Dr. Jenner’s Experiment

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  “March 28th, 1797, I inoculated this girl and carefully rubbed the variolous matter into two slight incisions made upon the left arm. A little inflammation appeared in the usual manner around the parts where the matter was inserted, but so early as the fifth day it vanished entirely without producing any effect on the system.” —Edward Jenner (1749–1823). “The Three Original Publications on Vaccination Against Smallpox.” Portrait of Edward Jenner, painted by James Northcote in either 1803 or 1823

Jour De La Familia (Canada)

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The third Monday of February is "Family Day" in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Ontario, British Columbia and Saskatchewan, a day set aside to celebrate family and family life. We Americans celebrate birthdays, Mother's Day, Fathers's Day and even Grandparent's Day, but why not the context of the relationship? I love this idea!

What a marvelous idea for communities to focus on the family, especially in the context of the many threats imposed against children by other human beings. Each person has a responsibility to make a family unit: parents (fathers and mothers with their responsibilities) and children (who must learn theirs).

What happens as a family is vital. A wise eye once observed that 1% of a modern child's influence comes through the local church; 7% of his influence from public school; 92% from the family.

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Rock Me, Epictetus!

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The Smooth-flowing Life

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Legend has it that the astronomer Ptolemy (1st century A.D.) suggested that falling stars were caused by the gods moving in the heavens, thus knocking stars out of their places. Somehow people reasoned that that if the gods were moving, they must be getting close to earth so they would lift their "prayers" or "wishes" (literally, "desires") whenever they saw the stars falling in hopes the gods would notice and grant a favorable answer. But how does one wish on falling star? Once you see it, it's gone before the wish or prayer can be made! The answer is simple: meteor shower. That's how to get your wish. Mrs. Ann Hodges had a wish fall right into her lap. Sort of. In 1954 Mrs. Hodges was sleeping on the couch when a 8 1/2 pound meteorite fell through her house and into her living room where it bounced off the radio and struck her left hip leaving her with a bruise. Not sure what she was wishing, but that's not how to do it. Epictetus hel...
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