October 10, 2016

Some of Hillary Clinton’s hacked e-mails released by Wikileaks include transcripts of paid speeches she gave to big corporations.  What she says in those confidential closed-door speeches–for example, calling for open borders and more free trade, saying the banks aren’t really responsible for the 2009 financial collapse–is often at odds with what she says in her presidential campaign.

Remarkably, one speech quite frankly explains the discrepancy.  She says, “you need both a public and a private position.”  One for public consumption and the other for what you really believe.  So she is admitting that what she tells voters is not what she is actually going to do!

At every debate, every interview, every campaign speech, every time she opens her mouth, someone should ask her, “Is that your public or your private position?”

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August 19, 2016

Olympic gold medalist Ryan Lochte and three other members of the U.S. swim team lied about being held up at gunpoint in Rio de Janeiro.  Two of the swimmers reportedly admitted the fabrication.

What malice.  What a black eye for the American team, which is dominating the medal count.  What a black eye for America, as the foreign stereotypes about arrogant, disrespectful, unprincipled Americans are seemingly confirmed.

UPDATE:  Lochte apologizes.  His endorsement deals are in jeopardy.  Go here for more details.

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August 16, 2016

Some women who get Zika have babies with severe birth defects, but some don’t.  In Brazil, some regions plagued with Zika have a huge percentage of babies with microencephaly.  But adjoining regions also plagued with Zika don’t.  Also, young, black, and poor women are being hit especially hard.

So researchers are now investigating whether Zika does its damage by being paired with other factors.  There had been speculation that the birth defects were caused by a government-administered pesticide.  But researchers have confirmed a direct link between the virus and the birth defects.  Still, things may not be so simple.

Now that Zika has come to the United States, 15 babies have been diagnosed with microencephaly related to the Zika virus.

Also of concern:  Zika, which is spread by mosquitoes or sexual contact, is being used as a pretext for abortion, even late-term abortions, since microencephaly can’t be diagnosed until late in the pregnancy.  Read Zika Outbreak Could Reignite Abortion Debate.

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August 8, 2016

You don’t have to believe in the Roman Catholic cult of the saints to find it interesting that St. Sebastian–the one who was shot through with arrows–is the patron saint of athletes.  Also of this year’s Olympics host city Rio de Janeiro.  What is the connection?  Find out after the jump.

Luther said that we should not pray to the saints, but that we can learn from their example.  Note what we can learn about athletics from St. Sebastian. (more…)

August 5, 2016

Despite the Zika virus, Russian dopers, apartments said to be unfit for human habitation, fear of terrorism, and excrement in the water-events bay, the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro will have its opening ceremonies tonight, Friday, at 7:00 p.m. ET, to be televised on NBC.  (Go here for how to watch the ceremony and the subsequent games online.)

Despite the uncertainty and the concerns, the event, which goes from August 5-21, promises to be a good show.  Team USA is expected to do very well.

There have been years that I have resisted, but then I turn on the TV and get drawn in.  Part of that is how the games are covered:  The television shows not just the contest but also goes deeply into the “human” side of the games, telling about the different participants and their sometimes inspiring stories.

Are you a fan?  Will you be watching?  Do you know any dramas or interesting contests that we should be watching for?

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July 21, 2016

Saint Mary Magdalene - Digital facial reconstruction

 

Brazilian scientists have been using digital technology on the skulls of saints, so as to reconstruct their faces.  They used their technique on a relatively well-attested relic of Mary Magdalene.  This is what she may have looked like.

Details of the reconstructions after the jump.  Go here for the Mary Magdalene project.

 

 

 

Image by Cicero Moraes (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons)

 

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