that introversion is anything but a pathology. Sigh. The article, however, is a nice mix of recent research with personal anecdotes.

http://www.alternet.org/story/147676/do_our_personalities_pilot_the_way_we_live_our_lives?page=1

Great Use of Small Space

Love the drawers in the stairs!

http://www.likecool.com/East_Village_Studio--Design--Home.html

A Whole New Experience of Being Thrown Under the Bus

Buses you can drive under. Really amazing. What a great out-of-the-box idea.

http://www.likecool.com/China_to_build_hug_buses_that_cars_can_drive--Other--Car.html

Monday, August 2, 2010

Music Plays Your Brain Like an Instrument

This is just so cool. It's not short, but well worth the read.

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/feature/id/61575/title/More__than_a_feeling

Favorite quotes:

"It’s like the brain is on fire when you’re listening to music"

"Listening to a favorite tune will light up the brain’s reward centers — and boost activity of the brain chemical dopamine, a molecule involved in desire and reward."

Listen Up, Employers!

This will surprise probably none of us.

"A whopping 48 percent of those who want to change jobs are mainly motivated by a loss of trust in their employers, according to Deloitte’s fourth annual Ethics & Workplace Survey."

Source (and more interesting info): http://www.bakadesuyo.com/whats-the-reason-most-people-want-to-leave-th