Archive for June 28, 2013

Chimps Escape into Retirement

June 28, 2013 Comments Off on Chimps Escape into Retirement

Chimps are getting retired, not rewired (or slathered with toxic creams or injected with poisons).  That’s good news from the National Institute of Health.  For years, researchers have known that 1) results of tests done on animals frequently don’t give a clue about how humans will react to the same test-substance, and 2) there are fake skins that mimic human skin and respond to substances like cosmetics as reliably as or more reliably than the skin of lab-animals.

Finally, some animals are being retired from the lab.  The Institute plans to send 90% of their chimps to a sanctuary. Now, if others will only follow their example….

View some elderly retired chimps at Chimp Haven, their new home.  Go to

https://secure.humanesociety.org/site/SPageServer?pagename=new_life_for_chimps&s_src=em_ha062713&JServSessionIdr004=ny7i953t97.app306b.

 

 

 

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Thoughtful Thursday: Nelson Mandala

June 27, 2013 Comments Off on Thoughtful Thursday: Nelson Mandala

From a man who helped form history:

“There is nothing I fear more than waking up without a program that will help me bring a little happiness to those with no resources, those who are poor, illiterate, and ridden with terminal disease.” — Nelson Mandela

 

 

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Gay Marriage: Leviticus Loses

June 26, 2013 Comments Off on Gay Marriage: Leviticus Loses

An upset to the Christian world.  That’s what the Supreme Court delivered today with its decisions on DOMA and Prop. 8.  Lucky for the Supremes, they just had to decide on Constitutionality.  The religious debate is a quagmire, sucking some into Hell, others into righteousness, and divorce lawyers into more money as homosexual couples embrace divorce.

The problem comes between the Old Testament and the New.  Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13. clearly and vehemently state that homosexuality (therefore gay marriage) is BAD, BAD, BAD.  In the New Testament, Paul is obviously no fan of it, either.  But Jesus–the New Law–had His chance and blew it.  He kept preaching love for one another (no, not in that way)–His main message was love.  When cornered, yes, he referred to Adam and Eve, when answering a question about divorce in Matt. 19.  And He touched on adultery, fornication, and sexual immorality (without details).  I know that He admitted that He didn’t have time to teach people everything they needed to know (enter the Holy Spirit for that job).  I just wish He had been clearer and more definite about homosexuality/gay marriage so that we didn’t have to depend on our own interpretations of passages to prove whatever side we’re on.

 

 

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Chicken Smarter than Little Sammy?

June 25, 2013 Comments Off on Chicken Smarter than Little Sammy?

“CHICKENS ‘CLEVERER THAN TODDLERS.’  Chickens may be brighter than young children in numeracy and basic skills, according to a new study.

Chickens may be brighter than young children in numeracy and basic skills, according to a new study.

 

Hens are capable of mathematical reasoning and logic, including numeracy, self-control and even basic structural engineering, following research.

Traits such as these are normally only shown in children above the age of four, but the domesticated birds have an ability to empathise, a sophisticated theory of mind and plan ahead.

“The domesticated chicken is something of a phenomenon,” Christine Nicol, professor of animal welfare at Bristol University, and the head of a study sponsored by the Happy Egg Company.

She told The Times: “Studies over the past 20 years have revealed their finely honed sensory capacities, their ability to think, draw inferences, apply logic and plan ahead.”

In her study ‘The Intelligent Hen’, Ms Nicol explains the animal is capable of distinguishing numbers up to five and is familiar with transitive inference – the idea in logic that, if A is greater than B, and B is greater than C, then A is greater than C.”

–By Radhika Sanghani, in The Telegraph (UK), 6/25/13

 

 

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Weight–Loss News

June 24, 2013 Comments Off on Weight–Loss News

We can pig out twice a day! New studies show that by eating two large meals a day we can lose just as much weight as with the weight-loss rule of the past, 6 small meals a day (same calorie-intake in both approaches).  This came on the same news-stream as the story that Twinkies will be back on store shelves the middle of July.  Now, I’m no weight-loss guru, but I’d be willing to bet that the first news doesn’t factor in twice-a-day Twinkies for dessert.

So, which news is a cautionary tale for our national obesity epidemic….?

 

 

 

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Earth-Tip: Garage Garbage

June 22, 2013 Comments Off on Earth-Tip: Garage Garbage

Finished cleaning out the garage?  How do you intend to get rid of all those piles of paint cans, boxes, tires, car batteries, moldy toys, garden chemicals, and such?  Find out where to recycle specific items by going to www.earth911.org.  Type in your zip code and the item and learn where to recycle that item locally.

 Leaf 6

 [For more easy, money-saving, Eco-friendly tips, download a FREE copy of Green Riches: Help the Earth & Your Budget. Go to www.Smashwords.com/books/ view/7000, choose a format, and download to your computer or e-book device. Or download a free copy from your favorite e-tailer.]

 

 

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Pope Francis and Respect

June 21, 2013 Comments Off on Pope Francis and Respect

Mutual Respect: That a culture of dialogue, listening, and mutual respect may prevail among peoples.  That’s one of the Pope’s “intentions” for June.  Each month, he publishes a couple of “intentions,” which are special things he asks all Catholics to pray for during the month.

This one resonated with me.  If this were a reality throughout the world, we’d be well on our way to universal peace.  Sounds SO simple….

 

 

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I’m Safe but Lonesome

June 18, 2013 2 comments

Thanks to the reader who suggested I check to see if my spam filter was still working.  Duh!  All my education and I just trusted it.  For some reason, it had stopped working.  I reactivated it and put another one on, to boot.  Haven’t had a single message since.  Not yesterday or all day today.  I’m getting lonesome. I know I asked you to hold off on comments until I got this straightened out.  But, now, PLEASE look through some of my old posts and send me a comment on one of them.  Please!  I….feel….so….alone……

 

 

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Help! I’m Drowning!

June 17, 2013 Comments Off on Help! I’m Drowning!

I really AM drowning! I’m being pulled under the cyber-sea by spam.  That’s why I haven’t posted for a couple of days or answered you if you’ve posted.  I’m getting over 200 pieces of spam a day.  I deleted many pages of it on Friday, but my total un-deleted ones is, at this moment, 1,266.  I thought by not posting for a few days they’d go away—or get a life.  Guess not.

Anybody have any suggestions?  If so, please go onto my Contacts page on this website and send me an email so your comment does NOT get lost in the spam.  I’d appreciate any help I can get!

……………..&%$#@!!!!  There’s another one…two……….

 

 

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Spying on Citizens: a Valuable, Unintended By-Product

June 12, 2013 Comments Off on Spying on Citizens: a Valuable, Unintended By-Product

So, I hear that sales of the book 1984 recently have jumped 5800% (yes, fifty-eight hundred).  Apparently, the cause is recent leaks about government’s spying on citizens, which is a main plot line in the book.  I won’t get into whether the whistle-blowers are right, moral, traitors, or heroes.  I just want to thank them for a valuable, unintended by-product: getting people to read and think.  Now, THAT’s a public service!

Reading

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