Association Of Catholic Bloggers

Monday, I wondered what I was going to write about this week. Then I read that scientists found methane and carbon dioxide in a not-really-Earth-like planet's atmosphere — and saw a silly headline or two.... ...Anyway, K2-18's atmosphere is mostly on hold for now. Instead, I'll talk about (alleged) space alien bodies, Nazca Lines and (human) mummies. And I'll take a look at NASA's UAP report. A quick look. It's been one of those weeks. Nice Weather, a Drought, and Me "Two mummified alien corpses..." ??? "Experts", Extraterrestrials, and Exclamation Marks "Nazca Mummies" and — — The Skull of Doom Speculation and the Nazca Lines K2-18b: Carbon Dioxide, Methane, and — Plankton?! Existing UAP Reports: Acknowledging Possibilities Attitudes Questions More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (My take on science news this week: allegedly alien mummies, K2-18b and organic gasses, a NASA UAP report. Unwarranted ass

First, the good news. Two days of this month's quest for a prescribed medication have passed without incident.... ...Sometimes the authorization gets processed in a timely fashion: and includes a 'do not provide before' date which matches the day on which my current supply runs out. Sometimes that doesn't happen. Last month was one of those times. What follows is my account of last month's epic prescription quest; a saga fraught with suspense, drama, defeat, and ultimate triumph — — Along with what I see as at least a partial explanation for why a seemingly-straightforward process is anything but. Controlled Substances Act: It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time "Reefer Madness", "Captain Planet", and Perceptions Scheduling Scary Substances August, 2023: Another Chapter in Brian's Saga Red Tape and Me A Glitchy AI and the Value of Typing Exercises Living in a Less-Than-Ideal World A Frustratingly Inappropriate "25&quo

These days, the first Monday in September is Labor Day. Officially, it's when we "honor the energy and innovation of working Americans": and, maybe, unions.... ...Unofficially, it's the last day of summer: when many Americans take vacations and/or pull out of their lake places. I expect to see a familiar boat or two parked in back yards next week.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Why I am staying home Labor Day weekend. Plus a quick look at official and unofficial reasons for celebrating, and a very little history.)

I started writing about Yellowstone, hazards, and science a few weeks ago. Then life happened — there's a link near the end of this post — something more timely came up, and now I'm back with a look at the area's past, present and future. Travelers' Tales Yellowstone: Hydrothermal and Other Hazards Explosions and Boardwalks Earthquake Lake and a 1959 Landslide Looking Ahead Supereruptions: and a Film Clip More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Yellowstone history, tall tales, science, hazards and disasters: one recent, another possible. How geysers work, what's ahead: and a short disaster film clip.)

India became the fourth nation to land on Earth's Moon this week. And the first to land near the Lunar south pole. This is a very big deal. So, in a different way, was the "abnormal situation" that turned Russia's Luna-25 lander into an impactor. Humanity is returning to the Moon. I think this is a good thing. I woke up in time to watch ISRO's coverage of Wednesday's historic touchdown near Manzinus crater. Folks in mission control showed more enthusiasm than I did, here in central Minnesota. But they're all younger than I am: so that's no surprise. I was and am delighted at ISRO's successful Lunar landing. And even more pleased about the Indian Prime Minister's upbeat words. Roscosmos, Luna-25, and Russia; Briefly "...The Sky is Not the Limit" "...This Success Belongs to All of Humanity" "... 'The Moon is Only a Tour Away'" Robert Goddard, Opel-RAK, and Missed Opportunities: Another Digress

Folks living in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada, are not having a good time. The last I checked, the Northwest Territories capital was being evacuated. Understandably, since there’s less than a mile of open water between Yellowknife and one of Canada’s wildfires. Since Yellowknife has been in the news, and I knew next to nothing about the place, I did a little checking and took a quick virtual trip to the Northwest Territories’ capital. I'll be talking about something else for next week's post, so what I found gets a once-over-lightly treatment.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Canadian wildfires and folks living in Yellowknife, capital of Northwest Territories: and a remarkable house. Also a cursory glance at crazy rumors.)

On his way back from World Youth Day in Lisbon, Pope Francis said that folks who aren't perfect can be Catholics. Since he was a tad more specific in how he expressed the idea, we got headlines like this: "Pope Francis restates Catholic Church is for everyone, including LGBTQ+ people" (ABC News). This week I'm taking a quick look at the news, and a longer look at why I'm okay with being Catholic. Pope Francis and the News Being Catholic — Two Millennia of Wildly Improbable Survival Definitions — Acting Like it Matters Happiness, Lust, Sin and Making Sense Wheat, Weeds, and What Pope Francis Said Not 'Just Us' Sodom, Gomorrah, and Lot's Guests — or — Evil is Not Nice Responsibility More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Pope Francis: the Catholic Church is for everyone, including LGBT. A quick look at news, a longer look at why acting like I am Catholic makes sense.)

Nerd alert! This week I used words like deuterium and magnetohydrodynamics. And I may have gone into more detail that necessary about why we didn’t have fusion power generators in the 1960s. A British company's plans for test-firing a fusion rocket engine got my attention last week. I'd planned on writing about it then, but a dental procedure and household matters got in the way. So I researched and made more notes over the weekend, and when my town's power came back online late Monday afternoon: the notes weren't there any more. That's something I may talk about, sometime next week. Anyway, I re-researched, got stuck and/or distracted a couple times — I'll talk about tralphium and mindsets in a bit — and ended up with this post. Which, as it turned out, included a bit about NASA's interest in UAPs and the serious search for extraterrestrial intelligence. Sunshine, Energy and Mass: Fusion Basics Thermonuclear Weapons, History and Ideas: Ver

On this date in 1598 William Shakespeare submitted "The Merchant of Venice" to the authorities. The play was entered in the Stationers' Register as "The Marchaunt of Venyce or otherwise called The Jewe of Venyce". Before I say anything else, I'd better make something clear. In my considered opinion, late 16th century England is not early 21st century America.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (The Merchant of Venice: Elizabethan England is not today's America, and other more-or-less obvious observations. Plus a good idea or two.)

This week I'm sharing what Fr. Mark Botzet said during Mass on the last Sunday in June. I was going to just post his homily and let it go at that. But then I thought his focus on fear might make more sense if I put it in context of what's been happening in my part of the world. So I've put a short (for me) look at life in central Minnesota, and the big picture, after Fr. Botzet's homily. Fr. Mark Botzet's Homily — June 25, 2023 Four Decades, Two Millennia and the Long Haul (Brian H. Gill) Under the Circumstances... Promises and the Best News Ever More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Dealing with changes in Parishes on the Prairie ACC. Remembering priorities. Not letting fear distract us from what is important.)

I like being an American. There. I've said it. I like living in a country where freedom of speech is part of our heritage. And where freedom of expression extends even to folks whose ideas aren't approved by The Establishment's current iteration. Usually.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (A quick look at America over the last century: good times, droughts, politics; and getting through anyway. Why being a good citizen matters: to me, anyway.)

(Breakfast cereal: wholesome, nutritious, and normally not radioactive. Ads from ca. 1900, left; 1906, right.) I'd prefer living in an America where doctors never used kids as lab animals, and "feeble-minded" folks who were already locked up were not feared by the powers that be. But I live in a very real America. We had problems in my youth. We still do. This is not a perfect country, but on the whole I like being an American: and appreciate living in a country where we are allowed to learn about — and from — our past mistakes. This week I'm talking about the time a giant of the food industry and a prestigious university dosed kids with radioactive breakfast cereal. I am not making that up. Looking Back at Fernald State School and a "Science Club" Science and Cereal Zombies and Mutants, Radon and the Minnesota Department of Health Good News, Bad News and Flexible Ethics "A Disappointing Type of Feeling", "'This is

It's been two and a half weeks since NASA's "Public Meeting on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena", aired on YouTube. Or is that streamed on YouTube? Never mind. The NASA panelists did not announce contact with an extraterrestrial diplomat, or admit that they've been holding space aliens captive. So some of the folks who were contributing to the video's live chat were profoundly disappointed. The panelists did, however, discuss what Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) means, how they'll be collecting and analyzing data, and answered some questions. Ideally, I'd have listened to all four hours of the meeting, pondered its content, and would now be sharing the highlights. That didn't happen. But I did catch bits and pieces of the video: mostly during the last hour. So I'll be talking about that today, focusing on a former pilot and astronaut's experience: along with flying saucers, ball lightning and (very briefly) space aliens.

There are times when I almost regret having successfully avoided a conventionally-successful career. Last weekend was not one of them. Partly because I saw what happens when an otherwise-smart person forgets to think. Big-Time Bungle: Bogus References Trust, Assumptions and ChatGPT Two Timelines, a Career and Experience A Little of This, a Little of That Using Our Brains: It’s an Option Common Sense and Other Alternatives A Skunk, a Wood Pile, Dynamite and the Sixties Changing Times, Human Nature THE ROBOTS ARE COMING! THE ROBOTS ARE COMING! More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Bogus research by a chatbot. Technology, common sense and human nature. Using our brains is an option. And a good idea.)

TThis week, I'll talk about Professor Ethan Siegel's view that "the myth of the super-habitable super-Earth planet" is "a scientific catastrophe", other non-catastrophes; and a problem with "super-Earths" as a label. Along the way I'll look at science, news, headlines and silliness. And finally, skip lightly over a 13th century academic debate that got out of hand. "...A Scientific Catastrophe"? Earth ISN'T the Best of All Possible Worlds??? Bigger Isn't (Always) Better: But Neither is Smaller Science News, Silliness, Headlines and "Catastrophe" Proxima Chorizo, the Great Moon Hoax and Headlines Exoplanets: New Categories for Strange New Worlds Sorting Exoplanets by — Radius? Mass, Period and Discovery Method of Known Exoplanets (March 2022) New Worlds Discovered by Kepler, TESS, and Everything Else Still Seeking the Legendary Earth 2.0 The Problem with "Super-Earths" HD 219134 b: Da

First, the good news. I am not experiencing withdrawal (or, more politely, "discontinuation syndrome"). The not-so-good news is that I'm putting off what I was getting ready for today until next week. This 'journal' post is in part an explanation: Decisions — or — Ducks in a Row and Other Alternatives Smoke in the Air, Health Issues and a Needed Prescription Responsibility and Requirements, Reasonable or Otherwise Benefit/Risk and Labels Learning Experiences Diagnosis An Informed Decision, Unforeseen Results "Reefer Madness", "Frankenfish" and Me "...Odd or Eccentric"?.... I Can See That Schizotypal Personality Disorder: Two Lists Navel-Gazing — or — The Paranoids are After Me! 😉 Disorders, Cultural Expectations and Making Sense Living Up, or Down, to Expectations Being Out of Step A Few Good Ideas More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Disorders, controlled substances and me. I need a prescription which requires monthly aut

Nations and organizations running the International Space Station agreed to keep supporting it until 2030. That's what I'll be talking about this week. Along with why the ISS won't last forever, plans for either ditching it in the South Pacific or starting an orbiting salvage yard, commercial space stations and something my oldest daughter and I thought of. The (Comparatively) International Space Station Cooperation, Complications, and Doing Science Anyway ISS Support Promised Through 2030 Best Structural Engineering of the 20th century Slow and Careful Docking at the ISS Looking Ahead: Commercial Space Stations Point Nemo, the Spaceship Cemetery and “The Call of Cthulhu” Concerns, Reasonable and Otherwise More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Complications and doing science anyway: ISS support promised through 2030. Commercial space stations, dealing with defunct spacecraft, and a Cthulhu connection.)

"...the glory that was Greece, And the grandeur that was Rome...." (" To Helen ," Edgar Allen Poe (1845) via Wikipedia) I don't yearn for 'the good old days' of my youth, or for more remote golden ages. My memory's too good, and I've studied history. On the other hand, some bygone eras really were comparatively good times. The best of the lot, arguably, was the Pax Romana. That's what I'll be talking about today. Two Centuries of Good times The Roman Republic, Julius Caesar and Defenders of the Status Quo Comparative Peace and Prosperity: Not Perfect, But Not Bad Sic Transit Pax Romana Living Among The Ruins of a Better Age More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (The Pax Romana, two centuries of good times, were not perfect. I look at why, two millennia later, they are still remembered.)

I'll be talking about ChatGPT, artificial intelligence, and why I don't think we're doomed. Search Engines, Iron Gall Ink and Me Prolonged Paragraphs, Abundant Adjectives: a Prolix Style From Another Age It's New, it's Scary and it's (Not) the End of Creative Writing ChatGPT and Three Fears 1. Loss of Economic Security (or Maybe a New Job) 2. Loss of Originality: Being Homogenized Diversity and a Discerning Chatbot 3. Loss of Creativity (Quoth the Chatbot: "Nevermore"?) Twitter Terror and the Chatbot of Doom Psst! Know Where a Buddy Can Get a Nuke? "It Can Only be Attributable to Human Error" From "I Read it in a Book" to "I Saw it Online" Nostalgia, Memory and Job Security More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Chatbots and three fears. ChaosGPT: Twitter terror and the chatbot of doom. Accepting change, and why I do not think creative writing is

Here in central Minnesota, palm fronds are part of our Palm Sunday Mass. We generally take them home, fold them into the shape of a cross while they're still green and pliable, and put them somewhere in the home where they'll be visible. Before next year's Lent, we'll return them to the parish church, where they're burned to make ashes for Ash Wednesday. That's the idea, at any rate. Some years, including this one, I forget about bringing last year's back. Letting that upset me is an option. But not, I think, a reasonable one. And that's another topic. Last weekend, my now-grown son asked my wife about the palm fronds he'd brought home from Mass. That reminded me that it's been 11 years since I made a short video, and 10 since I've shared it online. It's a short (4:26) how-2, showing how we fold our fronds. More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (How my family folds palm fronds into a Saint Andrews cross, using a lanyard weave.