Showing posts with label Media Monday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Media Monday. Show all posts
Monday
Lost and Found
The baseball playoffs are now upon us, which brings mixed emotions for me. Sadly, the Pittsburgh Pirates, my favorite team, once again were one of the worst teams in baseball. For a change, however, the Texas Rangers, my second favorite team, made the playoffs for the first time in over 10 years and are down to a deciding Game 5 against the Tampa Bay Rays. While I'll be rooting for the Rangers, I did also find a story that can hopefully comfort Pirates fans during the long offseason.
Stone Skipping
This weekend I was pleasantly surprised to come across a story on CBS that featured Franklin, Pennsylvania!
The Tenth Inning
I just found out that Ken Burns is making a sequel to one of his most popular documentaries, to be shown later this month on PBS!
Study Habits
A recent article in the New York Times tells us to "forget what we know about good study habits."
Recent News in Science & Nature
There have been a variety of interesting articles I've come across recently in science and nature news.
Winning By Losing
A report from the Associated Press revealed this morning that the Pittsburgh Pirates have enjoyed recent financial success despite an historic display of consistent futility.
Shelter
A recent article in USA Today highlights the recent renewal of interest in "doomsday shelters."
Super Bowl
A man from Plano just completed what is likely to become the World Record for consecutive bowling, at the very same place that I used to go bowling as a kid!
To Kill a Mockingbird
Yesterday marked the 50th anniversary of the publication of Harper Lee's classic, To Kill a Mockingbird. Without knowing this, I just recently picked up and read the novel as part of my summer reading, and I am glad that I did.
Lonesome Dove
The most recent edition of Texas Monthly magazine highlights the 25th anniversary of the publication of Lonesome Dove, an epic written by Larry McMurtry that is today considered one of the greatest Western novels and television films of all time.
Milgram Experiments, Repeated
Not too long ago I came across a story on NPR about a French documentary that conducted a psychological experiment in which a reality show encouraged participants to seemingly torture subjects in order to win money. While the concept is disturbing and sounds terrible, such an experiment has actually been done before.
Cassava Virus
A virus ravaging cassava plants in Africa poses a significant future threat to the stability of the region and the nourishment and health of its people.
San Patricio
I recently listened to an interview of Paddy Moloney, leader of the famous Irish band, The Chieftans.
Science News from the National Parks
I came across a couple interesting stories recently about changes in our national parks.
The first comes from Yellowstone National Park, where biologists have noted the decline and demise of one of the park's historic wolf packs, the "Druid Peak Pack." For more than a decade, the "Druids" were the dominant pack at Yellowstone and the source of much information about wolf behavior. After being subject to disease and competition, the "Druids" have seemingly been replaced by other packs in the area. I found the story about wolf pack history in Yellowstone to be fascinating, and I appreciate the work that biologists are doing to study wolves in the park. I also appreciate that they are letting "nature take its course" in the rise and decline of wolf packs, although the soft side of me feels saddened to hear about wolves facing disease, starvation, and death. To read more, you can check out links from NPR or The Billings Gazette or PBS. You can also read about the Yellowstone wolves on the Yellowstone National Park website.
The second story tells of the loss of two glaciers at Glacier National Park. Once the home of 150 named glaciers, the park now has only 25 named glaciers, and scientists fear that those may be gone by the end of this next decade. Scientists attribute the loss of glaciers to climate change and rising temperatures, although they note that the meltoff does not indicate what is causing temperatures to go up. You can read about the story from CBS, MSNBC, or Discovery News.
The first comes from Yellowstone National Park, where biologists have noted the decline and demise of one of the park's historic wolf packs, the "Druid Peak Pack." For more than a decade, the "Druids" were the dominant pack at Yellowstone and the source of much information about wolf behavior. After being subject to disease and competition, the "Druids" have seemingly been replaced by other packs in the area. I found the story about wolf pack history in Yellowstone to be fascinating, and I appreciate the work that biologists are doing to study wolves in the park. I also appreciate that they are letting "nature take its course" in the rise and decline of wolf packs, although the soft side of me feels saddened to hear about wolves facing disease, starvation, and death. To read more, you can check out links from NPR or The Billings Gazette or PBS. You can also read about the Yellowstone wolves on the Yellowstone National Park website.
The second story tells of the loss of two glaciers at Glacier National Park. Once the home of 150 named glaciers, the park now has only 25 named glaciers, and scientists fear that those may be gone by the end of this next decade. Scientists attribute the loss of glaciers to climate change and rising temperatures, although they note that the meltoff does not indicate what is causing temperatures to go up. You can read about the story from CBS, MSNBC, or Discovery News.
Play Ball
Baseball season starts today, and I am excited. Just as we have begun the season of spring and enjoy its hope of new things to come, a new baseball season means that all fans share the hope that their teams will be competitive this year and will play well. In only a few short weeks, some poor fans will already be resigned to the reality that their teams just won't be able to compete with some of the other teams in the league, and they'll quickly lose the possibility of extending their seasons into the playoffs. But the beginning of April is a different story. All teams start off with the same record. All teams start off with ballparks packed with fans who are cheering the possibility that this season may be the one that they'll win the pennant. All teams start off with the hope that, if they work hard and gather some momentum, they might just be able to pull off a winning season and relish the joy of victory...even those teams with 17-consecutive losing seasons.
So, once again, I am hopeful with the start of another baseball season, hoping that my favorite team can find a way somehow to bring back those thrilling memories I cherish from when I was still in elementary school and emotionally cheered them on in the playoffs. And even if this is yet again another disappointing season, I still find great joy in the beginning of another baseball season. It's a beautiful sport, combining athletic skill and intense strategy, and it's a sport that connects brothers, sons, cousins, fathers, daughters, sisters, mothers, grandparents, families, etc. It's a sport that enjoys a rich history and is deeply connected to our American culture. It's a sport that embodies the joy and adventure of youth...baseball is here, meaning summer is only a short while away...
Play ball!
Choice Bus
I recently came across a couple interesting articles that got me thinking about privileges and responsibilities.
The first piece described the development of the "Choice Bus," a school bus that has been converted to include a virtual jail cell that travels around the country as an educational presentation for high school and middle school students. The presentation is meant to provide a stark comparison of decisions that students face and their related consequences, specifically encouraging inner-city students to stay in school and avoid following the pattern of drop-out students who turn to "crime, poverty, and hatred." To read more, click here.
I also read an interesting analysis by Dr. Sandeep Jauhar, a cardiologist who raises the question of whether society should pay for the destructive habits and unhealthy behaviors of others that lead to increased demands on the healthcare industry. Acknowledging that by including those with unhealthy lifestyles into our insurance risk pools we allow them to shirk some responsibility for having to pay the consequences of their actions, Dr. Jauhar also notes that disease and illness are determined by far more than just unhealthy lifestyles. He raises important questions to consider as Americans debate how they feel about requiring all citizens to enroll in health insurance plans. To read more, click here.
These articles reminded me of the importance of acknowledging that the life I live is not my own, but that it is a gift given to me, and that includes all of the blessings and opportunities that have been granted to me. Through God's grace and providence, I have been blessed to be raised by a loving family who ensured I had an excellent education and never lacked the resources to enjoy a healthy and productive life. I often fail to consider this when I quickly judge others who I see engaging in questionable or unhealthy behaviors, but not everyone is surrounded by the love, guidance, and encouragment that I received and continue to receive. And the reality also remains that, even though my sins may seem more "acceptable" or "tolerable" in some eyes, I am a sinner nonetheless and equally deserving of God's judgment. It is by God's grace that I have been saved, not through my own works or merit! Therefore I am challenged to be a faithful steward of the blessings God has given me: the blessings and privileges granted to me come with responsibilities, and this includes reaching out to help educate and develop opportunities for others to lead more healthy and productive lives. This present life will not be perfect as we all struggle with sin and sickness, but by sharing God's love with others, I believe we experience His love in eager anticipation of the day when sickness and sorrow will be no more.
The first piece described the development of the "Choice Bus," a school bus that has been converted to include a virtual jail cell that travels around the country as an educational presentation for high school and middle school students. The presentation is meant to provide a stark comparison of decisions that students face and their related consequences, specifically encouraging inner-city students to stay in school and avoid following the pattern of drop-out students who turn to "crime, poverty, and hatred." To read more, click here.
I also read an interesting analysis by Dr. Sandeep Jauhar, a cardiologist who raises the question of whether society should pay for the destructive habits and unhealthy behaviors of others that lead to increased demands on the healthcare industry. Acknowledging that by including those with unhealthy lifestyles into our insurance risk pools we allow them to shirk some responsibility for having to pay the consequences of their actions, Dr. Jauhar also notes that disease and illness are determined by far more than just unhealthy lifestyles. He raises important questions to consider as Americans debate how they feel about requiring all citizens to enroll in health insurance plans. To read more, click here.
These articles reminded me of the importance of acknowledging that the life I live is not my own, but that it is a gift given to me, and that includes all of the blessings and opportunities that have been granted to me. Through God's grace and providence, I have been blessed to be raised by a loving family who ensured I had an excellent education and never lacked the resources to enjoy a healthy and productive life. I often fail to consider this when I quickly judge others who I see engaging in questionable or unhealthy behaviors, but not everyone is surrounded by the love, guidance, and encouragment that I received and continue to receive. And the reality also remains that, even though my sins may seem more "acceptable" or "tolerable" in some eyes, I am a sinner nonetheless and equally deserving of God's judgment. It is by God's grace that I have been saved, not through my own works or merit! Therefore I am challenged to be a faithful steward of the blessings God has given me: the blessings and privileges granted to me come with responsibilities, and this includes reaching out to help educate and develop opportunities for others to lead more healthy and productive lives. This present life will not be perfect as we all struggle with sin and sickness, but by sharing God's love with others, I believe we experience His love in eager anticipation of the day when sickness and sorrow will be no more.
Recent Headlines in Science
Some interesting scientific news stories I came across recently:
- Scientists are concerned the majestic redwoods in California may dry out due to declining fog! Read the story
- Archaeologists found what they believe may be King Solomon's wall...read the story
- Scientists studying blue whales note that they are singing at lower pitches year after year...read the story
- Insects have been found to fly along "superhighways" in the sky...read the story
- Scientists warn that solar storms occuring only a few times a century may threaten to destabilize our way of life...read the story
- Scholars suggest that an individual's belief in climate change may hinge upon their worldview...read the story
Remembering Vancouver
This past weekend marked the beginning of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, Canada. We are big Olympic game enthusiasts, and this year's Olympic games bring an extra dose of excitement and sentimentality for us because we honeymooned in Vancouver and Whistler, the very same locations that the Olympic athletes are getting to enjoy right now. As we see shots of beautiful British Columbia on television, it is not difficult to reflect back upon the wonderful time we had there (even though it was more than five years ago, it seems much more recent), and our memories are jogged as we see once again some of the great places we enjoyed during our visit. Even in the midst of our studies, I am certain we'll enjoy our fair share of Olympic viewing.
At the same time, the excitement over the Olympic games is tempered with tragic news about an athlete's death just before the start of competition when he crashed during a practice luge run in Whistler. It's difficult to imagine how athletes can be willing to risk their health and even lives as they pursue the dangerous sports they love. That's a level of competitiveness I quickly admit I do not share. At the same time, the untimely death of a hopeful athlete awakens many of us to the fragility and unpredictability of life - a perspective that I think we too quickly let slip away in the concerns and complexities of our everyday lives.
As I watch this year's Olympic games, I am hopeful that I will maintain two mindsets during their showing. First, a mindset of enthusiasm - enthusiasm for competition at the highest level, enthusiasm for God's beautiful creation, and enthusiasm for the many diverse gifts and talents God has given to His creatures. Second, a mindset of thankfulness - thankfulness for my wife and the time we shared in British Columbia, and thankfulness for my life and the blessings that have been generously bestowed upon me without my deserving any of it.
At the same time, the excitement over the Olympic games is tempered with tragic news about an athlete's death just before the start of competition when he crashed during a practice luge run in Whistler. It's difficult to imagine how athletes can be willing to risk their health and even lives as they pursue the dangerous sports they love. That's a level of competitiveness I quickly admit I do not share. At the same time, the untimely death of a hopeful athlete awakens many of us to the fragility and unpredictability of life - a perspective that I think we too quickly let slip away in the concerns and complexities of our everyday lives.
As I watch this year's Olympic games, I am hopeful that I will maintain two mindsets during their showing. First, a mindset of enthusiasm - enthusiasm for competition at the highest level, enthusiasm for God's beautiful creation, and enthusiasm for the many diverse gifts and talents God has given to His creatures. Second, a mindset of thankfulness - thankfulness for my wife and the time we shared in British Columbia, and thankfulness for my life and the blessings that have been generously bestowed upon me without my deserving any of it.
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