My Favorite Bit this week was about how judges in North Carolina are cutting court costs for the poor. It has become a common practice throughout parts of the United States to use court and law enforcement-related fees as a way to raise money for the state. In North Carolina, it even costs to spend time in jail before you are convicted. To combat these abusive practices, 21 county judges in the state have banded together to more actively assess a defendant’s ability to pay before imposing financially ruinous fees and fines.
Scientists have discovered how the neurotransmitter GABA plays a role in allowing you to block unwanted thoughts which will help researchers improve treatments for various psychiatric disorders. Continued research into the human metabolism explains an often mysterious process that affects every cell in your body.
The prevalence of Sexual Assault in society is, in part, perpetuated by a culture of toxic masculinity; research into men who rape shows how “heavy drinking, perceived pressure to have sex, a belief in ‘rape myths’ — such as the idea that no means yes [—]” as well as “a peer group that uses hostile language to describe women” have “an outsize presence among those who commit sexual assaults.” The prevalence of these types of attitudes (and the actions that often accompany them) result in women learning to be afraid of men through a lifetime of uncomfortable and traumatizing experiences. Parents can help their children learn to protect themselves against sexual assault by teaching body awareness and autonomy as well as providing them with exit strategies for uncomfortable and potentially dangerous situations.
Former George W. Bush speechwriter, David Frum, shares his thoughts on Trump and why Republican elected officials choose to continue supporting him. Frum believes that the Republican Party has “a platform that can’t prevail in democratic competition” and that Trump was able to win by speaking to issues that concerned Republican voters more effectively than any other candidate. One of these issues was Immigration; however, Trump’s negative rhetoric about immigrants ignores the fact that “only a third of native-born Americans could pass the naturalization civics test, while 97 percent of immigrant applicants do” and that all naturalized citizens pledge allegiance to the U.S. Constitution.
Finishing off your week in review is a Hodgepodge of articles take a look at the award winning map that shows a more accurate globe, why young queer women are wary of describing themselves as lesbians, the fascinating Chinese replicas of Western cities that blend Chinese and Western culture and architecture into a suburban neighborhood, the software at Arianna Huffington’s startup Thrive that deletes employees’ emails when they are on vacation, and the 15 minute study hack that is proven to raise grades.
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Have a great rest of your week!