Public Posts

"The fate of the H-1B program – which offers U.S. employers a way to temporarily hire foreign workers in specialty occupations – has divided influential Republicans. Tech leaders like Elon Musk strongly support the program, while other Republicans question its impact on American workers. President Donald Trump imposed restrictions on the program in his first term, but his current policy agenda on H-1Bs remains under discussion" More at Pew Research ➜

"After many years of steady decline, the share of Americans who identify as Christians shows signs of leveling off – at least temporarily – at slightly above six-in-ten, according to a massive new Pew Research Center survey of 36,908 U.S. adults." More at Pew Research ➜

During its first month, the second Trump administration has pushed a new balance of these powers, granting the president expansive and far-reaching authority. These actions imperil the power of elected lawmakers in the House and Senate to pass legislation, oversee the federal government and exercise spending authority. More at The Conversation ➜

"Much like love itself, St. Valentine and his reputation as the patron saint of love are not matters of verifiable history, but of faith". Read more

"Roughly equal shares of U.S. men and women say they’re often lonely; women are more likely to reach out to a wider network for emotional support" More at Pew Research Center ➜

"A new Pew Research Center survey of 36 nations finds widespread public concern about economic inequality. And when asked what leads to this inequality, most people across the countries surveyed point to the intersection of wealth and politics" More at Pew Research Center ➜

“I have a foreboding of an America in my children’s or grandchildren’s time – when the United States is a service and information economy; when nearly all the key manufacturing industries have slipped away to other countries; when awesome technological powers are in the hands of a very few, and no one representing the public interest can even grasp the issues; when the people have lost the ability to set their own agendas or knowledgeably question those in authority; when, clutching our crystals and nervously consulting our horoscopes, our critical faculties in decline, unable to distinguish between what feels good and what’s true, we slide, almost without noticing, back into superstition and darkness"

Carl Edward Sagan (1934 – 1996) ~ American astronomer, planetary scientist and science communicator. He was one of the most well-known scientist of the 1970's and 1980's . He was controversial in scientific, political, and religious circles for his views on extraterrestrial intelligence, nuclear weapons, and religion. His best known scientific contribution is his research on the possibility of extraterrestrial life. He was an advocate for nuclear disarmament and co-wrote and hosted 'Cosmos: A Personal Voyage.'  He was widely regarded as a freethinker and one of his most famous quotations, in Cosmos, was, "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.  He died at the age of 62 from complications of Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS). More
 
Note: The book Demon-Haunted World by Carl Sagan explains why scientific thinking is crucial for navigating today's complex world and it offers insights on how we can separate fact from fiction and think critically, empowering us to make informed decisions.

"From symphonies to rock music, marching bands and advertising jingles — we hear Zildjian cymbals everywhere. Drummers across the globe know that name because it’s emblazoned on every gleaming disc. What’s less known is the Zildjian family has been making their famous cymbals — with a secret process — for more than 400 years". More at Vermont Public ➜

"...Rebuilding trust in insurance won’t be easy, but it’s essential. Insurance is the great protector of financial security for the American middle class, but only when it works. As the recent reaction demonstrates, it needs to work better. The insurance industry won’t change by itself; the financial pressures on insurers from increasing losses and fierce market competition are too great." More at The Conversation ➜

"Twins have been rare in human history and for that reason can seem special. ...... .......Our recent research suggests that twins were actually the norm much further back in primate evolution, rather than an unusual occurrence worthy of note. Despite the fact that almost all primates today, including people, usually give birth to just one baby, our most recent common ancestor, which roamed North America about 60 million years ago, likely gave birth to twins as the standard." More at The Conversation ➜

December 21 2024 -  A solstice is an event in which the earth’s poles are most extremely inclined toward or away from the sun, at about 23.5 degrees. Solstices happen twice a year, June and December, marking the change of seasons to summer and winter. During the December solstice, the sun is directly over the Tropic of Capricorn at noon and it marks the Northern Hemisphere's astronomical beginning of winter with the shortest period of daylight. In the Southern Hemisphere, it marks the beginning of astronomical summer with the day having the longest period of daylight of the year. More