Tag Archives: history

New Year’s Eve, 2020: I Imagine We Will Survive

Today is New Year’s Eve. It’s also Saint Sylvester’s Day, the 420th anniversary of the British East India Company’s charter and the 141st anniversary of Thomas Edison’s incandescent light demo. But mainly, I figure, for most Americans, today is New … Continue reading

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Joy and Shadow, Free Will and Something Silly

Advent started November 29, a couple Sundays back. It’s my faith’s Christmas warmup. I’ll get back to that. My culture’s Christmas begins after Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. Our traditionally-frenzied holiday shopping season does, at any rate. This year’s liturgical Christmas … Continue reading

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COVID-19, Cells, Viruses and mRNA Vaccines

I’ll be talking about mRNA vaccines and COVID-19. And why I’ll willingly wait for my vaccination, but think the new vaccines are a good idea. But first, I’ll look at news, weirdness and a little history. In the News: Prospects … Continue reading

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Thanksgiving 2020: Pandemic Peril and Perspectives

This year’s Thanksgiving is the first one affected by COVID-19. Mainly because SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19, didn’t exist a year ago. Or hadn’t spread to humans. Or was spreading to humans without anyone noticing it. Whatever was happening last … Continue reading

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Arecibo Radio Telescope 1963-2020

Update (December 1, 2020) “Arecibo telescope collapses, ending 57-year run” Eric Hand, Science Magazine (December 1, 2020) “The Arecibo Observatory is gone. Its 900-ton instrument platform, suspended above a dish in the karst hills of Puerto Rico, collapsed this morning, … Continue reading

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