The Gay Debate: Family | Jordan Carl Hunt

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The Harvard Crimson: Mitt Romney's Russia

The Republican candidate's views on Russia are misguided

For a candidate whose foreign policy expertise was presumably sharpened by his two year mission in Europe, Mitt Romney's pronunciations on the Russian Federation are especially surprising. In recent weeks, Romney's views on Russia have come into focus and become more widely scrutinized, notably in recent articles in the New York Times and the Washington Post.

In one exceptional and already notorious case, the Republican candidate elect stated that Russia was the United States' "number one geopolitical foe." Although he would admit that states like Iran and North Korea pose a greater immediate threat to global stability, Romney appears to cling to the implicit assumption that a post-Soviet Russia still poses the gravest danger to American interests. In particular, he has cited Russian support for rogue nations at the United Nations; given Russia's status as a permanent member of the Security Council, the Kremlin is able to shield regimes such as Bashar al-Assad's despotic and cruel regime in Syria from international censure.

The logical fallacy behind Romney's conception of Russia as America's greatest enemy is apparent. Despite Romney's determination that the anchor of the former Soviet Union remains a serious threat to American freedom, the reality suggests otherwise. Admittedly, Russia today is mistrustful and suspicious of American motives, particularly regarding the construction of a missile shield in Central and Eastern Europe. At home, Russia is far from a free country; "managed democracy," a term too often used by Western media outlets, has served as a byword for Vladimir Putin's "United Russia" party's domination of the political sphere for more than a decade.

But Russia hardly qualifies as the U.S.'s most pressing adversary. Rather, both the modern Russian Federation and the United States face similar challenges: both struggle, though in different ways, with the threat of Islamic-inspired fundamentalist terrorism. While the United States may face the impending question of how to deal with rising Chinese economic power, Russia has already been forced to accept economic second-power status. Unlike the U.S., Russia faces acute immediate challenges: she must confront an imminent demographic crisis arguably worse than anything faced by the least fecund Western European countries. While Russian GDP growth had been phenomenal under the first few years of Putin's administration, the long-term outlook for an extractive-resource and, specifically, petro-state economy seems uncertain.

Both Russia and the United States face similar challenges, albeit to different extremes, of how to reduce large nuclear arsenals, push back terrorism, and address long-term competitiveness issues. In the post-Soviet era, the two countries have been on remarkably good terms considering their Cold War relations. With that in mind, the Republicans' apparent desire to return to imminent nuclear-war rivalry is quite baffling.

Mr. Romney would do well to avoid characterizing Russia as evil. His own understanding of Russian relations can in part be informed or explained by the suggestion that he views foreign policy as a "zero sum" game. Such an outlook bears a depressing resemblance to former president George W. Bush's pronouncement to the effect of "you are either with us or against us." Good or evil, blessed or satanic; these are the kinds of counterproductive, black and white judgments that Barack Obama, however successful or not he has been at foreign policy, has at least avoided in his administration. It would be a shame to revert to this good-evil divide.

Instead, Romney and the American public would do well to recognize who is working to deliver reform and democracy in Russia and who is hindering this effort. Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index regularly lists the world's largest country as among the most corrupt. In many cases, large-scale corruption has also turned Russia into a violent and lawless state. Witness the now well-known death of Moscow lawyer Sergei L. Magnitsky and the U.S. Congress' subsequent effort to pass the "Magnistsky Act" aimed at targeting corrupt bureaucrats and security officials thought to be behind Magnitsky's death after he exposed a massive fraud. Romney and the Republican Party would do well to draw the distinction between an ill-informed view of a "Russia" driven by ulterior motives and the reality: the desire of Russians to secure a more ethical and democratic future for their country.

Russia is not the U.S.'s best friend, but neither should the two states be anything approaching real enemies. Romney's conception of Russia is indeed confusing to today's generation of young Americans who have grown up in a post-Cold War era, and who in many cases know -- or are among -- the millions of former U.S.S.R. immigrants who have moved to the United States.

Russia has changed and modernized considerably since the fall of the Soviet Union. Any visitor to today's Moscow would surely balk at the idea that the capital represents Washington D.C.'s top adversary. Romney's own misguided stance re-emphasizes the need to interact with contemporary powers through diplomacy and understanding rather than jingoistic and uninformed nationalism.

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This Video of Venus Crossing the Sun Seems Straight Out of Star Wars [Video]

The transit of Venus is one of the rarest astronomical events in our solar system. It happens in pairs, every century. This awe-inspiring video shows the first of this century's pair, which happened in 2004. The next one is about to happen—on June 5, 2012. More »

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How to Write a Persuasive Speech - Corporate Public Speaking

Three of the greatest persuasive speeches of all time are Abraham Lincoln?s Gettysburg Address, Winston Churchill?s Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat Speech given in the House of Commons during World War II and Martin Luther King?s I Have a Dream Speech. These speeches have some elements of content and figures of speech in common. An examination of these elements common to persuasive speeches can help to create a framework or template for anyone who has to write and deliver a persuasive speech or presentation.

1. Invocation of a higher authority

All of these speeches begin with the invocation of a higher authority, reminding the audience that it is not just the speaker who has these ideas, but they are supported by their office, principles or law. Churchill invoked the power of his office and the British Empire. Lincoln invoked the principles of the founding fathers. King invoked the Declaration of Independence, the Emancipation Proclamation and the Bible. A statement of authority provides a context for what follows.

2. We are all in this together

These speakers present themselves as just ordinary men facing, with others, a common problem. The problem is serious and they are threatened, but they are common men who understand the fears of others and are willing to face the problem working side by side with everyone. This technique provides an important identification with the audience and further establishes the speaker?s credibility.

3. Anaphora

All of these speeches use a figure of speech called anaphora, which is the repetition of a phrase at the beginning of sentences. This is a rhetorical tool employed throughout the speech. King says ?Now is the time?? four times and ?I have a dream?? eight times. Churchill says victory five times and Lincoln uses the phrases, ?we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground?. This figure of speech stirs up emotion and makes parts of the speech very memorable. It also acts as a theme, tying the speech together.

4. A vision for the future

All three speeches present a clear vision of what the speaker sees in the future. For Churchill, it is victory ? otherwise there is no survival of the British Empire. Lincoln presented the vision that a nation of the people, by the people, for the people will not perish. King presents the dream of equality, of his children playing with other children. A vision for the future provides a statement of the outcome that the speaker desires. Listeners need a reason to remember what the speaker said and they will be asking what should happen next.

These speeches represent a formula for persuasion that can be used in a number of circumstances. Restated in other words, the four elements can be considered as, the basis for the legitimacy of your claims, the common problem that if we work on it together will be solved, repeated expressions of emotion, and a clear picture of the outcome you expect and how you define success.

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Types of Health Insurance | Prosperity2All

When choosing a health insurance company it can be beneficial to start with the basics and work your way to the more complicated aspects before making a final decision. A good place to start is with a list of the primary types of health insurance.

Understand the types of health insurance, their differences, and the similarities between different types of plans and then see which types of plans may be suitable for you. And once those aspects are clear, you can move on to researching which types may be available to you.

Main types of health insurance:
- Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs)
- Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs)
- Fee-for-service Plans

Finding the best medical insurance for children has become difficult recently for parents. Some health insurance companies have dropped their child-only plans, and it has become more expensive for parents to insure their kids. Parents can find the best health plans for the entire family or just for the children, and it can be for an affordable price.

The place to discover the health insurance plans that parents need for their children and their families is at a health insurance broker?s website.

Parents will learn that they have several options for providing medical care for their kids. There?s a good chance that your child will have an accident while playing and will need to be taken to the emergency room. Parents will be able to learn how to purchase a policy that will cover this expense.

Most insurance websites even inform parents that they may need to rent medical equipment for their children. They will learn also what types of plans will cover these expenses in case they are needed.

You should also research what prescription drugs are covered by the child?s policy. It?s most important for parents of chronically ill children to have coverage for prescription drugs because years of paying for these medications add up quickly.

Before choosing a health insurance provider, it is recommended to fully research all options that may be available to you. Health insurance research is usually filled with information that can help make your next insurance decision a knowledgeable one.

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Too much vitamin D can be as unhealthy as too little

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Scientists know that Vitamin D deficiency is not healthy. However, new research from the University of Copenhagen now indicates that too high a level of the essential vitamin is not good either. The study is based on blood samples from 247,574 Copenhageners. The results have just been published in the reputed scientific Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

Vitamin D is instrumental in helping calcium reach our bones, thus lessening the risk from falls and the risk of broken hips. Research suggests that vitamin D is also beneficial in combating cardiac disease, depression and certain types of cancers. The results from a study conducted by the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences now support the benefits of vitamin D in terms of mortality risk. However, the research results also show higher mortality in people with too high levels of vitamin D in their bloodstream:

"We have had access to blood tests from a quarter of a million Copenhageners. We found higher mortality in people with a low level of vitamin D in their blood, but to our surprise, we also found it in people with a high level of vitamin D. We can draw a graph showing that perhaps it is harmful with too little and too much vitamin D," explains Darshana Durup, PhD student.

If the blood contains less than 10 nanomol (nmol) of vitamin per liter of serum, mortality is 2.31 times higher. However, if the blood contains more than 140 nmol of vitamin per liter of serum, mortality is higher by a factor of 1.42. Both values are compared to 50 nmol of vitamin per liter of serum, where the scientists see the lowest mortality rate.

More studies are needed

Darshana Durup emphasises that while scientists do not know the cause of the higher mortality, she believes that the new results can be used to question the wisdom of those people who claim that you can never get too much vitamin D:

"It is important to conduct further studies in order to understand the relationship. A lot of research has been conducted on the risk of vitamin D deficiency. However, there is no scientific evidence for a 'more is better' argument for vitamin D, and our study does not support the argument either. We hope that our study will inspire others to study the cause of higher mortality with a high level of vitamin D," says Darshana Durup. She adds:

"We have moved into a controversial area that stirs up strong feelings just like debates on global warming and research on nutrition. But our results are based on a quarter of a million blood tests and provide an interesting starting point for further research."

The largest study of its kind

The study is the largest of its kind ? and it was only possible to conduct it because of Denmark's civil registration system, which is unique in the Nordic countries. The 247,574 blood samples come from the Copenhagen General Practitioners Laboratory:

"Our data material covers a wide age range. The people who participated had approached their own general practitioners for a variety of reasons and had had the vitamin D level in their bloodstream measured in that context. This means that while the study can show a possible association between mortality and a high level of vitamin D, we cannot as yet explain the higher risk," explains Darshana Durup.

Therefore in future research project scientists would like to compare the results with information from disease registers such as the cancer register. Financial support is currently being sought for such projects.

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University of Copenhagen: http://www.ku.dk

Thanks to University of Copenhagen for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

This press release has been viewed 76 time(s).

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adidas New Orleans Hornets 2012 NBA Snapback Draft Cap

How To Buy A Cap

A cap is a statement you make to the world, about your team affiliation, about your hobbies, or about your style. There are hundreds of variations of caps on the market from which to choose.

Types of caps

Cap styles run the gamut from the traditional baseball cap to the Gilligan cap. Choosing the proper one for you depends on your style.

Fitted

• Fitted caps are the traditional caps like the Major League Baseball players wear
• They are usually made of 100% wool with a structured front and a higher profile
• Fitted caps are sized to your head

Adjustable

• Adjustable caps are the most popular caps today because they can be adjusted to fit any size head
• They are made with many different materials including wool, cotton, and mesh
• They also have many different types of closure systems including plastic snaps, leather straps with a buckle, and velcro

Unstructured

• Unstructured caps look like a traditional baseball cap, but with a soft front that sits lower on the head for a more casual look
• They are usually available as adjustable caps

Visors

• Visors are a cap minus the top, they look like a headband with a brim
• They are usually adjustable, with a rigid brim to shade your eyes
• They are also good for wearing in hot weather because the top of your head is open, but be careful of the sun's rays

Bucket

• Some people call this a Gilligan cap because it resembles the old cap worn by the title character on Gilligan's Island
• Bucket caps come in a variety of fabrics and general sizes which include small, medium, large, and extra large

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Cap terms

Caps are actually made up of a number of components.

Bill/Brim

• The brim protects your face from the sun
• They are usually made of PVC plastic, sewn inside some type of fabric

Buckram

• The buckram is the liner inside of the front of the cap that provides the structure and form
• Unstructured caps have no buckram, giving them the more casual, lower profile

Closure systems

• A closure system is the system on the back of adjustable caps that allows you to adjust the size
• Types of closures include plastic, Velcro, fabric snaps and leather bands

Embroidery

• Embroidery is the stitching that decorates the cap, usually in the front but can be anywhere

Eyelets

• Eyelets are the little holes scattered throughout the cap that allows your head to breathe
• They can either be metal or reinforced stitching

Panels

• Panels are the different pieces, usually six to eight, that make up the top of the cap

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Choosing the right size fitted cap

• Caps come in a variety of sizes and are usually measured in inches
• It is important to choose the right size cap in order to ensure a comfortable fit
• For the perfect fitting cap, see DetermineYour Hat Size before making your purchase decision

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