Lazy Linky Friday

You should spend a long time watching this video, because a) it's Friday, b) it's Sigur Ros' first film, c) they're from Iceland, d) they have cool accents, e) as if they speak Icelandic, f) I like them, but I'm not going to learn to speak Icelandic.

BoingBoing has this really interesting story about scanning the brains of jazz musicians, noting what happens during improvisation.

The scientists found that a region of the brain known as the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, a broad portion of the front of the brain that extends to the sides, showed a slowdown in activity during improvisation. This area has been linked to planned actions and self-censoring, such as carefully deciding what words you might say at a job interview. Shutting down this area could lead to lowered inhibitions, Limb suggests.

The researchers also saw increased activity in the medial prefrontal cortex, which sits in the center of the brain’s frontal lobe. This area has been linked with self-expression and activities that convey individuality, such as telling a story about yourself.

Note to self: play any note!

Personal note: my daughter is in a musical this week. She has been quite the amazing star of wonder! Let's see, when I was her age... oh never mind.