Random

• Showing off more of the bougainvilleas growing on the patio.

• Our friend Linda, who lives in Brisbane, is showing off the passion fruit that is growing in her garden. I have fruit envy. ~ Link

• The latest newsletter from AMiA (Anglican Mission in the Americas) says that they are planning to start 200 new congregations in the Dallas-Houston-Austin triangle.

• Quotable: Americans have one of the worst personal-savings rates of any industrialized nation. For every $1 in income earned, the average German citizen saves about $0.10 of it. Whereas, for every $1 in income earned, the average American spends approximately $7,300 on a plasma-screen television. ~ Source

Of course, if we didn't spend so irresponsibly, the rest of the world, economically dependent on the American market, would spiral into recession. It's catch-22.

• New research shows that "The older people get, the happier they become." ~ Source

• Bisphenol, an ubiquitous chemical found in hard plastic water bottles has been declared unsafe and Canada says that it may ban the use of the chemical in baby bottles. ~ Source

The thing which makes me nervous, perhaps unnecessarily so, is when plastics of any sort are heated in the microwave oven. It seems like all kinds of toxins could be released.

• According to a new study, elevating levels of testosterone, the hormone that drives male aggression and sexual interest, seems to boost short-term success at finance -- unless they are elevated for extended periods of time. That apparently leads to irrational risk-taking. Superman syndrome! I'm guessing that 50% of the population was already associating testosterone with irrationality. ~ Source