Eye on Faith

Tuesday, September 21, 2021

Just for Seniors

SSA Headquarters (Photo by Coolcaesar)

When it comes to isms, a sorely overlooked one is ageism. Many a senior who’s worked hard for decades is now caught within an inflation nightmare.

Enter The Senior Citizens League (TSCL). This group has been advocating for benefits such as a generous Social Security Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) plus a fourth $1400 federal stimulus check for struggling elders.

Seniors are often on fixed incomes, which comparatively shrink as prices swell. These hoped-for TSCL benefits could go a long way toward turning surviving into thriving.

Resources

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/4th-stimulus-payment-1-400-120011726.html

Monday, September 20, 2021

It's a Gas

Round Mound of Guess What (Photo by Vijayakumarblathur)

With nitrogen levels sharply rising, the Netherlands is taking steps to significantly reduce ammonia emissions. And what better way to see this through than to limit the number of excreting bovines?

Cow pies plus cow pee is a recipe for ammonia, which is then released into the ecosystem. This toxic compound pollutes “lakes and streams via farm runoff.”

Dutch politicians are therefore considering a commonsense approach to decreasing the runoff. Simply put: Less cows, less runoff. Less runoff, less nitrogen. Less nitrogen, cleaner waterways. Cleaner waterways, healthier people.

Resources

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/sep/09/netherlands-proposes-radical-plans-to-cut-livestock-numbers-by-almost-a-third

Sunday, September 19, 2021

Lions and Tigers and COVID, Oh My!

Perry Lion at the National Zoo (Photo by Reinaldo Lopez-Carrizo)

Big cats have now joined the ranks of those suffering from COVID-19. The Smithsonian reports that nine of the National Zoo’s tigers and lions have “tested presumptive positive” for this virus.

They are being treated with medications that decrease nausea and inflammation, as well as with antibiotics to offset possible pneumonia. Their symptoms include “coughing, sneezing and a lack of appetite.”

Because a healthy distance is customarily maintained between big cats and the general public, zoo visitors need not worry about catching the virus directly from them. However, the source of the cats’ infections has not yet been determined.

Resources

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/videos/news/nation/2021/09/18/big-cats-smithsonian-institutions-national-zoo-test-positive-covid/8400106002/

Saturday, September 18, 2021

Rising Above Retribution

An Escorted Detainee (Public Domain)

Glenn Morgan’s father was one of the tragic casualties of September 11, 2001. Morgan has harbored quite a bit of understandable anger against those who perpetrated the attack. Yet he’s also determined to harbor kindness.

This amazing duality has resulted in Morgan’s donation of art supplies to the very men who allegedly killed his father. Although he hopes that justice will eventually be served, Morgan feels some compassion in the meantime. His donated materials have been sent to the Guantanamo Bay detention center where these “accused 9/11 terrorists” have long been awaiting trial.

Detainee art becomes U. S. government property. Yet its therapeutic value will hopefully remain within the artists themselves.

Resources

https://news.yahoo.com/doesnt-mind-terror-suspects-guantanamo-100249562.html

Friday, September 17, 2021

Not Your Granddaddy's Cannabis

Human Heart and Blood Vessels (by Leonardo da Vinci, 15th century)

Today’s cannabis can be far more potent than that of yesteryear. This could mean that it’s far more likely to injure the heart.

The more that an individual uses, the greater the risk of a heart attack. This is the case “no matter how the cannabis is consumed.”

So weigh the options carefully. What seems to heal may actually do more harm than good.

Resources

https://www.iheart.com/content/2021-09-07-adult-cannabis-users-twice-as-likely-to-have-a-heart-attack-study/

Thursday, September 16, 2021

The Redder Planet

Human Red Blood Cells (Image by John Alan Elson)

The Red Planet may get even redder in the not-so-distant future. Astronaut blood is being considered as a binder for making Martian bricks.

Transporting even one brick to Mars would cost a fortune. Scientists are therefore hoping to create building blocks with a literal dash of human blood, sweat, tears and urine.

These ingredients, when mixed with Martian soil, could form a substance that is stronger than concrete. It’s been officially termed AstroCrete, but you can call it “blood-curdling.”

Resources

https://scitechdaily.com/using-astronaut-blood-and-space-dust-to-make-cosmic-concrete-for-affordable-housing-on-mars/#google_vignette

The Phospine Connection

ET fly home? (Photo by Christopher Michel)

While searching for radio signals from beyond, it’s possible that traces of alien life have been underfoot right along. That is if you live in Antarctica.

There’s just no delicate way to say it. Penguin poop might be the equivalent of ET’s ten-four. Traces of a chemical called phospine have been found within it. And the nearest source of phospine that we know of is in the atmosphere of Venus.

So what’s up? Is this the long lost link we’ve been searching for? Or is phospine somehow being created here on Earth? Only time will tell, lots of time, because it’s difficult to get scientific funding for such inquiries.

Resources

https://www.iheart.com/content/2021-09-15-new-evidence-shows-penguins-might-actually-be-aliens/?mid=706226&rid=98364581&sc=email&pname=newsletter&cid=NATIONAL&keyid=National%20iHeart%20Daily%20NewsTalk&campid=headline6_readmore