Originally From Mars

Evidence is building that Earth life originated on Mars and was brought to this planet aboard a meteorite, said biochemist Steven Benner of The Westheimer Institute for Science and Technology in Florida.

An oxidized form of the element molybdenum, which may have been crucial to the origin of life, was likely available on the Red Planet's surface long ago, but unavailable on Earth, said Benner, who presented his findings today (Aug. 28; Aug. 29 local time) at the annual Goldschmidt geochemistry conference in Florence, Italy.

"It’s only when molybdenum becomes highly oxidized that it is able to influence how early life formed," Benner said in a statement. "This form of molybdenum couldn’t have been available on Earth at the time life first began, because 3 billion years ago, the surface of the Earth had very little oxygen, but Mars did. It’s yet another piece of evidence which makes it more likely life came to Earth on a Martian meteorite, rather than starting on this planet."

Organic compounds are the building blocks of life, but they need a little help to make things happen. Simply adding energy such as heat or light turns a soup of organic molecules into a tarlike substance, Benner said.

That's where oxidized molybdenum comes in. Inserting it or boron, another element, into the mix would help organics make the leap to life, Benner added.

"Analysis of a Martian meteorite recently showed that there was boron on Mars; we now believe that the oxidized form of molybdenum was there, too," he said.

Another point in Mars' favor is the likelihood that the early Earth was completely covered by water while the ancient Red Planet had substantial dry areas, Benner said. All of this liquid would have made it difficult for boron, which is currently found only in extremely dry places, to form in high enough concentrations on Earth when life was first evolving.

Further, Benner added, water is corrosive to RNA, which most researchers think was the first genetic molecule (rather than DNA, which came later).  READ MORE

Organized Crime in Italy

THE GODFATHER

 

The Sicilian Mafia, also simply known as the Mafia and frequently referred to as Cosa Nostra by its members, is an Italian, Mafia-terrorist-type, organized crime syndicate and criminal society originating in the region of Sicily, dating to the 19th century. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organisational structure and code of conduct. The basic group is known as a "family", "clan", or cosca.  Each family claims sovereignty over a territory, usually a town or village or a neighbourhood (borgata) of a larger city, in which it operates its rackets. Its members call themselves "men of honour", although the public often refers to them as mafiosi. The Mafia's core activities are protection racketeering, the arbitration of disputes between criminals, and the organizing and oversight of illegal agreements and transactions.  By the 20th century, following wide-scale emigration from Sicily, the organization acquired a strong presence in other countries in North and South America.

When North America is stated, it means the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA or the 48 contiguous States.

Organized crime in Italy and its criminal organizations have been prevalent in Italy, especially Southern Italy, for centuries and have affected the social and economic life of many Italian regions since at least the 19th century.

There are five major native mafia-like organizations currently operating and heavily active in Italy. Among the oldest and most powerful of these organizations, having started to develop between 1500 and 1800, include: 

1. Cosa Nostra (the original "Mafia" or the Sicilian Mafia) of Sicily
2. Ndrangheta of Calabria (who are considered to be among the biggest cocaine smugglers in Europe)
3. Camorra of Naples and Campania
4. Stidda of Sicily
5. Sacra Corona Unita of Apulia

Just in case you are interested...   and, According to the Global Financial Integrity Group, Global Organized Crime in 2017 was a $1.6 trillion to $2.2 trillion business...

The organized crime in Italy is just the tip of the iceberg...   

Vatican Cardinal Resigns

High-ranking Vatican official Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu has unexpectedly resigned but has revealed he was told to do so by Pope Francis.

He said he was suspected of giving Church money to his brothers, and denied any wrongdoing.

Cardinal Becciu was a close aide to the Pope and previously had a key job in the Vatican's Secretariat of State.

He became involved in a controversial deal to invest in a luxury London building with Church funds.

That investment has since been the subject of a financial investigation.
Resignations at this level of the Vatican are extremely rare and the Holy See said little in its communique released late on Thursday.

"The Holy Father accepted the resignation from the office of Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints and from the rights connected to the Cardinalate, presented by His Eminence Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu," a statement said.

But the cardinal, 72, told Italian website Domani he was being forced out because he was suspected of giving Church money to his brothers. "I didn't steal even one euro. I am not under investigation but if they send me to trial, I will defend myself," he was quoted as saying.

Speaking later at a news conference, the cardinal said his removal had come "like a bolt out of the blue". He said the Pope "was suffering" when he delivered the news.

"It's all surreal. Up until yesterday... I felt I was a friend of the Pope, the faithful executor of the Pope.

"Then the Pope told me that he no longer had faith in me because he got a report from magistrates that I committed an act of misappropriation."

Cardinal Becciu insisted there had been "a misunderstanding", adding: "I am ready to explain everything to the Pope. I have not done anything wrong."

It would appear that Catholic Cardinals are no different than ordinary men when it comes to POWER...  GREED...  POSITION...  even though the rest of us make the assumption that MEN OF GOD would not do the same things that ORDINARY MEN do...  and, we would be wrong in that assumption.  Cardinals are no closer to GOD than we are...

Pieta Sculpture

In 1963, I was fortunate enough to travel through Europe and as part of my traveling, I visited Rome and The Vatican and saw the PIETA Sculpture by Michelangelo and what is more fantastical about my viewing of La PIETA was the fact that I could get close enough to the sculpture to actually reach out and touch it...





55 years later, my wife and I visited Rome, Italy and The Vatican when our Cruise Ship docked at the Italian port.  While my wife was utterly amazed and transfixed by the sculpture.

I shared my 1963 visit with her and she asked, "Did you touch it?" and my response was, "I cannot remember."