About the GIF: In 1998, in Brussels, Belgium — de facto capital of the European Union — billionaire Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates was ambushed by pranksters with a cream pie-in-the-face as he entered a meeting with 400 Belgian educators, business leaders and government officials. (NY Daily News)
You know the drill:
Enter the contest by submitting your caption as a comment on this thread (scroll down until you see the “LEAVE A REPLY” box).
Body and Soul‘s writers will vote for the winner.
Any captions proffered by our writers, no matter how brilliant (ha ha), will not be considered.
This contest will be closed in two weeks, at the end of Tuesday, April 6, 2021.
To get the contest going, here’s my caption:
While conspiring with the Wuhan Lab on an anti-prankster vaccine, the Gates Foundation inadvertently unleashed the COVID-19 virus.
For the winner of our last Caption Contest, go here.
Now a man was ill, Lazarus from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Mary was the one who had anointed the Lord with perfumed oil and dried his feet with her hair; it was her brother Lazarus who was ill…. Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that he was ill, he remained for two days in the place where he was. Then after this he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.” The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you, and you want to go back there?”…. He said this, and then told them, “Our friend Lazarus is asleep, but I am going to awaken him.”…. When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days…. Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.”…. When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her weeping, he became perturbed and deeply troubled, and said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Sir, come and see.” And Jesus wept…. So Jesus, perturbed again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay across it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to him, “Lord, by now there will be a stench; he has been dead for four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus raised his eyes and said,
“Father, I thank you for hearing me. I know that you always hear me; but because of the crowd here I have said this, that they may believe that you sent me.” And when he had said this, He cried out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, tied hand and foot with burial bands, and his face was wrapped in a cloth. So Jesus said to them, “Untie him and let him go.”
Did you know that physicists have discovered the equivalent of the soul, i.e., something that endures after the death of our bodies?
Renowned British physicist Sir Roger Penrose and other physicists believe that human consciousness is something ineffable that’s “beyond the computational laws of physics,” and that our consciousness is “a packet of information” that’s stored at a quantum or sub-atomic level in microtubules within human cells. When a person dies, his or her quantum information (or consciousness) leaves the body and is released into the universe, only to return to the body’s cells if the host is brought back to life. Penrose argues that this explains why people can have near-death experiences, and believes that this quantum information amounts to a soul leaving the body. He said:
“”If the patient dies, it’s possible that this quantum information can exist outside the body, perhaps indefinitely, as a soul.”
As reported by Australia’s News.com on Oct. 31, 2012, Penrose and Dr.Stuart Hameroff, Professor Emeritus at the Departments of Anesthesiology and Psychology and Director of the Center of Consciousness Studies at the University of Arizona, developed a quantum theory of consciousness asserting that our souls are contained inside structures called microtubules within our brain cells. Our experience of consciousness is the result of quantum gravity effects inside these microtubules — a process they call orchestrated objective reduction (Orch-OR). In a near-death experience the microtubules lose their quantum state, but the information within them is not destroyed. Or in layman’s terms, the soul does not die but returns to the universe.
In the documentary Through the Wormhole, Dr. Hameroff explains:
“The quantum information within the microtubules is not destroyed, it can’t be destroyed, it just distributes and dissipates to the universe at large. If the patient is resuscitated, revived, this quantum information can go back into the microtubules and the patient says ‘I had a near death experience’. [If the patient dies, it is] possible that this quantum information can exist outside the body indefinitely — as a soul.”
May the peace and love of Jesus Christ our Lord be with you,
Earlier this week the IRS announced that the deadline for filing tax returns has been pushed to May 17.
In response, a lot of states have followed suit and extended their deadlines, but some are still April 15, or they might have different dates altogether.
Below are the dates for all 50 states, as they stand right now (source: lifehacker):
Alabama: Unlike the IRS, Alabama grants all taxpayers an automatic six-month extension to file penalty-free beyond the April 15, 2021 due date.
Alaska: Alaska does not have an income tax.
Arizona: The deadline is still April 15 for state taxes, but the Arizona Department of Revenue says it will consider an extension.
Arkansas: The deadline is still April 15 for state taxes, but the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration says it will consider an extension.
California: The deadline for state taxes has been extended to May 17.
Colorado: The deadline for state taxes has been extended to May 17.
Connecticut: The deadline for state taxes has been extended to May 17.
Delaware: The deadline for state taxes remains unchanged, and will be April 30.
Florida: Florida does not have a state income tax.
Georgia: The deadline is still April 15.
Hawaii: Residents still need to file their N-11 Hawaii state form by April 20, but you can also file for a six month extension.
Idaho: The deadline for state taxes has been extended to May 17.
Illinois: The deadline for state taxes has been extended to May 17.
Minnesota: The deadline is still April 15. However, taxpayers negatively affected by COVID can postpone federal income tax payments to May 17 without any penalties or interest. More info is here.
The Guardian reports, March 12, 2021, that Peyo is a 15-year-old stallion who once competed at dressage events — a form of riding through a series of complex maneuvers performed in exhibition and competition.
Nowadays, by his choice, Peyo is a therapy horse who, with his trainer, Hassen Bouchakour, visits the palliative care center at Calais Hospital in northern France.
At the hospital, Peyo tells Hassen which room he wants to enter by stopping or raising his leg.
Peyo seems able to detect when humans have cancers and tumors, and has a sixth sense for those in the hospital who are in the most need.
Peyo often stays with sick people until the end, as in the case of a dying woman with whom Peyo stayed for nearly two hours.
Hassen said that since 2016, Peyo has comforted around 1,000 people until their last breath.
St. Bonaventure called animals “creatures without sin”.
And indeed, God’s non-human creatures are without the Original Sin — the concupiscence or inclination toward evil — which stains every human.
Truly, Peyo is a creature without sin — an angel in equine guise.
The seemingly-magical animated portraits of Harry Potter are here.
Artbreeder is an app that uses computer (artificial intelligence – AI) technology to generate and modify images of faces, landscapes, and paintings, among other categories.
In May 2020, Dutch digital artist Bas Uterwijk began using Artbreeder to create realistic recreations of various historical figures.
In the video below, employing colorization and animation, Uterwijk brought to life black-and-white portraits and statues of historical individuals, including Marcus Aurelius, Napoleon Bonaparte, Mona Lisa, Rembrandt, William Shakespeare, Statue of Liberty, Vincent Van Gogh, and Jesus Christ.
https://youtu.be/rZSaD4QLjxE
I had a GIF made from the video of the AI-animated portrait of Christ:
The most common cause of joint pain in the United States is arthritis. There are many forms of this painful disease but the common factor is inflammation. Inflammation plays a valuable part of our immune defense because it rushes blood to an injury site. The white blood cells are therefore able to get to the destination quickly and protect us from infection.
However, our immune system sometimes triggers a response when there are no foreign invaders. With autoimmune diseases, our body starts to break down our own tissues as if they were infected. Joints are a very common area to become affected by these inflammatory attacks. The cartilage in the joints is eroded away and as the bones come into contact with each other, there is severe pain and discomfort.
Research and experience has pointed to foods playing an important role when it comes to the development of arthritis. When certain foods are avoided, people have reported improvements in their symptoms. It was discovered that vegetables are important in the reduction of inflammation. Not only do many possess anti-inflammatory properties but they also have the ability to destroy free radicals….
Foods that typically aggravate arthritis symptoms include dairy, fats, sugar, caffeine and meat. Studies found that by reducing consumption of these foods and increasing levels of omega-3 fatty acid intake, symptoms of joint pain were reduced.
Why is consumption of red meat bad for arthritis”
Iron is found to be a catalyst for the production of free radicals. Red meats supply an overload of iron and no vitamin C or E. These two vitamins are essential due to their ability to neutralize free radicals. A diet high in red meats that is not balanced by antioxidant-full vegetables is a guarantee to increase inflammation, worsening arthritis and joint pain.
It is important to understand that meat itself does not cause arthritis. Rather, it triggers or worsens the symptoms. Meat contains more purines than other foods, which are directly linked to increased uric acid levels.
The more purine that we take in, the higher the uric acid level production. As a byproduct, uric acid deposits in joints, which is known to trigger inflammation flare-ups. It is therefore recommended that those suffering from arthritis avoid a high-meat diet.
Additionally, fatty meats such as red or processed meats are high in saturated fats, which also increases inflammation. Because it is filling, it does not leave room for other foods in your diet. You may miss out on foods with anti-inflammatory properties, such as cold-water fresh fish. A high-fat and high-calorie diet is also likely to cause weight gain, which adds additional pressure and strain to your joints….
Omega-6 fatty acids are found in meats and are notorious for enhancing inflammation in joints.
Why the food we eat affect our immune system:
Since 70% of our immune system cells reside in the gut, they come into direct contact with the food we eat. Meats with these attributes easily trigger an inflammatory response, which is why the amount you eat should be monitored.
What you should eat:
If you suffer from joint pain and arthritis there are a few foods that are pain-safe and should definitely be concluded on your diet. Even if you eat red meat fairly regularly, including these foods will help to keep your system balanced and can protect from excessive inflammation.
♦ Brown rice
♦ Cooked or dried fruits such as cherries, berries or pears. Stay clear of bananas, peaches and citrus fruits.
♦ Cooked green, yellow and orange vegetables
♦ Water. Drink plenty of water, regular or carbonated. Other beverages, especially caffeinated ones, can be triggers.
♦ Condiments are okay as long as they are eaten in moderation (this includes salt)
The bottom line:
Meat can provide much needed iron, protein, zinc, and B vitamins. As we age, we require more protein to protect against bone fragility, poor healing, and poor immune function. Because of this, you may not want to avoid meat altogether….
The best solution is to include non-fatty meats in your diet and to combine them with good portions of arthritis-friendly foods, such as whole grains, fresh fruit, and vegetables.
Take care of your joints and stick to lean cuts of pork and poultry or fish to deliver your protein and nutrients.
I had no idea until I watched this video that elephants can be so playful!
In this video, you’ll see elephants chase geese, take baths, sneakily kick the butt of a boy, nudge a boy to play, steal a man’s cap and doff it on the elephant’s head, bop up and down to the tune of a piano, slide downhill in the mud, and cuddle with a girl in the rain — all for fun.
