How absurd men are! They never use the liberties they have, they demand those they do not have.
They have freedom of thought, they demand freedom of speech.
~Søren Kierkegaard

Sunday, December 31, 2006

Bush Environmental Policy Meltdown

A polar bear doing what polar bears do.

I was disturbed to hear this week that the Bush administration proposed to list the polar bear as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act. This is apparently some sort of qid pro quo, but I hate this implicit endorsement of global warming hysteria. The Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) even referenced predictions of an ice-free Arctic Ocean “within the foreseeable future.” In response Steven Milloy writes:

But such predictions and the potential consequences to polar bears are highly uncertain. No one knows exactly what’s happening with Arctic sea ice, much less what the future holds. The Greenland ice melt, for example, was actually larger in 1991 than in 2005 and the Greenland ice cap is thickening. Data from the Canadian Ice Service indicate there has been no precipitous drop-off in ice cap amount or thickness since 1970.

Let’s keep in mind that polar bears have survived much warmer times than we are now experiencing – like 1,000 years ago when the Vikings farmed Greenland during the Medieval Climate Optimum and 5,000-9,000 years ago during the period known as the Holocene Climate Optimum.
He concludes:

It’s distressing that the Bush administration is opening the door for the all-important issue of global warming regulation to be influenced more by our embrace of a soda mascot rather than science.
Click here for Milloy's year end review of the top Junk Science stories of 2006.

Have a Joyous New Year!


Here’s some advice from Martin Luther’s letter (1534) to Prince Joachim of Anhalt, who suffered from melancholy and “dejection of spirit”:

I should like to encourage Your Grace, who are a young man, always to be joyful, to engage in riding and hunting, and to seek the company of others who may be able to rejoice with Your Grace in a godly and honorable way. For solitude and inwardness are poisonous and deadly to all people, and especially to a young man. Accordingly, God has commanded us to be joyful in his presence; he does not desire a gloomy sacrifice. [Luther quotes Ecclesiastes 12.] No one realizes how much harm it does a young person to avoid pleasure and cultivate solitude and sadness. Your grace has Master Nicholas Hausman and many others near at hand. Be merry with them; for gladness and good cheer, when decent and proper, are the best medicine for a young person–indeed, for all people. I myself, who have spent a good part of my life in sorrow and gloom, now seek and find pleasure wherever I can. Praise God, we now have sufficient understanding of the Word of God to be able to rejoice with a good conscience and to use God’s gifts with thanksgiving, for he created them for this purpose and is pleased when we use them (Martin Luther, Letters of Spiritual Counsel, trans. Theodore G. Tappert [Philadelphia: Westminster, 1955], pp. 92-93).

Hear! Hear! (And for the origin of the previous phrase, click here)

Christmas '06 at Gamestop . . .



Okay. It wasn't quite like that, but judge for yourself:

After choosing a couple of Gameboy titles, I went to the checkout and offerred a $20 bill in payment . . .

Cashier 1: "Uh, I can't handle that. I'm out of 5's, 1's, and quarters." Turning to another cashier, "Do you have change?"

Cashier 2: "I don't know. I haven't opened my drawer all day. I've only had cards."

Cashier 1, to another cashier: "How 'bout you."

Cashier 3: "I think so."

And after an excruciatingly long conversation with the gentleman in line ahead of me, the third cashier did indeed accept my cash. I guess life really does take Visa!

Food that Heals

Jacob, wallowing on the floor of the hall: "Mommy, I need you!"

Mommy: "What's wrong, Jacob?"

Jacob, whimpering: "I broke my arm . . . and I'm bleeding."

Mommy, sympathetically: "Oh, no." She attempts to examine the injury.

Jacob: "No, don't look at it." Then, perking up he says, "Can I have a Pop Tart?!"


(By the way, the "bleeding" was from a terribly melted Spiderman popsicle. Jacob is a slow eater even on the rare occasion he actually likes what he is eating!)

Saturday, December 23, 2006

We Wish You a Vrolijk Kerstfeest and a Gelukkig Nieuwjaar!

Last year John Gibson warned us about The War on Christmas, which has been being waged at least since George Beverly Shea sang,"Don’t wish me Merry X-mas nor happy holidays. Put Christ back into Christmas on this blessed, holy day…" over forty years ago. So, if you've been sounding forth a hearty "Merry Christmas" at every opportunity, perhaps you're ready to try one of these:

Afrikaans: Gesëende Kersfees
Afrikander: Een Plesierige Kerfees
African/ Eritrean/ Tigrinja: Rehus-Beal-Ledeats
Albanian:Gezur Krislinjden
Arabic: Milad Majid
Argentine: Feliz Navidad
Armenian: Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand
Azeri: Tezze Iliniz Yahsi Olsun
Bahasa Malaysia: Selamat Hari Natal
Basque: Zorionak eta Urte Berri On!
Bengali: Shuvo Naba Barsha
Bohemian: Vesele Vanoce
Brazilian: Feliz Natal
Breton: Nedeleg laouen na bloavezh mat
Bulgarian: Tchestita Koleda; Tchestito Rojdestvo Hristovo
Catalan: Bon Nadal i un Bon Any Nou!
Chile: Feliz Navidad
Chinese: (Cantonese) Gun Tso Sun Tan'Gung Haw Sun
Chinese: (Mandarin) Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan (Catonese) Gun Tso Sun Tan'Gung Haw Sun
Choctaw: Yukpa, Nitak Hollo Chito
Columbia: Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo
Cornish: Nadelik looan na looan blethen noweth
Corsian: Pace e salute
Crazanian: Rot Yikji Dol La Roo
Cree: Mitho Makosi Kesikansi
Croatian: Sretan Bozic
Czech: Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok
Danish: Glædelig Jul
Duri: Christmas-e- Shoma Mobarak
Dutch: Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar! or Zalig Kerstfeast
English: Merry Christmas
Eskimo: (inupik) Jutdlime pivdluarit ukiortame pivdluaritlo!
Esperanto: Gajan Kristnaskon
Estonian: Ruumsaid juulup|hi
Ethiopian: (Amharic) Melkin Yelidet Beaal
Faeroese: Gledhilig jol og eydnurikt nyggjar!
Farsi: Cristmas-e-shoma mobarak bashad
Finnish: Hyvaa joulua
Flemish: Zalig Kerstfeest en Gelukkig nieuw jaar
French: Joyeux Noel
Frisian: Noflike Krystdagen en in protte Lok en Seine yn it Nije Jier!
Galician: Bo Nada
Gaelic: Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ùr!
German: Froehliche Weihnachten
Greek: Kala Christouyenna!
Haiti: (Creole) Jwaye Nowel or to Jesus Edo Bri'cho o Rish D'Shato Brichto
Hausa: Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!
Hawaiian: Mele Kalikimaka
Hebrew: Mo'adim Lesimkha. Chena tova
Hindi: Shub Naya Baras
Hausa: Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!
Hawaian: Mele Kalikimaka ame Hauoli Makahiki Hou!
Hungarian: Kellemes Karacsonyi unnepeket
Icelandic: Gledileg Jol
Indonesian: Selamat Hari Natal
Iraqi: Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah
Irish: Nollaig Shona Dhuit, or Nodlaig mhaith chugnat
Iroquois: Ojenyunyat Sungwiyadeson honungradon nagwutut. Ojenyunyat osrasay.
Italian: Buone Feste Natalizie
Japanese: Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto
Jiberish: Mithag Crithagsigathmithags
Korean: Sung Tan Chuk Ha
Lao: souksan van Christmas
Latin: Natale hilare et Annum Faustum!
Latvian: Prieci'gus Ziemsve'tkus un Laimi'gu Jauno Gadu!
Lausitzian:Wjesole hody a strowe nowe leto
Lettish: Priecigus Ziemassvetkus
Lithuanian: Linksmu Kaledu
Low Saxon: Heughliche Winachten un 'n moi Nijaar
Macedonian: Sreken Bozhik
Maltese: IL-Milied It-tajjeb
Manx: Nollick ghennal as blein vie noa
Maori: Meri Kirihimete
Marathi: Shub Naya Varsh
Navajo: Merry Keshmish
Norwegian: God Jul, or Gledelig Jul
Occitan: Pulit nadal e bona annado
Papiamento: Bon Pasco
Papua New Guinea: Bikpela hamamas blong dispela Krismas na Nupela yia i go long yu
Pennsylvania German: En frehlicher Grischtdaag un en hallich Nei Yaahr!
Peru: Feliz Navidad y un Venturoso Año Nuevo
Philipines: Maligayan Pasko!
Polish: Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia or Boze Narodzenie
Portuguese:Feliz Natal
Pushto: Christmas Aao Ne-way Kaal Mo Mobarak Sha
Rapa-Nui (Easter Island): Mata-Ki-Te-Rangi. Te-Pito-O-Te-Henua
Rhetian: Bellas festas da nadal e bun onn
Romanche: (sursilvan dialect): Legreivlas fiastas da Nadal e bien niev onn!
Rumanian: Sarbatori vesele
Russian: Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva is Novim Godom
Sami: Buorrit Juovllat
Samoan: La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou
Sardinian: Bonu nadale e prosperu annu nou
Serbian: Hristos se rodi
Slovakian: Sretan Bozic or Vesele vianoce
Sami: Buorrit Juovllat
Samoan: La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou
Scots Gaelic: Nollaig chridheil huibh
Serb-Croatian: Sretam Bozic. Vesela Nova Godina
Serbian: Hristos se rodi.
Singhalese: Subha nath thalak Vewa. Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa
Slovak: Vesele Vianoce. A stastlivy Novy Rok
Slovene: Vesele Bozicne Praznike Srecno Novo Leto or Vesel Bozic in srecno Novo leto
Spanish: Feliz Navidad
Swedish: God Jul and (Och) Ett Gott Nytt År
Tagalog: Maligayamg Pasko. Masaganang Bagong Taon
Tami: Nathar Puthu Varuda Valthukkal
Trukeese: (Micronesian) Neekiriisimas annim oo iyer seefe feyiyeech!
Thai: Sawadee Pee Mai or souksan wan Christmas
Turkish: Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun
Ukrainian: Srozhdestvom Kristovym
Urdu: Naya Saal Mubarak Ho
Vietnamese: Chung Mung Giang Sinh
Welsh: Nadolig Llawen
Yugoslavian: Cestitamo Bozic
Yoruba: E ku odun, e ku iye'dun!

Friday, December 22, 2006

The Meaning of Christmas

"The true Christian religion is incarnational and thus does not begin at the top, as all other religions do; it begins at the bottom. You must run directly to the manger and the mother’s womb, embrace the Infant and Virgin’s Child in your arms and look at Him—born, being nursed, growing up, going about in human society, teaching, dying, rising again, ascending above all the heavens, and having authority over all things. "—Martin Luther (1483-1546)

Monday, December 18, 2006

A Christmas Card from Our Next Door Neighbor to You

Worst Christmas Songs

Looking for something else entirely I stumbled upon Giant's list of the most annoying Christmas songs of all time. Warning! Clicking on the following link will take you to an article containing non-Daily Mail approved language! Here's the link. Despite their foul language, Giant came up with a pretty good list. I've made it the new poll to the right. If you think one is missing, let us know below!

Same Reggie, Different Universe

September 6, 2003

A great way to spend six minutes . . .

Unless you still have dial-up, in which case I have no idea how long it will take you to watch this. Either way I still recommend this video quiz to everyone as a great way to get up to speed on many issues concerning stem cells. I would love to hear your comments after viewing it! The statements are true or false.

Sunday, December 17, 2006

Behind Enemy Lines

I was channel surfing this evening, looking for something "Christmasy" while decorating the tree. I found Behind Enemy Lines, starring Owen Wilson (Lt. Chris Burnett) and a favorite of mine Gene Hackman (Admiral Reigart). The following is a review of the movie that I wrote back in 2003:

Review of Behind Enemy Lines

Lieutenant Chris Burnett is a flight navigator for the Navy who has become bored with the mundane routine of the military and wants to resign. He has turned in a letter of resignation to Admiral Leslie Reigart aboard the U.S.S. Carl Vinson, which is on patrol in the Adriatic Sea during the peace talks in Bosnia. Reigart offers to keep his letter for a week and encourages Burnett to reconsider. To help overcome his boredom, Burnett and his pilot Stackhouse are sent out on a reconnaissance mission. They deliberately stray into the demilitarized zone for a closer look when something unusual shows up on their radar. Burnett is able to take some photographs of what later turn out to be mass graves before their F-18 is hit and the two crewmen eject from the plane. When Burnett leaves the more seriously injured Stackhouse in order to attempt radio communication, Stackhouse is discovered and executed by Serb forces. Burnett witnesses the execution from a distance and begins his run for survival in the wilderness.
The theme of the movie is the “red, white, and blue” and the horror of war. I am told the movie was hurried to capitalize on the wave of patriotism following 9-11. Capitalistic motivations aside, the movie does deal with classic war themes of death and the value of life; the weighing of one life versus many lives; finding purpose in the midst of apparently senseless devastation; etc. To these ends the movie is very reflective of contemporary American culture. Post 9-11 America is favorably pro-military. This movie waves that flag by showing the genuine concern of Admiral Reigart for “our boy,” and the frustrated concern of his support staff in the face of NATO interference in American rescue efforts. The American concern for our POW’s shows in Admiral Reigart’s eventual decision to ignore NATO and participate personally in a rescue of Burnett. Admiral Reigart’s wrestling over his responsibility for Burnett and his “powerlessness” to do anything about it receives some development in the film. He trusts that the rigorous training which Burnett has undergone will see him through the difficulties “behind enemy lines.” This he communicates in his radio contacts with Burnett. However, the most extensive character development is of Burnett, who experiences a range of highs and lows in his trek across Bosnia.
It is interesting to see how movies can speak to the experience of the Christian life. It is in this respect that the movie shines. It is a bit of a stretch, but Burnett’s experience can be seen as allegorical of the Christian life (the name “Chris” is an interesting choice). His boredom with routine relates to the routine many Christians may feel in their day to day walk with Christ. The disciplines of prayer, Bible reading, regular worship, etc. may seem mundane at times, but they do prepare us for times of battle which often come when we least expect them. In the film these routines, meant to become “second nature,” help to save Burnett’s life. Christian “routines” help to save ours as well. (They are gracious means given by a gracious God). The several scenes in which Reigart talks to Burnett on the radio are presented in such a way that they are almost prayer-like—Reigart counseling and encouraging; Burnett confessing his wrongs and taking comfort as he gets to know the Admiral in a much more intimate way.
Burnett survives so many close calls and dodges so many rounds of ammunition that it is hard to see him as anything less than providentially preserved from the “flaming darts of the evil one.” The closest the film comes to a truly theological reflection is when the (French) NATO rescue helicopter is prematurely recalled from the rescue area when Burnett is believed to be dead. Burnett looks to the sky, apparently to God, and says “You’ve got to be [expletive] me!” It is just at this point, though, that he finally realizes the “higher” purpose in his delayed rescue. He has come full circle to his original crash sight and can recover the photos of mass graves that he took before the plane went down. He declares that Stackhouse will not have died “for no reason.” How often do we as Christians endure what to us are “senseless” circumstances only later to see God’s purpose in it all (Rom. 8:28)? He recovers the photos, is rescued by Reigart, and withdraws his resignation.

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Learn to Discern

The other day I found myself behind a car with a "Jesus Rode a Donkey" bumper sticker. I wondered what that could mean; since it was red, white, and blue I thought it must be political. A Google search confirmed that, yes, it is another attempt by liberals to convince Christians that Jesus wants them to vote for Democrats. Watch how this works. Here are some quotes from the book, Jesus Rode a Donkey:

  • What would Jesus do? "As the One who accepts and loves, he would be...volunteering at soup kitchens rather than granting tax cuts to the rich. He'd be planting trees instead of strip-mining national parks. He'd be working to take care of those who have trouble surviving in our society, rather than rewarding the rich."
  • "If we had to choose only one issue that addresses the place where Christian values and political policy clearly come together, it wouldn't be abortion, or homosexuality, or stem cell research, or even education...or employment - it would be to help the poor and the oppressed."
Let's see. I guess Jesus would also hire a "faith guru" like Hillary Clinton and other Democrat presidential contenders so that he could "win over evangelicals and other values-driven voters."

Or maybe he would vote with 152 of his "fellow" Democrats against something like the Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act of 2006, which simply requires doctors to be honest with women seeking abortions about the pain (not to mention the DEATH!) they are going to cause their unborn children. Only 9 evil Republicans voted against that bill. It passed 250-162 with 20 brave Congressmen not voting.

I don't need a book written by a political activist who takes Bible passages out of context to aid me in the voting booth. Give me a Bible and a candidate's voting record (not a campaign promise or a political ad) and I can figure this stuff out just fine.

I had wanted to address the quotes above from the book, but there are so many fallacies in them that I've changed my mind. Christians, don't be wise as doves and innocent as serpents! Learn to discern!

Sunday, December 10, 2006

To B.C. or to B.C.E.?


That is actually the question for some people. Doug Wilson's post got me thinking about this again. I remember in the ancient days of college (speaking of B.C.) when I sat out of TFC and attended Georgia State for a bit, I had a professor who described the attempt to do away with B.C. (Before Christ) and A.D. (anno domini, in the year of our Lord) by using B.C. E. (before the common era) and C.E. (common era) as "half-a$$ed." He said that because the "common era" is still determined in relation to Christ's birth, it's just not any longer explicit.

Check this out from religioustolerance.org about the use of B.C.E./C.E.--

The Ethic of Reciprocity (the Golden Rule) suggests that one should not intentionally cause unnecessary pain to other humans. We should treat others as we would wish to be treated. Since only one out of every three humans on earth is a Christian, some theologians and other authors felt that non-religious, neutral terms like CE and BCE would be less offensive to the non-Christian majority. Forcing a Hindu, for example, to use AD and BC might be seen by some as coercing them to acknowledge the supremacy of the Christian God and of Jesus Christ.

Consider an analogous situation: the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance. The most recent version of this pledge includes the phrase: "Under God." Imagine what a Wiccan (who believes in a God and a Goddess), or many Buddhists and strong Atheists ( who do not believe in the existence of God) feel when having to recite those words. Consider how a Christian would feel if the pledge read "Under Buddha" or "Under Allah."

Although CE and BCE were originally used mainly within theological writings, the terms are gradually receiving greater usage in secular writing, the media, and in the culture generally.
Is that pathetic, or what?

Try the New Message Board!

I've put a link in the right column for the Daily Mail Message Board. Try it out. This is your chance to initiate things yourself. Start a topic on anything you like! I'll principally post here, but I'll also go over to the Message Board and see what others are saying and respond.

Saturday, December 09, 2006

Blue's BBQ


As many of you know, the boys and I returned from a rain-soaked ACC Football Championship in Jacksonville last week. That's all I'll say about the game, but I do need to mention Blue's BBQ. Take the St. Mary's, GA exit #3 on I-95 and look between Wendy's and DQ. There you'll see a little shack with some big black smokers outside under a metal carport cover. I ordered a jumbo beef brisket sandwich. What happened next was great. The man walked out the back door of the shack, opened the huge cover of one of the smokers, pulled out a brisket, sliced a big hunk off and gave it a few chops on the table, and walked back inside. Wow. Moments later I had a delicious, juicy, jumbo beef brisket sandwich. Oh man, what a sammich! If you'd like another opinion, here's a review of Blue's from the BBQ Forum.

Thursday, December 07, 2006

Because They Hate



I have just begun Because They Hate by Brigitte Gabrielle. If you are unfamiliar with her story I encourage you to read these excerpts from her speech at the Intelligence Summit in Washington DC in February. It is just maddening in the wake of the Iraq Surrender Group's report to imagine that there are still people who don't get it. There is a profound religious element to this current war that is ignored to our peril. The "Fabulous Baker Boys" are supposed to be noted for their outstanding service to our country. I wonder what sort of report we would have gotten if the blue ribbon panel included the likes of Brigitte, who has outstanding firsthand experience with Islamic terrorism? The best question of the press conference asked why the President should listen to this gang. He shouldn't. He should read Because They Hate instead.

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Hearing from God

Saw this in the mail today . . .


I hate delivering this garbage. Everyone wants to hear some definitive word from God. Hey, folks, try this . . .

Saturday, November 25, 2006

APB Issued For Reggie Ball's Head


I've been trying to think of another scapegoat for Tech's 15-12 loss tonight, but I can think of none other than Mr. Ball. 6 of 22 passing for 42 yards, two picks and a fumble. There was the question all week as to the unease of Tech fans. Well, when Reggie's your QB you always have to have guarded optimism; his head goes missing sometimes.

Oliver was praised on TV for his play vs. Calvin. He played well, but did Reggie ever throw Calvin a ball inside the circle of the famous DaVinci diagram above? Why does every ball Calvin gets have to be potential SportsCenter material?

Anyway, we've got a championship left to win, and I'm "heading" to JAX to see it. I just hope Reggie finds his head before then. If you see it anywhere, please call the Tech athletic office. Chan would love to hear from you. Go Jackets!

Thursday, November 23, 2006

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Want to Try Something Different for Thanksgiving?


Try the Holiday Pack from Jones Soda Company and you can drink your turkey dinner! Choose from Turkey and Gravy, Green Pea, Sweet Potato, Dinner Roll and, if none of those go down too well, you can break into the pink-colored Antacid flavor! Sounds like a Thanksgiving dinner to remember.

Uncle Sam Says to Give Thanks




You may think that the traditon of issuing proclamations calling upon the American people to give thanks to God only began with George Washington, but it actually predates our first president and our nation's birthday. In March of 1776 the presiding President of the Continental Congress, John Hancock, issued the First Fast Day Proclamation of the United Colonies of America:

March 16, 1776
President John Hancock

In times of impending calamity and distress; when the liberties of America are imminently endangered by the secret machinations and open assaults of an insidious and vindictive administration, it becomes the indispensable duty of these hitherto free and happy colonies, with true penitence of heart, and the most reverent devotion, publickly to acknowledge the over ruling providence of God; to confess and deplore our offences against him; and to supplicate his interposition for averting the threatened danger, and prospering our strenuous efforts in the cause of freedom, virtue, and posterity.

The Congress, therefore, considering the warlike preparations of the British Ministry to subvert our invaluable rights and priviledges, and to reduce us by fire and sword, by the savages of the wilderness, and our own domestics, to the most abject and ignominious bondage: Desirous, at the same time, to have people of all ranks and degrees duly impressed with a solemn sense of God's superintending providence, and of their duty, devoutly to rely, in all their lawful enterprizes, on his aid and direction, Do earnestly recommend, that Friday, the Seventeenth day of May next, be observed by the said colonies as a day of humiliation, fasting, and prayer; that we may, with united hearts, confess and bewail our manifold sins and transgressions, and, by a sincere repentance and amendment of life, appease his righteous displeasure, and, through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, obtain his pardon and forgiveness; humbly imploring his assistance to frustrate the cruel purposes of our unnatural enemies; and by inclining their hearts to justice and benevolence, prevent the further effusion of kindred blood.

But if, continuing deaf to the voice of reason and humanity, and inflexibly bent, on desolation and war, they constrain us to repel their hostile invasions by open resistance, that it may please the Lord of Hosts, the God of Armies, to animate our officers and soldiers with invincible fortitude, to guard and protect them in the day of battle, and to crown the continental arms, by sea and land, with victory and success: Earnestly beseeching him to bless our civil rulers, and the representatives of the people, in their several assemblies and conventions; to preserve and strengthen their union, to inspire them with an ardent, disinterested love of their country; to give wisdom and stability to their counsels; and direct them to the most efficacious measures for establishing the rights of America on the most honourable and permanent basis; That he would be graciously pleased to bless all his people in these colonies with health and plenty, and grant that a spirit of incorruptible patriotism, and of pure undefiled religion, may universally prevail; and this continent be speedily restored to the blessings of peace and liberty, and enabled to transmit them inviolate to the latest posterity. And it is recommended to Christians of all denominations, to assemble for public worship, and abstain from servile labour on the said day.
This statement was hardly unique. It was followed by similar proclamations from Henry Laurens, John Jay, Samuel Huntington, Thomas McKean, and John Hanson. You may read these here.

So, George Washington was following an established tradition when he made his more famous Thankgiving Proclamation in 1789. You can view that proclamation as published in the Wednesday, October 14 edition of The Massachusetts Centinel here.

Monday, November 20, 2006

Kezz-ick

I appreciate this post from Know Tea regarding the non-phonetic nature of the English language. I am a fan of phonics instruction and especially recommend TATRAS phonics (which we use at home). Tea's complaint is that phonics-only instruction has led to the overly literal pronunciation of our language.

The most obvious example I can think of is the word often. Often is to the word oft as the word soften is to soft. The ”t” is silent. At least it used to be, until well-meaning English teachers taught their students to pronounce it phonetically.

Ours is not a phonetic language. We don’t pronounce the “t” in castle, trestle, nestle, pestle (as in “mortar and . . .”), listen, or glisten either. Why pronounce it in often? OK, if you insist on doing so because “it’s listed as an acceptable pronunciation in the dictionary,” then fine. I won’t twist your arm. Unless you’re ever singing in a choir that I’m conducting.

Forehead is another word that has fallen victim to hyperpronunciation. In generations past, no one would have thought of pronouncing it “fore-head” any more than they would have pronounced cupboard as “cup-board.” Longfellow’s little poem about the little girl with the little curl preserves for us what was once the universally accepted pronunciation: it rhymes with horrid. If you insist on pronouncing it as fore-head, what are you going to do with cupboard? What are you going to do with boatswain or coxswain?


Another good one is "vineyard," which I hope you pronounce "vin-yerd." And don't forget place names:

Gloucester rhymes with Foster. Similarly, Worcester (whether one is referring to the one in England or the one in Massachusetts) sounds like “Wooster,” not “wer-sester” or “wer-chester.” Leicester is pronounced “Lester,” not “lye-chester.” Most of our science teachers taught us how to pronounce Greenwich (as in Greenwich Mean Time). Keswick likewise has a silent w. There are even more confusingly-spelled names (especially for non-native speakers), such as the famous surname Featherstonehaugh (pronounced “Fanshaw”).

Not only is the "w" silent in Keswick, but the "s" is said with a "z." This one drives me crazy because there is an apartment complex in Conyers called Keswick Village, and I hear just about all of my co-workers call it "Kess-wick" Village, not "Kezz-ick."

Friday, November 17, 2006

Overcoming Hyperopia


In preparing a recent sermon on Revelation 21 as a model for the church, I was struck by the parallels between Ezekiel and Revelation.

In fact, the whole book of Revelation is a new covenant Ezekiel; the two books are completely parallel in structure, thought, and language:

  • both open with a throne vision of God, high and lifted up
  • both show plagues poured out on the unfaithful
  • in both the saints are sealed on their foreheads
  • both have the prophet eating a book
  • both have a harlot who is judged
  • both have a lamentation over the fall of Jerusalem
  • both have a battle with Gog and Magog
  • and both close with visions of the new temple and the new city
I'm sure I have missed many others. The point is that John, like Ezekiel in chapters 40-48, is giving us the vision, the blueprint, the kingdom plan for God's people and calling them to repentance and to conformity to the vision. When we better see the parallels between what Ezekiel was doing for the old covenant people of God and what John is doing for the new covenant people, we better understand that John’s words are for us here and now, not just in the future.

Back to Bloggin'

Alright. Need to put some stuff on here for a change. I'm sitting here (in the living room thanks to Pop's kindly contribution of a Belkin wireless router to the Daily Mail) and listening to some 1990 vintage Throes. All the Flowers Growing in Your Mother's Eyes. What a great album. This was my soundtrack for commuting to Georgia State during that long lost spring of '91. Here's what some guy named J.Edward Keyes of the All Music Guide says:

Arriving in the heyday of the alternative revolution, the Throes' astonishing debut, All the Flowers Growing in Your Mother's Eyes, captured the innocence and idealism of that singular movement. Driven by the songwriting prowess of Bill Campbell and Harold Evans, the Throes create dour, moody pop akin to the Smiths and R.E.M.. Songs are built around Campbell's sparkling guitar and driven forward by Evans' idiosyncratic percussion. Where most college rock bands flounder amidst pretentious lyrics and too-light music, the Throes convey their often-poetic sentiments adroitly. "This Love Is an Ocean" churns and rolls, moving slowly forward while "Passion Flower" is up-tempo and colored by sadness. Even the sweaty, punkish rave-up "Skin Kings" is propelled by a sentiment of self-loathing and disgust. All the Flowers Growing in Your Mother's Eyes works because it stays open and airy and buoyant despite these weighty confessions. The record is charged with the unmistakable energy of possibility, the sound of a young band who still believes they can change the world.
That's funny. I always thought the guitars and harmonies had a sixties feel to them.

Anyway, Junior (that's our pet garter snake for those without a program) got out of his cage today thanks to my negligence in closing the lid to his cage last night when I fed him. He wandered into Marian's closet and I had to track him down. May this series of events never happen again! He's now back home and the lid is on tight!

How weird is it that Bo Schembechler died on the eve of the "Game of the Century?" (By the way, this is at least the 3rd game of the century already this century. There was Miami-Ohio St. in 2002 and USC-Texas last year. There may have been more.)

I was going to say something about my little yellow radio that rides in my mail truckwith me, but I guess that would be tacky now. Maybe later.

Thursday, November 09, 2006

Election Thoughts, Part II

My biggest concern in the wake of the election is that the Republicans learn the right message from their defeat. This concern was at the heart of my last post which pointed out that conservatism actually did quite well this election since liberalism had to dress up like it to win as big as it did. The clearest statement I have seen that shows a Republican leader learned the lesson is from Mitt Romney:

Americans spoke last night and Republicans are listening. Americans have not become less conservative, but they believe some Republicans have. As a party, we need to remember who we are and the principles that have always led our party and our country to success.

We must return to the common sense Reagan Republican ideals of fighting for hard working Americans, lowering taxes, shrinking government, curbing out-of-control spending, promoting the traditional values of faith, family and freedom, and providing a strong national security with all the necessary tools to protect the American people and win the War on Terror. (Read all of it here)

The biggest problem presented by the changeover in Congress is that the appointment of judges, particularly Supreme Court justices, just got very dicey. And of course, this problem is compounded by the refusal of the Republicans to use the so-called "nuclear option" and vote to get rid of the ridiculous filibuster rule that turns the nomination of justices from a simple majority (as explicitly stated in the CONSTITUTION[!] by the way) into a super majority. So now, rather than pulling together 51 votes for a justice, Bush faces filibuster with any worthwhile (originalist) nominee. Thanks John McCain.

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Election Thoughts

This election was classic bait and switch . . .



Make no mistake, this election was not the triumph of liberalism. Democrats ran as conservatives (the models above) all over the place so they could get elected ; then in their first vote in congress they will elect San Francisco ultra-lib Nancy Pelosi as their leader (that's when they start to turn into apes!). In further bait and switch action, the Cloning Amendment in Missouri squeaked by only after a $30 million dollar deception campaign to frame it as a "stem cell" amendment (again the apes had to use masks to get a kiss).

However, all of the state amendments restricting marriage to a man and woman passed. I guess the ape of gay marriage couldn't be dressed up enough to get a kiss.

So, the country has not gone liberal. I guess it is hard to overcome the constant negativity of the drive-by media. They're a bunch of Chicken Littles about everything--the war, the economy, anything. It will be interesting to see how these "conservative" democrats vote. They will either shed their "conservatism" to walk with their liberal leadership, or they'll try to maintain the conservative veneer that appealed to voters and incur the wrath of the lunatic fringe of their party (which includes their leadership, by the way). We shall see.

Saturday, October 21, 2006

AAUGH!!!!!!

This is about how well Georgia Tech played versus Clemson in a pathetic 31-7 loss tonight (Reggie Ball starring in the role of Charlie Brown). I hope they get it together by next Saturday against the thugs from the "U." ACC title game is still ours for the taking!

Thursday, October 19, 2006

Cancer Killing Viruses Coming Soon?

Cancer killing viruses are tremendous news if true. I saw the story this morning and was going to mention it here, but now I see Wesley Smith has already done so. He said all I wanted to say, so I encourage you to read his short post here.

Find Out Who's Going to Hell


That's the master list according to Joel Kilpatrick in his book A Field Guide to Evangelicals and Their Habitat. Follow the link for an excerpt from the book. Remember, people, that this is SATIRE! If you're not sure where you fit on the master list, then go here to take the "EQ" Test.

A Damning New Epithet: "Climate Change Denier"

The whole world in Al Gore's hands

I had intended to bring this to your attention last week. This is from Brendan O'Neill, a British writer, in response to the creation of a new category of humanity (which just so happens to include me!)--"CLIMATE CHANGE DENIER." This is the beginning of Brendan's article:

Whoever thought that serious commentators would want it made illegal to have a row about the weather? One Australian columnist has proposed outlawing 'climate change denial'. 'David Irving is under arrest in Austria for Holocaust denial', she wrote. 'Perhaps there is a case for making climate change denial an offence. It is a crime against humanity, after all.' Others have suggested that climate change deniers should be put on trial in the future, Nuremberg-style, and made to account for their attempts to cover up the 'global warming...Holocaust.'

The message is clear: climate change deniers are scum. Their words are so wicked and dangerous that they must be silenced, or criminalised, or forced beyond the pale alongside those other crackpots who claim there was no Nazi Holocaust against the Jews. Perhaps climate change deniers should even be killed off, hanged like those evil men who were tried Nuremberg-style the first time around.

Whatever the truth about our warming planet, it is clear there is a tidal wave of intolerance in the debate about climate change which is eroding free speech and melting rational debate. (Read the entire article here)
That rational debate on this issue has melted much more quickly than the polar ice caps is beyond doubt. Even this "climate change denier" epithet is a loaded label. It attempts to lump together those who deny any warming whatsoever (which our very limited data seems to confirm the slightest of warming) and those who grant slight warming but deny that it is caused by man (whether humans are to blame is the crux of the debate). So, you are either a normal, sane person who says that there is man made global warming, or you are a Nazi climate change denier who should be tried war crimes style. Such is the nature of public discourse. Don't fall for it!

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

An Autumn Silhouette

Drew's latest from art class. The tree and cat silhouettes, as well as the leaves, are pasted onto a painted background. It's very interesting to see in person for the three dimensional effect. Also, note how the clouds are blended into the sky. As usual you can click on the image for a closer view.

Watch Your Language

We have also just begun reading together as a family G. A. Henty's The Cat of Bubastes: A Tale of Ancient Egypt. Henty was the prolific author of 122 works of historical fiction. His adventure stories were well-received in the late 19th century and have enjoyed a resurgence in popularity in the last decade or so. I was reading aloud to the boys when I suddenly heard this sentence:

Now from behind the lines of the Egyptian archers a column of men advanced a hundred abreast, each carrying a great faggot; their object was evident, they were about to prepare a wide causeway across the marsh by which the chariots could pass.
In addition to being carried, the faggots went on to be laid down, torched, trodden, forced deep into the mire, etc. So, who knows what kind of faggot Henty wrote about, and how did we come to have such a decidedly different meaning of the word?

Militant or Defeated?


It is customary to speak of the Church "Militant," which is the Church in the present age fighting "against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" (Eph. 6:12), in contrast with the Church "Triumphant," which is the Church presented to Christ "in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish (Eph.5:27). Yet, sometimes in our present struggle we begin to think of ourselves more as the Church "Defeated" than Militant.

Our family is going through the Gospel of Mark together and we are being ably aided by N.T. Wright and his Mark for Everyone. In reflecting on Mark 4:21-25, about the lampstand, he makes these remarks:

On the day I am writing this, a radio station telephoned me. Would it be true, they asked, to say that fewer people in the Western world know the basic Christian story than was true 30 years ago?

Certainly, I replied, in Britain and Western Europe. I'm not sure it's true in America, and it certainly isn't true in Africa and southeast Asia, where the churches are growing rapidly. But where, as in Britain and much of Europe, it's widely assumed that Christianity has had its day, is old-fashioned and out of date, those who still call themselves Christians need to take the warning of these verses very much to heart. We have to pay closer heed to what we have been taught, to the kingdom message, the Jesus-message, the story of our salvation. If we loosen our grip on it, we may lose it altogether.

On the other hand, if we go deeper into what we already basically know, we will find there is more, and more, and more to learn, to feed on, to grow into. And we will find that the things we whisper to one another in small groups, in apparently dwindling churches, will one day be shouted from the housetops.
Amen. That's a great reminder to us that the Church Militant is not and will not be defeated. In fact, it is the same Church Militant (not some other body or group) that will become, through the ministry of God's Spirit, the Church Triumphant! We need to be careful not to be shaped as a Church by negative attacks upon us from without, or negative theologies (disguised as best-selling fiction, etc.) from within.

"He who calls you (plural, the Church) is faithful; he will surely do it." 1 Thessalonians 5:24

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

No . . .

this has never happened to me!(Though I can think of some guys it may have happened to!)


Mustard, Part III

Yet more evidence of the mustard/hot dog connection!


Monday, October 09, 2006

New Poll


I finally got a ticker on here re: Christian persecution. It's not quite what I was after, but it'll do. This all relates to the new poll question about threats facing the Church. We can talk about it below.

I'll kick off the discussion here by saying that whatever ills face the Church, "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18). Just curious what you think is making the best effort at prevailing!

Thursday, October 05, 2006

For You Linksters

The swing of golf legend Bobby Jones as captured by photographer Harold Edgerton

I have also added The Boneman to the blogfeeds. His latest entry is an interesting, and I think helpful, comparison of salvation and a golf swing. Here's most of it:

So I'm learning to play golf. I think everyone understands how difficult golf is, but you can't really appreciate just how difficult it is until you try it. For instance, take the most basic part of the game - the golf swing - what you do to simply hit a small ball with a stick. To have a proper swing you must break-down, analyze, and correct your:

* Club choice
* Stance
* Grip
* Head position
* Back-swing
* Address
* Follow-through

And yet - after all of these particular parts of the swing, there is only ONE golf swing. If you assume the right stance without gripping the club, there is no golf swing. If you have a stance and grip the club, but don't move your arms, there is no golf swing. A golf swing is not a golf swing without all of these aspects working together in perfect harmony.

Salvation for the Christian is very much like this. We can talk about predestination, calling, regeneration, imputation, justification, adoption, sanctification, glorification, etc., but each of these is just an aspect of what it means to be united to Jesus Christ. Yes, these aspects are distinct, but when we lose sight of what they accomplish as a whole, we aren't "in the game" anymore.
Pretty good. Thanks, Boneman!

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Believers in the Voting Booth






I have recently added The Bodacious Black Bible Babbler to the blogfeeds in the right-hand column of this page. He recently commented on the intersection of faith and politics with a post titled "Total Depravity and Voting." Here is a bit of what he says:

Simply put, we must realize that we are casting votes for people who are corrupt to the core, and that goes for the Christians too. Practically speaking I believe that means:

* At best, we are trying to make a choice between the lesser of evils. I no longer vote for the best candidate, I vote against the worst ones. “All have sinned (and continue to sin) and are falling short of the glory of God.” Therefore, we must find out all we can about a candidate and then vote for the one we believe will do the least amount of damage. That’s the best we can hope for.
* Remember, voting is an act of faith carried out in a fallen world. You have no idea whether the person you’re voting for is telling the public the truth or not. That means you cast your vote and you leave the results in God’s hands. Politicians are going to tell you what they think will get them elected. I have come close to working on campaigns in the past, but I always backed out because ultimately, I had to admit that I had no way of knowing the individuals character. When you find one with integrity in a given area be thankful. But remember, she’s not going to make things better, she is simply going to slow the downward descent that is currently underway inAmerica. Don’t get your hopes set too high. Wait long enough and you’ll find out that she too has come under the spell of “being in charge”.
* Not only are politicians depraved, but so is the system. Even if we are blessed enough to get a godly man or woman in office he or she will be fighting against a system that is capable of rallying and minimizing that persons impact to the political process. I have had numerous conversations with politicians where I walked away realizing they were afraid of taking a principled stand because they knew that to do so would mean marginalization.
Now, I'm not as pessimistic as our friend the Babbler is, but I do like his point about the lesser of evils. There are no perfect candidates. Look at anyone (not just politicians) too closely and there begin to be an awful lot of flaws that come into view. This is no exact science, and politicians will say anything to get elected, but I can listen carefully to hear what a politician says to whom. The more chameleon-like the candidate the less likely he is to get my vote. This is one of the advantages of the internet; it is increasingly easy to learn what a candidate says at what would previously have been an obscure fundraising dinner, or to a socialist group in Europe, or this or that union, etc.

Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 10:16, "Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves." This is certainly true of us as His disciples today, and it certainly applies to politics. I return to these words again and again because it is so easy to fall off on the one side and say, "Politics is too dirty for this dove! I'm outta here!" and withdraw, or to go the other way and say, "Bring it on! I'm wise as a serpent; I can play this game!" and become obsessed with it all. Both of these are contrary to God's word. Learn what you can about the candidates. Seek the counsel of God's Word and other believers (i.e., don't just look to have your opinion affirmed). There are few good candidates, but there are many really bad and even dangerous candidates. Exercise discernment. And, as the Babbler said, leave the result in God's hands. He is the ultimate check on the people and the system (Romans 10, don't forget)!

Monday, October 02, 2006

What's in a Name?


Enough to keep local officials in ALIABAD, Azerbaijan from issuing a birth certificate for little Ilya Eyvazov. Why won't they? Because "Ilya" is Russian for "Elijah" and is considered a Christian name in 96% Muslim Azerbaijan, which is on the northern border of Iran. The Eyvazov family encountered similar problems when naming Moises (Moses) and Luka (Luke). More amity and tolerance from the world's most peaceful religion! Read more here. And for those interested, here is more on Azerbaijan from International Christian Concern.

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Creed of the Sword


Dr Mark Durie, an Anglican vicar and a fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities, has written a helpful piece concerning the place of violence in Muslim faith and practice. I say helpful because he doesn't try to claim too much, yet he still says some very important things that need to be heard as the world tries to figure out why some (too many) Muslims are so prone to militant violence and other (again too many) Muslims are loath to condemn such violence done in the name of Islam. The problem is well demonstrated by statements like the following:

On the other hand, no less a figure than the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Abdel Aziz al-Sheikh, issued a statement on the official Saudi news service, defending Muslims' divine right to resort to violence: "The spread of Islam has gone through several phases, secret and then public, in Mecca and Medina. God then authorised the faithful to defend themselves and to fight against those fighting them, which amounts to a right legitimised by God. This ... is quite reasonable, and God will not hate it."

Saudi Arabia's most senior cleric also explained that war was never Islam's ancient founder, the prophet Mohammed's, first choice: "He gave three options: either accept Islam, or surrender and pay tax, and they will be allowed to remain in their land, observing their religion under the protection of Muslims."Thus, according to the Grand Mufti, the third option of violence against non-Muslims was only a last resort, if they refused to convert or surrender peacefully to the armies of Islam.
It's so simple, really--convert, surrender, or be killed! These are the attitudes which allow the violence we have seen from these animals to continue and flourish. But worse still, I think, are the attitudes among us in the West that likewise turn a blind eye and make various levels of excuses for the offenders. Durie continues:
Many secular Westerners rely on certain crippling preconceptions. One is the often-heard mantra that "all religions are the same". Another is the claim that "anyone can justify violence from any religious text". This idea stretches back at least to Rousseau, who considered any and all forms of religion to be pernicious. Either of these views, if firmly held, would tend to sabotage anyone's ability to investigate the Koran's distinctive take on violence.
(This is, by the way, the same problem alluded to in Sam Harris' notable column in the LA Times last week about how liberals--who are secular--don't at all understand militant Islam.) Durie goes on to discuss important concepts such as abrogation, the idea that later (and more vilolent) verses of the Koran override earlier ones, and the idea of "the domain of war."
The popular Muslim scholar Yusuf al-Qaradawi, head of the European Council for Fatwa and Research, and al-Jazeera television personality, in July 2003 invoked the classical dogma of the Dar al-Harb or "domain of war" that encompasses all the regions of the world in which Islam is not yet dominant. In the Dar al-Harb the lives and possessions of non-Muslims are muba'a, or "licit", making them a legitimate target for military action: "It has been determined by Islamic law that the blood and property of people of Dar al-Harb is not protected ... in modern war, all of society, with all its classes and ethnic groups, is mobilised to participate in the war, to aid its continuation and to provide it with the material and human fuel required for it to assure the victory of the state fighting its enemies."
I pray that naivete is not is not a cause of our downfall. There is no longer any excuse for it!

Monday, September 25, 2006

What About Jesus?

We were travelling through Grant Park in Atlanta on Sunday afternoon when I noticed a familiar face walking along the sidewalk. He was a former fellow church member who left our church some years ago to follow Eastern Orthodoxy. He was in front of St. John the Wonderworker Orthodox Church. In fact, he was in black garb as he is now a reader for the worship services at St. John's. (By the way, St. John is no reference to the Apostle, but to St. John Maximovitch of Shanghai and San Francisco.)

We chatted briefly and he invited us to a service sometime. He especially recommended Pascha, a midnight Easter service. He then alluded to how we ought to consider attending "a real church." Now, he's a friend, so there was a teasing element to that statement; but it is representative of how the Orthodox really do consider themselves to be the "true Church." So I got home and checked out the church's website and this is what St. John's, a particular body of the "true Church," considers important enough to present to the world:

Saint John the Wonderworker Parish is the first church in the world named after Saint John (Maximovitch) of Shanghai and San Francisco. The Church was formed and named in 1991, at the time called Blessed John the Wonderworker as St. John was not yet canonized. When St. John was canonized in 1994, the name was changed to St. John the Wonderworker. The parish is located in Atlanta, Georgia and joined the OCA as part of the Diocese of the South under Archbishop Dmitri of Dallas in September of 2000.

Over the years the parish has been able to gather several items that this beloved saint wore, including a thigh shield and two of his robes. More recently the Church was given a bone relic from his foot, the only part of his body that was not found to be incorrupt.

On this website you can find a great deal about the life of St. John by clicking on one of the navigational buttons to the left under "The Life of St. John". We also have a collection of testimonies to the ongoing miraculous intercessions of our beloved Saint. Please feel free to browse and learn of this great saint of our own century. We also have a special gift of a computer program written by one of our members called the Menologion (2.0) which includes a daily icon of the saint of the day with his or her troparion and kontakion and also the daily Bible reading. This program is written because of St. John's love of the Saints and because of his desire that all Christians should pray daily and often.
So, I repeat the title of this post--what about Jesus?


Wednesday, September 20, 2006

Test Your Gag Reflex




One of our nation's fine monthly magazines brings us this too cool photo of Johnny Depp with the following mush about him:

Modest Francophile Johnny Depp has never seen most of his own movies. "It's just weird for me to watch myself," he said. "I've never been comfortable with it."

Now look at the picture again and read the little caption, "As humble as he is hot." Were you able to keep down your lunch?

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Love Note for the Mailman


People love to leave notes for the mailman. My latest is above. It reads:


Mail Man,

Dave Leasure at the Post Office is a good friend and I made arrangement for my mail to be forwarded.
This was done a week ago. Why are you still delivering? Talk to Dave and please forward my mail.

Thanks


I'll give the man credit. Unlike 90% of the people who move off of my route, he cares about whether he gets his mail! BTW--the confirmation for his forwarding order was recieved by me only this morning. He should have his mail soon!

Friday, September 15, 2006

Week in Review

The molecular structure of DDT

Indoor residual spraying is the application of long-acting insecticides on the walls and roofs of houses and domestic animal shelters in order to kill malaria-carrying mosquitoes that land on these surfaces.

“Indoor spraying is like providing a huge mosquito net over an entire household for around-the-clock protection,” said U.S. Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK), a leading advocate for global malaria control efforts. “Finally, with WHO’s unambiguous leadership on the issue, we can put to rest the junk science and myths that have provided aid and comfort to the real enemy – mosquitoes – which threaten the lives of more than 300 million children each year.”

Each year, more than 500 million people suffer from acute malaria, resulting in more than 1 million deaths. At least 86 percent of these deaths are in sub-Saharan Africa. Globally an estimated 3,000 children and infants die from malaria every day and 10,000 pregnant women die from malaria in Africa every year. Malaria disproportionately affects poor people, with almost 60 percent of malaria cases occurring among the poorest 20 percent of the world’s population.
  • Hooray for Tony Blair--He may be the only one in Europe, but British PM Tony Blair gets it. In a pamphlet published by the British Foreign Policy Center, Blair argues that the "strain of, frankly, anti-American feeling in parts of European politics is madness when set against the long-term interests of the world we believe in." He essentially argued (correctly I think) that Europe needs us far more than we need them. "The danger," Blair warned, "is if they decide to pull up the drawbridge and disengage," adding "We need them involved."

Animal Cruelty

Well, the 2006 Halloween collection for pets is out. The above is taken from the Foster & Smith catalog. As far as I know there were no animals harmed while posing for these blackmail photos. Still, if I were one of these dogs I'd have to say, "You know, contrary to what you tell people, I'm not your child! And don't they make dolls for this sort of thing?"

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Move Over Picasso

"Cat Parade"

I'm not well-versed enough in art styles to be able to say what noted artist the above images resemble. Picasso just came to mind before any others. From time to time I will post some of the boys' art. The above is a portion of the original work "Cat Parade" by Drew. I hope you enjoy!

Thursday, September 07, 2006

Rebuild the Towers!


I've heard it suggested that the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center should be rebuilt just as they were--perhaps an inch higher and an inch wider--as a show of defiance to the terrorists. I haven't had much of an opinion on the matter. I had no affection for the Towers architecturally. They almost seemed imposed on the Manhattan skyline. I'm sure it was difficult for old-timers to warm up to the Twin Monsters when they came along.

But I have to say, now that I have been to NYC several times since 9-11-01, the Towers need to be rebuilt as they were. Make them an inch taller if you like. Build them stronger if possible. But the city is not the same without them. It's bizarre to me that there was ever debate about what to do. I think some didn't want to "invite" another attack by putting up the same structures. And there was the whole controversy over how to memorialize the victims. But isn't there something self-evident about the fact that the city should look like it does above? Why was it ever a question?

Say What?


Above is a scanned image of my senior paper in college: Kantian Soteriology: Radical Evil and the Necessity of Divine Grace. This copy of the paper was unearthed (perhaps literally) at my mother's house as she was going through stuff to make room for more stuff. I read through it again and was surprised that it seems to be better than I remembered. I'm curious if anyone would like to take a stab at deciphering that mouthful of a title so that the masses might understand it! Maybe you could even explain it to me!

One More From Long Island


I finally got the rest of our Long Island pictures. I want you to see our captains for our harbor tour in Greenport. They looked a little raw, but they seemed to love being on the water, which is a pretty good quality in a boat captain I suppose!

Caption Contest

We haven't had a caption contest in quite a while. This looks like a good one:

Learning About Myself

Can you guess who's wicked grin this is?

I was told yesterday by a co-worker that I have a "wicked grin," and by a woman at Dress Barn (on my mail route) that I have a "pimp walk." That's a good thing, right?!?!

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Back to School

Click for larger image. Taken from The Official Book of Homeschooling Cartoons by Todd Wilson.


Well, yesterday was the first day of school for the boys. I guess they are over a month behind their public school peers who incredibly reported to school on July 28! I suppose the idea is to keep kids immersed in a failing system for more months of the year (every month but June) though still 180 days, then they will become geniuses and the whole thing will look like its working perfectly! (Why, just think of the joy which accompanied the recent announcement that Georgia is no longer in last place in SAT scores. Woohoo! We're now 46th!)

So, I was given an AP article that appeared locally in the Rockdale Citizen about Evangelicals urging parents to take their kids out of public schools. The gist of the article is that maybe this is a crazy thing to do. Maybe the reasons given for doing so are a little suspect. After all, if it's so bad maybe you Christians should stay and help to make it better! (As you can see, this article really breaks new ground. Who ever heard this stuff before?)

Well, count me in (or should I say "out") the abandon ship camp. One quick quote from the article:

The head of Christian Educators Association International, which represents devout teachers in public and private schools, urges parents to reflect carefully on their choices. "One size does not fit all," says Finn Laursen, arguing that public, private and at-home education all might be good options.

"Don't just hammer public schools," Laursen said. "Go in there and take them back."
Mr. Laursen errs in thinking that public schools ever belonged to Christians so that they can be "taken back."

To be continued . . .

Sunday, September 03, 2006

Requiem for August


Well, August is now gone and it was a slow time here at the Daily Mail. It became more like the "Weekly Mail!" But that's all about to change as we get things cranked back up around here. Does anyone remember the ridiculous acronym PBPGIFWMY? Well, this is more like PBPISWOTB! Stay tuned!

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Week In Review (Vacation Edition)

  • Coney Island--is where we are above. No, not on the world famous "Cyclone." This is aboard the less well-known "Sea Serpent" at Deno's, which has the insane Wonder Wheel ferris wheel. Note the contrast between the hands-free 7 year-old Drew, and holding-on-tight 5 year-old Jacob, who is yelling, "Momma!"
  • Bronx Zoo--Okay. To be fair, I haven't been to Zoo Atlanta in about six years. The last I checked it's a well-regarded zoo. But, the Bronx Zoo has to be at least ten times better! The newest exhibit is "Wild Dogs of Africa." They were Drew's must see. Marian liked the cheetahs, Matty the ducks, Jacob the rhinos, and I liked the black panthers. Also, the Children's Zoo area was terrific!
  • Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel--This is an amazing bit of engineering . . . 17 miles coastline to coastline. It's been around since '64, but I've never seen it till now. Wow.

  • Rest Areas--They're kind of a crap shoot (so to speak), and I think we stopped at the worst and at the best rest areas I have ever encountered. The worst was in Virginia off I-95. There was a huge line of porta potties outside which we of course avoided to use the more civilized indoor plumbing. But oh the stench and flies we found there! Forget changing the baby! And Jacob decided he could wait a little longer! (At least this didn't happen to us, or things would have been much worse!) The best was outside of Smyrna, DL off of Hwy 13. Playground for the kids, complimentary coffee, clean restrooms, beautiful landscaping, friendly staff. I'm planning all future travels through Delaware so I can stop there again!

Church Signs Yet Again

The Potter's House is a church on my way to work that has proved to be a fruitful source of church sign fodder. I have spared you from some of them, but they currently have dueling sayings on each side of the sign, so I wonder which you like better:

THIS CHURCH IS PRAYER CONDITIONED

or

GOD GRADES ON THE CROSS, NOT THE CURVE

Thoughts? Comments?


Monday, August 14, 2006

A Week Later . . .


And I've finally found a moment to check in again. The blog looks great on this Dell 17" flat panel! I'm currently sitting in Southold, Long Island, NY. This is a scenic, quiet place on the North Fork of the island. It's quite a change from the Bronx, Queens, and even our base of operation in Centereach. The picture above (thanks Bob McInnis) is from Greenport, where we are headed next. We'll reach the Hamptons today and end up at Splish Splash water park before calling it a day. I have much to say, but no time!

Monday, August 07, 2006

Daily Mail on the Road


Yep, family vacation. A liesurely tour of I-95. So far we have stopped in Cary, NC where we worshipped yesterday morning at Christ Church of NC. That was followed by a wonderful dinner at Amedeo's in Raleigh. Good food and good people. We are now in D.C. and will make the final push to Long Island later today. Looking forward to NYC traffic!

Thursday, August 03, 2006

New Poll--MAYONNAISE!

The old poll was up forever, but I was pleased with the results. NCAA Football and Basketball combined for 50% of the vote! I'll choose to ignore some of the current college football headlines and say "Hurray" for the amatuers over the professional guys!

But on to the new . . . Mayonnaise! This seems to be a love/hate thing, so the question is "Yay" or "Nay."

Also, what brand do you prefer? I have come to believe that Duke's is the best. Here's something about Duke's from wikipedia:

In the Southeastern part of the United States, Mrs. Eugenia Duke of Greenville, South Carolina founded the Duke's Product Company in 1917 to sell sandwiches to soldiers training at nearby Fort Sevier. Her homemade mayonnaise became so popular that her company began to focus exclusively on producing and selling the mayonnaise, eventually selling out to the C.F. Sauer company in 1929. Duke's Mayonnaise, still made to the original recipe, remains a popular brand of mayonnaise in the Southeast, although it is not generally available in other markets. Of special note to diabetics, Duke's mayonnaise is the only major mayonnaise available in the United States which does not include sugar as an ingredient.


Fairtax.org

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Kevin
Covington, Georgia, US
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