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POPSDoes Religion Make You Nice?Does atheism make you mean? It is at this point that the "We need God to be good" case falls apart. Countries worthy of consideration aren't those like North Korea and China, where religion is savagely repressed, but those in which people freely choose atheism. In his new book, Society Without God, Phil Zuckerman looks at the Danes and the Swedes—probably the most godless people on Earth. They don't go to church or pray in the privacy of their own homes; they don't believe in God or heaven or hell. But, by any reasonable standard, they're nice to one another. They have a famously expansive welfare and health care service. They have a strong commitment to social equality. And—even without belief in a God looming over them—they murder and rape one another significantly less frequently than Americans do.
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POPSFuture 'Top 10' Hot Careers in 2012 5) Simulation Engineering By 2012, an increase in processing power and rich data will make simulations more realistic, and user-friendly. Simulation engineers will be working on bringing us closer to “Star Trek’s” Holodecks—the ultimate total immersion simulation. Simulations will be in every industry and every engineering field, 6) Boomer Caregiving 7) Genetic Counseling 8) Brain Analysts 9) Space Tourism 10) Roboticists
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POPSThreat To Medicines From Plant Extinctions The world's most widely-used cancer drug, is Paclitaxel, which is derived from the bark of several species of yew tree. Its complex chemical structure and biological function has so far made it impossible to produce artificially. ----- 80 per cent of the global population - rely on traditional plant-based medicine as their primary form of healthcare. -----
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POPSWal-Mart "You Bastards"!!!! The company persuaded a federal district court judge and the U.S. 8th Circuit Court of Appeals to award it the full amount, even though Shank's family had paid for the lawsuit. Nor did it matter that the settlement covered a fraction of her expenses and losses. Wal-Mart's healthcare plan clearly states that it gets first dibs on any money recovered by injured employees. Such provisions aren't uncommon in health plans, and Wal-Mart isn't the first to enforce one. Doing what the law allows isn't the same as doing the right thing, however. The company made itself whole at the expense of a helpless former employee who will never be whole again. Instead of having some resources to improve her care, Shank will receive only the basic services afforded her by Medicaid and Social Security. Nor will the trust fund be in a position to reimburse Medicaid (i.e., taxpayers), which stood to collect any unspent money upon Shank's death.
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POPSThe HiJacking Of Jesus "A very large church in New York where I've spoken before did not want me to come and talk about this book. They said that after several guest ministers spoke against the Iraq War, people had left the congregation and threatened to resign their membership. These issues have become really matters of keeping your job." The religious right feels threatened by the Social Gospel of Jesus for a number of reasons. One, IMO, is that they are more concerned with an afterlife than they are with practicing what Jesus said. What could be more Christ-like than universal health care?
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POPSAn Immoral Philosophy
More: It must be about philosophy, because it surely isn't about cost. One of the plans Mr. Bush opposes, the one approved by an overwhelming bipartisan majority in the Senate Finance Committee, would cost less over the next five years than we'll spend in Iraq in the next four months. And it would be fully paid for by an increase in tobacco taxes. So what kind of philosophy says that it's O.K. to subsidize insurance companies, but not to provide health care to children? So his philosophy says that the government must be prevented from solving problems, even if it can. In fact, the more good a proposed government program would do, the more fiercely it must be opposed. denying basic health care to children whose parents lack the means to pay for it, simply because you're afraid that success in insuring children might put big government in a good light, is just morally wrong. it seems, more basic decency in the hearts of Americans than is dreamt of in Mr. Bush's philosophy.
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POPSIs anyone surprised? Meanwhile, back at the homefront, soldiers and their families continue to bear the burden and suffering of the present conflicts, ALONE. Often, those who express their deepest concern and have the highest level of awareness, are NOT in a position of power to do anything about the present debacle, and the coming avalanche of human misery. We veterans and families of military easily discuss our expereinces of betrayal we have with our governmental agencies and organizations. Yet we are somehow silent when we look at or sit next to our neighbor and fellow citizens. We accept our isolation and alienation as our fate as if we will always be misunderstood or disregarded misfits.
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POPSInsults: Physical Harm Maybe this is why so few people participate on the web and why that such a relatively large percent that do insult and attack other participants. It is a stress reaction that kicks up a fight-or-flight response. I try to remember most of those doing the insulting are expressing their own background of verbal abuse and fear. Try to let it slide off your back like water on a duck. That's good karma.
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POPSChristian Nation??? This canard is regularly heard when talking with Fundamentalists. They seem to be impervious to facts. It's as though they view history in the same way they view the bible. They pick and choose what they need to bolster their ungrounded speculations.
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POPSWarsaw Ghetto and Gaza: Disturbing Parallels It was after the Jews in the ghetto had been largely killed or transported that the world stood up and felt guilty in not acting sooner. I question when the world will stand up and say: Enough is enough, there is not going to be a repeat of the Warsaw Ghetto and particularly when its perpetrators are those who suffered the most by its conduct.
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POPSBush's Compassionate Conservatism Does Not Include Sick Kids George W. Bush was literally strong armed into signing legislation while he was governor of Texas that protected poor kids from going without health care. Now that he is president, he is trying to prevent helping poor kids on a national level. Has this man no shame?!?
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POPSStill a Democracy. 'How about you?' The voters will decide, with a far stronger opposition media than exists in the USA proselytising against the government. Venezuelans have not lost civil liberties the way people in the US or the UK have in recent years, and ordinary citizens continue to have more say in their government, and share more in its oil wealth, than ever before. It is doubtful that the referendum will reverse these changes, regardless of the outcome. He does seem to be trying to give the poor some healthcare and some hope. 'How about you?'
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POPSGovernments Ignore Starving To Prop Up Banks Experts have blamed the increase in famine on a number of factors such as oil prices, the growing use of biofuels and increased consumption of high-calorie food, particularly meat, in emerging economies. World Food Day hopes to divert attention back onto this ongoing food crisis. Almost a BILLION people are starving. A billion!! Can we even fathom, how many people that is, who are desperately trying to survive from day to day? I read, that on a 2 dollar a day wage, people are having to spend about $1,77 on food and the prices are so high, that it doesn't even cover their daily caloric needs. That leaves precious little money for housing, health, education, etc. Could YOU feed yourself and your family for less than 2 bucks a day... EVERY day... and still be able to send your children to school, get healthcare, etc? Just imagine if it were you.
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POPSThe Healing Power of Dogs Integrative Cancer Therapies reported how ordinary house dogs could identify breast and lung cancer patients by smelling their breath. A University of Maine study is testing whether dogs can sniff out ovarian cancer.. Via the breath too, I hope! *LOL* Dogs rock, cats rule. Get a pet. It's good for you. :)
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