Saturday This and That

Things that caught my eye this week.

Secretariat versus American Pharoah...
...In a race, which horse would win? By the way, the name of the latest Triple Crown winner throws me off. The title of the Egyptian false deity/king was Pharaoh. But hey, if misspelling was good enough for the Beatles, it's good enough for a winning racehorse.

5 really bad reasons to leave a church...
...from Relevant magazine.

How to know you're from the Midwest...
...in case you forget, I guess.



It absolutely rings true! (Thanks to my daughter for sharing this with me. By the way, I was just told that I have four cans of opened pop in the refrigerator.)

Want to get obese?...
...Spend one year ordering one signature item from one of these places just once time a week.

How can liberal arts education be saved?...
...By proving its utility.

Happy she didn't go to law school...
...here.

Is Lindsey Graham the candidate for president people are looking for...
...while no one is really really looking at him? Chris Cilizza has an interesting take on the South Carolina Republican. (No endorsement implied. I don't do politics here, although I sometimes observe it.)

The Bible's 'love chapter'...
...isn't just for weddings. In fact, it was originally written by Saint Paul to a first-century church riven by division caused by loveless spiritual pride. That's not where the author of takes this wonderful piece, though and it's worth the few minutes will take your time to read.

Saturday This and That

I might even take up golf again
...if I could play on a course like the one in Austin's huge and beautiful Butler Park. We drove past the Butler Park Pitch and Putt during a trip to Texas last week. It's a nine-hole, par three course, close to the city's downtown. The entire course is only 805 yards. It's ideal for families. It's real golf, literally a miniature golf course, with drives off the tees, short fairways, and no windmills.

Cancerous thoughts
According to recent research, the growth of some types of brain cancer are accelerated by thinking.

If you're relying on exercise to help you lose weight...
...maybe not. A report from a British medical team says that exercise is useful for fending off heart issues and dementia, but if you really want to lose weight, lay off the calories.

Could This Be Part of the Cure for Obesity?

The Washington Post reports on a study done at Johns Hopkins University in which researchers posted signs at grocery stores about the effects of sugary drinks on their bodies. The most effective of the signs asked, “Did you know that working off a bottle of soda or fruit juice takes about 5 miles of walking?"

The article says:

Results published online Oct. 16 in the American Journal of Public Health showed teens chose healthier options, bought lower calorie drinks or opted for a smaller size of the sugary beverage after seeing the signs.

The impact was lasting. The teens continued to make healthy choices during the six weeks purchases were monitored after the signs were removed.

Read the whole thing. And get a drink of water!