What Is the Point of the Female Orgasm?

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A new study examines “orgasmability” to determine whether it serves a purpose or is just an evolutionary accident

There may be few questions of human sexuality more rancorous than those about the female orgasm. Scientists agree that women probably started having orgasms as a by-product of men having them, similar to how men have nipples because women have them. As Elisabeth Lloyd, a philosopher of science and theoretical biologist at Indiana University put it in her 2005 book The Case of the Female Orgasm: Bias in the Science of Evolution: “Females get the erectile and nervous tissue necessary for orgasm in virtue of the strong, ongoing selective pressure on males for the sperm delivery system of male orgasm and ejaculation.” But why we ladies still have orgasms is hotly debated.

Male orgasms exist, it’s widely believed, to encourage men to spread their seed. On face value, it would be easy to say that women orgasm for the same reason: to encourage them to have sex and make babies. But in practice, compared to male orgasm, female orgasm is very difficult to achieve. There’s a lot of variation even within individual women, and 10 percent of women never have them at all. And, unlike male orgasm, female orgasm isn’t a prerequisite for pregnancy.

So why do women have orgasms at all? There are two firmly opposed camps on this question. The first group proposes that it has an adaptive function in one of three categories: pair bonding, mate selection and enhanced fertility. I’ll break these down. The pair-bonding theory suggests that female orgasm bonds partners, ensuring two parents for the offspring, while mate selection offers that women use orgasm as a sort of litmus test for “quality” partners. The enhanced fertility theory, meanwhile, proposes that uterine contractions during female orgasm help to “suck up” sperm into the uterus.

The by-product camp, on the other hand, claims that female orgasms are to this day an incidental by-product of male orgasm, not an evolutionary adaption. “There’s no documented connection between women who have orgasm at all, or faster, having more or better offspring,” Lloyd says.

The schism between the two camps deepened this month with the publication of a new study of twins and siblings in Animal Behavior that seems to rule out the by-product theory of female orgasm. Researchers Brendan Zietsch at the University of Queensland in Australia and Pekka Santtila at Abo Akedemi University in Finland asked 10,000 Finnish female and male twins and siblings to report on their “orgasmability” (their word, not mine). They looked for similarities in orgasm function between female and male twins. If the by-product theory of female orgasm is true, they say, this similarity should exist. Due to the inherent differences in orgasm between women and men, females were asked to report how often they had orgasms during sex and how difficult they were to achieve, while males were asked how long it took them to reach orgasm during the act and how often they felt they ejaculated too quickly or too slowly.

Zietsch and Santtila found strong orgasmability correlations among same-sex identical twins, and weaker yet still significant similarities between same-sex non-identical twins and siblings. However, they found zero correlation in orgasm function between opposite-sex twins. “We show that while male and female orgasmic function are influenced by genes, there is no cross-sex correlation in orgasmic function — women’s orgasmability doesn’t correlate with their brother’s orgasmability,” explains Zietsch. “As such, there is no path by which selection on male orgasm can be transferred to female orgasm, in which case the by-product theory cannot work.”

Zietsch says he doesn’t have a favorite theory on the evolutionary function of female orgasm, but if forced to guess he’d say that it provides women extra reward for engaging in sex, thus increasing frequency of intercourse and, in turn, fertility. (There’s no proof of this yet, though, as Lloyd points out.) Zietsch continues: “I’ve shown in another paper, though, that there is only a very weak association between women’s orgasm rate and their libido, so the selection pressure on female orgasm is probably weak — this might explain why many women rarely or never have orgasms during sex.”

Lloyd and other proponents of the by-product theory agree that weak selection pressure could be acting on female orgasm, but not enough to maintain it over the eons of human evolution. Rather, if female orgasm bestows any reproductive benefits onto the human race, it would be by happy accident. Unsurprisingly, Lloyd has a lot of bones to pick with the recent study. Comparing different orgasm traits in women and men is a textbook case of apples and oranges, she says.

Kim Wallen, a behavioral neuroendocrinologist at Emory University and frequent collaborator with Lloyd, explains it thus: “Imagine that I wanted to compare height in men and women. In women I used a measurement from the top of the head to the bottom of the foot. In men I used how rapidly they could stand up. Would I be surprised that each measure was correlated in identical twins within sexes, but uncorrelated in mixed-sex twins? Such a result would be what was predicted and completely unsurprising. Zietsch and Santtila have done the equivalent of this experiment using orgasm instead of height.”

Wallen also points out that previous research has shown that traits under strong selective pressure show little variability, while those under weak pressure tend to show more variability. With human orgasm this bears out in that men report almost always achieving orgasm during sex, while the ability to orgasm during intercourse varies widely among women. (Penis and vagina size – both necessary for reproduction — show little variability, suggesting they are under strong selective pressure, Lloyd says, while clitoral length is highly variable.) Wallen asserts that Zietsch and Santtila, “chose to compare apples to oranges because the evidence is so strong that men’s and women’s orgasms are under different degrees of selective pressure, the very point they were trying to disprove.” Yikes.

To their credit, Zietsch and Santilla acknowledged the limitations of their study, both in the paper and in Zietsch’s email to me. More work obviously needs to be done. “Figuring out the function of female orgasm, if any, will probably require very large genetically informative samples, fertility data, and detailed information on sexual behaviour, orgasm rate, and the conditions and partners involved,” Zietsch says. “I do have plans, but the debate probably won’t be settled quite some time to come.”

If, at this point, you’re as frustrated as me, you might be wondering what we do know about female orgasm. Well, we’re closer to knowing why they’re so few and far between during sex. In a paper published online this January in Hormones and Behavior, Lloyd and Wallen found that the farther away the clitoris is from the urinary opening, the less likely it is that the woman will regularly achieve orgasm with intercourse. If this holds up in future experiments, Lloyd says, it would establish that a woman’s ability to have an orgasm during sex rests on an anatomical trait that likely varies with exposure to male sex hormones in the womb. “Such a trait could possibly be under selection,” she says, “but this would have to be investigated. So far, no selective force seems to appear.”

Jennifer Abbasi is a science and health writer and editor living in Brooklyn. She has seen every episode of The X-Files. Have a question about the science of sex? Email Jen at popsci.thesexfiles@gmail.com.

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Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Thousands at pope’s final Mass in Germany

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FREIBURG, Germany (AP) — Thousands of faithful, cheering and waving flags, have turned out for the final Mass of Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to his native Germany.

 

Applause erupted as Benedict arrived Sunday morning at a vast field beside an airport in Freiburg.

The pope’s four-day state visit comes as Germany’s church has been losing tens of thousands of followers amid revelations that hundreds of children and young people were abused by clergy and church employees. There have also been scattered protests denouncing the Vatican views on homosexuality, contraception and other issues.

Benedict alluded to the dissent in Catholic ranks Saturday night when he said that through the years “damage to the church comes not from opponents, but from uncommitted Christians.”

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Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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The criminal monopoly power in Latvia :Fortum Jelgava

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Finnish company “Fortum” on 25.06.2011. was informed that their daughter’s company Ltd “Fortum Jelgava”, has carried out the long term criminal activities against their client Jana Smila, illegally demanding payment for not received and even impossible heating service for her apartment on Kr. Barona Street 3-31, Jelgava, Latvia. Vice President of Fortum Heat in Baltic Countries Jaakko Vähä-Piikkiö completely ignored all facts presented by Jana lawyer Aivars TÄ«rumnieks on e-mail message sent to all responsible officials of company “Fortum”.Vice President even did not react when got to know that on June 28, 2011, Jelgava Prosecutor Office opened the Criminal Case in connection with the whole set of the long term criminal offences carried out by Ltd “Fortum Jelgava”.

The heating system for this apartment was disconnected on September 26, 2002 because of apartment repair and replacement of radiators. This was done by written agreement with the management company Ltd. “Nebruk Jelgava”, and heating service supplier Ltd. “Jelgavas SiltumtÄ«kli.” Jana Smila due to unforeseen expenses could not to make the radiators replacement and repair of her apartment quickly enough, but heating supply company continued to send bills with the illegal demand to pay for not received heating service in full. Despite the fact that the disconnecting of the heating system was officially registered by both mentioned companies, the management company, criminally executing heating supplier orders, refused to conclude a management contract with the apartment owner. Everybody knows that without a contract the person is not entitled to any services related to housing maintenance, and consequently up to this very day, Jana was not able to use her apartment in the way determined by law. So, for 9 years was suspended the apartment repair and radiators replacement. In this way all these years three children family was tormented by the heat supply company using their monopoly power in Jelgava city and by all means trying to force them to pay for nothing, so executing an extortion with the number of supporting crimes.

On May 18, 2005 the corrupted court of Jelgava delivered the deliberately illegal sentence in absentia based on false accounting data, and deliberately falsified certificate of Jana place of residence , and sentenced her to pay for the not received heating service in full for the whole period from 2002. The illegal sentence was executed and money recovered by Ltd. “Nebruk Jelgava”, and transferred to the Ltd. “Fortum Jelgava” account only in October 2010.

On the year of 2008, when Ltd. “Fortum Jelgava” took over the obligations of Ltd. “Jelgavas SiltumtÄ«kli”, they continued to demand to pay for heating service in full without any legal basis. Ltd. “Fortum Jelgava”, taking over the obligations were aware about everything, but on 30.09.2009. illegally brought the case to Jelgava Court about non-existent ‘debt’ recovery from Jana Smila  repeatedly on exactly the same period from March 1, 2002 up to this very moment. We have the mass of documentary evidence that they deliberately did not allow to pay for the apartment building sharing space heating, as well as other services in order illegally to force the owner to pay a significantly higher amount of money for undeliverable service. The corrupted courts of Jelgava and Dobele did not and do not take into account any evidence and continue to keep up unlawful action, while police and prosecutor office illegally refuse to consider victim applications, notwithstanding that there are the apparent evidence on a number of criminal offenses, making an excuse that the case is running before the Court civil procedure. As it was mentioned above, due to Jana lawyer Aivars TÄ«rumnieks and her representative UÄ£is Smila activities Jelgava Prosecutor Office was forced to initiate criminal proceedings against the companies, and despite of undisputable evidence by all costs they try to terminate proceedings with the dead end. Seeing that they and corrupted law enforcement system are under high pressure from the part of Jana and her representatives, Ltd. “Fortum Jelgava” on 25.07.2011. submitted the deliberately unlawful application to Police Department of Zemgale region , unlawfully and falsely accusing them in commitment of several crimes. Initially it was not understandable why this application was taken by Police Department of Zemgale region, without passing it to Jelgava police station as it is prescribed by law, but later it became clear that the headquarter building of Police Department of Zemgale region belongs to Ltd “Fortum Jelgava”.

Due to the fact that Latvian law enforcement institutions are illegally and completely integrated into the free market economy, and that the family, during nine years, has suffered huge material and moral losses because of Ltd. “Fortum Jelgava” deliberately illegal activities, there is no other options to protect the rights of this family but just to inform the international community as well as to warn citizens of other countries to avoid to accept any services from unfair and criminal-oriented company like “Fortum”.

There is the opportunity to see the photos of the apartment on attached files in order to see how it looks like since September 26, 2002. It would be good to watch the Latvian television program “Tautas balss” on April 7, 2011, about the situation described (starting to watch from the sixth minute) follow the link – http://www.tvnet.lv/online_tv/12107 because that is the reason why due to our public activities  Dobele Judge Renate Krasovska was forced to resign from the civil proceedings on April 12, 2011.

The representative of Jana Smila lawyer Aivars TÄ«rumnieks seeing the overall criminal situation in Latvia on the year of 2002 and 2008 stood as a candidate for the position of the Chief of Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau of Latvia. With the great respect to law and honor of Police officer he guaranties that all the information provided here is the absolute truth and all statements can be covered with the evidence.

Prepared by lawyer of Jana Smila Aivars TÄ«rumnieks   (phone: +371 26010865; e-mail: aivars.tirumnieks@inbox.lv)

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Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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The Effects of Alcohol and Drugs on Road Traffic Accident

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Read Time:4 Minute, 43 Second

Driving is a very demanding activity that requires a serious responsibility, attitudes with physical and mental abilities for safety. The most important steps to be taken in order to stay out of trouble on the road are to; continously observe the roads around you, anticipate what may happen that could be a risk to you and other road users, and respond by taking appropriate quick step or action before the risk increases. Driver’s attitudes on the road determines his safety and others around. Alcohol and drugs are among the most causes of fatal road accident on our roads.

 

Thousands of people die or suffered from physical or mental disability every year due to drunk driving and drugs taking. These are the things that can increase the chances of getting an accident even on a very good road. Alcohol is a major factor directly or indirectly contribute to the cause of high percentage road accident in both developed and developing countries. Alcohol distrupts the driver’s skills and abilities when it goes into the bloodstream and spreads throughout the body system, affecting mainly the brain and the eyes. Alcohol is specifically does not affect everyone equally.The intensity is differ from one person to another. It depends on the factors like age, the body weight, gender, (women are mostly affected), the amount taken either with food or empty stomach (worst).

Meanwhile, it is possible to detect alcohol five minutes after consuming it but the Blood Alcoholic Content or Concentration (BAC) reaches it maximum concentration between thirty minutes and an hour after the last cup. Alcohol is eliminated more slowly when the person sleeps than when they are awake. Most countries set their legal BAC level and making it illegal to driving or operating under the influence of alcohol or intoxicated. Some instruments like Breathalyser, Etilometro or Intoximeter are mostly used to test driver’s consumption of alcohol.

 

Alcohol impairs cognitive functions which include planning, vision, perception and decision making when drunk driving. It affects judgement of speed, distance and ability to evaluate risks on the road. It makes simple task more difficult and reduces your ability to do more than one thing at a time. It reduces ability to react and concentration on the wheel. Sometimes, it relaxes you and increases your chances of falling asleep on the wheel. Apart from this, a drunk driver tends to be less prudent, aggressive and traffic offences are more likely to be committed with ease thereby increases the risk of getting accident. You can see the danger a drunk driver will put his passengers, motorcycle riders, bicycle riders, school pupils and the rest of the pedestrians on the road.

The influence of drugs in road accident is another factor claiming more lives on our roads. Drugs are medications prescribed or unprescribed may impair driving abilities and skills. All traffic laws strictly forbidden to drive under the influence of drugs, medication or other substances that can alter one’s physical or mental state. Some kind of drugs can cause your reactions to slow down, reduce your ability to make decisions and process information quickly while on the wheel. It is very advisable not to take any medication less than an hour before operating or driving a vehicle. This is because most medicines prescribed by your doctor and those bought without prescription have side effects such as sedative and analgesics (pain relievers) medication can cause drowsiness, blurred vision or dizziness, nausea, undue aggression, shakiness and inability to concentrate. It is very vital to always read your medicine label carefully and obey direetions and warning -they are there for your protection.

Moreover, the effects of other ban drugs and substances like cannabis (marijuana or hemp plant), cocaine, LSD, Amphetamines, Extasis etc are inimical to safe driving. The psychoactive chemical in Cannabis or Marijuana is called Tetrahydrocannabinol THC which has different effect from alcoholic drinks and it is worst when combine with alcohol. This THC can be detected in the body for up to four weeks. It affects driver’s perception on surrounding, time and space and loss of concentration capacity. Cocaine is a drug from coca used as local anaesthetic and as stimulant. It over-estimate driver’s capabilities when consume at high doses. It also bring impulsiveness and aggressivenes. Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) is a semisynthetic psychedelic drug. Its psychological effects can include altered thinking proceses, closed and open eye visuals, distortion of reality and hallucination. Amphetamines increases violent conduct and psychomotor alterations. It is better to avoid all these ban drugs in all ramifications.

On a last note, it is more dangerous to mix alcohol with other drugs. The effect is severe and can reduce your ability to drive safely thereby putting your lise and the lives of other passengers or road users in danger. If you are planning on drinking in a party, it is advisable to plan not to drive. Plan and arrange for other alternatives such as asking a relation to pick you up, getting a lift from somebody who doesn’t drink, taking a taxi or public transport or even stay overnight. The life is too precious to be wasted on alcohol and drugs. Remmber that accident can ruin a life in a split of second. It is better to late to your destination than be the late person. It is our collective responsibility to eradicate or reduce the ever increasing volume of road accidents worldwide.

 

Written by:
Adewale T Akande
Author and Road Traffic Safety Consultant.
Barcelona, Spain. Tel:0034-600877296

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Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Top court stays Texas death row inmate in a case tinged by racial controversy

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WASHINGTON/AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) – The Supreme Court gave a reprieve on Thursday to a Texas death row inmate in a case tinged by racial controversy, granting a stay more than 90 minutes after the scheduled time of execution.

The high court issued the stay for Duane Buck, 48, who had been scheduled to be put to death by lethal injection at 6 p.m. local time in Huntsville, Texas, for a pair of shotgun murders in 1995 in Houston.

Lawyers for Buck, who is black, appealed to the Supreme Court and said he had been unfairly sentenced because a psychologist testified that black men were more likely than other races to be repeat offenders after their release from prison.

On hearing the news, Buck told prison officials: “Praise the Lord, God is worthy to be praised. God’s mercy triumphs over judgment. I feel good,” according to Jason Clark of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

The stay came a few hours after Buck had what he and others thought would be his last meal of fried chicken, salad with tomato, lettuce and cucumber, french fries, fried fish, hot sauce, seven jalapeno peppers, three green or red apples, iced tea and ice water.

Buck’s attorneys had also asked Texas Governor Rick Perry, a Republican presidential candidate, to halt the execution. But the court’s stay means Perry will not have to act.

Perry is a capital punishment supporter and has taken the lead in opinion polls in the race for the Republican presidential nomination. During his 11 years in office, 235 convicted murderers in Texas have been put to death, the most by far of any state in the nation.

TWO KILLINGS

Buck was convicted in 1997 of capital murder in connection with the deaths of his former girlfriend, Debra Gardner, and Kenneth Butler, who were shot to death with a shotgun at her house.

Buck’s relationship with Gardner ended a week before the shootings. Early on July 30, 1995, he forced his way into Gardner’s house, argued with her, hit her and then grabbed his belongings and left, authorities said.

A few hours later, he returned with a rifle and shotgun. Buck accused Butler of sleeping with Gardner and then shot him to death in the hallway. He then chased Gardner into the street, with her children close behind, and killed her.

When police arrived, Buck was trying to leave the scene but he was arrested after the survivors identified him as the attacker. Authorities said that when he was being arrested he told the officer, “The bitch deserved what she got.”

At sentencing, jurors heard testimony from the psychologist, Walter Quijano, who was called by the defense. He said under questioning by prosecutors that his research showed black men were more likely to offend again if they were let out of prison.

Buck’s case was one of nine death row inmates identified at the time by then-Texas Attorney General John Cornyn as involving sentencing hearings that included the psychologist’s testimony. Cornyn is now a Republican U.S. senator.

It is unusual, but not unprecedented, for the Supreme Court to stay an execution. The court in a brief, one-paragraph order, said the stay would remain in effect until the court acted on Buck’s appeal. There were no recorded dissents.

Buck’s attorney, Kate Black, said the stay could last just for a week or for a month. but added that the execution “won’t be tonight.”

“We’re just relieved that the court recognized the injustice here and that no one should be put to death based on the color of their skin,” she said.

(Editing by Peter Cooney and Jackie Frank)

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Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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U.S. Based Media Producer Not Approved by WYD 2011

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Read Time:1 Minute, 48 Second

WYD Cultural Program Participants Must Be Endorsed by Bishops’ Conferences

It has come to our attention that Michael Voris, a US based media producer, is scheduled to offer independent catechesis sessions out of a hotel in Madrid during World Youth Day 2011. There has been some confusion regarding his affiliation with World Youth Day. Michael Voris, the clergy and the laity associated with him, and their media efforts “Real Catholic TV” and “No Bull in Madrid” are not in any way recognized or approved by World Youth Day 2011.

Catechesis at World Youth Day is offered by Bishops of the Catholic Church in union with Pope Benedict XVI, who has invited the young people of the world to join him in Madrid for this celebration of faith and life. The Vatican’s Pontifical Council for the Laity selects and invites Bishops, and only Bishops, from around the world to conduct Catechesis sessions at WYD in various languages.

Participants in the World Youth Day 2011 Cultural Program must be recognized and endorsed by the Bishops and Episcopal Conferences of their respective countries. Participants were selected for Cultural program by the World Youth Day organization in close collaboration with the Pontifical Council for the Laity. Those groups participating in the World Youth Day 2011 Cultural Festival have been selected because, through their various activities, they promote the authentic teaching and unity of the Roman Catholic Church and have been endorsed by their local Bishop and Espiscopal conference. Michael Voris, “Real Catholic TV” and “No Bull in Madrid” did not receive such endorsement from their Bishop or Episcopal Conference.

Michael Voris, “Real Catholic TV” and the program “No Bull in Madrid” are not accredited to or recognized by World Youth Day 2011.

World Youth Day Madrid 2011 invites and encourages all pilgrims attending this celebration of faith to visit the vast array of events that make up the official World Youth Day 2011 Cultural Festival and are endorsed by the Pontifical Council for the Laity, the WYD organization and their respective Bishops conferences.

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Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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United StatesÖ Drunk father lets 8-year-old son drive pickup: police

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 A drunk father allegedly allowed his 8 year-old son to drive his pick-up truck on a southeast Louisiana highway on Saturday while he slept, until patrol officers pulled over the boy, police said.

The boy was driving the Chevrolet truck on Interstate 12 near the town of Holden, with his father in the passenger seat and his 4 year-old sister in the back seat, Louisiana State Police said in a statement.

A passing motorist noticed the pick-up truck was being driven erratically and called police.

When Louisiana state troopers pulled over the truck in Livingston Parish, they found the 8 year-old boy behind the wheel and interviewed the father, 28 year-old Billy Joe Madden of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, police said.

Police said they determined Madden was drunk and that he had been sleeping while his son drove the vehicle, en-route to Dallas, Texas.

Madden was arrested and booked into jail on two counts of child desertion, parent allowing a minor to drive, open container and two counts of no child restraint and no seatbelt.

Madden remains in jail at Livingston Parish Detention Center in lieu of $1,474 bail, said sheriff’s deputy Dustin Sanders at the facility.

Both of Madden’s children were turned over to child welfare authorities and were awaiting the arrival of a family member who could take custody of them, police said.

(Reporting by Kathy Finn; Writing by Alex Dobuzinskis; Editing by Tim Gaynor)

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Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Thunder and lightning in southern Finland

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Strong thunderstorms hit southern Finland and the province of Ã…land in the early afternoon on Thursday. Heavy rains have hindered traffic on the roads in some areas of Helsinki and Vantaa.

Some 1,600 lightning strikes were recorded in southern Finland by 1pm, according to the Finnish Meteorological Institute. A number of places have also seen heavy rains—with 18mm rain per hour measured at Helsinki-Vantaa airport, for example.

A couple of thousand residents of Kirkkonummi just west of Helsinki were left without electricity for a time. The outages have been fixed since. Energy company Fortum says that the problems were due to lightning, rather than trees falling on power lines.

Thunderstorms will persist in the south for the entire day, according to the Finnish Meteorological Institute. Thunder and lightning might be accompanied by gust of winds exceeding 15 m/s.

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Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Truffle dogs reveal clues about childhood epilepsy

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A new epilepsy gene has been found in the Lagotto Romagnolo dogs, known from their gift for truffle hunting. The gene discovery made by Professor Hannes Lohi and his research group at the University of Helsinki and the Folkhälsan Rsearch Center offers a new candidate gene for human benign childhood epilepsies. The research is to be published in the prestigious scientific journal PlosGenetics on Thursday.

Epilepsy is the most common neurological disease in children. It occurs in 0.5 percent of all 2-10 year-old children, the time when the development of the nerves in the brain is at its strongest. Childhood epilepsies are characterized by remission: the seizures set in and last for a while before they disappear completely. The mechanisms related to the remission have remained unknown.

Crucial insights

Professor Lohi and his research group say that the new gene discovery in the Lagotto Romagnolo dog breed provides new perspectives into the development of a child’s brain and the remission mechanisms in childhood epilepsies. In addition, the identified gene has enabled the development of a DNA test for the Lagotto Romagnolo breed.

“This gene discovery is significant for both dogs and humans. Every third Lagotto Romagnolo carries the gene mutation in its genome and we have now developed a gene test to be used by breeders to eliminate the disease from the breed. Furthermore, the gene has not previously been linked to human epilepsies, which makes it a new candidate gene for especially childhood epilepsies,” explains Hannes Lohi.

An epileptic seizure is caused by an electronic disturbance in brain function. Epilepsy is most common in childhood and old age.

“With this study we gain crucial insight into the pathways and mechanisms that control the development of a child’s brain, optimizing its structure for electrical stability and seizure-freedom in the rest of adult life. This study will open vast avenues of research in uncovering the molecular bases of the transformation of the brain from its immature state in infancy to its maximal abilities in adolescence and early adulthood,” says Dr. Berge Minassian, senior co-author of the study and a senior scientist and pediatric epileptologist at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada.

Canine DNA bank

Together with his research group Lohi has built a large canine DNA bank in Finland with over 35 000 samples from 250 breeds. The DNA bank has played an important role in the present and ongoing studies.

“We also study the epilepsies in other breeds, and several new epilepsy loci have been discovered recently. I believe that there will be more similar success stories such as the case of the truffle dogs in future. Canine epilepsies are natural, spontaneous and resemble human epilepsies, offering us a great opportunity to advance the epilepsy research for the benefit of both humans and dogs,” Lohi asserts.

Lohi’s research group operates in two campuses at the Faculties of Veterinary Medicine and Medicine at the University of Helsinki and also at the Folkhälsan Research Center. His research is funded by several sources including the Academy of Finland, the European Union, the Sigfrid Jusélius Foundation, the Finnish Cultural Foundation, the Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation, Biocentrum Helsinki, University of Helsinki Research Funds and Folkhälsan.

YLE, University of Helsinki

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Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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U.S. considering Libyan rebel embassy

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Read Time:1 Minute, 21 Second

U.S. is consulting with the Libyan rebels about giving it diplomatic accreditation or representation including opening an embassy in Washington, a senior administration official said, a day after Britain expelled diplomats from the Qadhafi regime.

“We did yesterday receive an official request from the National Transitional Council (NTC) regarding the reopening of the Libyan embassy here in Washington, and we’re reviewing that request,” State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters at his daily news conference.

“We are consulting with the National Transitional Council on a broad range of issues, and that includes diplomatic accreditation and representation.

“Legally, they are able to appoint diplomats and reopen their embassy in Washington with our consent, of course,” he said.

Mr. Toner said the NTC wants to reopen their embassy as the recognised Government of Libya.

“We need to discuss on the table – diplomatic status accreditation, representation are among those issues. We are looking at them, we’re talking with the NTC about them, and they did finally send an official request regarding reopening of their embassy, and we’re reviewing that request. We’ll work through these issues,” he said.

By recognising the NTC, he said, the U.S. was able to unfreeze some, not all, of Libya’s frozen assets.

“We are working through the many legal issues that we have to work through in order for that to happen,” he added.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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