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from An Odd Work of Grace blog
Gregory of Nyssa (335-394) was one of the most consequential theologians of the early Church. His preaching and writing helped to shape how Christians think about God and the life. Unfortunately, to the Church's shame, some of his teaching did not shape things as much as they should have. For example, he preached a scathing rebuke of slavery. We can only wish that Christians generally had taken that sermon to heart, repent, and commit to being more faithful in our time.
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from The Spokesman-Review
Newspaper in Spokane, Washington
Sue Lani Madsen: Risk, benefit and vaccine mandates
When the Spanish flu went viral in 1918, it didn’t mean trending on Twitter. Before vaccines, antibiotics, better sanitation and clean water, the leading cause of death was infectious disease. In 1918, the leading cause was influenza-induced lung infections. But the Spanish flu wasn’t really Spanish. It most likely originated in Kansas, shipping out with U.S. troops to Europe. Public officials and newspapers suppressed information to avoid deflating morale among the Western allies. Spain was on the sidelines during World War I and the first to report openly. The formal and informal censorship contributed to suspicion, fear and lack of preparedness as influenza spread. Several social media sites recently announced plans to suppress sources questioning vaccination practices. Censorship actively feeds into conspiracy theories as surely in 2019 as it did in 1918. Labeling all vaccine-questioning sources as misinformation is like calling all mainstream media fake news. The challenge is sorting out the bias from the science.
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from Star Tribune (Minneapolis)
Springing forward to daylight saving time is obsolete, confusing and unhealthy, critics say
This weekend, Americans will once again navigate their complex relationship with the chronically confusing and arguably misnamed daylight saving time. The clocks spring forward early Sunday morning when 2 a.m. suddenly becomes 3 a.m. in most of the United States. People are advised to avoid scheduling anything important for 2:30 a.m. Sunday, since, by law, such a moment does not exist. But the law may change. The national policy of switching from standard time to daylight saving time and back again is under legislative challenge from coast to coast. Multiple initiatives in Congress and in statehouses would terminate our current system of time toggling — a system that started a century ago and has been controversial ever since. It’s not really daylight saving time that’s drawing fire. It’s Standard Time. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., on Wednesday reintroduced a bill to make daylight saving time a year-round reality across the country, with no more biannual time changes. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., introduced matching legislation in the House. The moves come in the wake of a vote in the Florida legislature last year to adopt daylight saving time year-round.
The rise, set and rise of Daylight Saving Time
As you grumble about your lost hour of sleep this weekend, just remember: Don’t blame Benjamin Franklin. Despite legend, the nerdiest founding father did not invent daylight saving time. (He did, however, suggest cities wake residents earlier on summer mornings by the sound of cannon fire, so perhaps it’s best he didn’t get his way.) No, the reason you may have an extra cup of coffee Sunday is because of World War I. And golf.
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Sue Lani Madsen: Risk, benefit and vaccine mandates
When the Spanish flu went viral in 1918, it didn’t mean trending on Twitter. Before vaccines, antibiotics, better sanitation and clean water, the leading cause of death was infectious disease. In 1918, the leading cause was influenza-induced lung infections. But the Spanish flu wasn’t really Spanish. It most likely originated in Kansas, shipping out with U.S. troops to Europe. Public officials and newspapers suppressed information to avoid deflating morale among the Western allies. Spain was on the sidelines during World War I and the first to report openly. The formal and informal censorship contributed to suspicion, fear and lack of preparedness as influenza spread. Several social media sites recently announced plans to suppress sources questioning vaccination practices. Censorship actively feeds into conspiracy theories as surely in 2019 as it did in 1918. Labeling all vaccine-questioning sources as misinformation is like calling all mainstream media fake news. The challenge is sorting out the bias from the science.
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from Star Tribune (Minneapolis)
Springing forward to daylight saving time is obsolete, confusing and unhealthy, critics say
This weekend, Americans will once again navigate their complex relationship with the chronically confusing and arguably misnamed daylight saving time. The clocks spring forward early Sunday morning when 2 a.m. suddenly becomes 3 a.m. in most of the United States. People are advised to avoid scheduling anything important for 2:30 a.m. Sunday, since, by law, such a moment does not exist. But the law may change. The national policy of switching from standard time to daylight saving time and back again is under legislative challenge from coast to coast. Multiple initiatives in Congress and in statehouses would terminate our current system of time toggling — a system that started a century ago and has been controversial ever since. It’s not really daylight saving time that’s drawing fire. It’s Standard Time. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., on Wednesday reintroduced a bill to make daylight saving time a year-round reality across the country, with no more biannual time changes. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., introduced matching legislation in the House. The moves come in the wake of a vote in the Florida legislature last year to adopt daylight saving time year-round.
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from The Washington Post
Newspaper in Washington, D.C.
The rise, set and rise of Daylight Saving Time
As you grumble about your lost hour of sleep this weekend, just remember: Don’t blame Benjamin Franklin. Despite legend, the nerdiest founding father did not invent daylight saving time. (He did, however, suggest cities wake residents earlier on summer mornings by the sound of cannon fire, so perhaps it’s best he didn’t get his way.) No, the reason you may have an extra cup of coffee Sunday is because of World War I. And golf.
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