Clipmarks | Behavior Clips

Pelosi: Buy a $15,000 Policy or Go to Jail

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:39:31 GMT

clipped by: bferman
clipper's remarks: Of course, this penalty wouldn't apply to illegal aliens.

Clip Source: republicans.waysandmeans.house.gov

PELOSI: Buy a $15,000 Policy or Go to Jail

the Pelosi health care bill (H.R. 3962, as amended) could land people in jail.

If the government determines that the taxpayer’s unpaid tax liability results from willful behavior, the following penalties could apply…”

• Section 7203 – misdemeanor willful failure to pay is punishable by a fine of up to $25,000 and/or imprisonment of up to one year.

Section 7201 – felony willful evasion is punishable by a fine of up to $250,000 and/or imprisonment of up to five years.”

The Senate Finance Committee had the good sense to eliminate the extreme penalty of incarceration. Speaker Pelosi’s decision to leave in the jail time provision is a threat to every family who cannot afford the $15,000 premium her plan creates

Republicans have an alternative that will lower health insurance costs without raising taxes or cutting Medicare

According to the Congressional Budget Office the lowest cost family non-group plan under the Speaker’s bill would cost $15,000 in 2016

Tags: healthcare, penalty, politics

Dead Star Encased in Diamond Shroud

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:35:21 GMT

clipped by: tabsey

Clip Source: dsc.discovery.com

Diamond in the Sky

Nov. 5, 2009 -- Astronomers have just solved a decade-old mystery that explains the unusual behavior of a neutron star -- the dense, hot corpse left behind after a massive stellar explosion -- at the center of the Cassiopeia A supernova remnant.

It wasn't the X-rays streaming from the center of the supernova remnant that astronomers found puzzling. It's why the beams weren't pulsating as expected. Now the scientists know why: The neutron star is covered with a thin atmosphere of carbon, which acts like a giant bulb to smooth light in all directions.

The findings help to illustrate the extreme nature of these entities.

"The carbon is unique," Wynn Ho, a researcher with the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom, told Discovery News. "The neutron stars that have been detected with atmosphere have evolved with hydrogen, and that's what we'd expect because hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe."

Tags: bright, lights, big, city, animals.

The Electric Universe

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 06:20:12 GMT

clipped by: robm47
clipper's remarks: NASA's Interstellar Boundary Explorer adds more evidence that our Sun, like all stars and the universe itself is electric in nature.

Clip Source: www.holoscience.com

NASA's IBEX (Interstellar Boundary Explorer) spacecraft has made the first all-sky maps of the boundary between the Sun’s environment (the heliosphere), and interstellar space.

The EU model is based on a hierarchy of repeated patterns of plasma behavior, from the size of a galaxy down to a few centimeters in the laboratory. Therefore it is subject to experimental confirmation, unlike most astrophysical theory today.

IBEX's recent results that have taken researchers by surprise have given yet more strength to the EU model, a model that confidently predicts that the shape of the Sun’s galactic plasma environment is the hourglass, Z-pinch shape of planetary nebulae and supernovae, aligned with the local interstellar magnetic field. The beautiful symmetrical patterns that arise in plasma discharges from very simple principles renders all modeling that ignores the electrical nature of matter and the universe worthless.

Reactionary anti-women "men's rights" groups go mainstream

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:00:26 GMT

clipped by: Lexica
clipper's remarks: More:

Toward the end of her piece, Joyce makes a particularly fascinating point about MRAs' domestic violence arguments:
Critics like Australian sociologist Michael Flood say that men’s rights movements reflect the tactics of domestic abusers themselves, minimizing existing violence, calling it mutual, and discrediting victims. MRA groups downplay national abuse rates, just as abusers downplay their personal battery; they wage campaigns dismissing most allegations as false, as abusers claim partners are lying about being hit; and they depict the violence as mutual—part of an epidemic of wife-on-husband abuse—as individual batterers rationalize their behavior by saying that the violence was reciprocal. Additionally, MRA groups’ predictions of future violence by fed-up men wronged by the family-law system seem an obvious additional correlation, with the threat of violence seemingly intended to intimidate a community, like a fearful spouse, into compliance.

Clip Source: www.salon.com

the "men's rights" movement, a loosely organized coalition of individuals and organizations that believe feminist-influenced society is oppressing men

But the movement's bizarre fringe is nothing new, as Joyce reminds us in an in-depth Double X article. What's really frightening is the impact men's rights activists (MRAs) are having on mainstream politics.

the issues MRAs are pushing are much more complex than they seem

As for MRAs' accusations, inspired by deeply flawed studies, that men and women are equally likely to commit domestic abuse, well, the numbers speak for themselves: "While some men certainly are victims of female domestic violence, advocates say the number is closer to 3 percent to 4 percent, rather than the 45 percent to 50 percent RADAR claims."

what do we do about the increasingly mainstream men's rights movement and the worrisome gains it has made?

Personally, I'm torn.

the more marginalized these groups feel, the more extreme (and potentially violent) they become

Tags: men, women, gender, misogyny, mras

"Love of Shopping" is Not a Gene: exposing junk science and ideology in Darwinian Psychology

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:50:43 GMT

clipped by: Lexica

Clip Source: www.boingboing.net

Anne Innis Dagg's "Love of Shopping" is Not a Gene is a scathing, entertaining and extremely accessible geneticist's critique of "Darwinian Psychology" -- that is, the "science" of ascribing human behavior to genetic inevitability. Dagg, a biologist/geneticist at the University of Waterloo, identifies Darwinian Psychology as a nexus of ideological pseudoscience cooked to justify political agendas about the inevitability of social inequality, especially racial and sexual inequality.

One after another, Dagg examines the cherished shibboleths of Darwinian Psychology, examining the research offered in support

and demolishes each statement by subjecting it to scientific rigor, including an examination of all the contradictory evidence ignored by proponents.

As a debunking of pseudo-science, this is very masterful; but it is even better as a piece of social criticism, a look at exactly why Darwinian Psychology has found such a receptive audience among ideologues

Tags: books, book-reviews, evo-psych, debunking

In defense of jaywalking

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:30:56 GMT

clipped by: Lexica
clipper's remarks: More:

today the word jaywalking is often used as a sort of blanket justification for the dominating presence of cars on city streets. It also reflects a social bias against those people not in cars. (Note this comment in a Federal Highway Administration report: "Still, almost no one can avoid occasional pedestrian status," as if they were discussing exposure to a venereal disease.)

…the Netherlands, which has essentially legalized jaywalking, has an enviable pedestrian safety record.

…Finally, read newspapers very carefully. A number of studies have documented that media coverage of traffic crashes is selective, framed in certain predictable ways, and often misrepresents the true frequency or nature of actual risk. Jaywalking makes better copy for columnists than actually probing the complex nature of traffic safety.
Clip Source: www.slate.com
Looking at any number of big-city dailies over the last few weeks, one might reasonably surmise that we are in the middle of a new public-health epidemic with an old name: jaywalking.
These accounts—which are typically combined with grim statistics on pedestrian deaths and injuries, but no deeper analysis—could well leave casual readers with the impression that jaywalking is the single greatest risk to the urban pedestrian, that pedestrians wantonly solicit injuries and death with their depraved behavior, and that properly corralling pedestrians could solve all our traffic safety problems.
All of which is wrong.
the facts simply do not support the idea that jaywalking is the greatest danger pedestrians face, and that drivers should be let off the hook.
police, who largely tend to be in vehicles, often misinterpret such subtleties or exhibit a pronounced pro-driver bias
it's not uncommon to hear statements like he "came out of nowhere," when in fact the pedestrian was crossing legally

Tags: walking, jaywalking, traffic, autos, cagers, safety, pedestrians

Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums needs to explain tax mess or resign

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:04:01 GMT

clipped by: Lexica
clipper's remarks: More:

The debt owed to this city by Dellums is incalculable and there is nothing but pride - or arrogance - standing between him and a full public disclosure of the facts surrounding his tax problem.

Anything short of that constitutes unacceptable behavior by a public official and violates the public contract between an elected official and the constituency the office serves. I tried to reach the mayor for comment - but he declined to speak with me, his press secretary Paul Rose told me.

No one has asked Dellums to disclose anything that any other politician in the same set of circumstances wouldn't be asked to explain.

If he cannot provide a public explanation for a controversy that has become another national embarrassment for this city, it's difficult to see how continuing in his current position is going to be good for anyone - either him or Oakland's citizens.

Clip Source: www.sfgate.com

Oakland Mayor Ronald V. Dellums owes the residents of this great city an explanation.

And if he can't provide one, he owes his resignation.

He is a hometown hero entrusted with the highest public office Oakland can offer. His $239,000 tax bill is peanuts compared with the weight of his responsibility as Oakland mayor.

Anyone can make an honest mistake, and if that's all this is, then no harm, no foul.

But Oakland residents deserve to know why the mayor was unable to handle his legal obligation to pay income taxes, because it's a reflection of his ability to handle responsibility, including the management of a city that has placed its trust, and a whole lot more, in his hands.

If Dellums can't come clean with the people who put him in office, the same people he promised would benefit from the transparent operations of the mayor's office, there is no reason left for residents to believe anything else he has to say.

Tags: oakland, ron-dellums, government, politics, halfassery, taxes

Everything about Hasan SCREAMS "Patsy"

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:36:39 GMT

clipped by: leevardi
clipper's remarks: ....good article to PONDER

Clip Source: blacklistednews.com

Everything About Nidal Malik Hasan Screams “Patsy”

Killer’s pre-rampage behavior is completely at odds with the idea of him preparing to massacre more than a dozen of his colleagues.

The Empire strikes back – right when when public support for the occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan sinks to all time lows, an anti-war Islamic extremist with links to suicide bombers goes on a shooting rampage at a U.S. army base, reinvigorating support for the war on terror and demonizing opposition to it as anti-American extremism. The scam would be believable if it wasn’t so perfectly staged.

Without getting into convoluted conspiracy theories about mind control and whatever else, not that they aren’t without merit, the facts we already know about Hasan and his behavior prior to the deadly shootings just screams out “patsy” and “set-up” and almost exactly mirrors other terror scams the Empire has run in the past.

Understanding IntrovertS

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:11:37 GMT

clipped by: mariz2209
clipper's remarks: I just like psychology. I am some of introvert even i like to have many friends. Sounds conflict but duhhh...

Clip Source: www.psychologytoday.com

The Friendship Doctor

The inside scoop on your introvert friends

Losing friends can be particularly difficult for introverts because we don't surround ourselves with people. We prefer a few intimate friends to lots of less-intense friendships, and deep discussion with one person to a party full of festive chitchat. For us, losing one good friend can leave a larger hole in our lives than it might for an extrovert with 25 best friends.

It's all about energy: What appears to be the bottom-line difference between introverts and extroverts is that social interactions are energizing to extroverts but draining for introverts. This is why I might come to your party but leave long before the conga line starts. And why a stretch of interaction then requires a few days of solitude to recover. If you understand this, you will have grasped a key quality of your introverted friends and their perhaps puzzling behavior (why didn't she come to the after-hours party?) will make more sense.

Newborn Babies Cry in Native Tongue

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:03:45 GMT

clipped by: xpersianx

Clip Source: www.livescience.com

From their very first days, the cries of newborns already bear the mark of the language their parents speak, scientists now find.

French newborns tend to cry with rising melody patterns, slowly increasing in pitch from the beginning to the end, whereas German newborns seem to prefer falling melody patterns, findings that are both consistent with differences between the languages.

This suggests infants begin picking up elements of language in the womb, long before their first babble or coo.

Prenatal exposure

Prenatal exposure to language was known to influence newborns. For instance, past research showed they preferred their mother's voice over those of others.

Still, researchers thought infants did not imitate sounds until much later on. Although three-month-old babies can match vowel sounds that adults make

Imitating Mom

Newborns are probably highly motivated to imitate their mother's behavior in order to attract

her and hence to foster bonding," Wermke said

The researchers conjecture that

Things You Should Learn About Dog Obedience Training

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 04:21:49 GMT

clipped by: caksut

Clip Source: www.dogobediencetrainingtips.info

As pets, dogs are not only meant to be confined at home. There are chances when you have to take them out for a walk or bring them to any destination. Even more, the dog needs to learn the proper behavior despite being kept at home. Socializing is one skill that he has to be trained with. Thus, let him undergo dog obedience training.

Tags: dog training, dog obedience, dog trainer, dog school, sniffing dogs, puppy training

Sex and Relationships - News - Teenage girls' weight affects sexual behavior

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:43:01 GMT

clipped by: trafficsmo
clipper's remarks: One of the important aspects of a healthy, happy relationship is sex
and intimacy. Explore how your sexual health affects your relationship

Clip Source: bolohealth.com

Teenage girls' weight affects sexual behavior

body

"This study will contribute to sexual health education prevention efforts, which can be tailored to address how cultural norms regarding size may influence adolescent sexual decision making," said lead researcher Dr Aletha Akers, M.P.H., assistant professor of gynecology and reproductive sciences at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

Tags: teenager, teenage girls, weight, obese, body image

Another Republican says health care reform will destroy America. Rep. Broun, that is.

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:46:38 GMT

clipped by: ratilfar
clipper's remarks: Right -- if a liberal like Grayson calls out Republicans (who have no health care plan), they get their freak on. But I guess they have already been immunized to conservative insanity.

Oh, and we have Rep. Gohmert saying this: Dems Would Allow Seniors To "Die Off More Quickly"

This is standard conservative behavior that never gets mentioned by the media. It only comes up when a liberal is attacked and then they spend 24-48 hours to defend themselves and are forced to use these outrageous statement made by Republicans. And of course they have no traction, because of the defensive position the media puts liberals in.

Clip Source: crooksandliars.com

And here we have another nut job Republican who claims health care reform will destroy America. Where's the outrage by the Villagers over these statements?
Media Matters:

It's an impressive feat, but there may not be a Republican member of Congress who has been more openly scornful of President Obama's plans for health care reform than Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA).

In July, Broun declared that the public insurance option "is gonna kill people." Later in the month, he argued that "ObamaCare" would "give every single one of those illegal aliens health insurance." At a town hall meeting in September, Broun literally walked away from a constituent who couldn't get health coverage after telling him, "If you have a suggestion, send it to me." And, just a few weeks ago, he introduced "alternative" legislation that would eliminate Medicare altogether.

Yesterday, Broun escalated his attacks on the Democratic reform bill, saying that its passage "destroy America as we know it today."

Clip Source: www.youtube.com

[Video]

Tags: republicans, liars, scaremongers, fear, terror, video, youtube, healthcare

How to Stop a Dog from Jumping Up On People - Learn the 3 Absolutely Crucial Points

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:47:09 GMT

clipped by: Jg303

Clip Source: positivehomedogtraining.com

How to Stop a Dog from Jumping Up On People – Learn the 3 Absolutely Crucial Points to Keep Your Dog from Jumping Up On People.

Anyway, jumping behavior is annoying yes, but do understand that the reason behind this habit is that the dog is actually trying to be friendly with people. Some dogs are simply attention addict. They just want loads of attention, so they jump on people in order to become noticed.

So here’s what you should to put a lid on this problem:

Tags: how to stop a dog from jumping up on people, dog jumping problems, keep dog from jumping on people, stop dog jumping

Stop Excessive Dog Barking - How To Get My Dog To Stop Barking At People

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:03:06 GMT

clipped by: Jg303
clipper's remarks: "How to get my dog to stop barking at people?" Is this question constantly running in your mind at the moment? Yes? Then read this to discover how to put a stop to your dog’s excessive barking problem as soon as possible.

Clip Source: positivehomedogtraining.com

Stop Excessive Dog Barking – How to Get My Dog to Stop Barking At People.

“How to get my dog to stop barking at people?” Is this question been popping in your mind every so often these days? Well, before making plans to stop excessive dog barking behavior, it is only right that we first zero in on the root cause of this problem.

This way, we will be able to make better decisions, get the issue under control as quickly as possible before the neighbors’ get completely riled up and start complaining to the authorities (gulp).

So what are the possible causes that propelled your beloved doggy to bark at people all the time?

Tags: stop excessive dog barking, how to get my dog to stop barking at people, stop dog barking