18Nov 2017 by Vincent Summers 2 Comments

The Ten Commandments – Are They for Christians?

Bible, History
[caption id="attachment_18239" align="alignright" width="480"] Dead Sea Scroll containing the Decalogue or 10 Words.[/caption] The Ten Commandments or Decalogue are part of a larger collection of laws included in an agreement between God and the Nation of Israel. The agreement was a covenant (sometimes called a "testament"). Such an agreement is comparable to a marriage agreement or covenant, in which both parties promise fidelity in a legally binding relationship. As a marriage is adulterated by unfaithfulness between husband and wife, a covenant between God and humans is tainted by spiritual adultery. The covenant that included the additional 600 or so laws was mediated by Moses. Thus it came to be called the Mosaic Law covenant. Does this covenant or do these laws apply today to Christians? A Blessing and a Curse…
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21Oct 2017 by Vincent Summers 1 Comment

Tongues: God’s New Congregation, His New Nation

Bible, Language
[caption id="attachment_18191" align="alignright" width="480"] Glossolalia - the speaking in tongues.[/caption] By the year 33 of our Common Era, many Jews were living outside Jerusalem. Those who were faithful adherents of Judaism had traveled a considerable distance to come to Jerusalem to attend the Passover Festival. Some of these spoke foreign languages, not Hebrew. It was the dawn of Christianity. How would God introduce these non-Hebrew speaking Jews to Christianity, which at its inception consisted of Hebrew speaking Jews? He would miraculously provide a sufficiency of translators to declare His message. He would give the gift of speaking in tongues! Each one present would each hear and understand the magnificent things of God and could carry the message back on returning to his homeland. Please read Acts 2:12-15. Traveling Jews and…
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22Sep 2017 by Vincent Summers 1 Comment

Do You Carefully Read Your Bible? Genesis 1:1

Bible
[caption id="attachment_18152" align="alignright" width="480"] Dwarf Galaxy[/caption] Do you read your Bible with great attention to detail? Consider the very first verse in God's Word, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." How many times have you warmly read those words, yet without deep reflection? In the Beginning Let's take a really close look at this first verse in the Bible, Genesis 1:1. It speaks of "the beginning". What was this beginning? The beginning of all time? No. How can we establish that the expression "the beginning" does not refer to the beginning of time? By scrutinizing the words of Psalms 90:2. Notice it says God is "from everlasting to everlasting." Not only will he always be, but he has always been. Being human, we may have difficulty…
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21Aug 2017 by Vincent Summers 20 Comments

How Coffee Aroma Relates to Skunk Stench

animals, Food
Curiously, the aroma chemicals in coffee closely resemble the stench-producing chemicals in the abominable skunk spray! They are similar, but they are not identical, and they do not occur in proportionate quantities. Skunk Stench The chemicals that primarily give skunk spray its stench are thiol derivatives—in particular, derivatives of the sulfur alcohol n-butyl mercaptan (CH3-CH2-CH2-CH2-SH). The portion of this compound responsible for its smell is the -SH group, a sulfur atom bonded to a hydrogen atom, which is similar to the -OH or alcohol group. Common derivatives modify the carbon chain. Another variation chemically modifies the -SH group, using acetic acid (CH3-COOH) to form the corresponding thioacetate. Two of the most odoriferous skunk spray mercaptans are (E)-2-buten-1-thiol and 3-methyl-butanethiol. Other than its prevalence (it makes up approximately 2/5 of skunk…
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24Jul 2017 by Vincent Summers No Comments

Jargon: When to Use It and When Not to Use It

Education, People
[caption id="attachment_18089" align="alignright" width="420"] Huh?[/caption] Jargon is essential to many professions. Jargon consists of words and phrases that speed up communication when discussing complex or convoluted ideas. But the silver lining of jargon frequently enshrouds a gray cloud. An Example A chemist speaks to a lab technician about sodium cations. Now most of us know what a sodium atom is, but the word ‘cation’ doesn’t ring a bell. What is a cation? As the last three letters of its name suggest, a cation is an ion. Atoms are electrically neutral. That is, they do not have a net electrical charge. Although they contain positive protons and negative electrons, the total charges are equal. In effect, they cancel each other out. Add an additional electron or subtract one already present and…
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26Jun 2017 by Vincent Summers 2 Comments

Comparing ⁴He with ²H₂ – An Atom with a Molecule?

Astronomy, Physics
The title of this article may seem a bit strange. How do we begin comparing a helium-4 atom with a molecule of deuterium hydrogen? It may become more apparent if we examine illustrations of the two species. Note the similarities and the differences. If you do, comparing 4He with 2H₂ should not seem so strange. Helium-4 Helium is element number two in the periodic table. This means helium has an atomic number of two—it has two protons. Protons are positively charged. Now an atom is neutral, thus electrical neutrality dictates a helium atom also has two electrons. The only variable is the number of neutrons. Helium-4 (sometimes written 4He) is a very stable form of helium and has two neutrons. Deuterium or Heavy Hydrogen Atomic hydrogen (symbol H) consists primarily…
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20Jun 2017 by Vincent Summers 1 Comment

Clawing: Evidence of a Bear’s Presence

animals
[caption id="attachment_18040" align="alignright" width="420"] Recent clawing marks on a telephone pole. Image by Marcus Elam[/caption] While we were out and about, a few friends and I spotted evidence of a bear. Yes, we live in Virginia in a county with a healthy bear population. Driving along the country road, Marcus called out, 'Do you see that telephone pole? A bear did that.' He was referring to claw marks, but he also pointed out on the other side of the street a pathway the bear would have taken to get to the pole. Clawing trees and telephone poles sharpen the claws nicely! Clawing - How Convincing? Were the claw marks convincingly those of a bear. Well, you can see the marks for yourself in Marcus' images, the one being an overall…
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19Jun 2017 by Vincent Summers No Comments

Do Lone Atoms or Molecules Assume States of Matter?

Physics
Search the Internet for the definition of states of matter and much comes up. Perhaps you are the sort of reader who peeks first at Wikipedia to get some ideas what other sites you will visit to obtain answers to your questions. At any rate, you will note basic descriptions for the states of matter you experience every day. Take the following discussion for what it is: a hypothetical discussion on the nature of matter. If you can demonstrate its veracity or illegitimacy, please do that in the Comments section, below. States of Matter Solid: “Atoms or molecules fixed in location and locked in place.” How are these particles locked into place? They bond to each other and do not readily move around, much like the assembled pieces in a…
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08Jun 2017 by Vincent Summers 3 Comments

Where Does the Spit on My Plants Come From? Spittlebugs

Biology, Plants
[caption id="attachment_18007" align="alignright" width="480"] Adult spittlebugs[/caption] It was not until I was in my 50s that I became deeply intrigued with nature. I made up for lost time. I became intimately acquainted with the wildflowers, trees, and other plants and insects of my local county. One of the things that aroused my curiosity was the presence of spit on some of my plants. Have you ever noticed this? If so, you will be interested in its source - spittlebugs. Fingering the Spit Well, there is no better way to unravel the mystery than to finger the spit. I carefully did so, noticing its consistency, its feel. I found within it, a soft bump, a little critter. Researching it, I found the tiny “bug” called spittle bug, due to its shape,…
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05Jun 2017 by Vincent Summers 7 Comments

Lemon Chemistry: Flavor and Aroma Profiles

Chemistry, Food
To detect aroma, airborne chemicals must enter into our nasal passages. Volatile aromatic oils carried in when we breathe, interact with receptors located along those passages. Though flavor is somewhat influenced by our sense of smell, flavor primarily requires substance solubility in order to reach the different kinds of receptors located in various parts of the tongue. Let's explore a little lemon chemistry. Lemon Chemistry: Flavor The tongue detects four, perhaps five, flavors. They are sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. Some add savory1. There can be no doubt the primary taste of lemon is sour. Mention sour and the organic chemist thinks of organic acids. Lemons are rich in three organic acids: citric, malic, and ascorbic (AKA Vitamin C). Citric acid predominates. Suck on citric acid and you’ll think of…
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