If you haven’t been there: A visit to the Gateway Arch

Posted on March 9, 2021 by | 4 comments

The Gateway Arch (or St. Louis Arch, as many call it) is a magnificent structure located in St. Louis, Missouri. It is also called the “Gateway to the West.”

It was built in 1963-65 and is a monument to Thomas Jefferson and his ideas for America’s westward expansion. The Arch is the tallest man-made structure in the Western Hemisphere, standing 630 feet high. It was designed by Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen in 1947 and cost $13 million. The monument opened to the public on June 10, 1967.  It is located at the site of St. Louis’s founding on the west bank of the Mississippi River.

Some fun facts about the monument:

  • The arch’s two legs were built separately, and if their measurements were off by as little as 1/64th of an inch, they would not have been able to join at the top.
  • The arch is tall as it is wide.
  • The insurance company for the project predicted that 13 workers would die during construction. No one died during construcction.
  • Due to security concerns, presidents aren’t allowed to go to the top—except President Eisenhower (who signed the order for construction of the monument).

Read more about the Gateway Arch design here.

I visited the Gateway Arch back in the 90s. I’m not a big fan of heights yet you have to visit this monument if you go to St. Louis! The scariest part? The tram to the top.

The tram is a “one-of-a-kind” invention created by Dick Bowser.  You step (and duck your head) into what looks like an egg shell design (they call it a capsule). If you are not a fan of tight spaces this is not for you! Read about the design of the tram system here and see what the ride up to the top of the arch looks like:

When you get to the top, here’s the spectacular views: (start at 4:50 mark; there’s more tram ride up before that, if interested):

If you haven’t been there, enjoy the virtual visit!

DCG

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Women can, but men can’t do this

Posted on March 9, 2021 by | 6 comments

From “The Physics Factbook“:

The center of mass is the balance point of an object’s mass. If a pivot were placed at this point, the object would remain in place and be balanced. The center of mass of a system is not always at the geometric center of the system…. When a system is balanced around its center of mass, it is said to be in a state of equilibrium….

A person’s center of mass is slightly below his/her belly button, which is nearly the geometric center of a person. Males and females have different centers of mass — females’ centers of mass are lower than those of males.

Below are two videos on how men and women differ in their centers of mass (or gravity):

https://youtu.be/_YEmYqziusg

I took both tests — and, being a woman, I passed both.

I’m really interested in how our male readers do.

P.S. These tests should be administered to athletes who claim to be transgender!

~E

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The sweetest sound: A baby’s laugh!

Posted on March 7, 2021 by | 5 comments

So cute!

DCG

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Posted in Funnies, God's creation

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Baby goats line up to get hugs

Posted on March 7, 2021 by | 7 comments

This is too precious for words…. (h/t Elizabeth)

But wait!

The alpaca, waiting so patiently, needs a hug too!

Here are 5 health benefits of hugging and cuddling (source:  Well+Good):

  1. You sleep better: Hugs and cuddling lead to the brain releasing oxytocin, which counters the production of the “stress hormone” cortisol. The lowered cortisol and increased oxytocin promote feelings of safety, security, and relaxation—all of which facilitate sleep. A higher level of oxytocin has also been linked to having fewer nightmares.
  2. Lessen stress: Stress really can make us sick. In addition to oxytocin, cuddling also lowers stress when the body produces serotonin, the “happy hormone” that promotes feelings of happiness and pleasure.
  3. Improve digestive functioning: The more often we cuddle, the more serotonin we produce, and the more serotonin we produce, the better our ability is to digest and process food. This is why we feel depressed, we may lose our appetite.
  4. Reduce pain: The oxytocin that’s released when we cuddle is an antidote to physical and emotional pain. Serotonin, the happy hormone, also decreases our sensitivity to pain.
  5. Boost our immune system: Cuddling improves our immune system because oxytocin and serotonin lower stress. Serotonin is also linked to gut health, and gut health is linked to immunity. A stronger immune system, in turn, helps us to manage stress,  reduce inflammation, fight illnesses like Covid-19, and stay healthy.

By the way, studies show that we can derive the same health benefits from hugging and cuddling our pets!

See also “Baby elephant loves to cuddle“.

~E

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Sunday Devotional: The Ten Commandments

Posted on March 7, 2021 by | 6 comments

Exodus 20:1-3, 7-8, 12-17

In those days, God delivered all these commandments:
“I, the Lord am your God,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery.
You shall not have other gods besides me.

“You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain.
For the Lord will not leave unpunished
the one who takes his name in vain.

“Remember to keep holy the sabbath day.
Honor your father and your mother,
that you may have a long life in the land
which the Lord, your God, is giving you.
You shall not kill.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
You shall not covet your neighbor’s house.
You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife,
nor his male or female slave, nor his ox or ass,
nor anything else that belongs to him.”

an examination of conscience

1. I am the Lord your God: you shall not have strange Gods before me.
Do I accord more importance to creation — to people and things? Do I idolize entertainers or politicians, idealizing and placing them on a pedestal? Am I my own god — grandiose, arrogant, and do as I will? Do I subscribe to a self-serving moral relativism– that what is right depends on the situation and on what benefits me? Do I practice humility by serving others? Do I ask for forgiveness when I have wronged another?

2. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
Have my words denied, devalued, or insulted God? Do I use His holy name as a profanity, or as an emotional outburst?

3. Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day.
Do I avoid, when possible, work that impedes worship to God, joy for the Lord’s Day, and proper relaxation of mind and body? Do I look for ways to spend time with family or in service on Sunday? Do I say “Thank You” for all that He’s given me — my body, mind, work, family, friends, and for life itself?

4. Honor your father and your mother.
Do I show my parents due respect? Do I seek to maintain good communication with my parents where possible? Do I criticize them for lacking skills I think they should have? Do I blame them for my own flaws and problems? Do I honor that which they gave birth to by treating my body and mind with respect, and refraining from impairing and corrupting myself with drugs, indolence, and pornography?

5. You shall not kill.
Have I killed the body, no matter how small, of another? Have I injured another’s body, spirit and emotions with my actions and words?

6. You shall not commit adultery.
Have I stayed true to my marital vows? If unmarried, have I honored another’s marital exclusivity? Have I respected the physical and sexual dignity of others and of myself, and of the institution of marriage?

7. You shall not steal.
Have I taken or wasted the possessions, resources or time that belong to another? Have I dis-respected God’s creation by being wasteful and profligate?

8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
Have I told lies or embellished stories at the expense of another?

9. You shall not covet your neighbor’s spouse.
Have I honored my spouse with my full affection and exclusive love? Have I, instead, longed for or lusted after another, including fantasy figures?

10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.
Am I content with what I have, or do I compare myself to others, and feel envious, resentful, or entitled to what others have?

May the peace and love of Jesus Christ our Lord be with you!

~E

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Saturday funnies!

Posted on March 6, 2021 by | 4 comments

DCG

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Posted in Funnies

How much money do you need to be in top 1%

Posted on March 5, 2021 by | 1 comment

Niall McCarthy reports for Statista, March 3, 2021, that according to Knight Frank’s 15th annual Wealth Report, the global super-rich (“ultra-high-net worth individual or UHNWI”) population — defined as an individual with $30 million or more in assets) increased 2.4% over the past year because of the COVID-19 pandemic’s surging asset prices, lower interest rates and fiscal stimulus. The increase of the super-rich was strongest in Asia at 12%.

The Wealth Report included an interesting subsection that used a Wealth Sizing Model to compare requirements to gain access to the top 1%.

Those requirements, in US$, vary considerably between countries. For example:

  • The entry point to being super-rich in Monaco is the highest on the planet at $7.9 million.
  • The United States has the world’s largest UHNWI population with around 180,000 people having assets of $30 million or more in 2020. However, to gain entrance to America’s one percent club, you’ll need $4.4 million.
  • In India, just $60,000 would entitle you to be among the top 1%.

Here’s the chart:

Infographic: How Much Money Do You Need To Join The Top 1%? | Statista You will find more infographics at Statista

~E

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DIY quick fixes

Posted on March 5, 2021 by | 5 comments

Some very clever ideas!

I’m gonna try the hair-dryer-as-vacuum one. 😀

~E

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Smart doggie!

Posted on March 4, 2021 by | 5 comments

DCG

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Posted in dogs, Funnies, God's creation

Proof that cats do miss us when we’re gone

Posted on March 4, 2021 by | 4 comments

We really should stop the incorrect and malicious stereotype that cats are aloof, unfeeling and unloving, but only use humans as a source of food and shelter.

Here are two videos showing how much cats miss their owners when they’re gone.

~E

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Posted in cats, God's creation