The Unlikely Buddha

What is even more amazing is that Milton wrote Paradise Lost while he was completely blind. Milton began to lose his sight in his early 40s, and by the time he was 45, he was completely blind. This was a devastating blow to Milton, who had always been a voracious reader and writer. However, he refused to let his blindness stop him from pursuing his literary ambitions. Milton dictated Paradise Lost to a series of amanuenses, or assistants who took down his words as he spoke them. He also used a technique called "pricking," in which he would make indentations in the paper with a stylus, and then his amanuenses would fill in the words. The writing of Paradise Lost was a long and arduous process, taking Milton seven years to complete. However, the result was a work of staggering beauty and power. Paradise Lost tells the story of the Fall of Man, and it is a meditation on the nature of good and evil, free will and determinism, and the relationship between God and humanity. Milton...

The Grand Canyon National Monument designation protects  the water resources in the area from potential contamination from uranium mining. This is a major concern for the tribes in the area, as they rely on the water for drinking, irrigation, and religious purposes.  QUESTION Is there any direct evidence that current uranium mining around the Grand Canyon has polluted the water of that area. Not what 'could' happen, but what 'has"' happened up to now. ANSWER There is no direct evidence that current uranium mining around the Grand Canyon has polluted the water of that area. However, there is some indirect evidence that suggests that it is a potential problem. For example, a study by the U.S. Geological Survey found that uranium concentrations in groundwater near the Orphan Mine, which is located just outside Grand Canyon National Park, were above the EPA's drinking water standard. The study also found that the uranium concentrations were highest at springs downs...