Attempts to Compensate for Damage Hides Marijuana Effects in the Short Term

Source: Alice G. Walton, “The Brain May Compensate For Heavy Pot Smoking — Until It Can’t Anymore,” Forbes, 11 Nov 2014. “The research, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that an area in the front of the brain called the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) is smaller in people who smoke three joints a day…

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Accumulative Marijuana use impacts short-term memory

Source: Christopher Ingraham, “What happens when you get stoned every single day for five years,” Washington Post, 1 Feb 2016. “If you smoke a lot of weed — like a lot of it — it can potentially do permanent damage to your short-term memory.” “The study found that people who smoked marijuana on a daily basis for…

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No Evidence People Are Born Gay or Transgender

Source: Tyler O’Neil, “Johns Hopkins Research: No Evidence People Are Born Gay or Transgender”, PJ Media, 23 Aug 2016. Source: Dr. Lawrence S. Mayer and Dr. Paul R. McHugh, “Sexuality and Gender,” The New Atlantis, No. 50, Fall 2016. “The understanding of sexual orientation as an innate, biologically fixed property of human beings — the…

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Alcohol Causes More Deaths than Opioids

Source: Dr. Barbara Krantz, “Behind the Numbers: Alcohol is Killing More People Than the Opioid Epidemic. Why Aren’t We Talking About It?”, Caron, 28 May 2019. “According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), over 77,000 people died of a drug overdose in 2017. Around 44,800 of those died from an opioid overdose, a nearly five-fold increase…

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Moderate Drinking Is Not Healthy

Source: Kate Kelland, “Major study debunks myth that moderate drinking can be healthy,” Reuters, 4 April 2019. “Blood pressure and stroke risk rise steadily the more alcohol people drink, and previous claims that one or two drinks a day might protect against stroke are not true, according to the results of a major genetic study.” “The…

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Marijuana and Mental Illness

Source: Alex Berenson, “Marijuana, Mental Illness, and Violence,” Imprimis, vol. 48, no. 1, Jan 2019 “They’ve told you marijuana has many different medical uses. In reality marijuana and THC, its active ingredient, have been shown to work only in a few narrow conditions. They are most commonly prescribed for pain relief. But they are rarely tested…

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Car Crashes, Linked to Marijuana, Rises

Source: Paul A. Eisenstein, “Legalized marijuana linked to a sharp rise in car crashes,” NBC News, 18 Oct 2018 “There has been an increase by up to 6 percent in the number of highway crashes in four of the states where the recreational use of marijuana has been legalized, according to a pair of new…

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Evidence that 90% of Earth’s Species Developed at the Same Time

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton An analysis of the mitochondrial DNA in 100,000 species showed that there were fewer neutral mutations (variations that have no impact) than expected and that the number of neutral mutations in the various species is basically the same, indicating that these species all began at roughly the same time. The authors’…

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Consequences of Marijuana Legalization

Source: Colorado Springs Gazette Opinion, “Five years later, Colorado sees toll of pot legalization”, The Oklahoman, 14 November 2017. “Five years of retail pot coincide with five years of a homelessness growth rate that ranks among the highest rates in the country. Directors of homeless shelters, and people who live on the streets, tell us homeless…

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Flaws Found in Moderate Drinking Studies

Source: Alice Walton, “Moderate Drinking May Not Be as Healthy as We Thought,” Forbes, 2016-03-23 In reviewing past studies that seemed to indicate that moderate drinking had some health benefits, researchers found that former drinkers were being included in the categories of “abstainers” or “occasional drinkers.” The problem is the studies didn’t factor in why the…

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Statement Against Encouraging Transgenderism

Source: “Gender Ideology Harms Children”, American College of Pediatricians, 2016 The American College of Pediatricians issued a statement in 2016 stating that not accepting your biological sex is a disorder that should not be encouraged in children because of the harm it can do. Feelings do not change the truth regarding who a person is,…

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Marijuana Causes Long-Term Changes

Source: “Dr. Kabran Chapek … says, ‘I’m not surprised when someone with anxiety tells me that they use marijuana or alcohol to help them sleep, or calm their nerves. It’s predictably people with over activity in their brains and problems like anxiety or PTSD who use sedating substances—we can see it on their SPECT scans. The problem…

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Marijuana Causes Long-Term Changes

Source: [“Marijuana Causes Long-term Brain Changes”, Amen Clinics, 2015 February 06]. “Dr. Kabran Chapek … says, ‘I’m not surprised when someone with anxiety tells me that they use marijuana or alcohol to help them sleep, or calm their nerves. It’s predictably people with over activity in their brains and problems like anxiety or PTSD who use…

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When Sin Is Advocated

Source: Kevin Hardy, “After same-sex couple victory in Collegedale, church ousts gay detective’s family,” Chattanooga Times Free Press, 21 August 2013. It was something bound to eventually happen. A church in Chattanooga withdrew from the mother, aunt, and uncle for their support of their homosexual family member. The daughter, Kat Cooper, petitioned the town of…

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You Can’t Say That in My State!

Source: Matthew Barakat, “Rosemond sues board targeting his columns,” Omaha World-Herald, July 17, 2013. John Rosemond has been writing a syndicated newspaper column on parenting since 1976. He takes a conservative, no-nonsense approach that dismisses modern psychology — pointing out the children have been successfully raised for thousands of years with simple techniques that until recently…

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Study of Identical Twins Show Homosexuality Is Not Genetic

Source: Holland Davis, “Identical twin studies prove homosexuality is not genetic.” 13 May 2013. Source: Whitehead, N. E., Ph.D., “The Importance of Twin Studies.” Narth. Source: Whitehead, N. E., My Genes Made Me Do It. After years of trying to prove a genetic basis to homosexuality, the evidence is mounting that homosexuality is not caused by…

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Over Diagnosis of ADHD Indicated

Source: “An ‘astronomical’ rise in ADHD diagnosis, The New York Times, published in Omaha World-Herald, 02 April 2013. I don’t know why this is so surprising. Common sense has indicated for decades that children were being drugged for no other reason than to keep classrooms calm and to allow parents to control their children with little effort.…

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More Children are Born Out of Wedlock

Source: Young Children and Their Complex Families: Facing Some Uncomfortable Facts, Child Trends, 25 March 2013. Source: Jason DeParle and Sabrina Tavernise, “For Women Under 30, Most Births Occur Outside Marriage,” New York Times, 17 February 2012. Source: “Knot Yet: The Benefits and Costs of Delayed Marriage in America”, 2013 “Today, more children than ever are born outside of…

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Students Decide Their Gender and Those Disagreeing Face Punishment

Source: “Guidance for Massachusetts Public Schools: Creating a Safe and Supportive School Environment: Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity,” Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Source: Ryan Boehm and Lisa Barstow, “Transgender Access to Public School Bathrooms Now Required in MA by Commissioner,” Massachusetts Family Institute, 15 February 2013. Source: Todd Starnes, “Students Who Refuse to Affirm…

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Alcohol Consumption Linked to Cancer

Source: Lisa Chedekel, “Study Shows Alcohol Consumption Is a Leading Preventable Cause of Cancer Death in the U.S.” Boston University School of Public Health, 15 February 2013. A “new study finds that even low levels of alcohol consumption — just 1.5 drinks per day — is a major factor in cancer deaths, causing years of life…

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No More Men

Source: “‘Men’ edited out of law in Washington state,” Omaha World-Herald, page 4A, 4 February 2013. Lawmakers in Washington are removing all references to men from their laws. Dairymen are now called dairy farmers, freshmen are now first-year students, and penmanship is now handwriting. The claim by Sally Clark, one of the instigators, is “But language…

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Abortion Is Seen as Morally Wrong, But Fewer Want the Laws Changed

Source: Dan Merica, “Survey: Few religious groups want Roe v. Wade overturned despite belief abortion morally wrong,” CNN, 16 January 2013. “Slightly more than half (54%) of white evangelicals, according to the Pew Research Center study, favor completely overturning the 1973 Supreme Court decision that affirmed a woman’s right to have an abortion. No other religious group,…

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Kidnapper Upset Being Seen as a Bad Guy

Source: The New York Times, “Iran bankrolling its own version of ‘Argo’,” Omaha World-Herald, 12 January 2013. The film Argo is “about the CIA’s extraction of six American diplomats from revolutionary Tehran.” Not surprisingly, the Iranian government doesn’t like the movie. “‘Argo’ was condemned by Iranian officials as anti-Iranian.” Imagine that! More amusing, however, was…

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Intolerance of Contrary Views

Source: The Tribune Washington Bureau, “Pastor drops out of inauguration,” Omaha World-Herald, 11 January 2013. The President invited a man to give a benediction at his inauguration, but when it was discovered that the man had stated in lessons back in the 1990s that homosexuality was contrary to the teachings of Christianity, which is true…

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State Court Recognizes Unborn Children as People

Source: John-Henry Westen, “Alabama Supreme Court: ‘unborn children are persons with rights that should be protected by law’,” Life Site News, 11 January 2013. “The ruling states, “The decision of this Court today is in keeping with the widespread legal recognition that unborn children are persons with rights that should be protected by law.” “Today,” the…

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Marijuana Smoking Isn’t Healthy

Source: Kathleen Doheny, “Recreational Marijuana: Are There Health Effects?” WebMD, 11 December 2012. Lung Damage “‘Putting smoke in your lungs is not good for the lungs,’ says Roland Lamarine, HSD, professor of public health at California State University, Chico. … Some research shows that marijuana smoke has up to 70% more cancer-causing substances than tobacco…

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Sexting and Pornography Among Early Teens

Source: Daniel Martin, “Sex texts epidemic: Experts warn sharing explicit photos is corrupting children,” Daily Mail Online, 10 December 2012. The news merely confirms what we already knew: the age at which children are being exposed to sex is dropping. The following are interesting quotes pulled from the article. “Boys and girls as young as 13…

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Adolescent Alcohol Use

Source: David Murphey, et al., “Alcohol Use,” Adolescent Health Highlight, Child Trends, Publication 2012-34, November 2012. Though continuing a downward trend, alcohol use remains a problem among teenagers, despite the fact that the minimum drinking age is 21 throughout the United States. 40% of high school seniors, 27% of high school sophomores, and 13% of eighth-grade…

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Impulsive Scandals

Source: Frank Bruni, “Protection while online only illusion,” New York Times, 21 November 2012 Mr. Bruni points out that many people recently caught misbehaving through electronics, such as Anthony Weiner and David Petraeus, would never do what they did in public, yet things sent out over electronics are a form of public display. Nor do they…

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Illogical Reasons for Decriminalizing Marijuana

Source: Paul Hammel, “Ideas to ease pot laws just blowin’ in the wind,” Omaha World-Herald, 20 November 2012. People continue to promote illogical fixes to problems. Iowa Representative Bruce Hunter wants to decriminalize marijuana possession. His reason? “He is pushing decriminalization of pot because sending users to prison contributes to overcrowding. It also doesn’t make…

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Marijuana Impaired Drivers

Source: “Cops ponder how to deter stoned driving,” Omaha World-Herald, 18 November 2012 Now that Washington and Colorado have legalized casual marijuana use, the concern has been raised about driving under the influence. “Marijuana can cause dizziness and slow reaction time, and drivers who are high are more likely to drift and swerve.” The question raised…

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Adultery: An Outdated Crime?

Source: Ethan Bronner, “Adultery: Ancient crime still on many states’ books,” The New York Times, reported in the Omaha World-Herald, 15 November 2012. The core of Mr. Bronner’s article is that adultery laws are no longer enforced and have been removed from half the state’s books. The reason most other states have not removed the laws is…

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Sustainable Agriculture Opposed

Source: “Amid uproar, college euthanizes farm ox,” Omaha World-Herald, 12 November 2012. “Sustainable agriculture is a way of raising food that is healthy for consumers and animals, does not harm the environment, is humane for workers, respects animals, provides a fair wage to the farmer, and supports and enhances rural communities” [“What Is Sustainable Agriculture?”]. Sounds…

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Recreational Use of Marijuana Approved in Two States

Source: “Marijuana tourism: A budding industry?” Omaha World-Herald, 12 November 2012. As predicted, the push for legalizing marijuana under the guise of medical need was merely a rouse to get recreational use legalized. Both Colorado and Washington have voted to legalize the use of marijuana in their states so long as the drug is bought and…

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Tax Payers in San Francisco Now Fund Sex Change Operations

Source: “Gender spenders: San Francisco to foot bill for sex changes,” FoxNews.com, 09 November 2012 San Fransico has long been noted as a town lacking in moral restraint. Now, residences of this town are being told they must fund sex-change operations. Actually, this is a misnomer. A person cannot change their sex. Their DNA remains the…

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Government Argues Businesses Are Secular

Source: Steven Ertelt, “Obama Admin Tells Court: Hobby Lobby Must Obey HHS Mandate,” LifeNews.com 01 November 2012. The government continues to push for change by insisting that businesses pay for birth control pills and “morning after” pills as a part of their employee’s insurance plans, even if the owners of the company object to such…

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Should Gay Rights be Voted On?

Source: Juan Perez Jr and Erin Golden, “Churches push to get Omaha vote on gay rights,” Omaha World-Herald, 14 October 2012 This is an issue local to my region, but arguments reflect a national trend. The Omaha city council last spring, by a close vote of 4 to 3, passed a measure that gave lesbian, gay,…

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Changes in Alcohol Use Improves in Teens, Worsens in Adults

Source: Rick Ruggles, “‘Good, bad, ugly’ in alcohol report,” Omaha World-Herald, 11 October 2012 The good news is that alcohol use is declining among teenagers. Nationally alcohol use within the preceding 30 days declined from 51% in 1991 to 39% in 2012. Binge drinking, defined as having several drinks in one sitting, in the preceding 30…

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Why Teenagers Take Risks

Source: “Teens more likely to embrace unknown,” The Omaha World-Herald, 3 October 2012 An interesting study finds that teenagers are more likely to take risks when they don’t know what the odds are, but if they know the odds are poor will avoid dangerous situations. Adults will do the opposite. They will avoid situations where…

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Drunk Driving Down Among Teens

Source: “Drunken Driving Down,” Omaha World-Herald, 3 October 2012 It is nice to have some good news once in a while. “In 2011, 10 percent of high school students reported drinking and driving, compared with 22 percent in 1991.” More notable is that this change is attributed in part to enforcing the law. “The legal…

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