Sunspots 984

 

Gizmodo reports that ICE is adding the DNA of immigrants, including of children as young as four, to a government database.

LiveScience considers the question of how birds know how to get to their migration endpoint.

Earth.com tells us that men may lose their Y chromosomes. Hmmm.

Ken Schenck has posted a fine essay on the interaction between Christianity and politics. "The church does its best work not when it commands the government, but when it reminds the government who it’s supposed to serve. Not when it demands special privilege, but when it loves its neighbor – especially the ones the world would rather forget. The credibility of the church has never come from controlling the culture. It has come from resembling Christ."

Trump vs. Musk, or the other way around, in light of Matthew 18

Matthew 18:15 “If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother. 16 But if he doesn’t listen, take one or two more with you, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly. If he refuses to hear the assembly also, let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector. 18 Most certainly I tell you, whatever things you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever things you release on earth will have been released in heaven. 19 Again, assuredly I tell you, that if two of you will agree on earth concerning anything that they will ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the middle of them.”

21 Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?”

22 Jesus said to him, “I don’t tell you until seven times, but, until seventy times seven. 

I don't know who started this, Trump or Musk. There's probably enough blame to go around.

When looking at recent news broadcasts, which spread the attacks posted on-line even further, I was reminded of Matthew 18. Applied to today, it says that believers, if there's a dispute among them, should go to the other person involved, and get the matter settled, first, before tellling others about the situation.. Putting the quarrel in public view on Facebook, X, Instagram, or whatever is the opposite of what Jesus taught. It should come last, if at all.

Are Musk and Trump believers? Possibly. Perhaps not. But the principle still stands, and follows from the Golden Rule, which says that we should do to others as we wish they would do to us. 

So, what's the lesson. First, there's the question of pride. Both of these men seem full of it. But, unfortunately, so am I. (After all, I didn't start an internet shouting match!) Pride seems to have fueled both of these powerful men.

God help me to avoid pride, public disputes with other believers, and did I say pride?

Thanks for reading!

Sunspots 982

 

Things I have spotted that may be of interest to others:

Gizmodo reports on a study that found that all of the largest US cities are sinking.

Kenneth Schenck discusses politics and Christianity.

Gizmodo reports that the new pope (and the previous one) has warned about possible dangers from artificial intelligence.

Equus, and other sources, report that horses are especially able to move fast because of a gene peculiar to horses and their relatives.

Gizmodo on whether Pope Leo XIV is an environmentalist (and on whether Francis was).

CNN reports on the melting of polar ice and its dire consequences.

NPR reports that the Centers for Disease Control is no longer warning the medical community about disease threats.

Sunspots 969

 Some things I have spotted, that may be of interest to others:

An article in the Wikipedia tells about small satellites that are in orbit around some larger asteroids. 

NPR has fact-checked Donald Trump's recent press conference at Mar-A-Lago. It isn't pretty. They found over 160 lies, or serious distortions of the truth, in less than 90 minutes of the news conference.

Scientific American, and other outlets, report that the central stone of Stonehenge was moved from hundreds of miles away. How? We aren't sure.

ScienceAlert reports that the continent of Antarctica is rising, and discusses the likely consequences.

Sunspots 968

Things I have spotted that may be of interest to others:

Project 2025 is an extensive document, proposing many changes in government. The 2025 is because it is a plan for action, if Donald Trump is returned to the presidency, for the first year of his second presidency. However, Trump is trying to distance himself from the proposals, claiming that he isn't familiar with the contents, and doesn't know who developed it. But CNN has done a deep dive, and found lots of connections between the document and the former President's advisors.

Snopes reports that Project 2025 plans to eliminate free weather information from the government.

A Conversation writer explains decaf coffee.

Sunspots 967

 Things I have spotted that may be of interest to others:

A discussion of the perils of Christian Nationalism, in Baptist News Global. 

Crosswalk reports that Southern Baptists voted against Christian Nationalism recently.

Stat discusses ethical questions about the results of the Human Genome Project.

NPR reports that a man tried to smuggle 100+ live snakes, of several kinds, into China. The snakes were hidden in his pants.

Thanks for reading!

Sunspots 966

Things I have spotted that may be of interest to others:

A  discussion, in Naturalist Historia, pointing to more discussions, on how the immune system is related to origins.

Scientific American reports that leeches can jump.

Christianity Today on the question of Orthodox Jews serving in the Israeli military.

Snopes, the important fact-checking web site, supports Biden's claim that historians rank Trump as the worst President in US history. You can see how all Presidents, including Biden, are ranked by these historians, on this site.

LiveScience discusses the idea of what a species is. It's complicated.

Newsweek has compiled a long list of people who served in important positions in the Trump administration who have refused to endorse his current candidacy for President.

Thanks for reading.

Ten Commandments in classrooms?

A state legislature has required that the Ten Commandments be displayed in all public school classrooms.

Leaving aside questions of separation of church and state, another question arises. Why the enthusiasm for posting the Ten Commandments, rather than the Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12a) “Therefore, whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them,”? or the two Greatest Commandments?: 

Matthew 22:35 One of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, testing him. 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ [Deuteronomy 6:5] 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ [Leviticus 19:18] The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.” (This episode is also reported in Mark 12:28-33)

Sunspots 964

 

Things I have spotted that may be of interest to others:

Politics: S. E. Cupp analyzes the effect of spending lots of money, your own, or other people's, on political races.

Quanta has a report on a newly discovered protein, that puts a microbe into a dormant state, in unfavorable conditions.

NPR reports that Bill Anders, who took the iconic photo of the earth, as background to the moon, has died.

NPR also reports on how big business pushed the use of one-time-use plastic.

Don't trust in princes

Psalm 118:9 It is better to take refuge in Yahweh, than to put confidence in princes. 

Psalm 146:3 Don’t put your trust in princes, each a son of man in whom there is no help. 

There are few princes left in the world. But there are many political, business, entertainment, athletic and other influencers and leaders, avidly desiring followers, so as to stroke their own egos, or advantage themselves. These two verses, from the Psalms, warn against loyalty to such people, against uncritical belief in what they say, against expecting help from them. They certainly warn against worship of such people, rather than following Christ.

Thanks for reading!

Sunspots 969

Things I have spotted that may be of interest to others: 

Phys.org reports on a study of the interaction between Supreme Court justices. It's not just  "conservative" vs. "liberal."

Phys.org also reports on research that indicates that dogs can think about objects, not just people.

The Tri-State Livestock News reports on feeding algae to bees to fight bee viruses.

Newsweek reports on why cheetahs are so fast.

Phys.Org reports that some crab spiders work together to mimic flowers. Amazing.

A Conversation writer tells us that the so-called Deep State is a good thing.

ScienceAlert reports that coral reefs have a soundscape, and that this changes when the moon rises.

Sunspots 966

Previous Sunspots posts have included a photo of spots on the sun, from NASA. I haven't been able to do that for this edition.

The previous Sunspots post pointed to a news article about Caitlin Clark, who recently scored more points than any other female college basketball player. Or not. NPR reports on two other great women scorers who have been mostly overlooked, Lynette Woodard and Pearl Moore.

ScienceAlert reports that scientists have produced cells that are part rice and part beef.

A Conversation writer compares Trump's claim of being persecuted with the actual persecution of Alexia Navalny.

Gizmodo reports on the discovery of small moons around Uranus and Neptune.

(Thanks to a relative for this item.) The Texas Christian University women's basketball team was so beset by injuries that they welcomed women who wanted to try out.

USA Today and many other outlets report on the discovery (by scientists -- aboriginal people knew about it) of a new, and large species of anaconda.

Neuroscience News reports that the belief of Pythagoras, that sounds related by simple ratios produced pleasing music, was not exactly correct. 

Sunspots 948

Things I have recently spotted that may be of interest to others*

Computing: Zoom, a company which helps a lot of people do some or all of their jobs on-line, believes that people working for them should come in to work, according to Gizmodo.

Environment: Gizmodo publishes the responses, such as they were, of GOP Presidential candidates to global warning, during the recent debate, which Trump did not attend.

Finances: A Conversation writer explains the bail bond system.

Politics: NPR on Rudy Giuliani and RICO crime fighting.

Science: (or something) A Conversation article discusses speed of talking -- how and why some people talk faster (or slower).

Another Conversation writer tells us why our fingers wrinkle when we've been in water a long time.

NPR reports on the discovery of groups of octopi, protecting their eggs, deep down in the ocean.

*I try not to include items that require a password or fee to view

Thanks for reading.

Sunspots 945

Things I have recently spotted that may be of interest to others*

Environment: (or something) A Conversation writer tells us why our houses often feel hotter than the thermostat says.

Health: Gizmodo reports that as little as 4000 steps a day will probably add to your length of life.

Politics: FiveThirtyEight discusses how Trump's indictments and trials are likely to affect his presidential campaigning.

Conversation reports on a study about the effect of living near confederate monuments.

Some Conversation writers argue that Trump is being treated much better than the ordinary accused criminal. That's not what he says.

Science: A Conversation report discusses using pig heart structures as sources of heart transplant material.

Gizmodo reports on some strange-looking animals, from around Antarctica, discovered for the first time.

Another Conversation report details another approach to treating cancer

*I try not to include items that require a password or fee to view.

Thanks for reading.

 

Sunspots 934

Things I have recently spotted that may be of interest to others*

Computing and Politics: Gizmodo talks to a member of Congress who wants to require acknowledgment of such when deepfake (computer-generated material masquerading as the real thing) technology is used.

Environment:  (and Politics) The Guardian reports on a detailed plan, for an incoming Republican President,  to eliminate the effectiveness of the Environmental Protection Agency, and other such governmental entities.

The heat is so high, in Arizona, that even saguaro cactus plants are dying.

Food: Does Subway's tuna really contain tuna?

Health  (and Politics): Gizmodo reports that Republican people have been more likely to get COVID than Democrats, at least partly because of misinformation about the vaccines by prominent Republicans.

Science: The Associated Press and other outlets report that the  family of Henrietta Lacks has been compensated for the use of her cells, which were taken without her knowledge or permission. They have been used widely in science.

*I try not to include items that require a password or fee to view.

Thanks for reading.

Sunspots 932

Things I have recently spotted that may be of interest to others*

Christianity: NPR reports that some really large churches are growing even larger.

Environment: (or something) NPR reports that a Burmese python, over 19 feet long, was caught in Florida.

Another report, from the Tampa Bay Times, says that a different Burmese python, in Florida, had laid 111 eggs.

Health: (and Christianity, and politics) A Conversation article discusses the influence of religious belief on whether you get COVID vaccine.

Humor: (or something) Grammarphobia discusses words related to bobby, as in bobby socks, bobby pin.

Politics: NPR interviews an author who has written a book about how crack cocaine harmed African-Americans.

FiveThirtyEight tells us about some creative (and possibly illegal) ways that Republican presidential candidates are trying to raise enough money, from enough donors, to be included in a debate.

A Conversation writer tells us about Target Letters from the Justice Department.

Science: NPR reports on a company that is trying to turn stem cells into human eggs.

SciTcchDaily reports on the use of genetic engineering to improve the usefulness of the fibers in trees.

Gizmodo reports that a French woman was struck by a meteorite. (She was bruised)

*I try not to include items that require a password or fee to view.

Thanks for reading.

 

Sunspots 931

Things I have recently spotted that may be of interest to others*:

Computing: Gizmodo reports that the Federal Trade Commission is considering making it much easier to unsubscribe from all sorts of subscriptions (To news outlets, anti-malware software, and many more). Companies are not happy about this idea. (Surprise!)

Environment: Gizmo reports that California has adopted rules that protect Joshua trees.

Gizmodo reports that some national insurance companies have pulled out of certain states because of increased flooding, fires, and other problems. Yes, we are affected by global climate change.

Finances: The Hill tells us that China is in default to Americans on many billions of dollars of bonds.

Food: Gizmodo reports on a robot that prepares avocados for use.

Health: A Conversation writer discusses the biology of aging -- we all age differently.

Humor: (or not) Gizmodo reports on a sea otter that's taking over surfboards, from people who are using them.

Politics: An article in The Conversation considers the relationship between patriotism and nationalism.

Science: The Guardian reports on a palm tree that produces flowers underground.

Gizmodo reports on some splendid astronomy photos, submitted to the Royal Observatory, Greenwich.

Gizmodo also reports that ticks are especially efficient at connecting with us.

Science Alert reports that a New Zealand harvestman (aka daddy longlegs) has three different types of males.

A Conversation writer discusses research that indicates that we underestimate how much other people appreciate good deeds.

*I try not to include items that require a password or fee to view.

Thanks for reading.

Sunspots 929

Things I have recently spotted that may be of interest to others*:

The Arts: (and computing) A Conversation writer discusses the use of artificial intelligence in the production of art works.

Christianity:  Two senators, one from each party, are introducing legislation which would hold artificial intelligence companies liable for AI errors, says Gizmodo.

Health: A Conversation writer discusses the finding that over 96% of the US population had antibodies to COVID.

Gizmodo reports that gas stoves produce carcinogens.

Science: Science Alert reports that humans have (usually invisible) stripes on their skins.

*I try not to include items that require a password or fee to view.

Thanks for reading.

Sunspots 938

Things I have recently spotted that may be of interest to others*:

Computing: Gizmodo reports that a TikTok official may have lied to the US Congress (which is a crime), when he said that TikTok doesn't send user data to China.

Gizmodo on how artificial intelligence can do bad things.

NPR on detecting Artificial Intelligence creations from real ones.

Environment: The National Weather Service has released a video of major air pollution in New York City, mostly from fires in Canada.

History: (and Politics) A Conversation writer describes situations somewhat like the race to become President, with a Vice President running against a previous President.

Another Conversation writer discusses Cleopatra and the rulers (at least some were female) of Nubia.

Humor: (or something) Gizmodo reports that Ikea has developed a couch that folds up for a one-person carry, weighs about 22 pounds, and doesn't require screws, etc., to put together.

Politics: A Conversation writer sets us straight on the Espionage Act.

Science: An exhaustive study, reported in Nature, finds that people all over the world believe that there is a continuing moral decline. But the study reports that this decline is merely perceived, not actual.

A fascinating article in Science Alert discusses how parasites may alter the behavior of their hosts.

Sci-Tech Daily reports that curly hair may have helped early humans to survive.

A Conversation writer tells us all sorts of things about glass.

*I try not to include items that require a password or fee to view.

Thanks for reading.

Sunspots 936

Things I have recently spotted that may be of interest to others*:

Computing: A number of people involved in the development of artificial intelligence are warning of serious dangers from such use. Report by Gizmodo.

Education: A Conversation writer tells how to do well in spelling bees.

Health: (and Politics) A conversation writer discusses life expectancy in red states vs. blue states.

History:  A Conversation writer tells us the cause of Civil War.

Politics: Chick-Fil-A is being attacked, as some on the far right have discovered that the company has a policy of being open to a wide variety of workers, and has introduced a cauliflower-based sandwich.

Science: Science Alert describes a long-term experiment, in which selection took single-celled organisms and made much larger, multicellular ones.

Gizmodo reports that a Japanese satellite, made of wood, will be launched soon.

Gizmodo reports that a vast area of deep ocean has many previously undescribed species, but deep-sea mining may harm these.

*I try not to include items that require a password or fee to view.

Thanks for reading.