From ancient byways to modern highways, glimpses of faith are everywhere...

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Looking Up



 Lunar Eclipse   (Photo by Alfredo Garcia, Jr.)
In this Facebook age, we tend to look up friends and lovers, but rarely do we simply look up.

Last night, however, many were looking up.  There was a big bright “purple” moon to consort with: big because it was a mere 223,820 miles from earth, blue because it was the second full moon in January, and red because it was coupled with a total eclipse.

Such a “lunar trifecta” hadn’t occurred since 1982, and “won’t happen again until 2037.”  Some of us weren’t yet born in 1982.  Some of us won’t be around in 2037.  It
therefore behooves us to look up every night, in order to thank our lucky stars for life here on earth.

Resources
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/lunar-showstopper-1st-super-blue-blood-moon-in-35-years/ar-BBIv8i3?OCID=ansmsnnews11

Copyright January 31, 2018 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved


Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Troubled Bridges Over Waters



GW Bridge  (Photo by John O'Connell)
Although many of America’s bridges were designed by engineers, some are now functioning as though designed by folksingers.

NBC News reports that “more than 50,000 bridges across the U.S. are falling apart and endangering drivers.”  Chunks of them have already fallen on vehicles and roadways.  One victim, Mike Peterson of Utah, barely escaped with his life after a piece “smashed through his windshield.”

The American Road and Transportation Builders Association has concluded that these structurally deficient bridges, “if placed end-to-end,” would “stretch nearly from New York City to Miami.”  That’s a lot of infrastructure in need of repair.

Crises can either bring nations together or tear them apart.  Here’s hoping to bridge some mighty gaps within our troubled waters.

Resources
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/more-than-50000-american-bridges-are-falling-apart/ar-BBIqrBh?li=BBnb7Kz&item=personalization_enabled:false&OCID=ansmsnnews11

Copyright January 30, 2018 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved

Monday, January 29, 2018

The Last Straw



Eight Not Great   (Photo by Horia Varlan)
California’s proposed law could be the last straw for some, especially if it’s plastic.

This recent bill would make it a crime for restaurants to serve plastic straws unless a customer specifically requests one. Because landfills are suffering from the proliferation of such “one-time use” items, two cities have already implemented “straws-on-request” laws.

Although tough to swallow, such a law could cut down on the alleged “500 million straws… used in the U.S. daily.”

Resources
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/01/29/california-lawmakers-proposal-makes-serving-plastic-straw-without-request-crime-report-says.html

Copyright January 29, 2018 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved