“Black Women Are Less Attractive” say japanese Satoshi Kanazawa

Psychology Today blogger Satoshi Kanazawa sparked a firestorm with his latest posting entitled, "A Look at the Hard Truths About Human Nature."

In it, the evolutionary psychologist at the London School of Economics argues that black women are less physically attractive than other women. The article was quickly removed from the site, but not before screenshots made their way onto BuzzFeed. Some excerpts:

What accounts for the markedly lower average level of physical attractiveness among black women? Black women are on average much heavier than nonblack women. The mean body-mass index (BMI) at Wave III is 28.5 among black women and 26.1 among nonblack women. (Black and nonblack men do not differ in BMI: 27.0 vs. 26.9) However, this is not the reason black women are less physically attractive than nonblack women. Black women have lower average level of physical attractiveness net of BMI. Nor can the race difference in intelligence (and the positive association between intelligence and physical attractiveness) account for the race difference in physical attractiveness among women. Black women are still less physically attractive than nonblack women net of BMI and intelligence. Net of intelligence, black men are significantlymore physically attractive than nonblack men.

[...]

The only thing I can think of that might potentially explain the lower average level of physical attractiveness among black women is testosterone. Africans on average have higher levels of testosterone than other races, and testosterone, being an androgen (male hormone), affects the physical attractiveness of men and women differently. Men with higher levels of testosterone have more masculine features and are therefore more physically attractive. In contrast, women with higher levels of testosterone also have more masculine features and are therefore less physically attractive. The race difference in the level of testosterone can therefore potentially explain why black women are less physically attractive than women of other races, while (net of intelligence) black men are more physically attractive than men of other races.

Kanazawa, whose prior, controversial works can be viewed in part here, was met with widespread backlash. Jenée Desmond-Harris at The Root wrote, "The blog's presentation of the allegedly scientific findings had a decidedly informal tone, especially given the highly contentious conclusions. It struck us as so outrageous that we almost thought it was a hoax of some sort, and we double-checked the URL to make sure it didn't include 'The Onion.'"

Latoya Peterson at Racialicious opined: "Justifying racism using 'science' isn't new, by any means. Every few years, it appears that someone needs to provide a rationale for bigotry, so they publish some sort of madness and hope most of the readers suffer from scientific illiteracy. The problem is that even with a thorough debunking, people latch on to articles like this to confirm their own biases."

Kaja Perina, Psychology Today's editor-in-chief, didn't explain why Kanazawa's piece was removed,however she told NPR, "Our bloggers are credential[ed] social scientists and for this reason they are invited to post to the site on topics of their choosing. We in turn reserve the right to remove posts for any number of reasons. Because the post was not commissioned or solicited by PT (in contrast to a magazine article), there was no editorial intent to address questions of race and physical attractiveness."

Kanazawa hasn't made any public statement, although, as NPR notes, his personal website does disclaim, "Prepare to be offended."

Abs Diet Commandments: AskMen has 5 other commandments for your abs diet.

You need carbs if you want ripped abs. AskMen has 5 other commandments for your abs diet.

By Shannon Clark, Health Correspondent

Page 1: Abs Diet Commandments

If you're on a mission tin 2011 to get cut and achieve that ripped set of six-pack abs, there are some important abs diet commandments that you must follow. Failure to account for the foods you eat on a daily basis will quickly short circuit your results and leave you continually wondering when progress is going to take place.
If you really want to get results quickly, you must take control of your abs diet and only feed your body the foods that will prime it for fat burning.
Let's go over some of the top abs diet commandments that you must know.

1- Thou shalt not skip post-workout meals

Without question, the single most important meal that you must eat during the day is the post-workout meal. Many people make the mistake of skipping this meal, thinking that it will allow them to continue to burn off body fat after the workout.
The period after a workout is when that food will be used to stoke the metabolic rate and when it's going to get sucked right up into the muscle tissues.
If you want to really boost your ability to get lean, load up a higher percentage of your daily calorie intake right after the workout and keep the other meals during the day lower in overall calories.

2- Thou shall eat protein with each meal or snack

The second abs diet commandment to follow is to make sure you get some protein with each and every meal or snack you eat. When on a strict fat-loss diet, protein is the single macronutrient that will spare your lean muscle mass.
If it's a rock-solid physique you're after, this will be essential. Focus on proteins that are naturally leaner, such as chicken, fish, egg whites and extra-lean cuts of red meat.

3- Thou shall include at least one high-carb day a week

Third, don't forgo carbs altogether. Many people who are attempting to get a ripped stomach are quick to remove virtually all carbs from their diet except fibrous vegetables.
When all carbohydrates are removed like this, your metabolism is going to plummet, making fat loss extremely difficult -- if not impossible.
Having at least one high-carb day in the diet is going to prevent this and keep that metabolism running faster. If you can have two or three high-carb days on your hardest workout days, it will be all the better.
We have three more abs diet commandments for you to follow...

Page 2: Abs Diet

4- Thou shall include casein protein before bed

Having some casein protein right before bed is another key issue that you must make sure you're doing. This is the slowest form of protein available, so by placing it before you enter the long nightly fast, you ensure your muscles have a constant stream of amino acids to feed upon.
If you're currently in a calorie deficit and go to bed without protein, you will definitely be at a higher risk for muscle mass tissue loss.

5- Thou shall include 3 to 6 grams of fish oil

When it comes to fats on your abs diet plan, you do want to be limiting them. At nine calories per gram, they contain twice as much as either protein or carbohydrates do. But one particular type of fat that you should take in daily is fish oil.
Fish oil will improve your insulin sensitivity so that when you do decide to add carbohydrates to your diet, your body can handle them better and there is a reduced risk of turning them into body fat.
Aim to take three grams to six grams of fish oil caps per day, unless you're eating a larger serving of fatty fish in one of your particular meals. Salmon and mackerel are both great sources of essential fatty acids, so those are the types to focus on.

6- Thou shall limit sodium intake

Finally, the last abs diet commandment is that you must make sure that you're limiting your sodium intake. While sodium isn't going to play a role in actually gaining or losing body fat, if you take in too much, it's definitely going to play a role in how you look.
If you really want to get that shredded look, you must be avoiding water retention. Just a few hundred milligrams of sodium can easily throw off your leanness factor -- so definitely do keep tight reins on your sodium as you get leaner and leaner.
The less body fat you have, the more of a difference you'll notice on the impact of your sodium intake.

absolute abs

Don't mindlessly go about your diet any longer. If you want ripped abs, you must obey all six of these commandments to achieve success.

Askman – for mens!

How to help your child deal with self-centered egotistical children – Xyami Know How

Children exhibit signs of arrogance for many reasons, including boredom, insecurity and even inflated senses of self or ego. Although the diagnosis and solutions for helping arrogant children should be left to professionals and parents, undoubtedly arrogance in the schoolyard affects the peer-to-peer development of other children and leads to emotionally damaging activities, such as teasing, exclusivity and even bullying. Parents can prepare their children for these situations with comfort, support and advice.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. • 1

     Listen and support. A parent may not know a kid has hurt or inadequate feelings at school until the child decides to share. Listen to her story without judgment or anger at the situation, and keep the conversation soothing and encouraging. Emphasize that the arrogant child's possible misbehavior is not a reflection or because of your child's own wrongdoing, and have a teaching moment about how she might have handled the situation differently had the roles been reversed.

   • 2

     Speak to an authority figure. Although some parents may feel comfortable talking to the arrogant child's parents directly, consider speaking to a teacher or counselor at the school. He may have some insight regarding the other child, offer an impartial eye during the day and act as a buffer between potentially emotional or defensive parents.

   • 3

     Set up positive play dates. Cancel interactions with the arrogant child, and instead organize outings with other children who show humility, graciousness and modesty. Involving children in age-appropriate volunteer efforts teaches lasting life lessons and reinforces positive personal characteristics.

   • 4

     Talk about bullying-avoidance techniques. If an arrogant child is outspoken or aggressive to his peers, the actions and solutions can mirror that of bullying. In this case, experts encourage children to try to avoid the aggressive child altogether by doing things like using a different water fountain or bathroom as well as working on their "poker faces." Kids who ignore hurtful or insulting comments are less likely to satisfy the bully with this mild reaction, and it is harder to be a bully without a willing victim.

Tips & Warnings

• If peer arrogance is a problem at school, contact the teacher or counselor before confronting a parent directly.

• If your child is uncomfortable talking to you, encourage him to speak to an older sibling or family friend.

From: By Val Reilly, eHow Contributor

How to know if your boyfriend is Self-Centered – Xyami Know How

Here are a couple of things that might help you find out a little more about the person you are dating. If you ever felt your boyfriend is a bit self-centered but wasn't really sure, then perhaps you should ask yourself the following questions about your partner. If you get all three of the following, then maybe your partner truly is.

Instructions

1. • 1

     Does your boyfriend spend a lot of time saying "I"?

     Really think about it. I know the word "I" is apart of the English language but if your boyfriend is using this word too often then he might be sending you subliminal messages. When you carry on a conversation and he can not go every other sentence without say "I" then something is wrong. Usually the guy starts each statement with the word "I" instead of "We". It is most noticeable when you disagree on something and the "I" word constantly comes out of his mouth. If he never says, "What do YOU think WE should do?" or "How do YOU feel?" instead of "I think we should...." or "I want this..." Then it shows a failure to see things from your point of view.

   • 2

     Do you find yourself watching his genre of movies?

     It may seem small but it does send a clear message. If your boyfriend can not watch your favorite films or even care to know them. Then he is sending another clear self-centered message. Ask yourself if you find yourself in the following scenarios.
     A. Your movie dates consist of only his favorite style of films.
     B. You suggest one of your favorites for him to watch but he is always too tired to watch it.
     C. You watch one of your favorites with him and he falls asleep.
     D. You ask him what he thought of one of your favorite films and his answers are short and simple. i.e. "It was pretty good....I liked it" But when asked about a genre of film he likes, his answers become more in-depth and detailed.

   • 3

     Does your boyfriend prefer you to take charge in bed?

     Now this might seem a bit strange but trust me it is true. If your boyfriend prefers for you to take charge in bed, then he is communicating to you that he is self-centered. Most women would disagree with this notion. Many women would say that a man who is always on top of you is someone that is self-centered because he is trying to please himself and a man that prefers you on top is just more passionate and interesting in bed and at worst just a lazy lover. Not true. In reality, most guys get on top of you to simply please you. They want to take control so that they see to it that you are enjoying the sex. This can be a good and bad thing depending on what you like, but I am not here to tell you what you like. I'm here to tell you what it all really means in bed. If your man likes to be under you all the time, it means that he prefers for you to please him. He likes to see you make love to him and service him. It is another message to you about his character. If the two of you please each other orally, but you usually more often than not, pleases him in this way during each sexually encounter and doesn't get much in return; then you are being sent another clear message. It might not seem like a big deal but his subconscious is speaking volumes to you my friend.

By HonestShawn, eHow User

A Self Centered Egotistical Mind

Wicked is the ego of self centered fools.
Who care about nothing but causing trouble.
Nobody can do right in the eyes of such people.
They have people beside them blinded in comfort.
The selfishness of the ego cries like a baby.
Especially when things don’t go the way it wants.
Then it try’s and psych you out by asking questions.
Did I do something wrong? Are you pushing me away?
The people who see this ego driven selfishness, laugh.
Every time it is expressed, we all laugh harder.
We laugh because this type of self centeredness grows.
It grows younger and more childish every single day.
This type of egotistical, possessiveness yearns for help.
But, you can’t tell someone this who already knows everything.
Why try beating a dead horse if it’s living?
It will still remain a dead horse breathing lucid air.
The self centered ego sucks people down and everything around it as well.
It cannot survive by simply being happy for others.
It needs to choke people, tell them they aren’t doing things right.
The ego has its own built up hatred to feed, on others faults.
What selfishness and pity can the human mind have?
Self centered minds who blame everything going wrong on others.
This is why egotistical self centered minds get pushed away.
This is why people leave and don’t want to come back, ever.
It’s always something, it’s always someone else’s fault.
This is the mind set of the ego driven self centered thought.
Never happy about anything unless it is perfect by the ego’s standards.
Funny, nobody seems to get along with this personality.
Grow up! Move on with life. Leave others alone. Stop pushing away.

HIV is still on the increase in Reading By Jessica Harding

Sunday marked 30 years since the first reported cases of HIV in the UK.

Jessica Harding of sexual health charity Thames Valley Positive Support – which helps those affected by HIV – explains the importance of keeping up awareness three decades on

Thirty years, ‘so what?’ you might think; the number of people being diagnosed must have gone down and the stigma surrounding this virus has all but disappeared.

It appears the older this virus gets, the less we actually talk about it. Sadly, when it comes to HIV, quite the opposite is happening.

In fact in Reading the number of people newly diagnosed is still rising and the town has been flagged up by the department of health as an HIV hot spot, meaning the prevalence of HIV in Reading is higher than in many major UK cities.

As for stigma, people affected by HIV face it daily. Thames Valley Positive Support (TVPS) is the only HIV charity in Berkshire and here we see first-hand the effects of such discrimination.

We believe knowledge of this virus is the key, both to bringing down the number of people contracting HIV and to removing the stigma that seems to go all too comfortably with this virus.

So indulge me. Let’s just go through some basics. HIV is contracted only via unprotected sex; sharing unsterilised needles; from mother to baby through either childbirth (very rarely in the UK) or breast feeding; and from injection or transfusion of contaminated blood.

You can’t contract HIV by kissing, hugging, sitting on a toilet seat, sharing a pen or using the same cutlery. This is already well known by most people, but these examples are all too common misconceptions we come across regularly. TVPS has joined forces with West Berkshire Primary Care Trust to bring West Berkshire the Free Adult Condom Trust (FACT).

The scheme offers high-risk and vulnerable adults easy access to free contraception in a range of venues. We are really pleased to be involved in such an innovative project that really does give people the opportunity to be in control of their sexual health.

For more information on the scheme please visit www.freeadultcondomtrust.org.uk

Remember our key message: Spread the love, not STIs.

If you or someone you are close to has been diagnosed with HIV, please visit www.tvps.org.ukfor information about the support we offer, or call 0118 935 3730.

June 06, 2011

End Of An Era: Shaquille O’Neal Says Goodbye To The NBA…

Catch ya later, Diesel.

Shaq took to the social media site, Tout, to put out a video where he announced his retirement.

“We did it. Nineteen years baby,” Shaq shared. “I want to thank you very much, that’s why I’m telling you first, I’m about to retire. Thank you, talk to you soon.”

You think this is really the end or just another prank? Shaq is getting old and could barely walk around for the last half of the season, so maybe it’s best he call it a career. It’s also interesting that he waited until the Finals started, so he can snatch the attention away from the people that are actually still playing ball.

Oh well, at least now he can spend some quality time with his boo boo Hoopz. So what do you think? Is Shaq the greatest NBA center of all time?