Clipmarks | debbyski's Comments

Women's Friendship Lifts Moods

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 06:07:38 GMT

clipped by: debbyski

About a decade ago, a study carried out at UCLA examined the benefits of

friendship among women. It made official what many women have known all along: Our friendships not only make us feel better, they are a positive force for reducing stress and helping us lead healthier, happier lives.

The UCLA study found that women respond to stress with a rush of brain chemicals that makes us seek out women for comfort and support.

The catalyst for this research came when Klein and a colleague, Shelley Taylor,
realized that when women working in their lab were stressed, they gathered

together to commiserate, while stressed-out men went off on their own.

Even having a woman nearby in stressful times makes a difference: Doula-supported childbirth in which a woman supports the birthing mother has been demonstrated to reduce labor by more than an hour. In short, friends help us live calmer, longer, better lives.

Turf War At The Hot Dog Cart

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:40:40 GMT

clipped by: debbyski

Clip Source: www.nytimes.com

MONDAY was a routine day for Grant Di Mille and Samira Mahboubian, the owners of the Street Sweets food truck, a mobile trove of croissants, cupcakes and cookies that got rolling last month.

In four weeks of business, the couple has been threatened at the depot where they park the truck; cursed by a gyro vendor who said that he would set their truck on fire; told to stay off every corner in Midtown by ice cream truck drivers; and approached by countless others with advice — both friendly and menacing — on how to get along on the streets.

I should not have to carry a baseball bat on my truck in order to sell cupcakes.

“If I only did business where these hot dog guys said I could do business,” said Lev Ekster, owner of the new CupcakeStop truck, “I would be vending in New Jersey.”

Clip Source: www.nytimes.com

Vendors say that the traditional code of the streets may be effective, but that it feeds on fear, intimidation and the city’s lack of enforcement of permit rules.

An Open Letter

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 22:18:53 GMT

clipped by: debbyski
clipper's remarks: "Every day, LGBT Americans face discrimination and are being denied their constitutional rights. There is no one in public life who could, and based on your stated principles and promises should, do more to move America forward toward becoming a country in which LGBT people are respected and treated as fully equal under our Constitution and laws.
We ask for your leadership and voice. When you lead, we will back you with every bit of heart and determination we can muster."

Clip Source: site.pfaw.org

Dear President Obama:

I am writing to respectfully urge you to bring the energetic moral vision that you championed as a presidential candidate to the cause of equality for gay and lesbian Americans.

That vision energized not only gays and lesbians, but many other fair-minded Americans who recognize discrimination as a national moral failing

That vision would be even more powerful coming from you as president, but since your election we have heard very little.

Any reasonable person is aware of the extraordinary challenges that faced the nation as you took office, including a dire financial crisis that has cost millions of Americans their jobs

Mr. President, you are uniquely capable of communicating to the American public the moral and constitutional values at stake in ending discrimination against gay Americans.

The "What The Hell Is This Shit Helmet Award" goes to... Tanyamm!

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:48:01 GMT

clipped by: thisnamecantbetaken
clipper's remarks: As the current holder of the much coveted Helmet Award, I think the time has come to pass it on. I'd like to give it to Tanyamm, who every day makes us all smile with her fabulous LOLcat clips and is always so polite, sweet, funny and just an all 'round great gal, who I am proud to call a fellow clipper. It was also she, who suggested we should honour each other, so no one could be more deserving of this very, very, very prestigious award.

*drumroll*

"THE HELMET AWARD"

*applause applause applause*

Congratulations, Tanyamm!!

The Helmet Award is now yours and you're free to pass it on to whomever you choose. Wear it with pride.

Clip Source: content2.clipmarks.com

Clip Source: clipmarks.com

What The Hell Is This Shit Helmet Award!!

YAY!!!!

Congratulations!

Helmet Award!! Wow!!

'LOL' and "LOL" again!

Pop for the future!

Clip Source: content1.clipmarks.com

Clip Source: clipmarks.com

What do the rest of think ? Can we do this? Are we breaking a rule? I like it .

Do any of you have a special clipper?

for whatever reason, they picked me for a special clip with my name in it.

Clip Source: content4.clipmarks.com

Is God Trying To Talk To Someone In America?

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 01:46:09 GMT

clipped by: thisnamecantbetaken
clipper's remarks: What's worse, many pastors avoid talking to their congregations about repentance and self sacrifice. So, like the vampire Lasat, they drain them of true spiritual life, while seducing them with voter-pamphlet sermons and feel-good theology.

The organized church is in big trouble today--the message of repentance is a flat subject among churchgoers. People want to pull a voting lever, offer vocal support for whatever politician pays lip service to a few hot-button social issues, and shout hallelujah as they drive off in their Lincoln.

Satan smiles and waves as they go by.

What America needs is a repentant, spiritual church, not the political arm of a dominionist cult. Want to argue that point? Do it with the God who says, "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

Clip Source: www.newswithviews.com

Their unjust war in Iraq angered God

False witness has been born, the Lord's name taken in vain, the Commandments broken, all to acquire the wealth of oil!

After thirty years of pastoring and thousands of hours of volunteer labor, I feel I've earned the right to say it: something dreadful has happened to the organized church. It has lost its way, its authority

We do not stand with kingdom authority because we attend the local mega church, sing in the choir, teach a Sunday school class, belong to a Christian coalition or a political action group, voted for George Bush, or even participate in a prayer meeting where loud, teeth-gritting, mad commands are shouted at Satan. True spiritual authority is given by God to whom He qualifies. His criteria are clear. It is the humble, not the Sunday-morning-the-pastor-is-watching-me humble, but truly Christ-like, self-sacrificing, cares-about-others-more-than-self humble, that God anoints with power and authority.

Tags: evil, torture, war, religion, usa

Food of the Week: Corn

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 04:37:04 GMT

clipped by: kkcapricorn
clipper's remarks: What vegetable is more synonymous with the coming of summer than freshly picked corn on the cob? Although corn is now available in markets year-round, it is the locally grown varieties that you can purchase during the summer months that not only tastes the best but are usually the least expensive.

Clip Source: whfoods.org

Corn's contribution to heart health lies not just in its fiber, but in the significant amounts of folate that corn supplies.

Supports Lung Health

Maintain Your Memory with Thiamin (Vitamin B1)

Corn is an icon of American culture. Not only does it represent Native American traditions and serve as a symbol of both summertime BBQ fun and a night out at the movies, but corn, in the form of corn syrup, is also an added ingredient in many other foods that we consume in our daily diets.

A Few Quick Serving Ideas:

Eat corn on the cob either just as is or seasoned with a little organic butter, olive oil or flaxseed oil, salt and pepper, nutritional yeast or any other herbs or spices you enjoy.

Healthy sauté cooked corn with green chilis and onions. Served hot, this makes a wonderful side dish.

Enjoy a cold salad with an ancient Incan influence by combining cooked corn kernels, quinoa, tomatoes, green peppers and red kidney beans.

Tags: diet

Angels and Demons

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:44:49 GMT

clipped by: thisnamecantbetaken
clipper's remarks: 74,000!! So sad, that this is allowed to happen in one of the world's richest cities.

Clip Source: lovetospare.com

Angels and Demons

I am a resident of a special place originally referred to as La Ciudad de la Reina de los Angeles (The City of the Queen of the Angels). Nowadays, we refer to this city of angels simply as Los Angeles.

In terms of both Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and the number of financially wealthy people living here, Los Angeles is one of the richest cities in the world. In terms of diversity in peoples and cultures, I can’t imagine a richer place. And yet despite all its wealth, the City of Angels is the homeless capital of the United States.

There are an estimated 40,144 homeless people living in the city of Los Angeles on any given night (or nearly 74,000 if you take all of L.A. County into consideration).

the demons of drug and alcohol abuse are the main reasons

Indeed, that demon that makes us insensitive and aloof to our brothers’ and sisters’ problems is the worst demon of them all.

Is your brain on the edge of chaos?

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:09:29 GMT

clipped by: egoldstein
clipper's remarks: I love this description of the brain. Some days i'm more "blizzard of noise" than others

Clip Source: www.newscientist.com

In reality, your brain operates on the edge of chaos. Though much of the time it runs in an orderly and stable way, every now and again it suddenly and unpredictably lurches into a blizzard of noise.

Tags: brain

TO OFCAPRI A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY WISH!

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:15:03 GMT

clipped by: tanyamm
clipper's remarks: Happy birthday ofcapri! Hope your birthday is as much fun as you are

Clip Source: www.funnypictures.net.au

AT FIRST, THIS SITUATION LOOKS PRETTY TYPICAL.....

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:27:21 GMT

clipped by: tanyamm
clipper's remarks: I'm sure no bird was really hurt in this production.

Clip Source: cuteoverload.com

At first, this situation looks pretty typical…

…A gorgeous little pup, lying around, looking completely innocents.

But then, someone asks—”Hey, what happened to our pet bird? Where’d he go?”

OMGPONIES!!!1!!

Jason and Shannon F. say this is all that was left…

Mind-Controlled Wheelchair

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:41:55 GMT

clipped by: balthazarus
clipper's remarks: Impressive.
Another example to the ever increasing in availability that technology enables.

Clip Source: www.informationweek.com

Toyota Develops Mind-Controlled Wheelchair

researchers in Japan have built a brain/machine interface (BMI) that has been demonstrated to control a wheelchair using a person's thoughts

The system enables a person to make a wheelchair turn left or right to move forward simply by thinking the commands. The response time is in 125 milliseconds

The BTCC's system uses several sensors placed over the areas of the brain that control motion to measure electrical activity in the region. The electical impulses triggered by the rider thinking of turning or moving the wheelchair are picked up and analyzed by an onboard laptop that passes the commands on to the wheelchair.

The system has an emergency stop that can be activated by the user puffing his cheeks.

The BMI adjusts itself over time to the characteristics of each driver's brainwaves. If a person dedicates three hours a day to using the system, the BMI can reach 95% accuracy in a week, researchers said.

to be applied to other types of brain waves

Tags: technology, brain, computer

Sanford's story grows larger

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:50:18 GMT

clipped by: masbury

Clip Source: www.newser.com

Sanford Admits to More Liaisons With Mistress

(Newser) – Mark Sanford met his Argentine mistress more times than he’s originally let on, he told the AP today. Sanford, who’d originally copped to only four meetings with Maria Belen Chapur during an 8-year relationship, described five in the past year alone, including two romantic getaways in New York, and a farewell meeting there also attended by the South Carolina governor’s spiritual adviser.

That last meeting was intended to end the affair, but Sanford couldn’t resist one last trip—the escape this month that brought the affair into the public eye. Sanford says he never traveled on the state’s dime, save for the fateful government trip last year in which his relationship with Chapur became physical. “Now I’m scared,” he said, explaining his feelings at the time. “We gotta put the genie back in the bottle.”
Source: Associated Press

Tags: sanford

No Smiting

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 11:09:28 GMT

clipped by: thisnamecantbetaken
clipper's remarks: But God still has some growing up to do.

Wright argues that much of the problem isn’t with the religious texts or teachings themselves, but with the social conditions — the “facts on the ground” — that shape the sort of God we choose to create.

Change the world, and you change the God.

“If history naturally pushes people toward moral improvement, toward moral truth, and their God, as they conceive their God, grows accordingly, becoming morally richer, then maybe this growth is evidence of some higher purpose, and maybe — conceivably — the source of that purpose is worthy of the name divinity.”

Clip Source: www.nytimes.com

No Smiting

God has mellowed. The God that most Americans worship occasionally gets upset about abortion and gay marriage, but he is a softy compared with the Yahweh of the Hebrew Bible. That was a warrior God, savagely tribal, deeply insecure about his status and willing to commit mass murder to show off his powers.

In his brilliant new book, “The Evolution of God,” Robert Wright tells the story of how God grew up.

proposing that the increasing goodness of God reflects the increasing goodness of our species.

each of the major Abrahamic faiths has been forced toward moral growth

Wright makes it clear that he is tracking people’s conception of the divine, not the divine itself.

Wright also denies the specialness of any faith.

what matters is the choices that the people make

Cultural sensibilities shift according to changes in human dynamics, and these shape the God that people worship.

it is not God who evolves. It is us — God just comes along for the ride.

Sanford: King David didn't resign, why should I?

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 23:43:10 GMT

clipped by: masbury
clipper's remarks: Never mind that David was a king, not an elected official.

Clip Source: tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com

And the South Carolina governor started out by using an interesting comparison to respond to calls for his resignation. King David didn't back down after his own sex scandal, he told his colleagues, and neither will I.

[Video]

Tags: sanford

Blink Twice If You Like Me

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:39:39 GMT

clipped by: debbyski

Clip Source: www.nytimes.com

Sara Lewis is fluent in firefly

The fireflies flashing in the air are all males. Down in the grass, Dr. Lewis points out, females are sitting and observing. They look for flash patterns of males of their own species, and sometimes they respond with a single flash of their own, always at a precise interval after the male’s.

Dr. Lewis takes out a penlight and clicks it twice, in perfect Photinus greeni. A female Photinus greeni flashes back.

“Most people don’t realize there’s this call and response going on,” Dr. Lewis said. “But it’s very, very easy to talk to fireflies.”

For Dr. Lewis, this meadow is the stage for an invertebrate melodrama, full of passion and yearning, of courtship duets and competitions for affection, of cruel deception and gruesome death.

In recent years scientists have analyzed the DNA of fireflies to figure out how their light has evolved

Clip Source: www.nytimes.com

Dr. Lewis wondered if the female fireflies were picking their mates based on variations in the flashes of the males.