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Music Makes Your Brain Happy

Sun, 23 Dec 2007 17:22:10 GMT

clipped by: shunyax

Brain areas involved in listening to music are the same as those involved in other pleasurable activities, such as orgasms, eating chocolate or winning a bet.

Image: Courtesy of Vinod Menon and Daniel J. Levitin

Tags: music, brain

What a Collection of Photography!

Mon, 24 Dec 2007 00:50:00 GMT

clipped by: AtlLiberal
clipper's remarks: A few of these are even older than I am. Quite a collection of odd and interesting photographs.

Clip Source: widelec.org

Tags: photography, history, weird

Hawaiian Volcanoes: Beauty & Terror

Sun, 23 Dec 2007 23:28:27 GMT

clipped by: amgumen

Clip Source: www.darkroastedblend.com

Pu'u 'O'o cone on Kilauea, Big Island of Hawaii (aerial view) -

Eruptions in the Hawaiian volcanoes are normally preceded by multiple earthquakes which create fissures and facilitate the magma's flow to the surface.

The Paoehoe (pah-ho-ay-ho-ay) lava flows reach the seawater and explode, as ocean waves enter the fiery lava tubes.

The semi-solidified lava structures may look as curious lava-lamp oddities, but conceal behind their fanciful shapes a highly dangerous nature. The lava tongues and "tentacles" may look solid but often they remain incredibly hot and unstable for long time.

Like alien bread dough they creep forward, quickly cooling off and adding perplexing shapes here and there. The imaginary sequel to "The Blob" movie could certainly use such visuals:

A creeping lava tongue... A fiery waterfall curtain...

The bizarre coloring observed in the lava flowing in the tubes:

Such openings are called "skylights", offering a view into a hellish kingdom below:

Tags: optional. separate by commas., geology, interesting, nature, science

State of the world as we end 2007

Mon, 24 Dec 2007 15:38:23 GMT

clipped by: egoldstein
clipper's remarks: This is an incredibly powerful paragraph. I wonder if when George Bush looks at the cover of Time Magazine and stares into the eyes of Vladimir Putin, he still says, "ah, those trusting eyes of Vlad."

The U.S. is getting completely outplayed at the chess table and its leaders don't have a clue.

Clip Source: observer.guardian.co.uk

For a vast number of the world's people, democracy is an aspiration that comes some way after security and prosperity. The two great powers of the communist era end this year more confident than at any moment since the fall of the Wall. And what is interesting is that their sense of purpose and defiance is accompanied by doubts in the West about the strength of our economies and uncertainty about the direction of our democracies. Forget Islam and Islamism: these are the important undercurrents of 2007.

Tags: politics, news, world, democracy, putin, russia, china

Your eyes don't lie

Sun, 23 Dec 2007 22:40:21 GMT

clipped by: pokkets
clipper's remarks: There are more examples on the page. There are people knowing these behaviours, who try and use the common impression to their advantage. For example the people who are dishonest, who have trained themselves, to maintain eye contact, and so inspire unfounded confidence. This tactic can be defeated sometimes by remembering the principle, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
I thought it was interesting that eyes up right was visualizing an image, while up left was remembering a sound. Sounds reasonable the way the brain is divided right/left, but I wonder if it is the same for left handers. Or somebody that is ambidextrous

Clip Source: hypnosiscontrol.com

The eyes have this habit of positioning themselves according to the thoughts that are in your head, and other people can often understand what you are thinking about just by watching your eyes.

Being able to read other people’s eyes is a very useful skill. It will let you know if someone is lying, how interested someone is with what you are saying, and the type of thought that a person is having.

Like most behavior your eyes follow predictable patterns, so here is the rundown.

Eye contact. Consistent eye contact is a sign that the person is interested in the conversation

Eyes looking straight up. Rolling the eyes upward is a gesture that often indicates contempt, sarcasm, boredom, or annoyance.

Eyes to the Upper Right. Someone who you see looking up-right

is visualizing a remembered image

Eyes to the Upper Left. When you see someones eyes move quickly up-left

they are constructing images in their head

Eyes to the Right. When someone moves their eyes to the right

they are recalling sounds

Tags: eyes, mind, thought, read, behavior

You have got to be kidding me....

Mon, 24 Dec 2007 12:34:54 GMT

clipped by: Deepti
clipper's remarks:

Clip Source: www.gulfnews.com

A Hindu priest in central India killed himself with the promise he would come back to life after two days, police said on Monday

Manoj Baghel poisoned himself in front of a small crowd on Saturday at a temple in Raigarh in Chhattisgarh state, police said

He was taken to hospital, and died soon after

Police have registered a case of suicide, but have been unable to take the 25-year-old's body for an autopsy because supporters have insisted on returning the body to the temple

Police expect the crowds will give up their vigil by Monday evening

Tags: india, religion, hindu, stupidity, suicide, poison, death

Mars will shine at it's brightest on XMAS eve

Mon, 24 Dec 2007 03:36:23 GMT

clipped by: dfiskey
clipper's remarks: i've been doing a solar system puzzle about 15 times a day with my daughter, so i'm into the planets these days...seems pretty cool!!!

Clip Source: news.yahoo.com

Mars glows, no need for Rudolph's nose

WASHINGTON - Mars will be unusually bright this Christmas Eve and the moon will be shining full — a development that might make Santa Claus rethink his need for Rudolph's red nose.

That idea, from Miami Space Transit Planetarium director Jack Horkheimer, made us wonder if retooling a certain reindeer song is the best way to explain it to the kids:

Mars is a red-tinged planet

The red planet will shine brighter because it will be directly opposite the sun, reflecting the most light, and fairly close to Earth, only 55.5 million miles away. The full moon will appear nearby, rising about an hour later, said Horkheimer, host of the public television show "Star Gazer."

"It will be a brilliant red light," Horkheimer said. "It is so bright it knocks your socks off." He added that this would allow Santa to give Rudolph a pink slip, albeit a temporary one.

Nepal agrees to abolish monarchy

Mon, 24 Dec 2007 12:32:52 GMT

clipped by: Deepti

Clip Source: www.gulfnews.com

The Nepalese government is abolishing the 240-year-old monarchy and will move toward a republic to persuade Maoist former rebels to rejoin the administration

However, the change will be implemented only after general elections next year and a new constituent assembly is established

Elections for the new 601-member assembly are due to be held in April

The agreement on Sunday with former Maoist rebels ends months of political deadlock that had stalled the peace process

The Maoists pulled out of the government in September, demanding an immediate end to the monarchy, led by King Gyanendra.

Tags: nepal, monarchy, king, maoist, government