Whimsical Wednesday

Spacey News + Bogus Climate Change + Fishing Factoids + More

Whimsy

From Omaha World Herald (5/7):  "It's better to use two spaces after periods than one. Scientists say so. In the beginning, the rules of space bar were simple. Two spaces after each period. Every time. Easy. That made sense in the age of the typewriter. Letters of uniform width looked cramped without extra space after the period. Typists learned to use two spaces. But then, at the end of the 20th century, the typewriter gave way to the word processor, & the computer, & modern variable-width fonts. And the world divided. Some insisted on keeping the 2-space rule. They couldn't get used to seeing just one space after a period. It simply looked wrong. Some said this was blasphemy . . . 
     "Enter 3 psychology researchers from Skidmore College, who decided that it's time for modern science to sort this out once & for all . . . So the researchers . . . rounded up 60 students & some eye tracking equipment & set out to heal the divide . . . And the verdict was:  2 spaces after the period is better. It makes reading slightly easier. COMMENT:  I call foul! Edith Grafing, my high school freshmen typing teacher, MUST have taught one space after a period, because that's how I've been doing it since 1967. When did the 2-space rule ever become gospel? It's my blog, & I can add as many spaces after a period as I want.   So there!

From Norfolk Daily News (5/7):  FROM THE DESK OF OUR CLIMATE CHANGE CONSULTANT! "April broke records in Norfolk. There's a a reason the April weather might have felt ridiculously cold. It was. In fact, April 2018 was the 2nd coldest on record, setting several new temperature records & knocking out some that were initially set more than 80 years ago." COMMENT:  Don't even get me started on the difference between climatology & meteorology. Blah, blah, blah. Cold is cold.   So there!

Food for Thought

From NDN (5/8):  "'Robotic kitchen'. Seven autonomously swirling cooking pots--what a new fast casual restaurant in Boston calls a 'never-before-seen robotic kitchen'--hum behind the counter. Push a touch-screen menu to purchase a $7.50 meal called 'Hearth.' A blend of Brussels sprouts, quinoa, kale & sweet potatoes tumbles from hoppers & into one of the pots . . . " COMMENT:  A visit to Boston is on our bucket list. Given the blend of ingredients, I think I'll be looking for a robotic McDonald's.

Dept. of Shameless Joke Stealing

From Reader's Digest Life in These United States (May 2018):  "When my local barista handed me my change, one coin stood out. 'Look at that. You rarely get one of these old wheat pennies nowadays,' I said, tapping the sheaf-of-wheat design. I handed her the penny. Turning it over & over in her hand, she said, 'You know, I always thought they were made of copper.'"

Fishing Factoids *

After I fished with the 1st graders yesterday--it was the annual 1st grade "picnic" @ Ta-hazouka--I decided to try Doug's, since I had all my gear w/me anyway. I fished for an hour. In the first 20 minutes I caught a 17", 12", & 15" bass. I had another one up on the bank when he threw the worm, slid down the bank & got away from me. I started at 3:00 & told myself that I was only going to fish for an hour. I caught one more 16" @ 3:55. (I started at 3:00.) I caught them all on black wiggle tails. I tried my black hula popper for a little while but still no hits.
* For fishing afficionado's 

Mental Health Update

My Mental Health MON blog on 5/14 was pretty whiny. I received a lot of encouraging comments, & I am grateful. I'm actually feeling a little more upbeat this morning. I had a good cardiac maintenance session on MON. During my 6-month eye exam on MON, I found out that I will be having cataract surgery in AUG (right eye) & SEP (left eye). My eyes have been bothering me a lot over the past few months, so I wasn't surprised. In fact, I was relieved. Somehow I think is contributing to a little better attitude today, since it's one less thing to worry about.

Wit & Wisdom of Cal Thomas *

* One of my 2 favorite pundits

From NDN column (12/13/17):  "Corruption of faith is a concern. When Jim Zeigler, the state auditor of Alabama, invoked the Bible to defend fellow Republican Roy Moore against allegations that he had inappropriate contact w/underage girls while single & in his 30s, it signaled perhaps the final stage in the corruption of American evangelicalism.
     "Zeigler claimed there are many instances in the Bible where older men had sexual relations w/young girls. That the religious left has made similar analogies to advance their political agenda is no excuse. It proves my point. Religious liberals long ago stopped preaching a gospel of personal salvation in favor of a social gospel that is more social than gospel. I fear conservative evangelicals are repeating this error . . . "  COMMENT:  For the record, Roy Moore lost the election. 

Thought for Today

GOING ON ALONE

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jer. 29:11

“The feeling of being alone is profound. But God still has gifts for us in our years alone, gifts to discover & spend in new ways on the world around us.”  At the Crossroads: Devotions for Lent, by David Kehret, Creative Communications for the Parish, 2016.