4-Year-Old Sums Up Gay Marriage in a Few Short Sentences

This is so innocent and sweet, it's impossible not to just love it to pieces. A 4-year-old little girl in Australia wrote a letter to the prime minister, Tony Abbott, asking him to "let boys marry boys and girls marry girls," in an effort to persuade him to recognize gay marriage Down Under. Sabrina Franco was inspired to reach out to the prime minister after learning that friends of her mothers, a gay male couple, had to go all the way to New York to be married -- because same-sex marriages are neither recognized nor performed in Australia.

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Singing Can Lower Your Blood Pressure!

Singing just two songs a day can lower blood pressure by as much as 25 percent, according to Harvard scientists.

Singing has distinct advantages over everyday chitchat. When we sing instead of speak, we have intonation, melody line, and crescendo, which gives us a broader vocabulary to express ourselves. 

You don't have to be a professional to reap the benefits of singing.

While previous studies have shown that listening to music may help lower an individual's blood pressure, new research that was published in the March, 2011 issue of "American Journal Arthritis Care and Research" indicates that singing or producing melodies may provide similar benefits.

The researchers followed a 76-year-old woman through her treatment for bilateral knee osteoarthritis. Despite her use of several drug-based therapies, the doctors had to postpone the woman's procedure (total knee replacement surgery) due to her high blood pressure which had reached 240/120.

Read More by clicking HERE


Since you can sing just about anywhere including the shower, it’s an easy way to keep your pressure under control. So go ahead, channel your inner pop star to stay heart healthy.

Social Networking Sites: Security and Privacy

Recent hacks involving several high-profile social networking accounts once again highlight the potential vulnerability of social media. The sheer volume of users and the information that gets posted on social media sites create plenty of opportunity for an attacker to use social engineering or other methods to gain access to the accounts of individuals and organizations. The more information you post, the more your security and privacy are at risk. 

What Precautions Should I Take on Social Networking Sites? 

Below are some helpful tips regarding security and privacy while using social networking sites: 

 Ensure that any computer you use to connect to a social media site has proper security measures in place. Use and maintain anti-virus software, anti-spyware software, and a firewall and keep these applications and operating system patched and up-to-date. 

 Be cautious when clicking on links. If a link seems suspicious, or too good to be true, do not click on it...even if the link is on your most trusted friend's page. Your friend's account may have been hijacked or infected and now be spreading malware. 

 If you are going to request that your account be deleted, first remove all of the data. Request that the account be deleted, rather than deactivated. 

 Type the address of your social networking site directly into your browser or use your personal bookmarks. If you click a link to your site through email or another website, you might be entering your account name and password into a fake site where your personal information could be stolen 

 Be cautious about installing applications. Some social networking sites provide the ability to add or install third party applications, such as games. Keep in mind there is sometimes little or no quality control or review of these applications and they may have full access to your account and the data you share. Malicious applications can use this access to interact with your friends on your behalf and to steal and misuse personal data. Only install applications that come from trusted, well-known sites.   If you are no longer using the app, remove it. Also, please note that installing some applications may modify your security and privacy settings. 

 Use strong and unique passwords. Using the same password on all accounts increases the 
vulnerability of these accounts if one becomes compromised. Use different passwords for different accounts, and do not use a password you use to access your organizations network on any personal sites you access. 

 Be careful whom you add as a “friend,” or what groups or pages you join. The more “friends” you have or groups/pages you join, the more people who have access to your information. 

 Do not assume privacy on a social networking site. For both business and personal use, confidential information should not be shared. You should only post information you are comfortable disclosing to a complete stranger. 

 Use discretion before posting information or comments. Once information is posted online, it can potentially be viewed by anyone and may not be able to be retracted afterwards. Keep in mind that content or communications on government-related social networking pages may be considered 
public records. 

 When posting pictures, delete the meta data, which includes the date and time of the picture. 

 Do not announce that you are on vacation or away for an extended period of time. 

 Configure privacy settings to allow only those people you trust to have access to the information you post, and your profile. Also, restrict the ability for others to post information to your page. The default settings for some sites may allow anyone to see your information or post information to your page. 

 Review a site’s privacy policy. Some sites may share information, such as email addresses or user 
preferences, with other parties. If a site’s privacy policy is vague or does not properly protect your 
information, do not use the site. 

For More Information: 

For additional information, please visit: 

1. STOP.THINK.CONNECT Social Networking and Cyberbullying Tips: 
http://stopthinkconnect.org/resources/viewimageembed/?id=341 

2. US-CERT Socializing Securely: Using Social Networking Services 
http://www.us-cert.gov/sites/default/files/publications/safe_social_networking.pdf 

3. Facebook: A Guide to Privacy: 
http://www.facebook.com/privacy/explanation.php 

4. Sophos: Facebook Security Best Practices: 
http://www.sophos.com/en-us/security-news-trends/best-practices/facebook.aspx 

5. Twitter: Protecting and Unprotecting Your Tweets: 
https://support.twitter.com/articles/20169886-how-to-protect-and-unprotect-your-tweets 

DANGEROUS DIET: Young girls swallowing cotton balls to lose weight

 A weight loss trend that involves eating cotton balls has health officials issuing warnings for parents.

It seems Americans are obsessed with losing weight or wearing a smaller size, and images from the media reinforce a false perception of beauty.

"I think, especially young girls, don't realize that those models are airbrushed," said Amy Garlove, a pediatrician at Norton Healthcare. "There's a lot of Photoshopping that goes into that."

Young girls are trying to measure up to the glamorous women they see in magazines and on TV. Many times these models often go to extremes to stay thin.

It's an unobtainable -- and dangerous -- goal, and Garlove says social media and websites can make things worse.

"Now in this day and age, we have the added insult, essentially, of the Internet, and so girls can get these ideas from other girls," Garlove said.

Some of those ideas are so disturbing, they're hard to comprehend. There are now reported cases of girls so desperate to lose weight that they swallow cotton balls to curb their appetites.

It's a trend therapists like Dr. Eli Karam in Louisville have begun seeing in young patients.

"This trend really got started by YouTube clips being made of other girls showing how to do this, how to restrict," said Dr. Karam.

The Internet is peppered with dozens of videos demonstrating how to eat cotton balls -- and some even make a game of out of coming up with creative ways to eat the cotton, including dipping them in juice "and then they swallow them with the hopes that it will fill up their stomachs so they will not be hungry."

Marsha Hilgeford, a registered dietitian, says the idea behind the trend is that "cotton would absorb and fill the space so there wouldn't be any emptiness, they would feel a fullness."

In fact, cotton balls are not very absorbent. If one is dipped in a container of yogurt, for example, the yogurt just sticks to it and continues to collect food. It does the same thing in the intestinal tract.

"It's not going to absorb anything," Garlove said. "It may take up space in the stomach for awhile, but it's certainly not going to be anything that is going to keep the patient from still needing the calories and the nutrients that your body has to have to survive and to thrive."

There are a number of dangers associated with ingesting cotton balls -- starting with the potential of choking. The danger grows as the cotton works its way through your body.

If the cotton ball does reach the stomach, it can cause sharp pains for the person who ingested it.

Cotton balls can also form blockages in the gastrointestinal tract, leading to surgery or even death.

"You might as well soak your T-shirt in grape juice and eat it," said Hilgeford.

To make matters worse, there are chemicals in cotton balls that could be harmful.

"Most girls, when they're doing that (eating cotton balls) aren't thinking about that," said Karam. "They're just thinking about the short term -- what will help me, what will make me feel better about myself, what will help me stop eating," said Karam.

Karam says young girls may try the cotton ball diet as a to gain a sense of control in what can be chaotic lives.

It's important for parents to pay attention to eating habits at home. Symptoms to watch for include: anxiety around food, attitude change, and stomach issues.

"Whereas an adult might think this is a very high-risk behavior, you can actually find the reverse, where a young girl could receive support from her peers for doing this.

We often turn to the Internet for information, but sometimes the wrong information can be dangerous. Many of the images seen by impressionable young minds do not reflect reality, and the pressure for a perfect body takes a toll on young women.

"They're trying to keep up with this unattainable goal of being this perfect body type, which doesn't exist because it's all done on computers," Garlove said.

It's the ugly side of the beauty industry.

If you or someone you know has an eating disorder, it's important to get help.

CLICK HERE for more information

Source:  WDRB News

Stop The Extermination Of Wolves

Last October it became legal to shoot, trap and gas Wyoming's 328 wolves throughout most of the state. Already more than 40 wolves have been killed.

Tell Wyoming Governor Matt Mead to put a stop to the slaughter of gray wolves, and end this brutal extermination policy taking place in nearly 85 percent of the state.

Wyoming's new law threatens the gray wolf recovery that is under way in the Northern Rockies—and even includes a dangerous loophole that would make it legal to kill wolves no matter how few remain.

Help us keep the pressure up!  CLICK HERE to Ask Governor Mead to stop the slaughter, and put policies in place to ensure the survival of wolves now and for future generations.

Deadly Honeybee Diseases Likely Spreading to Bumblebees

Wild bumblebees worldwide are in trouble, likely contracting deadly diseases from their commercialized honeybee cousins, a new study shows.

That's a problem even though bumblebees aren't trucked from farm to farm like honeybees. They provide a significant chunk of the world's pollination of flowers and food, especially greenhouse tomatoes, insect experts said. And the ailments are hurting bumblebees even more, according to a study published Wednesday in the journal Nature.

"Wild populations of bumblebees appear to be in significant decline across Europe, North America, South America and also in Asia," said study author Mark Brown of the University of London.

He said his study confirmed that a major source of the decline was "the spillover of parasites and pathogens and disease" from managed honeybee hives.

Smaller studies have shown disease going back and forth between the two kinds of bees. Brown said his is the first to look at the problem in a larger country-wide scale and include three diseases and parasites.

The study tracked nearly 750 bees in 26 sites throughout Great Britain. And it also did lab work on captive bees to show disease spread.

What the study shows is that "the spillover for bees is turning into (a) boilover," University of Illinois entomology professor May Berenbaum, who wasn't part of the study, said in an email.

Study co-author Matthias Furst of the University of London said the team's research does not definitely prove the diseases go from honeybees to bumblebees. But the evidence points heavily in that direction because virus levels and infection rates are higher in the honeybees, he said.

— The Associated Press

Source:   NBC News

Universal P.M.S.

Ladies and Gentlemen!

WELCOME TO UNIVERSAL PMS!

Universal PMS:

-Confusion, Mood Swings, Paranoia, Impatience
-Emotional and mental confusion
-Sudden waves of emotion
-A sense of impending-ness
-Impatience

With all that is going on with us and around us, it isn't any wonder that so many people are walking around dazed, confused, tempers flaring, emotional outbursts of every kind for any reason and/or season. And have you noticed that patience is sorely lacking these days? More so than ever before?!!

And then there is this overwhelming sense of something is about to happen ... an impending-ness ... if you will. And though you are never quite sure what it is exactly that IT is coming ... you just know it is! So much so ... that at times ... it borders on paranoia! Of course, that is when you take it upon yourself to anticipate "it" ... whatever "it" is ... and it's every move.

You go around snapping at people, all the while they are staring at you with this deer caught in headlights look .... we're yelling at them for something usually so insignificant like having "that look" on their face or in their eyes ... which probably was just them going into shock by all the screeching, slamming doors and throwing things!

You throw a temper tantrum over someone not closing the door or picking up a gallon of ice cream that you failed to ask them to pick up on their way home or something else really minor; and then you get cranky when someone hasn't read your mind or anticipated YOUR every move and cater to your needs at that given time! All of which (and more) has you coming across like you are some escapee from the local mental hospital.

Okay, perhaps they did look like they were thinking things they shouldn't! And yes, maybe, just maybe they could have closed that door. And no doubt they could have at least called before leaving work or on their way home to ask if you needed anything! At least that is YOUR reasoning and justification of the events!

Then there is having to wait when we aren't really in the mood! Long lines, traffic lights, traffic jams, being put on hold, having to listen to your significant other, neighbor, kids, co-worker, yammer on and on and on about something that really has no bearing on anything important to you at that given moment ... and no doubt in your present state of mind ... never will.

You probably find yourself thinking all sorts of horrid things you could do to them as they continue with their endless chattering ... all the while mustering the strength not to actually carry your fantasies through!

It is like having PMS 24/7 isn't it?

Ladies ... the GOOD NEWS is ... Men are experiencing this as well!

Yes Gentlemen! You now have some measure of understanding of what we women go through most of our adult lives.

But why are these emotional ups and downs occurring?

In order to rid ourselves of the issues we keep hanging on to ... we must undergo the work of bringing them to the forefront, rooting them out and releasing them once and for all.

To achieve Emotional & Mental Balance ...

In order to gain understanding ...

And actually live in unconditional love ...

We must undergo the actual experience.

And to get the emotional and mental balance that leads to
understanding that leads to living in unconditional love we must:

(1) Work through what it is truly bothering us;

Now to do this ... means we have to take the time to really STOP! and THINK!

I do realize for many this could prove burdensome. However, while you are sitting there "thinking" that you have no time to actually stop & think ... you may want to consider the numerous repeats of situations that will most assuredly come along if you don't STOP & THINK things through! Don't just over-react because it is convenient or less work! Stop! Think! And allow the real reason to show itself.

And stop worrying about what the "other" person said and/or did! Or what they didn't say or didn't do! It will only serve to throw you off-balance. And this is what we are wanting to avoid!

(2) Release the old programming of how we act and react; 

This means we have to actually accept responsibility for our actions, act upon our knowledge and with sheer determination, kick those old ways of thoughts, words and deeds to the curb for good!

For the people in your life ... Feel free to suggest, point out or insist that they take responsibility for themselves ... whoever "they" may be ... but just keep in mind that chances are ... they won't or can't at that given moment!

In releasing the old programming ... we would do well minding our own business and keep our focus on SELF and just let the other person do the same!

Ever notice how much energy we spend on others? And we wonder why our emotions run out of control?

RELEASE! If you can't change it ... Let it Go!

(3) Acceptance & Allowance

This is the fun part! (and Yes, I know I am repeating things here). To gain a measure of emotional and mental balance, you must come into the acceptance that there are just some things you cannot change and/or control! So do yourself yet another HUGE favor ... get over it! You're not THAT powerful to force any changes on someone else!

In order to gain a level of understanding of the why's and how's you must Allow situations and/or people to flow naturally along their given paths.

You must Accept the fact that your are not in control of what other people do, how they think, react and/or act! Not YOUR Job! And it is certainly isn't any of YOUR business! So Accept it! Allow It! And get over it!

If you don't like what is being said and/or done ... and you have done all you know to bring about a change ... and it, she/he hasn't changed ... then Accept it, he/she for what it and/or he/she is! And simply Allow it to be!

Accept your decision to stay or to go. Allow it to be!

Accept THEIR decision to stay or to go. To be! Or Not To be!

Allow it just to ... BE!

(4) Bring about the true nature of who and what we truly are ... Spirit beings having a Human Experience.

Yep! You be a spirit being locked down in this human body. And no ... it's not a punishment! YOU Chose to come in here! So work it baby!

Just Do IT!

This is all boils down putting into practice (1), (2) & (3) above.

Again, for Emphasis!

Balance is what is needed . Understanding is what we must have. If we are balanced emotionally & mentally ... our body & spirit follow suit.

With Balance we come into a better understanding which in turns makes us better equipped to express empathy for others and through this we learn how to appropriately take action in thought, word and deed.

As we go through this time and time again until we eventually get the hang of it ... we discover what it means to truly live with Unconditional Love for others ... and for ourselves!

We cannot do this until we have literally walked the walk and talked the talk. And in this case my brothers & sisters, that means we all experience that little thing I endearingly call .... 

Universal PMS! 

Julia K. Cole is known for her unquestionable unique psychic and medium abilities, Julia is on a mission to bring internal peace and comfort to the world by sharing her knowledge and providing assistance to people in need of in-depth spiritual advice, healing, and a connection with the other side.