Podcast appearances and mentions of Jim Blackburn

Send Crystal a text letting her know what you thought about the show!This is another episode of the Forces for Nature, EarthX Conference series!How can the landscapes around us play a direct role in reducing carbon emissions? In this episode, we talk with Jim Blackburn, the CEO of BCarbon, about nature-based carbon sequestration. Jim shares how BCarbon is helping landowners restore prairies, forests, and wetlands to store carbon naturally, and why the voluntary carbon market could play a pivotal role in combating climate change. We explore how these projects contribute not only to carbon reduction but also to ecological resilience, biodiversity, and sustainable economic incentives for landowners. Whether you're curious about the carbon market or looking for impactful ways to reduce your own carbon footprint, this episode sheds light on a holistic approach to climate action.HighlightsHow does BCarbon's nature-based approach to carbon capture work, and why is it different from technological carbon capture technology?How can we know if carbon credits are truly making a difference or if they're just being used as “greenwashing”?Why might investing in carbon credits be a meaningful step for individuals and businesses aiming to offset their environmental impact?What You Can Do:Look into verified, nature-based carbon offset options to balance out your personal or business emissions.Support local conservation and restoration efforts that contribute to biodiversity and carbon storage.Engage with nature.Resources Mentioned in the Episode:BCarbon – Learn more about BCarbon and how they work with landowners for natural carbon sequestration.Texas Coastal Exchange – A program supporting carbon sequestration along the Texas coast.Want a free guide to help you become a force for nature? Get it HERE!If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, rate, and review it! This helps to boost its visibility. Hit me up on Instagram and Facebook and let me know what actions you have been taking. Adopting just one habit can be a game-changer because imagine if a billion people also adopted that! What difference for the world are you going to make today?

Questions Covered: 06:58 – When do thoughts become mortal sin? 15:57 – If you die wearing a brown scapular, do your loved ones have to pray for you? Do you have to go to purgatory? 20:42 – I'm just now returning to the Catholic faith. I'm meeting with my priest tomorrow. How do I properly prepare? What should I expect? Send words of eternal life and secrets from heaven 32:13 – I was in line for confession and the priest stopped right before I got to go. What do I do at that point? Can I receive communion since my intention was there? 42:02 – Will parents be culpable for their children's sin before they reached the age of reason? 47:01 – What are the miracles attributed to the Miraculous Medal? Is it Just superstition? 51:50 – What is the Church position on immigration law? …

Questions Covered: 02:37 – If God doesn't hold people accountable for their ignorance, why should we evangelize?  08:19 – My husband had his first marriage annulled before marrying me. His father has told me that I'm “Carrying his [my husband's] cross [first marriage].” Is he right?  17:25 – What is the message of Our Lady of La Salette?  20:24 – What is the standing of the gospel of the birth of Mary in the Catholic Church? Can it be read devotionally?  23:46 – Is grace better defined as “an empowering of our free will to do that which we think is good” rather than “obliging us to do good?”  32:00 – How is the next pope going to be chosen?  41:33 – Would my wife and I occupy the same place in heaven since we were so close in this life?  48:23 – How do you reconcile Jesus' commands to love our enemies and turn the other cheek with him saying he came not to bring peace but division?  52:30 – What's the difference Roman and Palmerian Catholics?  …

On Monday's show: More than two million customers who lost power during Beryl last week now have their electricity and air conditioning back. But a few hundred thousand still don't. We have the very latest on recovery efforts after Hurricane Beryl, from CenterPoint Energy's efforts to restore power, to how the storm has created challenges for area hospitals and exacerbated health issues over the last week, to how the storm might affect the local economy.Also this hour: Houston environmental researcher and attorney Jim Blackburn shares some of lessons we need to learn from Hurricane Beryl.And we remember longtime Houston columnist Ken Hoffman, who died Sunday.Then, veterinarian Dr. Lori Teller joins us to discuss how pets navigated the storm and days since and to field listener questions.And Bleav in Astros podcast co-host Jeff Balke talks with us about the Astros at the All-Star break, how this season could, for some, have reverberations from post-Harvey 2017.

Questions Covered: 04:38 – Was the material universe always supposed to be temporary? 16:28 – What does the verse that says Jesus is first born of all creation mean? 19:35 – What qualities do women lack that disqualifies them from being priests? 22:54 – Why in some places do they stand after the consecration before the great amen. What do bishops have to do to get those changes approved? 39:57 – Does God still chastise people for their sins on this earth like He did in the old Testament? 45:47 – What’s the difference between a Plenary indulgence earned during the day and one which is earned at the moment of death? 49:51 – What is a general confession? …

Questions Covered: 06:14 – Did Mary ever die? Wouldn’t there be a record of that? 10:07 – Why does the Church promote the use of hospice care? It feels like mercy killing. 19:04 – How can a Catholic best explain Pentecost and the birth of the Church to a Protestant? 24:10 – I'm taking a college course and there’s a group of people who are taking the course in not a good direction. How can I as a Catholic be charitable to them while trying to keep us on track? 30:20 – When is typology the legitimate exercise in pattern recognition? 34:47 – What is the great war in heaven mentioned in Rev. 12, going to look like? 40:38 – In relation to the earlier call on hospice. How does Terri Shaivo innocent look from the Catholic perspective? 46:00 – Pope Francis allegedly made a comment saying that homosexuals live the gift of love. Is this true? 49:06 – Do we have to pray aloud to Mary? 50:40 – Does faith/believe or repentance need to be present for baptism to be valid? If it does, how is infant baptism valid? …

Questions Covered: 4:32- How can I explain Marian doctrine to my non- denominational family who believe this is communion with the dead?    12:02 – Why do people get attacked by demons?   18:12 – How can I interpret someone who has passed away appearing or speaking to me in a dream?   21:03 – What is a response to someone who claims I worship a human being in Jesus Christ?   28:30 – How can I share the need to confess to a Priest since it is not in the bible?   34:24 – Can you interpret Jesus's words to Judas of “Woe to the man…”?   42:32 – Is polygamy the same as adultery? How does this impact the Old Testament?  48:13 – How can I explain to a Protestant why they need the Sacraments?  51:40 – How can I interpret Jeus's response in Luke 11:27-28 to Mary being called blessed?  …

Questions Covered: 03:29 – Did Mary show signs of aging? How is Mary our life, our sweetness and our hope? 07:53 – My friend who just converted to Catholicism has become very curious about the SSPX. How do I explain to him what this is? 15:50 – What criteria was needed for the canon of scripture. Why Catholic Bibles Are Mas Grande. 22:40 – Regarding Romans 9:11, what are the implications for predestination and election? 34:10 – Is Mary the reason why we have the Apostles’ Creed? Did She ask the apostles to contribute two lines each or is this just legend? 36:49 – What are the ethics of recommending Orthodoxy to my protestant friends who still struggle with Catholicism? 42:15 – How do I respond to a protestant who asks if you know you’re saved? 48:13 – Could you explain what blessed items are? 50:21 – My ex-husband and I don’t have an annulment and he remarried. Can I receive communion? 52:50 – How often do you have to go to confession before going up to communion? …

Questions Covered: 08:54 – In the profession of faith, why do we confess one baptism? How can the Spirit proceed from the Father and Son if they are all equal? 16:21 – How do I respond to protestants who say we anathematize them for something that was said in a Church council? 22:52 – What does the Church teach about the gifts of the spirit in 1 Corinthians? 29:31 – Why did the Pope 21 Coptic Orthodox Christians martyrs as saints? Aren't they heretics? 41:30 – I'm going to be confirmed soon. How far back do I have to go for my first confession? 47:32 – What’s the balance perspective of Psalm 37:4. Mark 11:24 pertaining to the Word of Faith movement. …

Open Forum – Questions Covered: 03:31 – What do we see before we die? 15:01 – How should a Catholic working at a Catholic school respond to people pushing the pronouns thing? 20:13 – Normally the sins of a father are not imputed to the son, so why is original sin an exception? 29:35 – What are your thoughts on a person who leaves the Catholic faith as a teenager and converts to Islam? 36:21 – Do Catholics consider Protestants cousins in the faith or are they viewed as though they are all going to hell? 48:06 – I’m in RCIA. Reconciliation, Holy Orders, Marriage were covered today but what do you think would have been important to cover those topics? …

On Tuesday's show: Federal funding for the Ike Dike project is among the casualties of the latest budget battle in Congress. We ask Jim Blackburn of Rice University's SSPEED Center what this all means for coastal flood mitigation projects. Also this hour: This won't be the last oppressive summer in Houston. We'll have to either deal with it – or leave. We discuss how to adapt to the Bayou City's changing climate in the coming years. Then, dermatologist Dr. Oyetawa Oyerinde of Baylor College of Medicine answers questions about skin issues. And we listen back to two interviews with pioneering female astronauts Mae Jemison and Peggy Whitson.

 Today in episode 192 of The Green Insider, you will hear Jim Blackburn, CEO of BCarbon discuss a net zero future. He touches on the circular economy, natures technology, both blue and green hydrogen, environmental law, nature-based carbon offsets, the voluntary market, and his relationship with Rice University, the Greater … The post Learn About Natures Way of Reducing Our Carbon Footprint appeared first on eRENEWABLE.

Questions Covered: 05:01 – What is your opinion on The Chosen? 13:29 – What is the Catholic Church's opinion on the Orthodox Church? 18:07 – During an annulment why don't they question the priest who did the marriage prep? 23:22 – Can you explain the process of Medjugorje being recognized by the church? 29:42 – Daughter is gay, and I have been told that because she is married to her partner she is going to hell, how do I respond to this? 42:50 – Considering converting but is hung up on confession. 1) when you are in confession can the priest see you? 2) when you confess your sins how specific do you have to be? 52:45 – How does the Holy Spirit move and work in the Catholic church compared to the protestant church …

Questions Covered 03:46 – Why do people still have an issue with the Divine Mercy devotion, and why is it actually okay? 13:24 – Why is St. Gregory Palamis canonized as a saint if he was an Eastern Orthodox monk? 20:55 – In the language that Jesus spoke, did he use the same word in Aramaic to refer to Peter and to the rock upon which he'd build his church? 30:00 – What’s the theology behind popes blessing monarchs, and how does that bear on the relation between church and state? 35:32 – When the Jewish people were given the Old Testament, were they given infallibility with interpreting the scripture? 45:11 – After the battle of La Ponto, the pope instituted the feast of Our Lady of Victory then changed it to our lady of the rosary… can Catholics still ask for the intercession of Our Lady of Victory? 48:39 – Why does the Roman Rite not practice infants receiving communion like the Byzantine Rite? …

On Tuesday's show: The Texas House has passed two bills aimed squarely at Harris County elections. One abolishes the office of Harris County elections administrator, and the other allows the Texas Secretary of State to impose "administrative oversight" during an election. News 88.7's Andrew Schneider explains what the laws would do. Also this hour: Texas Children's Hospital was recently cited by OSHA for 15 incidents of workplace violence in 2022, in which patients attacked health care and security personnel. On the heels of that news, we discuss efforts to prevent workplace violence in hospitals. Then, we learn about some new projects aimed at protecting and conserving the Texas coastline. And, nearly 30 years after it was first staged, we reflect on the social and artistic themes in the musical Rent with the director of the production at TUTS, which runs through May 28.

Open Forum – Questions Covered: 04:48 – How would you respond to the claim that the Church has tried to keep the bible from people? 15:21 – Is there a book that gives a summary of the major theological differences and mainline protestant denominations? 19:33 – Should you genuflect every time to enter or exit a pew? 22:43 – Judges in the bible sometimes punish others don’t. Which of those are the most just? 30:40 – Good Friday and First Friday fall on the same day. Since there is no mass that day how does this affect our obligations? 34:41 – What’s the purpose of the St. Michael medal? 42:46 – Can you elaborate on your previous comment that the new Mass is just a translation of the old? 46:48 – If a person is made in a lab, will that person have a soul? 52:17 – Is purgatory the same as Sheol, Gahanna, and limbo? …

Questions Covered: 04:25 – What is satanic music? Is that even a thing? What are the characteristics? 12:58 – Who are the two witnesses in Revelation 11? 17:20 – If a Hindu friend offers to pray for you, should you ask them not to since they're praying to demons? 21:13 – In the Gospel of Mark, when the woman touches Jesus' robe and he asks who touched it, that doesn't make sense to me because he should know. What's going on there? 28:56 – Why are things related to the Pope called “papal” but he's not called the Pape? Or why aren't they called “popal?” 34:35 – After the flood, how did the one family left multiply the human race again? 43:43 – Why is it that if you go to hell, something bad will happen to you? Why would the devil torture me when I'm doing exactly what he wanted me to do? 49:02 – When Jesus calls the apostles, they all seem to drop everything and follow him even though they don't know him. Did God the Father actually draw them to him, as Jesus says must happen? 51:27 – When Jesus tells Pilate that he wouldn't have power over him unless it was given from above, was he referring to God? …

In this holiday special, hosts Peter Ravella and Tyler Buckingham dive deep into Jim Blackburn's 2022 Texas Coastal Newsletter with Jim Blackburn himself! For over 30 years, Jim has authored his Texas Coastal Holiday Newsletter, a detailed rundown of the issues facing Texas's coastal resources ranging from the specific to the thematic. Jim is the CEO of BCarbon, a non-profit ecosystem services registry that catalyzes widespread ecological regeneration by leveraging the power of soil, forests, and wetlands to fight climate change. He is a professor in the practice of environmental law in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at Rice University as well as a Rice faculty scholar at the Baker Institute. At Rice, he serves as the co-director of the Severe Storm Prediction, Education and Evacuation from Disaster (SSPEED) Center and as director of the undergraduate minor in energy and water sustainability.

Questions Covered: 05:12 – Why doesn't the Catholic Church consider other Protestant denominations’ communion valid? 12:06 – If God is outside of time and in the eternal, how does God know if someone didn’t honor the sabbath or know of delayed obedience? 15:23 – Is there anything in the Catechism that says anything when the baby in the womb has a soul? 19:52 – My household is very lukewarm. I've become curious about learning more about the Theotokos. What is it? 29:51 – What does it mean to be in the state of Grace? 35:54 – An abortion doctor in Indiana performed an abortion on a 10-year-old. How do I defend life in that situation? 41:47 – Is there a program that I can order online about apologetics? Where can we go to get a good explanation about the Inquisition and the crusades? 46:04 – Is it a mortal sin for a Catholic married couple to use the withdrawal method? …

As the cost of living with hurricanes grows, coastal cities across the country are starting to ask the trillion dollar question: what can we build to protect ourselves, and how much are we willing to pay? This week, producer Alexandria Herr takes us to Texas, where the largest civil engineering project in U.S. history may soon put those questions to the test. The Houston area is a sitting duck for a hurricane that scientists say could cause an environmental and economic catastrophe. But the $31 billion “Ike Dike,” approved this summer by the House and Senate, would help protect the region. Will it be enough to prevent disaster?  Guests: Kiah Collier, you can read the Peabody award winning reporting on the potential impacts of a hurricane on the Houston area for Propublica and the Texas Tribune here. Dr. Bill Merrell is a professor emeritus at Texas A&M University at Galveston.  Dr. Jim Blackburn is a professor in the practice of environmental law at Rice and co-director of the Severe Storm Prediction, Education & Evacuation from Disasters Center. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Questions Covered: 06:29 – What happens after we die? What’s the Church's teaching on a new earth?  13:40 – Does the SSPX have authority to bless items such as miraculous medals?  18:11 – Why don't all Catholic churches have the tabernacle at the center of the sanctuary, or in the sanctuary at all?  23:45 – Is not being in the state of mortal sin the only qualification to go to heaven? What’s necessary for something to be considered a mortal sin?  35:45 – Why were only men circumcised in Old Testament times? What rite was there for women to be initiated into the chosen people?  43:24 – Will unbaptized babies who are in limbo be allowed into heaven after the resurrection?  48:00 – How did the words get written in scripture in the cases where Jesus was alone, and nothing was said  51:16 – Jn 14:12 How can Jesus be present in the Eucharist if he sent the Holy Spirit after he left? Would he have to be no longer around?  …

On Monday's show: Today is the first day of school for many area districts and institutions including Houston public schools, Cy-Fair ISD, the University of Houston, Rice, and Texas Southern, among others. News 88.7's Matt Harab joins us to tell us about a busy day for HISD Superintendent Millard House II, who's visiting a number of district schools throughout the day. And we preview Pearland's next game in the Little League World Series. Also this hour: This week marks five years since Hurricane Harvey made landfall on Texas and then dumped some 50 inches of rain on Greater Houston, causing devastating, widespread flooding. All week, we reflect on the lessons learned from the storm and examine efforts to prevent such flooding when the next one occurs. Today, Jeff Lindner, the meteorologist for the Harris County Flood Control District who was the face most Houstonians saw the most in press conferences during the flooding, talks about his experience amid the crisis and the lessons he and his agency learned from it. And Jim Blackburn of Rice University's SSPEED Center talks about what has been done -- and what still needs to happen -- to prevent the next great flood. And Jeff Balke joins us to discuss the latest developments in Houston sports and to talk about the ebb and flow of professional teams and their competitive windows.

  On Thursday's show: Harris County, the City of Houston, and local environmental attorney Jim Blackburn are suing Union Pacific, citing toxic pollution and soil and groundwater contamination in Kashmere Gardens and the Fifth Ward. We discuss the lawsuit with Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee. Also this hour: In light of the Dobbs decision affecting abortion rights in Texas and across the nation, what other legal questions have arisen its wake? We talk it over with a legal expert. Then this month's installment of The Bigger Picture explores why we're drawn to sprawling, connected cinematic universes. What is it about tying stories together that speaks to us? And longtime NFL coach Wade Phillips has been named the head coach for Houston's new XFL football team, which begins play next year. We revisit a 2017 conversation with him about his memoir, Son of Bum, which chronicles what it was like growing up the son of iconic Houston football coach Bum Phillips.

Questions Covered: 4:27 – What’s the Church's teaching on cannibalism in extreme circumstances? Is it ever ethical?  11:50 – Regarding the teaching on following your conscience, how could one do so if you’re highly scrupulous? What is the Church's approach when it comes to mental illness?  20:40 – Can you clarify why there are different perspectives on Old Testament covenants and why some say the signs are different? The Mosaic covenant is either the 10 commandments vs Passover. The Davidic: Throne vs Temple  29:20 – Is our concupiscence a result of our free will? If Adam and Eve had not sinned, would someone else have sinned?  36:50 Since Covid, we haven’t been able to consume communion from the chalice. Does this mean we aren't receiving the blood of Jesus?  42:27 – Why don’t we as Catholics focus on baptism of the Holy Spirit? The Charismatic renewal has been focusing on this for 50 years now.  48:07 – Do Catholics follow the sabbath? How do you reconcile this with Isaiah 66:22-23?  52:30 – If someone is baptized with Trinitarian formula but doesn't believe in the Trinity, is it a valid baptism?  …

Everyone loves the famous line of “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” Even better, today people love the line “Judge not, lest ye be judged.” That may be the motto of our era. These are some of the most popular lines from the Gospels and are used as often by non-believers as by believers. These lines can be interpreted to fit into almost any shape you like, and can be raised to affirm any faith or ideology. These lines, when cherry-picked as standalone zingers, behave kind of like what we do with chicken today in the grocery store. We shape these lines to fit our needs and wants. How are these lines like chicken? Well, in the past, we just cooked the whole chicken and broke it apart in the separate parts: chicken legs, wings, breasts, and thighs. Life was simple then. Now we mass produce the chicken and carve it up and pluck out the white meat and blend up the dark meat, and run it through machines and slicers and shapers until it looks nothing like the original chicken. We can shape and press chicken into any bun-fitting shape that we like. There's chicken patties, chicken strips, chicken nuggets, popcorn chicken, dinosaur shaped chicken, chicken in a can, chicken fries, and chicken burgers. There are even vegan chicken products that have no chicken whatsoever in them, yet are sold under the name of “chicken.” From this poor bird we have created The Island of Dr. Moreau in the frozen food aisle. We pick out the parts we want and make it fit our own yearnings. We want the bloodless version. If you think of the idea of “the Gospels” and are never disturbed at all, you are missing some major sections. You might be reading the Gospel like you shop the frozen food aisle. In the grocery store, we push our carts and listen to elevator music and pause in the air conditioning, all in complete comfort. We open a glass door and feel a blast of cold air to pick out a bag of dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets, thinking how cute they are. But that product in the freezer has no resemblance to a chicken. It has sealed us off from all the realities of the life of a chicken. There is no feed, dung, or blood anywhere near our shopping centers. We don't see anything but the clean, happy ending of the cartoonish dinosaur nugget. There is no evidence of a chicken at all, let alone the sacrifice the chicken made. But the chicken is there, and the sacrifice was most certainly made. Few people read the words that come before or after the “don't judge me” parts of the biographies of Jesus. Why is that? Well, for one thing, it disrupts the comfort of feeling safe and nourished. There is no shortage of confusing and disturbing lines that came from the mouth of Jesus. For anyone that accuses believers of cherry-picking lines from the Bible to suit their beliefs, there is an equal amount of cherry-picking done to suit non-beliefs as well. For this latter group, the two lines about judgement are leveraged heavily in the ongoing effort to make Jesus into a non-miraculous, non-divine but cool hippy instead of the incarnation of the creator of the universe who took on our sins for the greatest sacrifice in history. For the life of me, I will never understand why any non-believer would care for anything said by a non-divine version of Jesus, since then he would be a lunatic and a fraud. Anyone who denies Jesus' divinity but is still quoting him as a moral teacher should ask themselves: “Why would you care what he said at all, if he's lying about his primary claim of being the messiah, of being God?” But let's continue. Let's look at these famous lines where Jesus told us not to be ‘judgey'. Let's go get stoned. Here's the cast of the scene: Jesus, a bunch of angry Pharisees, and the adulterous woman. When the Pharisees want to stone the woman who was caught in adultery (Jn 8:1-11), they try to corner Jesus on interpreting the law. They know that he is a follower of the law, that he is a devout Jew. Let me stop right here, since this is probably the main point people miss right out of the gate. The Holy Family of Mary and Joseph observed Jewish law with devotion. That is, they were devout. So was Jesus. Thus to understand Jesus at all requires understanding that he was very Jewish, and to be a devout Jew means understanding what “the law” means. This also means that to understand Jesus at all means you have to understand the Old Testament, the bloody and gritty parts of the Bible. This is the part of the Bible where the chicken was still on the farm, not in your freezer. The classic mistake people make, from Marcion in the second century to the Third Reich in the 20th century, is thinking that you can understand Jesus without diving into his Jewish heritage. Marcion wanted to get rid of the Old Testament just like many modern people do, and it's one of the oldest heresies we have to look back on for guidance. People have always tried to throw out the books of Genesis and Exodus and Leviticus and Deuteronomy. Why? Because they want to unhitch the train of Christianity from the Jews, but you can't. Even if Leviticus does sound like your angry old uncle who lacks spiritual bedside manner, you can't kick him out because he's part of the family. Without the whole family of books, hardly any of Jesus' life and teaching makes sense. Without the history that precedes his life and ministry, half of the Gospel of John would not make sense, and most the Gospel of Matthew would confuse the heck out of us. We need the whole, not just parts of it. You know, eventually if you eat enough dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets, you start to wonder where the dinosaur came from, and once you start digging into the ingredient list and the supply-chain you will arrive back at the whole food: the chicken. You must have the whole, not just some industrial product in a shiny wrapper. “The Old Testament is an indispensable part of Sacred Scripture. Its books are divinely inspired and retain a permanent value, for the Old Covenant has never been revoked. Indeed, ‘the Old Testament was deliberately so oriented that it should prepare for and declare in prophecy the coming of Christ, redeemer of all men.' Christians venerate the Old Testament as true Word of God. The Church has always vigorously opposed the idea of rejecting the Old Testament under the pretext that the New has rendered it void (Marcionism). (CCC 121-123)So I haven't gotten very far yet on this story, and no where near the attempted stoning of the woman. But Jesus cannot be understood without the old books, nor can any part of this story. Moreover, this need for the old books doesn't only apply to Jesus, but how could anyone understand Peter or Paul or John or the various dudes named James without understanding the history of the Chosen people? You have to understand Adam and Abraham and Moses and David and Jeremiah all the way up to the Maccabees and all the rest of the Hebrews in between to get to any sense whatsoever of what is happening in the circle of Pharisees. If you just rush to find the line, “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone,” you have just gone for the dinosaur shaped chicken nugget and pretended that it spontaneously grew in the freezer via the debunked scientific “theory of spontaneous generation.” Nuggets come from somewhere, they don't just happen. (Ok, I'm unhitching from the chicken metaphor from here on out, so as not to beat a dead horse. I wanted to say horse-shaped chicken nugget, but I don't know if it has been invented yet.)Jesus stated that he came to “fulfill the law and the prophets,” which is a statement forgotten by those who want to carve the hippy version of Jesus away from the Old Testament laws of Moses. So what does “the law” mean? Jesus is talking about the Ten Commandments and the Torah. Now, I don't want to get into whether he is talking about natural law or specific ceremonial law or cultural law of the Hebrews, because that's more than I can handle. You need a Trent Horn or Jimmy Akin or Jim Blackburn to break all that down. In his ministry he corrects some of the old law, and does away with some. The good news is this: we know that Jesus perfects the Old Testament law. But while he makes these corrections, he still has immense respect for the old law. He also said, "Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place." Why did Jesus believe in the old law so much? How could he be so deeply dedicated to the old law? Talk about dramatic, too. He defends the old law so much that he says not only will every letter be fulfilled, but even the smallest part of each letter. I can think of one reason. There is one reason in particular, one primary reason that really sticks out to me. And it seems to be very clear, and make perfect sense once you consider it. It's because he made the law. He wrote the law. He's God. So yeah, he's down with the law. He's the author. Again, for anyone that forgets that Jesus is claiming to be God while reading the Gospels, these statements will make no sense. The chill teacher version of Jesus would not speak this way of the law, but the divine author of the law, who used human authors to record his will, would speak this way of the law. He gave the law to his chosen people. If he is God, then he certainly agrees to his own law, because he is the author. The mistake people make when reading about Hakuna Matata version of Jesus is that they have already rejected him as divine, and therefore nothing he says makes sense, because he is actually speaking as God himself. To read his words as a profound teacher makes little sense when he starts dropping lines like “I saw Satan fall like lightning.” Wait what? If he's just a dude with peaceful ideas, then he didn't witness Satan fall from the sky. Surely someone has already tried to fit that into their desire to legalize drugs. “Oh, that must mean that Jesus was on psychedelics.” No, he wasn't. He was high all right, but that's because he was the highest being, incarnated into the flesh to walk with us. Here's another question: how do you reconcile a purely human Jesus with a line like: “No one can come to me unless the father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up on the last day.” How is an entirely human Jesus going to raise anything up? And on what day? If he's not God and claims this power, then he's crazy or an arrogant liar. If he is God, then it makes sense but it's also terrifying. No wonder Jesus gets irritated with the people around him and says, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long will I be with you? How long will I endure you?" Sometimes I wonder if he would say that to me at least once a day. When I imagine Jesus living with me, it's a good mental exercise, because when I pour an oversized bowl of Kellogg's Raisin Bran from the MEGA-sized box, and then cut up a banana to throw on top, I just have to wonder - what would Jesus think of such a food spectacle? Worse, what would he say when I ate that bowl, and then poured a second bowl? I suspect he might say, “I never knew you…were such a pig.”So for everyone today that throws out the Old Testament and Ten Commandments, I wonder if they have not just seized on the most culturally shocking lines of the ancient texts and got stuck there. Some of the old books are difficult to read, without a doubt, and the cultural differences and scientific understanding of the universe creates a gap in understanding, but focusing on those things clouds the religious truth of the texts. To toss them out is to lose the whole backstory of Jesus' life and his purpose. Jesus does not sound like someone who rejects the past and the law when he says “not one letter of the law will pass away”? Further, he says not even one part of a letter of the law will pass away. Then he later says, “render unto Caesar what is Caesar's,” meaning we should follow the law of the land where we live, as long as it doesn't conflict with the law, the real law, the natural law, God's law, which is the Ten Commandments and those obvious laws which we can know in our conscience. If you do not read Jesus words as if it were God speaking, then you will get a very odd interpretation of what the Gospels mean. You will have to skip over many parts because they make no sense, and all of the miracles. You will have to throw out all of those completely if Jesus is not divine. If you read his words as the speech of an ordinary man with wisdom, you may just as well go to the airport bookstore and pick up a self-help book full of vanilla maxims on being yourself and pursuing happiness. You can stay in the comfort of ignoring the many times Jesus talks about separating the sheep from the goats, or the wheat from the chaff that will burn for eternity. Because if Jesus is not God but is only claiming to be, then it doesn't matter and your ego can run buck wild. But if he is God, then the only way to read the Gospels and make sense of them is with the understanding that he is speaking as God himself. It is precisely when you make this turn that you may experience fear of the Lord, which is a good thing because it means you are on the right track. The self-help gurus say something different than what our carpenter, who is God, tells us. He's saying something very different. As God he is showing and telling us in every word and action the exact opposite of the feel-good books on the airport bestseller cart. He does say, “Be yourself.” But he doesn't say it at all like the books of affirmation at the airport do. He said, “Surrender to me because you are a sinner. Then you can finally be your true self.” He also says (paraphrasing here into bro-speak): “Only I can save you because I am God. I'm not giving you some self-help tips here for kicks, but for eternal life, so take up your cross daily, crucify your ego, and follow me. Oh, and you will find happiness in me because I am God. But - fair warning - you will get mocked and possibly murdered if you do this thing correctly, and I'm about to show you what that looks like.” Jesus questioned few of the existing laws of his people, slicing only those ceremonial, cultural laws that strived for outward cleanliness. He only corrected the laws that needed correction, the ones that blocked the interior conversion of the heart, the rules that stifled mercy and humility. (For a great listen on this story, check out Tim Keller's podcast on “The Humility of Jesus.”)According to the law, adultery was illegal and stoning was the punishment. So the situation was this: the Pharisees have a woman in the middle of the circle. With rocks in hand, they put the question to Jesus on what should be done to her as a violator of the law of Moses. However, before he answers with his famous line, Jesus squats down and draws in the dirt with his finger. No one knows what he was drawing in the sand or dirt, or why he does it, although there is plenty of speculation. Perhaps he was doing something profound in the sand, or perhaps he was just bored with their games and like a nine-year-old shortstop drawing in the dirt during a boring baseball game he found something more interesting in shaping the sand. Regardless of what he drew in the sand, Jesus stands up and delivers the ultimate one-liner, the greatest microphone-drop in the history of life and literature, saying the famous line, “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” Then he bends down once again and draws in the dirt, again doodling like the detached young shortstop or writer of something profound and creative. Whatever the case, it causes the Pharisees' pride to crumble. Stunned, the men with rocks fall silent. They slowly fade away, leaving one by one. Hungry for blood and justice, they suddenly lose interest as the one-liner from Jesus seems to annihilate their motivation to kill the woman. Their goal of trapping Jesus in a legal argument snapped upon themselves. The comment seems to turn the mirror onto the men, showing them their own sin, and they drift away leaving the woman and Jesus in the center of the disappearing circle. This is often how God works in my own life, where something will happen that bothers me, gets me all wound up, and slowly, gradually, I come to realize that my perception of the problem is not exactly right and that I'm probably more prideful and lacking humility than the person I'm upset with. This whole “drawing his finger in the sand” is like a metaphor for God taking his time to correct us, stirring up our consciences, awakening us to our own flaws and failures. What a shame that I am so talented at seeing others' failures first before my own, as this talent does me little favor. Perhaps I should have pursued being a judge on American Idol or at the county fair or bodybuilding competitions, because I'm so keen on finding the flaw in others instead of myself. Perhaps I missed a career opportunity. Seeing my own flaws is a brutal process of introspection, and God does seem to walk me to that place. He lets me burn off the passions before showing me my own faults. Everyone takes this quote from Jesus and runs with it. This one gets mixed right in with his other comment about non-judgement. “Don't judge me,” we say. Or maybe, “Only God can judge me.” But I would argue that those who say those words don't understand what Jesus is saying. He's not saying we won't be judged. He's saying, if you have no sin, you can judge. But who has no sin? Only one person can say that, and it's Jesus. It's God. He is the one that can judge. In this case, he can judge the woman, but he's not judging her. Not yet, but he will. In these cases, he's always indicating that the judgement is not happening right now…but it will happen. Judgement is coming, but there is time yet. These lines are about mercy on living persons, but the final justice is 100% guaranteed for every person upon their last breath. His mercy does not affirm violations of the law, but rather corrects behavior and offers a second chance. That's why the last verse of this story is the most important of all. He tells her to “Go and sin no more.” The implication is that she did sin, but she has another chance. She's forgiven. This is the most important line in the story and has parallels to the story where Jesus heals the paralyzed man. In that story, Jesus considers what is more amazing: that he can make a paralyzed man pick up his mat and walk, or that he can forgive the sins of the same man. Obviously the medical miracle is amazing, but the claim that he can forgive sins jumps infinitely ahead in terms of wonder. The people who witness the event are more amazed at the medical healing, but truly the forgiveness of sins is far more profound and meaningful, which is what he's trying to convey to the people. This forgiveness brings up two questions. Who can forgive sins? Well, obviously only God can do that. A cool hippy cannot forgive your sins, and I know a few cool, aging hippies who still believe in peace, love, and dope but they cannot forgive sins. A drug user on psychedelics cannot forgive my sins. If one of these types told me that he forgave me for all the evil things I've done, I would buy them another beer (or whatever their drug of choice) because I would consider them already intoxicated. So why do non-believers and deniers of Jesus' divinity read these lines and consider that an ordinary man has any power to forgive sin? I think it's more likely that this forgiveness question is ignored, or glossed over, or not looked at very closely. Actually, I think many people do feel like Jesus is divine, but they don't want to think about it too closely, because once you really dive into the Gospels, or stare at the crucifix for a long time, you start to see your own sins and feel the need to change. In fact, this is why I feel that crucifixes should have the spent body of Jesus hanging in defeat, so that when you look upon it - and really look at it - you see your flaws in the wounds of Christ. A bare and clean cross doesn't deliver the message like a cross with the mangled body of Jesus fully exposed does, with his bloodied head, punctured hands and feet, the many cuts and bruises from the scourging, the scuffed joints from falling three times on the road to Calvary, and the gaping hole in his side by a spear that rammed into his heart. On that cross, the cross with the body, you can imagine how the sinless man squirmed and hung and suffocated under his own weight, while being jeered at and mocked for all his goodness, while he thirsted under the heat of the sun, for three hours, dehydrating and struggling to breathe. He had no sleep the night before and had been beaten and ripped apart with Roman whips. That is the cross I need to see, not the empty cross with no nails and no body. I do not want to see the “before” cross, I want to see the “after.” I don't want to see the cleaned up Disney version of the cross. The ugly cross is where the life of Christ makes sense and the mystery of his sacrifice can just begin to make sense to me. Then I can begin, just barely, to see how my own sins and fallen nature put him there in that horrible place, and somehow, strangely, how that awful sight shows the greatest act of humility and love the world has ever seen and becomes the ultimate example of how to live, and the ultimate symbol of hope for our souls. The second question is: how can he forgive her sins, or anyone else's sins? How can that be? What is happening? How can there be no consequences for breaking laws, when he says no part of the law, not one letter, nor a part of a single letter, will pass away? That's the question the Pharisees want answered, and in a clever way Jesus does answer it. He answers it by showing the men that judgment is not taking place that day, not by them. There is so much more to this story. For starters, did the woman commit adultery alone? No. That's not possible. So where is the man and why isn't he also in the center of the circle? Surely he too committed adultery. Shouldn't he also be stoned? Where is the man that committed the act with this woman? Why is she the only one being accused and tried for adultery? This is one of those moments where you can see Jesus treating the dignity of all people equally, woman or man. He cuts through the double-standard. He subverts the culture. Wait…is he…wait…what? Is he smashing the patriarchy? He is establishing some kind of equality in eternal judgement here, as Paul realized a few years later: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” So there is that. But if you believe Jesus is God and he is speaking as God, and he speaks highly of the first and most famous patriarch, Abraham, and does the same about many of the others like Moses and Elijah and Jacob and Isaac, then he doesn't seem real keen on “smashing” them, since after all, he chose them. Next, who are the men that want to stone her? Jesus implies something incredible here: the men that want to stone her are adulterers themselves. At the very least they are guaranteed to be sinners of some kind, breakers of the law, and likely worthy of stoning as the fullness of the law prescribes. Should they be stoned themselves for the same crime, or for a different crime? I would bet they are guilty of it, just as most men today are guilty of it, nearly all of them as they pore over the porn in their phone and degrade the women in the images and then clear their browser history and then pretend they haven't committed adultery. I have been as guilty as any in that regard, as the websites beckon us, tempt us men, into easy-access lust and defile our marriages and relationships while we project our sin onto those performing the act on the screen, instead of looking at our own behavior. How many millions of men have partaken in looking at porn, only to go online afterward and lament the fallen morals of our society? The Pharisees are still encircling the woman today, as we sinners act as spotless as a lamb. We do this while the Lamb of God squirms in agony on the cross for our fallen hearts, to forgive us, to give us a second, third, seventh, and seventy-seventh chance. And what happens to the woman then? She is not condemned. But saying “Go and sin no more” implies that she was guilty of the accused act. I feel it's safe to assume the woman is forever changed after this moment, like so many others that Jesus comes into contact with, as he fundamentally re-plants them in rich soil. He rips out the roots of old ways out. But that redemption, that re-planting, comes with a huge caveat, one that I feel most people miss when they throw around the “Judge not, lest ye be judged” one-liner as if it were a shield. This redemption that Jesus preaches only happens in the Gospel stories to those that have the correct humility before God. He cures people who have faith. In some cases, he cures people but not all of them change their ways, such as the ten lepers that he cures and only one comes back to thank him. (A Samaritan, of all people!) The one leper comes back to him, and Jesus tell him: “Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?” Then he said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.”Faith has saved this one leper. What's the implication? His sins are forgiven. This implies the other nine may be healed from leprosy, but they are not changed. They have not changed. The other nine are back in the arcade of life, living without their physical malady, but afflicted with the spiritual malady, and not giving any thanks and honor to God. This is what happens when you make God a transactional being for redemption only when you think you need a lift. You cry out for help when you need it, but turn away as soon as you have what you want. That is where the judgment will come down, and this cleansing of the ten lepers states it pretty plainly, in my opinion. The change is what must happen. Without the change, the condemnation will come. Forgiveness entails expected duties that follow, otherwise there is a lack of understanding about what the forgiveness meant. Fortunately, we get repeat attempts here. God is well aware of our weaknesses, and I believe he wants us to know and embrace our own. If you don't know your weaknesses, how can you be prepared to fight off the temptations that will cause you to fall? Knowing my weaknesses becomes a great gift. Gifts and crosses come to us all, and sometimes the cross is the gift that awakens my faith. If we receive forgiveness, it must really be received, and not as a “Get out of jail free card.” The one unforgivable sin the Jesus alludes to is the rejection of the Holy Spirit, which is the rejection of God. So anyone that rejects God, inside their hearts, will not receive forgiveness. That sends a chill to me, as I often wonder about that. Obviously, nothing can be hidden from God, as we are an open book to God, and how easily our petty pride can rise up and knock us off course, tipping us right back to a subtle rejection of Jesus, making him into a personal redemption center where we go when we need to exchange our token prayers for forgiveness. Those who receive the Holy Spirit see their whole life change. Those that understand, change their ways out of joy. Those that do not understand, do not change. The “Judge not lest ye be judged” line is shortened by most people, to the detriment of the concept, as there is a key line that follows it elsewhere when he mentions the idea of “judge not.” In this story of the stoning, Jesus says nothing of judgment, as she appears to have a clean slate. “Go and sin no more.” Like the lepers, she is starting fresh, but as we saw in the ten lepers, only one is actually saved. Curing or forgiving should arouse faith in the healed or forgiven, but this doesn't always happen. But elsewhere Jesus does say “Stop judging, that you may not be judged.” (Mt 7:1-2) Everyone loves that line. But the very next line in Matthew after that is this: “For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.” I've never heard anyone add this part when quoting this line: “measure for measure will you be judged.” We just say the first part because it makes a good comeback, and then allows us to agree to disagree, or more likely just permits us to make up whatever rules we like. “Judge not” alone allows our own pride and disobedience to continue un-chastised and unchanged, but it doesn't account for the next words that Jesus says, because a judgement is coming, in full measure, and that includes our choices that we make. So even if you, or a co-worker, a friend, a schoolmate, or a relative doesn't get to have the final word on judgement in this world, someone or something does in the next. So who is doing that judging? Is it the cool hippy Jesus? No. This is the fiery Jesus, speaking as God. We forget about this Jesus, who killed the fig tree for not producing fruit. We forget about this God-man who said, “The son of man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.” (Mt 13:40-42)In fact, if you don't believe in God, nor believe in Jesus as God, but you read the line “so will you be judged,” who exactly do you think Jesus is talking about as doing the measuring? For those that do not believe, but who quote these lines, how can this idea of cosmic judgement still mean anything? Yet these lines resonate, because even when reminded of the measure for measure, non-believers nod. Even while claiming atheism and disbelief in heaven or hell, people still want some kind of ultimate payback or justice. An infiltration of “karma” seems to have wafted into the room, but it doesn't fit into Christianity. Judgement is to karma as an apple is to an orange. Jesus shares no concept of karma. He's talking about a final judgement, and he will direct you to heaven or hell. He mentioned hell many times. He mentions it all over the place, and souls are going there. Does that sound like the cool hippy allowing us to do whatever you want? Does anyone remember a verse that says: “That's cool; get drunk, trash the place, lie, cheat, steal, be prideful, commit adultery, have random hookups. Do whatever you want, it's all good, I'll just save you at the end.” No, there's nothing like that. Maybe that will turn up in the next version of the Dead Sea Scrolls that is found in a cave in Qumran, but I wouldn't hold my breath. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.whydidpetersink.com

Questions Covered: 05:30 – Why do Catholics deny the idea of once saved always saved if in 1 Jn 3:6 it says, “Whoever keeps sinning has not known Jesus?”  15:11 – With the recent mass shooting in Texas, is it safe to infer that God does not intervene in these situations due to the respect he has for free will?   21:36 – What’s the Catholic perspective on the marriage of two protestants? Would the Church consider it a valid marriage? https://www.catholic.com/audio/caf/did-jesus-allow-some-divorce  28:42 – If Christ gave himself fully for our sins why did he pray “Let this cup pass from me?” I know Catholics reject penal substitution.  34:51 – Sirach 24:1-16 says that Jesus was created, and we proclaim in the Creed that he was “born of the Father before all ages.” So, is he created?  40:43 – Do you believe the phrase “God doesn't give you more than you can handle” is incompatible with the Catholic faith?  48:02 – I'm watching The Chosen, and I saw before their meals they say the prayer “Blessed are you God…” but we as Catholics say “bless us oh Lord…” When did we start making this prayer centered on us instead of God?  52:04 – How do we Catholics understand the bible especially since we're told that the bible has changed multiple times?  …

On this episode, hosts Peter Ravella and Tyler Buckingham talk with Jim Blackburn, founder and leader of the Texas Coastal Exchange (TCX) and BCarbon, two organizations to protect coastal wetlands and other natural areas to generate and certify carbon offset credits. In April, TCX announced a plan to construct 1,000-miles of living shoreline projects on the Texas coast funded ultimately through the sale of carbon offset credits. According to TXC, a nine-mile living shoreline project might cost $4.5 million to construct. However, by protecting coastal wetlands which sequester carbon, that project could generate $19 million from the sale of carbon credits. BCarbon -- an organization that certifies empirically measured increases in natural carbon stocks for carbon credit trading -- estimates that credits would be valued at $20 per ton. Could coastal wetlands protection projects and other coastal and ocean green infrastructure projects really be self-funding through the sale of carbon offset credits? Blackburn thinks so and he makes a compelling case. A great interview with one of the most innovative thinkers on the American shoreline. Jim Blackburn is a professor in the practice of environmental law in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at Rice University, teaching courses in sustainable development and environmental law. He is an environmental planner and practiced environmental law with the Blackburn & Carter law firm in Houston. At Rice, he serves as the co-director of the Severe Storm Prediction, Education and Evacuation from Disaster (SSPEED) Center, a faculty scholar at the Baker Institute, and director of the undergraduate minor in energy and water sustainability. At the SSPEED Center, Mr. Blackburn has been responsible for the development of landscape-scale green-space solutions for surge damage mitigation, including the Lone Star Coastal National Recreation Area, a web-based ecological services exchange and structural alternatives. He is the author of The Book of Texas Bays (Texas A&M University Press, 2004), which focuses on the environmental health of bays in Texas and efforts undertaken to protect them.

Questions Covered: 05:38 – In Deuteronomy 22:28-29 It talks about a man lying with a virgin. What does it mean from the Catholic perspective?  16:12 – I'm a 2nd grade catechist. They want to know why God judged Adam and Eve so harshly? Why couldn't it be just a teaching moment?  22:22 – What if a person holds back a sin due to shame before their wedding? Will that person’s confession and marriage be valid?  24:30 – Why did God direct the Israelites to kill the other nations who were occupying the promised land if we're all God’s children?  35:43 – I'm blind and I just wanted to tell Cy thank you and I love your audio book.  41:25 – My protestant friend called me and told me that he was convinced that hell doesn't exist. Could you explain if it does exist and how you get there?  How could it exist if Jesus died for everyone?  48:46 – If the sacraments are efficacious should we expect a temporal manifestation of that grace?  52:22 – I feel drawn to become Catholic. How can I approach this with parents who are deeply opposed?  …

Questions Covered: 05:27 – I have the cremations of my relative. What are the Church's teachings on keeping these? When did receiving the Eucharist on the hand start being permitted? Where can I find the Catholic church's writings on this?  15:05 – In Mark 3:28-30, what does it mean to blaspheme against the holy spirit? Why is it unforgivable?  23:23 – Why are our Churches not teaching that if you are complicit in voting for something that supports abortion, you are an accomplice to an intrinsic evil? Why did 50% of Catholics vote for a candidate that supports abortion?  31:30 – My girlfriend died a few months ago. How do I know if she is in purgatory or heaven?  34:52 – In Genesis Ch 1, it often says that God “saw that it was good”. Is there a chance that God created without knowing if something was good?  37:20 – If someone has a near death experience, where does their soul go?  40:50 – Why does the Catholic church require a divorce before you can get an annulment?  48:18 – Are Mormons able to go to heaven?  50:58 – My protestant friend said that when we say Jesus' name, there's not as much power in it as saying “Yeshua” or “Yahweh”. When we say “Jesus”, is there as much power in it? If we were all to be saying his real name, would he listen to us more?  …

This week, Peter Ravella and Tyler Buckingham talk to Jim Blackburn about the incredible changes occurring on the Texas Coast. Jim is a professor in the practice of environmental law in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at Rice University, teaching courses in sustainable development and environmental law. He is also a practicing environmental lawyer with the Blackburn & Carter law firm in Houston and a Rice faculty scholar at the Baker Institute. At Rice, he serves as the co-director of the Severe Storm Prediction, Education and Evacuation from Disaster (SSPEED) Center and as director of the undergraduate minor in energy and water sustainability. For over 20 years, Jim has distributed his "Holiday Coastal Update" and his 2021, drawing on his deep experience on the coast, foresees a great and exciting transition on the Texas coast. Listen here to find out all about it!

Questions Covered: 05:29 – What are the origins of the sacrament of baptism? 16:45 – What do the words “As it was in the beginning” in the Glory Be refer to? 20:12 – Is there a way that the Church assesses their priests and holds them accountable to their teaching? 30:50 – Why does the Catholic Church say the Orthodox have valid holy orders but the Anglicans do not? 35:40 – Is the mark of the beast coming soon with new technology? How will we prepare for it? 42:22 – What value is there in forgiveness if it doesn't remove punishment? 49:10 – Why is missing Mass on Sunday a mortal sin as compared to others like murder and adultery? …

Questions Covered: 03:59 – What is purgatory?  13:35 – I want to know about the reach of papal infallibility and the limits to which it binds. Am I duty bound that it's prudent to dogmatize its truths? Do we have to believe the 3rd and 4th Marian doctrines are all of the truth or can we be good Christians and believe in what Eastern Catholics say about it?  20:46 – What are the sacraments?  29:10 – Why does the Catholic Church find something substantial in Plato's philosophy? Specifically St. Augustine has referred to it.  45:52 – Does one have to be in a state of grace for God to sincerely hear their requests or what they're praying for?  49:24 – Have you heard anything about the “one world religion” that the pope is supporting? What are your thoughts on it?  52:16 – What is the definition of Hell? Resources Mentioned: Purgation Station …

03:25 – What's the difference between a mystical union, a spiritual union, and a physical union?  08:35 – Was Padre Pio's stigmata real? If it was, why was it on the palms and not the wrists?  14:32 – Should we expect our government to follow Christian values?  17:55 – Why do people think the Catholic Church withheld crucial books from the Bible?  30:10 – I've been an atheist my whole life. I'm now struggling with suicidal thoughts and I'm wondering if faith could do anything for me.  41:25 – What's the difference between homosexual orientations and actions?  47:06 – Why did Christ descend into hell after the crucifixion?  51:12 – What is meant when the Bible says to fear the Lord?  …

Jim Blackburn

Questions Covered: 05:17 – The thief on the cross was told he would be in paradise, but he died before Pentecost and was not baptized. Is paradise separate from the kingdom of heaven and did he make it to paradise?  16:01 – If you go out for dinner with someone during lent on a Friday and they eat meat, how do you let them know politely that is inappropriate, and are you also sinning by witnessing that sin?  22:56 – Why does the formula for confession not change regardless of rite and who you confess to? And when you say “bless me father for I have sinned” are you speaking to God, the priest, or both?  29:21 – There are Catholic missions approved by the bishops that do not allow their counselors to speak about God or pray to clients unless they ask for it. Can you explain to me why? Are they denying their conscience?  40:40 – How do we handle critical race theory and the mandated training in the workplace (having unconscious unbiased etc.) especially as the sole breadwinners of the family? Do we stand up for our faith beliefs?  48:30 – What is the church’s teaching on Limbo?  …

On Thursday's Houston Matters: We talk with the Houston Chronicle's Jacob Carpenter about the recent firing of two charter school leaders for questionable spending of the district's funds. Also this hour: An “Ike Dike” funding bill is close to approval in the Texas Legislature even as Houston and Harris County struck out in the latest round of flood mitigation and relief funding from the federal government. How frustrating is it to identify important flood mitigation... Read More

Listeners call in with their questions about the Catholic faith. Questions Covered: 04:40 – For people who have given up something during Lent, can that food be eaten on feast days and Sundays during Lent?  08:08 – Is St. Paul reprimanding St. Peter in Galatians 2 when he criticizes a man named Cephas?  14:03 – Should you stay in a youth group community that is lax or teaching incorrect doctrine?  20:19 – Is having the gift of tongues demonic? I heard that St. Thomas Aquinas said this gift shouldn’t be used by anyone anymore?  31:05 – As Christians, are we called to let “Jesus take the wheel” or called to defend ourselves?  41:37 – Why do we pray and have faith if we have no guarantees about who God is?  46:41 – In Luke 22:31, is the Lord giving Satan permission to tempt Christians?  49:38 – Is there any occasion within a confession might not be valid because a priest omits asking you to recite the Act of Contrition or does not give a penance?  …

Callers choose the topics during Open Forum, peppering our guests with questions on every aspect of Catholic life and faith, the moral life, and even philosophical topics that touch on general religious belief.  Questions Covered: 05:50 – My neighbor is a Lutheran who told me that even Mary doubted who Jesus was. Is that true?  13:48 – Can the text of the gospel be changed to accommodate people better? For example, instead of ‘men’, to say ‘people’?  22:25 – Is sedevacantism true?  29:55 – How can we combat transgenderism?  37:35 – What is the logic of the necessity of purgatory?  45:00 – What are the earliest accounts of the sacraments of confirmation?  52:29 – I am going through RCIA, but my wife does not want to go through it. What is the status of our marriage? Can I take the Sacraments?  Resources Mentioned: Redemptionis Sacramentum Purgation Station Scripture Confirms It The 7 Signs  …

Callers choose the topics during Open Forum, peppering our guests with questions on every aspect of Catholic life and faith, the moral life, and even philosophical topics that touch on general religious belief.  Questions Covered: 04:32 – I read James 1:17 and it says that God “has no shadow of change” but frequently in the Old Testament, he changes his mind about punishing the Israelites. How do you explain this contradiction?  11:16 – What is the authorship of the prophecy of Daniel? Did Daniel write it?  17:34 – Where can I get honest information about Vatican II? It is really hard for me to tell who to believe about this.  28:42 – How can I prove papal supremacy to Protestants, using the Church councils?  34:55 – Some people say that Catholics are meant to fight evil, but Jesus says to turn the other cheek. Which is it?  47:00 – I told my Catholic friend who got married that I couldn’t go to his wedding because he was getting married outside of the Church. Was this the right thing to do?  53:10 – Why are some angels called saints? How could they become a saint? Resources: https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/the-twentieth-century-apologetical-rollercoaster …

The Army Corps of Engineers's latest ideas on how to reduce flooding along Buffalo Bayou has riled many Houston residents who were expecting a more modern solution to flooding than the concrete channelizing of Houston's bayous implemented in past decades. Lisa talks with Jim Blackburn, an environmental lawyer and co-director of the storm-studying SSPEED Center at Rice University. Read: Digging Buffalo Bayou deeper? Houstonians up in arms over Army Corps' 'old-fashioned' flood fixes. Connect with Lisa Gray on Twitter and Facebook.  More: SSPEED Center — Severe Storm Prediction, Education, & Evacuation from Disasters Center See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Click to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. The Army Corps of Engineers’s latest ideas on how to reduce flooding along Buffalo Bayou has riled many Houston residents who were expecting a more modern solution to flooding than the concrete channelizing of Houston's bayous implemented in past decades. Lisa talks with Jim Blackburn, an environmental lawyer and co-director of the storm-studying SSPEED Center at Rice University. Read: Digging Buffalo Bayou deeper? Houstonians up in arms over Army Corps' 'old-fashioned' flood fixes. Connect with Lisa Gray on Twitter and Facebook.  More: SSPEED Center — Severe Storm Prediction, Education, & Evacuation from Disasters Center Support the show: https://offers.houstonchronicle.com/?offerid=125&origin=newsroom&ipid=podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Callers choose the topics during Open Forum, peppering our guests with questions on every aspect of Catholic life and faith, the moral life, and even philosophical topics that touch on general religious belief.  Questions Covered: 02:02 – Is it ethical to take a vaccine made with aborted fetal cells?  07:00 – How can you know that you’re in a state of grace?  10:55 – What is the Catholic view of penal substitution?  17:35 – Can you clarify just war theory? When is self-defense or defense of the innocent justified?  24:08 – How can I explain to pro-abortion people that removing an ectopic pregnancy is not an abortion?  34:45 – Is it truly possible to gain an indulgence?  41:02 – I am a practicing Catholic having thoughts about orthodoxy. Why should I remain Catholic rather than becoming eastern orthodox?   46:00 – Is sex only for the procreation of children? If a couple marries later in life, can they still have sex?  49:39 – Some fundamentalists I was speaking to were completely against Halloween and Christmas. How can I explain holidays to them?  …

On this episode, Peter Ravella and Tyler Buckingham take a deep dive into the massive risk of an economic and environmental disaster in Galveston Bay if -- and when -- the "Big One" hits. Galveston Bay is ringed by massive oil refineries, chemical and petrochemical facilities, storage tanks filled to the brim with oil, chemicals, fuels, and distillates and these facilities are not storm-proofed to survive a major storm surge event. The Galveston District of the USACE is planning the "Coastal Spine" project that will address storm surge risk up to about 15 feet but recent storms have shown the risk of surge in excess of 20 feet is no longer a fanciful nightmare. And these massive risks are being ignored, causing many sleepless nights for Blackburn and his colleagues at Rice University's SSPEED Center. The SSPEED Center has an developed the Galveston Bay Park Plan (don't be fooled by the name) which would add to the USACE's Coastal Spine Project and significantly boost storm surge protection to Houston, bay-front communities, and the massive industrial facilities at risk of inundation and destruction. Find out why it is so difficult to boost the level of protection provided to our coastal energy infrastructure and the people that know and love Galveston Bay. Only on ASPN!

On Tuesday's Houston Matters: Dr. David Callender, president of Memorial Hermann Health, gives us an update on the COVID-19 situation in the region. Eric Berger, meteorologist with Space City Houston, returns with more information on Tropical Storms Laura and Marco. Also this hour: Houston City Council Member fEdward Pollard answers your questions. You can submit them now to talk@houstonmatters.org.  Then, Rob Rogers, founder of Rogers Partners, discusses a proposal to build a chain of man-made... Read More

Callers choose the topics during Open Forum, peppering our guests with questions on every aspect of Catholic life and faith, the moral life, and even philosophical topics that touch on general religious belief.  Questions Covered: 04:00 – Did Martin Luther get a few things right at the time of the Reformation?  08:55 – How do you know if someone is a male or a female? What determines gender?  16:42 – If the saints are in purgatory as stated in Revelation, then how can they also be in the presence of God?  23:16 – At the Second Coming, what will happen to people who need to go to Purgatory?  28:58 – Can we trace a historical lineage for Jesus, Mary, and Joseph? Can we know that they were real people?  33:30 – It seems like Genesis 3:14 and Genesis 6:5 are in conflict. How should we understand this?  42:30 – How should Catholics respond to churches like Hagia Sophia that was taken over by Muslims?  46:25 – Why do Catholics believe that saints can aid in salvation?  51:07 – Is the word homosexuality in the Bible? Was it introduced recently?  …

Callers choose the topics during Open Forum, peppering our guests with questions on every aspect of Catholic life and faith, the moral life, and even philosophical topics that touch on general religious belief.  Questions Covered: 02:35 – Is it true that you can consecrate bread yourself along with the priest while watching Mass on the livestream?  14:00 – Why can’t I live with my girlfriend? We have love.  23:05 – Is it okay for priests to live stream the Mass to people in the Church parking lot and then to distribute the Eucharist to the line of cars?  31:55 – Is it wrong to receive the Eucharist in the hand?  42:10 – I am struggling with serious habitual sin. What can I do?   47:50 – If one partner in a marriage is using contraception but the other spouse is opposed to it, what can they do?   53:05 – What Bible translation is the best for a Catholic to use?  Book Tim to speak at your parish or next event.  Want more from Tim Staples?  Behold Your Mother: A Biblical and Historical Defense of the Marian Doctrines  Jimmy Swaggart Made Me Catholic  Catholic Answers to Common Objections  The Sword of the Spirit: Defending Six Central Catholic Teachings  Living Bread (CD)  Last Call: The Catholic Teaching on Death, Judgement, Heaven, Hell  …

Questions Covered: 03:09 – How did the Church Fathers know when to take Scripture literally and when to take it figuratively?  07:12 – Does the name “deuterocanon” mean that those books are somehow less inspired than the rest of Scripture?  11:55 – If someone gets civilly divorced and has no children, can he get an annulment and become a priest?  17:00 – Does a divorced and remarried person (without annulment) automatically go to hell if they’re still remarried when they die?  22:05 – Why do people have such big problems with Vatican II?  34:33 – Since Hebrews says “The greater blesses the lesser,” how do we understand the Psalms when they say “Bless the Lord, O my soul”?  40:08 – How do we know that the Roman Catholic Church is correct instead of the Orthodox Church?  46:03 – How do I respond to someone who says that it doesn’t matter what religion we belong to as long as we all believe in the same God?  50:23 – How can I answer the charge that the Bible says there’s no Trinity?  Resources Mentioned: The Twentieth-Century Apologetical Rollercoaster by Jim Blackburn …

Recap of The System Is F'd Up - Part One Written by Brandi Abbott The episode starts off with how Priya, Jess, and Keith became F’d up. We get a nice taste of Priya, Jess, and Keith’s chemistry together as well as a bit of backstory. They all worked together in Reality TV production, and clicked instantly. Priya and Jess knew they wanted to keep working together and more than that, they wanted to make their own shows and maybe change the world a little bit. The idea for the podcast came to Priya when she was watching "The Staircase," a true crime documentary series about the trial of Michael Peterson. Particularly, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) Crime Lab bloodstain pattern analyst, Duane Deaver piqued her interested as he seemed more interested in theatrics than forensic science. If you watched “The Staircase”, you know it eventually turns out that Deaver is full of shit, and Priya wanted to know how often something like this happens. She began researching the SBI Crime Lab, and it quickly became obvious that Duane Deaver was just the tip of the corruption iceberg - that there was a much larger issue with the entire system. “The Staircase” sort of touched on this when they quickly covered another man affected by Duane Deaver’s shoddy forensic science. The more Priya researched, the more she realized how much bigger the story was and how many people’s lives could have been (and were) affected. Priya went to Jess and told her she had found their show. Jess was completely shocked at the extent of the corruption and they immediately tried pitching it as a television docuseries, but they realized that because of everything they wanted to do (expose corruption, and highlight issues with the SBI Crime Lab to hopefully enact change), F’d Up might be better suited as a podcast. Plus, in doing a podcast they realized they could invite their friend Keith over and tell him everything they learned. In this way, Keith will be hearing everything for the first time on the podcast and will be learning and gasping along with listeners. Another man “The Staircase” quickly covered was Greg Taylor, a regular guy from the suburbs of Raleigh, North Carolina who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Priya tells us that Greg liked to “party” by which she meant, he used to partake in drugs. One night in September of 1991, Greg left a friend's house to procure drugs - on his way, he ran into an acquaintance named Johnny Beck who wanted to get high as well. At some point that night, they ended up parked in an industrial complex near a cul-de-sac. While Johnny was getting high, Greg became worried a cop may see them so he drove off-road and the truck accidentally ended up stuck in the mud. Greg and Johnny were forced to abandon the truck and decided to walk back - that’s when they saw something weird in the middle of the cul-de-sac. Greg thought it might be a mannequin, but Johnny thought it might be a body. Johnny was right as it turned out to be the body of a young woman named Jacquetta Thomas. Greg, a white guy, wanted to call the cops, whereas Johnny Beck, being a black man with a lifetime of racial profiling just wanted to get out of there. They ended up catching a ride from a woman, who happened to be driving by, and continued partying with her until early morning. Greg needed to get home and get cleaned up before going to work, so he called his wife to come pick him up. Greg and his wife planned to get his truck back from where it was stuck, but when they arrive at the cul-de-sac, they found that the area was swarming with police - it appeared to be a crime scene at that point. They decided to just get Greg to work and go back for the truck later. At work, Greg mentioned this to his boss and his boss wanted to check it out. Greg’s boss, Greg, and his wife headed over to the crime scene. At the crime scene, Greg approached the cops and told them he needed to get his truck. A detective told Greg to meet him at the station so they could talk, but didn’t let Greg take the truck. Later at the station, Detective Johnny Howard was questioning Greg and the questions seemed a bit more serious than the standard “what did you see?” type questions one would reasonably expect if caught in this situation. However, Priya tells us that because Greg was innocent and his entire knowledge of police was from cop TV shows, he was happy to help and it never occurred to him that he could be a suspect. He trusted the system and believed it was in place to help the good guys like him. She goes on to tell us that the police asked Greg if Johnny was black or white. Jess tells us the detective was creating the narrative he wanted and that Greg was getting really confused - as anyone would be. Keith asks why Greg hadn’t asked for a lawyer and Jess and Priya explain that he attempted to contact an attorney, but that when Greg couldn’t get in contact with him, he didn’t try anything else because he was still so confident in the police and his innocence. Jess says that Greg did notice a “shift” in the detectives eyes when he answered the detective that Johnny Beck was black. Greg said he could start to see where everything was going but still was sure he that just needed to cooperate to clear everything up. He agreed to take a polygraph test (this was never done) and gave them the keys to his truck and full permission to check it out. Jess tells us that the Raleigh police decided that what must have happened was Jacquetta Thomas’ murder was a “drugs for sex” deal gone wrong which the news outlets quickly picked up on - this story was completely untrue, however. Priya tells us that they spoke to Chris Mumma (who ultimately ended up representing Greg) and she said that the crime scene was extremely bloody and violent which is much more in line with a crime of passion - not a drug deal gone wrong. In a ridiculous turn of events, despite there being zero evidence, Greg was arrested for first degree murder. While in jail Greg hired an internationally well-known lawyer named Jim Blackburn. Priya mentions that some of us listeners may remember him from the book “Fatal Vision” and says those that do, wouldn’t be wrong to think hiring Blackburn, a defense lawyer with a very public defeat on record, wasn’t the best idea. In 1993, while Greg was out on bond, he was informed that his lawyer had been embezzling money and surrendered his law license. Greg had to find a new lawyer stat, and this new attorney, Mike Dodd, realized very quickly that the case against Greg was weak - Dodd decided that the best defense was no defense. Keith vocalized what everyone listening is probably thinking “that seems like a mistake”. Keith wanted to know why Greg went along with it and Priya says that if it were her she would probably be skeptical but put her trust in Dodd since one would think he knew what he was doing. Evidently not. In April of 1993, Greg’s trial began and Dodd stuck to his “do nothing” plan. During the trial, the prosecution’s entire case hinged on a forensic test done on a spot - a substance found on Greg's truck. The SBI Crime Lab determined the spot to be blood. Priya spoke with Marilyn T. Miller, an associate professor of forensic science at Virginia Commonwealth University to help with understanding the forensic science that comes into play throughout this season of F’d Up and, in this episode specifically, understanding luminol and the other chemicals discused. Priya says Marilyn explained that luminol is used to identify bloodstain patterns or any bodily fluids. She starts to use a hotel room as an example, because where better to find random fluids, but Keith is staying in one soon and doesn’t want to know anything about it. Priya goes on to say that to use luminol one would need to spray the luminol, use a black light to see the bloodstain patterns, and photograph them in about 8 seconds before they disappear. Jess jokes that you would need a pit crew and Priya decides that Luminol Pit Crew is going to be the name of her future death metal band. She tells us that SBI analysts used luminol initially to identify the spot on Greg’s truck. They then used phenolphthalein - the way phenolphthalein works, is one would be able to take a very small sample, add it to the mixture - and if it turns pink: it’s potentially blood. Jess tells us that this test determined that there was a tiny spot of blood under the fender wall of the truck. She also says they brought in a bloodhound named Sadie to the crime scene. Priya says that Sadie sniffed around the truck and determined that there was blood on, around, or in the truck. Priya reads directly from her notes to us “I’m sure Sadie is the best doggo, but that bitch was wrong”. Keith remarks that the Sadie part seems like a ridiculous subplot in a cozy British mystery to which Priya tells him that that isn’t the ridiculous subplot. The actual ridiculous subplot is that neither the prosecution or the defense brought in Barbara, the woman Greg Taylor and Johnny Beck got a ride from the night the truck got stuck and they saw Jacquetta’s body. The prosecution claimed they couldn’t find her and I guess even trying would be against the defense’s entire plan to do nothing. Priya and Jess now tell us about a jailhouse informant named Ernest Andrews who claimed and then testified that Greg confessed the murder to him. Priya says she’s unclear if he Greg even knew Ernest Andrews. Jess mentions that Ernest used this false information to try and get time off his sentence. Still the defense lawyer, Dodd, did absolutely nothing. Priya, Jess, and Keith speculate what Dodd could have been doing instead of his job, such as maybe tending a garden... On April 15th 1993, the state rested with their entire case built on Ernest’s testimony, the presumptive blood tests, and Sadie, the adorable bloodhound. Dodd presented no case. The next day, Friday the 16th, Dodd finally spoke and motioned for dismissal because of a lack of evidence. As Priya tells us, he wasn’t wrong. Greg’s wife called Dodd to discuss the case and completely in character for him, he told her he was tired of talking about the case (all of that nothing he did must have been exhausting) and he wanted to forget about the case for the weekend. Keith hopes Dodd ended up with a terrible garden. The following Monday in court, the prosecutor and defense made their closing arguments. The prosecutor, Tom Ford, mentioned the blood evidence seventeen times in his closing argument, hanging the entire case on it. According to Priya, Dodd did present an argument but there’s no record of it in the transcripts. This seems highly suspicious, but Priya tells us that this doesn’t come up later in the series, it’s just missing and they don’t know what was said. A dog, a spot that may have been blood, and an unreliable witness seem like a very small amount of nothing to sentence a man to life in prison over, but after a very short deliberation by the jury, that’s exactly what happened. Greg Taylor and his lawyer planned to appeal and were optimistic about it. He thought he’d just have to spend 12 months in jail, then they’d appeal, and in his eyes, of course he’d get out because he’s innocent. Priya tells us that Greg is one of the most optimistic people on earth and that every time they’ve spoken, his optimism just shines through. Jess mentions that meanwhile, Johnny Beck spent two years and prison and then was released because there was no evidence at all against him at all. She tells us that Greg was approached numerous times and was asked to confess that Johnny Beck was the murderer. He was given multiple offers to get out of prison in exchange for his testimony, but Greg never agreed because Johnny didn’t commit the murder and neither did he! In 1998, Greg appealed to have the charges dropped and cited ineffective council as the reason. His motion to appeal is denied. In 2000, his habeas corpus is also denied. In 2003, North Carolina Supreme Court refused to hear Greg’s request for DNA testing. Priya tells us at the point that Greg’s request for DNA sampling was denied, it had been 3,644 days since he’d been in prison, many attempted appeals, and his family and friends had done anything they could with every resource they could use. Greg was aware of the fact that life was passing while he was in prison. When he went in, his daughter was 9. He missed his daughter growing up, her graduation, her wedding, over half of her life. His daughter told him she wouldn’t allow anyone to walk her down the aisle, because her father couldn’t do it. Greg also completely refused to meet her significant other, the entire time he was in prison because he didn’t want him to see him behind bars. Keith says that the truly fucked up part of this is how completely Greg’s life was destroyed as well as how everyone around him’s life was destroyed for something he didn’t do. Through all of this however, Jess says that Greg was still holding on to hope and that even when he speaks about it now, he’s calm. Priya tells us that one day in 2003, about ten years after Greg went to prison, his father, Ed, came to see him and told him they were completely out of resources and options. Keith echoes everyone’s thoughts when he says “that’s fucked up” and Priya says only that there’s so much more fucked up shit to come next week when Greg’s story continues - but also throughout the entire F'd Up season.

On this episode, Peter and Tyler are joined by Jim Blackburn to discuss the Texas Coastal Exchange, a nonprofit organization designed to be both a new land conservation tool and a means to establish and mitigate for carbon dioxide emissions by creating a framework that allows landowners who provide ongoing carbon sequestration, on a metric ton/acre/year basis, a financial incentive. The money comes from donations from individuals and organizations seeking to mitigate their carbon footprints and facilitate land conservation. Jim Blackburn is a professor in the practice of environmental law in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at Rice University, teaching courses in sustainable development and environmental law. He is also a practicing environmental lawyer with the Blackburn & Carter law firm in Houston and a Rice faculty scholar at the Baker Institute. At Rice, he serves as the co-director of the Severe Storm Prediction, Education and Evacuation from Disaster (SSPEED) Center and as director of the undergraduate minor in energy and water sustainability.

Jim Blackburn is a professor in the practice of environmental law in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at Rice University, teaching courses in sustainable development and environmental law. He is also a practicing environmental lawyer with the Blackburn & Carter law firm in Houston and a Rice faculty scholar at the Baker Institute. At Rice, he serves as the co-director of the Severe Storm Prediction, Education and Evacuation from Disaster (SSPEED) Center and as director of the undergraduate minor in energy and water sustainability. At the SSPEED Center, Blackburn has been responsible for the development of landscape-scale green space solutions for surge damage mitigation, including the Lone Star Coastal National Recreation Area, a web-based ecological services exchange and structural alternatives.

3/1/19 2-5:15pm The Science, Policy, Technology, and Economics of Climate Change: Past, Present and Future This cross-sector, interactive session shined a light on the perspectives and work of scientists, economists, policy makers, environmentalists, and engineers, and included presentations, breakout discussions and a moderated conversation. Jim Blackburn, Co-Director of Severe Storm Predication, Education, and Evacuation from Disaster (SSPEED) Center Mark Boling, Founder and CEO of 2C Energy, LLC Astrid Caldas, Senior Climate Scientist at Union of Concerned Scientists Maha N. Haji, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Department of Mechanical Engineering, Research Affiliate Amy Myers Jaffe, David M. Rubenstein Senior Fellow for Energy and Environment and Director of the Program on Energy Security and Climate Change at the Council on Foreign Relations Michael Skelly, Senior Advisor of Renewable Energy & Sustainability at Lazard The Rothko Chapel and University of St. Thomas hosted a three day symposium exploring the current climate crisis, its impact on vulnerable communities, and mitigation efforts being implemented locally and nationally. Given the global interconnectedness of the climate crisis, the symposium explored how best to move to a zero emission, low carbon economy through the engagement of presenters from religious, Indigenous, public health, energy, government, philanthropic, academic and arts sectors and communities. A central focus was on individual and institutional actions, practices and policies that must be taken to create a more livable and equitable future.

Jim Blackburn, Baker Institute Rice Faculty Scholar, was the guest speaker at the Bayou Blue Democrats monthly meeting on October 3rd to discuss flooding issues in Houston and reflect on the past twelve months of preparations, or lack thereof, since Hurricane Harvey hit.Support the show (https://secure.actblue.com/donate/texasblue2018)

One year ago Hurricane Harvey swept through Houston and nearby areas with destructive force.   While efforts are underway to improve Houston’s resiliency to future storms, Harvey has raised profound questions about the city’s traditional emphasis on high growth.   What must happen – in terms of specific policies and general mindsets – if Houston is to remain one of the nation’s most dynamic metropolitan areas? In this episode, Jim Blackburn, Baker Institute Scholar and Professor in the Practice of Environmental Law at Rice University, discusses what has been done to prepare Houston for future hurricanes and, just as importantly, what still needs to be done.

Jim Blackburn is Newton MA's most winningest coach! He tells me how he became a coach, and how he became so good! Watch the interview on my YT channel @: https://youtu.be/iuHZ2U3AEW4 This is his 19th consecutive undefeated league season. His 2016-17 Indoor track team was 1st place in State relays, 1st place in Div.1 State meet, and All State champs

Rice University professors Phil Bedient and Jim Blackburn view Hurricane Harvey as a pivotal event for Houston – a wake-up call to rethink our relationship with nature and our understanding of climate change; and an opportunity to implement changes that will make the region more resilient to future storms. Part 10 of 10-part series, "Stories from the Storm". More at houstonpublicmedia.org/harvey.

BYU's John Barrick explains the online sales tax case before the Supreme Court. Univ of Massachusetts Lowell's Angelica Duran-Martinez on whether tough laws prevent drug use. Jim Blackburn of Rice Univ examines Houston's flood plains. Sam Payne with The Apple Seed shares a story. Celine Irvene of Georgia Institute of Tech on snaring hackers with a HoneyBot. Authors Sandra Kahn and Paul Ehrlich discuss "Jaws: The Story of a Hidden Epidemic."

What can we know about the future? And where do we look? We plan ahead by speculating. We can’t imagine not imagining the next hour, the next day, the next email. In this show we look at the nature of guessing, of predicting, and what that can tell us about the future. And the past. Host: Yue Li Producers: Chris Leboa, Cameron Tenner, Yue Li, Claudia Heymach, Noelle Chow, Sam Kargilis, Risa Cromer, Sam Greenspan Featuring: Corrie Dekkar, Julie Parsonnet, Julie Fogarty, Jeff Lindner, Jim Blackburn, Mark Beauregard, Kyla Schuller Story 1: Miner Threat Meet the last Bitcoin miners of Stanford. Producer: Sam Kargilis Music (from Free Music Archive): Curves, Jhhhzzr Story 2: Vanquishing Vaccines During the 2017-2018 flu season over 60 million Americans were infected with influenza and an estimated 50,000 died. Why has there been so much sickness when a vaccine does exist? Producer Chris LeBoa investigates the process and guesswork that goes into creating the flu shot each year and what is being done to take guesswork out of future vaccines. Producer: Chris LeBoa Featuring: Corrie Dekkar, Julie Parsonnet, Julie Fogarty Story 3: The Coming Storm In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, Houstonians Yue and Claudia wonder how future storms can be predicted. And if they can be predicted, whose responsibility is it to protect Houston? Producers: Yue Li, Claudia Heymach, Noelle Chow Featuring: Jeff Lindner, Jim Blackburn Music (from freesound.org): vision- ambient gamelan by that jeff carter, Ambient Drone Solfeggio by Headphaze, Cosmos by pointpark cinema, cyclone hurricane hugo by solostud Story 4: My Dear Melville Herman Melville’s “great American novel,” Moby Dick, has fascinated, entertained, bored, and horrified audiences for the past 150 years, but … is Moby Dick gay? Was Herman Melville caught up in a same-sex-love affair? Producer Cameron Tenner searches for answers and learns about exploring queerness in the past. Producer: Cameron Tenner Featuring: Mark Beauregard, Kyla Schuller Music: Cylinder Five by Chris Zabriskie, Gentle Chase by Podington Bear, Skeptic by Podington Bear, Vanagon by Podington Bear, Little Black Cloud by Podington Bear, Waltz for an Imaginary Piano by Johnny Ripper, Lonesome by Podington Bear, Lucky Stars by Podington Bear, In My Head by Podington Bear, Sensitive by Podington Bear, Whaling Song by Paul Clayton

Hurricane Harvey was many things — a monstrous storm, a destroyer of homes and neighborhoods, an indiscriminate killer. But Harvey was, and is, something else: a wakeup call for Houston, Harris Country and the entire Texas Coast. As we rebuild, there is a need to rethink Houston’s approach to flood control and create a Greater Houston resilient enough to survive and thrive in an era when storms like Harvey may be the new normal. In this episode, Jim Blackburn, Baker Institute scholar and professor in the practice of environmental law at Rice University, discusses Hurricane Harvey, Houston’s preparedness for major hurricanes and what needs to be done in the future to address the threats that accompany severe weather.

The sun is finally shining again over Houston but the process of coming to terms with Hurricane Harvey's catastrophic impact on the city and region has only just begun. Cymene and Dominic share their thoughts about how the storm will affect Houston's future. Then (24:29) we are joined by our Rice colleague, celebrated environmental attorney and advocate Jim Blackburn, who is the co-director of Rice's Severe Storm Prediction, Education, and Evacuation from Disasters (SSPEED) center. Jim shares his perspective on what made Harvey an exceptional event but also explains why Harvey is not even the worst kind of hurricane strike on Houston one could reasonably imagine. We discuss the limits of relief that drainage engineering can offer the city and the need to pursue a wider range of non-structural solutions to make the Houston area better prepared for future storms. Jim shares his vision for a circular economy along the Gulf Coast that will reintegrate economic and natural systems, restoring critical ecological infrastructure to the city while preserving the Galveston Bay for future generations. To learn more about Jim's plan, please read his book, A Texan Plan for the Texas Coast (Texas A&M U Press, 2017). Meanwhile, here are some of the places you can donate to help Houston's recovery both in the short and longer term: Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund (ghcf.org), American Red Cross (redcross.org you can also text HARVEY to 90999 to donate $10), Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy Services (tejasbarrios.org, #tejasharveyfund), Galveston Bay Estuary Program (http://www.gbep.state.tx.us), Houston Audubon Society (https://houstonaudubon.org)

Houston, Texas, makes headlines for flooding on a regular basis. And like other communities, that will only get worse with climate change-induced sea level rise and severe storms. Kim talks with local flooding expert (and Rice University professor) Jim Blackburn about what factors created this dangerous situation in Houston and what solutions (not just regulations!) could help the community and save lives.

Mr. Jim Blackburn, a Catholic Answers speaker, presented to Catholic Men's Fellowship - Santiago Chapter on "MARRIAGE: How to be a Catholic husband in a secular world". After his presentation, found here, Mr. Blackburn enjoyed a cup of coffee and informative conversation with Santiago's own Michael Klett, of the Coffee with Mike podcast.

We are proud to share this Special Edition content! Jim Blackburn, a Catholic Answers speaker, presented to Catholic Men's Fellowship - Santiago Chapter on "MARRIAGE: How to be a Catholic husband in a secular world". His presentation focused on three key things to implement to help live life as a Catholic husband, as the Church intends, in a secular world. Note: they don't apply just to husbands! Jim concluded noting several resources, including: To live a porn-free life. Covenant Eyes For those with same-sex attraction and their loved ones: Courage / EnCourage For marriage or personal counseling from a Catholic perspective: Catholic Therapists Directory Jim and our own Michael Klett, of the Coffee with Mike podcast, continued the conversation here.

Fletch and Steve talk about moving to the cloud, Deavers covers the Avaya Diagnostic Server in a new episode of Tech Busters and Craig Iwata, Product Manager for our IP Office gives us a look inside the Cloud. Wrapping up, Jim Blackburn from Northland Communications talks about how they use the Avaya Cloud offer to bring their customer base forward with features and services that match business requirements.

On April 5, 2010, Jim Blackburn followed through with one of the biggest decisions of his life, he underwent Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB). During this episode 15, Jim reflects back on his life-long history with obesity, the circumstances leading up to his peak weight of 420 pounds at age 45, his decision making process that lead […]