Clipmarks | Homonculus's Pops

Dogs Can Read Their Owner's Minds...

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:35:18 GMT

clipped by: mugofcoffee

The bond between man and dog is the stuff that legends are made of. Our four-legged furry friends are a constant source of unconditional love, devotion and friendship, so is it any wonder they may have a special knack for empathizing with their owners?

A study published in the journal Biology Letters concludes that dogs can "catch" human yawns, which provides evidence that dogs may be able to “read the mind” of their owners.

the first ever study to report that human yawns induce yawning in dogs found that 21 out of 29 dogs yawned in response to human yawning, showing that "dogs possess the capacity for a rudimentary form of empathy."

really enjoy The Dog Whisperer with Cesar Milan. He is a gifted animal trainer, and it seems he can correct just about any dog in the world. He is a true master and clearly communicates with dogs at an energetic level. If you own a dog and are not familiar with Cesar yet, his show is an absolute must-see.

Why I Love Clipmarks

Sat, 09 Aug 2008 23:34:17 GMT

clipped by: egoldstein
clipper's remarks: So, i didn't write this, I read it. It was posted by Clipmarks user onlinedesign in the "Why I Use Clipmarks" section of her profile. You can click the source link to visit her page.

I wanted to clip this because it really moved me. It is exactly what i hope Clipmarks can provide for people. Knowing that we have accomplished this for some people gives me great pride and satisfaction.

I could never adequately convey how impressed, inspired and grateful i am for the collective contributions of the people who share the content, thoughts, opinion, passion and perspective that gets mixed together here on clipmarks.com. I think it's truly remarkable.

Clip Source: clipmarks.com

I have come to discover that Clipmarks is a truly international gathering of individuals who share their personal news from around the world...and by making the clips public, open up a forum for interesting discussion and debate.

I have come to a deeper appreciation and respect for views and opinions other than my own. Whether I agree with them or not is a non-issue.

Various Clippers have provided endless hours of lively topics for discussion in my home.

I have learned some very obscure "tech stuff" that I ordinarily would never have even thought of on my own. I even follow a few Clippers...because they are wickedly funny, insightful, spiritual...mostly because they are just interesting "thinkers".

Over the last year, Clipmarks has become more than just a way to save and reference articles for research. It has become a tool to help me have an open mind.

Tags: clipmarks

Complex decision? Don't sleep on it

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 11:09:34 GMT

clipped by: Silkweaver
clipper's remarks: Since its publication two years ago by a Dutch research team in the journal Science, the earlier finding had been used to encourage decision-makers to make "snap" decisions (for example, in the best-selling book Blink, by Malcolm Gladwell) or to leave complex choices to the powers of unconscious thought ("Sleep on it", Dijksterhuis et al., Science, 2006).

But in the new study, to be published in The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, scientists ran four experiments in which participants were presented with complex decisions and asked to choose the best option immediately ("blink"), after a period of conscious deliberation ("think"), or after a period of distraction ("sleep on it"), which is claimed to encourage "unconscious thought processes".

In all experiments, there was some evidence that conscious deliberation can lead to better choices and little evidence for superiority of choices made "unconsciously".

Clip Source: www.physorg.com

Neither snap judgements nor sleeping on a problem are any better than conscious thinking for making complex decisions, according to new research.

The finding debunks a controversial 2006 research result asserting that unconscious thought is superior for complex decisions, such as buying a house or car.

If anything, the new study suggests that conscious thought leads to better choices.

"Claims that we can make superior 'snap' decisions by trusting intuition or through the 'power' of unconscious thought have received a great deal of attention in the media," says University of New South Wales psychologist, Dr Ben Newell, lead author of the new study.

"At best, these sorts of headlines are misleading," says Dr Newell. "At worst, they're outright dangerous. In stark contrast to claims made by the Dutch research team and in the media, we found very little evidence of the superiority of unconscious thought for complex decisions.

Tags: behavior, decision making, rationality, intuition

SuperModels in Rehab

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 10:46:37 GMT

clipped by: abailart

Clip Source: www.edstrong.blog-city.com

n Steven Meisel's 2007 Vogue Italia series,

"Super Mods Enter Rehab", smacked-out-looking models

are dragged along institutional corridors by aggressive

orderlies, take therapeutic baths (though so zonked are they,

they've forgotten to undress), hang out in their

locked-ward dormitories, and generally do their careers

no self-harm whatsoever. Previously, Meisel has had models

play at Homeland Security narcs and terror suspects

I doubt these mockumentary images are intended

as social commentary, or as a lacerating satire of

the fashion industry's atmosphere of vacuous complicity

They are too much part of the game,

too locked in the same hall of mirrors

Tags: 2008, photography, fashion

Top 10 food myths revealed

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 10:48:05 GMT

clipped by: tabsey
clipper's remarks: Need to visit the site to find why the statements are incorrect. Haven't they found that oysters are better taken by the woman?

Clip Source: www.watoday.com.au

Our mums are always telling us fresh is best, our friends insist carbs are evil and our boyfriends say oysters are an aphrodisiac. They're all wrong, writes Shelly Horton.

1 Oysters are an aphrodisiac

2 Long-life milk is full of chemicals

3 Light olive oil is "light" on calories

4 It is not safe to refreeze meat after it has thawed

5 Carbohydrates cause you to gain weight

6 Fresh vegies are better than frozen

7 Made in Australia means it's 100 per cent Aussie

8 The healthier option at a restaurant is a vegetarian dish

9 It's best not to eat after 7pm

10 Fat-free equals calorie-free

Tags: wrong

The Vicious Cycle of Inverse Temptation

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 10:48:29 GMT

clipped by: AudiTy

Clip Source: dirtsimple.org

The Vicious Cycle of Inverse Temptation

So this has pretty much been the story of my life. I get motivated and start moving towards a project. At first, I enjoy myself, because I'm feeling inherently interested or motivated by what I'm doing. Then the drill sergeant weasels his way into running the project. If I'm doing it, he says, I ought to do it right. Then he starts taking away my liberties, because I don't really "deserve" them until the project is finished.

Before long, I'm starving myself of anything that feels good, and even if I try to take time off or get involved in other enjoyable things, he won't let up. He keeps telling me I should be working on the project, no matter what else I'm doing.

Finally, I give up, feeling frustrated, deprived, and exhausted. Then I gradually bring myself back into balance by doing some things I actually enjoy... until the sergeant senses it's the right time to take over again.

Soccer can be brutal :-)

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:21:05 GMT

clipped by: markus1804

Clip Source: www.areagames.de

[Video]

Tags: sports, soccer

We've seen the future ... and we may not be doomed

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:22:44 GMT

clipped by: wildcat

Clip Source: www.independent.co.uk

UN report finds life is getting better for people worldwide – but that governments are failing to grasp the opportunities offered at 'a unique time'. Geoffrey Lean and Jonathan Owen report

Humanity stands on the threshold of a peaceful and prosperous future, with an unprecedented ability to extend lifespans and increase the power of ordinary people – but is likely to blow it through inequality, violence and environmental degradation. And governments are not equipped to ensure that the opportunities are seized and disasters averted.

"This is a unique time in history. Mobile phones, the internet, international trade, language translation and jet planes are giving birth to an interdependent humanity that can create and implement global strategies to improve [its] prospects. It is increasingly clear that the world has the resources to address our common challenges.

Ours is the first generation with the means for many to know the world as a whole, identify global improvement systems

and

improve

Tags: another, optimistic, clip

Tips from Thomas Edison on Living Optimistically

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 09:26:32 GMT

clipped by: Djiezes
clipper's remarks:

Dr. Martin Seligman, the director of the University of Pennsylvania’s Positive Psychology Center, and author of Learned Optimism, has studied optimists and pessimists for 25 years. His research has found:

Optimists

* Less depression than pessimists
* Better results than pessimists in most areas of life
* Longer lifespan
* Healthier than pessimists
* Better than pessimists at work and in school
* More friends and better social lives

Pessimists

* More depression than optimists
* Inertia rather than activity in the face of setbacks
* Feels bad subjectively–blue, down worried, anxious
* Poor physical health
* Self-fulfilling; pessimists don’t persist in the face of challenges and thus fail more frequently, even when success is attainable
* Even when pessimists turn out to be right, they still feel worse than deluded optimists

Clip Source: lifedev.net

Brighten up your life: 3 Tips from Thomas Edison on Living Optimistically

Clip Source: lifedev.net

1) There is no such thing as a failure- there are only unexpected outcomes which will provide valuable guidance for future work

Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time. -Thomas Edison

2) Decide with full commitment to accomplish something

Nearly every man who develops an idea works it up to the point when it looks impossible, and gets discouraged. That’s not the place to become discouraged. Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. -Thomas Edison

3) Look on the bright side of everything

Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit. -Napoleon Hill

Tags: thomas edison, edison, tips, list, optimism, happiness, howto

If you're happy and you know it...

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 08:22:14 GMT

clipped by: abailart

Clip Source: flickr.com

If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands (clap clap)
If you're happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it
If you're happy and you know it, stomp your feet (stomp stomp)
If you're happy and you know it, shout "Hurray!" (hoo-ray!)
If you're happy and you know it, do all three (clap-clap, stomp-stomp, hoo-ray!)
kids.niehs.nih.gov/lyrics/happyand.htm

Tags: happy sheep

Our Electric Future - (by Andy Grove)

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 10:56:34 GMT

clipped by: wildcat

Clip Source: www.american.com

Energy independence is the wrong goal. Here is a plan Americans can stick to.

In fact, we may be at a critical juncture, the kind that can creep up, in a gradual and insidious way, on companies and industries, and even on societies. Invariably, the actions that are needed to change course at such times are painful. Leaders rarely appreciate the gravity of their situation, and even when they do, they are loath to take appropriate action.

Let’s put this situation in perspective. Google’s share of the U.S search market is more than half. This allows the firm to wield tremendous influence over the very nature of the American advertising market. Google may even have the power to transform and redefine how advertising is carried out. OPEC has a similarly dominant share of the worldwide oil market, and it may have a correspondingly large influence on its customers.

We can do that by increasing our reliance on electricity.

Electricity: Energy That Sticks

Tags: andy grove, electricity, oil, energy, independence

The Next Renaissance

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 09:28:49 GMT

clipped by: Fast T friend
clipper's remarks: The next renaissance (if there is one)—the phenomenon we're talking about or at least around here is not about the individual at all, but about the networked group. The possibility for collective action. The technologies we're using—the biases of these media—cede central authority to decentralized groups. Instead of moving power to the center, they tend to move power to the edges. Instead of creating value from the center—like a centrally issued currency—the network creates value from the periphery.

Clip Source: www.edge.org

To me, "Personal Democracy" is an oxymoron.

The individual we think of today was actually born in the Renaissance. The Vesuvian Man, Da Vinci's great drawing of a man in a perfect square and circle—independent and self-sufficient. This is the Renaissance ideal.

It was the birth of this thinking, individuated person that led to the ethos underlying the Enlightenment. Once we understood ourselves as individuals, we understood ourselves as having rights. The Rights of Man. A right to property. The right to personal freedom.

Ironically, with each leap towards individuality there was a corresponding increase in the power of central authorities. Remember, the Renaissance also brought us centralized currencies, chartered corporations, and nation states. As individuals become concerned with their personal plights, their former power as a collective moves to central authorities. Local currencies, investments, and civic institutions dissolve as self-interest increases.

Tags: renaissance, douglas, rushkoff

Neuroscience: Rewiring the brain after stroke

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:57:43 GMT

clipped by: kmcolo

Clip Source: www.nature.com

The brain can recover so well from a stroke that initially paralysed limbs can be moved again. Scientists have discovered how this happens at the level of individual neurons.

Timothy Murphy and Ian Winship of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver induced stroke in adult mice and used an in vivo imaging technique called two-photon microscopy to monitor the activity of individual neurons close to the site of damage.

In the first month — when paralysis is usually at its worst — they found that some neurons ditched their speciality for one particular limb and began processing information from multiple limbs. During the following month, as the affected brain region reorganized itself more permanently, those neurons re-specialized to a new single limb.

Tags: brain, health, stroke, science, neuroscience

This is what craziness looks like

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 18:21:11 GMT

clipped by: willhelm

Clip Source: www.dailymail.co.uk

Researchers say the slow digestive system of cows makes them a producer of methane, a potent greenhouse gas that gets far less public attention than carbon dioxide in efforts to fight global warming.

Scientists around the world are studying the amount of methane in gas expelled by cows and Argentine researchers have come up with a unique way to collect and analyse it.

Berra said the researchers 'never thought' a cow weighing 550 kg (1,210 lb) could produce 800 to 1,000 litres (28 to 35 cubic feet) of emissions each day.

Greenhouse gases are widely blamed for causing global warming. Methane, researchers say, is 23 times more potent than carbon dioxide in trapping heat in the atmosphere

12 Diseases That Altered History

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 12:35:11 GMT

clipped by: A53GG4

Clip Source: health.usnews.com

12 Diseases That Altered History

By Matthew Shulman

Posted January 3, 2008

In his book Twelve Diseases That Changed Our World, Irwin Sherman, a professor emeritus of biology at the University of CaliforniaRiverside, describes how bacteria, parasites, and viruses have swept through cities and devastated populations, felled great leaders and thinkers, and in their wake transformed politics, public health, and economies. U.S.News & World Report spoke with Sherman about how 12 key diseases—smallpox, tuberculosis, syphilis, AIDS, influenza, bubonic plague, cholera, malaria, yellow fever, two noninfectious diseases (hemophilia and porphyria), and the plant disease behind the Irish Potato Famine—have altered history.

Bubonic plague is mainly a disease in rodents and fleas (Xenopsylla cheopis).

(SMC Images/Getty Images)

Tags: health