Julia K Cole

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. Read More

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 cli...

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, o...

 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 repor...

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.

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 ...

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...

When the world of imagination has become all too real and the world around us has become blurred ... we find ourselves lost & confused. When we have become obsessed over material things to the point we believe ourselves not happy unless we have millions of dollars to spend and all the luxuries that it can buy ...  If we are obsessed over someone in our lives to the point they are all we can think about, and soon we find ourselves living for that moment when we will next see or hear from them ...  When we become addicted to food, drugs, alcohol, sex, gambling, etc. We find ourselves totally out of control ... with seemingly no way out ...  When we are any or all of the above .. we are imbalanced emotionally & mentally.  Emotional & Mental well being is a vital part of spiritual growth.  To Grow Spiritually simply means to obtain and maintain Balance ... in ALL aspects of our human lives! The Ascension and How it Affects Your Emotional ...

You're both tired. The kids are light sleepers. You're not happy with your weight. You're stressed out over deadline pressures at work. There are many reasons people in long-term relationships find themselves reaching for the pillow or the remote control instead of their partner's body after the sun goes down. But a healthy sex life is a key part of an intimate relationship, and neglecting it can push the two of you further apart. Problem No. 1: Same Old, Same Old The Solution: Spice It Up "When you're in a long-term relationship, you get into a routine," says ob-gyn Renee Horowitz, founder of the Center for Sexual Wellness in Michigan. "There's biological evidence that novel experiences cause the release of dopamine in the brain." Dopamine is a chemical messenger that affects the pleasure center in your brain. "That's why it's so much easier," Horowitz says, "to get excited in a new relationship -- everythin...

Veterans at all stages of their military careers struggle with emotional and physical issues, including those that challenge their ability to fully integrate into civilian life. Some return from deployment with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) or other psychological trauma. Others are long separated from service but struggle with depression, substance abuse, or outright loneliness. For these and many other circumstances, a companion pet is often the right prescription to help heal mind, body, and soul. Pets for Patriots helps these veterans find and afford a "last-chance" pet: adult and special needs animals, and large breed dogs - those most overlooked for adoption, who face the greatest risk of euthanasia and yet make wonderful and grateful companions. Operating nationwide, Pets for Patriots helps veterans combat the primary obstacle to pet ownership - cost of care - by providing access to ongoing discounted veterinary care, financial...

While winter weather poses many threats to animals, perhaps one of the most serious dangers occurs when cats and other small animals seek warmth from the engines of parked cars. One such unlucky cat was Flapjack, a tiny kitten found on the side of the road in New York City last December. Fortunately, a Good Samaritan spotted Flapjack and brought him to the ASPCA Animal Hospital. It was clear that Flapjack had been caught in a car’s engine. He was suffering from multiple serious injuries, including a fractured lower jaw, a severe tongue laceration and other wounds. ASPCA Veterinarian Dr. Maren Krafchik says the hospital staff performed the first of three surgeries on Flapjack that same day, including using wire to repair his jaw and inserting a feeding tube to help him eat. This brave little kitten is now happy and healthy with his foster parent, an ASPCA veterinary technician. He had his feeding tube removed and can now eat normally, and the swelling he experienced as a resu...

Cell phone users are being warned to think twice before answering any suspicious calls from the Caribbean Islands. According to the Better Business Bureau, a new "one ring" scam is giving phone owners unauthorized charges on their wireless bills. WGHP reports that the calls  may come  from Antigua, Jamaica, Grenada and any other Caribbean Islands and that the phone rings only one time before disconnecting. If a customer calls back the number displayed, the BBB details that the caller will then be charged $19.95 for an international call fee and an additional $9-per-minute charge. Users reporting the scam to the BBB have said the calls normally come from outside the U.S. To protect yourself, the BBB encourages consumers not to answer calls from unknown, out-of-state numbers. But if you do answer the phone, they recommend not to call it back if the call disconnects.  SOURCE :   International Business Times

1 in 3 pets will go missing during their lifetime! Are you doing EVERYTHING you can to protect your pet??   Our partners at TagaPet are donating $0.50 of every tag sold to No Kill Louisville. Head on over and check out their new site and get your tag today! Visit Tag A Pet at   www.tagapet.com

Gather yourselves together.   Your tribes, your families, your friends and those of like mind.  Gather yourselves together and be as one.   Stop struggling to reach the masses.  Step back and embrace those you are already reaching and those you've already reached.  Do not concern yourselves with those that have not been touched by your light.  Do not chase after those that do not appreciate what you are offering.     If it is meant to be, those that have not already found you, will most certainly find you .   Stop believing in the adage "the squeaky wheel always gets the oil ."     The oil is used to silence the squeak, but is not always taken seriously.  And the results seldom yield lasting results. Many of you  have now discovered,  it is the quiet and unassuming, the softest of voices,  that brings about the long lasting results.   As you were living as the squeaky wheel ,  you slo...