Monthly Archives: June 2022

How the Winter Olympics Can Become More Diverse and Equitable – Bleacher Report

Posted: June 7, 2022 at 1:42 am

U.S.A. bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor.Adam Pretty/Getty Images

The Winter Olympics are held every four years in February. That's Black History Month in the United States. But this year, likely less than 5 percent of the 224-member United States delegation to the Beijing Games is Black.

Three Black Americans are women on the bobsled team, including Elana Meyers Taylor, who, in her fourth straight Olympics, piloted the two-woman sled to a bronze medal Saturday, behind two German sleds. Meyers Taylor also won silver last week in the new monobob event. There is one male bobsledder, Hakeem Abdul-Saboor. Others compete in skeleton (Kelly Curtis) and speedskating (Erin Jackson and Maame Biney). There are no Black Alpine skiers, snowboarders, or freestyle skiers on Team USA.

Although Team USA boasts Asian American stars like Chloe Kim and Nathan Chen, both gold medalists, Asian American athletes comprised less than 10 percent of the 2018 Olympic team and the representation is likely similar in Beijing, although four out of the six American figure skaters, including Chen, in individual events are of Chinese descent.

Abby Roque is the first Indigenous woman on the U.S. women's hockey team but is also its only player of color in Beijing.

There is a distinct dearth of diversity in the Winter Olympics overall, too. At the Pyeongchang Games in 2018, just 43 of 2,952 athletes, or 1.45 percent, were Black. In Beijing, the number is likely to be even fewer because of a decision by the International Olympic Committee to end a continental quota system for the sliding sports (bobsledding, skeleton, and luge) that had helped African athletes, most of them Black, reach the Games. Only six African athletes from five countries will compete in Beijing, all of them Alpine or cross-country skiers and most of whom live and/or train in Europe. No African athlete has ever medaled in the Winter Olympics.

While many Asian nations are represented among the 2,871 athletes from 91 countries competing in Beijing, only China, with 174 athletes, Japan, with 124, and South Korea, with 64, have sizable delegations. Several Asian countries only send one or two athletes to the Winter Games, including India, Pakistan and Malaysia.

Besides Roque, just four other Indigenous athletes are known to be competing in Beijing: Two on Canada's women's hockey team, one Canadian snowboarder and a Danish athlete from Greenland in the biathlon.

How to increase the participation of athletes of color in winter sports is a complicated question with many small solutions that could, over time, add up to broader representation, domestically and globally, at the Olympics.

To aid increasing diversity on a global scale, the IOC acknowledging the importance of equity in increasing diversity in winter sports would be a huge boon for domestic federations as they seek to do the same.

The IOC should reinstate continental quotas for all sports. Quotas do not dilute the playing field; rather, they even it by providing athletes with the financial support they need to travel and train. For Black athletes coming from an African or a Caribbean country with few resources and no snow or ice, that support can be invaluable, as Akwasi Frimpong of Ghana told Sports Illustrated's Alex Prewitt.Frimpong, who competed in Pyeongchang, was the first Black male skeleton athlete at the Olympics and singlehandedly runs Ghana's bobsled and skeleton federation. "It's not that we're less talented," Frimpong told Prewitt. "We don't have the dedicated infrastructure. We don't have the knowledge. It takes support."

Winter sports, generally speaking, tend to be restrictive in a few ways. Most winter sports require specialized equipment. Unlike running shoes or basketballs, things like ice skates and skating costumes, skis and snowboards and sleds for sliding sports are not particularly accessible. And winter sports can be prohibitively expensive beyond the equipment costs, when you factor in things like lift tickets at ski areas, ice time at a rink or specialized coaching. Ice hockey costs the average family $2,600 a year; skiing and snowboarding, about $2,200 a year. A monobob on its own costs about $45,000. Figure skaters at the elite level can spend$50,000 a year or more in the U.S.

The speedskater Erin Jackson, who won a gold medal in the 500-meter long-track event, became the first Black female gold medalist in her sport. In her post-race interview, Jackson said she hoped to be a trailblazer for other Black athletes. "Hopefully, this has an effect. Hopefully, we'll see more minorities, especially in the USA, getting out and trying these winter sports," said Jackson. Jackson has consulted with EDGE Outdoors, a Seattle-based nonprofit "created to address the invisibility of Black, Indigenous, Women of Color in snow sports," according to its mission statement, about starting a chapter in Utah, where she lives and trains.

Access and representation for athletes of color in winter sports go hand in hand. Organizations like EDGE Outdoors or Winter4Kids, a New Jersey-based nonprofit that introduces children in the metro New York area to Alpine and Nordic skiing and snowboarding, can increase accessibility. EDGE provides scholarships for training and coaching. Winter4Kids provides transportation, coaching and equipment.

But just putting athletes of color on ski slopes and on skates does not mean they will be accepted.

Meyers Taylor wrote in a blog titled "Even Olympic Medals Can't Save You From" for TeamUSA.org that she would not buy one of the fastest bobsleds on the market because the manufacturer refuses to sell to Black pilots and has used a racial slur to describe them. "I'd give up a gold medal before driving a sled made by him," she wrote, but added that Team USA owns one of his sleds.

Making athletes of color feel accepted in winter sports so that they continue to develop in them and become competitive at the elite level is a work in progress for many winter sports.

The National Brotherhood of Skiers (NBS) works to "identify, develop, and support athletes of color" in winter sports through its member ski clubs. And while it aims to propel athletes to success at the Olympic level, its CEO, Henri Rivers, told the AP's Aaron Morrison that he wants the greater ski community to "embrace [skiers of color] and see them as the future of the sport" first.

The national federations of many winter sports in the U.S. have publicly recognized their lack of diversity and committed to attracting more athletes of color to them.

Membership in U.S. Skiing is more than 99 percent white, according to a recent DEI audit of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard team. None of its coaches nor anyone on its board of directors was a person of color. Tiger Shaw, the president and CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard, said in a 2020 open letter to the organization that he hoped to "better engage and with and support" athletes of color.

Anne Cammett, the president of U.S. Figure Skating, where Black members comprise just 2 percent of the organization, wrote in a similar letter in 2020 that the group had "embarked on an ongoing journey to make the organization more welcoming, specifically to Black and Brown people." USA Hockey's website reports a "commitment to listen, learn and unite in an effort to make the sport more welcoming to all." Just 7 percent of USA Hockey's membership is comprised of people of color, and no one on its board is a person of color.

It's a start, but actions need to back up words. If winter sports do not become more inclusive, fewer Black athletes will stay in them, and the lack of representation will negate attempts to make them accessible in the first place.

One step winter sports could make toward greater inclusivity is to diversify recruiting. Many Black athletes in winter sports have made the switch from other sports.

Jackson, for example, came to speedskating via inline skating. She learned to skate, alongside other future Team USA athletes, at a roller rink in Ocala, Florida. She was a world champion in inline skating but wanted to pursue an Olympic medal.

Skateboarding skills can translate to snowboarding skills. Zeb Powell, an X Games gold medalist, got his start on a skateboard in North Carolina before moving to Vermont to train in snowboarding. Though he is unlikely to train for an Olympic discipline on snow, his success in the sport could and should spur scouts to check skate parksoften more accessible to more kids from a broader range of backgroundsas well as the slopes.

Many bobsledders (and other sledding athletes) come over from track and field, according to a New York Times article. Their strength, speed and agility translate well from running tracks to ice tracks. Vonetta Flowers, the first Black athlete to win a gold medal at the Winter Games, was one of them. Flowers had tried and failed to make an Olympic team as a long jumper before making the switch. Kaysha Love, a bobsledder in Beijing, was a former track star, as was Abdul-Saboor, who also played football. Sylvia Hoffman played basketball. Kelly Curtis, the first Black American woman to compete in skeleton, was a heptathlete in college.

Meyers Taylor, now a five-time bobsled medalist with at least one medal in each of her four Olympic appearances, played softball, first at George Washington University, then professionally for a year. After she did not make the Olympic softball team, and inspired by Flowers' success, she made the switch to bobsled.

"Learning how to captain a [softball] team and then needing to do it from a bobsled perspective as a pilot, that definitely helped me in and of itself," Meyers told Bob Reinert for TeamUSA.org.

Meyers Taylor said that although she had trained for softball as an endurance athlete, the current methods softball players use to train would help their bobsled careers, should they choose to switch. "Bobsled's all short sprints, really heavy lifting and fortunately, those were my strengths," she told Reinert.

USA Bobsled & Skeleton announced last year that the federation was partnering with a platform that would allow athletes to try out for sled sports "from the convenience of a local football field, running track, or even their backyard."

Diversity, equity and inclusion became buzzwords in sports and in corporate America following the deaths of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery in 2020, for good reason. But for winter sports to truly become diverse, equitable and inclusive, concrete changes need to be made. And they need to come from the national and international levels, which cannot leave the work of diversifying solely to the athletes.

Changes like defraying the costs of transportation and equipment and diversifying recruitment and seeking competent athletes in other sports. Also providing financial support for travel and training from the highest international and national levels of the sport to athletes who would not even be able to try the sports to which they aspire. Without measures like these, athletes of color will continue to see fewer representations of what they could be on the Winter Olympics stage.

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Why Uranus and Neptune colours are different: NASA’s Hubble Telescope has the answer – HT Tech

Posted: at 1:40 am

Uranus and Neptune have a lot in common, but they still look different in terms of colour! Now, NASA's Hubble Telescope has found the reason behind it.

Neptune and Uranus share many common features - they have similar masses, sizes, and atmospheric compositions, and a lot more, but still, have you ever wondered why the planets look so different? Skywatchers must have noticed while staring into the night sky that Uranus looks so pale unlike Neptune, which is in a deep blue colour. Well, thanks to NASA's Hubble Telescope, astronomers may now know why Uranus and Neptune are different colours.

Astronomers now have an explanation for this distinctive difference in colours of Neptune and Uranus despite sharing several commonalities.

Researchers designed a single atmospheric model that matches observations of both planets using data from the NASA Hubble Space Telescope, the Gemini North telescope, and the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility. According to the model, the abundance of haze on Uranus builds up in the planet's stagnant, sluggish atmosphere, giving it a lighter tone than Neptune. Also read: NASA Hubble Telescope discovers a giant Galaxy; Sized 2.5x LARGER than our Milky Way Galaxy!

The new research suggests that a layer of concentrated haze that exists on both planets is thicker on Uranus than on Neptune, causing Uranus to look whiter than Neptune. The atmospheres of Neptune and Uranus would seem nearly identically blue if there was no haze in their atmospheres due to blue light scattered in their atmospheres. Also Read: NASA Hubble Space Telescope spots Hidden Galaxy behind Milky Way Galaxy!

Three layers of particles at various heights make up the team's model. The middle layer, which is a layer of haze particles thicker on Uranus than on Neptune, is the primary layer that impacts the colours. Methane ice condenses onto the particles in this layer on both worlds, dragging them deeper into the atmosphere in a shower of methane snow, according to the study. The research team believes Neptune's atmosphere is more effective at mixing up methane particles into the haze layer and producing this snow because it has a more active, turbulent atmosphere than Uranus'. This removes additional haze and keeps Neptune's haze layer thinner than Uranus', allowing Neptune's blue colour to shine out.

"We hoped that developing this model would help us understand clouds and hazes in the ice giant atmospheres," Dr. Mike Wong, an astronomer at the University of California and a member of the team behind this result, has commented.

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Hubble Telescope captures giant star 32x larger than Sun, but it will die first! Check breathtaking NASA photo – HT Tech

Posted: at 1:40 am

NASAs Hubble Telescope shared a breathtaking photo of a massive star that is 32 times larger than the Sun. Know details.

It is stunning and spooky at the same time! NASA's Hubble Telescope has again left everyone mesmerized with a new glimpse of a giant star. Though there are millions of stars that you can witness in a clear sky every night, there is one massive bright star in our solar system. Of course, we are talking about the Sun! But this giant star photo captured by the Hubble Space Telescope is 32 times more massive and 200,000 times brighter than even our very own Sun.

NASA took to Instagram to share the photo taken by the Hubble Telescope of the giant star named Herschel 36 at the centre of the Lagoon Nebula. It is essentially a giant interstellar cloud in the constellation Sagittarius, located around 4,000 light-years away. The NASA post shared the secrets of Lagoon Nebula that it may have lost serenic in image, but in reality, it is far from it! NASAs Hubble Telescope shows a 3D structure of the Nebula measuring about 4 light-years across.

"At the center of this image is a massive star 200,000 times brighter than the Sun Though it may look like a serene cosmic landscape, the Lagoon Nebula is full of turbulent gasses, roaring stellar winds, and intense radiation emanating from a massive star," NASA wrote in the post.

NASA further shared that the massive star is still young in a cosmic sense. Herschel 36 star is roughly 1 million years old, and is flinging off its natal cocoon of material ionized gasses like hydrogen and nitrogen. That red material seen in the image captured by NASAs Hubble Telescope as red is actually hydrogen and green material shows the presence of nitrogen.

Astonishingly, the star is expected to live for just another five million years. In comparison, our Sun is already more than five billion years old but it is expected to live for another five billion years. Shocking, no?

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The Milky Way and Andromeda Galaxies Are Set to Collide in 4 Billion Years – My Modern Met

Posted: at 1:40 am

Illustration: NASA, ESA, Z. Levay and R. van der Marel (STScI), and A. Mellinger

When we gaze out into the night sky, all may appear calm, but looks can be deceiving. Though we may not feel it, our galaxythe Milky Wayis hurtling through the universe at an astonishing 1.3 million miles per hour. And, it's on a crash course with its neighborthe Andromeda Galaxy. While these spiral galaxies are 2.5 million light years apart, that won't always be the case.

The Andromeda Galaxy, which is far larger than the Milky Way, is hurtling toward us at 68 miles per second. And while that might seem fast, given the distance between these galaxies it will still take 4 billion years for them to collide. Eventually, in about 6 billion years, they will transform from two separate spiral galaxies into one giant spherical galaxy. This new galaxy, which is sometimes called Milkomeda or Milkdromeda, will also see the merger of the supermassive black holes that reside at the centers of the Milky Way and Andromeda.

Though the thought of such a large collision sounds scary, scientists point out that due to the distance between stars, it is unlikely that individual stars will collide. And our solar system? That should be safe too. Researchers have estimated that it will likely be swept to the outskirts of the new galaxy, though this is also a small chance that it could be ejected completely from Milkomeda. Either way, it's unlikely that humans will be around to see this spectacular light show, as at this point the Sun will have grown so hot that it will have terminated life on Earth.

What's incredible about the Andromeda-Milky Way Collision is that we've known about it for hundreds of years. In the early 1900s, astronomer Vesto Slipher predicted that the Andromeda Galaxy was headed directly toward the Milky Way. Since that time, many astronomers have created simulations to see if these galaxies would meet head-on or simply skirt past each other. In 2012, data from the Hubble Telescope confirmed that there would definitely be a collision.

It's important to remember that these types of collisions are quite normal and expected. In fact, the Milky Way was already involved in a large collision about 10 billion years ago and larger galaxies often absorb smaller galaxies in their orbit. While we may not be around to see the formation of Milkomeda, it's incredible to look at the simulations and know that we're using science to predict the future.

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Why Is Federalism Important? – The Freeman Online

Posted: at 1:39 am

Federalism is the separation of power that exists between the states and the federal government. In America, the subject of federalism is one that comes up quite often. This is as a result of the constitution. The tenth amendment is in the constitution and it empowers the state government with any power that is not given to the federal government. There is always a conflict when dealing with the supremacy clause that is in the sixth article.

The clause got interpreted to imply that federal law exceeds state laws. So why is federalism important? We will take a look at some of the reasons why this system is much debated. The American constitution is such that it gives powers to the federal government far beyond the states. The constitution appears to be more concerned about what the states cannot do. Federalism is a system that separates governmental powers into state and federal governments.

Why is federalism important?

Federalism derives its importance based on politics. For instance, liberals believe that the Federal government ought to handle things more often than not. The conservatives think that the State Governments should be more involved in such matters. This implies that whenever liberals desire to do something such as education or healthcare, there would be a conflict. Federalism is also considered very important because it is often chosen for the wrong reasons. The major reason in this regard is for the protection of the centers where the wealth gets concentrated. This is as a result of the tendency to impede tyranny even though the problem does not end there. Federalism is also believed to impede democracy and obstruct populism also. This obstructive feature makes it be of great benefit to the rich minority and the oligarchs as well.

Federalism can get used in such a manner that it can lead to the destruction of democracy. It is important to note that the two systems may not get used because true democracy may only function within a unitary system of government. One other challenge with this system is that there is an absence of an accepted definition of what the word federalism implies.

The federalism practiced by America back then is quite different from what is currently obtainable. By default, the state governments were quite influential in their sphere while the same was the case with the federal government. The reach of power of each one was well defined and preserved. The reason for this is that there was some measure of apprehension about the possibility of a too strong central government. This made them view the federal government as a threat to their progress. This is the main reason why a limited federal government got created in the American constitution.

In the beginning, the federal government got fashioned to serve the state governments. The power of the federal government only reaches some points in this system of government.

There is a change in the way federalism is now practiced these days. The change has seen the state governments becoming servants to the federal governments. Also, the senate unlike before is no longer elected by the state representatives but by the people. This meant the removal of the most potent means of state sovereignty and autonomy. Also, because the federal has enlarged its coffers using income tax, it has been able to negotiate powers from states in exchange for federal funding. Also, the constant invasion of the state by the federal has made people accept the fact that the federal is superior to the states.

This has lead to a situation where the states have only succeeded in becoming not more than the administrative arms of the government.

In the system of federalism practiced in America, there are several merits and demerits associated with it. Here is a breakdown of what makes federalism in America:

The first merit of federalism is that it acts as a protection against tyranny. This system is such that ensures a spread of the powers among the three arms which all act as checks and balances to one another. This makes it the ideal system to check the excesses of people who may have dictatorial tendencies. The reason why American society does not accommodate tyrannical governments is that we run a system that does not give them the right breeding ground.

It also has the benefit of diffusing power in that the form of federalism which we practice here ensures that power gets divided into three different branches. This makes sure that all the power is not focused on a single individual. This prevents a situation where excess power gets into the head of whoever may be in power.

Also, federalism as a system ensures that there is efficiency in running the government. When some of the power gets shared among the different levels of government, it gives the states some room to resolve some of their challenges. One drawback of having a national solution to certain issues is that when implemented, they could be more effective in some states than others.

Federalism is one system that allows for increased citizens participation. The reason for this is that when power gets shared in levels, the citizens can influence policies, people who govern them and the likes. Also, federalism makes the management of conflicts quite easier. This is because of the flexibility in creating policies by states. This also means that people with different ideologies and approaches to issues can live in different areas. They can also come up with unique solutions. More often than not, such solutions may not be agreeable with people in other places.

Furthermore, there is the possibility of increased responsiveness of the state governments to the needs of the people. This is because the closer a government is to the people, the quicker and more effective its response would be to their unique needs. Also, the states would always be better disposed to responding to the needs of the people than the federal would be. Added to this is the fact that legal and policy innovations get encouraged in this system of government. The reason for this is that federalism allows different sets of policies per time. When doing this, the one found to be effective gets adopted in other states.

There are several reasons some people argue against federalism as the ideal system. We believed that it had a history of segregation and protection of slavery. This is because while slavery persisted, it could not get tackled on a federal level. Federalism is also perceived to breed inequality among the states that make up the country. For instance, under this system, funding for certain things like education would not be the same on a statewide basis. This means that some states would have to spend more.

There is also this belief that under federalism, states will seek to compete against themselves. They do this in the sense that they will seek ways to reduce certain benefits. This is usually done to encourage its residents to move to neighboring states. This thus causes a reduction in operational costs. Furthermore, some states may go as far as blocking Nationalist policies.

The supremacy clause is one of the most vital components of federalism. This is the part of the U.S. Constitution that states that federal laws and constitution are the highest laws of the land. The motivation for this clause stems from the fact that the creators saw the weakness that existed in the articles of confederation. They didnt want a repeat of the situation where the states were stronger than the federal governments. This clause is in Article 6 section 2 which defines the powers the federal government has and the one it doesnt. In a case where there is a conflict between the state and federal laws, the supremacy clause rises to invalidate the state law. This clause also ensures that the states cannot interfere with or control federal issues.

We have been able to establish that federalism comes with unique benefits. These benefits include the distribution of power, protection from all forms of tyranny. It also comes with increased citizens participation and effectiveness. We have also seen that it has some disadvantages. These include inequality among states, protection of segregation and slavery. There is also the obstruction of national policies by states. One thing established with this piece is that the merits of federalism far outweigh the perceived demerits.

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God Save the Queen! The Special Relationship and US Federalism – AMAC

Posted: at 1:39 am

AMAC Exclusive by David P. Deavel

This past weekend marked the end of the four days of celebration for the entire United Kingdom marking the 70th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth IIs reignan event likely to bring much commentary in the weeks and months ahead. And for this American who loves his country but has more than a bit of Anglophilia its been a thrill to be in the U.K. celebrating this grand ladys remarkable career. The dignity, gravity, and personal probity of Elizabeth II represents that older English understanding of duty, patriotism, sacrifice, and service that is both admirable and all too often lost in todays world. A true Christian, she radiates a resilience that goes beyond the mere proverbial stiff upper lip. As I stood on the bank of the Thames and watched British military planes in formation fly over Londonthe last of them trailing red, white, and bluein salute I couldnt help but be moved to greater love for the old queen, the mother country, and my own.

But its not just that the tough, lovable old monarch is admirable. Those traditional values that she represents are seen in another aspect of recent British life. In the 2016 Brexit vote many of us saw some of the same spark of independence and rebellion against the forces of the global and national ruling classeswho want to erase individual liberty and melt nations downthat were present in President Trumps 2016 electoral victory and his subsequent presidential action. Thats why it is disappointing even if it is not surprising that the Biden Administration has been giving the cold shoulder to the U.K. with regard to a trade agreementa shocking thing in light of what has been seen for almost a century as the special relationship between the U. S. and the mother country. Nevertheless, there are some good signs that the special relationship will continue, and if perhaps less so at the federal level for these next few years, then at least at the state level.

As the Heritage Foundations Anthony Kim wrote at The Daily Signal: Rather than standing still, post-Brexit Britainwhich has been securing groundbreaking, innovative trade dealshas proactively decided to move ahead on its own. What the U. K. has done is to engage in visits and direct talks with a number of states including Arkansas, California, Georgia, Oklahoma, and Texas, among others. And as a proud Hoosier native, Im happy to say that the first bi-lateral economic deal (albeit non-binding) signed was on May 27 with Indiana. Kim wants all 50 states to engage in more of these talks with our allies.

Its incredibly frustrating that the Biden Administration is not interested in talking to one of our allies, but as noted, its not surprising. For all the modern Democrats talk about democracy being in peril, all this means is that liberals are not getting their wayeven, or especially, when they arent getting their way because of a popular vote as in Brexit or the election of Donald Trump. Thus, a post-Brexit Britain is an entity that cannot be trusted to go along with whatever progressives in the U. S. and abroad say The Current Thing is. The only special relationships they recognize are the ones in which submission is given to them and the international groups they acknowledge as legitimately superior.

This attitude is not limited to Britain and other countries unfortunately. It is the same attitude they take to the American states that do not do what they want. Like the special relationship, progressives think federalism is really only about the absolute supremacy of the federal governmentat least when they are in chargeand those same international groups.

In addition to giving Britain a stiff-arm on trade, earlier this year the Biden Administration proposed 13 amendments to the International Health Regulations being pushed by the World Health Organization at their World Health Assembly meeting at the end of May. The amendments were all geared toward eliminating the approval and consultation of the State party in areas of public health. In other words, this was yet another push to end popular sovereignty on the pretext of saving lives. That these amendments were done in secret and only discovered by a researcher in April and opened for public comment in May indicates that the Biden Administration knew this was not something Americans or our allies would approve.

While they eventually withdrew 12 of the 13 amendments (all but one that allows the WHO to fast-track amendments), the WHO can continue to debate these amendments at hearings on June 16-17. They are also working on a separate Global Pandemic Treaty to be discussed in August. As Liberty Counsel Chairman Mat Staver observed, . . .one amendment remains, the other 12 can return, and we know the WHO will hold more meetings on these amendments and on a new Pandemic Treaty that will vest considerable global power in this agency of the United Nations. Americas sovereignty is not for sale.

As with British trade, what has been cheering about this threat in the name of public health was that states were among the first to speak up. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis spoke up in a May press conference on the subject: We in Florida, there is no way we will ever support this W.H.O. thing thats not going to happen.

The special relationship may not be so special in the highest reaches of American government right now, but I think it has a good chance in the various American states where citizens and their governments are ready to trade with free peoples and stand up against the encroachments of international organizations to which we owe no obedience.

God save the Queen! God bless America! Im raising a pint to Elizabeth and the British people who said no to the EU today. And Im also raising one to the Hoosier state and the Sunshine state. May they lead the way in returning us to a situation in which we work together with the British People for good.

David P. Deavel is editor ofLogos: A Journal of Catholic Thought and Culture, co-director of the Terrence J. Murphy Institute for Catholic Thought, Law, and Public Policy, and a visiting professor at the University of St. Thomas (MN). He is the co-host of theDeep Down Thingspodcast. Follow him on GETTR @davidpdeavel.

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‘I want to be the premier of all Quebecers,’ Dominique Anglade says – Montreal Gazette

Posted: at 1:39 am

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Liberal leader says Franois Legault is trying to divide Quebecers and create tensions with Ottawa, while ignoring real problems.

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The CAQs recent recruitment of former sovereignist candidates shows Franois Legault plans to pick fights with Ottawa if elected to a second mandate, Quebec Liberal Leader Dominique Anglade warned.

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Last week, the ruling CAQ party announced that former PQ minister Bernard Drainville will return to politics, to run for the CAQ in Octobers election in the Lvis riding near Quebec City.

Drainville was a PQ MNA and minister from 2007 to 2016. As a cabinet minister in the Marois government, he was responsible for the drafting of Bill 60 in 2013 better knownas the charter of values which proposed a total ban on religious symbols in the public sector.

The CAQ also announced over the weekend that former Bloc Qubcois MP and former Longueuil mayor Caroline St-Hilaire will run in the Sherbrooke riding.

Speaking Monday at the announcement of her own new candidate in the Notre-Dame-de-Grce riding, Anglade was asked about the CAQs new candidates. She said it shows Legaults fights with Ottawa are meant to distract from the governments dismal record on health care, climate change and the economy.

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Were facing many crises, like inflation, climate change, housing, and Franois Legault is trying to pick a fight with Ottawa on false premises; hes trying to create his own crisis, Anglade said at the St. Raymonds Centre alongside new candidate Dsire McGraw and outgoing candidate Kathleen Weil. And by recruiting people that have been fighting for the separation of Quebec, hes sending a clear message. I dont think he wants to work with Ottawa.

She added that in passing Bill 96and Bill 21, the CAQ is trying to drive a wedge through Quebecers, while the Liberals would work on uniting the province. She called Drainvilles charter of values, which influenced the CAQs Bill 21, la charte de la chicane, in French, meaning a charter of squabbles.

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Politics of division have no place in Quebec, Anglade said. Franois Legault wants to be the premier of certain Quebecers. I want to be the premier of all Quebecers.

McGraw also weighed in, saying the coming election will be a crucial one, and she believes Quebecers will reject the CAQs message.

Its a time when instead of focusing on real crises, this government is trying to drive us backward and create false divisions in Quebec and in our community, she said.

However, Economy Minister Pierre Fitzgibbon said last week there is no evidence the government is turning away from federalism.

The CAQ is neither sovereignist nor nationalist, Fitzgibbon said. We are working in the context of a federation we respect. I am federalist. I enjoy working with my counterparts in Ottawa. There is no danger of our caucus becoming sovereignist.

Anglade was also asked about the steady of stream of resignations from her party, as 13 sitting MNAs have announced they wont seek another term, nearly half the caucus. Anglade said its good news, because the party is in a period of renewal.

Yes, there are people leaving, but there are a lot of people coming, and thats the message were sending Quebecers, that we are renewing the party, Anglade said.

jmagder@postmedia.com

twitter.com/jasonmagder

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'I want to be the premier of all Quebecers,' Dominique Anglade says - Montreal Gazette

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Top 20 NJ Arts Events of the Week: Crawfish Fest, Coldplay, ‘Three Sisters,’ ‘Grease,’ more – njarts.net

Posted: at 1:38 am

TAB BENOIT

Here is a roundup of arts events taking place around the state, through June 9.

MUSIC

After having had to skip two years because of the pandemic, Michael Arnones Crawfish Fest whose history dates back to 1989 will be back at the Sussex County Fairgrounds in Augusta, June 3-5, with Samantha Fish, Tab Benoit, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Jon Cleary & the Absolute Monster Gentlemen, Big Sams Funky Nation, Bonerama, Ally Venable and many others performing on three stages. Of course, for many attending the festival, the authentic Louisiana food boiled crawfish and jambalaya and po boys and so on is as much of an attraction as the music. This is also a camping festival: Overnight camping begins on June 3, and there will be nighttime music for campers only, June 3 and 4.

The Jersey City Jazz Festival takes place June 4 from noon to 6 p.m., and June 5 from noon to 8 p.m., with jazz, salsa, flamenco music and more on two stages, plus food trucks and a beer garden. Enter on Warren Street, between Morgan and Steuben streets. The June 4 lineup is Little Johnny Rivero, Svetlana, Santi Debrianos Arkestra Bembe, Andreas Arnold Quintet, Winard Harper & Jeli Posse, David Kikoski Trio, Lezlie Harrison and Nation Beat. Performers on June 5 include Johnny Rodrguez & the Dream Team, Julian Lage, Aurora Nealand & the Royal Roses, Gonzalo Bergara, Walter Parks & the Unlawful Assembly and Sounds of A&R.

Members of the groundbreaking hip-hop group The Sugar Hill Gang, best known for their 1979 hit Rappers Delight, will talk about their music and their career, and give a brief musical performance, at the Grammy Museum Experience at the Prudential Center in Newark, June 3 at 7 p.m. The talk will be moderated by Mark Conklin, the Grammy Museum Experiences director of artist relations and programming.

KEVIN MAZUR/GETTY IMAGES

Coldplay performs at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, June 4-5.

Coldplay brings its Music of the Spheres World Tour to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, June 4-5 at 7 p.m., with H.E.R. opening. The tour is named after the bands 2021 album which has yielded the hits My Universe, Higher Power and Let Somebody Go and represents one of the rock worlds most ambitious attempts to mount an environmentally aware megatour, with 12 Sustainability Initiatives that you can read more about here.

The Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival takes place June 4-5 at Bader Field, with musical attractions including Alkaline Trio, Thrice and Goalkeeper, June 4 from 2 to 6 p.m.; and New Found Glory, Four Year Strong and Be Well, June 5 from noon to 4 p.m. There will also be an smaller stage with Away Game, Cult Tides, Last Minet and Suburban Sensi, June 4; and Cat Manning, All Systems Go, Familiar Things and Dylan Calvelli, June 5.

Camden Countys free Sunset Jazz Series at Wiggins Waterfront Park in Camden begins June 6 at 8 p.m., with Kenny G. Upcoming offerings in the series include Danilo Prezs Global Messengers on June 20, Corinne Bailey Rae on June 27 and Ruthie Foster on July 18, with more to come later.

In a show postponed from March because of COVID, It Was Fifty Years Ago Today taking place at the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, June 8 at 7:30 p.m. will feature an all-star group playing songs from The Beatles Rubber Soul and Revolver albums, plus their own hits. The band will include Todd Rundgren, Christopher Cross, Jason Scheff (formerly of Chicago), Badfinger (featuring Joey Molland) and Denny Laine (formerly of The Moody Blues and Wings).

CRISTINA ARRIGONI

WILLIE NILE

Willie Nile will headline the free Woodbridge Summerfest, taking place June 4 at Merrill Park in Colonia. Nile will perform at 8 p.m., after sets by the David Bowie tribute Starman, the Bruce Springsteen tribute Saints in the City, Southern Steel, Shore Soundz and The Dead Cowboyz. The family-oriented festival will also feature food vendors, a beer truck, and childrens activities.

Veteran disc jockey Bruce Cousin Brucie Morrow will host Tommy James & the Shondells, Little Anthony and The 1910 Fruitgum Company in a free concert at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, June 9 at 7:30. The show is being presented by The Garden State Arts Foundation, which has been organizing shows like these since 1999. Tickets to the show are free and will be mailed; to get on the mailing list, call (732) 442-9200.

The virtuosic bassist Victor Wooten, best known as a member of Bla Fleck & the Flecktones, will appear in a three-part benefit for the Elizabeth-based Institute of Music for Children at Enlow Recital Hall at Kean University in Hillside, June 3, that will feature a master class (open to musicians at all levels, and not just bassists) at 4:30 p.m., a concert at 8 p.m., and a VIP after-party (including hors doeuvres, wine, beer and signed copies of Wootens book, The Spirit of Music) at 9:30 p.m.

Mars Junction, a cover band featuring Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss the twins who were both played by Armie Hammer in the 2010 movie, The Social Network will plays songs by bands such as The Killers, Blink-182 and Rage Against the Machine at The Wonder Bar in Asbury Park, June 9 at 7 p.m.

CHRISTIAN McBRIDE

Eight-time Grammy-winning jazz bassist, bandleader, composer, educator and producer Christian McBride will be roasted at a June 6 fundraiser at NJPAC in Newark, with proceeds going to NJPAC and the Montclair-based educational organization, Jazz House Kids. McBride is NJPACs jazz advisor and is also the artistic director of Jazz House Kids, which his wife, Melissa Walker, founded. Comedians George Wallace, Jeff Ross and Amanda Seales will be among those doing the roasting McBride, who celebrated his 50th birthday on May 31.

THEATER

The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey opens its 2022 season with Enchanted April, which begins previews on June 8, officially opens on June 11, and runs through June 26. The play, which will presented at the F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre at Drew University in Madison, was adapted by Matthew Barber from Elizabeth von Arnims 1922 novel The Enchanted April, about four British women vacationing together in Italy.

The Two River Theater in Red Bank will present playwright Madeleine Georges new translation of Anton Chekhovs classic family drama Three Sisters, with previews starting June 4, the official opening night on June 10, and the last show on June 26. We want to introduce this play to new audiences and reintroduce it to old ones by putting out a hand and saying, come with us this isnt a museum piece, says director Sara Holdren, in a press release. It isnt even truly a period piece. Its a playground and a rock concert and a comedy and a tragedy. Welcome aboard.

Remember Jones, whose Meat Loaf tribute recently sold out three shows at the Axelrod Performing Arts Center in Deal, will return to the theater to appear as the pop idol character known as Teen Angel in the musical Grease, which has a preview on June 3, and then shows on June 4-5, 8-12 and 15-19.

COLIN JOST

COMEDY

Colin Jost, who co-hosts Weekend Update on Saturday Night Life and has served as an anchor on more Weekend Update installments (173) than anyone else in the shows 47-season history will bring a rare standup tour to the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, June 2 at 8 p.m., and the Wellmont Theater in Montclair, June 8 at 8 p.m. The tour was originally planned to coincide with the release of Josts 2020 memoir, A Very Punchable Face, but was postponed because of the pandemic.

The Carteret Performing Arts Center has a new performing space, The Underground, located on its lower level and offering table seating, plus food and drinks. It will be used as a comedy club in a series that launches with former Howard Stern Show staff member Shuli Egar, June 3 at 7 and 9 p.m., and continues with She Got Jokes Too (featuring Vanessa Fraction, Jo Jo Collins and Monique Latise), July 14 at 7 p.m.; Jackie The Joke Man Martling, July 16 at 7 p.m.; and Aunt Mary Pat, July 29 at 7 and 9 p.m.

Former United States senator, best-selling author, podcaster and former Saturday Night Live writer and cast member Al Franken will make an appearance at the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, June 3 at 8 p.m., as part of his The Only Former U.S. Senator Currently on Tour Tour. Franken won five Emmy Awards for his work on Saturday Night Live and 1977s The Paul Simon Special, and Grammys in the Comedy Album and Spoken-Word Album categories. His film work includes 1995s Stuart Saves His Family, based on his SNL character, self-help guru Stuart Smalley. He served as a senator from Minnesota from 2009 to 2018, resigning after being accused of sexual misconduct.

A photograph of The Notorious B.I.G. by Ernie Paniccioli.

PHOTOGRAPHY

The Grammy Museum Experience at the Prudential Center in Newark opens A Hip-Hop Life: Five Decades of Hip-Hop Music, Art, and Culture, on June 3, and it will run through Oct. 30. The exhibitions features photographs by Ernie Paniccioli from throughout hip-hop history, of Tupac Shakur, The Notorious B.I.G., Naughty by Nature, Lauryn Hill, The Fugees, Ice-T, Chuck D, Queen Latifah and others.

DANCE

The Peak Performances series at Montclair State Theater presents the world premiere Curriculum II, by the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company, June 9-10 at 7:30 p.m., June 11 at 8 p.m. and June 12 at 3 p.m. at the Kasser Theater. The piece, co-choreographed by Bill T. Jones and Janet Wong, is described as immersive theater, with seating on the Kasser stage. It was originally commissioned as a film project but is being reimagined as a live performance, with the focal point coming (according to the Peak web site) from Louis Chude-Sokeis treatise The Sound of Culture: Diaspora and Black Technopoetics, which explores the connection between race and technology from minstrelsy, music production, cybernetics, to artificial intelligence and posthumanism.

REVIEWS

Theda Sandiford: Joyful Resistance at Center for Contemporary Art, Bedminster. (Through June 4)

Exposed at Black Box Performing Arts Center, Englewood. (Through June 5)

Tenacity & Resilience: The Art of Jerry Pinkney at Montclair Art Museum. (Through June 26)

Ecstatic Decrepitude, works by Peter Schumann at ArtYard, Frenchtown. (Through July 31)

CONTRIBUTE TO NJARTS.NET

Since launching in September 2014, NJArts.net, a 501(c)(3) organization, has become one of the most important media outlets for the Garden State arts scene. And it has always offered its content without a subscription fee, or a paywall. Its continued existence depends on support from members of that scene, and the states arts lovers. Please consider making a contribution of any amount to NJArts.net via PayPal, or by sending a check made out to NJArts.net to 11 Skytop Terrace, Montclair, NJ 07043.

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Top 20 NJ Arts Events of the Week: Crawfish Fest, Coldplay, 'Three Sisters,' 'Grease,' more - njarts.net

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Best physics books: Change the way you look at the universe – Livescience.com

Posted: at 1:37 am

What is our place in the universe? How do we explain what happens around us? These are big questions to ask on our quest to understand the complexities of physics and the universe. Thats why weve curated this round up of the best physics books to gain a deeper understanding from the top authors in the field.

Physics can be a dense and detailed study, with complicated theories and exploration of ideas that can be difficult for anyone to fully comprehend. They explain these concepts in ways that are approachable and will continue your journey of understanding our physical world.

Weve collected the best physics books written by some of the worlds most renowned scientists, including Stephen Hawking, Brian Greene, and Richard Feynman. These are the books that break down complicated matters to simple, easy-to-read concepts, get to the heart of the matter quickly without getting lost in the details, and entertain you along the way with their humor and personal stories.

If you want to discover anything from the origins of physics through to its evolution into the modern century, these are the best physics books to add to your library for all levels of enthusiasts to expand your thinking and knowledge of the way our world works.

If you're looking for physics books that specifically deal with the cosmos, then you can check out our guide to the best astronomy books.

1. The Elegant Universe

Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory

Price: $11.59 (paperback, new)

Author: Brian Greene

Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company

Release date: October 11, 2010

Expertly organized

Uses relatable analogies

Complex topics accessible for those without a scientific background

Later chapters can grow in complexity and may seem daunting

Written by one of the worlds most renowned string theorists, The Elegant Universe takes complex topics and makes them easily accessible to any reader with or without a science background! Greene creates an impactful and visual reading experience as he navigates through the mysteries of the universe. This international bestseller inspired a major Nova special and leans into Greens expertise in superstring theory.

The Elegant Universe brings thoughtful discussion surrounding special relativity, general relativity, and quantum mechanics, paving the way towards an explanation of all forces and matter. Simple analogies and footnotes break down heavier topics with a dash of humor. Readers will be delighted by the approachable way in which Greene ties in string theory to help our understanding of the vast universe.

2. The Feynman Lectures on Physics (box set)

The New Millennium Edition

Price: $115.99 (hardcover, new)

Author: Richard P. Feynman

Publisher: Basic Books

Release date: January 4, 2011

World's greatest lectures still used in universities today

Approachable intro for those interested in the foundations of physics

Expensive, but they are hardcovers

Unmissable content for any student and those eager to learn more about this expansive field who wants a foundational introduction to physics written by beloved Nobel laureate, Richard P. Feynman. The Feynman Lectures on Physics is a collection of his most profound lectures, reprinted and corrected in collaboration with CalTech. Inside this three-book box set, youll find the basic principles of Newtonian physics through more complex topics such as general relativity, quantum mechanics, and beyond.

Feynman's lectures are accessible without sacrificing relevant information. His passion is evident throughout the pages, never shying away from asking the tougher questions and challenging his audience to expand their thinking. This is a box set designed for each generation, setting up the future for emerging scientists.

3. Quantum Mechanics: The Theoretical Minimum (illustrated edition)

What you need to know to start doing physics

Price: $16.33 (paperback, new)

Author: Leonard Susskind and Art Friedman

Publisher: Basic Books

Release date: May 12, 2015

Clear presentation of the inner workings of quantum physics

Includes step-by-step exercises

Requires some prior mathematical knowledge

Need to read first book to better understand this one

Quantum Mechanics: The Theoretical Minimum is the second book in the Theoretical Minimum series. If youre a reader with some knowledge of linear algebra and calculus who wants to dive deeper into the world of quantum mechanics, this is for you. Susskind and Friedman make it easy to follow along with the subject matter, getting to logical explanations quickly. Susskind deploys notations in earnest, condensing information into manageable symbols.

Itll get you thinking about the information differently, trying out a new way to speculate and approach complicated topics. This book will connect the dots, build the bridges between each concept presented, and explain all the core ideas of theory coherently.

4. Thirty Years that Shook Physics

The story of quantum theory

Price: $12.59 (paperback, new)

Author: George Gamow

Publisher: Dover Publications, Inc

Release date: July 1, 1985

Accounts of personal interactions with all the science greats

Interesting look into the history of science and quantum physics

To get the best out of the theories in this book you'll need a good grasp of maths

Gamow possesses an engaging, entertaining way of presenting the very basics of quantum physics and its progression over the span of three decades. As Gamow was personally acquainted with the scientists presented in this book Bohr, Pauli, Dirac, and Heisenberg just to name a few the result is a level of humanity and personality behind the origins of some of physics' most complex theories and equations.

This is a book about how science has changed and developed in the last century, and Gamow writes this in a way that is accessible to a general audience. Covering prominent events between 1900-1930, youll get the inside story on the course that shaped modern physics.

5. A Brief History of Time

Price: $7.99 (paperback, new)

Author: Stephen Hawking

Publisher: Bantam

Release date: September 1, 1998

Filled with images and useful definitions

Short, quick read

Uses basic terminology and avoids over-complicated info dumps

Deeper theories require prior physics knowledge to fully appreciate

Written by the late Stephen Hawking one of the most renowned scientists of this century A Brief History of Time delves into topics such as black holes, wormholes, uncertainty principle, space and time, expansion of the universe, time travel, and so much more.

Hawking manages to be accessible, while still speaking to those with years of scientific experience under their belts. Its quick and to the point, providing clarity around some of the most complex mechanics of how our universe works. Logically organized, humorous at times, and immersive, youll be taken on a journey that spans from our worlds earliest astronomers to the latest on the future of the universe.

6. Seven Brief Lessons on Physics

Price: $12.00 (paperback, new)

Author: Carlo Rovelli

Publisher: Penguin

Release date: January 1, 2012

Short (only 7 chapters)

Perfect for those interested in the foundations of physics

Can be dense in some areas

Hard to find

Carlo Rovelli is a widely respected and renowned theoretical physicist who introduces you to the modern world of physics. Its a short book, with the paperback only coming in at 81 pages, but its packed with playful and entertaining takes on our world and the role we play in it. Moving quickly through Einsteins general relativity, quantum mechanics, and other complexities of our known universe, Seven Brief Lessons outlines how physics arrived to where it is now.

Written confidently and in a way that is accessible to any reader, the intricacies of this book is written with vivid clarity. Beautifully written, and almost lyrical in its presentation of Newton, Bohr, and Einstein, Seven Brief Lessons on Physics is not one to miss.

7. Physics of the Impossible

A Scientific Exploration of the World of Phasers, Force Fields, Teleportation, and Time Travel

Price: $29.82 (hardcover, new)

Author: Michio Kaku

Publisher: Doubleday

Release date: March 11, 2008

Perfect for sci-fi fans

Humorous undertones

Some feel this book is more fantastical rather than focusing on the actual physics

Fans of pop culture will delight in the insights presented in this engaging and humorous book. Michio Kaku, theoretical physicist and bestselling author, explores the possibilities of teleportation, force fields, interstellar spaceships, and other future technologies youve seen only in science fiction. Are they truly as impossible to achieve as it seems?

In this informative yet widely imaginative look at the universe and the laws of physics, the very topic of scientific possibility is on full display. Kaku looks into the several branches of physics from Newtonian mechanics up to relativity and quantum mechanisms of the 20th century. Sci-fi technologies are broken down into accessible ideas as Kaku explores the possibilities of building starships, time travel, and invisibility.

8. Astrophysics for People in a Hurry

Price: $9.49 (hardcover, new)

Author: Neil deGrasse Tyson

Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company

Release date: May 2, 2017

Today's Best Deals

Clear, concise introduction

Shorter page count

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Best physics books: Change the way you look at the universe - Livescience.com

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Quantum Theory, God, and Carl Peterson | Quantum Theology – Patheos

Posted: at 1:37 am

Quantum TheologyCarl Peterson, physicist

Quantum theory and God? Any connection? Should we construct a quantum theology(OMurchu, 2021)?

Hybrid physicist and theologian, the late John Polkinghorne, would certainly answer in the affirmative: we need quantum theology. Questions of causality ultimately demand metaphysical answering (Polkinghorne, 2006, p. 139). However, such metaphysical answering might not be simple. Why? Because Niels Bohrs Copenhagen version of quantum theory is indeterminist, while David Bohms holistic version is determinist. Whats a theologian to do?

Let me elaborate slightly. Copenhagen indeterminism is observational, not ontological. Bohmian determinism provides an ontology, a comprehensive worldview. Still, we ask, what is a theologian to do about these competing models of quantum mechanics?

Hybrid physicist and theologian Robert John Russell proposes a theological answering with his principle of NIODA (Non-Interventionist Objective Divine Action). Russells quantum theology is based on Copenhagen indeterminism. Still, we ask: might Bohms metaphysical answer and Russells theological answer be compatible? Well ask physicist Carl Peterson.

In this Patheos post, Id like to turn to a controversy youre not likely to learn much about on social media or Patheos. Its the debate among physicists over the interpretation of Quantum Mechanics (QM for short). What happens within the atom at the quantum level? Do those fast moving electrons and photons obey deterministic laws? Or not?

Why is this important? Because exploring sub-atomic physics brings us as close to fundamental to reality as we can get. Thats why. And, mystery of all mysteries, micro-reality seems to be indeterministic. That is, it seems to be. Maybe theres a determinism that is hidden. Mmmmm? Might this affect quantum theology?

So, dear reader, I recommend you bracket out for a few moments any preset views you hold about supernaturalism, miracles, and anti-religious venom. Simply listen in on a controversy within science that could have implications for quantum theology. We will ask as John Horgan in Scientific American asks, What does God, Quantum Mechanics, and Consciousness Have in Common? Our proposed answers will look quite different, let me warn you.

Carl Peterson (Ph.D. Ohio University) is a physicist working both in academia and private industry. He taught physics and chemistry at Ohio Wesleyan University and Columbus State University. He has published on the electronic structure of polyatomic molecules. Today, as an independent scholar, he seeks to break the hegemony of the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics and advocates instead for David Bohms ontological interpretation in quantum theory.

Carl Peterson is not a quantum theologian. Yet, what he says about physics should make a quantum theologian sit up and take notice.

Our atheist friends keep whining that there is no such thing as a supernatural realm (Atkins, 2006). This means, there is no such thing as a miracle. And, if there are no miracles, then religion is bunk. Curiously, atheists can be just as superstitious as the religious believers they renounce. But, thats another topic.

What is our present topic? Here it is: how does God work in the natural realm without supernatural intervention? The problem with atheists talking about supernaturalism is that they leap and scream like cheer leaders for naturalism. But, theologians are quite happy with studying how God works within the natural world in ordinary ways. So, by staring at the cheer leaders, our atheist friends have not noticed the actual game being played.

When we turn to the actual game being played, we see questions that require both scientists and theologians to address. Here is such a question: how can God act in the natural world providentially yet not supernaturally or miraculously? At the quantum level within the atom, does God act in such a way that we experience it at the level of our human experience?

This is the kind of question asked by my friend and colleague, Robert John Russell. Bob is founder and director of the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. Bob thinks he finds an answer in the indeterministic interpretation of QM.

When we shift to an indeterministic world, a new possibility opens up. One can now speak of objective acts of God that do not require Gods miraculous intervention but offer, instead, an account of objective divine action that is completely consistent with science.(Russell, 2008, p. 128).

Relying on indeterminism at the microlevel, Bob advances his QM-NIODA theory: Quantum Mechanical Non-Interventionist Objective Divine Action. If God acts together with nature to produce the events of objective divine action, God is not acting as a natural, efficient cause(Russell, 2008, p. 128). Or, Essentially what science describes without reference to God is precisely what God, working invisibly in, with, and through the processes of nature, is accomplishing(Russell, 2008, p. 214).

In what follows, Id like to put Bobs theological interpretation of QM to the test. How? By interviewing physicist Carl Peterson. Carl, as you will see, will not grant the indeterminist interpretation of QM put forth by Niels Bohr and the Copenhagen school. What might this mean for Bobs NIODA theory(Russell, The Physics of David Bohm and Its Relevance to Philosophy and Theology, 1985)?

CP.1. I dont believe the indeterminist interpretation at Copenhagen is mistaken. Its just inadequate. Or, better, Bohms ontological interpretation is more adequate.

But first, alittle bit of history about Bohms interpretation!In February of 1951, Bohm published an advanced book that he entitledQuantumTheory (Bohm D. , Quantum Theory, 1951). This book has twenty-three chapters. When one reads the last two chapters, it seems that Bohm accepted Bohrs response to Einstein, Podolsky, and Rosens (EPR) criticisms of quantum mechanics not being complete, in favor of Bohrs indeterminist interpretation.

However, after publishing the book, and discussing it and the EPR criticism about quantum mechanics with Albert Einstein, Bohm started rethinking some of his concepts and statements in the book. Primarily, about hidden variables and the, well known, underlying concerns with the Copenhagen interpretation and its measurement problem. Bohms first two papers setting forth his renewed thoughts on those subjects were received by Physical Review on July 5, 1951. This was four months after the publication of his book. Bohm entitled his papers: A suggested Interpretation of the Quantum Theory in Terms of Hidden Variables I & II (Bohm D. , A Suggested Interpretation of the Quantum Theory in Terms of Hiddon Variables I and II, 1952). In his acknowledgment he thanked Dr. Einstein for several interesting and stimulating discussions.

Now to Bohms Hidden Variables interpretation! Bohm put the wavefunction in the form normally used to have the Schrdinger equation (SE) reduced to classical mechanics. Next he inserted it into the Schrdinger equation (Bohm called the SE the mathematical apparatus). And then, by separating the real and imaginary parts he obtained two equations of motion, one forR, and one forS. However, Bohm did not proceed directly to the classical limit, as is usually done, by setting the quantum of action,h=0, in the equation of motion forSsincehnever equals0.He theorized there might be more microstructure associated with the quantum field than had previously been determined or realized by retaining the quantum of action (That was his visionary move).

The questions arising on suggesting more microstructure became, by producing two equations of motion, that are rigorously equivalent to the SE. What is their physical interpretation? Does the microstructure add to the underlying independent reality of the wavefunction? Does its ontology still lead to agreement with experimental observations? Keep in mind there is no ontology associated with the Copenhagen interpretation. So, Bohm went to work on answering these questions!

TP. Interjection. Recall what Polkinghorne said in the citation above: Questions of causality ultimately demand metaphysical answering(Polkinghorne, 2006, p. 139). Bohms ontology of QM provides such an answer. This ontological interpretation attracts Carl Peterson. TP

CP. Bohm reinterpreted the wavefunction as representing a fundamentally real field described by its amplitude function, R, and its phase function,S.Moreover, there are real particles. And, every real particle is never separated from its quantum field with a well-defined position that varies continuously and is causally determined. Bohm found that the average momentum is related to the phase function. And highly important, Bohm noted every particle in the equation of motion for S containeda classical potential,V, plus an additional term with the quantum of action.Bohm theorized the term could be considered an additional potential, which he called the quantum potential.

Furthermore, the quantum potential is the microstructure which introduces new concepts not considered or even accepted as essential in the structure of classical physics. Lets name a few: a), the quantum potential depends only on the mathematical form of its wavefunction, and not on the intensity of the quantum field. This is different from, for instance, the Newtonian gravitational potential, which tends to decrease with increasing distance apart. b), The reaction of each individual particle may dependnonlocallyon the configuration of the other particles regardless of distance, where the particle position and momenta arehidden variables. c),active information, different from the usual understanding in classical physics as a quantitative measure in communication but understood by Bohms interpretation as a feature of the quantum potential, in which very little energy directs or uses a much greater energy, he gives examples in many of his works, such as radio waves and the DNA molecule, d).Wholeness, whereby every region of space is connected by the quantum potential into an unbroken wholeness or unifying whole. Bohm discusses all these concepts in his book with B. J. Hiley,The Undivided Universe (Bohm D. a., 1994).

The mathematical apparatus still provides the necessary values for observed quantities just as the Copenhagen interpretation does. But it also provides for particles and trajectories in a completely deterministic system. That is, the initial position of a particle uniquely determines its future behavior. And in the words of the late James T. Cushing, which I have memorized, Here we have a logically consistent and empirically adequate deterministic theory of quantum phenomena. And I might add, whats the problem; why dont we use it?

CP.2. You ask: what does this quote from Bohm mean? I really like Bohms personification of his proposed view on the concept ofunbroken wholeness(Bohm D. , Wholeness and the Implicate Order, 1980) for interpreting two significant, as well as necessary, discoveries of twentieth century physics: Relativity Theory and Quantum Theory. These two discoveries led to continued advancement in physics and the search for understanding the reality of the physical world, when many physicists believed there was nothing else to be accomplished in their discipline.

Let me state this question another way. What does it mean that Relativity Theory and Quantum Theory are not consistent mathematically, but display anunbroken wholenessin their concepts?

Bohm was seeking some way forward where the mathematical apparatus would apply to both theories without contradictions in their concepts. What Bohm found was that relativity theory and quantum theory have the quality ofunbroken wholenessin common, although it is achieved in a different way, but theorized it may be a way forward.

First, lets consider how wholeness is achieved in relativity theory. Simply put, the basic idea is that a point in spacetime is called an event, which is totally distinct from all other point events. So, all structures may be seen as configurations in a universal field, which is a function of all the space-time points. Therefore, the field is continuous and inseparable. A particle (physical object) in the field has to be treated as a singularity or stable pulse of finite extent. The field around the stable pulse lessens in intensity with increasing distance from it, but it does not shrink to zero. As a result, allthe fields for the stable pulses merge to form a single structure, of unbroken wholeness. A singularity in space-time is non-mechanistic construct, which is independent of the Cartesian grid system.

Next, consider how wholeness is exhibited in Bohms interpretation of quantum theory. It is achieved throughactive informationlisted as a concept represented by the quantum potential. The quantum potential is the microstructure for transmitting influences on distance parts of the correlated quantum system through nonlocal connections. It basically interconnects all distant objects of the quantum field into a single system, and as Bohm states, with an objective quality ofunbroken wholeness.

In physics, all fields are defined by space-time points put in order and understood using the Cartesian co-ordinate grid. And, if necessary, they are extended to curvilinear coordinates. But it is a mechanistic order, whose parts have and independent existence in different regions of space and time. So, it has been and continues to be inadequate for ordering the unbroken wholeness and contradictions of quantum theory and relativity theory. Such a situation calls for seeking a different order that will allow both theories to be consistent conceptually, and potentially pave the way for further advancements to these theories. Bohm has suggested theImplicate Order,but this would be a discussion for another interview or paper.

CP.3. How do I, Carl Peterson, think a scientist should include consciousness? First let me emphasize:I am a Bohmian, no doubt. And work by Bohm on An Ontological Interpretation of Quantum Theory (Bohm D. a., 1994) has shown there is a consistent and empirically adequate deterministic theory available.

In that regard, it would be fruitless to try to account for consciousness within the Cartesian coordinate grid system. In fact, any research in which the Cartesian coordinate grid system is used would not cohere with consciousness. Why? Because it is mechanistic.

However, paradoxically, it takes a conscious mind to be aware, to think, and do critical work in physics. This becomes clearer in quantum theory. Even so, consciousness doesnt appear in the equations.

Again, being a Bohmian I will follow his lead. It is Bohms proposal that the implicate order is where quantum theory and consciousness become compatible. And I agree with his proposal.

What is the implicate order you ask? My answer is: implicate order theory takes what quantum theory and relativity theory have in common, wholeness, and works naturally with their contradictions, which come from using the Cartesian grid, through the mental, physical and sensory awareness that embraces consciousness.

The theory is limited! No physical theory gives a perfect replica of reality, since a theory is part of the thought process. And the thought process is limited by information humans receive and their memory for retention of that information.

CP.4. You ask me about QM-NIODA. How might it change if the Bohmian interpretation was adopted rather than the Copenhagen interpretation?

Let me state emphatically that Bohmian determinism is compatible with QM-NIODA ontological indeterminism, and the measurement problem doesnt exist with Bohms interpretation. And, the quantum potential presents new concepts that have to be considered since they dont exist in the Copenhagen interpretation.

So, it seems to me that changes would come about because much of the activity that occurs in the microworld happens because of the quantum potential in Bohms interpretation. But Russell labels these thorny issues. Setting that statement aside, there are two types of changes that seem necessary to locate the physics for NIODA to cohere with the Bohmian interpretation. Number one leads to number two. I briefly discussed some features of number two earlier. The two types are:

1) new developments in physics always require attention to language. This is necessary to communicate the perception and thinking about the new development. Therefore, language would be the first type of change in NIODA.

2) different factors underlie the different language. Specifically, Russells NIODA needs to account for quantum potential as Bohmn articualtes it. Bohms visionary insight of recognizing the quantum potential, since activity is taking place in the quantum world because of it. Therefore, the features brought in by the quantum potential are most important as well with the different language. I mentioned four earlier. I see those as most crucial. Lets set the stage!

The mathematical form of the wavefunction sets the quantum field. And then, nonlocality locates Divine Action in the quantum world, since it is completely the product of the quantum potential. Recall from earlier question that the quantum potential doesnt exist in the classical limit, therefore nonlocality doesnt exist there either. Enter active information, which is produced in the quantum field, allowing influences on remote parts of the quantum system to respond in a correlated manner. Moreover, the quantum potential interconnects every region of space and imparts a quality of inseparable wholeness. In other words, the wavefunction for the quantum system determines the nonlocal connections on its distant parts.

CP.5. Yes. A way forward in physics from this point starts by setting aside the Cartesian coordinate grid system. I dont believe the contradictions between relativity and quantum theories can be completely overcome within this grid system. Let me quote something I said recently in our ETI: Academic and Societal Implicationsbook.

Bohm found a way, and that way is a new order, which encompasses the different kinds of unbroken wholeness in both quantum and relativity theories. And that new order, beyond the order of the everyday sensory world in which experiments are carried out, is one that can provide a clear consistent and logical connection for all our concepts; that is mathematical and physical. It is a deeper submerged order for the creative understanding of underlying concepts, and perhaps, even unseen levels of reality.

I might add: this may not be complete answer. But it is a beginning. It points a way forward. Sadly, there are a too few physicists following this route.

Do Patheos bloggers take up quantum theology? Sometimes.

But, not every Patheos blogger is happy with quantum theology. Especially Will Duquette. Duquette modestly formulates his own laws. Heres one thats relevant: Every application of quantum mechanics to philosophy or religion is absurd. Absurd? Why? Duquette says that a theologian is too ignorant to rightly weigh the import of physics. He contends, further, that a physicist is too smart to dabble in theology. What about a hybrid physicist-theologian such as Ian Barbour, John Polkinghorne or Robert John Russell? Duquette says, contrary to the testimony weve just assembled: if the speaker is both a quantum physicist and a philosopher/theologianhell be too wise to apply quantum mechanics to philosophy or theology. This makes Duquettes reasoning more absurd than his law.

What motivates our discussion here on divine action in natures world is the obligation to construct a reasonable and intelligible worldview that explains Gods providential yet non-interventionist action. Quantum theory entices the theologian like a yummy ice cream cone on a hot sunny day.

But, one step at a time. Before the quantum theologian can deal directly with divine action in natures world, the question of the relationship between objective fact and subjective consciousness must be resolved. Henry Stapp, physicist at the University of California at Berkeley, has worked on this question for decades.

Quantum mechanicsassigns to mental reality a function not performed by the physical properties, namely, the property of providing an avenue for our human values to enter into the evolution of psycho-physical reality, and hence make our lives meaningful(Stapp, 2017).

What we see most forcefully in the quantum ontology of David Bohm is a grounding for both consciousness and what consciousness knows in a single holomovement. This QM ontology attracts Carl Peterson.

This should attract Robert John Russell as well. Bohms notion of undivided wholeness in a single holomovement provides an inclusive ontology that coheres with quantum theory and adds a level of wholeness to Russells QM-NIODA.

In conclusion, Robert John Russell need not choose between the indeterminism of Copenhagen and the determinism of Bohm. His quantum theology could benefit from both.

Ted Peters directs traffic at the intersection of science, religion, and ethics. Peters is an emeritus professor at the Graduate Theological Union, where he co-edits the journal, Theology and Science, on behalf of the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences, in Berkeley, California, USA. He authored Playing God? Genetic Determinism and Human Freedom? (Routledge, 2nd ed., 2002) as well as Science, Theology, and Ethics (Ashgate 2003). Along with Martinez Hewlett, Joshua Moritz, and Robert John Russell, he co-edited, Astrotheology: Science and Theology Meet Extraterrestrial Intelligence (2018). Along with Octavio Chon Torres, Joseph Seckbach, and Russell Gordon, he co-edited, Astrobiology: Science, Ethics, and Public Policy (Scrivener 2021). He is also author of UFOs: Gods Chariots? Spirituality, Ancient Aliens, and Religious Yearnings in the Age of Extraterrestrials (Career Press New Page Books, 2014). See his website: TedsTimelyTake.com.

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