GOLD: Pot of Gold found; testament to its eternal value

Saturday, August 24, 2024

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/archaeologists-find-literal-pot-of-gold-but-its-not-in-ireland/

Archaeologists Find Literal Pot of Gold, but it’s Not in Ireland
By Andy Corbley – Aug 8, 202

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It’s one of the best things an archaeologist can hope to find: a hoard of gold coins. One was dug up recently in a terracotta pot, meaning that, if one sustains the pun, they found a pot of gold.

They didn’t find it at the end of a rainbow, however, but it was at the ‘end’ of something—Asia—as the Ancient Greeks would have considered it.

Excavations among the ruins of Notion, an ancient city-state in modern-day Turkey, turned up the foundations of a house dating to the Achaemenid Persian Empire buried under another house built from the Hellenistic Period, or about 180 years later.

“The coins were buried in a corner of the older building,” Dr. Christopher Ratté, lead archaeologist on the project, told the New York Times. “We weren’t actually looking for a pot of gold.”

The coins are known as darics, which stems from the name of the Emperor Darius I, or from ‘dari-‘ the root word for gold in the Persian language. Dating to the 5th century BCE, it was a time of great upheaval as Greek city-states fought against each other, against Persia, and sometimes on behalf of Persia against other Greeks, when mercenary soldiers made up key components of many major armies in Asia Minor.

The running hypothesis as to the coins’ provenance is that they were buried with the full intention of recovering them later. They probably represented savings, as each daric would be around one month’s pay. However, the fact that they were never dug up from their little hole in the corner of the house suggests the worst.

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For a number of reasons, I loved this story.  Sad for the original owner who never was able to retrieve his stash.  Wondering about any reward for the discoverers.  Curious how much they are worth.

Mine aren’t buried, but could be if need arises. 

There is something practical about having stashes and caches in turbulent times.

As usual, the politicians and bureaucrats of the Gooferment want everything they can steal so stash and cache are two prudent strategies for dealing with the modern day equivalent of pirates.

Argh!

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INTERESTING: New use for K9 — reverse tracking

Sunday, August 4, 2024

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/after-rescuing-non-verbal-child-k9-officer-follows-the-boys-scent-in-reserve-to-find-his-home/

K9 Officer Rescues Lost Non-Verbal Child by Following the Boy’s Scent in Reverse to Find His Home
By Andy Corbley –  Jul 25, 202

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In North Carolina, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office received a call that a child was wandering alone on the road on July 7th.

Dispatching an officer to the Waxhaw Indian Trail Road, the child was located and secured, but being autistic and non-verbal, the officer had no idea where the boy had wandered away from.

Being that the responder was a K-9 Unit, and was working alongside his trusty 1-year-old bloodhound Remi, Deputy B. Belk utilized the dog’s incredible sense of smell to “reverse” the normal scent tracking process to find the boy’s home.

“Normally, [scent dogs] track from where a person left to try to find where that person is currently. This time we were doing it reverse,” said Lieutenant Public Information Officer James Maye to CNN.

*** and ***

Lieutenet Maye explained the technique of reverse tracking would now be implemented in the training curriculum for K-9 officers.

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Excellent work.

I can almost hear the dog’s thoughts now  — “Yeah, I smell the scent and the person is right over there now.  What exactly do you want me to find?  Him?  He’s over there.”

I don’t know how they communicated to the dog they wanted him to back track.

As a fellow with a six year old, I can COMPLETELY understand how a child can “disappear” in a heartbeat.  Just recently I had mine “disappear” into the basement.  Argh!  

I can recommend Angel Sense tracking device as a service to make sure you know where the child is.

https://www.angelsense.com/

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ECONOMICS: Despite “carbon credits”, imagine how liberty would work

Sunday, June 9, 2024

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/new-tool-to-mitigate-algal-blooms-is-making-breakthrough-results-in-utah-scientists-say/

New Tool to Mitigate Algae Blooms Shows Breakthrough Results in Utah, Scientists Say
By Andy Corbley – May 31, 2024 

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The restoration process was undertaken by the Utah Waterbodies Restoration Program, which in turn was carried out in partnership with Brigham City, Utah, at no cost to the city because of the 12,913 tonnes of carbon credits that were sold to fund the clean-up of Mantua Reservoir.

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Well, imagine if the Mantua Reservoir was privately owned.  An entrepreneur would look at it as an untapped resource.  Not hard to imagine the reservoir owner investing in clean up to sell fishing and boating licenses.  As well as all the other economic activity that would “spring up” like bait shops, fast food, boat sales, boat storage, and things we can’t even imagine.

So instead of “worshiping at the false god of climate change” and Gooferment bureaucrats preventing economic activity, let’s unleash the creativity for a truly free market economy.

Argh!

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INTERESTING: COuld AI “solve” a backlog of unread cuneiform scripts

Friday, May 31, 2024

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/expert-believes-he-has-solved-archaeological-mystery-surrounding-ancient-assyrian-symbol/

Expert Believes He Has Solved Archaeological Mystery Surrounding Ancient Assyrian Symbols
By Andy Corbley – May 16, 2024 

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Most of the time, Assyriologists, or people who study the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia, are working on transcribing the various cuneiform scripts of tablets found during excavations in the 19th and 20th centuries, of which there are tens of thousands in museum collections that haven’t ever been read.

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Here’s an unsolved trove of dikw (i.e., data, information, knowledge, wisdom) from the ancient world that’s ripe for study.  We’d probably learn more that ever comes for Tik Tok.

Hopefully someone turns AI loose on all the backlog.

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INSPIRATIONAL: This seems to be a big step forward to a real solution

Tuesday, January 16, 2024

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/texas-tiny-house-community-for-the-homeless-nears-2000-neighbors-easing-homeless-in-austin/?utm_campaign=newsletters&utm_medium=weekly_mailout&utm_source=10-01-2024

Texas Tiny Home Community Thrives With 2,000 Neighbors: Easing Homelessness in Austin
By Andy Corbley – Jan 9, 2024 

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“…No one’s ever done what they’re about to do,” Mark Hilbelink, the director of Austin’s largest homeless-services provider, told the New York Times.

In a big feature for the Times, Lucy Tompkins documents the stories of hope and recovery that some of the residents have lived through since moving to Community First!, which is run with a Christian ethic of “Neighborhoods of Knowingness.”

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For all the politicians and bureaucrats slavering about the issue, little gets done.  In this day and age, one would think that if the Gooferment would just get out of the way with all its diktats and “regulations”, private charity could “solve” the problem.  Like the lessons from the Great Chicago Fire, intelligent help can do wonders. All Gooferment did was close down the mental asylums to “save money” and never deliver the local mental health resources that were promised.

Argh!

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INSPIRATIONAL: Even “casual caring’ can be enough to help in a terrible situtation

Saturday, September 30, 2023

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/she-was-about-to-end-it-all-until-a-stranger-shed-never-meet-again-told-her-dont-jump/?utm_campaign=newsletters&utm_medium=weekly_mailout&utm_source=21-09-2023

She Was About to End it All, Until a Stranger She’d Never Meet Told Her ‘Don’t Jump’
By Andy Corbley – Sep 18, 2023 

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“I was sobbing and crying and working up the courage to just go through with it, because I knew at that moment that it was going to make everyone’s lives better.”

At that moment, a driver, whose face Belmont didn’t see, and whose hand she would never shake, passed over the bridge and hollered out of the window.

“Don’t jump,” they said.

It immediately clicked a lightbulb on in her head; that if a stranger could care enough to speak up, then suicide was not the answer.

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Help is available call or text 988.

I’d have preferred if the driver stopped and talked her “down”.  But, maybe that would have had a worse effect?

I always thought that suicide for a young healthy persons was just FEAR (i.e., False Evidence Appearing Real).  And, the Bible tells us, as one Christian Brother to my class, that “leaving the game early is against the rules.  That’s why football has the ‘Hail Mary Pass.  There’s always hope.  Or in the case of the opponents of Notre Dame, the next game!”.  Maybe a little sacrilegious, but in a funny memorable way.  We all have to just put one foot in from to the other, day by day, until we reach the finish line.

I wrote in my Magnus Opus: “My love, were it in my power, I would sadly grant thee this boon. But, we have to continue to follow His Plan for us. Let’s go forth and speak no more of this. Who ever is last will be last. It will be His choice; not ours. We’re but humble custodians of His temple on earth. It’s not our place to trump His plan. Whatever that plan be, know that I will be with you to my last breath.” — character “John” in CHURCH 10●19●62 Volume 2 Page 399

And, I really believe that to be true.

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INSPIRATIONAL: One man’s effort leads to reestablishing a species

Wednesday, August 30, 2023

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/to-halt-ibis-extinction-austrian-man-shows-beloved-birds-a-new-migration-route-with-his-ultralight-and-its-working/?utm_campaign=newsletters&utm_medium=weekly_mailout&utm_source=24-08-2023

To Halt Ibis Extinction Austrian Man Shows Birds a New Migration Route With His UltraLight–And it’s Working

By Andy Corbley – Aug 21, 2023

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An Austrian ornithologist has pioneered an incredible way of wildlife rehabilitation by fostering chicks of an endangered species before re-instituting their migratory practice by leading them along their natural migration route with an ultralight aircraft.

The method was developed to help reconnect the northern bald ibis, a bird that was extirpated in Europe 400 years ago, with its summer-winter migration pattern from northern Europe to its sunny southern climes.

*** and ***

Fritz came to the rescue again, hand-rearing chicks on ground mice and beef heart 8 times a day, while letting the inquisitive, gregarious chicks investigate his ears and nose for curiosity’s sake.

This was all a part of getting them to the age of flight when he would lead them again in his ultralight aircraft along a 2,500-mile circumnavigation of the Alps to a new wintering site on the sunny Spanish south near Cadiz

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A heroic effort.

And just goes to show when one committed “crazy” person can accomplish.

That’s conserving nature for future generations.

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ENCOURAGING: Demonstrating how little we really know challenges us as a speciaes to “wise up”

Friday, August 25, 2023

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/scientists-find-a-whole-new-ecosystem-hiding-beneath-earths-seafloor/?utm_campaign=newsletters&utm_medium=weekly_mailout&utm_source=17-08-2023

Scientists Find A Whole New Ecosystem Hiding Beneath Earth’s Seafloor
By Andy Corbley – Aug 15, 2023 

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“The discoveries made on each Schmidt Ocean Institute expedition reinforce the urgency of fully exploring our ocean so we know what exists in the deep sea,” said Wendy Schmidt, president and co-founder of Schmidt Ocean Institute. “The discovery of new creatures, landscapes, and now, an entirely new ecosystem underscores just how much we have yet to discover about our Ocean–and how important it is to protect what we don’t yet know or understand.”

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I’m continually amazed at all the fundamental scientific discoveries we keep making.  The Johari window http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johari_window seems have a huge quadrant 4 (I can’t see; you can’t see) content.

Fascinating.  And, encouraging that there is so much left to discover.

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HEROIC: Carnegie Medal is awarded to civilians who put their lives in danger in attempt to save another

Wednesday, July 19, 2023

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/all-his-training-pays-off-slackliner-wins-carnegie-medal-for-ski-lift-rescue-over-cables/?utm_campaign=newsletters&utm_medium=weekly_mailout&utm_source=17-07-2023

All His Training Pays Off: Slackliner Wins Carnegie Medal for Ski Lift Rescue Over Cables

By Andy Corbley – Jul 14, 202

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Hard part done, the backpack was so far extended under the chairlift that Wilson couldn’t even reach it. That’s when a ski patrol tossed him a knife which he caught first time (wearing ski gloves? who knows) and cut the man free, who was rushed to the hospital and made a full recovery.

The Carnegie Medal is awarded to civilians who put their lives in danger in attempt to save another. Wilson was recently announced as the winner among other heroes, despite his rescue taking place 6 years ago.

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Read some of the other stories of the “non-winners”.  I never heard of ANY of these heroic acts being reported in the “Lame Street Media”. 

Stunning.

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INSPIRATIONAL: 8th Grader Walks himself into a college scholarship

Sunday, June 11, 2023

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/after-8th-grader-walked-to-graduation-a-missouri-university-and-nfl-star-team-up-to-give-him-a-ride-to-college/?utm_campaign=newsletters&utm_medium=weekly_mailout&utm_source=07-06-2023

After 8th Grader Walked to Graduation, an NFL Star and University Team Up to Give Him a Ride to College
By Andy Corbley – Jun 5, 2023 

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A Missouri middle schooler was so determined to make it to his graduation, he ended up walking 6 miles.

Losing out on an opportunity for a ride there, 8th-grader Xavier Jones asked his friend and brother to walk along with him, remembering something a mentor at Yeatman Middle School had told him.

“‘If I want it, I got to go get it,’” Jones told Fox News, remembering the advice. Together, the young men walked over 10,000 steps and two-and-a-half hours through St. Louis to arrive at the school.

*** and ***

“She said, ‘You got a full ride,’ and I said [to Xavier], ‘Do you know what that means,’ and he said, ‘They’re going to give me a ride to school?’” Seals said. “I was like, ‘No, you’re getting a ride to college. He said, ‘Wait a minute, I don’t have to pay for college. Then it started hitting him.”

*** and ***

Miami Dolphins NFL player Terron Armstead, who grew up in a similar part of town to Xavier, had bought his family a minivan, and an electric bike to ensure transportation options are no longer a problem.

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An impressive young MAN! We hear a lot of bad things that “juvenile delinquents” do, but not enough stories like this one.

Very impressive actions by the college president and the NFL player.

I’m sure KARMA will reward them.

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