Note: Correlation is not causation - but I'm not surprised at all.

The paper, published in the Journal of Religion and Society, a US academic journal, reports: "Many Americans agree that their churchgoing nation is an exceptional, God-blessed, shining city on the hill that stands as an impressive example for an increasingly sceptical world.

"In general, higher rates of belief in and worship of a creator correlate with higher rates of homicide, juvenile and early adult mortality, STD infection rates, teen pregnancy and abortion in the prosperous democracies."

The study concluded that the US was the world's only prosperous democracy where murder rates were still high, and that the least devout nations were the least dysfunctional.

(no subject)

China to watch panda sex from orbit.

Also,
Japanese get first-ever video of giant squid in the wild, 8 meters long, 1km beneath the North Pacific surface.


Also,
Roadside America brings us the Creation Evidence Museum, run by "Dr" Carl Baugh.

(no subject)

U.S. Launches AIDS-Awareness Campaign In Botswana: 'You All Have AIDS,' Says U.S.


And, of course, my horoscope, just for larabeaton:

Leo July 23 - August 22
It seems like you have spent years looking for the right way to show that special someone that you love her, but in the end, you'll just resort to building her a palace from the shattered bones of all who oppose you.

(no subject)

One down, 534 to go.

More cops:
Elementary school calls police because 6-year-old-boy accidentally brings a butter knife to school.

More cops:
Nurses at a home for the elderly indicted for feeding laxatives to patients right before they left for the day, to harass the next shift.

Guards, not cops:
The AP finally notices that US Army soldiers are trading pictures of dead and tortured Iraqis for porn.

[Edit: I missed a good one.]
Cops:
A woman was given a ticket for sitting on a park bench because she doesn't have children.

The Rivington Playground on Manhattan's East Side has a small sign at the entrance that says adults are prohibited unless they are accompanied by a child. Sandra Catena, 47, said she didn't see the sign when she sat down to wait for an arts festival to start.

Two New York City police officers asked her if she was with a child. When she said no, they gave her a ticket that could bring a $1,000 fine and 90 days in jail.

Fun with animals.