In coming years, researchers may also be able to shed light on the impact of language on more subtle areas of perception. For instance, some languages, like Matses in Peru, oblige their speakers, like the finickiest of lawyers, to specify exactly how they came to know about the facts they are reporting. You cannot simply say, as in English, “An animal passed here.” You have to specify, using a different verbal form, whether this was directly experienced you saw the animal passing, inferred you saw footprints, conjectured animals generally pass there that time of day, hearsay or such. If a statement is reported with the incorrect “evidentiality,” it is considered a lie. So if, for instance, you ask a Matses man how many wives he has, unless he can actually see his wives at that very moment, he would have to answer in the past tense and would say something like “There were two last time I checked.” After all, given that the wives are not present, he cannot be absolutely certain that one of them hasn’t died or run off with another man since he last saw them, even if this was only five minutes ago. So he cannot report it as a certain fact in the present tense.

via Does Your Language Shape How You Think? – NYTimes.com.

This is some really interesting stuff. I’d like to live in the society described above. I hate vagueness.

A federal judge in San Francisco decided today that gays and lesbians have a constitutional right to marry, striking down Proposition 8, the voter approved ballot measure that banned same-sex unions.

U.S. District Chief Judge Vaughn R. Walker said Proposition 8, passed by voters in November 2008, violated the federal constitutional rights of gays and lesbians to marry the partners of their choice. His ruling is expected to be appealed to the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and then up to the U.S. Supreme Court.

via Judge strikes down Prop. 8, allows gay marriage in California [Updated] | L.A. NOW | Los Angeles Times.

Note: Don’t read the comments unless you feel like being angry at religious bigots and general assholes.

Axillism: Axillism refers to sexual urges, preferences or fantasies involving using the armpit for sex. More detailed information about the symptoms, causes, and treatments of Axillism is available below.

via Axillism Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatments and Causes – WrongDiagnosis.com.

Thats You that is. Thats your mum.

My favourite Mr Show classic.

I admit it, I’m gay for Obama. I don’t agree with some of what he’s done, but at least he has style.

For Mother’s Day. Via metafilter.com

How I lost my health insurance at the hairstylists

via Daily Kos: How I lost my health insurance at the hairstylists.

I find it astonishing the level to which the American health insurance industry is willing to lie and kill innocent people.

Randy Amanda Flowers needs 10 sex sessions a day after the slip-up.

via Daily Star: Simply The Best 7 Days A Week :: News :: Nintendo Wii made me nympho!.