- Can a person’s brain work too much? For fans of “Jersey Shore” or “Teen Mom,” that’s a pointless question, but it should be relevant for everyone else. According to researchers at UCLA, the answer to that question just might be yes. Lead study author Andrew Leuchter, a psychiatry professor at UCLA's Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, people with depression appear to have hyperactive brains, led a team that studied the functional connections of the brain in 121 individuals, ages 21-80, who had been diagnosed with depression. Using quantitative electroencephalography to measure the synchronization of brain waves (electrical signals from the brain), researchers studies neurological networks among the different brain regions. "All the depressed patients showed increased connectivity," Leuchter said. "We know from brain science studying normal individuals that the connections are turning off and on all the time. If you take a snapshot of a depressed person's brain, you're going to find the connections turned on at any given time." The results of a similar study were published in 2010 in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, with psychiatrist Yvette Sheline, director of the Center for Depression, Stress and Neuroimaging at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, determining that depressed subjects had increased connectivity to one specific brain region she studied. Her work used functional magnetic resonance imaging to study brain connectivity in 24 people. By contrast, the UCLA research studied a range of brain regions and its 121 participants make it one of the largest known studies of its kind. "What our research shows is that the depressed brain appears to be less versatile. It's connecting all the regions all the time and is not able to shut down those connections in a normal way," Leuchter said. Great, so now depressed people have a dysfunctional brain as another failure in life to discourage them. Read more about Leuchter’s work in the international online journal PLoS ONE…………
- Something was lacking as tens of thousands of Russians packed into a downtown Moscow soccer stadium Thursday to show their support for Vladimir Putin for president and voice their disapproval of other Muscovites who have packed the capital city’s streets of late to demand democratic reforms. What was it? Genuine passion and enthusiasm would be one apt description. While more than 100,000 people showed up for the midday rally, the scene lacked the feistiness and energy of recent opposition rallies. Its timing on Defenders of the Fatherland Day, an official holiday in Russia, equivalent to Veterans' Day in the United States, was no coincidence. The paid/coered/threatened masses displayed pre-printed signs and banners that were probably forced into their hands as they entered the stadium, sporting messages such as "We won’t let them ruin the country," "Who, if not Putin?" and "Vote stability – Vote Putin." Authentic World War II marching music played to give the day a truly throwback vibe. Putin took to the stage and delivered a bombastic speech that alluded to supposed threats to Russia's sovereignty from abroad and referenced mysterious solutions to the country’s many problems. With the election already rigged in his favor, Putin has little to worry about leading up to the March 4 vote. Once the (bogus) vote is held, he will “earn” a six-year term as president/dictator. Still, the rise of massive anti-Putin protests from middle class Russians over the Kremlin-orchestrated political process that pushes serious contenders from the ballot in advance do raise important questions – even if they won’t actually be answered. The heart-warming scenes of Putin sycophants responding to his prompt "Do you love Russia?" were epic as well. "Yes!" "We won’t allow anybody to interfere into our internal affairs and impose their will on us because we have our own will… We are a nation of victors. It’s in our genes… The battle for Russia is raging on. We’ll be victorious," the crowd chanted back in song-like fashion. Putin refused to dignify his opponents with a direct mention, but did vaguely allude to them at one point. "We ask everyone not to look abroad, not to run to the other side and not to deceive your motherland, but to join us," he said. And of course, crowd of employees of state companies, teachers, municipal workers, and members of pro-state trade unions lapped all of the propaganda up and didn’t bother to ask questions or dare attempt to think for themselves at any point during the rally…………
- The Los Angeles Angels (of Anaheim in Orange County near the Pacific Ocean) went to a lot of trouble to sign slugger Albert Pujols this past offseason. They pursued him and gave him a 10-year, $250 million contract in December. The deal came with a 10-year personal services contract once his playing career ends and should tie him to the organization for the next 20 years. After all of that, it seems curious the organization could so quickly run afoul of its new star. That’s exactly what happened when Pujols showed up for spring training in Arizona eight days early and addressed the advertising campaign the team recently launched in Southern California using his likeness in an Angels uniform alongside the Spanish words "El Hombre." That slogan is emblazoned on billboards around SoCal and Pujols is none too happy about it. Why? Is it because the message is in Spanish and he doesn’t want to be pigeonholed as a Hispanic star as opposed to just a star? Nope. His beef is with the meaning of the “El Hombre” moniker, which translates to “The Man.” Pujols has asked not to be called that in deference to St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Famer Stan Musial, who was glossed as Stan "The Man" during most of his 22-year career that included 11 seasons with St. Louis. "Like I say, I haven't talked to them, but I prefer not to use (El Hombre)," Pujols said Wednesday. Pujols also played 11 seasons in St. Louis before signing with the Angels. "I still have the same respect for him as I had, not just for what he's done in baseball but for what he did for his country," Pujols said. "That's something you have to appreciate." Musial served in the Navy during World War II and has worked extensively with the United Service Organizations. Last year, he was awarded the Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor. Even though he’s no longer with the Cardinals, his respect for Musial abides. The Angels admitted they did not consult Pujols or his agent before launching the campaign. Angels vice president for communications Tim Mead explained that the team does not plan to take the billboards down but has explained to Pujols that they are just one component of a larger campaign……….
- No longer are silencers only for stereotypical, tattooed badasses in Hollywood blockbusters. If Texas (who else) has its way, Texas hunters will soon be able to use them as well when they’re out hunting for game. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission is proposing a rule change that would allow silencers, or supressors, for hunters pursuing alligators, game animals and game birds. Such devices are banned because of fears their use could fuel poaching or an unnecessary increase in harvest numbers. “We don’t have any evidence to support either of those arguments,” said Scott Vaca, the assistant chief of wildlife enforcement with the TPWC. Silencers are not cheap (nor is there a handy merchant of death to fashion one for you on demand like in the movies when the bad guy is preparing for the climactic final shootout) and can cost between several hundred and several thousand dollars. There’s also the bureaucratic hassle, as payment is merely the first step and must be followed by the completion of several pages of paperwork sent to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Along with the paperwork, new silencer owners must also submit picture of themselves, a fingerprint and a signature from the local police chief or sheriff and pay a $200 tax. Critics of the ban claim law enforcement officials in some counties refuse to sign the paperwork. The process can take six to nine months and a person cannot pick up their silencer until approval is granted. Worse still, a gun owner must complete the process for each separate silencer he or she purchases. At present, the only legal use for them is to hunt nuisance animals, like reality show cast members. The TWPC is taking public comment on the proposed change through March 28 and will proceed from there. It’s good to know that the notoriously gun-unfriendly state of Texas could soon change its anti-Second Amendment ways………….
- Look at PBS, kicking some legitimate ratings ass. The network known for boring, bland public television fare, children’s shows like “Sesame Street” and “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” and for “This Old House” episodes has struck it rich with its British period drama "Downton Abbey." Ironically, the series’ second season was also its last one and PBS will have to find another ratings race horse to hitch its fortunes to. Maybe there’s still time to revive “Abbey,” which ended its second season on a high note Sunday with the network’s highest ratings since the September 2009 premiere of Ken Burns' "National Parks." The second season drew an average 5.4 million viewers, excluding station replays, DVR viewings and online streaming. Additionally, the season finale improved on the first-season average by 25 percent, based on metered-market averages. It has enjoyed even more success online, as PBS data shows that episodes of season two have been viewed 4.8 million times on PBS' digital portal, which represents a 400-percent increase over the first season. Across all platforms, “Abbey” has drawn in more than 9 million streams across all platforms, with 1.5 million unique visitors, since season 2's January 8 premiere. Toss in the second season’s premiere episode and its average of 4.2 million viewers - doubling PBS' primetime average – and the argument for giving the series a second life has come life of its own. Besides, everyone knows those public television nerds are just hording money to throw at Burns when he pitches his next mega-documentary…………
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