Video: Children Who Are Spanked Have Lower IQs

From Denny: This is an interesting study to back up other studies about the brain and development. From other posts I've done on the brain and children - and what is not mentioned here - is that when experiencing stress the brain is bathed in stress chemicals. Those stress chemicals inhibit the brain from learning. Abused children experience long term stress, long term batheing the brain in stress chemicals and so do not easily experience success in the world as adults.

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3 Videos: Free Health Clinics Serving Middle Class America Now, Republicans Party of No Answers

From Denny: This is a disturbing report. As foolish Republican strategists, conservative media and everyday citizen political hacks continue to fight the President on health care reform because their incomes are paid for by the insurance industry, middle class people with jobs have to resort to free health clinics for basic needs.

Free clinics were once the last resort of the poorest of the poor in America. Today, people call their local fire department and 911 calls for free help as much as overwhelming the emergency rooms of hospitals. Now the new trend is free clinics. Has America become a third world nation? We are a nation in distress and Big Business and the Repubican Party doesn't give a damn.

Americans are dropping their health insurance premiums in droves. No one can afford the $15,000 a year premiums just to own basic coverage. That doesn't even address catastrophic coverage if they were to experience a cancer diagnosis.

Nor does the health insurance industry any longer guarantee, even if rated up to higher premiums, that a person can get coverage because of pre-existing conditions, some as easy to treat as Type 2 Diabetes.

Doctors and nurses are already overworked across America from a stressed out medical system. Yet, here they are, a number of hardy loving souls, volunteering their "free" time to help offer health care to folks who can no longer afford health care premiums. Those $100,000 a year jobs are now only paying $30,000. With a 70% cut in pay across America (because of Big Business still continuing to outsource our jobs as no one has stopped the so-called "work visa" program), no one can any longer afford what they used to pay, yet the insurance industry keeps rocking along gouging the American consumer.

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Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Video: Uninsured America

From Denny: We all have been watching a lot of news like this from time to time, how the health care industry is decimating the average person's wallet. Now with job loss across the board from well-off to working class, well, it's everyone's problem: how to pay the bills when you have had a catastrophic illness in the family.

Here's one fact I found out recently: Did you know that a bone marrow test now costs $300,000? That's just for the test, folks! How much more for the transplant and the anti-rejection drugs and critical care?

With the baby boomer generation getting older, so does the cancer risk go up. Basic health care reform is more necessary than ever in order to not empty people's savings accounts and so parents can leave some kind of inheritance for their children beyond a mountain of health care debt.

"Millions of Americans are uninsured and another 25 million are underinsured. They may think they're covered, but don't realize their policy limitations. Michelle Miller reports."


Watch CBS Videos Online

health care costs, bone marrow test, video

Video: Artsy Fascinating Ad for the PEN Series Camera

From Denny: This is such a joyful little ad and downright entertaining too! Thanks to the folks over at bestontube.com. It's a fascinating look at how you can employ still photos into a video and gives you a different perspective. Very artsy!

Here's the promo text: "A beautiful stop-motion ad celebrating the 50th anniversary of the PEN camera series."




Stop motion, International PEN, art, Video, Stop-Motion, PEN, Animation, Music video

Video: Nutritious Chocolate, the New Super Food?

From Denny: Looks like the news industry is just now catching on to what you and I know about our beloved chocolate: it's a superfood! What took them so long? :) Check out this informative chocolate video about a new chocolate product packed with antioxidants. Beats taking vitamin pills hands down for weight loss especially!

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Iran Headlines 24 June 2009

Clerics join Iran's anti-government protests

Violence flares again in Tehran

Iranian women stand up in defiance, flout rules

Video: Iranian women standing up in defiance

CNN's Ivan Watson talks to a 19 year old woman in Iran about the clashes with government forces.

Video: Interview with Experts Panel About President Obama's Cairo speech and Muslim reaction

GPS host from CNN News Image via Wikipedia

From Denny: Since the Republican war room has been busy trashing Obama with untruths and venom for months, especially the past week leading up to Obama's Mideast trip and speech in Cairo, Eqypt, I thought I'd put up a really great video. This is from the journalistically responsible show of CNN's GPS with Fareed Zakaria (Newsweek's International Editor). He investigates politics like it should be done - instead of the propaganda and marketing hype so common in America the past decade and still ongoing from the toxic elements.

This was fascinating to watch as you hear a lot of facets about the same issue, many viewpoints not covered by our mainstream media and woefully distorted by the conservative screamers who know not of what they speak. None of them get their information first hand in the field by interviewing people on the street as well as the halls of power. They get their information from political handlers to disseminate their latest propaganda.

They don't even fact-check. (Fox "News" is notorious for never fact-checking before running with a story. It's all about gossip and innuendo with them. They are a scourge and an oozing wound on the face of our American society for being so deceptive and untruthful.)

It's been almost a decade since we could freely hear such viewpoints here in America on our airwaves. Ah, a breath of fresh air at last! You go, Fareed, great job, intelligently done!

Video: Humorous Talented Unusual Dance Moves

From Denny: This dancer from So You Think You Can Dance TV show competition auditions last year was so unique and I missed his performance - until now! Wow! Awesome technique, entertaining on the edge of your seat and humorous and unbelievable! Enjoy for the weekend!

Video: Finding Homes for the Homeless

From Denny: Catching up on what news I've been missing while on jury duty... This is a smart solution and a heart-warming video!

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Cute Things Falling Asleep.org

I kid you not. This guy collected a bunch of videos of baby animals and humans, yes, really, just falling asleep. If you ever have trouble falling asleep some night just come on over here at my blog for the link or over to his blog. Trust me. You will be asleep in no time. My eye lids got heavy just after watching a few of those silly videos.

Video 4: How to make Spanish Coffee

The Dancing Man

Matt Harding around the world known as The Dancing Man. Photo by jonklinger @ flickr

From Denny: From my friend, Christoph over at his blog, The Crusty Curmudgeon, comes a delightful post about how Joy can transform your life if only for a moment - and how long lasting that wonderful feeling really can linger beyond your expectations.

Check out this amusing post from a tough New York City writer:

"It’s a different kind of day here in The Curmudgeon Offices, as, for a change, we are reporting on a happy story. That’s instead of my normal negativity and cynical observations and thinly veiled sexual references. Today, we are celebrating The Dancing Man. First we walked the walk, then talked the talk, and now we are dancing the dance. And it is a delightful, goofy dance...

... Take a look at it. It is short and captivating. I called a full-staff meeting this morning and showed everyone the video, and then I did the dance for them. They loved it of course, to see the big boss being so silly, but they wanted to do the dance too. And they did."

By Christoph Reilly @ The Crusty Curmudgeon

***

And for more of that good feeling, here's a "post again" from last week:



The Joy Makers: Feel the Love:

"Improv group brings joy to surprised thousands

Stop here for free joy, hugs, love and a happiness high that will last for days!" 9 videos featured to lift your spirits for sure!

By Denny Lyon

From Denny: For just a little while, forget about job loss, the economy and all your worries. These funny videos done by some terrific improvisation folks is well worth the laughing time!

I pulled them all together into one article as your go-to place when you need cheering up from a lousy day or when your thoughts turn to depression. There is no way to stay depressed after watching these great YouTube videos.

Photo by -Gep- @ flickr

Good Works Tour - SAME Cafe

These people were featured on NBC News. Great concept AND it works too!

To view the better produced and longer video from NBC News go here.

Video: The Don't Quit Poem

Inspirational video! Great for creative people to help with discouragement and burnout. Good images and music. Worth the listen.

Tips for Saving on Groceries and Food Leftovers Ideas

Photo by muha... @ flickr in the Maldives islands



Tips for Saving on Groceries and Food Leftovers Ideas - Now here's a fabulous beach for day dreaming and writing to your heart's content. Everyone living in a winter climate right about now would love to catch the first plane to this paradise!

Second choice? Well, in a downturn economy we might as well learn how to make the most with what we do have. There is a great video in this article of a woman from Washington state who saves 80% of her food budget.

She has a plan and tells all. She is a savvy shopper and without much effort you can be too. Certainly takes the stress out of life when you can easily cut your expenses.

Give a try and then journal or write a poem about your experience! Life is full of experiences and new awarenesses to write! We all know that food and writing go hand in hand.