Posts Roundup This Week at Dennys Blogs 2 May 2010

Photo by Victor Bezrukov @ flickr

From Denny: When I started these blogs they were to help get back my brain functioning after a car accident that took three years to fully heal. It seems the more I pushed a healing brain the more it responded favorably! Who knew? Life sure takes some twists and turns, doesn’t it?

What I was most concerned about was what if my brain might shut down again and the knowledge and understanding gained from a lot of life testing would be lost without a voice. So, I started yet another blog, Beautiful Illustrated Quotations, to record some of my spiritual thoughts. I’ve always enjoyed quotes as a writing prompt, especially spiritual ones. And then, all of a sudden, this year that blog took off with thousands of views per post. Again, who knew? What started as the weakest blog, that I just figured was a very small niche market, ended up getting well read compared to all the others – other than the crazy photo blog that took off as well on the same level. I guess people like to go on visual coffee breaks with me when I go tripping through the Flickr database for interesting photos for a post. 🙂

So, thank you, everyone, all of you have been just great to support these blogs. I never know what I will write about, report on or share each day in every post yet there is always something interesting to discover in this world – and I do like to share. Sharing is a way to give back in this world, pay it forward, say thank you, make them laugh or help ease someone else’s burden when they are stressed. In this posts roundup I included many of your favorite popular posts in the past couple of weeks from several of the blogs.

The Social Poets:

Whats Happening in America This Week: Wall Street Political Cartoons 1 May 2010

Big Business to Employees: Get Fired If Get Operation to Prevent Breast Cancer

Funny Mothers Day Quotes and Trivia – Cheeky Quote Day 28 Apr 2010

April is Poetry Month: What Being a Poet Means to William Wordsworth

Colbert Lampoons Immigration and Pot Smokers – Roundup of Late Nite Comedy 26 Apr 2010

Posts Roundup This Week at Dennys Blogs 25 Apr 2010

Whats Happening in America This Week – Political Cartoons 24 Apr 2010

Posts Roundup This Week at Dennys Blogs – 18 Apr 2010

Pollen Storms poem

The Smallest Earth Day Poem

Top 15 Bestsellers of What America is Reading

Funny Tax Quotes – Cheeky Quote Day 14 Apr 2010

Funny Tax Man Cartoons

Roundup of Late Night Comedy 13 Apr 2010

Funny Allergy Quotes – Cheeky Quote Day 7 Apr 2010

How to Survive Allergy and Pollen Season

This photographer often captures the humor in real life. Make up your mind already – is it Yes or No? by P/UL @ flickr

Dennys Global Politics:

Roundup of Political Cartoons This Weeks Funny Opinion 1 May 2010

BP Oil Spill Gulf Coast Disaster, Employers New Tactics to Fire Employees, Travel Smarter, New PTSD Treatment – News Headlines 30 Apr 2010

America Boycotts Arizona, BP Oil Spill Impacts Wildlife, Enraged Wall Street Protestors, Strange News Stories – News Headlines 29 Apr 2010

Those Funny Mothers Day Quotes and Trivia

Voters Moon American Politics Polls Say, Bush Years Bad Air Report Released, Throwing Eggs at Ukrainian Politicians – News Headlines 28 Apr 2010

Goldman Sh–ty Deal Testifies Loud and Clear, Drug Company Pays $500 Billion Fine, How to Detect Liars – News Headlines 27 Apr 2010

Roundup of Late Nite Funnies: Colbert Lampoons Arizona Immigration Law

Scumbag Walmart Lawsuit Caught, Scumbag Goldman Sachs Email Guilty, Scumbag GOP Denies Scumbag Reform – News Headlines 26 Apr 2010

Greedy Opportunistic Wall Street: Political Cartoons, Opinion Post

Cool Earth Day Links, Message From Our Prez

Prez Clinton Versus Violent Wingnuts and Blowhard Limbaugh

Prez Clinton Interviews, Slamming Wall Street, Tea Party Spat With Fox, Volcano Effect – News Headlines 19 Apr 2010

Spring roll for Bill the cat by Miss Claeson @ flickr

The Healing Waters and The Soul Calendar:

Want Your Man to Better Understand You? Try Empathy Nasal Spray

Roundup of Political Cartoons This Weeks Funny Opinion 1 May 2010

Good News: Rolling School Bus Library on Ride Home From School

Gulf Coast Oil Rig Disaster Slammed: Political Cartoons 1 May 2010

Beautiful Quotes:

4 Special Quotes to Anchor Your Dreams

How Is Your Relationship With Your Inspiration Muse?

What Spiritual Tests Develop Good Character And Our Talents? – with over 12,700 views the first day that sure was a happy surprise. Thank You!

Your Dreams: 5 Common Characteristics

Does Your Life Feel Like a Disaster?

3 Quotes About Facing Tough Times

Uplifting Soul Quote: What is Your Power in the World?

Spiritual Energy: Can Simple Words Add to Our Quality of Life?

Humor Blogs:

American Culture of Oprah, The Mob, Sex Talks, Morality, Free Speech and Diet: Political Cartoons 1 May 2010

Very Funny Mothers Day Quotes

Obnoxious Silly Mother in Law Jokes Just in Time 4 Mothers Day

College Grads Chances of Finding Jobs: Political Cartoons

Crazy Arizona Style Immigration: Political Cartoons – 1 May 2010

Cartoonists Latest Funnies 4 Mothers Day

Hilarious Egg Pelting Politics Ukrainian Style

Here’s a version of the pie I found over at flickr and it was so beautiful and creative I just had to share it with you! Chocolate pecan derby pie with caramel bourbon sauce, berry-ginger coulis by Greencolander @ flickr

Food Blogs:

Chocolate Wonders: Kentucky Derby Pie, Make-ahead Chocolate Soufflé

Easy Moist Chocolate Mayo Cake From Bon Appetit

Gorgeous Whiskey Chocolate Brownies

Moistest Low Cal Chocolate Cake, Pesto Veggie Lasagna, Quick Salad

Easy Rich Yellow Loaf Cake with Chocolate Ganache

Flourless Passover Chocolate Cake

Tradtional Sandwiches Updated: California Tuna Melt, Egg Salad

Video: Louisiana Chef Makes Crawfish Etouffee

5 Easy Recipes 4 Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

2 Crowd Pleasing Easy Casseroles: Mexican Lasagna, Turkey Tetrazzini

Awesome Cajun Barbecued Shrimp — New Orleans Style

Yummy Homemade Coconut Cream Pie

Awesome Sauces 4 Louisiana Seafood

Spring Into Grill Season: Mouthwatering Steaks

Chef Rocco Dispiritos Cheap Yet Healthy Comfort Food

Kid Friendly Recipes: Chocolate Quesadillas, Very Best Fudge

Visual Insights – photos:

Dennys Photo Gallery: Life is Just Plain Funny

Happy Birthday to Our Humanitarian Friend Peter

Dennys Photo Gallery: How to Know Its Spring

Funny Odd Couples: Cats and Their Weirdo Friends

Dennys Photo Gallery: Spectacular Sunrises

Dennys Photo Gallery: Beautiful Blues in Our World

Photography, Beautiful Metaphor for Life: 17 Boats

Only White Theme: 26 Photos

Photo History: 1st Lady Gowns, Michelle Obama Donates Hers

*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

Neuroscience: Want Your Man to Better Understand You? Try Empathy Nasal Spray

Photo by Victor Bezrukov @ flickr

From Denny: Sometimes, scientists study the craziest things. This time it must have been a female scientist tired of being in relationships with insensitive men. Or maybe it was those same insensitive men wondering how they could bridge the gender gap and actually feel what the women in their lives were feeling. Any way you look at look at it, these guys got creative in their approach. What faster way to impact a change on the brain than through a nasal spray delivery system?

We all know from experience that women tend to be far superior readers of emotions in others than men. Women are even better at predicting emotions than men. Women want and downright expect their men to be able to read emotions as easily. Sorry, ladies, unless trained in reading body language and the like, most men remain clueless in this department. Scientists agree that men are clueless and that women should not hold their breath waiting for the impossible.

So, scientists being scientists they have come up with a way for a man to fake his empathy at least for a while before the nasal spray of oxytocin wears off. Just think of all the bickering fights couples could avoid if only men kept a bottle of oxytocin like they do condoms at the ready.

So, how does this new nasal spray work? Think of it as a performance enhancer for those brain circuits that handle the empathy network. Oxytocin is one of those hormones that scientists know helps to promote social bonding. It’s naturally created in the body and helps us fall in love, promote those parenting instincts and best of all, makes us orgasmic for great sex. That’s probably enough for most men to run out of the house right now and create a city wide stampede to the nearest pharmacy to purchase the nasal spray by the truck load.

How do women tend to interact with this hormone? Oxytocin levels spike high during pregnancy and breast-feeding which helps to create that special intimiate mother and child bond. Scientists speculate that this hormone may also be why women are so adept at reading social cues so quickly.

The study done involved 48 men and 26 women taking two empathy tests. To figure out the correct answers in a game, one test required using the social cues of happy, angry or neutral facial expression. The second test involved rating their own emotional reactions when shown photos of various scenarios, testing for emotional empathy. To rate cognitive empathy the men and women were asked to name the primary emotion of the main character in the scene of the test.

You guessed it, women excelled above the men in both tests. Men did fine when identifying the emotions of others. Where they struggled was in the area of responding to – or learning from – emotional displays.

What changed all that is when they were sprayed with the hormone oxytocin in a nasal mist. That’s when things got interesting, according to the study in the Journal of Neuroscience: “emotional empathy responses in men were raised to levels similar to those found in untreated women.” After a dose of this hormone men were now more affected by emotional scenes than previously and they tested better at learning tasks that required social cues.

The funny part is that the dosage didn’t last long and so the men required another dose two hours later to perform as well again.

For now, the nasal spray empathy hormone is only available in a lab setting. Too bad women can’t use it like mace for would-be attackers. Wouldn’t that prove interesting? Or you get in a fight with your boyfriend or husband and spray him, saying, “Feel my pain, mister!”

Scientists hope that in the future this study can enhance socially-motivated learning and emotional empathy in men. Until then, it’s business as usual, ladies.

*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

Want Your Man to Better Understand You? Try Empathy Nasal Spray

Photo by Victor Bezrukov @ flickr

From Denny: Sometimes, scientists study the craziest things. This time it must have been a female scientist tired of being in relationships with insensitive men. Or maybe it was those same insensitive men wondering how they could bridge the gender gap and actually feel what the women in their lives were feeling. Any way you look at look at it, these guys got creative in their approach. What faster way to impact a change on the brain than through a nasal spray delivery system?

We all know from experience that women tend to be far superior readers of emotions in others than men. Women are even better at predicting emotions than men. Women want and downright expect their men to be able to read emotions as easily. Sorry, ladies, unless trained in reading body language and the like, most men remain clueless in this department. Scientists agree that men are clueless and that women should not hold their breath waiting for the impossible.

So, scientists being scientists they have come up with a way for a man to fake his empathy at least for a while before the nasal spray of oxytocin wears off. Just think of all the bickering fights couples could avoid if only men kept a bottle of oxytocin like they do condoms at the ready.

So, how does this new nasal spray work? Think of it as a performance enhancer for those brain circuits that handle the empathy network. Oxytocin is one of those hormones that scientists know helps to promote social bonding. It’s naturally created in the body and helps us fall in love, promote those parenting instincts and best of all, makes us orgasmic for great sex. That’s probably enough for most men to run out of the house right now and create a city wide stampede to the nearest pharmacy to purchase the nasal spray by the truck load.

How do women tend to interact with this hormone? Oxytocin levels spike high during pregnancy and breast-feeding which helps to create that special intimiate mother and child bond. Scientists speculate that this hormone may also be why women are so adept at reading social cues so quickly.

The study done involved 48 men and 26 women taking two empathy tests. To figure out the correct answers in a game, one test required using the social cues of happy, angry or neutral facial expression. The second test involved rating their own emotional reactions when shown photos of various scenarios, testing for emotional empathy. To rate cognitive empathy the men and women were asked to name the primary emotion of the main character in the scene of the test.

You guessed it, women excelled above the men in both tests. Men did fine when identifying the emotions of others. Where they struggled was in the area of responding to – or learning from – emotional displays.

What changed all that is when they were sprayed with the hormone oxytocin in a nasal mist. That’s when things got interesting, according to the study in the Journal of Neuroscience: “emotional empathy responses in men were raised to levels similar to those found in untreated women.” After a dose of this hormone men were now more affected by emotional scenes than previously and they tested better at learning tasks that required social cues.

The funny part is that the dosage didn’t last long and so the men required another dose two hours later to perform as well again.

For now, the nasal spray empathy hormone is only available in a lab setting. Too bad women can’t use it like mace for would-be attackers. Wouldn’t that prove interesting? Or you get in a fight with your boyfriend or husband and spray him, saying, “Feel my pain, mister!”

Scientists hope that in the future this study can enhance socially-motivated learning and emotional empathy in men. Until then, it’s business as usual, ladies.

*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!