QUARANTINE BLOG # 442

June 15, 2021

Yesterday was Flag Day, the 244th anniversary of the adoption, by the Second Continental Congress, of the Stars and Stripes as the flag of the United States.

Flag Day at 233 Woodland Drive.

Flag Day at bing.com

Flag Day at google.com

I don’t understand Google.  They are a multi-billion dollar business flourishing in the only nation on Earth that affords the opportunity for such growth as the United States of America does, and they ignore every patriotic holiday!

👉  No comment:

👉  Jeff Bezo’s Blue Origin space flight program founded “Club for the Future,” whose mission is to inspire future generations to pursue careers in STEM and to help invent the future of life in space.  Saturday they concluded their online auction for the very first seat on the New Shepard spacecraft with a winning bid of $28 million.  Nearly 7,600 people registered to bid from 159 countries.  The winning bid amount will be donated to Blue Origin’s foundation.  The name of the auction winner and the fourth and final crew member will be announced before the July 20 launch date (Jeff and his brother Mark are 2 of the 4).

👉  Here is a salute to my favorite afternoon pastime:

👉  In 2008, the food industry generated 43 billion pounds of wasted, unsold food.  As of 2019, that number was reduced to 21 billion.  Walmart and other giant food sellers often label foods as “best if used by” (safe to consume, but quality not as expected) and “use by” (highly perishable and/or have food safety concerns over time).  Items that are blemished or approaching those dates are often used in pre-cut packaged goods, like cubed watermelon or ready-to-eat meals.  In 2018, 21% of “ugly food” – an industry term for food safe to eat – was donated to organizations that distribute it to the needy.  Still, of all food produced in the United States, 40% of it is thrown away and culminates in our landfills, where it rots and emits methane, accounting for approximately 15.1 percent of total methane emissions in 2019 (Which is a potent global warming gas).

👉  Thanks to a clue from Brian, here is one more car that came out too early:

The Chrysler Turbine Car was an experimental two-door hardtop coupe powered by a turbine engine and manufactured by Chrysler from 1963–1964.  A total of 55 cars were manufactured: five prototypes and a limited run of 50 cars for a public user program. The car featured a metallic, root beer-colored paint called “turbine bronze.”

The Chrysler turbine engine program that produced the Turbine Car began during the late 1930s.  The engines could operate on many different fuels, required less maintenance, and lasted longer than conventional piston engines, although they were much more expensive to produce.

Chrysler conducted a user program that involved 203 individual drivers in 133 different cities cumulatively driving more than one million miles.  The program revealed a variety of problems with the cars, notably with their complicated starting procedure, relatively unimpressive acceleration, and sub-par fuel economy and noise level.  The experience also revealed key advantages of the turbine engines, including their remarkable durability, smooth operation, and relatively modest maintenance requirements.

After the user program ended in 1966, Chrysler reclaimed the cars and destroyed all but nine: Chrysler kept two cars, five are displayed at museums in the United States, and two are in private collections, one in Jay Leno’s Garage, and the other one is shown in this video.

👉  A couple of signs for the times:

👉  Today’s close, “5 Signs Your Church Might Be Heading toward Progressive Christianity,” is by Alisa Childers.

There are signs – certain phrases and ideas – that seem to be consistent in Progressive circles.  Here are 5 danger signs to watch for in your church:

There is a lowered view of the Bible.  Warning signs: The Bible “contains” the word of God...  I disagree with the Apostle Paul on that issue.

Feelings are emphasized over facts.  Warning signs: That Bible verse doesn’t resonate with me...  I just can’t believe Jesus would send good people to hell.

Essential Christian doctrines are open for re-interpretation.  Warning signs:  The resurrection of Jesus doesn’t have to be factual to speak truth...  The church’s historic position on sexuality is archaic and needs to be updated within a modern framework.

Historic terms are re-defined.  Warning signs: The Bible is divinely inspired in the same way and on the same level as many other Christian books, songs, and sermons. 

Including the word “Love.”  Warning signs: Sure, the Bible is authoritative – but we’ve misunderstood it for the first 2,000 years of church history...  It’s not our job to talk to anyone about sin – it’s our job to just love them.

Identifying the signs is not always obvious – sometimes they are subtle and mixed with a lot of truth.  We shouldn’t be surprised to find some of these ideas infiltrating our churches.  Jesus warned us, “Watch out for false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves” (Matthew 7:15).  If you spot any of these danger signs in your place of worship, it might be time to pray about finding fellowship in a more biblically faithful church community.

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