Hundreds of hidden galaxies now finally found.  And each of them unimaginably vast:   http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-10/the-great-attractor-milky-way-zone-of-avoidance-survey/7152216   (Thanks to David Wills for alerting me to this item.)   O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. When I consider thy heavens, the... Read more

    A short but interesting item from one of Mormonism’s most prominent faithful intellectuals:   http://timesandseasons.org/index.php/2016/02/terryl-givens-on-what-it-means-to-sustain/     Read more

    Today’s reading, 2 Nephi 22 (= Isaiah 12), is very short and, I think, quite straightforward.   Have a look at verse two.  Now look at Psalm 27:1.   Taken together, do they remind you of anything?     Read more

    “In the world it is called Tolerance, but in hell it is called Despair . . . the sin that believes in nothing, cares for nothing, seeks to know nothing, interferes with nothing, enjoys nothing, hates nothing, finds purpose in nothing, lives for nothing, and remains alive because there is nothing for which it will die.”  Dorothy L. Sayers       Read more

    I take this really seriously:   http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/09/politics/james-clapper-isis-syrian-refugees/index.html   I want our politicians and presidential aspirants to take it seriously, too.   As I’ve said previously, one of my reservations about Ted Cruz (with whom I otherwise generally agree) concerns his views on domestic intelligence-gathering.  It was a major reservation of mine with regard to Rand Paul, as well.   That said, I understand the concerns of Sens. Cruz and Paul, and am sympathetic to them.  These are difficult... Read more

    A very interesting article about the ongoing debate concerning animal emotions:   http://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2016/2/8/10925098/animals-have-empathy     Read more

    Another piece from Taylor Halverson in the Deseret News:   http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865647065/Finding-the-first-use-of-the-name-Christ-in-the-Book-of-Mormon.html     Read more

    If thou dost wish to laugh exceeding much, Google “Puritan Valentine’s cards” and look thou through the images that do there appear.   For copyright reasons, I can’t put any of the specific cards up here, but you can find them easily enough.     Read more

    Kris Frederickson, Dan Peterson, and Martin Tanner join in this, the 153rd scripture roundtable posted by the Interpreter Foundation, to discuss 2016 Gospel Doctrine lesson nine, which is based upon 2 Nephi 11-12, 15-16, 21-22, and 25:   http://www.mormoninterpreter.com/scripture-roundtable-153-book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-lesson-9-my-soul-delighteth-in-the-words-of-isaiah/     Read more

    In August 2006, Brant Gardner delivered the following remarks at the annual conference of what was then called FAIR but is now called FairMormon:   http://www.fairmormon.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/2006-Brant-Gardner.pdf     Read more