Sunspots 898

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

Christianity: Christianity Today reports on the openness to women in various leadership roles, in Protestant churches.

Education: A Conversation article on violence against teachers by students. About 10% of teachers have been so attacked.

A Conversation writer discusses some ways that the Metaverse (the author doesn't know how to define or describe it) is helping college education.

Finances: NPR reports on how prisoners earn income behind bars, and what the income is.

Science: The Scientist on the energetics of chewing, (It takes a lot of energy.) and the possible relationship to humanoid evolution.

NPR reports that a company is planning to bring back the Tasmanian "tiger," which has been extinct for over 80 years. There are questions about trying to do this.

NPR also reports on some interesting (and possibly dangerous to humans) behavior by orcas/aka killer whales.

A Conversation writer discusses his own research, which indicates that dolphins use "signature whistles -- brief sequences of noise that the animals emit," which are not copies of those emitted by other dolphins, to identify other dolphins.

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

Thanks for reading.

Sunspots 872

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

The Arts: The Federalist claims, with evidence, that Amazon's production of early times, in Tolkien's vision, will be a disaster, at least in the sense of adhering to Tolkien's ideas.

Food: Senegalese farmers are learning to encourage growth of a plant formerly treated as a weed.

Health: The Scientist says that COVID is transmitted by tiny particles in the air, not by large drops.

NPR says that Neil Cavuto, a Fox News host, thanks vaccination, without which he says that he wouldn't be alive. Cavuto earlier received some death threats for advocating vaccination.

Science: Gizmodo reports on a study of DNA found in ocean depths. Most of it is from previously unknown species. Such organisms play an important part in the Carbon cycle of the earth.

Gizmodo also reports that the Webb telescope is working perfectly, so far.

NPR reports on a pack of killer whales who successfully (for them) killed a blue whale.

Gizmodo reports that we may not be prepared for accidental contamination of earth, or some other planet.

The Scientist reports that mosquitoes can remember the smells of insecticides.

Sports: FiveThirtyEight gives us an in-depth look at NBA refereeing.

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 719

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

Christianity: A Relevant article suggests that Christian couples (and others) should argue more.

Computing: Lifehacker reports on using a VPN (Virtual Private Network). You are using one, aren't you?

Gizmodo discusses whether or not it's OK to touch your computer screen or monitor.

Gizmodo on what happens to Facebook accounts when the owner dies.

Gizmo's Freeware recommends https://pinetools.com/ for many kinds of free on-line tools.

Finance: The trade deficit has gotten wider, including with China, in spite of President Trump's campaign to reduce it. One reason for the increase is that Americans are more prosperous now than a few years ago, and, thus, buy more stuff. Here's another article about that subject.

Health: Gizmodo reports on a child who wasn't vaccinated. His treatment cost over half a million dollars, and was excruciating.

Michael Gerson on confusing political freedom with science (he is arguing that Senator Rand Paul should not be questioning the value of vaccination).

Humor: (or something) NPR reports on some interesting items in those fine print agreements that most of us click on (or sign) without reading. (Including, in one case, getting a $10,000 check.)


Politics: Catherine Rampell on how rolling back regulations hurts consumers, especially when enforcement is also rolled back.

FiveThirtyEight discusses the six wings of the Democratic party. Interesting. Two questions, though. Was the author aware that there are supernatural creatures with six wings in the Bible? (Isaiah 6:2) What on earth does "performative wokeness" mean? (That phrase was in the article.)

A USA Today editorial is sorry to see the FDA chief resign. According to the column, he actually wanted to protect consumers. The columnist also points out that the Trump administration has increased red tape requirements on some of the poorest of us, and wants to add more of such burdens.

Science: Gizmodo and other outlets report that a new species of killer whale may have been discovered.


The graphic used in these posts is from NASA, hence, I believe, it is public domain.
Thanks for looking!

Sunspots 632

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

Christianity: Relevant and Sojourners report that many evangelical organizations are calling for prison and sentencing reform -- there are too many people in prison for too long, and too many of them are African-American. Attorney General Sessions, on the other hand, seems to want to put as many people behind bars as possible, for as long as possible.

An article in Christianity Today argues that most evangelical Christians have either mostly ignored social injustices, or ignored Biblical principles about sex and family matters.


Computing: The Wikipedia is has competition various right-wing on-line encyclopedias, according to Wired.

(sort of) National Public Radio reports that a man has been fined $120,000,000 for placing millions of robocalls, including some to emergency numbers and hospitals.

Education: "Why teachers suck."

History: Listverse discusses 10 things about our history that most of us get wrong.

Politics: Sojourners reports that a broad coalition of Christians is expressing united opposition to the President's budget, and to the House's health-care bill, and warning against what they believe to be coming in the Senate version of this bill. Their chief complaint is that help for the poor would be cut drastically. (Note - budgets submitted by Presidents rarely, if ever, are approved without significant changes.)

Relevant says that it's time for the church to address gun violence.

National Public Radio reports on a survey, which indicates that more than 80% of Americans believe people with mental illness should not be allowed to have guns; background checks should be done for private sales and gun shows; and guns should not be sold to people on no-fly or terror watch lists.

Science: The Anchorage Daily News reports on how killer whales are interfering with fishermen, apparently communicating with each other, and teaching their young in interference techniques.

National Public Radio reports on why different bird species have eggs with different shapes.




Image source (public domain)