Tiny, irregularly shaped fossils from South Australia could be the oldest remains of simple animal life found to date.
The collection of circles, anvils, wishbones and rings discovered in the Flinders Ranges are most probably sponges, a Princeton team
claims.
The rocks in which the forms were found are 640-650 million years old.
This is at least 70 million years older than some other claims for the most ancient animals in the fossil record.
The research, led by Professor Adam Maloof, is published in the journal Nature Geoscience.
“People have certainly proposed complex organisms, like eukaryotic algae or protists, and have even proposed animals in the form of trace fossils (preserved tracks) prior to the sponges that we report,” he said.
“But I think we could confidently say that our sponges are the first somewhat convincing body fossils of an animal before the Ediacaran Period.”
The Ediacaran, which came at the end of the last great global glaciation, produced indisputable evidence for animal life – slug-like organisms called Kimberalla, whose remains are found today in 555-million-year-old sediments in Australia and Russia.
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This is a compilation of the basics of evolution and a broad brush of the sources of evidence for evolution. Prompted by requests from friends and family to procure evidence for evolution, this is the summary of some of the most controversial subtopics of the evidence for evolution. It is meant to be a springboard for those who know little about evolution or have been told that evolution is just a belief like creationism.
EVOLUTION BASICS
In biology, evolution is the change in the inherited traits of a population of organisms through successive generations. Evolution does not explain how life first began, nor is it a science of cosmology, dealing with what occurred before the beginning of the known universe. Evolution is the science of how different organisms have developed and diversified since life first appeared on earth. When a population splits into smaller groups, these groups evolve independently and develop into new species. The fossil record evidence for evolution not only recorded these changes, but it is astonishing how many fossils we have been able to find when considering how circumstantial the process of fossilization is. The earth has been radio isotope dated to be about 4.5 billion years old. Humans appear in the fossil record at 2 million years ago. All that space in between has been filled with the beginnings of life evolving over billions of years.
TREE OF LIFE
The “tree of life” which scientists have constructed to show the relation between all living things, must be understood to be a tree, not a ladder. When
Charles Darwin's Tree of Life brainstorming sketch.
one species evolves from another over millions of years, the “parent species” from which the second animal evolved from may still be living and breeding amongst their population. Sometimes the second species that evolved from the parent species dies out before the parent species and sometimes the parent species dies out before the second. Some animals, like humans, apes and monkeys, share a common ancestor from which other species in each of our family trees branched off from. This common ancestor has since gone extinct while the branches of species evolving from this common ancestor have changed and continued branching over about 3.5 million years. Humans in our general anatomical form appear about 2 million years ago.
DNA
Even without the fossil record, it is possible to create a “tree of life” based solely on the DNA of every living organism. DNA is the “code” by which each organism is built. Small changes in that code are what drives evolution. We have been able to find out that the genetic difference between our cousin apes and ourselves is only a 1-2% difference. Genetically, we are slightly more distant from monkeys, about 4% difference. Since mapping the first genome in 2001, scientists have been able to map over 1000 genomes, mostly in those of bacteria and small animals like fruit flies (they have only 13 Chromosomes, making it less time consuming to decode). In the course of these studies, it has been found that there are certain types of yeast that are genetically more distant from one another than humans are from apes. Interestingly, Humans also share 80% of their DNA in common with sea sponges. Every living thing on the plant is our cousin. Some are more distant cousins and some are more closely related like primates.
When considering how life got started on earth 3 billion years ago, biologists theorized that RNA might have been the determining jump start. Made from basic elements found on earth, RNA still exists in living organisms today shuttling around information packets. In 2009, Sutherland experimented with the basic elements that comprise RNA and in a lab was able to “create” RNA strands. Read more here.
EVOLUTION IN ACTION
“Soft” creationism suggests that a creator made each living thing in a sequence that correlates to when they were found in the fossil record and generally refuses to relate any one species to another. This view does not explain how species have evolved over the short period of time that humans have been breeding livestock, dogs, plants and yeast. Humans have successfully accomplished artificial evolution through breeding. All modern variations of the Dog, for example can be genetically traced back to wolves. Intense domestication of the dog has occurred over the last 150 years, resulting in over 150 types of purebred dogs. The dog, Canis familiaris, are all descended from the wolf, Canis lupus. By mimicking nature, humans select traits and breed desired traits to get the desired result (a smaller size, a fluffier coat, a pug nose, etc). By breeding plants with choice traits, we have been able to “create” fruits with no seeds like bananas and watermelon. We have also been able to create seeds that are resistant to toxicants so we can spray these toxins on the crop and kill everything BUT the genetically modified plant. GMO crops are so drastically modified that they have been able to get patents for them.
Examples of “fast paced” evolution without human gain can be found in science labs. The E. coli long-term evolution experiment is an ongoing study in experimental evolution led by Richard Lenski that has been tracking genetic changes in 12 initially nearly identical populations of asexual Escherichia coli bacteria since February 24, 1988. The populations reached the milestone of 50,000 generations on February 14, 2010. 1 Over their 50,000 generations, the E. Coli bacteria evolved to be able to “digest” citrate, a compound that they were previously unable to digest for energy. Through natural selection, the bacteria that were able to cope with digesting even a little of the citrate were the only ones to pass on their genes, and with each generation, the trait that was able to digest citrate became more and more prominent, resulting in a population that was entirely happy digesting citrate. (Read more here)
When you go to the doctor and he prescribes you some antibiotics for a bacterial infection, what does he always say? FINISH THE WHOLE BOTTLE OF PILLS! Why? Because bacteria evolve to resist the antibiotics we throw at them. By taking the entire dose, you decrease the chance that a few “tougher” bacteria will survive your onslaught of drugs and go on to infect someone else. If that does happen and someone else gets your antibiotic resistant strain, the antibiotics will be less effective on these “super bugs”. Necrotizing fasciitis is one of many new “super bacteria” that have evolved to be resistant to antibiotics. Read more.
EMBRYOLOGY
Evolution predicts that species with common ancestors should exhibit those same traits during embryological development. When we look at the embryological development of whales and dolphins, the embryos have arm and leg buds, with the same length and positioning of tetra-pod embryos 
like humans. These legs later disappear. In fact, the first weeks of human embryonic development, the fetus is indistinguishable from the fetus of a shark, dog, whale, and even salamander. Animals that don’t have tails, have tails in embryo form that later disappear, like humans. Human embryos carry a trait from our fish ancestry in the form of gills. These gills develop later into the lower jaw and the ear slit. (To learn more see Recapitulation Theory)
UNINTELLIGENT DESIGN: EYES
It is suggested by intelligent design advocates that complex organisms or organs could only have been “designed” by a creator because they are so perfect or so complex. The human eye is a favorite example creationists use to suppose intelligent design. They state that the eye could not have been functional in any evolutionary state prior to it’s current form. They also claim the human eye is so complex and beautiful in “design” that it reflects the thoughtfulness of a creator.
To this first notion that the eye could not have been functional in any evolutionary state: Watch this short video by David Attenborough, then come back…
The eye, in all it’s evolutionary stages is found in animals alive today. Each stage of the eye that is found in animals today logically and pragmatically leads to “advanced” eyes that humans, primates, dogs, cats etc all share. In fact, the human eye has more flaws than some other creatures…
To the second notion that the human eye is so complex and beautiful that it reflects the care of its “designer”: There are two major items wrong with this assumption. 1) The human eye is less capable than the eyes of many animals. For example, Bees can see in ultraviolet as well as color. They, and most flying insects can see more frames per second than humans, allowing them to seem to “predict” when we are going to swat at them.
Birds possess both binocular vision – when both eyes focus on a single object and monocular vision – focusing on an object through only one eye. All birds have eyelids, but they’ve gone us one better. In addition to movable upper and lower lids, birds also have a third eyelid know as the nictitating membrane or nictitan. This is a semi-transparent membrane (although in owls alone it is opaque) that can be swept closed across the eye from the direction of the beak to the ear very quickly at the bird’s will. The nictitating membrane is used to protect the eye as well as clean and lubricate it by brushing moisture secreted from the lachrymal gland across it with each blink. Just prior to striking their prey, raptors close their nictitans for protection against the possible lashing out of the captured animal. We humans have 200,000 visual cells per square millimeter in our fovea. Not bad until you consider that the small, unassuming English sparrow has 400,000 per square millimeter and the European Buzzard, the visual cell grand champ, has one million per square millimeter giving it a visual acuity of at least eight times that of a human.2 Peregrine Falcons have some of the best eyes in the animal kingdom. These amazing birds have evolved an eye beyond the human eye that has a denser lens center, allowing them to see through a sort of telescopic vision at the center of their eye. They have also solved a huge flaw in the human eye that has the veins covering the cornea. In humans, these veins cause a blind spot in the center of our vision, but in falcons, their ocular veins have moved out of the way of this critical spot. They have evolved these super eyes for diving and seeing prey at high air space.
Mantis Shrimp can see in 16 different color wavelengths, whereas human vision is skewed toward red and green. Vision can also vary in the maximum rate at which retinal cells can fire in response to light (the “flicker fusion point,” at which a blinking light no longer seems to blink). Most people can’t detect more than about sixty blinks (frames) a second. A fluorescent light, for instance, actually blinks on and off sixty times a second, but most people perceive the light as continuous. For dogs, though, the maximum detectable frame rate is closer to eighty blinks a second, and so a dog may actually see the flickering. Seeing with more frames per second is what allows animals and insects to react faster to visual stimulus. Although color-blind, the cuttlefish has two of the most highly developed eyes in the animal kingdom. It can see well in low light and can also detect polarized light, enhancing its perception of contrast. While we humans reshape our lenses in order to focus on specific objects, the cuttlefish moves its lenses by reshaping its entire eye. Also, the cuttlefish’s eyes are very large in proportion to its body and may increase image magnification upon the retina, while the distinct “W” shaped pupil helps control the intensity of light entering the eye.
2) The human eye has optical imperfections. Human eyes are imperfect because evolution is a slow process of change, not an instant “creation” of an organ. A thoughtful designer would have made such a necessary organ in humans with more care than we find in human eyes. In the human
Anatomy of the Human Eye
eye, nerve cells and blood vessels lie in front the of retina where they interfere with the eye’s ability to see images. The optic nerve itself also connects to the brain through a whole in the back of the retina, causing a blind spot in human vision. By placing the nerves and blood vessels in the way of light entering the eye, a suggested designer greatly decreased the ability of the eye. Also, the blind spot is an unnecessary flaw in the “design” of an eye. Humans have been able to design better versions of what the eye could be, had it been a thoughtful process. What we find instead, is that the eye evolved through every stage visible in animals today. It is these evolutionary stages that lead to the current anatomy of the human eye. Please take a moment to watch this video by PBS on the evolution of the human eye and the problems with it’s “design”:
RESOURCES
Evolution is such an immense topic, with many facets and disciplines, it is difficult to condense everything you need to know down into an email. I’ve tried to brush over the major areas of study. It is like trying to give you a crash course in chemistry though, and I can’t do the science justice in a few emails. I’ll give you many forms and ways to discover more about the facts of evolution on your own time.
The Basics on the Theory of Evolution: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vss1VKN2rf8
A visual museum of fossils: http://www.fossilmuseum.net/
Talk Origins Website: http://www.talkorigins.org/
Primate Evolution Tree: http://www.handprint.com/LS/ANC/evol.html#chart
Fossils associated with the Primate Evolution tree: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_human_evolution_fossils
Videos can be the most helpful because you get to view fossils and visual aids.
PBS has a “portal” of videos related to evolution: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/
Dawkins on the evolution of the eye: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5e2c6uliTw&feature=related
Paleoanthropology Links http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/homs/links.html
Berkley University has a hub for articles explaining evolution. You can browse all four topics: http://evolution.berkeley.edu/
The most recent book I have read on Evolution is call “The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution” by Dawkins. Dawkins is a biologist who lays out the evidence for evolution in detail, going through all the varying types of evidence so far uncovered. It is the best “lay man’s” explanation in book form I have yet come across.
This is a 25 minute interview where Dawkins answers questions about his book: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUFOlyt7ErE
For those Americans who haven’t received the memo that we use too much oil and drill it irresponsibly, we have a few more million gallons to dump.
This morning a Tugboat collided with an oil rig off the coast of Louisiana. The crash caused the rig to catch fire and oil to leak, covering a 1 mile radius in only a half day. The tugboat driver claimed that the rig was not fully illuminated, even though it was 11am in the middle of the day.
In Michigan today, Detroit News reported that an oil pipeline had burst and was flowing into tributary rivers that feed into the Great Lakes. The oil leaked undetected for hours before local river residents complained of an oily smell. Local residents have been evacuated as the oil contamination reached dangerous levels. It has been estimated that 1 million gallons have been spilled, the largest oil spill ever in the midwest, according to the EPA.
“The oil spilled into Talmadge Creek, which flows northwest into the Kalamazoo River. The site is in Calhoun County’s Marshall Township near Battle Creek and about 60 miles southeast of Grand Rapids. The pipe may have been leaking for many hours before it
was originally reported to have burst Monday morning. Marshall Township fire officials responded to complaints of an oily smell from residents. More than 20 homes have been evacuated.” - Detroit News
When will American’s have enough of their own poison and switch to renewable energy sources? I fear that money is the determining factor in the oil equation. We will continue to use it at alarming rates, to the detriment of our environment and ourselves until it becomes too expensive. When is too expensive? For everyone, this is a different answer, but for a country in economic crisis and high unemployment, that number may be lower than previously conjectured.
Are you a neat freak? Always cleaning with windex, pledge, air fresheners and 409? The same chemicals that may be killing all those germs in your home may also be causing breast cancer in women. 
“Women who report greater use of cleaning products may be at higher breast cancer risk than those who say they use them sparingly. Researchers writing in BioMed Central’s open access journal Environmental Health asked more than 1500 women about their cleaning product usage and found that women who reported using more air fresheners and products for mold and mildew control had a higher incidence of breast cancer.” - ScienceDaily.com Continue reading…
Because the FDA does not require cleaning products to list their toxic ingredients, our family decided years ago to rid our home of all cleaners, soaps and personal products. We make our own soap and use a vinegar/water mix to clean surfaces. When we buy personal products, we research them and their ingredients and only buy products without human carcinogens or parabens.
There is a chemical warfare happening in American homes. We have taken measures to eliminate all toxic cleaners, personal products and cosmetics 
from our home. The result is a cheaper, healthier way of cleaning. We also do not buy PFC coated furniture, carpet, etc and we avoid clothing made from anything but cotton or bamboo. From ScienceDaily.com:
“A new study led by a team of Boston University School of Public Health researchers suggests a link between polyfluoroalkyl chemicals (PFCs), industrial compounds which are widely used in many consumer products, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children.” Continue Reading…
It can be amusing for parents to speak “babyeeze” to their little ones, often mimicking their child when she says a word incorrectly. Babies learning to 
speak sound so cute and their mispronunciations often make us giggle. Between the ages of 3 and 6 when language is being tested and solidified by a child is the most vulnerable period of language aquisition.
Recent studies by Dutch researcher Lotte Henrichs suggests that speaking academically with your child instead of simplifying your speech patterns actually helps a child do better in school later in life.
Henrichs demonstrated that children are already confronted with academic language in the nursery school. They already hear a lot academic language from the teacher and are often expected to use academic language themselves. The extent to which academic language is used at home was found to differ strongly between families. An essential aspect is how parents approach their children during conversations. If children are given the opportunity to make meaningful contributions to conversations, they often use characteristics of academic language proficiency naturally. In addition to this, the knowledge of academic language depends on the extent to which parents read to their children, tell them stories and hold conversations about interesting subjects. - NWO.com
This may carry over to a polite correction of your child when he pronounces a word incorrectly. When I was growing up, as most children do, I misprounced common, long words like spaghetti (bascetti) and Popsicle (popsible). I also took to saying breakfast by switching the middle consonants to “brefkist”. My mother failed to correct me until I was 8 years old because she thought it was cute and couldn’t bring herself to tell me. Even more scarring was that I found out I had been pronouncing it incorrectly when a neighborhood friend had a sleepover at my house and I asked if she would like some “brefkist”, whereupon I was thoroughly embarrassed as my mother explained her reason for not correcting me sooner.
With every child I encounter, whether family or children of friends I have noticed a marked difference in their participation in the “adult” conversation when I speak to them as I would to my peers. Children live up to our expectations. Treat your child like an individual with ideas and thoughts to contribute and she will not only surprise you, but she may be better off in life both academically and socially.
This is HUGE. This gives scientists the capability to make ANY protien. Some of the possibilties include: Making organs from scratch that fit a person’s individual DNA with the “bad” parts replaced with “good” code; creating a new biofuel that is genetically designed to be as efficient and clean as possible…
Scientists in the US have succeeded in developing the first synthetic living cell.
The researchers constructed a bacterium’s “genetic software” and transplanted it into a host cell.
The resulting microbe then looked and behaved like the species “dictated” by the synthetic DNA.
The advance, published in Science, has been hailed as a scientific landmark, but critics say there are dangers posed by synthetic organisms.
The researchers hope eventually to design bacterial cells that will produce medicines and fuels and even absorb greenhouse gases.
The team was led by Dr Craig Venter of the J Craig Venter Institute (JCVI) in Maryland and California.
He and his colleagues had previously made a synthetic bacterial genome, and transplanted the genome of one bacterium into another.
Now, the scientists have put both methods together, to create what they call a “synthetic cell”, although only its genome is truly synthetic.
Dr Venter likened the advance to making new software for the cell.
The researchers copied an existing bacterial genome. They sequenced its genetic code and then used “synthesis machines” to chemically construct a copy.
Dr Venter told BBC News: “We’ve now been able to take our synthetic chromosome and transplant it into a recipient cell – a different organism.
“As soon as this new software goes into the cell, the cell reads [it] and converts into the species specified in that genetic code.”
The new bacteria replicated over a billion times, producing copies that contained and were controlled by the constructed, synthetic DNA.
“This is the first time any synthetic DNA has been in complete control of a cell,” said Dr Venter.
Geographic information about you is easy to collect these days. When we carry around cell phones and give our our home address for everything, it makes it very easy for your location to get into the wrong hands. Today you might not worry about someone finding you at your home, but when the need to arises, it may be too late. 
A new research study published online in the BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making journal measures how easy it is to determine the identity of individuals using their geographical information.
In the article, Prof. Khaled El Emam, Canada Research Chair in Electronic Health Information and lead author, explains that they have developed a new method for measuring the privacy risk for Canadians, in particular, those living in small geographic areas. This privacy risk measure can then be used to decide whether it is appropriate to release/share geographic information or not and what demographics to include with this geographic information. The article also presents a set of criteria and checklists for managing the privacy risks when releasing/sharing location information. - Science Daily
Most people are not away of how much of their personal data is availble for anyone to find out. For example, if you post your city and birthday on a social networking site, it is very easy for a stalker or any unwanted guest to track you down just based on that information. Unless you have a very common name like Adam Smith, your name, city and birthday are enough information to locate you, especially if you live in a small town. Some people don’t think twice about giving out their address and birthday at department stores with the promise to send you coupons. Selling your address to junk mailers makes more money than those pair of panties every will.
Aside from the obvious, women especially should consider keeping their home address private to prevent possible future stalkers from locating them. A study called the National Violence Against Women Survey (NVAW) found that 8% of women and 2% of men have been stalked at some time during their lives. 1 out of every 12 women, and 1 out of every 45 men have reported being stalked during their lives.1 You might not be concerned now, but should you need to keep your home address safe, now is the time to start.
So what can you do?
- Start by changing your phone numbers and email addresses.
- Get a Post Office box that you can receive your mail at. Change all your home mail to your Post box
- If asked to provide your home address simply state that you never give out your home address. Use your PO box if necessary.
- Remove your birthdate and hometown from all social networking sites and reconsider what kind of information you give out and who might have access to that information. I opted to delete my social networking accounts because they were consuming too much of my time. I also noticed that the people I used to keep in touch with via phone or email no longer did so because they could “keep tabs” on me through the social networking sites. It seemed like an anti-social rather than a social method to me.
- If you are really interested, google and yahoo search your name to see what other people might be able to find out about you via the web. This might be shocking an unnerving. Take down what you can and be informed.
- If you live in an apartment, review the privacy policy with your landlord. Make sure that he/she is not going to give out your name or personal information to a “flower delivery man” or “undeliverable package man”. A stalker knows that by wearing a “uniform” he can solicit information from people like your landlord by making up a story. Change your name on your call box if necessary by simply using your middle name as your first or just using your first name with last initial. By the time you realize you are being stalked, your stalked might have already solicited information from your landlord if you haven’t had the privacy discussion with him/her.
- Educate yourself on how to defend yourself. Take a self defense class, get a conceal and carry license, anything to prepare yourself should you need to defend yourself.
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1 Tjaden, P., & Theonnes, N. (1998). Stalking in American: Findings from the national violence against women survey. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Justice. NCJ Report No. NCJ 169592.
This article in the Science Daily explains an experiment’s findings that chickens who are feed flaxseed in their diet are less likely to develop ovarian 
cancer. Chickens are the only other animal besides humans known to develop ovarian cancer in a similar way.
Hens fed the control diet had significantly more late-stage tumors that presented with fluid and metastases as compared to the hens fed a flaxseed diet. Though hens fed the flaxseed diet did not have a
decreased incidence of ovarian cancer, they did experience fewer
late-stage tumors and higher survival rates.“In hens fed flaxseed, we found that more tumors were confined to the ovary and they had less metastatic spread,” she said. “This is an important finding as the metastases that accompany late-stage ovarian
cancer are the main cause of death from this disease. If the cancer is
found at an early stage, when the tumor is still confined to the ovary,
women have a much better prognosis and more treatment options.”
This study may have two implications:
1. Should women who are at risk of ovarian cancer add flax seed into their daily nutrition?
2. If you own egg producing chickens, would you consider feeding flax to your birds to ensure their health?
Thoughts?
On PBS.org you can watch this revealing documentary about where Americans get their food. It is disturbing, frustrating and will make you want to know what you are putting into your body.
Watch “FOOD, INC.”
I have seen other documentaries on the way food, especially beef is manipulated in such a way that makes it unhealthy. Those documentaries caused me to stop eating beef and pork all together. The other read meat we would eat is grass fed local buffalo or cow from a local farmer who sells at our farmer’s market. We had switched to eating only bird, because we thought it was more difficult for their unhealthy conditions to effect the meat we ate from them. Since watching FOOD INC I have decided that only locally grown chickens and eggs is what I need to seek out. I am willing to pay more to ensure the birds I am eating are not pumped full of antibiotics and live their lives in a windowless shed walking about in their own feces. This solution will have to suffice until we buy enough land to raise our own food humanely and without chemicals and antibiotics.
Recent health studies have confirmed that interval training is the most effective form of cardio training and high fructose corn syrup causes greater weight gain than other sugars.
Professor Martin Gibala of Canada’s McMaster University concluded that “Doing 10 one-minute sprints on a standard stationary bike with about one minute of rest in between, three times a week, works as well in improving muscle as many hours of conventional long-term biking less strenuously.”1 With years of personal experience doing only interval running and biking, I
Copyright 2009, LiberatedMind.com
can attest to the effectiveness of interval training. Not only does it help motivate me to just do it because of the minimal time commitment required, but it is the best format of cardio to elevate metabolism.
By nature, long intense cardio workouts send a message to the body to actually decrease metabolism, which does not help when one is trying to loose weight. Long distance runners have a lower metabolism than weight lifters because their bodies are preparing for long duration cardio output, requiring the body to be more efficient while running. By doing interval cardio (1 minute intense run/bike followed by 1 minute walk/slow bike: repeated for 10-15 mins) the heart is given a workout on the intense interval, but it also does not tell the body to lower it’s metabolism like high intensity, long duration cardio does. This type of cardio, when combined with weight training at a medium to high intensity is the best combination to loose and then maintain your goal weight and fitness level.
In addition to a regular, well designed exercise program, eating healthy foods in precise proportions is key. For women, 75-80% of weight loss and maintenance is attributable to her nutrition intake. With men, because of higher levels of testosterone, 50-60% of weight loss and maintenance is attributable to nutrition intake. Using sources like nutritiondata.com to inform yourself about what nutrition and caloric intake you daily consume can increase your chance of attaining your fitness goals.
One of the best food ingredients to cut out of your diet if you are trying to eat healthy is High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). Not 
only is HFCS contaminated with Mercury through the refining process, it is now been shown to cause a disruption in metabolism.
Research at Princeston concluded that rats fed corn syrup gained a considerable amount of weight when compared to rats fed sugar in the same caloric measurement. “When rats are drinking high-fructose corn syrup at levels well below those in soda pop, they’re becoming obese — every single one, across the board. Even when rats are fed a high-fat diet, you don’t see this; they don’t all gain extra weight,” said Bart Hoebel of the Princeton University research team. Read the full study here.
Corn Syrup is found in an alarmingly high number of foods from canned peaches, ketchup, and breads to cereals, candies and fruit drinks. Advocates of HFCS have recently started running ads to counter the push against Corn Syrup, claiming that it is no different than any other sweetener. The Princeston studies suggest this is incorrect and that HFCS actually disrupts metabolism and increases triglycerides and abdominal fat. An earlier study this year suggested that Corn Syrup may cause cellular DNA damage in humans. To counteract the negative press about HFCS, manufactures have begun to call Corn Syrup other names in their labeling: chicory, inulin, iso glucose, glucose-fructose syrup, and fruit fructose. I have also seen HFCS labeled as “liquid sugar”.
Ten years ago in America, the Catholic Church was hit with multiple scandals of child rape by Ordained Priests. Recently the Dutch have had the beginnings of their own version of this, followed by Brazil and the rest of Europe seems to be following fast on their heels. The New York Times broke news this week that Pope Benedict (formerly Cardinal Ratzinger) played a heavy hand in dismissing a Wisconsin case against a priest who had raped over 200 deaf boys at the religious school where he ministered.
The American priest Rev. Lawrence C. Murphy worked at a school for the deaf in Wisconsin from 1950-1974. During that time he raped and sexually mollested over 200 students. The Catholic Church was slow to consider repremand for Rev. Murphy and began proceedings to investigate Murphy only after threats of a public lawsuit from a victim hit the Vatican. Proceedings for a secret canonical trial began and Murphy was liable to be defrocked. Murphy wrote a pleading letter to Cardinal Ratzinger begging not to be dismissed saying that he was old and had repented of his “sins”. There is no record of a response from Ratzinger, but the trial was immediate suspended after Murphy wrote this letter to Ratzinger.
Instead of being disciplined, Father Murphy was quietly moved by Archbishop William E. Cousins of Milwaukee to the Diocese of Superior in northern Wisconsin in 1974, where he spent his last 24 years working freely with children in parishes, schools and, as one lawsuit charges, a juvenile detention center. He died in 1998, still a priest. – NYTimes
Ratzinger’s role in dismissing and moving around Murphy is disturbing at best. Even more shocking is the mentality that if a 
man who rapes over 200 deaf boys simply confesses his “sins” to an mythical god, this is enough to let him slip by without consequence. The Catholic Confessional stands as the proverbial slate washer that apparently dismisses ordained priests from facing the consequences of ruining so many young lives.
The Catholic Priesthood is breeding grounds for child rape. First, the priesthood attracts gay men because it is offered as the only viable vocation for a gay Catholic teenage boy. Studying in the seminary, living with other gay men does not help their situation either. Secondly, the Catholic Church requires all their followers (but especially priests and nuns) to refrain completely from masturbation.(1) This unnatural request leads to a sexual build up that is truly unhealthy when trying to live a life without the opportunity for sexual release. Sexual release through masturbation or sexual intercourse is a natural need of the human body. Wet dreams are the body’s way of satisfying this need if it is not dutifully taken care of. Thirdly, when you combine homophobia and this unhealthy view of masturbation and sex with settings where priests are in unsupervised contact with young naive children (who are not taught about sex and masturbation) you end up with a lethal cocktail of child rape.
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1. From the Catechism of the Catholic Church: #2352 By masturbation is to be understood the deliberate stimulation of the genital organs in order to derive sexual pleasure. “Both the Magisterium of the Church, in the course of a constant tradition, and the moral sense of the faithful have been in no doubt and have firmly maintained that masturbation is an intrinsically and gravely disordered action.”137 “The deliberate use of the sexual faculty, for whatever reason, outside of marriage is essentially contrary to its purpose.” For here sexual pleasure is sought outside of “the sexual relationship which is demanded by the moral order and in which the total meaning of mutual self-giving and human procreation in the context of true love is achieved.”
Other sources: Slate The Great Catholic Cover-up
When you get sick, your body fights off infection by kicking your immune system into high gear. It sends out T-cells that the immune system “activates” in order to seek and destroy pathogens in the body. Research at the Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology has found evidence that T-cells require Vitamin D in order to activate. Science Daily explains how this process works:
T cells that are successfully activated transform into one of two types of immune cell. They either become killer
cells that will attack and destroy all cells carrying traces of a foreign pathogen or they become helper cells that assist the immune system in acquiring “memory.” The helper cells send messages to the immune system, passing on knowledge about the pathogen so that the immune system can recognize and remember it at their next encounter. T cells form part of the adaptive immune system, which means that they function by teaching the immune system to recognize and adapt to constantly changing threats. – Science Daily
So next time you feel a cold coming on, perhaps a little 10 minute bask in the sun (with sunscreen applied) or a Vitamin D supplement might replace that overdose of Vitamin C. Have an orange and you’ll get more Vitamin C than your body needs in a day. Studies have suggested that Vitamin D deficiency is a concern especially in Nursing mothers and Children.
Via: Online Schools
Bonobo monkeys are similar to Chimps. The major difference is their social behavior. Chimp communities are run by males, prone to fighting, group battles and infanticide. Bonobo communities are run by the females. They spend a large part of their day grooming each other, having sex with multiple partners and playing in groups. Bonobos show a great deal of compassion for each other and even for other animals. Their motto could
Bonobos having sex missionary style, a favorite sex position of the Bonobos
easily be “make love, not war”. Because the females have sex with all the males in the group, non of the males will kill the baby bonobos because there is no way of knowing whose baby is whose.
Recent studies have concluded that Bonobos also share like humans. Socially, the Bonobo monkey is the closest cousin to humans. Bonobos are strikingly human like. Learn more about Bonobos on Nova’s documentary video “Ape Genius”
EWG performed a study on chemicals found in newborn’s umbilical chords. 
Among the compounds found in the tissues samples were BPA, Teflon, flame retardant found in couches and bedding, the total number of toxic chemicals was 232. Many of the chemicals found in the babies umbilical chords were components of make up and personal products that women continue to use throughout pregnancy.
The EWG put out a list of ways to avoid the most harmful toxins during pregnancy (as always).
From MNN:
Among the substances newly discovered, in addition to BPA, included a toxic flame retardant chemical (tetrabromobisphenol A) designed for computer circuit boards, chemicals used in synthetic fragrances (galaxolide and tonalide) for common cosmetics and detergents, and a member of the notorious Teflon chemical family (perfluorobutanoic acid) that helps make non-stick, and grease, stain and water-resistant coatings for a number of everyday consumer products.”
When a women is pregnant, the makeup she wears, the deoderant she uses and the lotions she uses may effect her baby’s behavior later down the road. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that high levels of phthalates found in a women’s blood
during pregnancy directly correlate with behavioral issues in their child at ages 4-9 years.
Phthalates are non-organic chemicals used in lotions, makeup products, soaps, nail polish, perfumes and shampoos. “Phthalates are part of a group of chemicals known as endocrine disruptors, that interfere with the body’s endocrine, or hormone system.”1 Phthalates is also known as BPA when used in plastics.
Children whose mothers tested with a high level of Phthalates in their blood during pregnancy consistently reported behavioral issues in their 4-9 year olds associated with Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Conduct Disorder and ADHD.
To avoid phthalates in personal care products, buy only all natural products and read the ingredients. If you can’t pronounce an ingredient or have never heard of it, look it up on the EWG website before buying. Most Phthalates in personal products are called one of the following:
BzBP (benzylbutyl phthalate)
DBP (di-n-butyl phthalate) and DEP (diethyl phthalate)
“fragrance” is another ingredient to avoid. If a chemical blend is a trade secret, manufactures are not legally required to disclose the contents on the lable. They simply denote this as “fragrance”, which likely contains parabens or phthalates.
The best paraben free products to replace your most common personal care products are:
Deoderant: Crystal Salt
Toothpaste: PerioBrite
Shampoo and Conditioner: [amazon ASIN="B001JAH2V0"]Hugo Naturals[/amazon]
Lipgloss, cosmetics: [amazon ASIN="B000WRZSCQ"]Honeybee gardens[/amazon]
Lotion: [amazon ASIN="B0012NZ9LY"]Hugo Naturals[/amazon]
Hand and Body soap:[amazon ASIN="B001ET77YI"]Dr. Bronners[/amazon] or find home made soaps from your local farmer’s market.
Nail polish: just don’t use it! Nail polish is basically paint that you absorb through your skin.
Learn more: The Do-Nothing Method to Healthier Skin :: BPA powder on your receipts?!
References:
Antarctica’s mountain ranges have been digitally scanned! If the ice were to melt away, they would look very similar to the Cascade Range in the USA, home of Mnt. Rainer.
Recent studies have linked high levels of PBDEs in women’s blood to a difficult time getting 
pregnant. PBDEs are a type of flame retardant found in fabrics, furniture and mattresses. They are most prevalent in foams.
PBDEs, or polybrominated diphenyl ethers, are a class of organobromine compounds that became commonplace after the 1970s when new fire safety standards were implemented in the United States. The flame retardants are used in foam furniture, electronics, fabrics, carpets, plastics and other common items in the home. - Science Daily
It is not clear how PBDEs interfer with fertility, but reserach has suggested they effect hormone levels. Household dust from foam, couches, curtains, sheets, and mattresses is the main culprit for human absorbtion of PBDEs. Tempurpedic beds do not contain PBDEs
Read more: Non-stick pans wreak havok on your Thyroid
News from the ESRI:
Redlands, California—January 20, 2010—ESRI is working closely with the geographic information system (GIS) community and agencies responding to the Haiti earthquake by providing software, technical support, GIS data, and personnel. In the immediate aftermath of the earthquake—characterized as one of the worst natural disasters ever in the Western Hemisphere—GIS- is assisting in identifying areas of extreme damage, impacts to critical infrastructure, areas suitable for food and water distribution, and more. It gives officials critical information used for making all types of decisions.
On LiberatedMind.com we recently gave a product review for PerioBrite Toothpaste as paraben and petrolium-free paste that actually worked well.
After realizing that even our “alcohol-free” ACT mouthwash contained PEGs and 
other harsh toxicants, we decided to try PerioBrite Mouthwash. What a punch! It is arguably more intense than any alcohol filled mouthwash. Ingredients include Echinacea, Green Tea and Olive Leaf, Peppermint, Clove, Oregano and Thyme.
Using only a small capful, we were hooked on the first try. It is about double the price of a big container of conventional mouthwash, but with the PerioWash, you need only use a small cap (about half a table spoon) each use. The 16oz PerioWash is bound to last a lot longer than a big jug of mouthwash from the pharmacy.
Learn more: Organic Toothpaste that actually works? PerioBrite!
Thinking about putting in some new carpeting? How about some balloons for the next office party, or candles for a romantic evening with your partner? Has your child ever eaten a crayon? All these things and more are made with, you betcha: OIL. Toothpaste, Vitamin Capsules, Hair Coloring, Nail Polish and Hand Lotion are the most disgusting ones on this list…
You may also be interested in The Do-Nothing Method to Healthy Skin
Learn more about the harms in:
What is really in Cool Whip?, Teflon, Deoderant, Parabens in PapSmears, The Future of Food, Spray-on Sunscreen, Folic Acid Overdose, Toxic Cosmetics, Organic Toothpaste, Mercury in your Mascara and Lead in your Lipstick, Corn Syrup, Nail Polish
When people approach the age of 40 they excuse themselves on a mid-life crises venture, feeling the need to blame the desire for change on the number 
of years they have been alive. But why does this mentality persist when people live to be 90 or 100 (provided they lead a healthy lifestyle)? Modern medicine, safer public practices and a better understanding of what constitutes a healthy lifestyle have helped humans lead longer, healthier lives. Is a mid-life crisis warranted?
Decades ago when people were expected to live maybe to 60, 70 if lucky, buying a sports car or changing directions was seen as a last ditch effort to enjoy life before kicking the bucket. Today however, the 30s, 40s and 50s are the prime of life. Why are they the prime of life? Professor Strenger explains:
Most people make many of their most important life decisions before they really know who they are… By age 30, most Americans have already married, decided where to live, bought their first home, and chosen their career. “But at 30, people still have the better part of their adult years ahead of them,” Prof. Strenger says. - Science Daily
If our major life course is decided when we have not formed our mature selves, it is no wonder that many people feel they need a major life overhaul in their 30s and 40s. Each person’s experiences, accumulation of knowledge, and social encounters shapes our personality and opens us up to ideas and paths that we may not have encountered before. When you were 18 or 19 you may have been pressured into deciding a career path for the rest of your life. Perhaps when you graduated college, you married your high school sweetheart or college partner without dating much to get an idea of what you really needed in a partner. These early decisions when we barely know ourselves can backfire on us later in life, causing us to be miserable and regretful.
We should all take the chance to reinvent ourselves, especially at age 30. 
Perspectively, life has just begun and the real YOU has just recently taken shape. Change careers, go back to college, move far away, get in the best shape of your life, pick up a sport you’ve always wanted to try, whatever it takes to make you happy. Why? Because this day will never come again and if you lead a healthy life, you may be living whatever path you set for yourself for another 70 years. Continue to reinvent, change and challenge yourself.
Recent studies link a chemical called perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) to human thyroid hormonal imbalances and diseases. PFOA is found in the coatings of non-stick cookware, stain resistant carpeting, upholstery and clothing. The most common way PFOA makes its way into the human body is 
by eating foods cooked in non-stick cookware or foods that touched non-stick coatings on fast food wrappers and styrofoam packaging.
The researchers found that the individuals with the highest 25% of PFOA concentrations (above 5.7ng/ml) were more than twice as likely to report current thyroid disease than individuals with the lowest 50% of PFOA concentrations (below 4.0ng/ml). The most specific analysis included 163 women and 46 men who reported having current thyroid disease and who were taking thyroid medication at the time the blood samples were taken.
What is the moral of the story? Organic, all natural carpet, or just cut out the hairy stuff altogether. Get natural, organic furniture, not stuff made out of synthetics and PFOA. But more importantly, replace all non-stick cookware with stainless steel, woods and metals without the teflon coatings. Your thyroid will be much happier and more easily regulate your metabolism and mood without a bonbardment of PFOA.
Using GIS to map correspondence of letters during the Enlightenment age. Developed by Stanford University.
So why should we care about 8-hydroxyquinoline sulfate ? For starters it is found in some hair products and denture/dental products.
It is in so many products despite it’s ability to cause cancer in lab rats and toxicity of the human digestive, respiratory and circulatory systems.
8-Hydroxyquinoline sulfate is a metal chelating agent extracted from coal tar. It has been used in a wide variety of products, from “bag balm” for cows to cosmetics and drugs, for its ability to inhibit the growth of imidazolidinylurea microbes. 1
The compound was previously used a preservative in cheese until it was deemed “harmful if swallowed” by the FDA, which has since banned it from all foods. 2 At some point in it’s history it was used as a pesticide, but is not considered obsolete. 3
A 2001 document on the effects of 8-hydroxyquinoline sulfate on livestock prepared for the USDA by the Organic Materials Review Institute states that “Although it is not generally reported as a carcinogen or teratogen, a test of the food additive formerly used as cheese preservative (8-hydroxyquinoline sulfate) found tumors in the bladder, brain, and uteri of rats and mice when administered intervaginally.” 4
According to the EWG, 8-hydroxyquinoline sulfate is considered a moderate health hazard with the ability to cause cancer, toxicity of the stomach, digestive tract, respiratory tract and cardiovascular system even in low exposure. It’s use in cosmetic products is either prohibited or strictly limited in most major countries. Finally, there have been no studies on the long term effects when left on the skin and absolutely no studies done on how much is absorbed into the bloodstream 5
Sources:
2. FDA
3. http://www.pesticideinfo.org/Docs/ref_regulatoryINT.html#WHOObsolete
4. SkinDeep and OMRI NOSB Tap Materials Database
5. EWG
This December I read an article on Treehugger.com addressing healthy armpits. Armpits are a common conundrum among health nuts like myself who have decided not to use deodorizers with chemicals and metals in them. So many armpit products today advertise as an “antiperspirant”. But do you really know why they work or how?
Metals that exist in most antiperspirants like Aluminum Zirconium Tetrachlorohydrex GLY actually react with your skin to close the sweat pores so that you are unable to sweat from your armpits. Aluminum Zirconium is a metal that is a human nervous system toxicant. This metal is the most common ingredient in antiperspirants like Axe, Dove, Secret, etc. These products often also contain fillers like PROPYLENE GLYCOL, BHT, CYCLOPENTASILOXANE , and PPG-14 BUTYL ETHER. The EWG states that these ingredients are known to cause “neurotoxicity, endocrine disruption, persistence and bioaccumulation, organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), enhanced skin absorption, contamination concerns, occupational hazards, biochemical or cellular level changes.”
Do you know what you are smearing under your arms each morning? Check your label and consider an alternative.
The only product out there that does not contain harmful substances and actually works is called Crystal. Instead of forcing sweat glands shut with a toxic metal powder, Crystal uses 
natural salts to kill the bacteria that eat your sweat and exude that awful stink you are trying to get rid of in the first place. Get rid of the bacteria producing the smell, don’t force your skin to swell shut preventing natural sweat.
My favorite Crystalproduct is the “original” stick. It is actually a rounded piece of salts rock that you apply right after showering when you arm pits are still damp from the shower. I have been using it for a month now after previously having settled for another all natural stick that just masked odors. There is no smell! Even after a hard workout at the gym, I smell good. Amazing!
Having just visited the gynecologist for a yearly examination, I noticed an overwhelming ill feeling a few hours after leaving the doctor’s office. For the rest of the day I had a mix of a headache, abdominal cramps, nausea, fatigue, and an upset stomach. The symptoms would come and go without pattern. I generally just fell unwell. I have had this feeling after every doctor visit where lube is used vaginally to insert some instrument (or someone’s hand). They squirt out that nasty lube and smear it all over their hand or tool before sliding it in. I had to know what was in that stuff.
Methylparaben
The only active ingredient listed in the most common lube used in paps, Femglide, was Methylparaben. After switching cosmetics, cleaning supplies, soaps, etc to non toxic, all natural products, the last thing I wanted was a paraben being generously applied to my vagina where it is quick to be absorbed into my bloodstream. A little research lead me a long way:
Methylparaben, designated as food additive E218 in Europe, is a preservative that inhibits the growth of bacteria and fungi in many products, but it is frequently used in cosmetics. 1
Femglide and SlipperyStuff is touted as “sperm friendly” and one of the least harmful personal lubricant available. Methlyparaben in Femglide is a know mutagen, causing cells it contacts to mutate. Why that is considered “sperm friendly” evades me. Methylparaben, which is currently banned in the EU is also 
a skin irritant and is known to cause allergic reaction in humans. That would explain why I felt like crap after the doctor used a half cup on her hand.
The EWG states that “one or more animal studies show brain and nervous system effects at moderate doses.” Methylparaben is also known to cause cancer, endocrine disruption, and interference with gene expression. (I think the sperm are doomed at this point). It is is considered by the EWG a high health hazard with the ability to cause cancer, toxicity of the stomach, digestive tract, respiratory tract and cardiovascular system.
Armed with this information, it would be safe to caution against using personal lubrication when trying to conceive if you want live, healthy sperm. Also, if you have issues with yeast infections, using a personal lubrication with Methylparaben in it is not advisable because it may kill the healthy bacteria in the vagina.
Femglide and personal lubes are not the only products in the US containing the chemical Methylparaben. Sun screens, lotions, conditioners, hemorrhoid creams and get this: spermicides are just a few product types that may include Methlyparabens. See an entire list here.
Did I mention that Methlyparaben is not the only nasty ingredient in Femglide? Yes, there is PEG-4. I’ll let Treehugger.com explain why this chemical is so toxic:
“Polyethylene glycol, better known by its acronym, PEG, isn’t a single ingredient but a class of ethylene glycol polymers that moisturize, keep products stable, and enhance the penetration of other ingredients, both good and bad. PEGs are typically followed by a number correlating to how many units of ethylene glycol they comprise, in the form of say PEG-4 or PEG-100; the lower the number, the more easily the compound is absorbed into the skin.
While PEGs can be mild irritants, they’re less than desirable primarily because they help traffic funky chemicals across your epidermis, including a slug of impurities they’re often contaminated with. According to a report in the International Journal of Toxicology by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review, pollutants found in various PEG compounds include ethylene oxide (used to manufacture mustard gas), 1,4-dioxane, polycyclic aromatic compounds, and heavy metals (lead, iron, cobalt, nickel, cadmium, arsenic).” 3
The EWG says that PEG-4 is restricted in cosmetic use and is not safe for application on damaged or broken skin. Have a slight tear downstairs during your papsmear ladies? Well, why not smear PEG-4 all over it? PEG-4 is a human carcinogen and has been banned in Canada, yet the FDA allows it’s use in food products. You won’t see it listed as PEG-4 in your food, rather it is called POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL when placed on a food lable. 4
So for my next papsmear, I am officially allergic to Methylparaben. “No thanks doc, I’ll pass on the paraben-chemical goop, but thanks for asking.”
————————————————————————————————————————
Sources:
2. EWG
4. EWG on PEG-4
You know that glossy, powdering feel of a receipt when the cashier hands you your “proof of purchase?” Possibly worse than BPA in your plastic water bottle, BPA powder on that grocery receipt can easily get in your mouth and into your body. Now you have two 
reasons to say “no thank you” to the receipt: Saving paper and staying BPA free.
From Treehugger.com:
“Thermal imaging papers, the ones use in most cash registers, and carbonless copy papers (the ones used for most credit card receipts) both use BPA to provide the “magic” behind printing those receipts. According to Science News, when created, the papers are coated with a “powdery layer” of BPA and invisible ink. When pressure and/or heat are applied, the two materials merge together on the paper and you get color, aka your printed receipt.
BPA in water bottles, for example, is referred to as having nanograms of particles leaching out. BPA in cash registers receipts on the other hand typically has 60 to 100 milligrams of free BPA, much more than you would find in your water bottle. To make matters worse, the BPA in receipts is free, meaning that the individual molecules are “loose and ready for the uptake” unlike water bottles or food containers where the particles are bound and have to be heated in order for you to be exposed. Thus far, no specific studies have been done to quantify just how much BPA we may be exposed to or whether it can stay on our fingers long enough for us to touch food and ingest it, or even if it can just permeate our skin.”
So I would say “no thanks” to the receipt. If you think you need a receipt to return something, ask them to put it in the bag and wash your hands if you handle it. Another way to avoid BPA would be to buy online where your receipts are all electronic, there is no store using space, lighting, etc and you don’t have to drive around town using gas. Hmmmm…
Have you ever noticed how people who eat only junk food and sit at a computer all day, never getting exercise have an unattractive hue to their skin? Of course there is your classic world-of-warcraft shut-in who’s diet consists of doritos and ice cream. What is it about their skin that makes them unattractive?
Research out of Bristol and St. Andrew’s, UK has shed light on the link between an 
attractive skin color in humans and the lifestyle that goes with it. As no surprise to the health nut, maintaining a nutritious diet and getting regular exercise determines the attractiveness of one’s skin tone.
“We knew from our previous work that people who have more blood and more oxygen color in their skins looked healthy, and so we decided to see what other colors affect health perceptions. This has given us some clues as to what other skin pigments may relate to a healthy appearance.”
Science has already clued us into the harmful damage sun exposure does to the skin cells. Also, with the recent findings in other studies suggesting that spray-on tanning may cause lung cancer, it is perhaps fitting to revisit the basics of human health. Your skin is a walking billboard of your internal health. So don’t fry your integument in the sun and don’t spray chemicals on it either. If you eat healthy, clean foods and get exercise you won’t have a need to change your skin color artificially.
Read more at Science Daily
Every time I go to a new gym, I become familiar with the resident “orangies” who are perpetually tan, most of them bordering on the orange spectrum. For weight trainers like
myself there is something to be said for being buff AND tan. Spray on tans are by far the most common alternative to frying your skin in the cancer coffin on a regular basis. I’ve tried the spray tan booth a few times myself and was hard pressed to avoid breathing in the spray. Holding your breath for 15 seconds while being doused with dye. I inevitably inhaled the stuff.
Researchers at UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have conducted studies on nano particles found in paint, vitamins, tanning sprays, spray-on suncreens, cosmetics, toothpastes, etc. Their focus especially was on titanium dioxide nanoparticles. Results suggested that continual exposure whereby the nanoparticles were allowed to enter the body (through digestion or inhalation) caused cancer in mice. They also suggested that the 
nanoparticles are not able to penetrate the skin, but upon entering the body, they are able to move around freely causing oxidative stress and cell death.
“It could be that a certain portion of spontaneous cancers are due to this exposure,” Schiestl said. “And some people could be more sensitive to nanoparticles exposure than others. “I believe the toxicity of these nanoparticles has not been studied enough.”
The studies warrant further research on the effects of nanoparticles on the body. Until then, think twice when stepping into that tanning booth, spraying on the sunscreen or powdering your face. You may be flirting with lung cancer.
Find out more at Science Daily.
Recent studies have suggested that not enough folate in the diet may lead to carcinogenesis (process whereby normal cells are turned into cancerous cells) and too much folic acid may
increase the growth of already present cancerous cells. These findings augment the all to familiar adage: “Too much of a good thing is a bad thing”. It should come as no surprise that a healthy balance of anything, including folic acid is the best way to enhance the body’s functions. An apple a day may keep the doctor away, but 100 apples will certainly make you sick.
“Experimental evidence suggests that folate deficiency may promote initial stages of carcinogenesis, whereas high doses of folic acid may enhance growth of cancer cells. Since 1998, many countries, including the United States, have implemented mandatory folic acid fortification of flour and grain products to reduce the risk of neural-tube birth defects,” the authors write. “Recently, concerns have emerged about the safety of folic acid, in particular with respect to cancer risk.” From Science Daily
Taking this further, it should be noted that the best way to ingest folic acid is not through supplements or “enriched” cereals. Folic acid is best taken in it’s natural form through foods that contain it naturally such as asparagus, okra, oranges, spinach, grapefruit, and nuts.
Foods like this never find their way into our home, but it is still fun to see what 
disgusting crap goes into “food” like Cool Whip . This Thanksgiving, will you be eating food or “food”?
From Wired Science
I would love to hear this homeopath, Dr. Charlene Werner try to explain
physics to a physics professor. It literally sounds like she is making this stuff up as she goes! How does one justify using Einstein’s E=mc2 by “crossing out mass”? Oh, and her best example of how magic pellets work is a “patient” with a “squeaky knee” and “sugar cravings” being “cured” in 4 weeks. Really?
So if your brain doesn’t hurt from all that incorrect blabbering, listen to an actual physicist on the topics Dr. Charlene Werner just touched on.
What are you doing this weekend? Anything to improve your quality of living
or reduce your impact on the earth? Well, if those things appeal to you, sign up for a one week trial of guided No-Impact Living! The challenge starts this weekend October 18. There is no cost, just simply visit the website to sign up using an email account. Each day you will be emailed a how-to for each step along a one week period for reducing your footprint on the environment.
No-Impact Global Experiment Video:
This windmill design was inspired by the buzzing wings of flying insects. It may prove to be more effecient than the current circular motion windmills, which are only 30% effecient. This follows the recent trend of using nature’s solutions to solve design issues. Watch the xBee in action:
Besides the obvious side effects of taking oral contraceptives, women who are on the pill may want to reconsider how it may interfere with their love life. In the October 2009 Issue of Trends in Ecology and Evolution, Dr. Virpi Lumma presented evidence for hormone interruption caused by the pill. Women who are on the pill do not cycle normally through ovulation. During ovulation a 
women’s hormones make her more likely to choose a mate who exhibits more masculine traits and to also choose a mate who is genetically less like herself through the body’s response to pheromones of the opposite sex.
Dr. Lumma’s studies suggest that women on the pill do not cycle through this natural ovulation time which leads them to select mates that are more genetically similar to themselves, which can lead to genetic diseases or disorders in offspring. Read the full article.
This news comes hot on the heals of recent studies that have shown extremely high levels of estrogen byproduct in water systems (and drinking water). The elevated levels of estrogen come from the urine of women taking the pill as the body expels excess hormone. Because the hormone does not break down or get caught by water filtration systems, it gets returned to drinking water and into ecosystems that harm fish and other wildlife.
British humor is great. This poor guy let the bird hump him for a long time!
Watch the video.
We’ve all heard it before. The classic argument from a theist’s perspective on why a god must have created our universe. I can’t tell you how many times religious people have said to me: “well, can you think of one example where something comes from nothing in the universe?”
They are correct in noting that “something cannot be created from nothing” within our known universe, as far as we have been able to demonstrate through
Hubble Deep Field: thousands of galaxies
scientific inquiry. However, when considering the big bang and the origins of our known universe, we cannot apply the laws of physics WITHIN the known universe to that which act OUTSIDE the known universe. Before the start of our universe, it is plausible that other laws of “physics” governed and dictated how our universe singularity began and where the energy and material originated from.
There is also a notable phenomenon observed in quantum mechanics. Particles composed of quarks such as protons, neutrons, positrons, etc have been observed popping into existence from nowhere and leaving again just as fast. Such particles “appear” in a vacuum where no other matter or energy exists. At the quantum level, even empty space is not truly empty but is seething with activity; particles are constantly popping in and out of existence everywhere. In pair creation, a particle and its antimatter partner seem to “appear” (see Bosons). This is cutting edge quantum mechanics research. The Large Hadron Collider in Switzlerand was built and is just recently up and running in the search for the Higgs-Boson particle.
We cannot apply the laws of this universe to that which acted outside of the universe. The laws that hold true within the bubble of our universe may not govern outside the bounds of this universe. 
It is plausible that there are endless numbers of other universes “floating” about and our universe is just one of them. Within each of these multi-verses different laws and properties may govern the interactions within. This “Multiverse theory” is the leading theory in the scientific cosmology community, though it remains untested and still a speculation. (Though this speculation is based on other observations and evidence of how our universe operates). It is probable that the “laws” that act outside our bubble universe commonly call into existence something from nothing. We cannot say with certainty so it is irresponsible to jump to a conclusion without the ability to test or prove it to be false or true. This applies to the multi-verse theory and the theory of a god or gods.
Watch this 10 min video where Dr. Michio Kaku, a leading cosmologist explains the multiverse theory:
As announced this weekend: Here is a transcript of Hawking’s explanation of why he is stepping down as the Lucasian Professor at Cambridge.
“The first thing I should say, is that I’m not retiring. Under Cambridge University regulations, I will no longer be the Lucasian Professor, but I will have a new post as a Director of Research at Cambridge.
I will carry on with my scientific work, and my efforts to explain it to other people. I’m currently working on the quantum creation of the universe, and the rapid inflation in size that followed.
Despite having been unfortunate enough to get motor neurone disease at the age of 21, I have had a full and satisfying life. I have three wonderful children, and have been able to add to our understanding of the universe.
It has been a glorious time to be alive, and doing research in theoretical physics. Our picture of the universe, has changed a great deal in the last 40 years, and I’m happy if I have made a small contribution.
I want to share my excitement and enthusiasm. There’s nothing like the Eureka moment, of discovering something that no-one knew before. I won’t compare it to sex, but it lasts longer.”
I recently stumbled upon a cosmetic website that tested and rated the toxicity level of household products and personal care products. My partner and I had recently switched from toxic cleaners and personal products to organic, all natural, no chemical products. Toothpaste proved to be the most difficult to find a replacement that actually worked, but for most of them, we enjoyed switching to products that contained less ingredients and nothing we couldn’t pronounce.
The only product I have yet to toss in the trash and replac
e is my Mascara. At Skin Deep I entered the name: Big Fatty Mascara by Urban Decay and gasped as a toxcitiy rating of 7 out of 10 showed up on my computer. I tossed that stick in the trash and put “WholeFoods” on my list of errands. I made a list of the “zero toxic” options and headed to the store in search of a beauty stick without poisons.
When our household switched from toxic products to non-toxic, all natural alternatives we enjoyed every part of it… except the toothpaste. We went through so many toothpaste brands like Jason, Toms of Maine and many others. All of them left our teeth feeling fuzzy. Some of them even still contained Fluoride, one ingredient we get too much of in our drinking water and a chemical that disrupts the natural hormone production in the thyroid.
Feeling dismayed and out of options, we found ourselves at the Wholefoods store, staring at a wide array of natural toothpastes. We were going to trial and error again, just pick some and return them if they didn’t work when we bumped into a gentleman buying toothpaste as well. He reached for a brand familiar to him. I quickly piped up and asked him if he liked that stuff. He looked at me funny. I explained that we were having a hard time finding a paste that worked and wondered if he would recommend the PerioBrite he
held in hand. He told us it is the only thing that works and turned to leave. Dylan and I looked at each other. I grabbed a tube of PerioBrite and since then we have been hooked.
PerioBrite is clay-colored and does not contain “sudsing” ingredients that make conventional toothpastes suds in your mouth. It does contain natural peppermint flavors that really cool and refresh the mouth. And they graciously leave out the Flouride. It is clay based and does not leave your teeth feeling fuzzy. We use it three times a day and our teeth are healthier and cleaner than with chemically loaded conventional toothpastes.
Learn more: Organic, non-Alcohol Mouthwash
Not too long ago it we learned that Nail Polish contains “female reproductive toxicants”. Some more beauty products in the average women’s arsenal are now up for question for containing lead and mercury.
The FDA recently tested 33 of the most popular lipsticks and found lead in 60% of them.
The ranges in lead detection were between 0.01 parts per million (ppm) to 3.06ppm. Ladies should also know that most lipsticks are composed of fish scales and parabens (along with the lead) which get ingested when you lick your lips or eat with the stuff on. Read the full report here.
Along with lipstick, Mascara as regulated by the FDA allows for up to 65 parts per million of mercury. This is a small amount, however Mercury is a neuro toxin and once absorbed by the body stays in the fatty tissues and never is flushed out of the system. Mercury can then accumulate over years of exposure and prove toxic to a developing fetus.
Things like Lead and Mercury are not included on the manufacture’s lable along with other harmful carcinogens. Fortunately for those who want to still look smashing without the poison, there are beauty product lines that offer an all natural, chemical and paraben free way to dress up your eyes and lips. For[amazon ASIN="B0017QT7T6"]Mascara try Honeybee Gardens[/amazon]. They also carry a great line of [amazon ASIN="B000VUUSAG"]lip color[/amazon] and [amazon ASIN="B0036ANS0U"]eye color[/amazon].
Similar products and many many more can be found at Whole Foods or other health stores. If you are unsure about trying a new product, ask a sales representative at the store to recommend a product. You may even ask if they will accept a return so you can try something new in confidence.
So corn syrup, otherwise known as HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup) has gotten a lot of bad rap lately. Corn syrup is in loads of processed foods and drinks contributing to obesity,diabetes, DNA damage, and unhealthy eating 
habits in the majority of Americans. HFCS is made from the same type of corn crop that is used to make Ethanol used to fuel E-85 vehicles. But recently, we may have yet another reason (like there aren’t enough) to avoid Corn Syrup. In a recent TreeHugger piece, David Friedlander unveils the ugly truth about mercury in corn syrup:
According to a recent Mother Jones article, in 2004 when FDA researcher Renee Dufault found mercury in HFCS samples from leading manufacturers, they did what any agency looking to protect public health would do: they asked her to stop her inquiry.
The source of the mercury is thought to be lye, which is used to separate the cornstarch from the kernel. Many chemical companies make lye by pumping salt through large vats of mercury. That mercury-laced lye is most likely the same lye used in processing corn to make HFCS.
After the FDA tried to stymie Dufault’s inquiry, she decided pursue the matter further, sending the original 20 samples to be retested; nearly half of the samples contained mercury. This past January, Dufault published her findings in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health.
The protective case made by NovoThink
is called “Surge” doubles as a solar charger with its own built in battery backup. It will soon be available for $70.
The device comes with an application for the iPhone that indicates how much power is available in the batteries and how much power is being pumped into the phone. The built in extra battery pack can be charged by the solar panels and holds 120% capacity. It comes in a range of color options and if you live in sunny state, might be your ticket to getting your iPhone “off the grid”.
Is H1N1 as widespread and scary as the media portrays it to be? Evidence points towards H1N1 being just as common and the common flu. Each year the flu kills thousands of people, most of whom have prior health concerns. When someone dies of the flu, they don’t actually die from the virus directly, but rather by untreated or severe symptoms such as phenomena.
H1N1 has thus far followed a simialar pattern to the seasonal flu
in symptoms, number of cases and number of deaths. Infact, some people may be partially immune to this strain of H1N1 already because of previous encounters with other H1N1 flu viruses.
It is probable that because the virus originated in Mexico where healthcare is of poor quality, the higher death rate due to the “swine” flu initially caused the rest of the world to go overboard on prevention and vaccination. Science Daily comments on the brash response to swine flu:
Over the past four years, pandemic preparations have focused on responding to worst case scenarios. As a result, we responded to the H1N1 outbreak as an unfolding disaster. Some countries erected port of entry quarantines. Others advised against non-essential travel to affected areas and some closed schools and businesses.
The CDC defines and categorizes types of epidemics in order to better prepare and handle the variety of outbreaks and diseases.
type 1 epidemic (severe disease affecting many people)
type 2 epidemic (infecting few, mostly severe disease),
type 3 epidemic (affecting many, mostly mild).
All the hype around “swine” flu caused people to approach it like a type 1 epidemic, when in reality it is proving to effect the population like a type 3.
So what do you do? The CDC is advising people sick with flu like symptoms to stay home and phone in to the doctor if you need advice. The only reason to come in to the doctor with flu like symptoms is when having difficulty breathing or keeping liquids down (or for any other major complication). They are no longer doing blood tests to determine who has swine flu verses regular flu because it doesn’t matter and it doesn’t effect the patient any differently. Stay home, get well and stop worrying. In the meantime, eat healthy, stay positive and exercise: that is the best way to ward of illness of any kind and ensure your body is in a prepared state should you become ill.
This is a must buy for science geeks. The lyrics are
controversial and clever. One of the songs called “Science is Real” has a free video preview that really digs at the issue of myth verses proven theory. I’m buying mine off itunes as soon as it becomes available.
Sheepdogs may now be considered an important part of green energy. Solar farms in Europe have begun keeping sheep in the pastures beneath solar array farms. The sheep are a green way to keep the weeds and grasses from blocking the sunlight. 
A fence around the solar farm keeps the sheep in and the people out. Sheepdogs like Border Collies have hit the spotlight helping to move the sheep around. The sheep cut the grass for free and provide wool.
Are you at the point with your skin blemishes that you just feel like giving up and saying “Nothing works”? Take a step back and consider that your skin did not evolve to deal with harsh soaps, twice daily washes, makeup clogging up pores. These things strip away the skin’s natural defenses. If you are at the point where you have no idea if you have dry or oily skin, you have tried so many acne treatments you want to cry or you are just feeling like giving your skin a break, the “Do-Nothing” method may work for you. 10 easy changes. Try it for 3-4 weeks. “Natural”, “Nothing” and “Free” don’t make anyone money, that’s why you’ll hardly hear of someone advocating this method.
1. Nothing works!
For your daily face regimen, simply do nothing. No makeup, no scrubs, no washes, nothing.
Let your skin regulate itself by producing natural oils that protect the skin and keep it moisturized. Washing your face strips your skin of it’s natural defenses, leaving it dry and vulnerable, often leading to an overproduction of oil that causes acne breakouts. It is a vicious cycle. Go cold turkey and see what “nothing” can do for you! The day you start this method, use a mild scrub (see below) and steam the follow day to start the cleansing process.
2. Cold showers, short showers
Hot water strips away the natural oils in your skin, leaving it dry. If you can’t stand a cold shower, take a warm shower (not hot) and turn the shower handle to cold at the very end when you rinse your face. If there are very oily spots on your face, go ahead and gently rub them with your fingertips, but on most days just a cold rinse should be enough.
3. Never pop a zit!
That white puss that forms on a zit is your skin’s way of cleansing out the inflamed area. The puss is actually filled with white blood cells, and repairing components that clean and heal the infected pore. By “popping” it, you are stripping that natural healing method away and opening up a wound that will take longer to heal and may leave behind a pock mark. Once you get a pussy zit, leave it alone, let it works its magic and it will “pop” and go away on its own. The key is to avoid getting zits in the first place, but once you have a puss filled zit, best to leave it to repair the damage already done rather than causing more damage by popping it.
4. Wash your makeup brushes
If you do need to use makeup to occasionally cover embarrassing blemishes or just to add some color to your eyes, be sure to wash your makeup brushes once a week with
warm water and an all natural paraben-free shampoo (the one you use for your own hair of course). Dirty makeup brushes harbor bacteria. Don’t let that build up or you will just be rubbing that grime all over your face! If you must use makeup, use a mineral makeup like Bare Minerals and apply as little as possible. For eyeliner and mascara use a natural, organic product like HoneybeeGardens.
5. Exfoliate Once a week
Sluffing off those dead skin cells is necessary at least once a week. You can buy a natural product with no parabens and a very fine granule like Hugo’s Sea Fennel Scrub. 
A cheaper and more natural alternative is to use organic coffee grounds from your morning brew. Coffee grounds not only exfoliate, but the caffeine helps tighten your pores giving you smooth skin. If you have dry skin, you can add a tablespoon of cold-pressed coconut oil to a handful of coffee grounds and use to exfoliate.
6. Massage the lift into your face
When you scrub your face once a week, give yourself a mini facial massage to increase circulation to your skin. Facial massages help reduce wrinkles by loosening the muscles of laugh lines and tension areas in your face.
7. Steaming for acne
A weekly steaming can help open your pore to flush out toxins. 
Use a small pot of water (add lavender, thyme or chamomile if desired). Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat and let simmer for a few minutes. Form a tent over your head by draping a towel over your head and lean your face over the steaming pot. Let the steam hit your face without getting too close (to avoid scalding yourself). Steam for 5 minutes, then immediately rinse your face with cool water to close your pores.
8. The Hair on Your Head
Since we spend about 8 hours a day with our faces on a pillow, it is important to consider what sleep situations may do to our skin. If you have long hair, put your hair up in a binder before hitting the sack to keep the oils and product in your hair off your pillow and off your face. Using a hairnet also works for those who have shorter hair or don’t like their hair tied up all night. It is also important to evaluate what is in your hair products, as these are the closest in proximity to your face and scalp. Check your shampoos, conditioners and hair products for parabens such as Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and known human carcinogens, such as triclosan. If you find any of these things in your product, throw them away and start fresh. A big factor in your skin’s health can be the laundry detergent you use. Bed linens and clothing rub on us all day. Buying a natural detergent and staying away from dryer sheets can help clear up acne, yeast infections and skin irritations as well as keep harmful carcinogens out of your system.
Health food stores sell all natural cosmetic and beauty products that will be gentler on your hair and better for your overall health. Look for ingredient lists that are short and do not contain words you cannot pronounce or chemical names you have never heard of. Less is more in this case. Keep this healthy practice with all your cosmetics, cleaners, and soaps and you will have less chance of coming in contact with harmful chemicals and carcinogens throughout your day. Our favorites are Hugo shampoos and conditioners and Dr. Bronner’s liquid hand and body soaps.
9. Exercise
Healthy skin is tied in with healthy living. Eating fresh produce, meats and avoiding
processed sugars, corn syrup and parabens goes hand in hand with regular exercise. Exercise aids in carrying nutrients to all cells in the body and carrying out toxins that build up in our cells. Our bodies are not built for sitting on the couch or at the computer all day.
10. Avoid sweets
Avoiding sweets and refined sugars is the best way to avoid zits and aging. Glycation is a process by which sugar bonds to a protein or lipid molecule without the controlling action of an enzyme contributing to the deterioration of collagen in your skin. Collagen is responsible for that young, tight skin look we all strive for. Not to mention, avoided sweets and eating healthy will make you feel better and look better!
Recent studies have linked HMF to DNA damage in humans and it also might be the answer to why bees are dying at an alarming rate. HMF is a chemical that is created in High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) when it is heated above 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Most products on American grocer shelves contain HFCS that has been heated during processing. HMF has been shown to cause DNA damage in humans and to kill bees. Many high volume producing bee farms feed their bees HFCS that can reach high temps in summer sun, releasing HMF. Natural beekeepers or bees that produce honey from pollination do not exhibit signs of HMF poisoning. 
High Fructose Corn Syrup is easy to avoid if you eat a healthy diet. Avoid the shelves in your grocer and stick to the perimeter of the store where all the refrigerated and fresh items can be found. Fruits, veggies, meats, grains. If it can “keep” on the shelf for over a week, it probably has preservatives and HFCS in it. Evolutionary, we are not designed to handle high volumes of sugar, chemicals or canned foods. Our ancestors would have eaten small amounts every 2-3 hours as they foraged and collected food. The human body is best served by eating small portions every 2-3 hours. The food ingested should be natural and not chemically altered or preserved.
The most recent reverberations through the green blogospheres has been the shocking news from SIGG eco bottle makers that all their bottles made before August 2008 were internally coated with a material that contains BPA. It should be noted however that there is no study that has found these liners to leach BPA into the water. 
Prior to this month, SIGG kept the contents of their bottles secret claiming an industry secret that would jeopardize their stake in the eco bottle market should they disclose their formula. I am joining the crowd of eco buyers who feel betrayed by a company that marketed against BPA as having a water bottle that was BPA free. They made fun of other manufactures and rode the wave of popularity because they could make a good product that wouldn’t harm us. But alas.
My solution to this is NOT to go running to a SIGG competitor. Instead, I will go with the tried and true, the most recycled and chemical free water bottle possible. Glass old fashioned milk bottles, like the kind the milkman used to bring to your grandma’s door. You can buy them online, some are recycled, some are new made from recycled glass. They look chic and fit nicely in the fridge. 
The downsides: breakable when dropped and may not fit in all vehicle cup holders. So, if you can hang on to your bottle and put up with a minor inconvenience, you can have a cheap, recycled, chemical free water bottle.
This hour long lecture discusses “intolerance” in a ironic and funny way. Oklahoma provides a great example 
Dawkins discusses how the human mind is obsessed with “purpose” for humans only. The banana clip is so sick! Ha! Then he shows how Ray comfort thinks the genetically modified modern banana was made for humans to “hold”. This is silly when we see what a natural banana looks like (with seeds).
From the BBC news:
Europe’s Planck observatory has reached its operating temperature, making it the coldest object in space.
The observatory’s detectors have been chilled to a staggering minus 273.05C – just a tenth of a degree above what scientists term “absolute zero.”
Launched in May, Planck will survey the “oldest light” in the Universe.
Its detectors, or bolometers, should see detail in this radiation that offers new insights into the age, contents and evolution of the cosmos. read more
Quote taken from this article
Imagine if you could look at something once and remember it forever. You would never have to ask for directions again. Now a group of scientists has isolated a protein that mega-boosts your ability to remember what you see.
A group of Spanish researchers reported today in Science that they may have stumbled upon a substance that could become the ultimate memory-enhancer. learn more
We just moved in Arizona in October 2008 after living the majority of our young lives in the great state of Minnesota. To say the lease, I did NOT miss the Minnesota winter. Being able to step outside in December in a skirt and flip flops never got old. Being able to go camping on a whim in February couldn’t have been nicer.
The local new reported this week that June has procured record lows, sporting an unusual 14 days straight of below 100 degree weather. My friends from Minnesota would baulk at 100 degree weather, but that is simply because the 100 degree weather they know is generally accompanied by muggy humidity which sends the heat index much higher and makes for a very uncomfortable inabability to self cool when outdoors. In Arizona, when the thermometer reads 100, it feels more like 85-90, especially in the shade because of the dry atmosphere. The human body’s cooling system is definitely better equipped to handle dry heat and very ill equipped to handle freezing temperatures.
Evening view from our back porch in Phoenix, AZ
So the “nice” June weather here has allowed more afternoon activities and perfect evenings. What the weather man in AZ doesn’t know is that wherever I go, great weather follows And in the wake of my departure from Minnesota, that state had one of the harshest winters in a long while. Just sayin…
California, known for the most strict environmental regulations in the USA is set to add 30 more ingredients to its list of banned toxins commonly found in everyday products that Americans use.
Some of those products with the newly banned toxins include gasoline, some insecticides, plastics, paint, cosmetics and nail polish. The toxins banned have adverse effects on Male or Female Reproductive systems or are considered Carcinogens or Developmental Toxins. Toluene, found in Nail polish is considered a Female Reproductive Toxin. “Going Green” and “natural” might mean a whole new look for women who want to cut out toxins from their life. Using cosmetics that are 100% natural and cutting out the nail polish is a great start. 
Here is the complete list from TheDailyGreen.com:
Male Reproductive Toxicants
- n-Butyl glycidyl ether, a chemical used to make epoxy resins with a number of uses in common products
- Carbaryl, a household pesticide used to kill a range of insects, and sold as Sevin by GardenTech and Bayer (also a developmental toxicant)
- 2-Chloropropionic acid, a chemical used to make herbicides
- Dichloroacetic acid, which forms in drinking water as a byproduct of disinfection using chlorine
- Diglycidyl ether, a chemical used to make epoxy resins
- Ethylene oxide, a chemical mainly used in the manufacturing of chemicals like antifreeze and polyester (also a developmental toxicant)
- Ethyl-tert-butyl ether, a common gasoline additive
- Methyl chloride, a chemical used primarily to make silicone polymers, but also used in other processes, including the oil refining
- Methyl n-butyl ketone, an industrial solvent
- Phenyl glycidyl ether, an industrial chemical
- 1,3,5-Triglycidyl-s-triazinetrione, a constituent of some paints
- 4-Vinyl-cyclohexene, a chemical used in the production of epoxy resins (also a female reproductive toxicant)
Carcinogens
- Amsacrine, a chemotherapy drug
- Bleomycins, antibiotics used in chemotherapy treatments
- Chlorophenoxy herbicides, including 2,4-D, are common weedkillers sold for lawn and garden use
- Marine diesel fuel
- Progestins, synthetic hormones found in some birth controls
- Styrene, an ingredient in many plastic and foam products
- Toxins derived from Fusarium moniliforme (Fusarium verticillioides), a fungus
- Vinyl acetate, a compound used to make polymers used in plastics, films, lacquers, adhesives, inks, water-based emulsion paints, floor tiling, safety glasses, cosmetics and personal care products and other goods
- Wood dust
- Zalcitabine, an HIV drug sold as Hivid
- Zidovudine (AZT), an HIV drug
Developmental Toxicants
- Tert-Amyl methyl ether, a common fuel additive
- Carbaryl, a household pesticide used to kill a range of insects, and sold as Sevin by GardenTech and Bayer (also a male reproductive toxicant)
- Chloroform, which is used in the manufacturing of other chemicals, and which can form in drinking water as a byproduct of disinfection using chlorine
- N,N-dimethylacetamide, a solvent used in industries ranging from fibers and adhesives to pharmaceuticals and plasticizers
- Ethylene oxide, a chemical mainly used in the manufacturing of chemicals like antifreeze and polyester (also a male reproductive toxicant)
- 2-Ethylhexanoic acid, a chemical associated with phthalates and PVC plastics
- p,p’-Oxybis (benzenesulfonyl hydrazide), an industrial chemical
- Phenylphosphine, an industrial chemical
Female Reproductive Toxicants
- Toluene, a constituent of oil, is found in gasoline and is used to make paints, paint thinners, fingernail polish, lacquers, adhesives and rubber
- 4-Vinyl-cyclohexene, a chemical used in the production of epoxy resins (also a male reproductive toxicant)
An aspect of coal energy that we might have overlooked is now being kept under wraps at the highest levels of government.
The Huffington Post reported that ash from coal plants is being dumped at over 40 sites around the USA and those sites are not public knowledge.
The pollution is so toxic, so dangerous, that an enemy of the United States — or a storm or some other disrupting event — could easily cause them to spill out and lay waste to any area nearby.1
The Head of the Department of Homeland security has been told not to discuss the locations. Here is what she was able to say:
There are several hundred coal ash piles across the nation, she said, all of them unregulated.
“If these coal ash piles were to fail they’d pose a threat to the people nearby,” she said. While keeping it from the public, DHS is alerting first responders as to the location of the piles. 1
Thankfully, she also thinks people should know where these toxic dumps are located so the public can make their government clean up the mess and regulate the disposal of such poisonous byproduct from coal burning.
Bottom line: coal is not clean energy. We should continue to focus on renewable energies like wind, solar and tide. These are forms of energy than can be used by individual homes and businesses. They are 100% renewable with no byproducts to dump secretly in American neighborhoods.
Quantum, A guide for the Perplexed by Jim Al-Khalili caught my eye at the bookstore because of the glossy pictures and example diagrams. Being a visual learner, I suspected that the best way to introduce myself to the weird world of quantum mechanics was through visual aid. This really did prove to be a great choice for my visual learning needs. 
The author assumes of his reader a certain level of mathematical background and heightened interest in quantum mechanics. Each chapter requires your full attention and often some rereading to grasp difficult concepts. However, given the task of explaining quantum mechanics to the average person, Jim does a fantastic job explaining complex mathematical and conceptual oddities. I also enjoyed how he detailed some history of quantum mechanics and the ‘who’s who’ of the quantum theories. Jim Al-Khalili is the chair of the University of Surrey’s Nuclear and Particle Physics Division located in the UK.
This is a book that will remain on my bookshelf as reference and to reread again in the future. You can purchase it on Amazon for about $12 as of the date of this post.
If you are the proud owner of a dog (or even a cat), you would be the first to agree that some animals seem to empathize with human emotions and certainly with each other. We hear of cross empathy between dogs and cats taking care of stray litters, of dogs able to sense when their owner is sad. Intuitively we know that animals are capable of strong emotions.
Recent studies on animal behavior shows just that, but with a slight twist. Supposedly animals follow a moral code that enables their packs or groups to better function. It is a simple tool of evolution, one that humans have also picked up on. Agreeing to not take your neighbor’s stuff and not kill your neighbor is a benefit to all when attempting to survive. An article by Telegraph interviewed Professor Marc Bekoff, an ecologist at University of Colorado, Boulder. Professor Bekoff suggests that morals are built into the social patterns of high animal brains.
He claims that these rules help to control fighting within the group and encourage co-operative behaviour.
Recent neurology work has also revealed that distantly related mammals such as whales and dolphins have the same structures in their brains that are thought to be responsible for empathy in humans.
Other findings have also suggested that some animals may even be capable of showing empathy with the suffering of other species.
Elephants, rodents, monkies, bats, dolphins, wolves: all animals that survive in packs or groups and rely on a moral code of conduct to keep the group functioning at its best. Humans are simply one step above this basic moral system in that we are able to analyze this moral conduct in ourselves and in other animals. We are also able to break such moral codes with our big brains by justifying killing with “holy war” or taking another people’s land in the name of a god we worship. In this way we have de-evolved from the system still used today by animals such as dolphins and wolves.
To conclude, here is a picture of a mother bird blocking the water in a drain pipe with her own body to protect her nest and chicks.
In the wake of the Daniel Hauser Minnesota case, news from Britain tells of a criminal convinction of parents Thomas and Manju Sam. Attempting to treat their child’s chronic eczema. The 9 month old baby died in 2002 and just recently have the court proceedings found the parents guilty of criminal negligence by continuing homeopathic treatments as their child’s condition worsened to the point of her skin weeping and pealing off when they changed her clothing. Read the full report here.
Over at the Daily Galaxy, they’ve got a fun post on new research done with learning robots. Evidently humans are not the only sentient beings who develop “good” and “evil” instincts. So do robots…
Ever wonder where all that plastic we use ends up?
Solution:
Recycle plastics you DO use and cut down on the amount of plastics you buy (food containers, ziplocks, waterbottles, household items, etc). Ask for paper at the grocer and recycle the bags. Buy a Sigg water bottle or Kleen Kanteen instead of wasting all those plastic bottles. Use glass dishes instead of ziplocks and plastic food containers. It is better for your health anyhow, and it saves you money in the long haul. cheers!
View this “map of war” to get a visual of how many nations have overthrown the middle east. While you are watching, recall how many conquering nations did so in the name of their religious sky-god.
Here is another longer Nova series you can watch on your computer:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/elegant/program.html
You can watch this mini series on your computer (just don’t let the boss catch you
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/origins/program-3114.html
The Antennae Galaxies/NGC 4038-4039
These two spiral galaxies began to collide about 300 million years ago. They are some of the youngest and nearest colliding galaxies, giving astronomers one of their best opportunities to study the phenomenon. It may be a preview of what will happen when our galaxy runs into the Andromeda galaxy in a few billion years.
Taken from Wired.com
If you took today’s technologies back 500, 300 or even 100 years ago, to people of the past you would appear to be wielding some sort of magical, supernatural power. Such is the danger with today’s humans when they are not properly educated in the ways and workings of nature and science. Third world countries abound in our ‘the future is now’ world and even in countries where knowledge and science is accessible, there are people who have not been given the opportunity to understand the “awe” in science that can easily mislead people towards worship.
The latest read was by Neil deGrasse Tyson: The Pluto Files: The Rise and Fall of America’s Favorite Planet
Neil deGrasse Tyson is the hallmark face of today’s front running scientists. Having the brains to converse with Einstein and the social charm to convey complex science concepts to the common person, Tyson is the perfect author for a book such as this. The Pluto files delves into the history of the now demoted orb “Pluto” so affectionately known prior as the smallest planet, but now understood to be the largest orb in the Kuiper belt. It is an anecdotal book, amusing at best that depicts Tyson’s headache of having to deal with the hate mail after the process of defining a planet shoved Pluto out of the Planet club. It was a fun little read that offered insight into the scientific process and how most scientists are not as concerned with what category something is in, but rather its properties and how it interacts with its surroundings.
A Short History of Nearly Everything is now at the top of my highly recommended books. Packed with witty commentary of the history of just about everything scientific, Bryson’s book appeals to the lay reader who’s curiosity stretched beyond the here and now. I enjoyed how Bryson included all the science necessary to explain and orient a subject, but did so in very human terms, often inserting humor to lighten the mood.
I choose to listen to the audio recording instead of reading the book. I’m glad I took that route because it is a long read, but the audio version was excellent and a pleasure to listen to. It was a wonderful accompaniment to morning walks or long scenic drives.
My favorite quote from the book (which also summarizes the underlying premise of the book):
“…humans are the universes most supreme achievement and it’s worst nightmare at the same time”
Ewen Callaway recently posted an article on New Scientist about the psychology behind creationism. Callaway reports that studies on child psychology reveal a predisposition for the human brain to believe there is a purpose for everything, even when the purpose given is a fallacy.
Religion might not be the only reason people buy into creationism and intelligent design, psychological experiments suggest.
No matter what their religious beliefs, college-educated adults frequently agree with purpose-seeking yet false explanations of natural phenomena – finches diversified in order to survive, for instance.
“The very fact of belief in purpose itself might lead you to favour intelligent design,” says Deborah Kelemen, a psychologist at Boston University, who led the study
Kelemen has documented the same kind of erroneous thinking – called promiscuous teleology – in young children. Seven and eight-year olds agree with teleological statements such as “Rocks are jagged so animals can scratch themselves” and “Birds exist to make nice music”. These mistakes diminish as kids take more science classes and learn causal explanations for natural events.
These homes were so gorgeous I had to share:
BrightBuilt Barn… read about it
Incredible Hotel Made From Salvaged Wine Casks … read about it
In the epic tale of Star Wars we were introduced to a then crazy idea of “the force”. Obi-Wan Kenobi’s famous words to Luke Skywalker during his training: “The force is an energy field created by all living things, it surrounds us, it penetrates us, it binds the galaxy together.”
I recall watching this episode in my teens. At the time I was living an indoctrinated catholic life. By that age, I was a typical christian know-it-all who discounted everything fairytale (outside of the bible) to be nonsense. This concept, however gave me pause. I remember thinking how the idea that we are all connected somehow made more logical sense to me than thinking that the christian god had his hands in everyone’s business.
Perhaps Obi-Wan was a bit hasty in calling it an energy field. Cutting edge science offers a view of the universe not unlike the “force”. The theory of the big bang and our expanding universe has lead scientists to conclude that everything was once contained in a space smaller then and atom. From this infinitely small pre-universe glob there came the big bang, creating space, time and matter. From this perspective alone, we can imagine that all the matter that composes our bodies, brains and the world around us was once infinitely close together. Hydrogen and Helium, the major building blocks of our universe are what composes our bodies and our planet: we are literally made from star dust.
The particles that compose everything in and around us has a past, dating all the way back to the big bang. Quantum entanglement theory suggests a mechanical phenomenon in which the quantum states of two or more objects are linked together so that one object can no longer be adequately described without full mention of its counterpart — even though the individual objects may be spatially separated. Quantum entanglement is very difficult for humans to conceptually understand as it is thought to operate on dimensions above the 3rd dimension. Today, scientist do not understand how two particles that have been entangled and physically separated change simultaneously when one or the other changes.
Dr. Quantum gives a better visual of how this works:
It is difficult to understand how dimensions above our perceived world operate. It is easier however to imagine a world that instead of being 3D as 2D:
Particles on the quantum level actually follow a different set of laws than ‘large’ objects. This is where Quantum Mechanics comes into play. Notable amongst these principles are both a dual wave-like and particle-like behavior of matter and radiation, and prediction of probabilities in situations where classical physics predicts certainties. Let’s watch another video explaining these peculiar laws:
Maybe Yoda had a grasp on the quantum interconnection of all things when he said:
Life creates it, makes it grow. It’s energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings are we…(Yoda pinches Luke’s shoulder)…not this crude matter. (a sweeping gesture) You must feel the Force around you. (gesturing) Here, between you…me…the tree…the rock…everywhere! Yes, even between this land and that ship!
I think the logical concept of a ‘force’ makes sense from a scientific perspective. When considering quantum mechanics, string theory, the big bang and how all these sciences suggest a connection of all things on at least a materialistic and perhaps dimensional plane, it is certainly intriguing. I am in no way suggesting that anyone worship the ‘force’ or assume that I am making the case for a ‘force’ based religion. I simply find it fascinating that science fiction, even crazy ideas like the ‘force’ may eventually become science fact.
Dawkins, Dennett, Harris, Hitchens discuss religion in the area of reason and logic. My favorite part is when they discuss how religious people think discussion about their faith is off limits and impervious to criticism. The bag of tricks that constitutes religion are not valid ways of thinking about anything – because you can use the very same tricks to validate anything that is untrue (con artists).
Religious believers need to ask the honest question of themselves: what if I am wrong? Because it is very likely that religion is the result of our evolved brain’s ability to imagine that which does not exists (imaginary friend) and recognize patterns in daily life.
History’s Season 1 of “The Universe” covers the Sun, Mars, the End of the Earth, Jupiter, Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Alien Galaxies, Life and Death of a Star, Outer planets, the search for extra terrestrials, and Beyond the Big Bang. Some thoughtful brain put together a playlist on Youtube.com of all these episodes so you can watch them one after the other without lifting a finger! Grab some snacks and Enjoy!
Here is the url incase you want to watch it fullscreen on your computer:
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=4EEF5255D3EEF425 Be sure to press “play all” for uninterrupted clips in order.
This is old news to me, but evidently the rest of the world is just catching on. Let me tell, you it really works. The body is built to use protein more than it is equipped to handle carbohydrates. A high protein, low carbohydrates nutrition plan is best coupled with weight training and minimal interval cardio.
What constitutes a healthy diet has been more a matter of opinion than of science because there have been few good studies to settle the issue. But in July researchers published a paper in the New England Journal of Medicine that describes a well-designed, randomized, controlled study of human nutrition—with surprising results. They tested three diets: a low-fat diet; the high-fat, low-carbohydrate regimen commonly called the Atkins diet; and the Mediterranean diet, which includes lots of olive oil, grains, fruits, nuts, and fish, and little meat or dairy products.
The scientists found that both the Mediterranean and the low-carbohydrate diets are better for weight loss than a low-fat regimen and have other beneficial effects as well.
The two-year study, partially funded by the Atkins Foundation, included 322 overweight but otherwise healthy men and women. One-third of the participants followed each diet, under the guidance of dietitians who periodically interviewed and counseled them. The lab staff and study coordinators were unaware of which subjects were on which diet.
All three plans produced weight loss, but the low-carb and Mediterranean groups lost more. Low-carb had the greatest increase in HDL, the so-called good cholesterol. C-reactive protein levels, a risk factor for heart disease and other illnesses, decreased in both the low-carb and Mediterranean, but not in the low-fat. In short, the researchers found that both the Mediterranean and low-carb diets are effective alternatives to the low-fat regime for weight loss and are just as safe.
Meir Stampfer, a coauthor of the study and professor of epidemiology at Harvard University, says, “If your low-carb is a cheeseburger without the bun, that’s a bad choice. If it’s fish, olive oil, and other plant-based oils, that’s a fine choice.”
Taken from Discoverymagazine.com
Taken from New Scientist:
OUR universe may have arisen from seeds preserved in a universe that existed before the big bang – all thanks to dark energy.
One of the models put forward to explain how the universe began proposes that it is just the latest phase in a never-ending cycle. Proposed in 2002 by Paul Steinhardt of Princeton University and Neil Turok from the University of Cambridge, the model argues that our universe exists on a 3D region called a “brane” separated from similar branes by a fourth spatial dimension. Under the right conditions, these branes collide, triggering a big-bang-like event. After the collision, the branes bounce apart, before another collision occurs many billions of years later.
This model initially struggled to explain the ripples in the temperature and density of the universe that can be seen in the cosmic microwave background radiation left over from the big bang. The only way to make calculations based on the cyclic model produce the observed pattern of ripples is to add extra dimensions, as predicted by string theory, on top of the four spatial dimensions that the initial scenario envisaged.
Unfortunately, adding extra dimensions throws up another problem. As two branes approach, the additional dimensions must shrink or grow in sync with the dimension that separates the branes. Otherwise, large areas of the brane become warped, so that most of it ends up as black holes and only a tiny proportion as ordinary, habitable space. After several cycles, this space shrinks to nothing, so the process is unlikely to have led to our universe.
Recent studies are finding that approximately 50% of musical aptitude is inherited. It is no wonder, as most well known musical geniuses came from a long line of musicians such as Mozart and Bach. In the Journal of Medical Genetics, medical geneticist Irma Järvelä of the University of Helsinki and her colleagues concluded that musical ability was due in 50% of the subjects to be an inheritable trait.
The ability for participants in the study to score at a professional level without any formal training was linked to a member of the family whose musical ability was a profession or at a comparable level. Järvelä was able to find a genetic correlation between the inherited musical ability and DNA that controls the hair cells in the inner ear. Another gene was found in correlation to musical ability was linked to language development and dyslexia.
Read the full report here.
Recent studies have pointed to evidence that humans are born with the inclination to believe in a deity. The many variations of religions all over the world give evidence to this human desire. Religious believers are often caught using this inclination to seek a higher being as proof of the existence of a god. Logically, this argument is full of holes. Humans are also gifted with a tendency towards storytelling (Cinderella, Santa Clause, etc), but our need to tell stories and pass them on does not make the characters in those stories real.
A better explanation of this propensity towards religion lies in the studies of the human brain as an organ. Having evolved over billions of years, the brain has acquired a unique characteristic for its size. Comparable to body size, the only animal with a bigger brain is the blue whale. Humans possess a powerhouse of a brain capable of self awareness, compassion, memory storage, hypothetical thinking, abstract thinking and much more. From the day your brain began to function, it has only known what it feels like to be ‘in function’ or conscious. If your brain, which controls your thoughts, hypothetical and abstract processes were to stop being self aware, you would be dead. In other words, humans have no concept of what not BEING feels like. It is impossible for us to experience nothingness. Your heart functions in much the same way, however it does not posses synapses to let it worry about not beating or wonder if it will go on pumping abstractly after it stops pumping physically. It simply is not self aware like the brain is self aware.
This quality of the brain to be self aware and abstract in thinking is what many religions claim will live on after the material part of the brain has died. It is almost expected that an animal with such an organ as the human brain would create a scenario in which it did not simply stop BEING because it is incapable of knowing what that would be. The brain cannot imagine a time at which it was not self aware because for all of its existence it has been self aware and therefore must always be self aware or ‘eternal’. This is where religion steps in to bridge the gap between the logical part of the human intellect and the human brain’s desire for eternity. In other words, religion and gods are a side effect to having such an evolved brain, capable of self awareness.
A scientific study by Bering, Blasi and Bjorklund explored the development of ‘afterlife’ beliefs in religiously and seculary schooled children.
Children aged from 4;10 to 12;9 attending either a Catholic school or a public, secular
school in an eastern Spanish city observed a puppet show in which a mouse was eaten
by an alligator. Children were then asked questions about the dead mouse’s biological
and psychological functioning. The pattern of results generally replicated that obtained earlier in an American sample, with older children being more apt to state that functions cease after death than younger children (11- to 12-year-olds . 8- to 9-year-olds . 5- to 6-year-olds), and all children being more likely to attribute epistemic, desire, and emotion states to the dead mouse than biological, psychobiological, and perceptual states. Although children attending Catholic school were generally more likely to state that functions continue after death than children attending secular school, the pattern of change with regard to question type did not differ between the Catholic and secular groups. The results were interpreted as reflecting the combined roles of religious instruction/exposure and universal ontogeny of cognitive abilities on the development of children’s afterlife beliefs.
The younger children in the study were quick to make ‘errors’ about the dead puppets saying that the puppet could no longer eat food, however he may still feel hungry. Older children were more inclined to say that only ontological properties of the puppet still exists after its death (such as love, anger, sadness).
However, by virtue of experiencing their absence during waking life, some
psychological states (e.g. seeing, taste) are more amenable to cessation attributions to dead agents than states that the self is never consciously without (e.g. thinking, wanting). For example, perceptual states may be generally amenable to materialist reasoning when individuals contemplate the minds of dead agents, since people frequently experience the absence of such states (e.g. being in a dark, quiet environment).
The study concluded that “because knowledge about the fate of mental states after death
cannot be informed by firsthand experience, theoretical constructs dealing with the self and others’ minds after death suffer from the logical impoverishment of hypothesis
disconfirmation.”
Ideas about an afterlife seem to develop through an organized cognitive base. This self awareness promotes belief in psychological continuity after physical death. Younger children seemed to understand that thinking happens in the brain, but were unable to separate the death of the brain tissue with the discontinuation of thought. The study hypothesizes that religious instruction may “encourage children to escape these conflicts by quarantining biological facts from religious beliefs, thus preserving a default stance toward viewing dead agents as having active minds.” Contrarily, naturalistic instruction about the functions of the body and mind encouraged children to link the cessation of brain function with all mental processes, even those that are not directly linked to bodily properties.
The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is a science project of monumental proportions. Funded by over 23 nations at a total cost of nearly 8 billion dollars, the LHC is on a mission to discover new particles.
One of the most sought of these is the Higgs boson, also known as the God particle because, according to current theory, it endowed all other particles with mass. Or perhaps the LHC will find “supersymmetric” particles, exotic partners to known particles like electrons and quarks. Such a discovery would be a big step toward developing a unified description of the four fundamental forces—the “theory of everything” that would explain all the basic interactions in the universe. As a bonus, some of those supersymmetric particles might turn out to be dark matter, the unseen stuff that seems to hold galaxies together. http://discovermagazine.com/2009/jan/002
Essentially, the LHC is set to simulate the big bang. From this, scientists expect to produce ‘new’ particles, one of them being the Higgs boson. Without the Higgs field, electrons would have no mass, making atoms infinitely large. This predicament would have resulted in no earth, no us.
If scientists running the LHC experiment are successful in identifying the Higgs boson or God particle, undoubtedly this will be a hot topic for those of us who like to throw evidence over the fence. Really, the proof could go either way. Non-theists like myself would look at the confirmation of Higgs boson as a credit to the scientific community for essentially creating and detecting “god” and putting “god” into a theorem or mathematical equation. Religious folk would most likely look at such a discovery as proof of a god, although it would do nothing in the way of telling them (or us) which of the many forms of god it is. But that is a topic for another day. In the end, god and science do not mix. In a person’s acceptance of scientific proof, the myths of gods must be discarded. In a quest for a god, science and reason get the boot. Perhaps this explains why 90% of the scientific community is non-theistic. To be a religious scientist would be akin to working at a fat camp while eating snickers under the covers at night.
ABC news aired this amazing story about two sets of twins that are “one in a million”.
http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=6561658
“Religion only happens because the human brain’s capacity for pattern recognition is slightly overdeveloped” – Tim F.
Religion has captured the human’s ability to cherry pick patterns out of their lives and jump to conclusions about abstract unknowns based on these observations.
Statistically, miracles are not even a blip on the radar screen. 1 out of 1000 happenings attributed to a deity are unrepeatable and usually a coincidence that a human will take as a message or something that wouldn’t have happened otherwise. Reliable evidence would be an occurrence of 600 or more out of 1000 that was repeatable.
Why would you believe in something that is so unreliable? That is very much like basing your income on the number of times you hiccuped in a year. Eventually you are going to hiccup and if you go about your daily life praying to hiccup and suspecting that you might at any moment, eventually you are going to hiccup and then tell everyone that because you asked a deity to make it happen, it must be a miraculous proof of that deity’s existence.
Oh darn, I have the hiccups. There must be a god.
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