Young Girl Convinces “Seventeen” to Quit Photoshopping Body Shapes

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A 14-year-old Maine ballet dancer who led a crusade against altered photos in Seventeen magazine now has a promise from top editor Ann Shoket to leave body shapes alone, reserving Photoshop for the stray hair, clothing wrinkle, errant bra strap or zit.

And when Shoket or her staff do manipulate images, she vowed in the August issue, they’ll post before and after shots on the magazine’s Tumblr page for full transparency.

Shoket’s promises are included in a “body peace treaty” that also commits the magazine to always feature healthy girls and models regardless of clothing size.

The young activist, Julia Bluhm, said Friday from her summer camp she’s “really excited.”

“I didn’t think it would get this big,” she said. “It’s a really great surprise for me.”

Read more from this story HERE.

Photo credit:  Tucia.com

Common parasite may lead women to suicide, self-harm

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Women who are infected with a common parasite may be more likely to hurt themselves or attempt suicide, a new study of over 45,000 new moms in Denmark suggests.

The infection, known as toxoplasmosis, is caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Humans can become chronically infected by eating undercooked meat or unwashed vegetables or by handling cat litter, as the parasite is known to multiply in the gut of infected cats.

Toxoplasmosis is often symptom-free, but can be dangerous in people with weak immune systems or during pregnancy, since the parasite may be passed to babies.

Some studies have linked the parasite to a higher chance of developing schizophrenia, and researchers believe because the T. gondii parasite lives in the brain, it could have an effect on emotions and behavior.

For the new report, Dr. Teodor Postolache from the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore and his colleagues used Danish medical registries to track 45,788 women who were originally included in a study that screened newborn babies for toxoplasmosis.

Read more from this story HERE.

Photo credit: jamesfischer

Obama administration “blatantly circumventing” Tenn.’s Planned Parenthood funding ban

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Pro-lifers are calling foul at Tennessee Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen’s announcement that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Grants Management has given Planned Parenthood Greater Memphis Region $395,000 through its Title X Family Planning Services Program.

According to Cohen’s office, Title X is the only federal grant program with the lone mission of funding family planning services.

“Planned Parenthood Greater Memphis Region has been helping Memphis and Shelby County residents get the health care they need to lead happier, healthier lives for years,” Cohen said in a statement. “These new federal funds will help ensure the Title X Family Planning Program reaches those who need help the most in underserved communities.”

Pro-life groups say that the Obama administration is blatantly circumventing the state’s 2011 decision to defund Planned Parenthood.

“While we are disappointed that any tax funding would be directed to private organizations promoting and profiting from the killing of unborn children, this end run around the people of Tennessee will serve to underscore the urgent need to elect a pro-life president, Senate and Congress in November,” said Brian Harris, president of Tennessee Right to Life.

Read more from this story HERE.

Photo credit:  Fibonacci Blue

CNN’s Anderson Cooper comes out of the closet on “TV Take out the Trash Day”

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Anderson Cooper very cautiously came out of the closet on TV Take Out the Trash Day, in an e-mail to longtime pal/The Daily Beast columnist-blogger Andrew Sullivan.

“The fact is, I’m gay, always have been, always will be, and I couldn’t be any more happy, comfortable with myself, and proud,” Cooper said in the e-mail, which Sullivan said he had Cooper’s permission to share with the world.

Cooper’s announcement appears to have been carefully, cautiously timed: The day before a national holiday — known in the TV industry as Take out the Trash Day — is when potentially hot-and-maybe-not-in-a-good-way news is unveiled, in hopes that lots of people are on vacation and won’t notice.

In its coverage of of the news, ABC — for which Cooper worked as a “Mole” host and news correspondent before migrating to cable news — noted that in the past “the 45-year-old CNN journalist has dodged questions about his sexuality in the public eye.”

But Sullivan explained in his Monday morning post that he got in touch with Cooper for “reasons that are probably obvious to most,” on the occasion of Entertainment Weekly publishing an article called “The New Art of Coming Out: How Gay Stars Are Now Carefully — and Surprisingly — Going Public About Their Private Lives.”

Read more from this story HERE.

Photo credit: mroach

Colorado fire evacuees targeted by criminals

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Last week we wrote an article about 10 Disturbing SHTF Threats that most Preppers Haven’t Prepared For. While checking out the news on the Wildfires in Colorado, I stumbled on a story that reenforced some of what I wrote last week.

As some evacuees from the Waldo Canyon Fire in Colorado were allowed to return to their homes yesterday, many found their homes looted and burglarized. So far at least 22 families near Waldo Canyon have reported that their homes have been burglarized. The number is expected to climb as more evacuees are allowed to return to their homes.

The evacuated homes weren’t the only criminal targets. Police in Colorado Springs have confirmed that as many as 60 vehicles have also been burglarized at nearby evacuation centers and hotels.

Another one of the topics that we discussed last week was the dangers posed from criminals pretending to be Law Enforcement Officials. During a catastrophic event we suggested that you would likely see criminals preying on the innocent by pretending to be either police officers or military officers.

It seems this scenario may have happened during the Colorado Springs Fire. Colorado Springs police have arrested at least two men in separate incidents, where they found the men impersonating a firefighter, at the Waldo Canyon fire. Both men were found behind fire lines pretending to be firefighters.

Read more of this story HERE.

Brad Pitt’s Mom Pens Anti-Gay, Anti-Obama Letter to Local Newspaper

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An anti-gay letter urging Christians to vote for Mitt Romney that was printed today in The Springfield News-Leader has been confirmed by the newspaper as having been penned by Jane Pitt, mother of Brad Pitt.

The verification comes amid some confusion, as the Missouri newspaper first printed an editor’s note denying any relation between the letter writer and movie star. That was later replaced with a second editor’s note, reading, “To clear up earlier confusion, the News-Leader has verified the letter writer is the mother of actor Brad Pitt and local businessman Doug Pitt.”

The letter — itself a response to another opinion piece in the newspaper justifying Christians’ rights to refuse to vote for Romney because he is a Mormon — identifies Mrs. Pitt as “a Christian [who differs] with the Mormon religion.”

But, Pitt continues, “any Christian should spend much time in prayer before refusing to vote for a family man with high morals, business experience, who is against abortion, and shares Christian conviction concerning homosexuality just because he is a Mormon.”

Pitt goes on to write that “any Christian who does not vote or writes in a name is casting a vote for Romney’s opponent, Barack Hussein Obama — a man who sat in Jeremiah Wright’s church for years, did not hold a public ceremony to mark the National Day of Prayer, and is a liberal who supports the killing of unborn babies and same-sex marriage.”

Read more from this story HERE.

Singer Cher Praises ‘Cool’ Joel Osteen, Draws Backlash

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World-renowned pop star and actress Cher took to Twitter Monday night to sing her praises for inspirational speaker and pastor Joel Osteen, sparking a media frenzy by her large gay fan base, who challenge Osteen’s belief that homosexuality is a sin.

“I love Joel Osteen, hes example of Christian! He makes Every1 feel welcome 2 his church no matter who they R!1st book like this I ever bought,” Cher wrote, referencing one of Osteen’s several inspirational books relating to spiritual guidance.

“I know this Sounds CRAZY Coming From ME,But he’Cool,UpBeat,wants u 2 have Fun,He’sFunny & Not Preachy! don’t care if ppl think I’m UnCool!” She added shortly after.

One of Cher’s fans then tweeted the famous singer, reminding her that Joel Osteen, an evangelical Christian, believes homosexuality is a sin.

“Umm…not everyone. He’s pretty uncool about gays,” tweeted CallMeNitz.

Read more from this story HERE.

Photo credit:  Bruce Tuten

Video: Obama needs to walk around DC once in a while

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In this short Stoplight commentary, Stuart Shepard takes us along for a walk in the nation’s capital and explains how Obama completely misunderstands our nation’s religious history.

 

Photo credit:  Rob Shenk

Top 5 Myths About the Fourth of July

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Here are the top 5 myths about July 4, 1776:

  1. Independence was declared July 4
  2. The Declaration of Independence was signed July 4
  3. The Liberty Bell rang July 4
  4. Betsy Ross sewed the first US flag
  5. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died on the 4th

 

America’s independence was actually declared by the Continental Congress on July 2, 1776. The night of the second the Pennsylvania Evening Post published the statement:  “This day the Continental Congress declared the United Colonies Free and Independent States.”

So what happened on the Glorious Fourth? The document justifying the act of Congress-you know it as Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence-was adopted on the fourth, as is indicated on the document itself, which is, one supposes, the cause for all the confusion. As one scholar has observed, what has happened is that the document announcing the event has overshadowed the event itself.

When did Americans first celebrate independence? Congress waited until July 8, when Philadelphia threw a big party, including a parade and the firing of guns. The army under George Washington, then camped near New York City, heard the new July 9 and celebrated then. Georgia got the word August 10. And when did the British in London finally get wind of the declaration? August 30.

John Adams, writing a letter home to his beloved wife Abigail the day after independence was declared (i.e. July 3), predicted that from then on”the Second of July, 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival.” A scholar coming across this document in the nineteenth century quietly” corrected” the document, Adams predicting the festival would take place not on the second but the fourth.

Read more from this story HERE.