The Spike Report pointed me to this ABC news coverage of a sculptor gaining notoriety, and unapologetic about it, making Serial Killer Action Figures. When I was young, I built the complete set of the plastic scale models of the Famous Monsters of Filmland — Frankenstein’s monster, Dracula, the Wolfman, the Bride of Frankenstein (who was really the bride of Frankenstein’s monster…), the Mummy, the Hunchback of Notre Dame, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, King Kong, Godzilla… — but of course back then there was “no such thing as monsters” in real life. Now that there are — and even more on the way, according to the article — I would suggest that those prone to collect figurines of real monsters insert an action figure of themselves into the tableau as a ritual enactment of the potential for good to vanquish evil.

Stanford sleep experts treat medical condition behind violent ‘sleep sex’

In a new study, Stanford researchers describe a treatable medical condition which causes people to commit violent sexual acts in their sleep. Referred to as “sleep sex,” the nocturnal activities cited in the study range from disruptive moaning to rape-like behavior toward bed partners.

The researchers believe this condition stems from glitches in brain waves during sleep. By bringing attention to the disorder, they hope the health-care community will recognize the problem as medical in origin rather than psychological. “Now doctors might know to ask patients about how they’re sleeping,” said Christian Guilleminault, MD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Stanford School of Medicine.

Guilleminault’s study, released in the March/April issue of the journal Psychosomatic Medicine, outlined 11 patients with symptoms that included loud, disruptive moaning on one end of the scale and sexual assault on the other. Regardless of how unusual or violent the behavior, patients had no memory of the events the next morning. EurekAlert!

More than one hour of TV a day may lead to violence: “Watching more than one hour of television per day may make adolescents more prone to violence in adulthood, according to new research. The study, appearing in the journal Science, published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, is believed to be the first to investigate the long-term effects of television viewing on aggressive behavior.” EurekAlert!