the invisible touch

For our viewing pleasure, let's watch Hillary's TV spot:


Wow. Stunning, no? She wants to help out all "The Invisibles," from mothers to soldiers in Iraq.

A few things come to mind:

(1) What exactly does she mean by "invisible?" As her husband pointedly illustrated the need for definition when he told us that it all depends upon what the definition of "is" is, we need a good definition here.

(2) If someone is "invisible," how is she able to see them? Does she have special glasses?

(3) With her six-and-a-half relatively unremarkable years of public service (and you can't really count eight years as First Lady), how is she the best one qualified to serve "The Invisibles?"

my mortgage is a reasonable $4000/month!

Do you live in an expensive city?

Forget coffee when it's time to sober up. Instead, check out the real estate listings in New York or Los Angeles.

There, buyers pay $1 million for a property that might fetch half that elsewhere. The disparity illustrates how affordability has been spiraling out of control in places on the East and West coasts.

For example, in the first quarter of 2001, 42.3% of homes sold in Los
Angeles were available to the median earning household. But in the irst quarter of 2007, only 3% of homes sold there were affordable to those households earning the median income. This is based on data from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and Wells Fargo that assumes a 10% down payment, a 6.1% mortgage, and tax and insurance costs calculated by the Federal Housing Finance Board.

Housing prices may be going down, but it's becoming increasingly difficult to secure a loan. Pretty soon, only celebrities will be able to afford to live in Los Angeles. Perhaps that's how they want it.

Here are the top ten "least affordable markets":

01. L.A.
02. San Francisco
03. San Diego
04. New York
05. Miami
06. Sacramento
07. Las Vegas
08. Seattle
09. Boston
10. Orlando

If you're wanting to live in one of these cities, you may want to check out this list. Med school looks awfully inviting, doesn't it?

Is Romney stronger than we thought?

Perhaps so.

the Demo-Kos-ic party

I've been perusing Ann Althouse's blog since I've returned from my little hiatus, and I realized I had missed the whole Yearly Kos thing while I was sunning myself in Florida. In one of her posts, she mentioned some statements made by the Yearly Kos founder himself during a speech (which you can find if you follow the links):

Just a year ago, we were a freakish curiosity.

I stood before you at the first YearlyKos conference and declared that we “had arrived”.

People snickered and mocked me. Those reporters at the back of the room. They were laughing at me. They were laughing at us.

But then Ned Lamont kicked Joe Lieberman out of the Democratic Party.

I had a couple thoughts:

(1.) Why is Kos so jubilant that someone has been "kicked out" of the Democratic Party? Doesn't he care about attracting people to the party, and keeping people in the party who seem on the cusp of disappearing? I don't think the Donkeys can afford to rid themselves of people during this critical time, even those who don't perfectly line themselves up with the ideals of certain liberal/progressive blogs.

(2.) Kos should really ask Ned Lamont if he thinks he did a lot of good (especially for himself) by getting Lieberman "kicked out." I don't believe that anyone is going around calling Lamont "Senator" like they are Lieberman.

Speaking of Ned Lamont, he doesn't want to fade into the sunset. See?

she knows Starbucks

After we dropped off our oldest daughter at a friend's house, The Wife and I decided to pull into a Starbucks for a little treat.

My youngest daughter - who is not yet three years old, mind you - apparently knew what we were doing, for she screamed from the backseat, "I want coffee!"

What have we created?

sweet sweet tea

My father was born among the misty Tennesse mountains in the early 1930's, which technically makes him an Appalachian. He's been living in Ohio since he was nearly ten, so he doesn't have much about him that is Southern in any real sense of the term.

If my father isn't really a Southern man, I'm even less of one. The only claim I have to Dixieland is that I have some relatives still found among the Tennessee mountains and valleys. I certainly don't speak with a Southern accent, and I'm no fan of bluegrass music. However, I love Southern food. Give me chicken fried steak, fried okra and some grits, and I'm a happy man. Even deeper than the food, though, is an abiding love of the luscious, quintessential Southern drink: sweet tea. Sure, it's liquid candy, but my taste buds think nothing is finer.

"It is the most disappointing field of candidates..."

"...looking on both sides of the aisle, that I’ve seen in my lifetime. I don’t remember an election where less people have got me excited from either side..."

So said Charles Colson, founder of Prison Fellowship and former chief counsel for President Nixon. Really, I'm inclined to agree.

the P.C.B. wildlife

We are able to see several wild animals on our trip to the Florida Panhandle. Some were right on the beach, and some were found in PC Sister's house.

This reptile was swimming in the pond near the pool at my Cincy Sister's house:

This delicious crustaceon lurked along the shorelines of St. Andrews State Park:

I was about to step in the waters of a black lagoon when I spotted this creature:
And this fearsome beast was at PC Sister's home!

leaving Panama City Beach

I'm back to my real life, after spending eight great days in Florida. The Wife and I took the kids and spent some time on our own and with family members. We stayed at Cincy Sister's second house in Panama City Beach, which she purchased a few years ago. It's about 15 minutes away from PC Sister's place. It's a nice little house in a nice section of town. There is the main room, a kitchen/dining room combo, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a sitting room, and a screened-in outside room. There are two pools and a clubhouse nearby as well. The neighborhood is composed of people who live there full-time as well as the seasonal/sometime dwellers like Cincy Sister.

We mostly ate our meals in the house, purchasing goodies at the beachside Wal-Mart and a nearby Winn-Dixie. We did eat a couple meals out, one of which was at the touristy Pineapple Willy's. I had an oyster po-boy:

Hiatus

So many people are taking a break from blogging right now, so I must throw the proverbial hat in the ring as well. I'll be visiting family down in Florida, including this guy if he isn't as busy as he was in April. I'll have my laptop with me, but I don't know if I'll be able to figure out how to Wi-Fi down there, so...

Happy birthday, Harry Potter

If he weren't fictional, the Boy Who Lived would now be 26 years old.

In his honour, visit the site of his creator, J.K. Rowling.

my house

Last year on this date, I was talking about purchasing my first home. What a year it has been since then! We closed in mid-August. The house was ours on September 1, but we didn't officially move in until Here's what we've done to the house:

• All rooms in the house were painted a different color than what they had been.
• The carpet spreading across the living room, dining room, and hallway was removed, and the floor boards were given a nice dark stain.
• Metal closet doors were removed, replaced by white wooden doors.
• We put new linoleum flooring in the kitchen and bathroom. (Yes, one bathroom in the house. I live with three females, so imagine how tough it is sometimes...)
• We replaced the sink in the bathroom.
• We removed all the old kitchen cabinets and put in new ones, enlarging the kitchen. And, by "we," I mean Pete the English Guy we hired through Lowe's.

The rich and the poor (in manners)

I rather like this article by Peggy Noonan. A taste:

The gap between rich and poor is great, and there is plenty of want, and also confusion. What the superrich do for a living now often seems utterly incomprehensible, and has for at least a generation. There is no word for it, only an image. There's a big pile of coins on a table. The rich shove their hands in, raise them, and as the coins sift through their fingers it makes . . . a bigger pile of coins. Then they sift through it again and the pile gets bigger again.

A general rule: If you are told what someone does for a living and it makes sense to you--orthodontist, store owner, professor--that means he's not rich. But if it's a man in a suit who does something that takes him five sentences to explain and still you walk away confused, and castigating yourself as to why you couldn't understand the central facts of the acquisition of wealth in the age you live in--well, chances are you just talked to a billionaire.

Surveillance cameras

Privacy has its limits. We have them in Indy - are you being watched in your town?

Human Tetris

I wouldn't do well at this.

50 Most Beautiful People on Capitol Hill

This list strikes me as something likely found within the pages of People or Us Weekly magazines, not on The Hill website where supposedly serious information is disseminated. But I guess the superficiality of physical appearance doesn't really compare to the superficiality of some politicians.

Indiana's own Brad Ellsworth, who left behind his job as a sheriff to serve the Indiana 8th district in the House of Representatives, tops the list. His physical attractiveness, which makes "women of all ages and political persuasions swoon ," is of the kind to make even Jack Kennedy jealous. Had Ellsworth been alive in Kennedy's time, no doubt Marilyn Monroe would have deemed him more intriguing than certain fellows with New England accents.

Ask not for whom the cat purrs. He purrs for thee...

Oscar the cat has an unusual ability: he senses when some Rhode Island dwellers are about to die.

Motivational posters for emerging Christians

Funny stuff. From the Pyromaniacs, natch.

Albert Ellis, 1913-2007

Albert Ellis, the recognized father of Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT), has died at age 93.

“The trouble with most therapy is that it helps you to feel better,” he said in a 2004 article in The New York Times. “But you don’t get better. You have to back it up with action, action, action.”

Very true, Dr. Ellis.

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows"

I was tempted to pick up J.K. Rowling's most recent book last Saturday at 12:01 AM. I chose not to order the book in advance so I could have my options open. I changed my mind when I passed by the local Border's bookstore and saw the crowd of people. After spending time with the family on Saturday morning and afternoon, I went to the nearest Wal-Mart and bought Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. That's my copy there in the picture. (Spoilers abound if you chose to go any further....)

I greatly enjoyed Deathly Hallows. It seems a fitting end to one of the more incredible series of books in history. I don't know that I'd rank it up there with Lord of the Rings or C.S. Lewis' Narnia series, but it's pretty close. I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a greater trio of friends in literature than Harry, Hermione, and Ron. Tom Riddle, AKA Lord Voldemort, joins my list of favorite literary villains, alongside Madame DeFarge of A Tale of Two Cities.

Harry lived on, able to enjoy a life with Ginny and their children. Hermione and Ron stayed together as well. Voldemort met his sticky end. There were losses as well, most notably Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, and Fred Weasley. I wasn't upset by their losses as I was when Harry's faithful owl and Dobby the elf passed.

I have to confess that my favorite character is Harry's Potions teacher, Severus Snape. Snape is Rowling's greatest creation, and one of the most complex characters of any media (literature or film). He appeared to walk on two paths at once, siding with both the Order of the Phoenix and the Death Eaters. He seemed so villainous in all of Half-Blood Prince and for most of Deathly Hallows. He proved himself on the side of right when Harry gathered up Snape's memories as he died and placed them in the Pensieve. I suspected that Snape was in love with Lily Evans Potter, but I thought that there would be more to it than that. However, Snape's love was enough to have him give his ultimate loyalty to Dumbledore. "The Prince's Tale" was my favorite chapter in the book, and possibly the whole series.

I probably have more to say on this book particularly and the series as a whole, but I'll stop for now. Why don't you check out what some other people are saying ----

• LaShawn Barber
• Travis Prinzi
• John Mark Reynolds
• Eeyore's Reflections
• Howart's Professor
• Josh Moody

the terror of the beast

Those eyes!! Those horrible eyes!!!!

maybe he considers staying in a Motel 6 as equal to sleeping in the wild...

Over at his blog Smart Christian, Dr. Jackson draws our attention to Bear Grylls, host of the show Man vs. Wild. What Dr. Jackson doesn't mention are the allegations that Grylls' show isn't entirely authentic. Chief among the allegations is that he spent the night in hotels. The Discovery Channel has said the show will be "100% transparent."

A reality show being unauthentic? This is not shocking news, people. Even that Posh Spice "special" had its moments.

health insurance premiums on the rise

According to an article from my hometown paper (since I own a home in Indianapolis, I suppose I must consider it my hometown!), the price of health insurance is on the rise.

Summer and early fall are the times of year when employers negotiate next year's premiums with health insurers.

Indiana may be harder hit than many other parts of the nation.

Nationally, PricewaterhouseCoopers is expecting medical costs for PPOs and HMOs each to rise about 9.9 percent in 2008, still well above the rate of inflation but lower than the 2007 increase of 11.9 percent for PPOs and 11.8 percent for HMOs.

Local insurance brokers say they are expecting rates to increase anywhere from 10 percent to 15 percent for PPOs and HMOs, the two most popular types of plans.

"It's a pretty consistent message that your costs are going up, and it's a double-digit increase," said Steve Gregory, director of business development for DeTrude and Co., an Indianapolis insurance broker.

For the record, the hospital that employs me is very concerned about my, shall we say, lifestyle choices. I don't have to pay as much for insurance since I don't smoke and my cholesterol levels are good. However, I would have even less to pay if I dropped a few more pounds. Many companies, and not just hospitals, are taking this approach.

As a side note: No, I haven't had the chance to see Sicko yet. I know that it can be found in some places on the Internet, but who has time to watch it when you've got a daughter who wants to visit the Webkinz site? Besides, I'm torn about seeing it, since it's made by the same man who has made ridiculous statements like these here and who has used this woman as a pawn.

Ah, Doug - I see you've linked to it, too.

"Would you please find a seat? You must understand, distraction kills the anointing..."

... and I won't allow no one to distract me, so sit down now. I am not going to change."

So said Benny Hinn.

Case

Dismissed.

No doubt, many of those opposed to the Bush administration will not see this as any form of exoneration. In fact, I'm quite certain they will suggest that this decision has been clouded by some kind of relationship with the administration, specifically a relationship with the Vice President himself.

Book

Review.

FoodTV controversy

The Bravo network has had several competitive reality shows with controversial competitors. Keith had to leave the third season of "Project Runway" when it was discovered that he had (1) brought design books with him and (2) spent time away from the other contestants to check up on email. Cliff had to leave the second season of "Top Chef" when he physically held Marcel while other contestants acted as if they were going to shave Marcel's head.

Now, it's Food Network's turn to have some controversy on their competitive show, "The Next Food Network Star." Josh Garcia, who went by the nickname JAG, made it to the final two, but was forced to leave after it was revealed he had lied about his past. This statement was show at the end of the show:

“Several months after this episode was taped, Food Network learned that JAG had misrepresented facts about his military service and his culinary training,” the network announced in an on-screen message. “He said he had served in Afghanistan and that he had graduated from cooking school, neither of which is true. When given the opportunity during a press interview, JAG did not set the record straight. Food Network asked JAG to come to New York to discuss the situation.”

Sinead O'Connor's "Christianity"

I read with great interest a recent interview conducted by Christianity Today with musician Sinead O'Connor. I think she has a mesmerizing voice, and her rendition of Prince's Nothing Compares 2 U is one of the most haunting songs I've heard. Her infamy certainly increased following a performance on Saturday Night Live, when she tore in half a picture of Pope John Paul II while urging the audience to "fight the real enemy." She has seemed to mellow in the years since then. Even though her CD's haven't burned up the charts since I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got, she continues to be prolific.

O'Connor is promoting her new album, Theology, which is reportedly inspired by the Old Testament. As if this wasn't strange enough, the album is supposedly being promoted to Christians. (Gareth Higgins, writing for Beliefnet, proves himself to be a fan.) Read this interview, and see if there is anything remotely Christian about O'Connor's spiritual beliefs.

What does Jesus mean to you?

O'Connor: I've had a lot of faith in Jesus ever since I was a little kid. I always joke with my friends that I have a cab company called "Jesus Cabs." And I tell my friends, "If you ask Jesus for anything, it will happen. But you have to believe that it's going to happen."

What about now? Where do you stand in your faith in Jesus?

O'Connor: I think everybody has an individual relationship with Jesus. I kinda really do believe in this Trinity thing, that God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit are all one thing. I understand Jesus as being an interceder, someone you ask when you really need a big favor from God. I also feel that Jesus is inside everybody. It's almost like an energy or a thing that lives inside of us.

Bible action figures

It seems to me that these completely trivialize the Gospel, making the central figures of God's Word as nothing more than mere playthings. How are we to see them otherwise?

Spoil her, and she'll put a hex on you

She is not kidding around. She is serious.

Just a few more days....


Get this and other HP countdowns at LeakyNews.com

I want to be Bob Dylan

Here's a shot of female actress Cate Blanchett playing male performer Bob Dylan in the upcoming film I'm Not There, directed by Todd Haynes.

She's not the only one playing Dylan in the film. He's also portrayed by Richard Gere, Christian Bale, and Heath Ledger.

Bob Dylan was recently in town, but I wasn't able to attend the concert because the tickets sold out very quickly. Perhaps next time (out of mind)...

the hopes of Bill Clinton

Bill introduced Hillary on a campaign stop today. "My wife... I hope, the next president of the United States." Interesting phrase choice... I hope. Hearkens back to one of his old campaign slogans, doesn't it? "I still believe in a place called Hope."

may your death be a nonviolent one

Betty Williams, a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize for helping to end conflict in Ireland, had some very unpeaceable thoughts towards the current American president. She spoke them at the International Women's Peace Conference in Dallas, Texas.

"Right now, I could kill George Bush," she said. "No, I don't mean that. How
could you nonviolently kill somebody? I would love to be able to do that." As
she made her point, she chuckled and some members of the audience laughed.

What was she thinking? She obviously now believes she wasn't thinking clearly at the time, since she has apologized for those remarks. It would have been better to urge the president to find more peaceful resolutions to matters than what has been done in the past.

what you can do... and one thing you can't

Read this editorial from last Friday's Tribune. No, wait. Let me post it for you in its entirety.

If paying taxes was like ordering off a menu, most people wouldn't eat their veggies. Retirees whose kids are grown could opt out of spending to educate the current generation of kids, and young workers could choose not to contribute to Social Security. Don't want to pay for emergency health care for illegal immigrants? Leave it off your plate. Hate the idea of building a fence along the Mexican border? Just say "no, thank you."

As many as 10,000 Americans withhold all or part of their federal income taxes because they object to U.S. military policy, especially the war in Iraq, according to the New York-based National War Tax Resistance Coordination Committee. This is typically framed as an act of civil disobedience, not unlike Henry David Thoreau's one-night stand in the Walden jail for refusing to pay a poll tax because of his opposition to the Mexican-American War.

Thoreau got a lot of mileage out of his brief incarceration, which inspired an essay later embraced by the likes of Martin Luther King Jr. and Indian independence leader Mohandas Gandhi. But today's tax protesters rarely go to jail -- the Internal Revenue Service prefers to quietly garnish their earnings instead. So the public relations payoff is negligible, as is the actual effect on the Pentagon's budget. There are effective ways to oppose the war as a matter of conscience without stiffing your fellow taxpayers.

You can vote. You can run for office. You can march up and down Michigan Avenue wearing a sandwich board and barking into a megaphone. You can cover your car with anti-war bumper stickers, write your congressman, impeach the president, start a blog or bury your local newspaper in letters to the editor.

But pay up.

Last I heard, only members of Congress can "impeach the president." Us common folk can't.

Gloria's goof

Gloria Steinem has an interesting post over at HuffPo where she discusses "chick flicks" versus... well, the term she uses isn't polite. I'm not half as intrigued by her arguments, though, as I am by a typo she made which wasn't caught.

Indeed, as long men are taken seriously when they write about the female half of the world -- and women aren't taken seriously when writing about themselves much less about men or male affairs -- the list of Great Authors will be more about power than about talent.

What about short men?

not long now

Get this and other HP countdowns at LeakyNews.com

The book is being printed in a town very close to me.

my favorite Bugs Bunny short

"What's Opera, Doc?"

Oprah's books

I just picked up a copy of Middlesex, the latest book picked by Oprah to join her illustrious bookshelf. It's a book I've wanted to read for some time now because it reportedly touches on the intriguing themes of gender and identity. The cheapest copy I could find was at Costco, and I was able to get there earlier today. I've read a few of Oprah's past picks, including The Good Earth and her very first one, The Deep End of the Ocean.

Oprah's website has a page for each book she's picked since she resumed her book club a few years ago. Many of the pages focus on the author's life, an examination of the book's characters and themes, and reactions from readers. Compare them with the link that you get for A Million Little Pieces, Oprah's most controversial selection.

Are you reading anything interesting this summer?

Webkinz

Are these the new Beanie Babies? Read here.

one trick pony

Cindy Sheehan once said she was going away, but I guess she's reconsidered that tactic and found it to be... well, when you're not doing anything special, no cameras are going to follow you. Sheehan has decided to run for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's seat if she doesn't introduce articles of impeachment against President Bush within the next two weeks.

Really, what does Sheehan think she can offer? If she would happen to be elected, Bush would not be in the Oval Office anymore. She has never held any kind of office, although it wouldn't be the first time someone with no previous political office made a power grab. I believe the odds are better for San Francisco to fall into the Pacific Ocean than for Pelosi to introduce impeachment articles, so Ms. Sheehan will be running independently.

Ten tidbits 3

01. Joe Carter is a sanctified jerk. He said so himself.

02. Who's that in your rear-view window? It's God.

03. Phil Johnson discusses Benny Hinn, a person who makes any topic more interesting than it was before.

04. I'll do a cameo in Ugly Betty for far less than what Posh Spice was paid.

05. The Daily Mail asks, Won't anyone stand up for God? They refer to books on the best-seller lists, one of which is Christopher Hitchens' God is Not Great. I believe Pastor Mark Roberts answers the DM's question.

06. Dan Edelen argues for the church to teach to mastery.

07. The best headline. Ever.

08. Finally! Men and women are seen as equals. When they talk.

09. After his father's death, Pastor John Piper went through his papers and found these words of wisdom.

10. Are you single? Looking for someone? Check out this map. (TY, Doug Masson)

Wimbledon 2007

Venus Williams wins 4th Wimbledon title The big news in the world of tennis today is Venus Williams' win over Marion Bartoli, 6-4, 6-1. Bartoli stunned Justine Henin in the semi-finals but proved to be no match against Venus. Venus now has as many championshp trophies from the All-England Club as Billie Jean King. Only Martina Navratilova (9) and Steffi Graf (7) have more. Venus is a two-time champion of the U.S. Open.

#1 and #2 Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will meet again. No one's better on clay right now than Nadal, as the last three French Opens have proved. No one's better on grass right now than Federer, as the last four Wimbledons have proved. Who will win this time? Tune in tomorrow...

Ugly Andy There's nothing to say about this, really. I've always thought that Roddick would prove to be a one-hit wonder - he's only won one championship, the U.S. Open in 2003. To have the match in his hand and give it away is completely... well, let's just leave it unsaid.

Update: Federer wins the title for the fifth time straight, beating Nadal if a five-set stunner. This was truly a final match for the ages. Federer said he thought Nadal came close to beating him.

fantastic drives

America has its share of fantastic drives: roads that are fascinating and fun. The drive from Miami to Key West is one to take during your lifetime - and I've already done it. This is another one.

Can you think of any?

American sense

Pastor John Hay has referenced some quotes from Thomas Paine's Common Sense, the pamphlet that really roused those early Americans to take action against the Brits.

Thomas Paine was no Christian. He said so in his work Age of Reason:

I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish church, by the Roman church, by the Greek church, by the Turkish church, by the Protestant church, nor by any church that I know of. My own mind is my own church.

All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian, or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit.

I do not mean by this declaration to condemn those who believe otherwise; they have the same right to their belief as I have to mine. But it is necessary to the happiness of man, that he be mentally faithful to himself. Infidelity does not consist in believing, or in disbelieving; it consists in professing to believe what he does not believe.

blogging principles

I know it's been nearly two years since this blog-feud began, but Adrian Warnock's principles for God bloggers - which came out after the feud concluded - are worth reading... and keeping.

11 years ago....

She said, "I do!"

Update: Where did we celebrate our anniversary? Here, the site of our rehearsal dinner.

Happy 4th of July!

ten tidbits 2

1. Andrew Rilstone examines Richard Dawkins' best-selling book The God Delusion. (TY, In the Agora)

2. Christianity Today picks up the story on the split in Great Britain regarding the concept of atonement. Brit blogger/psychiatrist Adrian Warnock (he's a friend on Facebook - I don't even know the guy, and he invited me to be a friend! how great is that?) gives a quote for the article.

3. Some physicists are saying there was a time before the Big Bang.

4. Newsweek asks, are the major religions essentially alike?

5. LaShawn Barber denounces the liberal left's interpretation of "black pride."

6. Lemming is reading Nancy Drew books, and loving it.

In Chapter One, a pigeon crash-lands in Nancy's yard. A humantarian, Nancy is concerned for the creature's physical safety and well-being. OK, I buy that - pigeons may be public annoyances, but neither do I wish death upon such creatures. Nancy, as a compassionate being taking care of defenseless creatures sets a good example for the impressionable readers, fine.

Following a quick examination of the bird (Nancy somehow knows that no bones have been broken) her first reaction is, and I quote: I'll wire the International Federation of American Homing Pigeon Fanciers and give them the number stamped on the bird's leg ring.

OK, so the idea of sending a telegram is quaint and now impossible - the book was written in 1933, revised in 1966, so that's a nice historical moment/touch for 21st century readers. At the same time, WHAT eighteen year old knows to contact such a group? Knows what their ID badges look like? Even knows that they exist? Combines this with an in-depth knowlege of botany?

7. Two posts on why Evan Almighty, which seemed targeted to a Christian audience, flopped, by Denny Burk and Tim Challies.

8. You heard about this bit of news, correct? For an example of the reactions from the Left (cries of shock, outrage, and protest) and the Right (moderately pleased), see respectively here and here.

9. I was a fanatic - confessions of a former radical.

When I was still a member of what is probably best termed the British Jihadi Network - a series of British Muslim terrorist groups linked by a single ideology - I remember how we used to laugh in celebration whenever people on TV proclaimed that the sole cause for Islamic acts of terror like 9/11, the Madrid bombings and 7/7 was Western foreign policy.

By blaming the Government for our actions, those who pushed this "Blair's bombs" line did our propaganda work for us.

10. Goodbye, Beverly Sills.

jonzin' for java

As you can see, my addiction isn't so bad.

I am 29% Addicted to Coffee

Mingle² - Free Online Dating
Now, Coca-Cola? That's another matter entirely...

July 2, 1776

The Declaration of Independence was adopted on this date in 1776. John Adams, who would become the first vice president and the second president, wrote the following to his wife:

The second day of July 1776 will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival.

The Declaration was adopted two days later, which became the celebrated Day of Independence.

(The above picture was taken of the American flag at the Civil War museum in downtown Indianapolis. Note the number of stars.)

it never gets old...

global melting

If Al Gore cares to hear about news of the environment, he should probably read this.

questioning talk

A new poll is out, showing Americans' dissatisfaction with the Iraq War. 77% say the war is going badly, and 40% want the troops to leave Iraq. Unless things turn around dramatically in Iraq in the coming weeks - unlikey - there's no reason to think these numbers won't escalate.

I listen to talk radio from time to time - right wing talkers, of course, because that's all we have here in the middle of Indiana. The usual suspects - Laura, Hannity, Savage, Jerry Doyle - have all spoken lately about the will of the people in regards to immigration reform. They say that since so many people are against amnesty, the president and Congress should listen to them and enforce the immigration laws currently in place. If the numbers continue to climb, and more than 50% of the population want our troops out Iraq, will they still talk so freely about the will of the people?

cookwear

Elaine Louie of the New York Times picks up on a trend that I had noticed occurring for the past year on the Food Network: low-cut shirts that show off a woman's, ahem, curves. Louie blames Nigella Lawson for starting this trend in 2000 when she was filming for her Style channel show Nigella Bites, but only recently have the other women of cooking shows adopted this style of clothing.

The married Rachael Ray. The married Giada de Laurentiis. The now-single Sandra Lee. The lesbian-with-a-partner Cat Cora. They've all worn this type of clothing. They call the clothing "light-weight, easy to move in." Nigella wears clothes to not "look like Mama Cass." Of course, the Food Network does have its share of ladies who are of a certain age, and certainly don't wear tight-fitting shirts. Paula Deen and Ina Garten come to mind. Wait... okay, they're the only ones that come to mind.

These days, it's not just the steak that's sizzlin'.

it's all in the name

For obvious reasons...

I like this ice cream.

avast, me hearties

I had the rare opportunity to see a film in an actual theater last night because (1) the kids were asleep and (2) the Wife gave me permission.
What did I see?

Spiderman vs. the Batman

topsy turvy

Does it ever feel like your house is turning upside down?

if you're longing for cooler weather...

Simply look in your garden. You just might find a snowball.

he's no Scalito

Many conservatives in Congress are divided over certain issues, most notably immigration reform. It seems that the conservatives in the Highest Court in the Land are divided as well.

It’s not every day that one Supreme Court justice, even one as rhetorically unrestrained as Justice Antonin Scalia, characterizes another justice, let alone the chief justice of the United States, as a wimp and a hypocrite.

Yet Justice Scalia did something very close to that, not once but twice, in separate opinions on Monday. As a result, he has served to lift the curtain a bit on the differences within the powerful five-justice conservative bloc that has marched in lock step through much of the term, bent on reshaping the law and, in several important areas, well on the way toward doing so.

In the campaign finance case, he accused Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. of “faux judicial modesty” for writing an opinion that in Justice Scalia’s view effectively verturned the court’s 2003 campaign finance decision “without saying so.” The clear implication was that the chief justice lacked the courage or honesty to overturn the precedent openly as Justice Scalia himself would have done.

“This faux judicial restraint is judicial obfuscation,” he said.

And Justice Scalia was scathing in his criticism of an opinion signed by Chief Justice Roberts that limited, but did not completely abolish, the right of taxpayers to go to court to challenge government expenditures that promote religion. Justice Scalia would have gone on to shut the courthouse door completely, not simply limiting but overturning the precedent that the new ruling invoked.

“Minimalism is an admirable judicial trait,” Justice Scalia said, “but not when it comes at the cost of meaningless and disingenuous distinctions.”

I'm still Karl Barth

Even after a year.

You scored as Karl Barth, The daddy of 20th Century theology. You perceive liberal theology to be a disaster and so you insist that the revelation of Christ, not human experience, should be the starting point for all theology. Karl Barth 93% Martin Luther 87% Anselm 87% John Calvin 67% Jonathan Edwards 53% Jürgen Moltmann 53% Friedrich Schleiermacher 40% Augustine 33% Charles Finney 33% Paul Tillich 27% Which theologian are you? created with QuizFarm.com

Desiring God book sale

If you haven't done so yet, stop by the Desiring God bookstore to take advantage of their $5 sale on all books. Today is the final day of the two-day sale. If you have trouble accessing the site, try again later - but don't wait too late!

I've added Sex and the Supremacy of Christ, What Jesus Demands from the World, and God is the Gospel to my library. These books join Desiring God, Taste and See, and Future Grace on the Brownie bookshelf.

"Hi, I'm a Marvel." "And I'm a DC."

Leaning Tower of Pisa

The Leaning Tower doesn't lean so much anymore. It now leans like it did in 1838.

"It has straightened a little bit more than we expected, but every little helps," said Prof John Burland, an expert in soil mechanics at Imperial College London, who was the only British member of the 14-strong rescue committee.

He said the tower was still "very slightly moving" towards being upright, but that it had stabilised.

The tower, which has been leaning almost since building work first began in 1173, was closed to the public in 1990 because of safety fears. The 183-foot tower was nearly 15 feet off vertical and its structure was found to have been weakened by centuries of strain.

the shtick of "Sicko"

Reason has a review of Michael Moore's Sicko:

As with much of his previous work, Moore's latest film is, by turns, touching, naïve and maddeningly mendacious, a clumsy piece of agitprop that will likely have little lasting effect on the health care debate.

Ah, well. I still plan to see it.

Brownie is rated...

The rating was determined based on the presence of these words:
suicide (4x)
hurt (1x)

suicide among male veterans

Here's the conclusion of a study about the risk of suicide among male veterans:

Veterans in the general US population, whether or not they are affiliated with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), are at an increased risk of suicide. With a projected rise in the incidence of functional impairment and psychiatric morbidity among veterans of the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, clinical and community interventions that are directed towards patients in both VA and non-VA healthcare facilities are needed.

I guess this is another part of President Bush's legacy.

blast from the past 2

Back in 1989 during the spring of my senior year of high school, the drama department put on several performances of the musical Annie. I played the part of Drake, butler to "Daddy" Oliver Warbucks. Here I am during one of several musical numbers. Is this how I will look 25 years from now? Only time will tell, but hopefully it will be without the lipstick and rouge.

blast from the past

I'm quite certain several members of my family will enjoy this picture, taken in my house on February 12, 1989. The tallest guy is me. A trip to Disney World the previous December explains the Mickey Mouse sweatshirt - which I no longer have, BTW. The two girls were part of my church's youth group. Who is the short guy? One particular niece should be able to tell immediately.

spotlight on love

Enough talk of Paris - for now. If she truly wants to show herself in a new light, she needs to pay attention to things like this:


The dude in the video is my nephew in Panama City, Florida.

I suddenly feel so much better

She's free. Perhaps now the media will only give attention to her when she does something meaningful, and I don't think showing up at some party counts. I have my doubts, but one can hope...

the "Star" on mental health issues

The Indianapolis Star had some articles on mental health issues in this past Sunday's edition. If you live in Indianapolis (or maybe even if you don't) and you are concerned about the current state of mental health treatment (or maybe even if you aren't), you should read them.

• Is our mental health at risk? Experts are concerned because people in need of services are going untreated
• Lack of funds steals opportunities
• Treatment limits cause tragedies
• The value of human capital

Movies

Last week I mentioned that CBS was showing the updated list of 100 best movies as chosen by the American Film Institute. In honor of that listing, I want to bring attention to these links celebrating the art of film-making.

100 Most Memorable Film Moments
Many of my favorite movies made the list. Casablanca's final scene between Ric and Ilsa, Raiders of the Lost Ark's Indy shoots his sword-wielding nemises, Vader tells Luke who his poppa is in The Empire Strikes Back, The Third Man's revelation of a living Lime... What is #1? I'll leave that for you to discover on your own. My absolute favorite is #9, the moment Taylor discovers where he's actually been the whole time in Planet of the Apes.

20 Great Modern Movie Cameos
David Bowie certainly made that piffle of a movie Zoolander a little more cooler with his contribution. I don't need to explain to you what a cameo is, right? It's when a big name movie star (or some other such person) appears in a movie which no one expects him/her to. There - I just explained it.

1,000 Films to See Before You Die
No, I really don't need to see American Pie.

Barack Obama's testimony

Dan Pulliam examines how the media has ignored Senator Obama's confession of faith. It would be interested to hear the testimony of the faith of the other candidates, and how they arrived at it.

5-Minute Counseling Technique

It's funny on TV, but so hard to practice the advice this therapist gives in real life. And, no, this isn't what happens when I meet with people.

glumbert.com - Stop It!

(TY, Ray Fowler)

Bong Hits 4 Jesus

Honestly, I think the Supremes took on this case because of the name.

hope is rampant

Tower of Power

Last Friday, June 15, The Wife and I took the Sweet One to Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom in Louisville, Kentucky. The first ride we rode was one near the entrance of the park: the Tower of Power. To call it a thrilling ride is an understatement: you're taken up 177 feet into the air, then you drop suddenly at 54 mph and slow down just before your feet touch the ground. The Sweet One's face was absolute terror when the drop came. We knew it would be quite a ride when we entered it and after riding it, we knew we wouldn't make a return visit.

We were shocked to learn that less then a week later, a 16-year-old girl's feet were severed while on this ride. Our thoughts and prayers are with her and the family.

The photograph is one I took shortly after we exited the ride.

It's not the years, honey - it's the mileage.

He's older, yes, but the hat still fits.

The site also announces that Bridget Jones's dad is in the cast. Hilarious line in the casting note: "Broadbent joins recently announced cast-members John Hurt, Ray Winstone and Cate Blanchett, as well as Shia LaBeouf and Harrison Ford in the making of the next Indiana Jones adventure." Wait... Harrison Ford is in this movie? No kidding!

On the Road, 2

As I've said before, I'm reading through Jack Kerouac's classic work On the Road. I'm not really wishing to do a formal review of the book. I just want to give some impressions as I go along.

Sal, the narrator of the book, decides to travel cross-country from New York to California so he can meet up with his friend Remi. Remi has promised an outstanding voyage in the Pacific on a freighter. After a false start that leads him nowhere but back to New York, Sal is on his way. He spends the night at an anticipated city - Chicago. I love Chicago, so I'm anxious to read about what Sal does there. Sal describes his first walk around the city:

The wind from Lack Michigan, bop at the Loop, long walks around South Halsted and North Clark, and one long walk after midnight into the jungles, where a cruising car followed me as a suspicious character.

I stop reading. "...bop at the Loop." What is Jack talking about? Is "bop" some kind of drug reference? I decide to get up off the couch and head to the computer so I can do research. I find on entry on "bebop" in Wikipedia:

Bebop is a form of jazz characterized by fast tempos and improvisation based on harmonic structure rather than melody. It was developed in the early and mid-1940s. It first surfaced in musicians' argot some time during the first two years of the Second World War. Hard bop later developed from bebop combined with blues and gospel music.

Ah, jazz. A musical form of which I'm sadly ignorant. I don't even have a Miles Davis CD.

it's a sunshine day

vote one, get one free

I read this article on the Clintons with interest, mostly because it's a story of one reporter, Carl Bernstein, relating his thoughts to another reporter, Alex Spillius, in the New York Sun.

If Americans elect Senator Clinton as president next year, they will also be re-electing her husband, according to the author of a new biography of the former first lady.

Carl Bernstein, one of the reporters who broke the Watergate scandal which brought down President Nixon, told the Daily Telegraph that the couple would operate a joint presidency in which President Clinton would advise on policy and tactics as well as act as troubleshooter.

"There is no question in my mind it would be a co-presidency because he has better judgment than she does on most political matters. He would be a constant presence," Mr. Bernstein said.

Bernstein isn't saying anything shocking here. We can guess how Hillary's presidency would be because of her infamous comparison of Bill's presidency to a two-for-one special. Bill would have an extremely unique role if Hillary wins the White House: a former president who is the spouse of a sitting president. How could he not be intimately involved?

As a couple, they feel the last years of his presidency were wasted by the Monica Lewinsky affair and his failed impeachment, and that they have unfinished business, particularly on health reform and restoring America's standing in the world.

"As a couple?" Please. What about as a nation? I think most everyone saw Bill's final years as "wasted" because of his scandalous behavior. Again, Bernstein offers nothing shocking or even interesting with this view. What's more interesting is the notion of "unfinished business" - that the Clintons believe that they're the ones who have to fix America, to make it right again. Unfortunately, Spillius doesn't allow Bernstein to further his ideas about that.

The article notes that Bernstein worked on his book for eight years, which means he started researching Hillary when she ran to be New York's senator. The article doesn't say how Bernstein decided to finish his book - why not spend another year on it to see how her run for the highest office plays out? Perhaps Bernstein thought this would be the prime time to sell his book - if Hillary doesn't gain the presidency or even the nomination, the book likely wouldn't sell as well.

Even Carl Bernstein realizes that timing is a very important thing. As one of the reporters who revealed the Watergate scandal, he knows that well.

my sister, the photographer

My sister Joy has taken a stunning photo of the beach at sunset in Panama City Beach, Florida. She asked me to pass it along for you to see, and because she's my sister (and she lets me stay at her house in PCB), I've obliged.

Rate my photo, Click here

I didn't know until this day that it was Rosebud all along.

The American Film Institute has released a ten-year anniversary update to their list of 100 Years... 100 Films. Citizen Kane remains at #1, but there are many new films on the list, including The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring at #50.

The top ten:
01. Citizen Kane
02. The Godfather
03. Casablanca
04. Raging Bull
05. Singin' in the Rain
06. Gone With the Wind
07. Lawrence of Arabia
08. Schindler's List
09. Vertigo
10. The Wizard of Oz

I was shocked to discover I've only seen 40 of these films in their entirety. I've seen bits and pieces of many of the films, though. A couple years ago, I started to watch Annie Hall but I just grew bored with it. I've decided to give it another chance, though.

Of the films on this list that I've seen, there's only one that I absolutely hated: Pulp Fiction.

if you're a "Lost" fan, you'll love this

What would Jesus damn?

Read this. And don't forget to have your brain with you when you do.

i want money, lotsa and lotsa money...

See? A president can be like an ordinary American when it comes to birthday presents - money is the best gift.

because he's not getting enough press...

Here he is: Britain's new favorite sensation.

tunnel vision

tunnel vision (?)
Originally uploaded by Good Brownie

Is it a way through?

hey, Jack Kerouac

I've just started reading a book widely regarded as an American classic, Jack Kerouac's On the Road. I've had it for over five years now, but like more than a few books on my shelves, I've never sat down to read it. Until now, that is. I'm putting off buying the latest Oprah's Book Club selection to give some time to this book. We'll see how it goes, and I'll certainly talk about it from time to time.

For now, let me just give a little quote. This is what Sal, the "voice" of the book, says after two of his friends meet, form an instant connection, and take off together down the street.

But then they danced down the street like dingledodies, and I shambled after as I've been doing all my life after people who interest me, because the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes "Awww!"

I'm purposely avoiding reviews and websites devoted to On the Road. I don't know if the above quote is one that many people like, but I think it says something about not just the character of Sal, but of the viewpoint of many people. Naturally, I'm most interested in those people who are "mad to be saved." What do they believe they need to be saved from?

"And despite living within an hour of Indy for most of my life, I've never been inside the Indianapolis Motor Speedway."

Jason talks racing... and Indy pride.

what will Bush's lasting legacy be?

Many people will be tempted to say "Iraq," but I'm willing to suggest that it will be this. It's important to remember that Bush has another year in power. It's improbable that another justice will step down during his remaining time in office, but not impossible.

Notice in the picture of the Supremes that Roberts doesn't wear anything to show distinction from the other justices, as Rehnquist did.

Strawberry festival memories

You remember that a few days ago I mentioned attending this event? Well, here's the proof I was there.
Oh, yes. The Works - strawberries, shortcake, vanilla ice cream, and whipped cream - was incredibly delicious.

Those Cathedral Women know how to make a mean dessert.

leave your faith at college orientation

Do undergrad students abandon their faith when they further their education? A new study suggests, perhaps not.

Whether the source is God and Man at Yale or any number of more recent studies, the conflict between a college education and the faith that students bring to campus (secular campuses at least) is well accepted. The more you pursue a higher education, the more likely you are to abandon your faith — at least that’s what conventional wisdom holds.

“Actually we’ve just been wrong about this for quite a while,” said Mark D. Regnerus, an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Texas at Austin and one of the authors of a new study that suggests students who attend and graduate from college are more likely than others to hold on to their faith.

A perceived sense of practicality seems to be holding sway:

Regnerus said that what the study suggests — and his personal experience confirms — is that while there are plenty of non-religious professors around, they aren’t trying to discourage any students from practicing their faith. “Of course there are some who are hostile to religion. But they don’t teach that. They teach their discipline,” Regnerus said. The attitude, he added, is: “Whatever I think about evangelicals, when I go to teach quantum physics, I teach quantum physics.”

More broadly, so many students are in pre-professional programs, Regnerus said, that they are focused on practical matters much more than on wondering whether God exists. As a Christian who earned his undergraduate degree at Trinity Christian College, Regnerus said he spent a lot of time talking about philosophical issues in college, but that’s not the norm for many undergrads these days. (Christian colleges in recent years have experienced a boom, in part from students who don’t want to become secular, or whose parents don’t want them to become secular, and Regnerus said his study doesn’t contradict that belief. Because there is a decline in religious connection during the college years — looking at religious and secular institutions together — those at religious colleges are less likely to experience that decline.)

Schroeder's Drive-in

As you can see, they serve hamburgers. Dern good ones, too.

Spurs in 4

NBA Rookie of the Year LeBron James and his Cavaliers proved they were worthy of making it to the NBA Finals. However, they were no match for the San Antonio Spurs, who swept them in four games. The Spurs have won their fourth title in nine years. Can anybody say dynasty?

Bush at 29%, Congress at 23%

Our disapproval knows no bounds. We don't like the Republicans. We don't like the Democrats.

Bring back the Whigs!

Strawberry festival

For you Indianapolis readers out there (and there's a few - I know you exist), don't forget about the Strawberry Festival down at the Circle tomorrow. It goes from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. I'll be there.

Discerning Reader

Tim Challlies has relaunched his website called Discerning Reader, which features book reviews of many Christian books that are in the market. If you're thinking about getting a specific book, you should certainly stop by to see if he's done a review.

From the site:

120,000 new books are published each year. Ten thousand every month. 1.5 billion books per year are consumed within America alone and yet even this totals only 35% of the books that are sold worldwide. How can anyone hope to navigate the seemingly infinite number of books available?

This is where we come in. Discerning Reader is dedicated to helping you find, read and enjoy good books.

Childhood is calling

My youngest daughter indulges in one of her favorite activities when she visits Grammy's house.

swing
Originally uploaded by Good Brownie