WEDNESDAY, Oct. 29 (HealthDay News) — British researchers say they’ve identified a “hate circuit” in the brain.

This hate circuit shares part of the brain associated with aggression, but is distinct from areas related to emotions such as fear, threat, and danger, said researchers Professor Semir Zeki and John Romaya, of University College London’s laboratory of neurobiology. The study was published online Oct. 29 in the journalPLoS One.

“Hate is often considered to be an evil passion that should, in a better world, be tamed, controlled, and eradicated,” Zeki said in a journal news release. “Yet to the biologist, hate is a passion that is of equal interest to love. Like love, it is often seemingly irrational and can lead individuals to heroic and evil deeds. How can two opposite sentiments lead to the same behavior?”
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In this study, 17 female and male volunteers underwent brain scans while they looked at photos of a person they hated, along with photos of a “neutral” person. Looking at images of hated people triggered activity in an area that includes structures in the cortex and in the sub-cortex as well as components that generate aggressive behavior and translate it into action.

The hate circuit also includes a part of the frontal cortex that’s believed to play a major role in predicting the actions of others, likely an important feature when a person is faced with someone they hate, the researchers said. The sub-cortical activity of the hate circuit involves two structures called the putamen and insula. The putamen plays a role in the perception of contempt and disgust, and may be part of the motor system that’s mobilized to take action, the scientists said.

“Significantly, the putamen and insula are also both activated by romantic love. This is not surprising. The putamen could also be involved in the preparation of aggressive acts in a romantic context, as in situations when a rival presents a danger. Previous studies have suggested that the insula may be involved in responses to distressing stimuli, and the viewing of both a loved one and a hated face may contribute such a distressing signal,” Zeki said.

He added that activity in parts of the hate circuit matches the strength of the person’s declared intensity of hate, “thus allowing the subjective state of hate to be objectively quantified. This finding may have legal implications in criminal cases, for example.”

According to the FAQ, Mac OS X Blu-ray support is limited to to read/write data capabilities only and there is no Blu-ray software capable of playing back Blu-ray video on the Mac. Apple had described the licensing of Blu-ray as a “bag of hurt”, but was likely referring specifically to the video playback licensing issues.

The two peripherals are build to order options from Psystar. Two weeks ago, Apple and Psystar agreed to Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in which both parties can try to work out a resolution rather than going to trial. The process may still require several months.

Holla

From just another one of the bazillions of your fans

By MITCHELL L. BLUMENTHAL
Published: October 24, 2008
NYTimes.com

The mother and brother of the Academy Award-winning actress Jennifer Hudson were found shot to death inside her mother’s house on the South Side of Chicago on Friday afternoon, and the police were said to be looking for her 7-year-old nephew.

The police confirmed that Ms. Hudson’s mother, Darnell Hudson Donerson, 57, was one of the victims, the ABC affiliate WLS reported on its Web site. A neighbor reportedly told the entertainment Web site TMZ that the other victim had been identified as Ms. Hudson’s brother, Jason S. Hudson, 29.

The police said they were searching for Ms. Hudson’s nephew, Julian King, who had been reported missing on Friday morning.

According to TMZ, the police were searching for a man identified as William Balfour, the husband of Ms. Hudson’s sister, Julia, who they said could be with the missing boy 7-year-old. Mr. Balfour reportedly listed the address of Ms. Hudson’s mother in the Englewood neighborhood as his place of residence within the last year. The Web site also reported that according to the Illinois Department of Corrections, Mr. Balfour is on parole after serving time in prison for attempted murder.

WLS reported that neighbors told the police they heard shots fired on Friday morning.

But it was not until Friday afternoon that a family member found Ms. Donerson in the living room and left the house to call the police, the television station reported. When they arrived at the house, they found Mr. Hudson in a bedroom.

The police said that there was no sign of forced entry at the house, and that the shootings were the result of a domestic dispute.

The Rev. Willie Davis, pastor of the Progressive Baptist Church, where Ms. Hudson and her family were members, said that despite her daughter’s celebrity, Ms. Donerson chose to stay and live on the South Side, WLS reported.

“That says a lot about the fact of the kind of family Jennifer comes from,” Mr. Davis was quoted as saying. “They’re a family of faith. They want to be attached to their roots.”

Church leaders said they were told that Ms. Hudson was flying home to Chicago from Tampa, Fla., according to the television station.

In 2007, Ms. Hudson won an Oscar for best supporting actress in her role as Effie White in the film “Dreamgirls.”

Apple is publicly opposing Proposition 8 and making a donation of $100,000 to the No on 8 campaign. Apple was among the first California companies to offer equal rights and benefits to our employees’ same-sex partners, and we strongly believe that a person’s fundamental rights — including the right to marry — should not be affected by their sexual orientation. Apple views this as a civil rights issue, rather than just a political issue, and is therefore speaking out publicly against Proposition 8.

Proposition 8 is on the California ballot for the November 4th vote.

Apple shipped 2,611,000 Macintosh computers during the quarter, representing 21 percent unit growth and 17 percent revenue growth over the year-ago quarter. The Company sold 11,052,000 iPods during the quarter, representing eight percent unit growth and three percent revenue growth over the year-ago quarter. Quarterly iPhone units sold were 6,892,000 compared to 1,119,000 in the year-ago-quarter.

This would also conclude the Apple has hit the 10 million iphone mark. Steve Jobs first described the goal in January 2007 when he introduced the iPhone. The 10 million iPhone sales represented 1% of mobile phones sold at that time.

I find the closing line of the reporters commentary morbidly humorous. “It’s a reminder that hate and fear are still powerful forces in American society.”

Whether listening to the low muted murmur of a confidential whisper or the proud declarative boom coming from behind a mic on the podium, there are few sounds more evocative than the human voice. Each human being’s voice has a unique tone that is all its own. Carrying their own signature traits and idiosyncrasies, no two voices are alike.

Yet so often, we neglect to hear these resonances under which our spoken words are floated over. A lover’s voice vibrating with tenderness can feel like a warm caress touching the body; words spoken over an angry voice can seem like bullets hitting one’s auric field; and a voice tinged with laughter can’t help but fill us with good feelings. And then there are the voices of other people we encounter. The radio announcer’s soothing baritone that accompanies us during a long ride, the cheerful chatter of children playing on the street, and the dulcet hum of a yogi in mid-mantra are just a few of the voices we may be blessed to hear on any given day. Taken together, they’re like a wondrous symphony of mellifluous notes.

Every time we use our voices, we send our energetic imprint out into the universe and to the people around us. And, like the words that we use when we speak to people, our voices can communicate what we are feeling, what we desire, and what we really mean. There is no hiding our truth that can be felt through the sound of our voices. Timidity, desire, pain, and love can all be expressed and felt through the human voice. Our voices also have the power to heal, to hurt, to love, and to transform others. When we are aware of the impact our voices can have, we can consciously choose what we are expressing. Remember that what you communicate when you speak goes beyond words. Take responsibility for the power your voice has to impact the space and the people around you, and let your voice be a sound that creates harmony and compassion in the universe.

DUBLIN, Ireland, October 16, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ — Following the concluding presidential debate in New York last night Ireland’s largest bookmaker, Paddy Power, has decided to pay out on Barack Obama as the forty-fourth President of the United States of America.

This unprecedented move comes almost three weeks ahead of Election Day on November 4th and sees the bookie paying out in excess of EUR1,000,000 [$1,360,000] to Obama backers. Prior to Paddy Power paying out, Obama was practically unbackable at odds of 1-9 to be the next American President (meaning a bet of EUR90 was required to make EUR10 profit)

To date Paddy Power has taken over ten thousand bets on the 2008 US Presidential Election, the majority of which were placed in support on the Illinois Senator over the past 12 months. In fact betting support was so strong for Obama that Paddy Power paid out over EUR50,000 ($68,000) on his successful nomination as the Democratic Party candidate back in January of this year, seven months before the convention.

Paddy Power said “We declare this race well and truly over and congratulate all those who backed Obama, your winnings await you. Although the Senator seemed a little off sorts in last nights final debate we believe he has done more than enough to get him across the line on November 4th. The overall betting trends has shown one way traffic for Obama since the start of the summer and punters seemed to have called it 100% correct. It reminds me of the patriotic words of action star Wesley Snipes in the movie Passenger 57……Always Bet on Black!”

Incredibly, Obama was a massive 50/1 with Paddy Power to be next President back in May of 2005. One inspired punter had a long range wager of EUR50 at these odds which today returns a cool EUR2,550. The largest single bet placed on Obama to be next President was EUR100,000 ($136,000) in June of this year at odds of 1-2 which returns a whopping EUR150,000 ($204,000) today.

Despite today’s seven-figure payout, Paddy Power continues to offer betting right up to and including Election Day. One of its most popular bets currently on offer is predicting the winning margin of the successful nominee on November 4th.