Monthly Archives: April 2021

Can you believe it? Religions been taking a hit – The Boston Globe

Posted: April 19, 2021 at 7:14 am

Jacoby suggests that American society would be better off if people returned to church. Id argue that were better off teaching people to think critically, question authority, examine doctrine, and search for primary source material. Doing otherwise is simply addressing the symptom, not the underlying social problem.

Don McDaniel

North Andover

Banish religion and it will return in disastrous forms

Jeff Jacobys Religion in America is fading, but true believers are everywhere hits the nail on the head. Humans are inherently religious. If the religious impulse is thrown out the front door, it will reenter through the back door as ideology, with potentially disastrous results for everyone. The salient examples in modern times are National Socialism and Communism.

John Harutunian

Newtonville

Spiritual needs, in a nutshell

I enjoyed Jeff Jacobys column. Our spiritual needs are to be kind to others, to form a circle of friends and relatives, and to join a global community that strives to protect us from extinction by climate change and pollution.

Janet King

Wellesley

If you speak for God, then you shut out any discussion

Fire and brimstone religion by fear is one of the reasons the flock is fading. I support and will defend your right to model what you believe your deity would do in living a religious life. If that belief works for you and has room for all others to be seen as valuable citizens, then I am happy for you. But if you speak for God, then you shut out any discussion. If we let the gods speak for themselves and we speak for ourselves, then we can work together.

Contrary to the studies Jeff Jacoby cites, I am not depressed. I have volunteered in my community. I have given blood. I do not drink or take drugs. My mental health is excellent and I am happy. I AM AN ATHEIST.

Tom Morse

Merrimac

Wide-ranging debate online

Jeff Jacobys column generated more than 150 comments from readers on BostonGlobe.com. The following is an edited sampling:

My very favorite thing about churches in Europe: They are mostly empty. And whats fascinating about that, in terms of this column, is that on average, when compared with Americans, its Europeans who tend to live longer, to suffer lower levels of stress, to have fewer symptoms of depression, and to have better cardiovascular and immune function. (pgerlings)

^ That most likely has to do with their diet, and not lack of religion. (Hoffenpot)

^ My very favorite thing about churches in the USA: People like you dont attend them. (UnwokeinVT)

Ill take my religious cues from Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins, and Carl Sagan along with George Carlin and Lewis Black. While I find comparative religion fascinating and instructive regarding the history of the human condition, the invisible man in the sky is an artifact of a time that has long since passed. The view that we can only be moral, kind, or charitable if we believe in a supreme being is nonsense. To paraphrase Hitchens, name for me one moral act that can be undertaken by a believer that cannot be undertaken by a nonbeliever. He went to his grave and no one ever came up with an answer to that simple question he so often posed in his debates with theists. As Carlin once said, I used to be Irish Catholic, now Im an American you know . . . you grow. (NHBoundin21)

^ Faith is about a lot more than an invisible man in the sky and a means of enforcing morality. I would suggest adding one more person to your reading list to get a broader perspective: C. S. Lewis. (Doverham)

^ The view that we can only be moral, kind, or charitable if we believe in a supreme being is nonsense. Agreed. The difference, at least for me, is in thinking about the source of our desire to act morally, charitably, or with kindness. For me it is God. For some that doesnt matter; certainly for the recipients of such grace (as in the parable of the Good Samaritan) it doesnt matter who aids them when they are in great need and, as Jesus made clear in that story, one need not be of the same religious faith or culture in order to do good to others. The several deeply religious friends of Christopher Hitchens obviously loved him for reasons other than conformity with their beliefs. (sideflare)

Many of us, in spite of recent events and technologies, are spiritual seekers, support good science, and have interior lives nurtured by faith. Many long to be part of something greater, beyond life, but also within life, to create a better, more just and ecological world. Most faiths allow for this, so lets not throw the baby out with the bathwater. Lets instead eliminate the corrupting influences and actively question the mixing of dogmatic faith and politics. (DavidDobrowolski)

In my experience, people who choose not to belong to a church are not areligious. They tend to enjoy Christmas, Easter, and appear to be actual believers. But choosing a house of worship is just not important to them. I find it sad, but would never insist that one make that choice. The other thing I have noticed is that children coming along is usually what leads people to find a church. Many married, childless couples are detached from organized religion but never want their offspring to be so. For this reason, a childs baptism is often the beginning of church membership. I am so happy, as a lifelong Episcopalian, that my own children have a strong attachment to our church. They actually participate in worship services, and you can tell that it is an important part of their lives. It is tragic that fewer people are doing this. (Richmond12)

So, where did the universe come from? (eorins)

Good question. There are (at least) two ways to answer it. One is to investigate it, as scientists do. Another is to make something up. (onetimemathematician)

And Jesus said, Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe. John 20:24-29 (user_1700434)

In the spirit of Jeff Jacobys column, that same bit of scripture could also apply to Trumps followers. Ironic, yes? (FlexPat)

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Can you believe it? Religions been taking a hit - The Boston Globe

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Death Cult Pastor: One Day We’ll Answer to God Even You, Friendly Atheist! – Friendly Atheist – Patheos

Posted: at 7:14 am

Pastor Greg Fairrington of Destiny Church in Rocklin, California is a death cult leader. Hes blamed church closures on liberal crazies and Satan instead of COVID. After multiple churchgoers allegedly tested positive for COVID, he celebrated by saying the favor of God is on this house! His wife says face masks are meant to shut the mouth of Christians.

And whenever weve criticized it, hes never really responded.

But over the weekend, it finally happened: He low-key threatened me (or a more generic friendly atheist, I suppose) with some Christian revenge.

Do not let the visuals of this corrupt culture destroy your faith, Christian. Because God sits on the throne of His Holiness, and I need to remind you this morning: Not all of Gods accounts are settled on this Earth. He keeps all records of wrong, and one day, we will all stand in front of His holy throne and give an account.

Even you, Friendly Atheist! One day, even though you dont believe in God, will stand in front of the God that you dont believe in, and you will have to give an account!

Theres nothing less scary than a pastor trying to frighten an atheist with a Hell that doesnt exist.

But even if anything he said was true which its not it would be nice if we could all patiently wait until Judgment Day to figure out whos right or wrong. If it turns out Im wrong, well, my bad. I guess he showed me.

The problem is that Fairrington is so eager to get to the afterlife, hes dragging everyone to the end of this life. Im doing more to protect his congregations health than he is. And unlike him, I dont even need to threaten anyone along the way.

(via Christian Nightmares)

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Death Cult Pastor: One Day We'll Answer to God Even You, Friendly Atheist! - Friendly Atheist - Patheos

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Ford on Fridays: they call me the scat man. The bird scat man. – Victoria Buzz

Posted: at 7:14 am

I got crapped on by a seagull today.

It was right near the Legislature, so my first reaction was to wonder if John Horgan had finally got fed up with my schtick and was hurling mouldy clumps of Hansard transcripts at me.

But no, it was just one of our local winged trash screechers, expelling its waste onto my noggin, pant leg, and shirt.

People will tell you thats good luck. We all know thats a lie.

The old superstition that avian fecal matter brings fortune was probably concocted by a mother desperately trying to comfort a freshly dunked-on child. And that child was, and still isthe guy inside Big Bird.

Okay, thats definitely not true, but neither is it true that a birds digestive tract is a determining factor in your chances of winning the lottery.

So there I was, with seagull scat smeared stupendously on myself, with nothing to show for it but a grim comfort that I was riding my bicycle with my helmet on. It was a low bar, but I had avoided becoming a Radagast the Brown cosplay.

At least, my brain tried to rationalize, you didnt get it in your hair.

Yes, like beloved bird character Falco, I had to say: I guess I should be thankful.

Im an atheist. I mention this because I think when people who are religious, spiritual, or superstitious have something bad happen to them, theres a deep well to go to. Perhaps it was Jesus will that I get crapped on. Maybe I had kicked the bad karma fairy. Or maybe my body thetans needed a purging.

Whatever the case, atheists like me, broadly speaking, can only turn to science. Or in this case, statistics.

Let me tell you folks, there is a veritable cornucopia of Google results for odds of getting pooped on by a bird.

Im happy to share with you that birds crap a PROLIFIC amount, with some species expelling butt blasts every 15 minutes.

Given that tremendous typhoon of turds, and the fact that we live amidst an Alfred Hitchcocks worth of seagulls, it becomes more and more of an inevitability: it is not a matter of IF the birds will get you, it is WHEN.

For my atheist sensibilities, this experience was as close as I might get to a spiritual epiphany; the realization that there is an astronomical amount of poop out there, working against you.

Theres a kind of power in that; knowing that there will be a day for you in the poop chute of life. You could, perhaps, stay indoors. Wear a helmet. Carry a shotgun and a murderous look in your eye. These are all potentially mitigating efforts against the airborne assault.

But thats no way to live.

Far better to live life accepting the knowledge that it could crap on you at any moment while enjoying all the clean days in between.

Welcome to Ford on Fridays: a weekly column where Victoria Buzz staff writer Tim Ford offers his thoughts on life, love, and the pursuit of the perfect joke.

This column is for comedic purposes only. Please feel free to send feedback, thoughts, and [constructive] criticisms totim@victoriabuzz.com.

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Ford on Fridays: they call me the scat man. The bird scat man. - Victoria Buzz

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Everything Wrong With Exodus 1 in the Bible | Hemant Mehta | Friendly Atheist | Patheos – Friendly Atheist – Patheos

Posted: at 7:14 am

Everything Wrong With Exodus 1 in the Bible | Hemant Mehta | Friendly Atheist | PatheosEverything Wrong With Exodus 1 in the BibleApril 17, 2021Hemant Mehta

The video below, from my YouTube channel (please subscribe!), discusses all the problems with Exodus 1.

New Pharaoh is worried that Josephs brothers families are going to take away his power. So he needs to stop them.

If you like what youre seeing, please consider supporting my work on Patreon.

(Original image via Shutterstock)

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Everything Wrong With Exodus 1 in the Bible | Hemant Mehta | Friendly Atheist | Patheos - Friendly Atheist - Patheos

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THE REAL MRS MUHAMMAD Will Be Performed as Part of Suidoosterfees at Artscape Theatre This Month – Broadway World

Posted: at 7:14 am

The Real Mrs Muhammad tackles the complexities of an inter-cultural live-in love affair between a naturalised, practicing Muslim, Pakistani man named as Sajid, and an atheist South African woman, Simone, that is interrupted by an arranged marriage. The two meet on a plane and swear reciprocal undying love. After a year of long distance between Cape Town and Pretoria where he resides, she packs her bags to commence the "unholy" shack-up until a "situationship" triangle ensues.

While he took her as the girlfriend, to Pakistan to introduce to his family and friends, a gesture not synonymous in such a traditional world, he simultaneously but secretly continues with the traditional arranged marriage preparations. When his secret is eventually revealed, Simone opposes this turn of events. He tries to justify the solemnisation of his arranged Muslim marriage, to take place in Pakistan, around his contention that, as he puts it, he wants a "real woman" who can give him a "real child" as opposed to her who does not see as a "real woman" as she cannot bear him a child. The idea of surrogacy or adoption is out of the question to him as he claims it's "against his religion and culture".

This impending arranged marriage causes much consternation, stress and upheaval, during the early years of their relationship. Other major cultural and religious differences puts additional strain on the two's future....if indeed there is a future?

A few years into the relationship, and although she supposedly subscribes to the principles of feminism, she conditionally agrees to accept his arranged marital status. Deviously she agrees that the wife and baby could move to South Africa to live with them. Is this a ruse in her under-handed gamble in the hope that between the wife and the common law wife, "The Real Mrs Muhammad" would be revealed to the world? Which one would it be?

The play is written and performed by Simone Heradien. It is directed by Kurt Egelhof. It is based on actual events that transpired between the author and her partner. The wife remains nameless in the production although at times she is referred to as "The Bitch" so as not to give her credence.

The Real Mrs Muhammad forms part of this year's Suidoosterfees at Artscape Theatre It premiered at the SoloAfrika Festival of Monodrama 2018, marking Simone's debut performance as an actor.

Performances run 28 April- 30 April.Ticket price: R70 throughout

Strict COVID-19 protocol is observed. No mask, no entry.

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THE REAL MRS MUHAMMAD Will Be Performed as Part of Suidoosterfees at Artscape Theatre This Month - Broadway World

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Why the Universe Itself Can’t Be the Most Fundamental Thing – Walter Bradley Center for Natural and Artificial Intelligence

Posted: at 7:14 am

Jerry Coyne has posted in reply to my observation that Gods existence can be demonstrated by the ordinary methods of science. That is to say, all proofs of Gods existence are scientific theories in the sense that they have the same logical structure as any other scientific theory that proposes explanations for the natural world.

Scientific theories are inductive in that they depend upon evidence in the natural world to reach a conclusion. Thus demonstrations of Gods existence, for example Thomas Aquinass Five Ways, are scientific theories in the sense that Newtons Law of Gravitation, Einsteins Theory of Relativity, Quantum Mechanics, and Darwins Theory of Evolution are scientific theories. Scientific theories can demonstrate the existence of things outside of nature the singularity that gave rise to the Big Bang and the singularities at the cores of black holes are things outside of nature. Science has demonstrated the existence of these supernatural singularities.

There is only one difference between the scientific demonstration of Gods existence and that of gravity, general relativity, quantum mechanics, or evolution: the evidence for Gods existence is immeasurably greater than the evidence for any other scientific theory.

Many readers will think this a radical statement but it is conventional natural theology. Natural theology is the branch of science that demonstrates the existence of God according to evidence in nature. It has deep roots going back at least to Aristotle. It is different from divine revelation, which is another way of understanding God.

Demonstrations of Gods existence in natural theology depend on evidence in nature, such as the existence of change, of causation, of a hierarchal manifestation of qualities, of teleology and design, and even of existence itself. For example, Aquinass First Way demonstrates Gods existence by showing the necessity for a Prime Mover to explain change in nature. That is, if everything that grows, moves, or changes in nature is caused to do so, a Prime Mover outside nature must start the causes. Thus, the evidence in favor of the First Way is observable in every movement of an atom, every gust of wind, and every physiological process in every organism. Everything and anything that changes in this world is a data point that supports the existence of God, according to Aquinass First Way.

As you might expect, atheists dont like this fact. Coyne tries to offer rebuttals in his blog post. They serve mainly to demonstrate the fact that he doesnt understand the problem.

One of Coynes commenters (Torbjrn Larsson) raised an issue worth noting the claim that God is unnecessary because the universe itself may be the most fundamental thing that exists.

Everything must have a cause. Therefore [magic agent].

What caused [magic agent]?

A [magic agent] need no cause.

Then there are things that need no cause. I cut out the middleman and can now say the universe need no cause.

He is asserting that the universe itself is the ground of existence. God is unnecessary.

As philosophers have noted over the past several thousand years, there are many reasons why the universe cannot be the most fundamental thing that exists. Ill discuss two of them here:

First, as Aquinas notes in his first Three Ways, change, cause, and existence in nature cannot go backward forever in an essential causal chain. Essential causal chains require the continued existence of all the causes in the chain. Forces and states in nature tend to be essential causal chains the warming of the air in summer is due to the direct radiance from the sun due to tilt of the earth as it revolves around the sun which is due to gravitation as described by general relativity, etc. If any step in the causal chain from gravitation to summer warmth is eliminated, the effect is eliminated. If the earth ceased to tilt or revolve, or the sun cease to shine, or gravity cease to operate, summer would cease.

But these ordered causal chains in the universe cant regress to infinity because there must be a fully actual cause at the beginning that gets the chain going. That fully actual cause cannot itself depend on any other cause within the system. Otherwise, how would it start?

Imagine a chain hanging from the sky supporting a weight suspended in the air. Each link in the chain is a cause for the continued suspension of the links and the weight they hold up. However, the chain could not hold itself up alone. It cant be links all the way up. Something at the beginning must be holding the chain up. And whatever holds the whole causal series up cannot just be another link in the chain. To be a first cause, whatever is holding up the chain must be something different from the chain itself.

In the same way, the cause of the universe must be something other than the universe itself and must have the power to cause things independently of the laws of nature. That is what all men call God.

A second reason why the universe cannot be the most fundamental thing is the principle of sufficient reason. In its most distilled form, the principle states that every fact in the universe has a reason sufficient to account for it. We may not know the reason for every fact and we may not even be able to know the reason for every fact. But we must infer that there is a reason for every fact.

For example, imagine waking up one morning and finding a car parked in the front yard. That would be a strange thing and we might infer that somebody got drunk and inadvertently parked in the yard or perhaps the car was left there after a collision. Or possibly it was someones idea of a practical joke. But we cannot infer that the car is there for no reason whatsoever. We intuitively understand that there must be an explanation, even if it is hard to come by.

Now lets assume that the universe itself exists for no reason. Then everything that exists violates the principle of sufficient reason. If the whole universe doesnt need a reason, then nothing within the universe needs a reason. Then science would be impossible, because anytime a scientist tried to explain the existence of a subatomic particle, a star, or a species, one could simply say that they existed for no reason at all and that would count as a scientific explanation.

Denial of the principle of sufficient reason would make ordinary life impossible we would have to accept that everyday occurrences in our lives could well have happened with no explanation whatever. But in reality, even chance occurrences happen in accord with physical laws and thus happen for reasons.

Atheists who deny that God exists deny the principle of sufficient reason for the universe. In doing so, they must also deny our common-sense experience of the world and they must even deny science itself. So the answer to the objection But then God Himself needs sufficient reason to exist is straightforward: God is supernatural and self-subsistent and thus is the First Reason. He is not in need of a reason for Himself.

As I said before, the existence of God is a more well-established scientific fact than any other theory in science. In fact without God as Prime Mover and sufficient reason, science itself would be impossible. It is deeply ironic that atheist scientists, by denying Gods existence, deny the rational basis for their own profession.

You may also wish to read: Heres why an argument for Gods existence is scientific: The form of reasoning and the type of evidence accepted is the same as with Newtons theories or Darwins. We can observe Gods effects in the natural world just as we inferred the existence of the Big Bang and black holes by observing their effects. (Michael Egnor)

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Why the Universe Itself Can't Be the Most Fundamental Thing - Walter Bradley Center for Natural and Artificial Intelligence

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Jimmie Johnson ready to make his official jump from NASCAR to IndyCar this weekend – ESPN

Posted: at 7:13 am

It was a little over a month ago when seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion-turned-IndyCar rookie Jimmie Johnson and four-time IndyCar champion and one-time NASCAR Cup Series rookie Dario Franchitti sat in Johnson's Charlotte home and talked racing. OK, they were trying to talk racing. But they were quickly interrupted by Chandra Johnson, wife of a NASCAR legend-turned-IndyCar rookie.

So what did Mrs. Johnson ask Mr. Franchitti?

"'Is my husband going to make a fool out of himself?'" Johnson recalled Thursday morning, chuckling as he prepared to jet south to Birmingham's Barber Motorsport Park for Sunday's Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama, his first open-wheel start and first of 13 planned road and street course events.

And what did Mr. Franchitti tell Mrs. Johnson?

"He never hesitated. He said to her, 'No, he is not. You have nothing to worry about,'" Johnson said. "That's the good news, that Dario isn't worried. The bad news is that I don't feel nearly as confident about it as he does."

It's not that the man lacks for confidence. He is, after all, the winner of 83 Cup Series races, including a pair of Daytona 500s. He just wishes he had a little more seat time in the lighter, faster, more nimble IndyCars. OK, a lot more seat time. Moving from a racing life lived behind the wheel of a 3,400-pound stock car and into the cockpit of a 1,600-pound open-wheel machine is like going from piloting an Airbus to an F-22 fighter jet. NASCAR is about momentum, how one throws that weight around and how it throws them around, building speed one lap after the other. IndyCar is point-the-nose-and-go, with everything and anything happening instantly.

In July, after Day 1 of his oft-COVID-delayed first test session, Johnson responded to a "How was it?" text with a GIF from the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon as it made the jump to light speed.

"It is so exciting, but it is also so challenging," he said. "I have had to literally rethink everything I know about driving a race car. In a stock car, speed is all about how you attack the exit of a turn. In an IndyCar, it's about how you attack turn entries. There is so much acceleration into the turn. That's new."

There is so much that's new it's hard to keep track. Everything from race starts and pit stops, to terminology (when the rear end of the car loses grip and goes sideways, that's no longer "loose," it's "oversteer") and tire spin. It's the latter that's been giving him fits, struggling a bit to understand braking and acceleration points with the bigger tires on a lighter car. He's really wrestled with getting his Firestones up to the right temperature and air pressures, accidentally spinning and burning up those tires prematurely. With strict tire limits, there's no rubber to be wasted.

"The biggest worry I have is making a dumb mistake, something that stems from inexperience," Johnson said. "Using up tires or botching a pit stop, or even just getting in the way when I don't mean to. We were limited to only five tests, and the last one of those was a while ago, early March. I got probably 150 laps in during each test, so do that math and it's not a lot of laps."

To make up for that lack of seat time, Johnson has traveled to Speedway, Indiana, to strap himself into race car manufacturer Dallara's sci-fi film-worthy 360-degree simulator. But pandemic travel restrictions kept engineers from gathering and uploading updated 2020 data. It's still set up to 2019 race specs. So while the sim time gave Johnson a great handle on the racetracks, it provided only a partial feel for his 2021 ride. To fill in those gaps, he has worn out the video and data servers of his new team, Chip Ganassi Racing, watching every angle of every 2020 race lap and pit stop over and over, as well as everything gathered during his five tests.

Right now, those downloads have been limited to the road and street courses, the 13 events he is running this season, sitting out the four ovals. That means no Indy 500. For now. Asked to gauge the possibility he might change his mind next month, he rated the chance as "a sliver."

The other data banks he's mined are the human ones, especially Franchitti and teammate Scott Dixon, who also happens to be the six-time and reigning IndyCar champ, aka the Jimmie Johnson of open-wheel racing. "Yeah, I have leaned on Dixon some, but when I was so many seconds off his pace in the beginning, I tried not to bother him," Johnson said. "As we inched closer, I feel like I'm a little more worthy to ask a few more questions."

Dixon scoffs at such remarks, echoing the universal praise being heaped upon his 45-year-old rookie teammate, coming from every corner of the IndyCar paddock. "He has already covered so much ground with very limited laps. You saw immediately how competitive he is. The intensity is just insane. Everyone knows what amazing shape he is always in physically, but he has even changed how he trains to prepare for the different feel of these cars, for the G-force loads. He is covering all his bases. That's how you win seven championships. This is going to be so big for IndyCar to have him with us."

How big? No matter what Johnson's results might be, he will make motorsports history simply by showing up in Birmingham this weekend. While there has been a long list of IndyCar superstars to jump into NASCAR with some success -- A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti, Parnelli Jones, Dan Gurney and Johnny Rutherford all won Cup Series races -- that has rarely happened in reverse. A few NASCAR stars, including Indy 500 Rookies of the Year Donnie Allison (1970) and Kurt Busch (2014), have shown flashes of potential, but no NASCAR driver has ever won an IndyCar event and only one crossed over to run the full open-wheel schedule, a fact so little known that not even a fellow legend knew about it until he was told on Thursday.

"Wait ... Cale Yarborough ran a full IndyCar schedule?!" Johnson replied when told the three-time Cup Series champ did indeed run the USAC Championship Trail calendar in 1971. He also came the closest to winning an open-wheel race, leading with less than 10 laps remaining at Ontario Motor Speedway. A decade later, after Yarborough had won three consecutive Cups and had 83 wins, a kid who grew up not far from Ontario made his family drive out of their way to find a Hardee's hamburger joint so he could buy a die cast toy of Yarborough's famous No. 28 Hardee's-sponsored ride.

That kid's name was Jimmie Johnson, and he recalled that story for Yarborough in 2008 after he tied that record of three straight championships. Now they also sit together with 83 Cup Series victories, sixth on NASCAR's all-time wins list.

"That's the part of this experience that I get the most excited about, following in the footsteps of the racers who were my heroes," Johnson added, his voice beaming through the phone line. "When we were kids we'd say, 'Who do you think you are, Parnelli Jones?' We said that because he raced everything everywhere. Parnelli, A.J. Foyt, the guys who have run the Charlotte/Indy Memorial Day weekend double duty. Being able to cross over like that, like I have the opportunity to do now, this is as old school as it gets. I'm ready to go, man."

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Jimmie Johnson ready to make his official jump from NASCAR to IndyCar this weekend - ESPN

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Sushmita Sen’s "Meditation In Action" Post Is Beating Our Monday Blues. Watch Her Workout Video – NDTV

Posted: at 7:13 am

Sushmita Sen posted this video. (Image courtesy: @sushmitasen47)

Actress Sushmita Sen is one of the best motivators you can find on social media. Time and again, she has kept her fans inspired by uploading jaw-dropping workout videos. In her latest post on Instagram, Sushmita gave us a glimpse of another intense workout, which has left us speechless. In the video, that she called "meditation in action", Sushmita, in an all-black athleisure wear, is seen performing an act on her favourite gymnastic rings. The former Miss Universe captioned the video, "Sharing a feeling, I call alive. It doesn't take strength...It takes will. Back to my practice...How I've missed this feeling. I love you guys."

Her hashtags were #alive, #practise, #will, #breathe, #gratitude and the customary one, #duggadugga. The comments by her fans ranged from "amazing" to "girl power" and "mind-blowing" to "brilliant workout".

Working out with gymnastic rings is no mean task. The actress has been doing it for a few years now, too, had a shaky start. During her first attempt at working out with gymnastic rings in 2018, she had posted that "knuckle push-ups are really a piece of cake in comparison".

When it comes to motivational messages as well, the actress has always been spot-on. In another post, that just had the line, "Never tell me the odds", the 45-year-old wrote, "I believe everything in life is possible, when we begin even. Just because someone couldn't do it, doesn't mean you can't. Go after what you want, leave the odds to the odd ones out."

So, what pushes her every day to radiate such positivity? Well, in another post, she says if you really want something "commit to it, cut out all the noise both inside your head and outside your being. Focus all your energies to honour your commitment and then you will prevail."

The actress confirmed in February that the second season of her web series, Aarya, was on the cards.

Aarya had marked her digital debut in 2020, and Sushmita had left a lasting impact on fans in the role of a drug lord, who takes on her husband's business.

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Vaccine passports for COVID-19: How they’ll be a part of global travel – CNET

Posted: at 7:13 am

Masked passengers line up at Ronald Reagan National Airport just outside Washington, DC.

COVID-19 vaccinationrates continue to ramp up in the US, and the promise of summer travel is becoming more reality than fantasy. As we crowd onto flights, a new question is emerging: Should governments and the private sector embrace the idea of a vaccine passport for international travel? Advocates say such passports, which would be a form of documentation (likely digital) that would allow you to prove to border officials or another gatekeeper, would ease the grip of thecoronavirus pandemicby making vacations and business trips abroad possible again. But the idea is not without controversy.

Before too long, though, proving yourcoronavirus vaccinationstatus (or maybe just a negative COVID-19 test) will likely be key to globetrotting again. Some countries, most of them with economies dependent on tourism, are pushing ahead either with real vaccine passport plans or allowing vaccinated visitors to skip quarantine requirements for entry. The private sector, most notably cruise lines and airlines, is also eagerly climbing aboard.

Proving you're vaccinated to travel abroad isn't a new concept -- some countries have required yellow fevervaccines for years -- but doing so for COVID-19 would be on a far grander scale than ever before and would present immense logistical challenges. Passport skeptics also predict they could result in discrimination and fraud, encourage risky behavior in the face of newcoronavirus variants, and be a privacy minefield. As the debate continues, here's what we know.

This story has been updated with new information.

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Despite its name, the vaccine passport likely wouldn't be like the little booklet you present to immigration officials when you cross an international border. Rather, the most probable concept is a mobile app with a scannable barcode that shows your vaccination status. The app could also allow you to check entry requirements for a country (possibly after uploading your itinerary) and hold the status of your last COVID test, and maybe other health information. For people without smartphones, some proponents are pushing for an alternative paper version. Multiple apps are currently in development (see next section).

The app could verify your vaccination a few ways. Perhaps you could take a photo of a paper vaccination certificate, but that method opens the door to possible forgery. A better option would link apps to databases that hold vaccination records. In the US, that data is held not at the federal level, but by individual states.

Keep track of the coronavirus pandemic.

Currently, a few businesses and organizations are working to create passports. Here's a partial list.

One is the International Air Transport Association, a trade group based in Montreal that represents 290 airlines worldwide. The IATA is developing an app called Travel Pass that would let users upload documentation to prove vaccination status. It would also allow passengers to check health entry requirements for countries they plan to visit and find COVID testing centers -- either before they leave for a trip or upon arrival. Eventually, the Travel Pass could incorporate biometric information, such as a thumbprint or facial recognition, to prove a person's identity.

The IATA says 23 airlines, includingQantas, Singapore Airlines, Virgin Atlantic and the parent company ofBritish Airways, arecurrently testingTravel Pass. The organization says airlines would have the option of integrating the data into their own apps.IBM is developingDigital Health Pass, which would "enable organizations to verify health credentials for employees, customers and visitors entering their site based on criteria specified by the organization."

Clear, the registered traveler program that allows you to speed through security at US airports, is pushing its own app'sHealth Pass feature. It recently partnered with The Commons Project Foundation to collect and manage vaccination records. The Commons Project Foundation, working with the World Economic Forum, also has its own app:CommonPass. that could link with the iOS and Android health apps. I'll discuss which airlines are using CommonPass a bit later.

Other possible apps include the AOKpass, Passport for COVID and Corona Pass.

The IATA is developing Travel Pass for its member airlines.

A lack of standardization would be a burden for everyone. Some apps, for example, could request more information than others or could work in different ways. Another potential problem could be countries and airlines accepting only some apps, forcing travelers to upload their vaccination records multiple times. We'll have to see how that plays out, but it could be one avenue for governments to step inand sort out the mess (more on that later).

That's unclear at this moment, and it's something that could get messy if some countries decide to exclude a vaccine that's not approved for use within their own borders. The European Union has already said as much, which I'll discuss later.

Not yet, at least on a cross-border basis. But Israel, which is leading the world in vaccination rates, has launched a "green passport" that gives holders access to places like gyms, theaters, hotels, concerts and synagogues. New York state has announced an app called Excelsior Pass, which shows your vaccination proof or the results of a negative COVID-19 test (you must also show a photo ID).

It's a broad coalition, with much of the push now coming from Europe. Denmark and Swedenhave both said they will develop vaccine passports for travel, and Estonia is working with the World Health Organization on a solution. Popular tourist destinations like Greece, Spain and Cyprus are eager, as well.

On March 1, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen tweeted that the EU would present a legislative proposal this month for a Digital Green Pass that would include proof a person has been vaccinated, has received a negative test result or has recovered from COVID-19. Two weeks later on March 17, the European Commission released a proposal(PDF) for resuming free travel within the bloc for EU citizens and residents with Green Passes. There will likely be some restrictions: The EU hasn't yet approved Russia's Sputnik V and China's Sinopharm vaccines for use, and vaccinated people from other countries would still be barred from entry. The Green Pass could be ready by June.

Outside of the EU, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said his government is reviewing their use. China and Japanare also advocating for vaccine passports, as are other tourism-dependent countries like Thailand and Aruba.

Keep in mind, though, that many countries remain closed to international visitors. Removing those barriers will be a completely separate issue.

As part of a Jan. 21 executive order aimed at curbing the pandemic, President Joe Biden directed his Cabinet to assess the feasibility of linking COVID-19 vaccination to the current International Certificates of Vaccination or Prophylaxis used by the WHO (more on that later). It's clear, though, that there will be no national mandate for using them.

Ina briefing on March 9, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the private sector would likely drive domestic use of vaccine passports. "There are lots of ideas that will come from the private sector and nonprofits," she said. "We welcome those. But our focus from the federal government is on getting more people vaccinated, and that's where we feel we can use our resources best." On April 6, Psaki said, "There will be no federal vaccinations database and no federal mandate requiring everyone to obtain a single vaccination credential."

Andy Slavitt, acting administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services,echoed those comments in a March 29 briefing. "We view this as something that the private sector is doing and will do," he said. "What's important to us -- and we're leading an interagency process right now to go through these details -- are that some important criteria be met with these credentials." That criteria includes equitable access to the passports (such as for people who don't own smartphones) and securing the privacy of user information.

Yes. Iceland was one of the first countriesto allowvaccinated visitors to skip testing and quarantine requirements. It's been joined bya handful of other countriesincluding Belize, Croatia, Ecuador, Estonia, Guatemala, Montenegro and Seychelles. That list will expand.

In the US, Hawaii is developing a program that will allow travelers who have been vaccinated to skip COVID-19 testing or quarantine.

Though the US alreadyrequires a negative COVID testto enter the country, it does currently not require a COVID vaccination. Visitors to the US and returning US residents are not required to be vaccinated against anything, though immigrants must be inoculated for 14 other diseases.

In the US, vaccine passports have already emerged as a partisan issue-- with Republican elected officials in particular decrying any use in domestic settings as a violation of personal freedoms. One of the loudest critics has been Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, whoissued an executive order April 2 banning businesses and government agencies in the state from requiring vaccination passports. But that order may run afoul of the cruise industry, a powerful force in the Florida tourism sector (see below section about the private sector).

And around the world, the idea has yet to gain traction in developing countries with less access to the vaccine or with economies not dependent on tourism.

Though the WHO is exploring how a vaccine passport might work, in a Feb. 5 statement it said, "At the present time, it is WHO's position that national authorities and conveyance operators should not introduce requirements of proof of COVID-19 vaccination for international travel as a condition for departure or entry, given that there are still critical unknowns regarding the efficacy of vaccination in reducing transmission." WHO gives more reasons for its stance, which are included below.

Very much so. Cruise lines are motivated to support the use of vaccine passports given that cruise ships like theDiamond Princesswere major coronavirus hotspots when the pandemic began (and less recently forother diseases like norovirus).

"Cruise ships had a very, very difficult problem to solve," said Terry Jones, the founder of Kayak and Travelocity and a former CIO of American Airlines. "And they're a small microcosm of a lot of people. And so to get people to feel safe again, it simply makes sense."

Royal Caribbean announced on March 1 that itwill resume sailing from Israeland that all passengers 16 years and older will have to be vaccinated. It also has announced upcoming cruises fromCyprusandthe Bahamaswill be open only to vaccinated crew and passengers. It's not a stretch to assume that such a mandate will be enforced across all of the company's ships.

That's the case with Norwegian Cruise Lines, which announced April 6 that all passengers booked on cruises through Oct. 31will need to be vaccinated. Other cruise lineshave followedwith varying requirements of their own, including Cunard, Celebrity, Princess, Seabourn and Viking. Keep in mind, though, that theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention are still setting requirementsfor cruise lines to begin sailing from the US. At present, a vaccination requirement for passengers is not among them.

Qantas said it will require international passengers to be vaccinated.

Airlines, led by the IATA, cruise lines and others in the travel and hospitality industries are big supporters. Qantas, for example,will require visitorsto Australia to have a vaccine to fly. Given the country'sstrict quarantine policyand success insuppressing the pandemic, it's not surprising. The CEO of Qatar Airwayshas also said he supportsthe idea. Among the airlines using CommonPass on a trial basis for select flights are United, Cathay Pacific and JetBlue, Lufthansa, Swiss International and Virgin Atlantic.

There is a big incentive for airlines to endorse the idea of a vaccine passport for international flights. Keep in mind that airlines are responsible for ensuring passengers have the correct documentation to fly to any country before boarding a flight. In a sense, that makes an airline check-in desk the equivalent of a border crossing. And if an airline happens to fly someone to a country they can't enter because they're not vaccinated, the carrier is responsible for flying them back home at its own expense.

Terry Jones said it's unlikely that could happen for domestic flights, though that could change (see video). "The Presidentruled that flights must have masks. So, there could be some of that going on," he said. "I think it simply makes sense."

Advocates say they could:

The problem, though, is that these reasons aren't perfectly in line. So, which will be prioritized? That's something we'll have to decide.

There are a few critical ones here, as well:

Possibly. That would be the case with the EU's Green Pass. But we'll have to wait and see whether other countries or businesses adopt such a policy.

The WHO Yellow Card lists a bearer's vaccination status.

A vaccination as a requirement to enter a country is not a new concept. The affected diseases include not just yellow fever, but also meningitis and polio. Travelers can record their shots and prove vaccination status with the WHO's International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (also called a Carte Jaune or Yellow Card) [PDF], which is a vaccine passport. Or as Jones put it, "This is simply a digital representation of that time-worn idea."

COVID-19 is different because it's happening on a vastly wider scale than something like yellow fever. Only a handful of countries, all in equatorial Africa, require a yellow fever vaccination for all travelers. And other countries -- like China, Australia, South Africa and Colombia -- only require it if you're arriving from a country with a yellow fever risk (the WHO has a comprehensive list of vaccination requirements by country).

Advocates say there are a few reasons to go digital. Paper passports would be more subject to forgery, and they'd be more difficult to replace if lost, stolen or damaged. It's also likely that border officials would be able to check digital passports quicker than they would paper certificates. That would help at busy international airports where multiple flights with hundreds of people each can arrive within minutes of each other.

No. Social distancing and mask wearing are still absolutely essential for fighting the spread of the virus and protecting the health of yourself and others. And they'll remain that way for many months.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

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Creators On The Rise: Gunnar Deatherage Is Stitching Himself A Career On TikTok And YouTube Shorts – Tubefilter

Posted: at 7:13 am

Welcome to Creators on the Rise, wherein partnership with global creator company Jellysmackwe find and profile breakout creators who are in the midst of extraordinary growth.

Gunnar Deatherage is no stranger to stitching for an audience.

In 2012, the Los Angeles-based designer showed his skills on two back-to-back seasons of Bravo TVs long-running series Project Runway, competing in the shows tenth season as well as the fourth season of its spinoff special Project Runway All Stars. Deatherage didnt walk away with the catwalk crown in either season, but Project Runway did help launch his career in fashion and set design.

Between the end of his time on Project Runway and the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Deatherage had his work featured in magazines like Vogue Italia, Elle, Pattern Magazine, and USA Today. He styled celebrities including Lady Gaga, Matthew Broderick, and Allison Janney. At his day job as the art director, decorator, and draper for film and commercial design firm Nomad, he has worked on sets for music icons like Ariana Grande, Katy Perry, Halsey, and Sia.

But, like many folks across many industries, Deatherages stream of work began to slow with the onset of the pandemic in March 2020. So he put idle hands to work by joining TikTok.

Deatherage posted to the shortform video platform at least once per week, with each upload showcasing his start-to-end process of making everything from custom dresses to ultraluxe hats to recreations of stars red carpet looks. At the same time as his TikTok following began to grow (hes now up to nearly 2 million fans), YouTube introduced its own TikTok competitor, Shorts.

For Deatheragewho says he considers YouTube the only platform that can support a full-time digital careerit was a clear opportunity to bring his content to the worlds largest video sharing site.

Deatherage began uploading 60-second videos to YouTube in January 2021. At the end of that month, he had his first hit: a clip where he made a cocktail party-ready dress from dollar store items. He made a similarly themed video at the end of February where he turned $2 fabric into a 60s party gown.

Both of those videos (plus the 20 hes uploaded since) helped drive Deatherages channel from 13,000 subscribers on March 1 to, now, more than 212,000. His view count has also skyrocketed from 821 views in January to 255,000 in February to more than 12 million in March.

Deatherage says the growing attention has already led to a partnership with Patreon. In the coming weeks, he plans to launch a page where patrons can pay for handmade patterns thatll let them recreate his viral pieces.

Check out our chat with him below.

Gunnar Deatherage: I am originally from Louisville, K.Y., but I live in L.A. now! I dont have much free time, but when I do take a moment for myself, I love to go to the gardens in Los Angeles, travel, shoppingha! My background is in set and interior design as well as fashion design! Im a bit of a Swiss Army knife of skill sets! I like to refer to myself as a modern Renaissance man. My brain just loves to create, it doesnt matter the medium.

GD: Its wild, right? Almost 200K in a month!

I can 100% thank YouTube Shorts for the increase. The new sector of the platform is really embracing the media style of apps like TikTok and Instagram Reels, so it has really brought my style of content to new eyes, and for that I am so thankful!

GD: My first truly viral video on YouTube was a video [embedded below] where I created a dress from items I bought at The Dollar Tree. I think theres something so fun and whimsical about making something from nothing. I was on a few seasons of Project Runway, so creating in that way is just in my nature at this point!

GD: My grandmother taught me to sew early on, and encouraged me to always improve my skills. Im entirely self-taught aside from her knowledge. I love dressmaking because you can create such incredible pieces from nothing but a flat piece of fabric. Its 3-D art meets multiple skill sets. Sewing is a lot of problem solving, so the little victories along the way make it worth it. Also, seeing someone feel their absolute best in a piece you created is a feeling like none other.

GD: To be honest, YouTube intimidated me for so long! Had I not been at home from the pandemic, and posting on TikTok, I wouldnt have made the leap. Ive not even been on TikTok for a full year, and have almost 2 million followers, and seeing how inspired viewers are by seeing a somewhat difficult process simplified really inspired the move to YouTube!

For me, YouTube is the only app where you can actually make a living creating, so having a steadily growing following is mind-blowing.

GD: Well, partnerships make a big difference, ha! I have so many plans, and now that I know I have eyes who want to follow along that journey, I plan on stepping up to the plate and delivering!

GD: Well, it certainly isnt the comment section, haha!! The YouTube comment section can be brutal, but that being said, I think my favorite part is watching a new audience see what Im capable of, and then constantly surprising them. I LOVE hearing that people are surprised with every post.

GD:I do create for my TikTok as well as my Instagram! I try to give each channel its own style of content, and some content does not cross over to other channels, but its hard to keep up all the time because my content takes SO LONG to create! Im literally making a full gown for one 60-second post, ha!

GD: Education!!! Im working closely with Patreon to launch a Gunnar page! My team and I are creating custom Gunnar Deatherage patterns that will release on my Patreon, as well as the basics of sewing videos. I will have a lot of tiers and options so people can grow with me. I think sharing knowledge is my favorite part of creating, and offering that while supporting myself is the goal!

Jellysmack is the global creator company that detects and develops the worlds most talented video creators. The companys proprietary video optimization technology and data drive social audience growth, unlocking new revenue streams and amplifying monetization.

Currently home to over 150 influential Creators including PewDiePie, MrBeast,Brad Mondo, and Bailey Sarian, Jellysmack optimizes, operates, and distributes creator-made video content to Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube. Jellysmack-managed content boasts 10 billion global monthly video views and a cross-platform reach of 125 million unique U.S. users, making it the largest U.S. digital-first company in monthly social media viewers.

Looking to grow your social presence? Lets talk.

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Creators On The Rise: Gunnar Deatherage Is Stitching Himself A Career On TikTok And YouTube Shorts - Tubefilter

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