Monday, February 13, 2017
Interesting links
http://www.snopes.com/photos/signs/sciencetest.asp
http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/13/us/oroville-dam-warnings-ignored/index.html
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/2/5/1630377/-Christian-Pastor-It-s-Time-We-Stopped-Calling-Donald-Trump-a-Christian?detail=facebook
http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2012/11/02/non-partisan-congressional-tax-report-debunks-core-conservative-economic-theory-gop-suppresses-study/#45fad2fb431b
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/02/13/outrage-over-a-drug-price-controversy-is-building-in-congress-again/?utm_term=.88a7f5935999
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10208792022899827&set=a.1253017967488.2034779.1290699598&type=3&theater
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/democracy-post/wp/2017/02/10/gerrymandering-is-the-biggest-obstacle-to-genuine-democracy-in-the-united-states-so-why-is-no-one-protesting/?utm_term=.fb477d14abd2
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/democracy-post/wp/2017/02/13/why-the-rise-of-authoritarianism-is-a-global-catastrophe/?utm_term=.0e496def1e58
https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2017/02/10/i-worked-for-the-u-s-army-in-iraq-but-when-i-landed-in-america-i-was-detained/?utm_term=.057543bfb91f
http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/13/health/obituary-charping-texas-man-trnd/index.html
http://international.sueddeutsche.de/post/157058066625/we-have-at-most-a-year-to-defend-american
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trump-aide-powers-the-president-will-not-be-questioned
http://jaybookman.blog.myajc.com/2017/02/13/opinion-if-mike-flynn-lied-he-has-to-go/
http://billmoyers.com/story/breitbart-lynch-mob-came/
http://cepr.net/blogs/cepr-blog/the-u-s-tax-code-actually-doesn-t-soak-the-rich
Sunday, February 12, 2017
Humans causing climate to change 170 times faster than natural forces
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/feb/12/humans-causing-climate-to-change-170-times-faster-than-natural-forces?CMP=share_btn_fb
Melissa Davey
Feb. 12, 2017
For the first time, researchers have developed a mathematical equation to describe the impact of human activity on the earth, finding people are causing the climate to change 170 times faster than natural forces.
The equation was developed in conjunction with Professor Will Steffen, a climate change expert and researcher at the Australian National University, and was published in the journal The Anthropocene Review.
The authors of the paper wrote that for the past 4.5bn years astronomical and geophysical factors have been the dominating influences on the Earth system. The Earth system is defined by the researchers as the biosphere, including interactions and feedbacks with the atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere and upper lithosphere.
But over the past six decades human forces “have driven exceptionally rapid rates of change in the Earth system,” the authors wrote, giving rise to a period known as the Anthropocene.
“Human activities now rival the great forces of nature in driving changes to the Earth system,” the paper said.
•••••
“For four billion years the rate of change of the Earth system has been a complex function of astronomical and geophysical forces plus internal dynamics: Earth’s orbit around the sun, gravitational interactions with other planets, the sun’s heat output, colliding continents, volcanoes and evolution, among others,” he wrote.
“In the equation, astronomical and geophysical forces tend to zero because of their slow nature or rarity, as do internal dynamics, for now. All these forces still exert pressure, but currently on orders of magnitude less than human impact.”
•••••
“We are not saying the astronomical forces of our solar system or geological processes have disappeared, but in terms of their impact in such a short period of time they are now negligible compared with our own influence,” Steffen said.
•••••
Gaffney and Steffen wrote that while the Earth system had proven resilient, achieving millions of years of relative stability due to the complex interactions between the Earth’s core and the biosphere, human societies would be unlikely to fare so well.
Failure to reduce anthropological climate change could “trigger societal collapse”, their research concluded.
Melissa Davey
Feb. 12, 2017
For the first time, researchers have developed a mathematical equation to describe the impact of human activity on the earth, finding people are causing the climate to change 170 times faster than natural forces.
The equation was developed in conjunction with Professor Will Steffen, a climate change expert and researcher at the Australian National University, and was published in the journal The Anthropocene Review.
The authors of the paper wrote that for the past 4.5bn years astronomical and geophysical factors have been the dominating influences on the Earth system. The Earth system is defined by the researchers as the biosphere, including interactions and feedbacks with the atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere and upper lithosphere.
But over the past six decades human forces “have driven exceptionally rapid rates of change in the Earth system,” the authors wrote, giving rise to a period known as the Anthropocene.
“Human activities now rival the great forces of nature in driving changes to the Earth system,” the paper said.
•••••
“For four billion years the rate of change of the Earth system has been a complex function of astronomical and geophysical forces plus internal dynamics: Earth’s orbit around the sun, gravitational interactions with other planets, the sun’s heat output, colliding continents, volcanoes and evolution, among others,” he wrote.
“In the equation, astronomical and geophysical forces tend to zero because of their slow nature or rarity, as do internal dynamics, for now. All these forces still exert pressure, but currently on orders of magnitude less than human impact.”
•••••
“We are not saying the astronomical forces of our solar system or geological processes have disappeared, but in terms of their impact in such a short period of time they are now negligible compared with our own influence,” Steffen said.
•••••
Gaffney and Steffen wrote that while the Earth system had proven resilient, achieving millions of years of relative stability due to the complex interactions between the Earth’s core and the biosphere, human societies would be unlikely to fare so well.
Failure to reduce anthropological climate change could “trigger societal collapse”, their research concluded.
Florida Has Seen Bad Effects from Trump-Like Climate Gag Orders
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/florida-has-seen-bad-effects-from-trump-like-climate-gag-orders/
By John McQuaid on February 8, 2017
Kristina Trotta was working for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in Miami in 2014 when she and her colleagues were called into a staff meeting. “We were told by the regional director that we were no longer supposed to say ‘global warming,’ ‘climate change’ or ‘sea level rise,’” says Trotta, who works on coral reef conservation. “We were finally told we are the governor’s agency and this is what the governor wants, and so this is what we’re going to do.”
Florida’s hush order, along with a similar effort in North Carolina, offers a preview of what will happen if Pres. Donald Trump continues preliminary moves to muzzle climate communication from key federal agencies. The Florida gag effort was part of a broader move by Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican who questions the scientific consensus on climate change. Experts and local officials say it hampered community efforts to plan for worsening flooding and extreme weather.
Now on the national level all references to climate change have been removed from the White House Web site (except those promising to eliminate Obama climate policies). Trump aides also reportedly ordered the deletion of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s main page on the topic, although those plans were put on hold after word leaked out. Federal agencies have more responsibilities than state authorities, including gathering and analyzing authoritative data about effects on wide areas of the country. If they pull back, the negative effects could be much bigger.
In an e-mail to Scientific American about climate change denial, Florida DEP spokeswoman Dee Ann Miller wrote the state agency “does not have, nor has it had, any such policy in place,” and pointed to efforts to study and address sea level rise. Scott, in fact, did not ban the study of climate impacts outright (and the list of proscribed terms varied, so sea level rise was sometimes okay, sometimes not). The governor, however, made his priorities clear. The Florida government disengaged from active statewide policymaking and planning on sea level rise and related issues, coastal scientists and environmental groups say, even as problems mounted and cities and towns began to organize on their own.
Without statewide leadership and coordination, it is hard to systematically protect the coast, says Leonard Berry, a climate scientist and former director of the Center for Environmental Studies at Florida Atlantic University. If one city builds a seawall, for instance, it may displace the water across the border to the next town over, which may have a different approach. As plans and protections vary, some areas and people will end up facing more risk than others.
•••••
North Carolina, whose barrier islands are particularly vulnerable to sea level rise, was widely mocked in 2012 when the General Assembly passed a law barring communities from using a report containing 100-year projections of sea level rise—up to 39 inches—in their planning. Three years later a compromise was reached; legislators found a new report with a 30-year time horizon less alarming, and agreed that was permissible.
•••••
The trouble in North Carolina is that real estate developers dominate the politics of many coastal resort communities, says Rob Young, director of Duke and Western Carolina universities’ joint Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines. Developer priorities are usually short-term fixes such as seawalls or drainage projects that reinforce an unsustainable status quo and may harm ecosystems. They avoid grappling with more ambitious, controversial fixes—for example, whether to restrict new construction in a vulnerable area.
•••••
By John McQuaid on February 8, 2017
Kristina Trotta was working for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in Miami in 2014 when she and her colleagues were called into a staff meeting. “We were told by the regional director that we were no longer supposed to say ‘global warming,’ ‘climate change’ or ‘sea level rise,’” says Trotta, who works on coral reef conservation. “We were finally told we are the governor’s agency and this is what the governor wants, and so this is what we’re going to do.”
Florida’s hush order, along with a similar effort in North Carolina, offers a preview of what will happen if Pres. Donald Trump continues preliminary moves to muzzle climate communication from key federal agencies. The Florida gag effort was part of a broader move by Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican who questions the scientific consensus on climate change. Experts and local officials say it hampered community efforts to plan for worsening flooding and extreme weather.
Now on the national level all references to climate change have been removed from the White House Web site (except those promising to eliminate Obama climate policies). Trump aides also reportedly ordered the deletion of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s main page on the topic, although those plans were put on hold after word leaked out. Federal agencies have more responsibilities than state authorities, including gathering and analyzing authoritative data about effects on wide areas of the country. If they pull back, the negative effects could be much bigger.
In an e-mail to Scientific American about climate change denial, Florida DEP spokeswoman Dee Ann Miller wrote the state agency “does not have, nor has it had, any such policy in place,” and pointed to efforts to study and address sea level rise. Scott, in fact, did not ban the study of climate impacts outright (and the list of proscribed terms varied, so sea level rise was sometimes okay, sometimes not). The governor, however, made his priorities clear. The Florida government disengaged from active statewide policymaking and planning on sea level rise and related issues, coastal scientists and environmental groups say, even as problems mounted and cities and towns began to organize on their own.
Without statewide leadership and coordination, it is hard to systematically protect the coast, says Leonard Berry, a climate scientist and former director of the Center for Environmental Studies at Florida Atlantic University. If one city builds a seawall, for instance, it may displace the water across the border to the next town over, which may have a different approach. As plans and protections vary, some areas and people will end up facing more risk than others.
•••••
North Carolina, whose barrier islands are particularly vulnerable to sea level rise, was widely mocked in 2012 when the General Assembly passed a law barring communities from using a report containing 100-year projections of sea level rise—up to 39 inches—in their planning. Three years later a compromise was reached; legislators found a new report with a 30-year time horizon less alarming, and agreed that was permissible.
•••••
The trouble in North Carolina is that real estate developers dominate the politics of many coastal resort communities, says Rob Young, director of Duke and Western Carolina universities’ joint Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines. Developer priorities are usually short-term fixes such as seawalls or drainage projects that reinforce an unsustainable status quo and may harm ecosystems. They avoid grappling with more ambitious, controversial fixes—for example, whether to restrict new construction in a vulnerable area.
•••••
Saturday, February 11, 2017
Informative links
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-02/uab-fdo021017.php
http://www.newsweek.com/despite-denials-russians-were-contact-trump-campaign-555081
http://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2017/02/11/pocahontas-face-of-party-warren-trump-sciutto-ac-panel.cnn
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/02/11/al-franken-tells-maher-gop-senators-privately-express-great-concern-about-trumps-temperament/?utm_term=.18ad6e45dd8f&wpisrc=nl_most-draw14&wpmm=1
http://thebulletin.org/gop-statesmen-propose-carbon-tax-compromise10502?platform=hootsuite
https://thinkprogress.org/coal-wont-rebound-whatever-president-trump-does-energy-experts-say-e30a78745b77#.c1cl8ju7q
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/10/arts/television/review-the-dark-side-of-the-sun-and-by-the-way-were-doomed.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/08/nyregion/pentagon-lease-trump-tower-conflict.html?mabReward=A1&recp=4
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/10/world/australia/whales-beach-new-zealand.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/10/us/politics/roommates-trump-supporters.html
Friday, February 10, 2017
American death rate from drugs, alcohol, and mental disorders nearly triples since 1980
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-12/ifhm-adr121216.php
Public Release: 13-Dec-2016
American death rate from drugs, alcohol, and mental disorders nearly triples since 1980
Novel study examines mortality in over 3,100 US counties, revealing substantial geographic differences among many causes of death
Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation
More than 2,000 US counties witnessed increases of 200% or more in deaths related to substance abuse and mental disorders since 1980, including clusters of counties in Kentucky, West Virginia, and Ohio with alarming surges over 1,000%, according to a new scientific study.
The study examines deaths in 21 cause groups, ranging from chronic illnesses like diabetes and other endocrine diseases, to infectious diseases, such as HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, to accidents, including traffic fatalities. It explores mortality rates and how they have changed in every US county between 1980 and 2014, creating the most comprehensive view to date of how Americans die.
•••••
Public Release: 13-Dec-2016
American death rate from drugs, alcohol, and mental disorders nearly triples since 1980
Novel study examines mortality in over 3,100 US counties, revealing substantial geographic differences among many causes of death
Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation
More than 2,000 US counties witnessed increases of 200% or more in deaths related to substance abuse and mental disorders since 1980, including clusters of counties in Kentucky, West Virginia, and Ohio with alarming surges over 1,000%, according to a new scientific study.
The study examines deaths in 21 cause groups, ranging from chronic illnesses like diabetes and other endocrine diseases, to infectious diseases, such as HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, to accidents, including traffic fatalities. It explores mortality rates and how they have changed in every US county between 1980 and 2014, creating the most comprehensive view to date of how Americans die.
•••••
Teen substance use shows promising decline
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-12/niod-tsu121216.php
Public Release: 13-Dec-2016
Teen substance use shows promising decline
NIH monitoring the future survey shows use of most illicit substances down, but past year marijuana use relatively stable
NIH/National Institute on Drug Abuse
The 2016 Monitoring the Future (MTF) annual survey results released today from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) reflect changing teen behaviors and choices in a social media-infused world. The results show a continued long-term decline in the use of many illicit substances, including marijuana, as well as alcohol, tobacco, and misuse of some prescription medications, among the nation's teens. The MTF survey measures drug use and attitudes among eighth, 10th, and 12th graders, and is funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the NIH.
Findings from the survey indicate that past year use of any illicit drug was the lowest in the survey's history for eighth graders, while past year use of illicit drugs other than marijuana is down from recent peaks in all three grades.
•••••
tags: drug use, drug abuse
Public Release: 13-Dec-2016
Teen substance use shows promising decline
NIH monitoring the future survey shows use of most illicit substances down, but past year marijuana use relatively stable
NIH/National Institute on Drug Abuse
The 2016 Monitoring the Future (MTF) annual survey results released today from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) reflect changing teen behaviors and choices in a social media-infused world. The results show a continued long-term decline in the use of many illicit substances, including marijuana, as well as alcohol, tobacco, and misuse of some prescription medications, among the nation's teens. The MTF survey measures drug use and attitudes among eighth, 10th, and 12th graders, and is funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the NIH.
Findings from the survey indicate that past year use of any illicit drug was the lowest in the survey's history for eighth graders, while past year use of illicit drugs other than marijuana is down from recent peaks in all three grades.
•••••
tags: drug use, drug abuse
Scientists see 'new Arctic' is more prone to melting and storms
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-12/wsu-ss121216.php
Public Release: 13-Dec-2016
Scientists see 'new Arctic' is more prone to melting and storms
Region's role as climate moderator threatened
Washington State University
Scientists in a rare and sometimes dangerous study of the Arctic have found that the region's thinning sea ice is more prone to melting and storms, threatening its role as a moderator of the planet's climate.
The researchers reached this conclusion after spending almost half a year, much of it on a ship frozen into the ice, as part of the first wintertime expedition to examine the younger, thinner sea ice that typifies the "new Arctic." They discussed their findings in the fall meeting of the American Geophysical Union.
"Many things we experienced took us by surprise," said Mats Granskog, a research scientist at the Norwegian Polar Institute and chief scientist of the Norwegian young sea ICE, or N-ICE2015 project. "We saw that the new Arctic, with much thinner sea ice only three to four feet thick, functions much differently from the Arctic we knew only 20 years ago, when the ice was much thicker."
Global warming is proving to be particularly hard on the Arctic, with late summer sea ice coverage less than half of what it was in the 1970s. While they can't specifically link their short-term observations to climate change, the N-ICE researchers worry that the reduced sea-ice coverage and thickness will lead to even more melting, the so-called "Arctic amplification." Most of the solar energy that reaches Arctic snow and sea ice gets reflected back into space. But when the snow and ice is replaced by darker, open water, most of the energy gets absorbed and in turn helps melt more ice.
Now, the researchers say, what ice is left is particularly vulnerable. The thinner and younger ice works differently, said Granskog. It moves faster, breaks up more easily and is more vulnerable to winds and storms.
•••••
Public Release: 13-Dec-2016
Scientists see 'new Arctic' is more prone to melting and storms
Region's role as climate moderator threatened
Washington State University
Scientists in a rare and sometimes dangerous study of the Arctic have found that the region's thinning sea ice is more prone to melting and storms, threatening its role as a moderator of the planet's climate.
The researchers reached this conclusion after spending almost half a year, much of it on a ship frozen into the ice, as part of the first wintertime expedition to examine the younger, thinner sea ice that typifies the "new Arctic." They discussed their findings in the fall meeting of the American Geophysical Union.
"Many things we experienced took us by surprise," said Mats Granskog, a research scientist at the Norwegian Polar Institute and chief scientist of the Norwegian young sea ICE, or N-ICE2015 project. "We saw that the new Arctic, with much thinner sea ice only three to four feet thick, functions much differently from the Arctic we knew only 20 years ago, when the ice was much thicker."
Global warming is proving to be particularly hard on the Arctic, with late summer sea ice coverage less than half of what it was in the 1970s. While they can't specifically link their short-term observations to climate change, the N-ICE researchers worry that the reduced sea-ice coverage and thickness will lead to even more melting, the so-called "Arctic amplification." Most of the solar energy that reaches Arctic snow and sea ice gets reflected back into space. But when the snow and ice is replaced by darker, open water, most of the energy gets absorbed and in turn helps melt more ice.
Now, the researchers say, what ice is left is particularly vulnerable. The thinner and younger ice works differently, said Granskog. It moves faster, breaks up more easily and is more vulnerable to winds and storms.
•••••
Yoga can have social benefits for children in care, says a new study
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-12/uon-ych121316.php
Public Release: 13-Dec-2016
Yoga can have social benefits for children in care, says a new study
University of Nottingham
A new study from The University of Nottingham has found that a certain type of yoga could potentially help to improve the health and psychological wellbeing of children in care.
The study, 'Kundalini Yoga as Mutual Recovery: A feasibility study including children in care and their carers,' published at The Journal of Children's Services, found that the practice of Kundalini yoga in care homes, when both staff and children are involved, can lead to both individual and social benefits.
Corporate care is far from perfect, with evidence showing that children in care are still among the most vulnerable in society. Research for the Department for Education has also shown that children in care have a higher degree of physical and mental health needs than their not-in-care counterparts, and in comparison to children who are in other forms of care, such as foster care.
•••••
The findings show that yoga practice in children's homes, especially when participation is high, has the potential to encourage togetherness and mutuality and improve health and psychological outcomes for children in care, as well as within the workforce.
All the participants reported that the study was personally meaningful and experienced both individual (i.e. feeling more relaxed) and social benefits (e.g. feeling more open and positive).
•••••
Public Release: 13-Dec-2016
Yoga can have social benefits for children in care, says a new study
University of Nottingham
A new study from The University of Nottingham has found that a certain type of yoga could potentially help to improve the health and psychological wellbeing of children in care.
The study, 'Kundalini Yoga as Mutual Recovery: A feasibility study including children in care and their carers,' published at The Journal of Children's Services, found that the practice of Kundalini yoga in care homes, when both staff and children are involved, can lead to both individual and social benefits.
Corporate care is far from perfect, with evidence showing that children in care are still among the most vulnerable in society. Research for the Department for Education has also shown that children in care have a higher degree of physical and mental health needs than their not-in-care counterparts, and in comparison to children who are in other forms of care, such as foster care.
•••••
The findings show that yoga practice in children's homes, especially when participation is high, has the potential to encourage togetherness and mutuality and improve health and psychological outcomes for children in care, as well as within the workforce.
All the participants reported that the study was personally meaningful and experienced both individual (i.e. feeling more relaxed) and social benefits (e.g. feeling more open and positive).
•••••
Sleep helps process traumatic experiences
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-12/uoz-shp121316.php
Public Release: 13-Dec-2016
Sleep helps process traumatic experiences
University of Zurich
Does sleep help process stress and trauma? Or does it actually intensify emotional reactions and memories of the event? This previously unanswered question is highly relevant for the prevention of trauma-related disorders, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). How extremely distressing experiences are processed right at the outset can influence the further course and development of posttraumatic stress disorders. PTSD patients experience highly emotional and distressing memories or even flashbacks where they feel as if they are experiencing their trauma all over again. Sleep could play a key role in processing what they have suffered.
•••••
"Our results reveal that people who slept after the film had fewer and less distressing recurring emotional memories than those who were awake," explains first author Birgit Kleim from the Department of Experimental Psychopathology and Psychotherapy at the University of Zurich. "This supports the assumption that sleep may have a protective effect in the aftermath of traumatic experiences."
On the one hand, sleep can help weaken emotions connected to an existing memory, such as fear caused by traumatic experiences, for instance. On the other hand, it also helps contextualize the recollections, process them informationally and store these memories. However, this process presumably takes several nights.
•••••
Public Release: 13-Dec-2016
Sleep helps process traumatic experiences
University of Zurich
Does sleep help process stress and trauma? Or does it actually intensify emotional reactions and memories of the event? This previously unanswered question is highly relevant for the prevention of trauma-related disorders, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). How extremely distressing experiences are processed right at the outset can influence the further course and development of posttraumatic stress disorders. PTSD patients experience highly emotional and distressing memories or even flashbacks where they feel as if they are experiencing their trauma all over again. Sleep could play a key role in processing what they have suffered.
•••••
"Our results reveal that people who slept after the film had fewer and less distressing recurring emotional memories than those who were awake," explains first author Birgit Kleim from the Department of Experimental Psychopathology and Psychotherapy at the University of Zurich. "This supports the assumption that sleep may have a protective effect in the aftermath of traumatic experiences."
On the one hand, sleep can help weaken emotions connected to an existing memory, such as fear caused by traumatic experiences, for instance. On the other hand, it also helps contextualize the recollections, process them informationally and store these memories. However, this process presumably takes several nights.
•••••
Differening responses to gratitude
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-12/au-fgn121316.php
Public Release: 13-Dec-2016
Feeling grateful? No, thanks!
New research by American University psychology professor reveals autonomous individuals dislike gratitude and explores connection to interpersonal relationships
American University
When you receive a gift from someone, do you have feelings of gratitude? Or do you feel obliged and burdened to reciprocate the gesture? Not everyone experiences gratitude in response to the generosity of others, according to new psychology research in the journal Cognition and Emotion.
What could temper gratitude for some people? One answer could have to do with autonomous personal style, one's sense of independence and self-reliance.
•••••
"There's nothing wrong with self-reliance and valuing autonomy. The concern is, to what extent could that interfere with the processes that bind people together?" Ahrens said.
•••••
Gratitude has been widely studied in psychology, and researchers are finding evidence for its many benefits. It helps to build relationships. It's been associated with physical and mental well-being. In Ahrens' research, autonomy was characterized by responses to questions about topics such as how much respondents liked to rely on others for help or to have others depend on them.
•••••
"Relationship quality could suffer without expressions of gratitude. A person who is more autonomous might misinterpret a well-meaning gesture by her partner. A compassionate action could be seen as intrusive instead of supportive," Ahrens said. "Other research has shown autonomy could lead to an aversion to any form of reliance on others, making individuals vulnerable to depression."
•••••
Public Release: 13-Dec-2016
Feeling grateful? No, thanks!
New research by American University psychology professor reveals autonomous individuals dislike gratitude and explores connection to interpersonal relationships
American University
When you receive a gift from someone, do you have feelings of gratitude? Or do you feel obliged and burdened to reciprocate the gesture? Not everyone experiences gratitude in response to the generosity of others, according to new psychology research in the journal Cognition and Emotion.
What could temper gratitude for some people? One answer could have to do with autonomous personal style, one's sense of independence and self-reliance.
•••••
"There's nothing wrong with self-reliance and valuing autonomy. The concern is, to what extent could that interfere with the processes that bind people together?" Ahrens said.
•••••
Gratitude has been widely studied in psychology, and researchers are finding evidence for its many benefits. It helps to build relationships. It's been associated with physical and mental well-being. In Ahrens' research, autonomy was characterized by responses to questions about topics such as how much respondents liked to rely on others for help or to have others depend on them.
•••••
"Relationship quality could suffer without expressions of gratitude. A person who is more autonomous might misinterpret a well-meaning gesture by her partner. A compassionate action could be seen as intrusive instead of supportive," Ahrens said. "Other research has shown autonomy could lead to an aversion to any form of reliance on others, making individuals vulnerable to depression."
•••••
Extensive experience does not necessarily make policemen better murder investigators
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-12/uog-eed121316.php
Public Release: 13-Dec-2016
Extensive experience does not necessarily make policemen better murder investigators
University of Gothenburg
Recently graduated Norwegian police officers may perform better in murder cases than investigators with extensive experience. And English murder investigators are far better than their colleagues in Norway, which can be explained by a more systematic approach and clear-cut professionalisation of the detective role in England. This is revealed in a thesis in psychology from The University of Gothenburg.
•••••
In both cases, the British experts performed almost twice as well as the Norwegian group. The majority of the Norwegian investigators became locked into an initial hypothesis about who was guilty and only managed in exceptional cases to create new investigative scenarios even where they were encouraged to do so.
"Norwegian investigators seem to grow increasingly characterised by mental stereotypes the longer they work, while the English specialists show an impressively robust ability to resist this," says Ivar Fahsing.
Education per se set the participants apart. New Norwegian police graduates are educated to a higher level than the English bobbies. The newly trained Norwegian police also succeeded better than their English counterparts.
"This indicates that the bachelor's degree currently obligatory for joining the police in Norway provides a solid foundation upon which to develop investigative expertise," says Ivar Fahsing.
However, all of the test groups showed a tendency to favour hypotheses that involved the perpetration of a crime rather than non-criminal hypotheses such as accident, illness, voluntary departure etc.
"All in all, my thesis shows that it is difficult for investigators, regardless of experience and training, to fully uphold the legal principle 'innocent until proven guilty' deriving inter alia from the European Convention on Human Rights," says Ivar Fahsing.
Public Release: 13-Dec-2016
Extensive experience does not necessarily make policemen better murder investigators
University of Gothenburg
Recently graduated Norwegian police officers may perform better in murder cases than investigators with extensive experience. And English murder investigators are far better than their colleagues in Norway, which can be explained by a more systematic approach and clear-cut professionalisation of the detective role in England. This is revealed in a thesis in psychology from The University of Gothenburg.
•••••
In both cases, the British experts performed almost twice as well as the Norwegian group. The majority of the Norwegian investigators became locked into an initial hypothesis about who was guilty and only managed in exceptional cases to create new investigative scenarios even where they were encouraged to do so.
"Norwegian investigators seem to grow increasingly characterised by mental stereotypes the longer they work, while the English specialists show an impressively robust ability to resist this," says Ivar Fahsing.
Education per se set the participants apart. New Norwegian police graduates are educated to a higher level than the English bobbies. The newly trained Norwegian police also succeeded better than their English counterparts.
"This indicates that the bachelor's degree currently obligatory for joining the police in Norway provides a solid foundation upon which to develop investigative expertise," says Ivar Fahsing.
However, all of the test groups showed a tendency to favour hypotheses that involved the perpetration of a crime rather than non-criminal hypotheses such as accident, illness, voluntary departure etc.
"All in all, my thesis shows that it is difficult for investigators, regardless of experience and training, to fully uphold the legal principle 'innocent until proven guilty' deriving inter alia from the European Convention on Human Rights," says Ivar Fahsing.
Are death row cases plagued with racial bias?
No doubt race plays a part, but I suspect that murders of poor people of any race are not treated as strongly.https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-12/msu-adr121316.php
Public Release: 13-Dec-2016
Are death row cases plagued with racial bias?
Michigan State University
Defendants charged with murder in North Carolina from 1990 to 2009 were more than twice as likely to receive the death penalty if the victims were white, Michigan State University researchers have found.
Catherine Grosso and Barbara O'Brien, associate professors at MSU College of Law, conducted the most comprehensive study of its kind to date, also finding the race of the defendant doesn't carry much weight.
"The white victim effect was the clearest and strongest finding in this study analysis," Grosso said. "Race still matters in the criminal justice system, and it shouldn't."
At the same time, the researchers found cases involving both a black defendant and a black victim were more than two times less likely to advance to a capital trial, where a jury decides whether to impose a death penalty or a life sentence.
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Workplace fun is fundamental for learning on the job
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-12/ps-wfi121316.php
Public Release: 13-Dec-2016
Workplace fun is fundamental for learning on the job
Penn State
All work and no play may dull on-the-job learning at workplaces, according to a team of researchers.
In a study, having fun at work was significantly related to informal learning, which includes most unstructured, non-classroom forms of learning, said Michael Tews, associate professor of hospitality management. Informal learning is a common way employees pick up lessons that can improve their job performances.
"Most learning at the workplace occurs independently at the desk, or with a few other people, not necessarily in a classroom," said Tews.
He added that it may not be the fun activities themselves that instill the new lessons, but how fun creates a better learning environment. People in fun work environments are more inclined to try new things and not fear possible mistakes, for example.
"You might not think there is this connection between informal learning and fun in the workplace," said Tews. "It's easier to make the connection between fun and retention, or fun and performance to the extent that it leads to creativity, but fun and learning doesn't seem connected at the face of it. The gist of this argument, though, is that when you have a workplace that is more fun, it creates a safe environment for learning to occur."
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Fun can also bring coworkers together, which, in turn aids learning between workers.
"It creates this group cohesion," said Tews. "So, when there's fun, then the co-workers may be able to get to know each other, have better connections, and be more apt to help each other."
While fun is often looked at as a distraction by managers, it may improve a worker's resiliency and optimism, leading to better attention with tasks, according to Tews, who worked with John W. Michel, associate professor of business and management, Loyola University, and Raymond A. Noe, professor of management and human resources, Ohio State University.
However, fun is not a cure-all for workplace productivity and learning, Tews cautioned. In earlier research, he found that fun had a favorable effect on promoting employee retention, but could cause productivity to suffer. Managers, then, should be selective in how they use fun to encourage learning and productivity.
"With most management tactics, there are always going to be pros and cons," said Tews. "There's never going to be a perfect workplace, there's never going to be a perfect management intervention, so you have to choose your battles."
•••••
Public Release: 13-Dec-2016
Workplace fun is fundamental for learning on the job
Penn State
All work and no play may dull on-the-job learning at workplaces, according to a team of researchers.
In a study, having fun at work was significantly related to informal learning, which includes most unstructured, non-classroom forms of learning, said Michael Tews, associate professor of hospitality management. Informal learning is a common way employees pick up lessons that can improve their job performances.
"Most learning at the workplace occurs independently at the desk, or with a few other people, not necessarily in a classroom," said Tews.
He added that it may not be the fun activities themselves that instill the new lessons, but how fun creates a better learning environment. People in fun work environments are more inclined to try new things and not fear possible mistakes, for example.
"You might not think there is this connection between informal learning and fun in the workplace," said Tews. "It's easier to make the connection between fun and retention, or fun and performance to the extent that it leads to creativity, but fun and learning doesn't seem connected at the face of it. The gist of this argument, though, is that when you have a workplace that is more fun, it creates a safe environment for learning to occur."
•••••
Fun can also bring coworkers together, which, in turn aids learning between workers.
"It creates this group cohesion," said Tews. "So, when there's fun, then the co-workers may be able to get to know each other, have better connections, and be more apt to help each other."
While fun is often looked at as a distraction by managers, it may improve a worker's resiliency and optimism, leading to better attention with tasks, according to Tews, who worked with John W. Michel, associate professor of business and management, Loyola University, and Raymond A. Noe, professor of management and human resources, Ohio State University.
However, fun is not a cure-all for workplace productivity and learning, Tews cautioned. In earlier research, he found that fun had a favorable effect on promoting employee retention, but could cause productivity to suffer. Managers, then, should be selective in how they use fun to encourage learning and productivity.
"With most management tactics, there are always going to be pros and cons," said Tews. "There's never going to be a perfect workplace, there's never going to be a perfect management intervention, so you have to choose your battles."
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Study links nutrition to brain health and intelligence in older adults
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-12/uoia-sln121316.php
Public Release: 13-Dec-2016
Study links nutrition to brain health and intelligence in older adults
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
A study of older adults links consumption of a pigment found in leafy greens to the preservation of "crystallized intelligence," the ability to use the skills and knowledge one has acquired over a lifetime.
The study is reported in the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience.
Lutein (LOO-teen) is one of several plant pigments that humans acquire through the diet, primarily by eating leafy green vegetables, cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, or egg yolks, said University of Illinois graduate student Marta Zamroziewicz, who led the study with Illinois psychology professor Aron Barbey. Lutein accumulates in the brain, embedding in cell membranes, where it likely plays "a neuroprotective role," she said.
"Previous studies have found that a person's lutein status is linked to cognitive performance across the lifespan," Zamroziewicz said. "Research also shows that lutein accumulates in the gray matter of brain regions known to underlie the preservation of cognitive function in healthy brain aging."
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Those with higher serum lutein levels also tended to have thicker gray matter in the parahippocampal cortex, a brain region that, like crystallized intelligence, is preserved in healthy aging, the researchers report.
"Our analyses revealed that gray-matter volume of the parahippocampal cortex on the right side of the brain accounts for the relationship between lutein and crystallized intelligence," Barbey said. "This offers the first clue as to which brain regions specifically play a role in the preservation of crystallized intelligence, and how factors such as diet may contribute to that relationship."
"Our findings do not demonstrate causality," Zamroziewicz said. "We did find that lutein is linked to crystallized intelligence through the parahippocampal cortex."
"We can only hypothesize at this point how lutein in the diet affects brain structure," Barbey said. "It may be that it plays an anti-inflammatory role or aids in cell-to-cell signaling. But our finding adds to the evidence suggesting that particular nutrients slow age-related declines in cognition by influencing specific features of brain aging."
Public Release: 13-Dec-2016
Study links nutrition to brain health and intelligence in older adults
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
A study of older adults links consumption of a pigment found in leafy greens to the preservation of "crystallized intelligence," the ability to use the skills and knowledge one has acquired over a lifetime.
The study is reported in the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience.
Lutein (LOO-teen) is one of several plant pigments that humans acquire through the diet, primarily by eating leafy green vegetables, cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, or egg yolks, said University of Illinois graduate student Marta Zamroziewicz, who led the study with Illinois psychology professor Aron Barbey. Lutein accumulates in the brain, embedding in cell membranes, where it likely plays "a neuroprotective role," she said.
"Previous studies have found that a person's lutein status is linked to cognitive performance across the lifespan," Zamroziewicz said. "Research also shows that lutein accumulates in the gray matter of brain regions known to underlie the preservation of cognitive function in healthy brain aging."
•••••
Those with higher serum lutein levels also tended to have thicker gray matter in the parahippocampal cortex, a brain region that, like crystallized intelligence, is preserved in healthy aging, the researchers report.
"Our analyses revealed that gray-matter volume of the parahippocampal cortex on the right side of the brain accounts for the relationship between lutein and crystallized intelligence," Barbey said. "This offers the first clue as to which brain regions specifically play a role in the preservation of crystallized intelligence, and how factors such as diet may contribute to that relationship."
"Our findings do not demonstrate causality," Zamroziewicz said. "We did find that lutein is linked to crystallized intelligence through the parahippocampal cortex."
"We can only hypothesize at this point how lutein in the diet affects brain structure," Barbey said. "It may be that it plays an anti-inflammatory role or aids in cell-to-cell signaling. But our finding adds to the evidence suggesting that particular nutrients slow age-related declines in cognition by influencing specific features of brain aging."
'Western' maternal diet appears to raise obesity risk in offspring
Public Release: 13-Dec-2016
'Western' maternal diet appears to raise obesity risk in offspring
Scripps Research Institute
Diet composition around the time of pregnancy may influence whether offspring become obese, according to a new study using animal models at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI).
"Your diet itself matters, not just whether you are gaining excess weight or developing gestational diabetes," said TSRI Associate Professor Eric Zorrilla, who led the study in collaboration with Tim R. Nagy of the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Barry E. Levin of the Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center of East Orange, New Jersey, and Rutgers University.
In fact, the researchers found that giving females a typical American, or Western, diet appeared to set the next generation up for lifelong obesity issues.
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Frihauf added that few pregnant women, even in the United States, eat a high-fat, high-sugar diet all day, every day. "We're not trying to tell pregnant women not to occasionally splurge on a piece of cake," she said.
Studies have also shown that paternal diet, through "epigenetic" mechanisms that control how genes are expressed, can affect obesity risk in offspring, added Zorrilla, so nutritional information may be valuable for potential fathers as well.
Pessimists -- you aren't alone in feeling down
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-12/uoc--p-y121316.php
Public Release: 13-Dec-2016
Pessimists -- you aren't alone in feeling down
New study by UC Riverside psychology professor proves that even optimists get the blues
University of California - Riverside
Waiting for those tests results? Waiting to hear who won the election? And while waiting, does the feeling of dread start to creep in?
Turns out, as the moment of uncertain news draws nearer and nearer, bracing for the worst comes as second nature to optimists and pessimists alike. In a new study called "Even Optimists Get the Blues: Inter-Individual Consistency in the Tendency to Brace for the Worst," published in the Journal of Personality, Kate Sweeny, psychology professor at the University of California, Riverside, and Angelica Falkenstein, a graduate student in psychology at UCR, find that there are no differences between optimists and pessimists when it comes to potential bad news.
"The tendency to brace for the worst is actually quite common," Sweeny said.
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Sweeny said that although this finding may have been surprising at first, it is clear that bracing for bad news has benefits - as this type of well-timed pessimism carries little emotional cost, and it protects people from the harsh blow of unanticipated bad news. "Fortunately, it seems that even the most ardent optimists can temper their positive outlook when it pays to do so."
Public Release: 13-Dec-2016
Pessimists -- you aren't alone in feeling down
New study by UC Riverside psychology professor proves that even optimists get the blues
University of California - Riverside
Waiting for those tests results? Waiting to hear who won the election? And while waiting, does the feeling of dread start to creep in?
Turns out, as the moment of uncertain news draws nearer and nearer, bracing for the worst comes as second nature to optimists and pessimists alike. In a new study called "Even Optimists Get the Blues: Inter-Individual Consistency in the Tendency to Brace for the Worst," published in the Journal of Personality, Kate Sweeny, psychology professor at the University of California, Riverside, and Angelica Falkenstein, a graduate student in psychology at UCR, find that there are no differences between optimists and pessimists when it comes to potential bad news.
"The tendency to brace for the worst is actually quite common," Sweeny said.
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Sweeny said that although this finding may have been surprising at first, it is clear that bracing for bad news has benefits - as this type of well-timed pessimism carries little emotional cost, and it protects people from the harsh blow of unanticipated bad news. "Fortunately, it seems that even the most ardent optimists can temper their positive outlook when it pays to do so."
Study raises concern of significant under-reporting of child abuse within US Army
I suspect there is more child abuse in military families than civilian families.https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-12/chop-src121316.php
Public Release: 13-Dec-2016
Study raises concern of significant under-reporting of child abuse within US Army
Statement from PolicyLab Director Dr. David Rubin
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Only 20 percent of medically diagnosed child abuse and neglect cases in U.S. Army dependent children between 2004 and 2007 were found to have a substantiated report with the Army's Family Advocacy Program (FAP) - the agency responsible for the investigation and treatment of child abuse -- according to a new PolicyLab study. This rate is less than half of the rate (44 percent) of medically diagnosed child abuse cases substantiated by civilian Child Protective Services (CPS). Researchers say this contrast raises questions about the Army-reported rates of child abuse, and suggests under-reporting of abuse cases by medical providers and/or a breakdown in communication between civilian C
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Only 20 percent of medically diagnosed child abuse and neglect cases in U.S. Army dependent children between 2004 and 2007 were found to have a substantiated report with the Army's Family Advocacy Program (FAP) - the agency responsible for the investigation and treatment of child abuse -- according to a new PolicyLab study. This rate is less than half of the rate (44 percent) of medically diagnosed child abuse cases substantiated by civilian Child Protective Services (CPS). Researchers say this contrast raises questions about the Army-reported rates of child abuse, and suggests under-reporting of abuse cases by medical providers and/or a breakdown in communication between civilian C
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Senior law enforcement officials urge Trump to scrap 'ineffective' crime plan
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/feb/10/trump-crime-law-enforcement-criticism
Jon Swaine
Feb. 10, 2017
Dozens of senior law enforcement officials have urged Donald Trump to abandon his draconian crackdown on crime and to instead revive efforts to reform the criminal justice system.
In a report co-written by David Brown, the former Dallas police chief widely praised for his response to the killing of five officers last year, the officials said Trump should rethink his blunt law-and-order plans.
Trump breaks from Obama with crime crackdown and 'blue lives matter' protections
Read more
“Decades of experience have convinced us of a sobering reality: today’s crime policies, which too often rely only on jail and prison, are simply ineffective in preserving public safety,” they said.
The report was published on Friday by Law Enforcement Leaders to Reduce Crime and Incarceration, a coalition of more than 200 current and former senior police officers and prosecutors.
They criticized an executive order on crime fighting signed by Trump on Thursday, saying that the president had encouraged police officers to focus on general lawbreaking rather than to target violent crime.
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At the same time, Brown and his co-author, former New Orleans police chief Ronal Serpas, said that Trump should help bolster “community policing”, a philosophy that focuses on strengthening relations between officers and residents rather than promoting confrontation.
They expressed alarm about reports that the Trump administration intends to close the justice department’s community oriented policing services (Cops) office, which works on improving relations between police and residents and has recently reviewed embattled departments in places such as San Francisco and St Louis.
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Jon Swaine
Feb. 10, 2017
Dozens of senior law enforcement officials have urged Donald Trump to abandon his draconian crackdown on crime and to instead revive efforts to reform the criminal justice system.
In a report co-written by David Brown, the former Dallas police chief widely praised for his response to the killing of five officers last year, the officials said Trump should rethink his blunt law-and-order plans.
Trump breaks from Obama with crime crackdown and 'blue lives matter' protections
Read more
“Decades of experience have convinced us of a sobering reality: today’s crime policies, which too often rely only on jail and prison, are simply ineffective in preserving public safety,” they said.
The report was published on Friday by Law Enforcement Leaders to Reduce Crime and Incarceration, a coalition of more than 200 current and former senior police officers and prosecutors.
They criticized an executive order on crime fighting signed by Trump on Thursday, saying that the president had encouraged police officers to focus on general lawbreaking rather than to target violent crime.
•••••
At the same time, Brown and his co-author, former New Orleans police chief Ronal Serpas, said that Trump should help bolster “community policing”, a philosophy that focuses on strengthening relations between officers and residents rather than promoting confrontation.
They expressed alarm about reports that the Trump administration intends to close the justice department’s community oriented policing services (Cops) office, which works on improving relations between police and residents and has recently reviewed embattled departments in places such as San Francisco and St Louis.
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interesting links
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1401456449895936&set=p.1401456449895936&type=3
https://www.wunderground.com/news/global-sea-ice-record-low-arctic-antarctic-february-2017
https://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/so-long-la-nia-arctic-temperatures-soar-63f-in-24-hours
http://bostonglobe.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=90f9e490a860897c7155feca1&id=abcfb3246f&e=278fdd97b4
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/national-security-adviser-flynn-discussed-sanctions-with-russian-ambassador-despite-denials-officials-say/2017/02/09/f85b29d6-ee11-11e6-b4ff-ac2cf509efe5_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_usrussia-%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.73983794f9fc
http://www.businessinsider.com/jason-chaffetz-ethics-review-kellyanne-conway-ivanka-trump-2017-2
http://www.consumerreports.org/internet-services/ny-time-warner-lawsuit-broadband-internet-speeds/
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/iran-s-ayatollah-khamenei-donald-trump-shows-real-face-america-n717691
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/07/upshot/one-third-dont-know-obamacare-and-affordable-care-act-are-the-same.html?mwrsm=Facebook&_r=0
Thursday, February 09, 2017
February 10 / February 11, 2017 — Penumbral Lunar Eclipse
https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/lunar/2017-february-11
See the link below for locations where it will be visible.
February’s Full Moon, the Snow Moon, on February 10/11 will grow a little darker from 22:34:14 UTC until 02:53:25 UTC when Earth casts a shadow, the penumbra, on the Moon.
This penumbral lunar eclipse is visible in most populated areas on Earth, including most of North and South America, Europe, Africa, and most of Asia.
Next eclipse: Annular solar eclipse on February 26, 2017
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