R34l-L1f3 5up3rh3r035 #5: W0rm M157r355
Worm charmer, 10, sets new record
WILLASTON, England, June 29 (UPI) — A 10-year-old girl set a new world record by bringing 567 worms up from the ground during Britain’s World Worm Charming Championships.
Sophie Smith of Willaston, England, won the competition in her village Saturday by besting the previous world record of 511 worms listed in the Guinness Book of World Records, The Daily Telegraph reported Monday.
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Kenneth Catania, a U.S. neuroscientist specializing in sonic phenomena, said in research published last year that worm charming is at its most effective when competitors make sounds that emulate those of the mole, a natural predator of the worm.
“We carefully compared the frequencies,” Catania said, “and it’s moles every time. When it rains the worms come out slowly, but with charming and moles they come out as if they were running. That’s if worms could run.”
Secret Identity: Sophie Smith, 10-year-old girl from Willaston, England.
Powers: Granted special powers after rescuing a super-intelligent alien worm, Sophie can call and command an unlimited number of any and all species of worm using a form of telepathy. Such a low level of brain activity is required for this form of telepathy that Sophie could call for help even if she were in a coma.
Weaknesses: fish hooks, giant moles, and all of the usual vulnerabilities for 10-year-olds. Unfortunately, if Sophie gets cut in half, she does not grow two new bodies.
Physiological Basis of Cutting: In Defense of Self-Mutilation, part two
Physiological Basis of Cutting
The easiest place to start is with the biochemical stuff. People understand that because it seems remote enough from the conscious choices we make. To the extent they have no choice, we don’t need to ask “Why do they do that?” Except, it’s not all that clear cut in this case. But it does provide a somewhat satisfying answer to the question, “What do they get out of it?”
They get endorphins coursing through their body, the body’s own natural opioid (kind of like heroin), which does a tremendous job (usually) alleviating pain and stress, lifting mood. Same stuff released during strenuous exercise and sex. It can help manage frustration, anxiety, depression, agitation, even some psychotic symptoms.
Like any short-circuit of the problem-resolution process coupled with an intense behavior-reward complex, cutting runs into the twin problems of limiting access to other coping skills and increasing dependence on (and addiction to) the rewarded behavior. Why spend months in intense therapy and struggling to change your behavior and interactions with the world so you can “feel better” when all you have to do is cut, and you know you’ll feel better immediately? And it does. It would not be this addictive if it were that effective in the first place.
… Next installment: Cultural/Evolutionary Basis of Cutting
R34l-L1f3 5up3rh3r035 #2: ‘Dur64′
Baby With 2 Faces Born in North India
Apr 8, 10:11 AM (ET)
SAINI SUNPURA, India (AP) – A baby with two faces was born in a northern Indian village, where she is doing well and is being worshipped as the reincarnation of a Hindu goddess, her father said Tuesday.The baby, Lali, apparently has an extremely rare condition known as craniofacial duplication, where a single head has two faces. Except for her ears, all of Lali’s facial features are duplicated – she has two noses, two pairs of lips and two pairs of eyes.
* * *
Rural India is deeply superstitious and the little girl is being hailed as a return of the Hindu goddess of valor, Durga, a fiery deity traditionally depicted with three eyes and many arms.
Up to 100 people have been visiting Lali at her home every day to touch her feet out of respect, offer money and receive blessings, Singh told The Associated Press.
“Lali is God’s gift to us,” said Jaipal Singh, a member of the local village council. “She has brought fame to our village.”
Village chief Daulat Ram said he planned to build a temple to Durga in the village.
* * *
Lali’s condition is often linked to serious health complications, but the doctor said she was doing well.
“She is leading a normal life with no breathing difficulties,” said Ali, adding that he saw no need for surgery.
* * *
Singh said he took his daughter to a hospital in New Delhi where doctors suggested a CT scan to determine whether her internal organs were normal, but Singh said he felt it was unnecessary.
* * *
Let’s say Lali stays healthy, but that her unexamined internal organs and chemistry and so forth are different than normal folks’. Let’s say that when she reaches puberty, she grows multiple pairs of arms and becomes incredibly strong, that she is indeed the reincarnation of Durga and destined to become on this world the force of divine retribution. Wouldn’t that be cool?
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