Sunspots 845

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

Finances: Apparently, some Amazon third-party sellers are

pressuring purchases to change negative reviews, according to Gizmodo.

Health: It shouldn't surprise anyone that the US has the worst healthcare among the top 10 industrialized nations. (Report in Relevant, Report in Gizmodo)

History: Gizmodo reports on the first known coins, which were made in China about 2600 years ago.

Humor: (or something) Gizmodo reports on a dishwasher than doesn't need to be directly attached to the plumbing.

Science: Gizmodo reports that birds sometimes pluck hair from animals and use it in nest-building.

Gizmodo also reports that giraffes have an elaborate social structure, on a par with those of elephants and chimpanzees.

Gizmodo tells us that methane is a big contributor to global climate change.

The Scientist reports that scientists have been able to send mouse sperm by regular mail. Such sperm were able to fertilize mouse eggs.

The Scientist also reports that many species of animals (including humans) have genes from species that are now extinct. Examples include dogs and pigs.

The graphic used in these posts is from NASA, hence, it is free to use like this.

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

Thanks for reading.

 

Sunspots 786

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

Christianity: A Sojourners writer is not happy with Franklin Graham's actions on racial justice. The same writer commends the record of Franklin's father, Billy Graham.

A Christianity Today writer says that the recent LBGT Supreme Court ruling was not a death knell for church and state relations.

Christianity Today also has a good article on simple things you can do to enhance your Bible-reading.

Ken Schenck offers thoughts on the Prodigal Parent, on Father's Day.

Computing: An article that says that the real bias of social media platforms isn't against conservatives, but is for extreme views of all stripes.

ListVerse suggests 10 alternatives to commonly used web applications and web sites. The claim is that these alternatives do a better job of protecting your privacy.
 
Environment: Another report, from Gizmodo/Earther, that honeybees are threatened.


Finance: FiveThirtyEight on how the stock market has stayed pretty healthy, while the economy, by most measures, has been hit pretty hard by the COVID pandemic.

NPR reports that banks, and other businesses, are running low on coins -- like pennies, dimes, nickels and quarters.

Health: Gizmodo tells us that Anthony Fauci downplayed the effect of COVID-19 early on, and says that he actually lied about the effectiveness of masks, so that they would be available for health workers.

Gizmodo also tells us that we should shut the toilet lid before flushing.


Politics: A writer for Sojourners is not impressed by the Trump administration's record on religious freedom.

The fourth of a series of posts by Joel Edmund Anderson, taking an in-depth look at the racial situation in the US.

FiveThirtyEight says that the firing of the head attorney for the Southern District of New York was wrong, for four important reasons.

So far, President Trump's poll numbers show that white evangelicals are not nearly as solidly for him as they have been, according to a Fox News poll, reported by Relevant.

Science: Gizmodo reports that astronomers may have discovered a new category of object, larger than our sun, but not much larger.


The graphic used in these posts is from NASA, hence, it is free to use like this.

Thanks for looking!