Ukubuka Okwezwe
Ukukushaya Indiva “Ukuthunywa Okukhulu”
Sekuyiminyaka eminingi eLobukholwa libhekisela emyalweni kaJesu kubafundi bakhe wokuba benze izizwe zonke abafundi ngokuthi “Ukuthunywa Okukhulu.” Nokho, ngokokuhlola okusanda kwenziwa i-Institute for Research in Social Science e-University of North Carolina, e-U.S.A., ambalwa kakhulu “amaKristu” e-United States abheka lokhu kuthunywa njengokubaluleke kakhulu. Ngaphandle kwezifundazwe eziseNingizimu, ngokuvamile ezithambekele enkolweni, amaphesenti angu-32 kuphela alabo abazibheka njengamaKristu ayenomuzwa wokuthi ukuguqulela abanye okholweni lwawo kwakuwumthwalo wemfanelo wesonto lawo “obaluleke kakhulu.” ENingizimu, lesosibalo sasingamaphesenti angu-52 kuphela.
Lapho Kunentuthu Khona Kunomlilo
Phakathi kwezingozi eziningi zokubhema ezaziwayo, kukhona evame ukungaqashelwa: umlilo. Ngokwe-U.S. National Fire Protection Association, imikhiqizo kagwayi eyokhelwe yabangela imililo engaba ngu-187 000 e-United States ngo-1991 kuphela, ibulala abantu abangu-951 (bengabalwa abacishimlilo). Ngakho, amaphesenti angu-25 ababulawa umlilo ezindlini ngalowonyaka ayebangelwe ukubhema—ukufa kwabantu okukhulu kunalokho okwabangelwa imililo yanoma iyiphi enye imbangela. Imililo ebangelwa ukubhema yabangela futhi ukulimala kwabangu-3 381 nomonakalo wempahla ongama-dollar angu-552 (amaRandi ayizigidi ezingu-2 003) ngalowonyaka. Izinto zasendlini ezivame kakhulu ukusha ifenisha emboziwe, omatilasi, nezingubo zokulala.
Ukulinganiswa Kobudlova Be-TV
Ukuhlola kwamuva okuphikiswana ngakho kuthi naphezu kwakho konke ukukhononda ngobudlova be-TV yaseMelika—futhi naphezu kwezithembiso eziningi zokubuqeda ezenziwa iziteshi ze-TV—eqinisweni ubudlova be-TV buye banda eminyakeni emibili edlule. Lokhu kuhlola kwenziwa yi-Center for Media and Public Affairs futhi kwaphethwa ngokuhlaziya izinhlelo zosuku olulodwa eziteshini eziyishumi kwase kuqhathaniswa ezikuqukethe nezinhlelo zesikhathi esifanayo eminyakeni emibili ngaphambili. Yathola ukuthi izenzo zobudlova, ezichazwa ngokuthi izenzo zamabomu zendluzula ezibangela ukulimala ngokomzimba noma ukulimala kwempahla, zanyuka ngamaphesenti angu-41 kulenkathi yeminyaka emibili. Izenzo zobudlova ezingathi sína zachazwa ngokuthi zisongela ukuphila noma zingase zibangele ukulimala okungathi sína, futhi isibalo sazo senyuka ngamaphesenti angu-67. “Isilinganiso sezenzakalo zobudlova senyuka kusukela ezigcawini ezingu-10 kuya kwezingu-15 esiteshini ngasinye ngehora,” kubika i-TV Guide.
Ukungondleki Embulungeni Yonke
Embulungeni yonke, kukhona izindaba ezinhle nezimbi ngokungondleki. Ngokwe-Global Child Health News & Review, inani lazo zonke izingane ezingondlekile ezineminyaka engaphansi kwemihlanu ubudala lehla lisuka kumaphesenti angu-42 ngo-1975 liya kwangu-34 ngo-1990. Nokho, ingqikithi yezingane ezingondlekile iye yanda. Izingane eziyizigidi ezingaba ngu-193 ezineminyaka engaphansi kwemihlanu zasemazweni asathuthuka zinesisindo esingaphansi kwesivamile, futhi ezingaba yingxenye eyodwa kwezintathu azondlekile neze. Leliphepha lithi lapho ingane ingondlekile kahle, ingozi yokubulawa isifo iphindeka kabili. Lengozi iphindeka kathathu enganeni eyondleke ngokuphakathi nendawo. Enganeni engondlekile neze, ingozi yokubulawa isifo iphakeme ngokuphindwe izikhathi ezingu-11. Leliphepha libika ukuthi emazweni anezimboni, ukungondleki okuvame kakhulu ezinganeni ukukhuluphala. Ngokwesibonelo, eNyakatho Melika izingane zithola amaphesenti angaba ngu-50 amandla eziwadingayo emafutheni—“okuyisilinganiso esiphindwe kabili kuleso esituswayo.”
ULwandle Olumnyama Noma ULwandle “Olufile”?
“ULwandle Olumnyama seluwulwandle olungcoliswe kunazo zonke emhlabeni futhi lufa kabuhlungu.” Libika kanjalo iphephandaba laseRussia i-Rossiiskaya Gazeta, liphawula ukuthi eminyakeni engu-30 edlule, uLwandle Olumnyama “luye lwaba indawo yokuchitha ukungcola kwengxenye yeYurophu—indawo yokuchitha inqwaba yezinto ezine-phosphorus, i-mercury, i-DDT, uwoyela, nomunye udoti onoshevu wabantu abayizigidi ezingu-160 abahlala ogwini.” Lokhu kungcola kuye kwabangela ezinye izimpawu ezishaqisayo. Ezinhlotsheni ezingu-26 zezinhlanzi ezazidotshwa abadobi oLwandle Olumnyama ngawo-1960, zinhlanu kuphela ezisele. Amahlengethwa alolulwandle (izilwane ezincelisayo), ayengu-1 000 000, aye ehla ngokuphawulekayo aba ngu-200 000. Amahlengethwa amaningi asele ane-swine fever ngoba amapulazi amaningi ezingulube alahla udoti eSizalweni seDanube.
Insangu Nokukhohlwa
“Ngokokuqala ngqá,” kubika i-Sydney Morning Herald yase-Australia, “abacwaningi baseSydney baye baveza lokho osekuyisikhathi eside abantu abaningi bekucabanga—ukuthi ukukhohlwa nokungakwazi ukugxilisa ingqondo okubangelwa ukubhema insangu kuqhubeka isikhathi eside ngemva kokuba abantu beyekile ukusebenzisa lesisidakamizwa.” Lokhu kucwaninga, okwenzelwa eMacquarie University, kwaqinisekisa ukuthi umonakalo obangelwa insangu ulingana nensangu ebhenyiwe nesikhathi esithathwe yilomkhuba. Lezizindaba ziba zimbi nakakhulu: “Lomonakalo ungase ungalungiseki.” Lokhu kuhlola kwabonisa ukuthi abake babhema insangu bahlushwa “ukuphazamiseka kwenkumbulo” njengalabo abasayibhema. Kuthinteka okungaphezu kwenkumbulo, ikakhulukazi kulabo abasebenzise lesisidakamizwa iminyaka emihlanu noma ngaphezulu. Kwatholakala ukuthi abantu abanjalo kunzima ukuba bahlaziye ukwaziswa futhi abakwazi ukugxilisa ingqondo nokugwema ukuphazamiseka. Ngokobufakazi obuhlangene, lombiko uphetha ngokuthi ukubhema insangu eqinisweni kushintsha ukusebenza kobuchopho.
Intsha Nama-video Angcolile Obulili
Ngokokuhlola okwenziwa yi-Management and Coordination Agency yaseJapane, amaphesenti ashaqisayo angu-77 abafana namaphesenti angu-24 amantombazane asezikoleni eziphakeme eJapane aye abuka ama-video angcolile obulili. Ngisho nabafana besikole sebanga eliphakathi abaneminyaka engu-13 noma engu-14 ubudala, abangamaphesenti angu-25 baye bawabuka lama-video. Kwaba namiphi imiphumela? I-Mainichi Daily News iyabika: “Lokhu kuhlola kubonisa ukuthi labobafundi abaye babuka ama-video abantu abadala banonembeza obuthuntu ngokuqondene namacala obulili futhi abayiqondi imizwa yezisulu zobugebengu obunjalo.” Babesiqaphela yini abazali lesisimo? Ukuhlola okufanayo kwembula ukuthi amaphesenti angu-12 kuphela abazali babafundi abahlolwa ayazi noma ayesola ukuthi izingane zawo zazibuka ama-video angcolile obulili.
Isimangaliso Noma Amagciwane?
Muva nje umagazini i-New Scientist ubike ukuthi “kungenzeka ukuthi esinye sezimangaliso ezigujwa kakhulu isonto lamaKatolika sabangelwa amagciwane asisona esaphezulu.” Lokho okuthiwa “isimangaliso saseBolsena” kwenzeka kudala ngo-1263, lapho umpristi waseBohemia ethatha isinkwa sesakramente emkhosini weMisa. Ngokwalendaba, wayezibuza ukuthi lesisinkwa sasingaphenduka ngempela yini sibe umzimba kaKristu njengoba kufundisa iSonto LamaKatolika. Khona-ke, wamangala lapho ebona lesisinkwa siconsa okuthile okwakunjengegazi! Nokho, sekuyisikhathi eside ososayensi becabanga ukuthi lesisenzakalo sabangelwa isikhunta esibomvu tebhu futhi esiconsayo esimila ekudleni okune-starch ezimweni zezulu ezishisayo. Muva nje uJohanna Cullen waseGeorge Mason University eVirginia, e-U.S.A., wenza izimo ezinjengezasenkathini ephakathi futhi wagcina ama-bacterium afanayo esinkweni sesakramente. Ngokushesha saphenduka saba njengegazi.
Ingculaza Egazini?
Angakanani amathuba okuthola ingculaza ekumpontshelweni igazi noma emikhiqizweni yalo? Ngokwephephandaba laseGoli i-Star, abantu abangu-600 000 emhlabeni wonke—noma amaphesenti angu-15 abo bonke abanengculaza—baye bangenwa igciwane lengculaza ngenxa yegazi noma imikhiqizo yalo selokhu kwatholakala ingculaza. Okwamanje, ukuhlola ukuthi igazi alinayo yini i-HIV kudla isikhathi futhi kumba eqolo. Abanye baphetha ngokuthi igazi kufanele lihlolwe ngezindlela ezihlukene okungenani eziyisikhombisa. Ngokuvamile, amazwe asathuthuka awanayo imali noma awaqeqeshiwe ukuba asebenzise lezizindlela zokuhlola. Ngisho nasemazweni anothile, lapho lezizindlela zokuhlola zisetshenziswa khona, kuba namaphutha. UPaul Strengers, umphathi wezokwelapha womnyango wokumpompela igazi waseNetherlands, uyavuma: “Asinakusho ukuthi noma yimuphi umkhiqizo wegazi awunalo ngokuphelele igciwane i-HIV noma isifo sokusha kwesibindi.”
Isivakashi Esiyivelakancane
Inkanyezi enomsila eyabonwa ngo-March 1993 izazi zezinkanyezi e-Australia naseFrance yaqashelwa ngokomthetho yi-International Astronomical Union ngo-January ngonyaka olandelayo yase ibizwa ngokuthi iMcNaught-Russel. Kodwa kungenzeka ukuthi izazi zezinkanyezi zaseChina zayibona kuqala—emakhulwini eminyaka angu-14 adlule! Ngokukamagazini i-New Scientist, isazi sezinkanyezi esithile sabala ukuthi lenkanyezi enomsila ithatha isikhathi eside ngokungavamile ukujikeleza ilanga: iminyaka engu-1 419. Ngokuthakazelisayo, imibhalo yasendulo ibonisa ukuthi izazi zezinkanyezi zaseChina zabona “inkanyezi” ezulayo okungenzeka kwakuyiyo lenkanyezi enomsila. Zabhala phansi lokho ezakubona ngonyaka wesithathu wenkathi ebizwa ngokuthi iKeen Tih, phakathi nenyanga yesibili, ngosuku olubizwa ngokuthi uWoo Woo—noma ngo-April 4, 574 C.E. Lenkanyezi enomsila iyoze ibonakale esimisweni sethu sonozungezilanga cishe ngonyaka ka-3412.