Stockholm Syndrome

There was a morbidly fascinating story on the psychological dynamic between captor and captive in today's New York Times.

One would think that the captive would be overjoyed at being freed; but it's not that simple. People held for a long time in captivity like Jaycee Dugard develop ambivalent feelings towards their captors.

Excerpt from the article:

David Wolfe, professor of psychology and psychiatry said:

“The child is frightened, and the perpetrator works to gain or regain the child’s confidence, to come across as a really good person: ‘I’m not going to hurt you, everything’s going to be O.K.’ and so on.

“So the child never knows when to fight or run,” he continued. “Do I wait and it’ll get worse? Or do I believe him and I won’t be hurt?”

Humans are wired to form social bonds, and such scraps of kindness can deepen even a relationship built on manipulation and abuse.

The Eiffel Tower @ 120 years Old

It was supposed to be torn down, but survied to capture the imagination of millions.

You and your brain might not be in agreement.

You and your brain might not be in agreement.

Studies have shown that while artificial sweeteners may taste sweet, only real sugar can both taste sweet and stimulate an area of the brain called the caudate. There is apparently a difference between the perception of sweetness and the detection of the nutrient value of sugar.

image at http://www.healthnode.org

Pretty in Pink

Shaquille O'Neal promised to don a pink speedo if he lost a game of volleyball to Olympians Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh. Well, guess what, he lost. Check out the video.

Twins Born In Different Years

Twins born in different years?

Yes!

One twin born 15 weeks premature, in October 1994; the other twin was born 14 weeks later, in January 1995.

Other "strange but true" pregnancy tales here.

Colbert Treadmill in Space

Finally, NASA is sending Stephen Colbert's treadmill to space.

What do these have in common? (Part 2)

Q. What do the following have in common:

Miley Cyrus
Jessica Simpson
Britney Spears
Rhianna
Jessica Biel

A: They're all singers of questionable talent. Just kidding! Jessica Biel doesn't sing, we all know that. No, what they have in common is that they are all rated by McAfee, the computer security company, as being "dangerous" search terms. Enter these names into an internet search, and you're likely to be led to a site that contains viruses.

The total list is here.

Image of Jessica Biel at http://www.rtvchannel.tv

What do the following have in common?

Q: What do the following have in common:

• Diazepam (Valium)


• Lorazepam (Ativan)


• Lidocaine (Xylocaine)


• Midazolam (Versed)


• Propofol (Diprivan)

A: These were all drugs Michael Jackson was given by his doctor and used during the three days before his death. They're sedatives, anesthetics, and tranquilizers used in the treatment of insomnia. The coroner's report states that he died due to toxic levels of propofol (brand name: Diprivan).

MLB's 2nd unassisted triple play

The Phillies Eric Bruntlett ended the game Sunday with only the second unassisted triple play in the history of Major League Baseball. That's pretty stunning! Even though my Mets suffered a loss, it is an amazing sight.

Watch TV when you open your magazine

Some are asking if si-fi is now reality. You can now find a video player in Entertainment Weekly. It holds up to 40 minutes of video. For now these ADs will only be seen in NYC and LA.