Category: Uncategorized

  • Douens and other folklore

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    Daniela
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    One of the best explanations of folklore can be found in Alan Dunde’s brief essay “What is Folklore?”  He argues that folklore is constantly being created and recreated to suit new situations. In her article in The Guardian  Angelo Bissessarsingh,  shares how stories of the douen and other characters brought to the islands by the Ibo,…

  • Opposition to GMO’s Growing Around the World – Cont’d.

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    Daniela
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    A reader pointed me to an article by Jon Entine,  published by the American Enterprise Institute, that questions the methodology used by Séralini to conclude that rats fed genetically modified corn developed grotesque tumors.  I’ve posted an excerpt from the article below.  You can find the entire article here. The study concluded, controversially, that rats fed corn genetically modified…

  • Water Drops, Daisies and Bumblebees

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    Daniela
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    The photo above provides a wonderful demonstration of the physics of light in water drops as well as the attraction of water molecules to plant molecules and to one another. In this case, the liquid drops result from rain and fog. A drop of liquid behaves like a simple lens – just like a camera. Therefore, the refracted image is upside-down when viewed through the drop. Somehow, bees,…

  • Sunday Prayer

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    Daniela
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    Listening The goose cries, and there is no way to save her. So many cheeps come from the nest by the river. If God doesn’t listen, why are we listening? Very deep water covers most of the globe. Whenever I see it, I think of St. John. There is no remedy for deep water but…

  • The Limits Of Neuroscience, Ctd

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    Daniela
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    Originally posted on The Dish: Daniel Lende searches for a middle ground on neuroscience amidst a mounting backlash against the field. He tries to streamline current controversies by citing Professor Nikolas Rose, seen above: One tension highlighted by Rose is whether the “psy complex” (the fields from the 20th century focused on psychology and mind)…

  • Mohammed Assaf Wins Arab Idol – Palestine Rejoices

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    Daniela
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    Congratulations Mohammed Assaf on a well deserved win!!! Here’s a little background from CNN on Assaf ‘s story and the reaction in the region to his win: Relatedarticles Hero’s welcome in Gaza for ‘Arab Idol’ winner (radionz.co.nz) Gaza welcomes Arab Idol winner Mohammed Assaf (arunbabyveranakunnel.wordpress.com) Palestinian cities celebrate as Gazan singer Mohammed Assaf wins Arab Idol…

  • A Conversation on Religion Between Werner Heisenberg and Neils Bohr

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    Daniela
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    Writing this blog has given me an opportunity to explore and expand my knowledge in many directions.  But of all the topics covered, I am especially interested and intrigued by the intersection between science and spirituality.  An article by Werner Heisenberg  published in the “Conversation” section of the Edge relays a discussion held by some of the…

  • Food Hubs – The Key to Expanding Regional Food Systems

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    Daniela
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    It was 2004, and the re-emergence of local and regional food systems was still relatively novel across the nation—perhaps especially in the Southeast United States (despite the fact that until the last half-century, local and regional food was all there was). And yet it was in Durham, N.C., that some industrious individuals, with the help…

  • Telecoupling – A Holistic Understanding of Sustainability

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    Daniela
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    Michigan State University’s Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability highlights a recent study by  led by Jianguo “Jack” Liu, Michigan State University’s Rachel Carson Chair in Sustainability: In the new issue of Ecology and Society, Liu, director of MSU’s Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability (CSIS), and his colleagues lay the groundwork to understand how an action…

  • The Literary Tourist, Ctd

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    Daniela
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    Originally posted on The Dish: Placing Literature is a new interactive website that lets users map the whereabouts of scenes from fiction. Amanda Kooser explains the appeal: One of the first things I did when I visited London a few years ago was to go on a Sherlock Holmes walking tour. I’m not the only…