Sunspots 868

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

Christianity:  (and other religions) Christianity Today points out recent advances in religious freedom in five countries.

Relevant reports that women are more accepted as pastors than they used to be.

Finances: Relevant reports on a study finding that the children of women who are given money have more  vigorous brain development.

Health: The Scientist reports that some mild cases of what seems to be COVID are actually a placebo effect, in reverse.

NPR has information on how to pick a good mask, where to buy them, if you aren't using one from the government, and how (or not) to re-use them.

Science: The Scientist reports on beetle larvae that can jump.

Gizmodo reports on a disease that is usually fatal to rabbits. It's spreading.

Gizmodo also reports on a study indicating that some microorganisms can live well at 250 degrees F.

Sports: NPR reports that the first woman drafted by the NBA (she chose not to sign), who was also the first woman to score points in Olympic basketball, has died.

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 864

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

The Arts: A BBC report (about 3 minutes long, video) on some amazing paper folding.

Christianity: Singer Mariah Carey insists that she is NOT the queen of Christmas. Mary is.

Relevant is not happy with Christians who think that there is a so-called "war on Christmas."

Education: (or something) NPR discusses the significance and history of piñatas.

Environment: Gizmodo reports that Halliburton, a large corporation, claims to have lost important evidence related to two different massive fuel leaks.

Health: NPR discusses mask types, with recommendations.

Science: Gizmodo reports on a study that found a hundred or more "rogue planets." (A rogue planet is one that doesn't orbit a sun/star.

Gizmodo also reports that the ivory-billed woodpecker seems to be extinct.

Edward O. Wilson, perhaps the most influential biologist of the 20th Century, passed away recently. 

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 849

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

Christianity: Relevant asks why God wants us to be patient.

Computing: Gizmodo reports on a ransomware attack on a university. On-line classes were suspended, at least for a time.

Health: Gizmodo reports on a study indicating that wearing masks really do help against COVID.

Politics: (and computing) The committee investigating the January 6 insurrection has asked a number of communication companies to preserve records of accused participants. House minority leader Kevin McCarthy has threatened to shut down such companies that cooperate with the committee, according to Gizmodo.

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 790

Things I have recently spotted that may be of interest to

someone else:

Christianity: National Public Radio reports that multi-racial congregations don't really bridge the gaps between the cultures of races.

Christianity Today has an article saying that white churches don't really deal with racism.

Computing: Gizmodo tells us about a single web page that lets you click on a variety of non-keyboard symbols, and then copy them into a document. I tried a few: ∛ ⊗ ↘ π ♫. This works in Word, as well as in my HTML editor.

Education: Gizmo's Freeware tells us about the online etymology dictionary.


Environment: Gizmodo reports that Morgan Stanley has begun keeping track of their investments in fossil fuel development projects.

Health: Gizmodo reports on a government study that recommends no more than one drink (whatever that means) of alcohol per day for all adults.

Politics: Leonard Pitts blames her church, her parents, and a lot of other entities, including traditional news media, for the death of Carsyn Leigh Davis, after she attended a mask-free celebration for teens at her church.

FiveThirtyEight analyzes the data, and finds that Trump has a problem with voter enthusiasm, as does Biden.

FiveThirtyEight also finds that most Republican governors are getting low polling marks for their handling of COVID-19, and most Democratic governors are getting good marks.

Heart, Mind, Soul and Strength looks back at the George Floyd story.


Science: Gizmodo reports on evidence, from preserved dung, that humans came to North America about 14,000 years ago.

Inverse reports that some deep-sea fish have extremely black materials as part of their skin.

Gizmodo reports on a material that can't be cut.


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

Thanks for looking!

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!