Lesbian, gay, bisexuals face more mood,

The results showed that gay and lesbians reported about twice the rates of anxiety and mood disorders compared to heterosexuals.

The results showed that gay and lesbians reported about twice the rates of anxiety and mood disorders compared to heterosexuals. (Source: Thinkstock Images) Gay, lesbian and bisexuals experience more mood and anxiety disorders than other people, says a new study, adding that they are more likely to turn to heavy drinking.
The study claims to be the first of its kind in which researchers found that those who are bisexuals reported the highest rates of mood and anxiety disorders and heavy drinking compared to any other group. “Often gay, lesbian and bisexual people are grouped together in studies, but we found there are important differences in their reported health,” said lead study author Basia Pakula from University of British Columbia’s school of population and public health in Canada.

“These findings are extremely useful because this information has not been available for us in Canada until now,” Pakula added in the paper published in the American Journal of Public. The team analysed more than 220,000 Canadian participants between 2007 and 2012. The results showed that gay and lesbians reported about twice the rates of anxiety and mood disorders compared to heterosexuals.
For bisexuals, the rates were nearly four times those of heterosexuals and approximately twice the rates of gay or lesbian respondents.
While this study did not look at the causes of anxiety and mood disorders in this population, an extensive body of research suggests that these people experience chronic stress related to prejudice and stigma, Pakula noted. People often turn to substances like alcohol to cope with ongoing stress. Any health interventions aimed at helping people deal with stress and anxiety or mood disorders should also address the unique needs of the population, the authors stated.
“Bisexual people often face a double stigma from within heterosexual and gay or lesbian communities and lack needed supports,” Pakula explained. The study’s findings can be used to plan and allocate resources for health services that better respond to the issues facing these groups, the researchers suggested.By: IANS 

How dumb!

This study provides compelling evidence that there shouldn't be any discrimination against blondes based on their intelligence.

While jokes about blondes may seem harmless to some, they can have real-world implications. (Source: Screenshot) The jokes about “dumb blondes” are, well, just jokes! Researchers have found that the average IQ of blondes may actually be slightly higher than those with other hair colours.
While jokes about blondes may seem harmless to some, they can have real-world implications, said study author Jay Zagorsky from The Ohio State University in the US. “Research shows that stereotypes often have an impact on hiring, promotions and other social experiences,” Zagorsky said. “This study provides compelling evidence that there shouldn’t be any discrimination against blondes based on their intelligence,” Zagorsky pointed out.

The study involved 10,878 US women. Data from the study came from the US National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 (NLSY79), a national survey of people who were between 14 and 21 years old when they were first interviewed in 1979. In 1980, participants in the NLSY79 took the Armed Forces Qualification Test, or AFQT, which is used by the Pentagon to determine the intelligence of all recruits. The overall AFQT score is based on word knowledge, paragraph comprehension, math knowledge and arithmetic reasoning.
The resulting findings showed that blonde-haired White women had an average IQ of 103.2, compared to 102.7 for those with brown hair, 101.2 for those with red hair and 100.5 for those with black hair. Blonde women were slightly more likely to be in the highest IQ category than those with other hair colours, and slightly less likely to be in the lowest IQ category, the findings showed.
The study, published in the journal Economics Bulletin, could not say whether there are any genetic relationships between hair colour and intelligence, but Zagorsky did find one fact that could at least partially explain why blondes showed slightly higher intelligence — they grew up in homes with more reading material than did those with any other hair colour.
“If blondes have any slight advantage, it may simply be that they were more likely to grow up in homes with more intellectual stimulation,” he said. “I don’t think you can say with certainty that blondes are smarter than others, but you can definitely say they are not any dumber,” Zagorsky pointed out.
By: IANS |

Michelle Obamaat Cuba State Dinner

The embroidery on the gown was Kashmir's traditional Ari work.

By: IANS | New York | Published:March 23, 2016 5:10 pm

The gown was embroidered with an Indian floral motif. (Photo: Reuters) US First Lady Michelle Obama chose a floral gown made of Kashmiri fabric and embroidery by Indian-American designer Naeem Khan for dinner on the concluding day of the Obamas’ visit to Cuba on Tuesday.
“The dress Michelle Obama selected for the Cuban dinner was in a Kashmiri fabric,” the New York Times reported.

“It was embroidered with an Indian floral motif, and was similar to one in the same fabric from the designer’s pre-fall collection,” it added.
The embroidery on the gown was Kashmir’s traditional “Ari work”.
The dinner’s dress code was “casual cocktail”.
Celebrated designer Khan told the media “after what America has done for me, coming from India, I need to give back to this country”.
“She (Michelle Obama) has made my brand and put America back in fashion,” he said. “I would do anything for her.”
Barack Obama is the first US President since 1928 to undertake a three-day visit to Cuba along with his wife Michelle Obama and senior officials. He arrived in Cuba on Sunday.