Independent sources confirm many of the major and minor characters of the Bible.

http://www.aish.com/ci/sam/48969466.html?s=mm

What has happened to Jordan Peterson is tragic.  His daughter updates his health problems in a video below. 

I agree with her, that more people need to be aware of psych med induced neurological injuries.

For those who do not know the story, he could not get treatment from this addiction anywhere in the West. He had to go to Russia. That was a few years ago.

Here is text from the video.

We figured out that dad has a psych med induced neurological injury, and has been suffering from akathisia. It’s been 6 years since any psych medications. Last summer his symptoms started, after a flare up likely induced by mold (CIRS) and stress. It was complicated by pneumonia and associated sepsis a month later. It’s been horrible. Neurological injuries from psych meds are far more common than people know. I made this video to explain what they are and what akathisia is because they’re not talked about enough, they’re misdiagnosed, nearly impossible to treat, and hidden by the pharmaceutical industry.

I don’t plan on making another update about my dad, it stresses my family out, and myself, and there’s nothing more to say about it until things get better. I will be jumping up and down about psych med injury awareness from now on as it’s impacted my health as well, and is devastating. Prayers are appreciated still. Warning for people on psych meds listening - if you’ve been taking a psych med, particularly a benzodiazepine long term and are stable, don’t feel pressured to taper.

Do your research but don’t get concerned from this video and destabilize a stable situation without knowing the risks, see below for research/resources/testimonials: Prescribed-harm.com - This is the website I built out of frustration - Submit your story here if you’d like.

There are likely over 100 papers on here about medication dangers, akathisia, mitochondrial dysfunction, the ketogenic diet, and safe tapering, as well as resources, I’ve only linked a few below. https://prescribed-harm.com/blog - Stories from others injured by psych meds.

Studies (prescribed-harm.com lists way more than I have here): 1. Mold causing mental illness possibly due to mitochondrial dysfunction: Mold inhalation causes innate immune activation, neural, cognitive and emotional dysfunction - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles...

Mold and Mycotoxin Exposure and Brain Disorders - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38176... Inhalation Alzheimer’s disease: an unrecognized-and treatable-epidemic - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles... Mold Exposure and Mitochondrial Antibodies - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32088... 2. Mitochondrial dysfunction in psychiatric disorders: Impaired mitochondrial function in psychiatric disorders - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22510... Linking mitochondrial dysfunction, neurotransmitter, neural network abnormalities and mania - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles...

Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Psychiatric Disorders - https://link.springer.com/article/10.... 3. Mitochondrial dysfunction due to psychiatric medication to treat illness likely caused by mitochondrial dysfunction: Horrifying: Different Effects of SSRIs, Bupropion, and Trazodone on Mitochondrial Functions and Monoamine Oxidase Isoform Activity - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles...

Psychotropic medications and mitochondrial toxicity - https://www.nature.com/articles/nrn32... 4. Ketogenic diets for mental illness (that provide an alternative fuel for mitochondria): Ketogenic diets, mitochondria, and neurological diseases - https://www.jlr.org/article/S0022-227... Complete remission of major depression and generalized anxiety disorders - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38887...

The Ketogenic Diet for Refractory Mental Illness: A Retrospective Analysis of 31 Inpatients - https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/... Serotonin Hypothesis Debunked: The serotonin theory of depression: a systematic umbrella review of the evidence - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35854... Akathisia: https://akathisiaalliance.org/ Tapering resources/safe doctors (again, think carefully before you taper if you are stable): presribed-harm.com/resources

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9bzpDogoeo

DETROIT (AP) — General Motors is recalling nearly 462,000 pickup trucks and big SUVs with diesel engines because the rear wheels can lock up, increasing the risk of a crash.

https://apnews.com/article/silverado-sierra-recall-rear-wheels-lock-up-9d1067efee1c2713ae8633b1965bf9c9?

If the plastics industry is following the tobacco industry’s playbook, it may never admit to the failure of plastics recycling.

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/05/single-use-plastic-chemical-recycling-disposal/661141/?

Thanks

Stan

Illustration: Natalie Peeples/Axios

ESPN faces an existential crisis as it seeks to secure a streaming future while the cable TV bundle is in terminal decline, Axios' Tim Baysinger writes.

• Its solution: Ask sports leagues if they want to buy a stake in the network.

Why it matters: The "worldwide leader in sports" being partially owned by a major league would raise a bevy of conflict-of-interest questions.

No deal is close. But multiple sources say ESPN, owned by Disney, has been discussing equity stakes with the NFL, NBA and MLB.

• Read on.

Did you know: D.C. is home to the world's largest Shakespeare collection? But most people have never seen it.

Why it matters: That will soon change thanks to an $80.5 million, four-year re-imagining of the Folger Shakespeare Library on Capitol Hill, which has pulled treasures from its vast vaults to display — many for the first time in 92 years.

What's new: The library reopens on Friday with 12,000 feet of public space, including two exhibition halls, a forthcoming café Quill & Crumb, a new learning lab and research spaces, and an expanded gift shop, plus outdoor gardens.

? Flashback: New York oil magnate Henry Folger and his wife Emily, both avid Shakespearean and literary collectors, planned the library in the late 19th century and filled it with their treasures. The collection now includes 10,000 editions of Shakespeare and around 227,000 printed books.

• Upon opening in 1932, the Washington Post dubbed it a "Noble Shelter for Shakespeare's Treasures" — a marblesque monument, which in some ways doubles as a mausoleum.
• The ashes of both Folgers are interred in the stately Reading Room.

? Though the place was open to students and scholars, it wasn't widely accessible or inviting beyond its 1930s replica Elizabethan theater—the first of its kind in the U.S. — where professional actors and school groups "wake up the books," as the staff likes to say.

• Outgoing Folger director of 13 years Michael Witmore helped drive the new vision.

What they're saying: "Our goal was to take the very best things we had, bring them out, and use them to inspire people," Witmore told Axios on a pre-opening tour. But first, "We needed a front door." (There are now two public entrances).

• The second challenge was even harder than the buildout, which involved inserting a modern gallery wing under a historic landmark without disturbing it.
• "I want this place to be fun," says Witmore. "A place that will elevate you, challenge you with history, with tough conversations about who we are. A place that's deliberately inclusive of anyone who walks through the door."

? Zoom in: Shakespeare's "First Folio" from 1623 is the gallery's new star. There are no manuscripts of Shakespeare's plays, only printed books, and it's the earliest, largest printed collection — without which many plays, like "Macbeth" and "The Tempest," might have been lost.

• Visitors can view the bound books and interact with scanned pages—spotting doodles or notes — or test their hand at type-setting with a replica 17th-century printing press.

The bottom line: You don't need to be a Shakespeare scholar to enjoy the exhibits. There's a toddler-age picture search, digital games, and exhibitions that explore "Shakespeare in D.C.," Shakespeare in America," and Shakespeare as "The name on a book you never wanted to open," as one plaque says.

• In the old days, "people felt like they had to study up before they came," Peggy O'Brien, the library's education director, tells Axios. "We're not having that anymore."

If you go: Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 E Capitol St SE. Timed-entry passes are currently available and free, with a suggested donation of $15.

An ancient tree from India is now thriving in groves where citrus trees once flourished in Florida, and could help provide the nation with renewable energy.

https://apnews.com/article/pongamia-tree-citrus-florida-california-biofuel-protein-c9e781f0d1f7ea786b9748235c9dc320?

Check out this stunning snap of a November afternoon inside Manhattan's Madison Square Park, taken by reader Ashley Corso.

RENO, Nev. (AP) — The National Weather Service issued advisories Saturday along the California-Nevada line ahead of an early winter storm that could bring more than a foot (30 centimeters) of snow to the upper elevations of the Sierra and winds gusting up to 100 mph (160 kph) over ridgetops.

https://apnews.com/article/winter-storm-sierra-snow-nevada-california-tahoe-3804f56a0780b3852b0c49202cc474f1?

Marlee, a Pembroke Welsh corgi, barrels through a wave during an annual surfing competition for dogs in Huntington Beach, California.

• Go deeper.

The underwater microphone first picked up the distinctive ping around 4:00 a.m. In the water off Hawai‘i, there it was: the unknown whale’s signature call. Jennifer McCullough, a biologist with the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), checks her monitors. From her station on the research ship’s lower deck, her instruments are telling her the sounds are coming from only 200 meters away. She radios up to the bridge, guiding the crew to keep the whales in front of the ship. For 18 years, scientists have been sporadically recording the sounds of this mystery animal. With a bit more light, McCullough might finally, finally, be able to spot one.

https://hakaimagazine.com/news/the-whale-thats-known-only-by-the-sound-of-its-voice/?

QUEENSLAND, Australia — Vitamin D is probably most synonymous with the Sun and strong bone health, but new research out of Australia suggests a regular regimen of vitamin D supplementation can also go a long way toward promoting robust heart health. The study, based on a clinical trial, finds that vitamin D supplements may reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events such as heart attacks among older adults (ages 60+).

https://studyfinds.org/vitamin-d-heart-attacks/?

New cancer diagnoses in the U.S. are expected to top 2 million for the first time in 2024, driven in large part by an alarming increase in cancers among younger Americans, according to new American Cancer Society data.

https://www.axios.com/2024/01/17/new-cancer-diagnoses-record-high?

Our view of the universe just expanded: The first image from NASA’s new space telescope unveiled Monday is brimming with galaxies and offers the deepest look of the cosmos ever captured.

https://apnews.com/article/james-webb-telescope-first-photos-32c7cad1f6b277f871990d029bedba72?

Pastor Erton C. Köhler

What a breath of fresh air. 

Here are 12 officers who went above and beyond the call of duty to make the world an ever brighter place.

Read more at http://www.beliefnet.com/Inspiration/Vid...eHkFxIjyYqlf.99

https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/ss/slideshow-healthy-nuts?

The 2,900-job shock and a $102 million factory left idle

The centerpiece of GM's latest reset is a decision to eliminate 2,900 positions tied to a $102 million plant in the Midwest, a facility that was once pitched as a cornerstone of the company's electric future. Instead of ramping up, the site is being shuttered, leaving 2,900 people facing unemployment right around the holidays and turning what was marketed as a growth engine into a symbol of stalled ambition. Reporting on the 2,900 jobs underscores how workers from Detroit to Ohio are being asked to uproot their lives or accept unemployment as the price of GM's strategic pivot."....

Cool stuff for sure

http://www.macworld.com/article/2048483/...?lsrc=newsalert

Lillian Gertrud Asplund, the last American survivor of the sinking of the Titanic in 1912, has died, a funeral home said Sunday. She was 99.

Asplund, who was just 5 years old, lost her father and three brothers — including a fraternal twin — when the “practically unsinkable” ship went down in the North Atlantic after hitting an iceberg...

Asplund’s mother, Selma, and another brother, Felix, who was 3, also survived the Titanic sinking in the early morning of April 15, 1912...

Lillian Asplund never married and worked at secretarial jobs in the Worcester area most of her life. She retired early to care for her mother, who was described as having never gotten over the tragedy.

Selma Asplund died on the 52nd anniversary of the sinking in 1964 at age 91. Felix Asplund died on March 1, 1983, at age 73.

[text from link]

The “Strength Test” column of this issue is dedicated to the never-surpassed Great Commander of many believers—Jesus Christ, who, through His feat of love, conquered and continues to conquer not earthly riches, but human hearts. Why, being the Son of God, was He crucified? How could He allow this, and what was the meaning behind it?

The Absurdity

The news of the death of Jesus, called the Christ, created an extraordinary resonance in the 1st century AD across a significant part of the Roman Empire. This was not because it was “breaking news” for sensation-seekers. The news of a crucified Jewish preacher would hardly have surprised, let alone agitated, the Near Eastern world of that time. The resonance was provoked by the incompatibility of the concepts of three intersecting cultures—Jewish, Greek, and Roman. For them, the crucifixion of Christ for the sins of all humanity was the highest degree of absurdity and even madness.

First, “Christ” is not just a person’s name. It is a high title indicating royal and priestly status, especially in the context of salvation. Christ is the same as the Messiah. Second, in the view of the compatriots of Jesus of Nazareth, execution on a wooden cross was a clear sign of God’s curse poured out upon the victim. “…for he that is hanged is accursed of God,” says the Holy Scripture (Deut. 21:23). For the Greeks, whose culture was inherited by the Romans, a person crucified on a cross was associated with a rebel. And for the Romans, execution on a cross was so loathsome that they did not crucify their own citizens at all; it could only happen to traitors of the Fatherland.

This “absurdity” shocked the world of that time through the tireless and fearless preaching of Jesus’ inspired disciples. Yet, this very absurdity proved to be salvific for sincere people, not only from the standpoint of persuasive words but also from common sense. “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God… But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness…” (1 Cor. 1:18, 23).

The Passion of the Christ — The Director’s Cut

“As many were astonished at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men” (Isaiah 52:14). This is part of Isaiah’s prophecy about Christ’s suffering, delivered approximately seven hundred years before its exact fulfillment. The most touching words in this part of the prophecy are: “visage was so marred more than any man,” which suggest that the character and severity of this suffering exceeded the results of any human suffering that has ever existed.

In 2004, a film notorious for its plot was released by Hollywood actor and director Mel Gibson, titled The Passion of the Christ. For many, it overturned their perception of what the Son of God endured in the last twenty hours of His life. Many, weeping, could hardly watch the film to the end, while some were unable to do so at all because of the continuous bloody horror depicted.

From a dramatic standpoint, and in comparison with other films about Jesus Christ, the movie succeeded. The world moved one step closer to the truth about the courage, suffering, and endurance of the Savior. But alas, from the standpoint of the reality recounted by the Bible as the primary source, not all viewers were able to discern the nature of the true passion of Christ. The film’s plot is saturated with the horrific abuse of the innocent Messenger of God by sub-humans, culminating in His death on the cross. One immediately gets the impression that Mel Gibson tried his best to depict what happened down to the smallest detail.

The crux of the problem lies elsewhere. In the Hollywood director’s film, there is a clear emphasis on the physical pain of the Son of God, which was not actually paramount in the Savior’s suffering. Contrary to the film’s plot, one can confidently assume that throughout human history, facts of physical abuse and violence against people can be found that far exceed those seen in The Passion of the Christ. This further confirms that the Hollywood narrative of Christ’s passion is far from the biblical one. No makeup artists, actors, or directors can film or show what the Bible calls “marred more than any man” for one reason—it is impossible. Against the background of Jesus Christ’s true pain, the mere physical suffering caused by other people, which Mel Gibson so vividly depicted, was quite insignificant. Although this does not mean that the Son of God did not experience monstrous physical pain.

What Did Christ Die From?

The pain that marred and killed the Savior was of a different nature. On the cross, Jesus lived for only a few hours, which could not help but surprise Pilate. After all, one nailed to a cross could live much longer. It is known that besides Jesus Christ, two thieves were crucified to His left and right. It was also impermissible to leave the condemned hanging on the crosses for the approaching Passover holiday. Therefore, the problem had to be solved quickly. The Roman soldiers solved it in a way that seems strange at first: “…they brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs” (John 19:32-33).

Why was it necessary to break the legs of the two thieves, and why was this not done to Christ? The fact is that the lifespan of those crucified depended on the ability to breathe, as the breath of those nailed in such a way would be convulsively restricted by the weight of their own motionless body. Every breath was taken with horrific pain. The unfortunate person had to periodically lift themselves up by pushing against the nails in their feet. Therefore, to deprive the thieves of this possibility, the soldiers broke their legs, thereby condemning them to a faster death by suffocation.

Jesus Christ did not need this, because at that moment, to their surprise, He was already dead. To ensure the authenticity of Jesus’ death, “one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water” (John 19:34). According to some doctors, the water and blood flowing from the wound may indicate a massive heart attack. What did the Son of God experience that His strong heart could not withstand, causing Him to die prematurely?

According to the Holy Scriptures, the Savior experienced indescribable, monstrous pain and agony from the weight of the sins of all humanity, which fell upon Him as a curse by His own will. This was the result of a natural separation from God the Father, from whom He had never been parted, as sin and God are incompatible concepts.

That Is Why He Came

“He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth…” (Isaiah 53:7).

The suffering of the Son of God began even before anyone inflicted physical pain on Him. In the Garden of Gethsemane, shortly before His arrest, drops of blood and sweat appeared on Christ’s brow from agony. There, with a deep heaviness in His heart, Jesus struggled to say: “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death…” (Matthew 26:38).

This was the hour for which He was born. He not only knew this well but spoke about it to His disciples, who did not want to believe or delve into it. Jesus knew the many detailed prophecies predicted by the Holy Scriptures about His voluntary mortal fate for the sake of saving the human race from eternal destruction. The Savior also knew the specific prophecy recorded by the prophet Daniel in the 6th century BC: “…shall Messiah be cut off…” (Daniel 9:26).

Jesus not only knew but did not avoid His fate; He intentionally moved toward it. When the Apostle Peter angrily attacked one of those who came with the mob in Gethsemane, Christ stopped him, saying: “Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:53). Peter had witnessed many miracles performed by the Lord and hardly doubted an army of a legion of angels for each apostle. The most incomprehensible thing for Peter and the other apostles was—why did their Teacher allow Himself to be illegally arrested?

Why?

“Why?”—this question arose not only among the bewildered apostles but also among His enemies: “…He saved others; himself he cannot save…” (Matthew 27:42). Why did the One who claimed to be the Christ and performed great miracles suddenly appear so helpless? “Christ on the cross is madness and absurdity. The true Christ promised by the prophets cannot be cursed, but this one is an impostor,” thought those who did not understand all the prophecies about the Savior.

“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:4-6).

Who Is He?

To answer “why?” for oneself, one must first answer another question: “Who is Jesus Christ?” Unfortunately, the vast majority of professing Christians have not bothered to open the Book of books to see Jesus as more than a Great Man. In the opinion of many people seen every day, the Son of God remains merely someone born about two thousand years ago through the Holy Spirit to the Virgin Mary. He died for our sins and rose again. Knowing only this, any thinking person will ask not only “why?” but also “why did He have to die for my sins?”

Here is what the Holy Scripture truly tells us about the Son of God: “Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.” And: “Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands” (Hebrews 1:8-10).

Based on this text, we see that the Son of God is the Great Creator God, the same as God the Father. And His birth from the Virgin Mary is merely the incarnation of the eternally existing God the Son. “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh…” (1 Tim. 3:16). Thus, if Jesus Christ is the Creator God involved in the creation of the Universe, then why should God take upon Himself the sins of our world?

Read the full article on the website - https://jesus-love.net/the-passion-of-the-christ-biblical-truth/

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Stock: Getty Images

It's 2026 and I'd choose a handwritten note over an AI-generated response any day of the week, Axios' Natalie Daher writes.

• I also practice what I preach. I've shared written correspondence with friends, former co-workers and family members since I was a kid.
• 📝 I wrote my cousin, who was a Navy Seal deployed to Afghanistan in the early 2000s, and actually heard back. I wrote thank you notes for birthday gifts, as my mom required. I even wrote Britney Spears (radio silence there).
• 🖋️ As an adult, I've accumulated fancy stationery, a fountain pen and more stickers than I'll ever use. Like my colleague Aïda Amer, I treasure snail mail.

📖 So when a novel arrived that put letter-writing and emails at its center, I didn't just read it — I organized a multi-generational book club.

• "The Correspondent," the epistolary novel by Virginia Evans, became a sleeper hit last year — and it resonated with me deeply enough that I wasn't surprised to find I wasn't alone.

📬 Elizabeth Passarella wrote for The New York Times last week about receiving a surprise letter from her sister, who had been inspired by Evans' book.

• The novel's main character, Sybil Antwerp, is a Maryland-based retired lawyer who exchanges letters with everyone from an ancestry company employee to her adopted brother who lives in Europe to novelist Joan Didion.
• Through those correspondences, we learn about Antwerp's experiences with aging, grief and a long career in law — and the major secrets she's kept along the way.

Evans' novel reminded me why the act of writing itself matters, not just the sentiment behind it.

Tips for getting started:

1. ✏️ Keep the bar low. My stationary might be extra, but yours doesn't need to be. Plain paper works. Don't overthink your message — start with a shared memory or a quote that reminds you of your recipient.
2. 🚐 Make it easy for yourself. Passarella recalls a friend who keeps notecards in her minivan so she can write while waiting for school pickup. Or switch up your usual journaling routine and write someone a letter instead.
3. 👋 Reconnect with an old friend. Falling out of touch doesn't have to mean forever. A surprise note puts you out there with no pressure. There's no guarantee, but you might be glad you tried.
4. ❓Pose a question. It gives your recipient an easy reason to write back, and suddenly you have a correspondence on your hands.

💐 I'll add one: Write notes to the people you live with (no postage required).

• Partners, roommates, family — it's the most charming of gifts, akin to flowers but better in my opinion.

Between the lines: There are real benefits to writing by hand, even as technology gives us plenty of reasons not to bother.

• Putting pen to paper activates parts of the brain associated with creativity, memory and the senses in ways that typing simply doesn't, Passarella writes.
• And beyond the neurological, there's something irreplaceable about the physical artifact a letter becomes. They form a record your loved ones can return to long after you're gone.

The bottom line: Writing letters isn't just meaningful — it's personally enriching in ways that a text or email rarely is.

• Start with a simple dispatch and see where it goes.

Tell us about your correspondences! Have you received or sent a note spontaneously or over time? Did that lead to a reconnection or simply an enjoyable habit? Write us at finishline@axios.com for the chance to be in a future edition.

MADRID (AP) — Things are looking up for the Iberian lynx.

https://apnews.com/article/iberian-lynx-vulnerable-species-spain-portugal-recovery-b7e36b94510301bc5616511d84cdbe1c?