RECEIVED THIS PIECE IN AN EMAIL FROM A FRIEND

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Dear Friend,
Going through something lately? As the saying goes, if you aren’t in a storm, you either just came out of one, or you are headed towards one. It may sound pessimistic, but truly, it’s just life. Things happen. Things you’d rather not happen, happen. The key to maintaining your sanity lies in how you think about your challenges. Use these four strategies to reduce your stress in the midst of a challenge:

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1. Focus on what you can control.
It is easy when facing a challenge to try to control everything. But a more effective approach is to get clear about the outcome you want to see unfold. Then ask yourself, “What can I do to create that outcome?” It is easy to get distracted by the drama or frustrations of your challenge, but remain grounded and…

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Most of us are used to thinking that the evolution of living organisms takes millions of years. But in the case of cockroaches, scientists say the resilient pests have a developed a fast-forward mechanism to save their own exoskeleton.

In a newly published study in the journal , a group of researchers conclude that cockroaches have evolved to avoid sweet-tasting poisons by making a subtle change in their body chemistry that makes the bait taste bitter to them.

Cockroaches don’t have taste buds, but instead taste hairs.

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.Click link below for article:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/05/23/186359665/evolution-saves-cockroaches-from-taking-the-bait?ft=1&f=1007

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This is a video of Albert Einstein.

From British daily The Guardian:

“Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.” So said Albert Einstein, and his famous aphorism has been the source of endless debate between believers and non-believers wanting to claim the greatest scientist of the 20th century as their own.

A little known letter written by him, however, may help to settle the argument – or at least provoke further controversy about his views.

Due to be auctioned this week in London after being in a private collection for more than 50 years, the document leaves no doubt that the theoretical physicist was no supporter of religious beliefs, which he regarded as “childish superstitions”.

Einstein penned the letter on January 3 1954 to the philosopher Eric Gutkind who had sent him a copy of his book Choose Life: The Biblical Call to Revolt…

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George Zimmerman’s defense fund is almost depleted with less than two weeks until the former neighborhood watch leader goes on trial in the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin.

Zimmerman’s attorneys posted on their website Wednesday that the fund had less than $5,000 left. The fund had almost $315,000 in January.

The attorneys say they calculate that Zimmerman needs another $120,000 to put on a good defense or even another $75,000 to give him a fighting chance.

Attorneys Mark O’Mara and Don West say they haven’t been paid a cent and many interns are working on the case without pay.

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.Click link below for story, slideshow, and video:

Trilingual text

I am throwing all the clocks in the washer, in the centrifuge
I squeeze the little bit of happiness from the un-ticked seconds on clock faces, I don’t go out
I don’t go out, I don’t go there, where not long from now
I won’t be able to find even a spot of soil
Spared from reinforced concrete
Without a doubt the vegetation will only grow suspended in the air
And all the living creatures will have to have wings
I don’t go inside either, no, those who inhabit me
Are too much into dogmas and they count their inner scars
And muzzle their hearts thinking that love bites and hurts anything it comes across in its path
You find me sitting in between, on the edge of the eye sockets,
Entrances to caves apparently too deep
My feet dangling in the air, kicking cheeks unseen by mirrors

James Brown @ Orchestra Hall

There is no argument that James Brown was a musician and musical entertainer of the highest echelon. And there is no argument that James Brown, as a deep thinker, was…Well, as a musician and musical entertainer he was hard to beat.

          He was a friend of presidents and senators. President Johnson declared him a role model for the youth of the day. LBJ was as far off base on James as he was on Viet Nam. He based his observations of Brown on the fact that James went from abject poverty to the top of the music business. And James was also a crusader for education and civil rights, and against drugs, alcohol, violence, racism.  And yet, drugs, alcohol, guns, violence and even stretches in prison were as much a part of his life as his music.

          His contradictions is best exemplified in…

http://socialistworker.org/2013/05/30/let-them-eat-nothing-at-all

Comment: Marlene Martin
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Let them eat…nothing at all

Marlene Martin looks at a new addition to what’s been called the New Jim Crow.

May 30, 2013

GIVE US your tired, your poor, your hungry, huddled masses…and we’ll make sure they stay that way.

That’s the message that members of Congress–Republicans and Democrats alike–are sending with their proposals to cut funding and add new restrictions for the Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP–better known as the food stamp program.

The program, whose benefits make the difference between eating and not eating for many of the poor and working poor, has suffered many spending cuts in the era of austerity. This year’s proposals for cuts–totaling more than $20 billion over 10 years in the House version, with 2 million people dropped from the program–are no different in that respect.

But Sen. David Vitter of Louisiana added insult to injury by…

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Jim Graves, who lost to Michele Bachmann in Minnesota’s sixth congressional district in 2012 and was planning to run against her again in 2014, joined HuffPost Live Wednesday to react to the news that Bachmann will no be running for reelection.

He told HuffPost Live host Alicia Menendez that while “the timing surprises us,” Bachmann’s decision was not unexpected.

“The polling information wasn’t very favorable for her, and I think the pathway to victory was almost impossible,” he said. “We’re all happy. This is a good day for America. Quite frankly, there’s no room for a theocracy. We’re a democracy. From that standpoint, I do have a smile on my face.”

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.Click link below for video and slideshow:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/29/jim-graves-on-michele-bachmann-decision_n_3352655.html?icid=maing-grid7|myaol|dl1|sec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D319909#slide=1131095

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OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF

Grandsons

Grandchildren give people a second chance. As their children are growing up, too often, earning a living takes precedent over what is really important, enjoying them. As a stagehand I was on call 24/7. There would always be another event, another cycle for another son.  Always a tomorrow. But tomorrow is like yesterday, only a spirit in the wind.

          ‘A shepherd! Wow! Now listen, you be sure and sing real loud, and I’ll be able to hear you when I’m working. And don’t get out of your costume until Mommy takes your picture. Okay?’

            ‘Playing Stillwater! Well, you guys came close last game. Maybe this time you’ll beat them. Mom is going to call me at work and tell me about the game. And she’s bringing her camera to the game.’

            ‘New pictures! Mom just got them developed. Look! Here’s…