Is there a Suicide Gene? Or 10 or more of them?

Excerpt:

The finding adds support to a 2,000-year-old belief, dating back to Biblical times, that mental illness and self-destructiveness run in families. Epidemiological studies also back up this idea. For example, two countries that top the world's suicide rate list are Hungary and Finland, with 40 suicides per 100,000 people. Although the countries lie 1,600 kilometers apart, their people share a language group and, presumably, genes. The Finno-Ugric people lived together for thousands of years in the Ural Mountains of what is now Russia, then migrated to Finland and Hungary.

The medical literature has documented many genetic links to suicide. One such study, published in the American Journal of Medical Genetics in 1985 examined the rate of suicide among the Amish population in southern Pennsylvania. Genealogical and medical records revealed that four families accounted for 73 percent of all suicides, but represented only 16 percent of the total Amish population. 

Read:


A Suicide Gene

Arianna Huffington: Iraq and Iran: A Partnership Made in America

Interestingly, Bible prophecy talks about a resurgent and wealthy Iraq (Babylon) at the end time.  Here is the forecast from none other than Arianna.....

Arianna Huffington: Iraq and Iran: A Partnership Made in America

The stages of man can be found on the continent

The British writer AA Gill once noted that…

“Europe is an allegory for the ages of man. You are born Italian, relentlessly infantile and mother-obsessed. In childhood, you are English: chronically shy, tongue-tied clicky and only happy kicking balls or pulling the legs off things. Teenagers are French: pretentiously philosophical, embarrassingly vain, ridiculously romantic yet simultaneously insecure. During Middle-Age, we become either Irish and fun loving, or Swiss and serious. Old age is German: ponderous, pompous and pedantic. And finally, we regress into being Belgian, with no idea of who we are at all.”

from:
Learning from the Best: Inflation Lessons from Argentina

A few words on the obesity epidemic

Why Bloomberg Is Right

A thought provoking and persuasive piece from the radio host of the New York Philharmonic broadcasts.  You know him as actor Alec Baldwin......

Recent archeology finds back Bible

From author and commentator Hal Lindsey:

Several recent archaeological discoveries in Israel have confirmed the veracity of the Scriptures.

The journal, "International Geology Review," recently reported on an investigation of earthquake activity around the Dead Sea, just a few miles east of Jerusalem. Geophysicists studied three core samples taken from the shores of the Dead Sea that offered evidence of at least two sizable earthquakes. Their investigation narrowed the dates of those earthquakes to 31 B.C. and sometime between 26 and 36 A.D., during the time when Pontius Pilate was procurator of Judea.

Scientists from California-based Super Sonic Geophysical believe the second quake probably occurred around 33 A.D. When considered with other data, both historical and astronomical, the best estimate is that it occurred sometime in April of 33 A.D. This would concur with the Jewish month of Nisan, which indicates it may confirm the earthquake described in Matthew 27:51. That scripture describes the quake that happened when Jesus, from the cross, cried out in a loud voice and gave up His Spirit.

Last year, archaeologists from Tel Aviv University announced the discovery of a limestone ossuary. An ossuary is a box used for the burial of human bones. This burial box bore an unusual and detailed inscription. In short, it was positively identified as the ossuary of Miriam, the granddaughter of Caiaphas, the High Priest who presided over the trial of Jesus.

And this month, a professor from Hebrew University uncovered evidence confirming the existence of an Israelite kingdom centered in Jerusalem around the time of Kings David and Solomon. The same archaeologist also reported discovering the oldest Hebrew inscription ever found. On a shard of pottery, the inscription confirms the existence of a centralized, literate Hebrew kingdom more than 3,000 years ago. The professor announced that these discoveries prove that David was not a mythological figure or just the leader of a small tribe.

I think it's always exciting when archaeological and scientific discoveries confirm the historical record contained in the Bible. You see, Christianity is different from other world religions. Most of them can survive their sacred texts being found to contain conflicting details. What's most important to them are the broad generalities they teach, not the particulars of their founders' lives. But Christianity holds itself to such a high standard -- 100% accuracy (a standard established by God Himself) -- that the details of the life and death of Jesus Christ are critical to the validity of Christianity's entire message. In fact, if a single historical fact regarding the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ is not true, the entire structure of Christianity collapses.

But the sheer fact that the people who were eyewitnesses to the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ were happily willing to sacrifice their lives rather than deny even the tiniest detail, speaks volumes. And it still serves to encourage those of us who follow Him 2,000 years later.

But we don't have to depend on the miracles of modern scientific discovery to affirm our faith in Jesus Christ. Perhaps the most powerful confirmation of all comes from the Scriptures themselves. It is absolutely amazing to me how many ways the Bible confirms its own veracity. From the New Testament writers' indirect confirmations of each other, to the accuracy of the multiple, parallel accounts of events, to the eyewitness testimony, to the deathbed testimony, to the miraculous, exact fulfillment of centuries-old prophecies concerning Christ's crucifixion, to the lack of denials from leaders of the day, to the willingness of the witnesses to die for their testimony, the Bible is its own best witness.

No body of literature in all history has been as thoroughly studied, vetted, picked apart, and argued and debated over as the Bible. Religions have sprung up to disprove it. Entire doctrines depend on there being a Bible to reject. Most atheists, rationalists, and humanists can find at least some common ground with most of the other world religions, but it's the Bible alone that raises their hackles and fires up their evangelistic fervor.

Given the weight of all the evidence pointing to both the historical accuracy and Divine inspiration of the Scriptures, it seems to me that it would be much more amazing if it WEREN'T all true. The Bible has been under constant attack by the smartest guys in every generation since it was compiled. If a single thing in the Scripture were conclusively disproved -- a named person who didn't live, a place that never existed, an event that didn't take place -- then the Word of God is broken. Of all the thinkers and philosophers who have lived during the last two thousand years, not one has been able to claim the title of the man who proved the Bible wrong. Because it isn't.

Recovery or Collapse?

With an eye on the approaching dollar crisis, which will wreck the international financial system, the presidents of China, Russia, Brazil, South Africa, and the prime minister of India met last month to discuss forming a new bank that would shield their economies and commerce from mistakes made by Washington and the European Union. The five countries, known as the BRICS, intend to settle their trade with one another in their own currencies and cease relying on the dollar. The fact that Russia, the two Asian giants, and the largest economies in Africa and South America are leaving the dollar’s orbit sends a powerful message of lack of confidence in Washington’s handling of financial matters. 

If you think being "Republican" is a solution, please read the whole text carefully:

Recovery or Collapse? Bet on Collapse |

Start-ups, Chicago style

Forty Chicago technology companies and 250 individuals pay for round-theclock access to common areas and huddle rooms within 25,000 square feet on the 15th floor of a skyscraper across from the Sears Tower. In any given month 300 reps from outside companies pass through for meetings and networking. “Most co-working facilities suck,” says Howerton, 40. “Too many freelancers and not enough growth.” Since opening in January 2007, 157 startups have flourished at TechNexus, including Flowerpetal.com, which sells $8 million worth of flowers each year, and Open Kernel Labs, whose virtualization software powers 1.5 billion wireless devices. TechNexus companies have raised $74 million in capital.


The space is a living diorama of the startup life cycle. The common area attracts one- and two-person companies, while more established companies rent desk space inside the glass-enclosed room just right of the welcome desk.

Full text:  The Rookery - Forbes.com

Get Ready: We’re About To Have Another 2008-Style Crisis

Get Ready: We’re About To Have Another 2008-Style Crisis

The proverbial picture worth 1,000 words, no?

Kevin Hickey, a long shot who fulfilled a neighborhood dream, dies at 56 - PhotoGallery - Chicago Sun-Times

Kevin Hickey, a long shot who fulfilled a neighborhood dream, dies at 56 - PhotoGallery - Chicago Sun-Times

Unbelievable comeback(s) story ---- more than one......

Well laid out minority opinion: Germany will blink and won’t let Greece exit euro - Matthew Lynn's London Eye - MarketWatch

Germany will blink and won’t let Greece exit euro - Matthew Lynn's London Eye - MarketWatch

The Next Bubble?

....today a decision to embark on the pathway to a college degree has enormous financial implications.  

Must read.

 

BBC News - JPMorgan reveals shock $2bn trading loss on investments

BBC News - JPMorgan reveals shock $2bn trading loss on investments

Is an Economic Deluge Nigh?

Feature from Casey Research

Scroll down and see the excerpt from the student essay, and it may tell you everything you need to know about where we are today, and how we got there.....

Change.org

Give a look to this. Some are using it to 'change the world.'

Change.org|The Proven Petition Site

Brain Injury Gives Man A Second Chance To Be Kind : NPR

Brain Injury Gives Man A Second Chance To Be Kind : NPR

Feeling taxed yet?

In 1913, the year income tax began here (yes, it didn't always exist), the IRS tax code ran 27 pages.

For 2011, it was 5,300 pages.  That's four times the epic War and Peace, by Tolstoy.

Iran says could hit U.S. if it came under attack: paper | Reuters

Iran says could hit U.S. if it came under attack: paper | Reuters

U.S. officials debate virulence of Iran-backed Hezbollah's threat | Reuters

U.S. officials debate virulence of Iran-backed Hezbollah's threat | Reuters

Public suicide by pharmacist in Greek capital steps from Parliament

Athens: Suicide Man Leaves Behind Shocking Note

Posted by keeptalkinggreece in Society

In a sharp political -and for some even “shocking” - tone the man who committed suicide just a couple of meters away from the Greek Parliament in the heart of Athens on Wednesday morning explained the motives for his desperate act. In a hand-written note, retired pharmacist D.X., 77, spoke of loss of dignity due to harsh austerity and wished that some day the youth of the country would take the arms and hang those politicians who brought the country and its people to this stage. He had left a similar not to his daughter.

Daily Proto Thema exclusively published the shattering hand-note of D. Ch.:

“The occupation government of Tsolakoglou* literally annihilated any possibility for my survival that was depended on a decent pension which only I personally paid for 35 years (without any state support).

Because my age does not give me the possibility for a dynamic reaction (without meaning that if a Greek would grab the kalashnikov, I wouldn’t be the second one [to grab one], I see no other solution than the decent end before I start searching in the garbage for food.

I believe that one day the youth without future will take the arms and hang upside down at Syntagma Square the national traitors as the Italians did with Mussolini in 1945 Piazza Poreto in Milan)”

Not selling code for $60k "chump change"

Here's a market I didn't know existed: stunning what software security is worth on the open market.

Yet another reason to teach your children the premier language of the 21th century, not Spanish, not Chinese ---- software coding.

From Forbes....