“As the number of people executed in the United States since the reinstatement of capital punishment reached 800 on Tuesday, a federal judge became the second jurist this year to declare the federal death penalty unconstitutional.” Lycos

Neuroscience unlocks secrets of Zen garden:

“The beauty of one of Japan’s most popular Zen gardens has long eluded explanation. Now neuroscientists have found that its minimalist design suggests a pleasing picture to our subconcious.

The 500-year-old

Ryoanji Temple garden

in Kyoto contains five outcroppings of rocks and moss on a rectangle of raked gravel. Using symmetry calculations the researchers have discovered that the objects imply an image of a tree in the empty space between them that we detect, without being aware of doing so…” Nature

‘…is dedicated to the belief that shyness and social phobia do not have to interfere with achieving professional and interpersonal goals. The pain of shyness can be relieved by challenging negative thoughts and beliefs, and learning new behaviors. Participants at the Clinic have opportunities to learn and to try new behaviors in a safe and supportive environment.

The Shyness Clinic follows a “mental wellness” or “social fitness model” of treatment with a focus on encouraging participants to expand their current capabilities.’

Related: Painful Shyness: Talk to Someone Who Can Help — a brochure from the American Psychological Association. You can download a color .PDF of the pamphlet from the site.

Bob Herbert: “The right has been relentless in its campaign to control the federal courts, and that campaign is getting awfully close to an absolute victory.” NY Times op-ed