Description: This article discusses an image that appears on the front cover of Newsweek magazine that depicts President Barack Obama in the cosmic dance pose of the Hindu deity Lord Nataraja (some have called it the Obama-Raja posture). Within a matter of hours after Newsweek depicted this image on its website, several Hindu organizations, Hindu websites, Hindus on social media sites, started reacting to this portrayal of one of their major gods.

Description: This article discusses amygdala involvement in human avoidance, escape and approach behavior. Abstract: Many forms of psychopathology and substance abuse problems are characterized by chronic ritualized forms of avoidance and escape behavior that are designed to control or modify external or internal (i.e., thoughts, emotions, bodily sensations) threats. In this functional magnetic resonance imaging investigation, the authors examined amygdala reactivity to threatening cues when avoidance responding consistently prevented contact with an upcoming aversive event (money loss). In addition, the authors examined escape responding that terminated immediate escalating money loss and approach responding that produced a future money gain. Results showed cues prompting avoidance, escape and approach behavior recruited a similar fronto-striatal-parietal network. Within the amygdala, bilateral activation was observed to threatening avoidance and escape cues, even though money loss was consistently avoided, as well as to the reward cue. The magnitude of amygdala responses within-subjects was relatively similar to avoidance, escape and approach cues, but considerable between-subject differences were found. The heightened amygdala response to avoidance and escape cues observed within a subset of subjects suggests threat related responses can be maintained even when aversive events are consistently avoided, which may account for the persistence of avoiding-coping in various clinical ...

Description: This article discusses Hinduism. The ideals of Hinduism, such as pluralism, dharma, ritam, and nonviolence hold important lessons for the future of Hinduism in particular and for humanity in general.

Description: Abstract: The author of this paper was appointed by the Government of Rajasthan state in India to design Emergency Operations Centers (EOC) at district level. The assignment was to submit an implementable practical report of district level EOCs design for equipment, personnel and training. This paper describes the process used for this design. A list of priority equipment, staffing pattern and specific training programs were suggested. On the basis of the recommendations, EOCs have been set up in all 33 districts of Rajasthan. The case study of the explosion at the Indian Oil Corporation's Jaipur depot illustrates the use of alternative field EOC in responding to the explosion and the relevance of the EOC consultant's recommendations in responding to the disasters. The objectives of this paper are to share the experiences of designing EOCs in a developing country, and the methods of optimisation for meeting objectives under resource constraints.

Description: This article discusses the effects of a supportive communication training workshop on the verbal behavior of behavior analysts. Abstract: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a workshop designed to train behavior analysts to use supportive verbal behavior during distressing situations. Participants were trained to provide descriptive, empathetic and hopeful statements using instructions, rationales, modeling, roleplay, feedback, and rehearsal. A pre-post design was used to analyze the effects of the training on verbal and non-verbal behaviors of four females during simulation scenarios. Results indicate all four participants provided maximum support statements above pre-training levels during post-training simulation and written assessments. The importance of behavior analysts engaging in supportive behavior, as well as the difficulties involved in measuring constructs such as intent and timing of verbal responses, is discussed.