Sunspots 80

Things I have recently spotted that may be of interest to someone else:

Politics:
A Slate article, claiming that the US is now using torture, and that torture has a devastating effect on the military and police of countries that use it.

Science:
He Lives is at it again, criticizing William Dembski and the Intelligent Design movement, because Dembski is at it again. Quote from He Lives: "If you are worried that scientific research can undermine your faith, then I suggest you work on strengthening your faith instead of attacking the researchers." Well said!

Some speculations on the function, if any, of brilliant fall leaf colors. No firm conclusion.

Article in Discover on "How to Build an Invisibility Cloak." (It's not been done yet, but there's progress)

Asian Elephants join humans, chimpanzees and dolphins in demonstrating self-awareness.

Literature:
Jan on what makes Christian art (including literature). She's got four simple rules, including (are you ready for this one?) #4. Non-Christians can make Christian art. Mark Daniels follows up on that theme. Writes Daniels: "Any artistic expression that acknowledges the realities of life is far more likely to be Christian or to have Christian implications than some of the bland banalities that pass for 'Christian art' these days."

E Stephen Burnett has posted the third of three posts on Christian speculative fiction. Among other things, he talks about the Harry Potter series.

A few dozen six word stories by authors of fantastic fiction, in Wired.


This week's Christian Carnival is here. (For information on locating these Carnivals, see here.)

When I don't tell where I found an item above, I either found it directly, or was probably pointed to it by the Librarian's Internet Index, SciTech Daily, or Arts and Letters Daily. All of these sources are great.

Thanks for reading! Keep clicking away.

Image source (public domain)