Liberals and Atheists tend to have higher IQs?

Recently, CNN.com posted an article entitled, "Liberalism, atheism, male sexual exclusivity linked to IQ." Makes sense to me. When asked when I decided that I wasn't Catholic anymore, my response is, "I decided when I started to think for myself in college." Thinking- for yourself; critical thinking. I don't think that I have a seriously high IQ, but I do spend a lot of time thinking about the world around me; asking questions- something which I feel we need to encourage our kids to do from the start.

Killer Whale

As an animal keeper/educator at an AZA zoo, I am not against keeping wild animals in captivity if it is done for the right reasons (education and conservation) and under the right conditions. I do feel, however, that there are certain species that are rarely kept and almost impossible to keep properly in captivity. These animals include: elephants, dolphins or whales, and chimpanzees. Orcas are highly intelligent animals that live in large social groups and travel long distances in the wild. Although SeaWorld uses positive training techniques, invests time and money to help research and conservation efforts, and spends time and money on trying to keep their animals healthy and content, the nature of their business is profit through entertainment. Placing an ocra, or any dolphin or whale, in a tank and asking them to perform tricks creates a frustrating environment that is nowhere near normal for the animals. When an elephant, chimpanzee, or orca injures or kills a human under these stressful, unnatural circumstances, it should be completely expected and normal under those circumstances. Any animal keeper who works with a potentially deadly animal falls in one of two categories. They are either insane, or they understand the risk and are willing to accept it. Some of these keepers work under protected conditions, some do not. If you work with a tiger without the highest level of security protocols and walk it around on a leash, you are at a very high and real risk of death or serious injury. If you work with orcas ....you are at a very high and real risk of death or serious injury.

It took a very long time to "domesticate" dogs from wolves and they seriously injure and kill people every year. I don't consider "domestic" cats to be domesticated...if my cats were 500lbs, I am very sure that they would seriously injure or kill me just through play. Wild animals don't become domestic, tame, or safe just because they are born in captivity, hand-raised, or treated like a pet. At any moment, their natural instincts can be triggered. For every person who says that their exotic pet is the sweetest animal ever, there is another person who has been seriously injured. There are varying levels of expertise and experience, but ultimately, if a wild animal doesn't act wild, it is pure luck- and in my opinion, very sad.

Broken

CNN says that 86% of Americans believe that the U.S. government is broken...

1. Forcibly separated into two or more pieces; fractured

2. Sundered by divorce, separation, or desertion

3. Having been violated

4. Incomplete, Being in a state of disarray; disordered

5. Intermittently stopping and starting; discontinuous, Varying abruptly, as in pitch, Spoken with gaps and errors.

6. Topographically rough; uneven

7. Subdued totally; humbled, Weakened and infirm

8. Crushed by grief

9. Financially ruined; bankrupt.

10. Not functioning; out of order

(www.thefreedictionary.com)

Yup....