TBC: Morning Musing 12.29.14

I have 3 things for you this morning!

First, from Bill Moyers:

Most Underreported Stories of 2014

Which stories didn’t get the attention they deserved in 2014? Below editors, journalists and friends of BillMoyers.com provide answers.

Jump!

Second, the Pope looks like he will be keeping his leadership style in the coming year:

Pope Francis Expected To Instruct One Billion Catholics To Act On Climate Change

This includes a series of steps next year. Francis is expected to tell the planet’s 1.2 billion Catholics why acting on climate change is essential to the faith using an influential church document called an encyclical. This has been long-rumored, but will reportedly be released to the world’s 5,000 bishops and 400,000 priests following a papal visit to the hurricane-damaged city of Tacloban in the Philippines.

In September, the Pope will take his message to the U.N. General Assembly in a New York address next year, according to John Vidal of the Guardian, who cited Vatican insiders. He will reportedly personally lobby political and faith leaders there, with the goal of pushing them to commit to real action ahead of the Paris meetings in December of next year.

While it isn’t certain what exactly he will tell these leaders, it will likely be similar to what he has been telling Catholics everywhere since the beginning of his papacy. Earlier this year, Francis told a massive crowd in Rome, “if we destroy Creation, Creation will destroy us!” He has called the destruction of the rainforest a “sin,” and under his leadership, the Church held a five-day summit with scientists, economists, philosophers, astronomers, and other experts to explore ways the Catholic church could address climate and sustainability.

Finally, a list of things to watch the sky for in 2015:

Sky Watching Event Guide For 2015

Make a resolution in 2015 to head outside and check out some of the amazing celestial events that will be happening in the night sky. Whether you’re an experienced astronomer or just taking a look at the night sky for the first time, you’ll want to check out these events. Nearly all of these events can be seen with the naked eye, but can be better enjoyed with a telescope or a decent set of binoculars.

Unless otherwise noted, these events can be best seen from mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere.

So how you doin’?  ðŸ˜€