"Schizophrenic admits knife death"

What is wrong with this headline?

Only someone with a mental illness would be labeled this way. He isn't considered a person - he's one of those scary crazy guys who did something horrifying to someone else, and so this is what he's called. I guess "Person with schizophrenia admits knife death" isn't as sexy.

If the man had diabetes, the headline would not read "Diabetic admits knife death."

If the man had luekemia, the headline would not read "Luekemic admits knife death."

But since the man has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, this is what we get.

Thanksgiving 2007

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone, especially to the family and friends who stop by this little blog. We truly have much for which to be thankful this year. It's a work day for me, since hospitals have yet to close in recognition of holidays. My parents are coming and will enjoy a Thanksigiving dinner this evening, so that will be very nice.

Last year I posted several links to Thanksgiving-related articles and sites, so I thought I'd do the same for this year.

• A brief history of Thanksgiving (Mark D. Roberts)


• The Mayflower passenger list


• Thanksgiving at the White House 2007


• President Bush pardons May and Flower in what is probably the silliest American tradition


• Ganging up on Gratitude (John Piper)


• Turkey time again (Blue Crab Blvd)


• In defense of traditional Thanksgiving history (Joshua Clayourn)


• The Seattle school system commands you to mourn at Thanksgiving


• Thank someone in the military through text-messaging (HT: Sister Toldjah)


• iVillage has the best Thanksgiving recipes


• Tips for the perfect gravy


• Cranberries are good for your teeth


• DJP doesn't want you to do this


• In honor of today, I point you to the 19 worst foods in America


• I've never heard of it, but a coworker told me that it's a tradition of many radio stations to play this by Arlo Guthrie on Thanksgiving


• Thanksgiving coloring pages: 1 and 2


• My post from 2006

"Since Hillary was elected in '08, Christian persecution in America has gotten even worse than we predicted."

I don't want to see a Clinton II presidency, but I greatly doubt it will be like this. Alarmism to the extreme, indeed.

the buck stops there

Oh, my. Former press secretary Scott McClellan has written a book which contains, among other things, an apparent admission of misleading.

In an excerpt from his forthcoming book, McClellan recount the 2003 news conference in which he told reporters that aides Karl Rove and I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby were "not involved" in the leak involving operative Valerie Plame.

"There was one problem. It was not true," McClellan writes, according to a brief excerpt released Monday. "I had unknowingly passed along false information. And five of the highest-ranking officials in the administration were involved in my doing so: Rove, Libby, the vice president, the president's chief of staff and the president himself."

Whenever I hear about a he-said/she-said situation (and all its variables), especially in regards to whether or not a specific event occurred, I want to ask: who stands to benefit more from giving false statements?

I imagine my Democratic friends will rush to vilify Wilson/Plame and demonize Bush & Co., and my Republican friends will attack McClellan.

Overstreet on "His Dark Materials"

This is quite probably the most thoughtful, well-written piece - by Jeffrey Overstreet and from a Christian worldview - about the "His Dark Materials" trilogy and the upcoming film The Golden Compass that I have encountered so far.

What does Overstreet suggest Christians should do?

• Educate yourselves. And equip your kids with questions… lenses, so to speak… that will expose the problems in these stories.
• Respond with grace and love. And truth.
• Admit that, yes, Christians have committed grave sins in the name of Christ, and that those shameful misrepresentations of the gospel have made many people fearful of, and even repulsed by, the church. But Christians have been called to serve the oppressed, proclaim freedom for the captives, bring healing to the sick, to seek justice, to love mercy, to walk humbly, and to bring good news of “great joy.” And by God’s grace, many are living out that calling. They paint quite a different picture than what Pullman has painted.
• Encourage the artists and storytellers in your church. If you see talent and imagination, provide resources and opportunities for those artists. We don’t want visionaries abandoning the church because they are tired of being misunderstood or having their talents exploited for the sake of evangelism.
• Do not get hysterical, mount massive boycotts, or behave in ways that the Magisterium in Pullman’s books would behave. You’ll just make Pullman’s stories more persuasive, and you’ll confirm for the culture around us that Christians only really get excited when they’re condemning something.
• Finally… pray for Philip Pullman, and pray about the influence of his work. Pullman is just a man who, somewhere along the way, got a very bad impression of the church.I also cannot help but note a detail from biographies published online: Pullman’s father died in a plane crash in the 1950s, when Pullman was only seven years old. I don’t know if that had anything to do with his view of God… but I do know that many of the men I know who have struggled with the idea of a loving, caring, benevolent god are those whose fathers abandoned them or died while they were young. Boys without fathers often grow up with deep resentment, and having no focus for that pain, they target God.I want to be careful here: I am not explaining Pullman to you, because I don’t know him. But that detail made me stop and think about how little I know about his experiences and motivations. Shouldn’t I be praying for him instead of condemning him? Shouldn’t I be looking for ways to show love and respect to the man, even as I look for ways to expose the flaws in his work? Pullman’s not likely to reconsider his notions about God if those who believe in God organize a full-scale assault against him and his work.

No raindrops on roses, no pink satin sashes

Oprah, America's premier giver, showcased her 2007 favorite things on today's show. The biggest prize to the audience in Macon, Georgia? A side-by-side refrigerator with built-in HDTV. I can't afford that, but I think I'll be picking up that Josh Groban Christmas CD.

Also, how cheeky is it to list your own book among your favorite things?

Best Christian Albums 2007? I had no idea...

Back in my high school and college days, I listened to a lot of Contemporary Christian Music, or CCM for short. (I could discuss my 8th grade obsession with Southern Gospel music, but let's not go there, okay?) My tape/CD collection was very diverse within the CCM world, ranging from First Call to Russ Taff to Petra to the Cathedrals (see? It was hard to let Southern Gospel go...) I had posters of Amy Grant, 2nd Chapter of Acts and Glad on my college dorm room wall. I happily attended concerts at my college when Larnelle Harris, Steve Green and 4Him came to town. I drove out of town to see White Heart and Steven Curtis Chapman. I didn't subscribe but I read CCM Magazine. It seemed I couldn't get enough.

For some reason, my love for CCM began to dissipate following my college years. I can't pinpoint exactly what happened, except to say that I just grew older. I don't mean to be flippant or glib when I say that, but it's really what happened. I didn't completely grow out of listening to that kind of music, because I still listen to Christian radio stations when I was driving somewhere. I guess I felt that the majority of that type of music produced between, say, 1995 and 2005, didn't really speak to me or where I was at spiritually. It seemed too happy - too peppy - too much Ain't it grand to be a Christian, ain't it grand. And I just didn't feel that way most of the time. Where were the songs that expressed doubt, that really cut to the heart, that exposed the pain in life that comes to everyone regardless of their faith? Maybe those songs were there all along, but I missed them somehow.

Christianity Today has listed what the editors believe to be the best Christian albums in 2007. Honestly, I don't know any of these people. I've heard some of their names before, like Derek Webb and David Crowder Band, but I can't honestly say I know their music. I guess I've heard some of their songs on the local Christian radio station in Indianapolis, but it's hard to listen to music and drive (which is the only time I really listen to the radio) and talk to The Wife and tell the screaming kids to calm down all at the same time.

I'm willing to make a return, though. I want my daughters to listen to other music besides the latest boy band (you know they will come back again - they always do) or mini-skirted starlet.

As I peruse through the list, I can't tell if the music on these albums is good, bad, or somewhere in the middle. What do you think? Have you listened to them? Are there albums out there better than the ones listed here?

1. Mike Farris, Salvation in Lights
2. Caedmon's Call, Overdressed
3. Sara Groves, Tell Me What You Know
4. Jeremy Casella, Recovery
5. Jeff Caylor, Okay
6. Switchfoot, Oh! Gravity
7. Adam Watts, Sleeping Fire
8. David Crowder Band, Remedy
9. Mavis Staples, We'll Never Turn Back
10. Relient K, Five Score and Seven Years Ago
11. Derek Webb, The Ringing Bell
12. The Heat, Need to Breath

Five Kinds of Christians

Helen Lee reports on a recent survey which concludes there are five different kinds of Christians.

Active Christians (19%)

• Believe salvation comes through Jesus Christ
• Committed churchgoers
• Bible readers
• Accept leadership positions
• Invest in personal faith development through the church
• Feel obligated to share faith; 79% do so.

Professing Christians (20%)

• Believe salvation comes through Jesus Christ
• Focus on personal relationship with God and Jesus
• Similar beliefs to Active Christians, different actions
• Less involved in church, both attending and serving
• Less commitment to Bible reading or sharing faith

Liturgical Christians (16%)

• Predominantly Catholic and Lutheran
• Regular churchgoers
• High level of spiritual activity, mostly expressed by serving in church and/or community
• Recognize authority of the church

Private Christians (24%)

• Largest and youngest segment
• Believe in God and doing good things
• Own a Bible, but don't read it
• Spiritual interest, but not within church context
• Only about a third attend church at all
• Almost none are church leaders

Cultural Christians (21%)

• Little outward religious behavior or attitudes
• God aware, but little personal involvement with God
• Do not view Jesus as essential to salvation
• Affirm many ways to God
• Favor universality theology

kos on kos

It doesn't get more self-referential than this.

I guess it doesn't hurt to push your magazine article on your own blog. People from all political persuasions have done this time and again. I'm not meaning to pick on Markos particularly because of his politics - we are members of the same party, after all. I just find the self-referencing extremely amusing, especially considering that he's taking a part of his own article and blogging about it.

huckchuckfacts

This is the funniest political ad out there now:

Challies' 2007 picks

Tim Challies has listed his recommended books for 2007. Naturally I don't agree with everything that he writes, but what he writes - and recommends - is certainly worth your time.

Is Dolly's creator becoming prolife?

If he isn't, then he at least is developing a belief that the world of science must include a sense of morality.

The Scottish scientist who created Dolly the sheep more than a decade ago said he is abandoning the cloning technique that he pioneered, according to an interview published Saturday.

Ian Wilmut, who led the team that created Dolly in 1996, told The Daily Telegraph that he is abandoning cloning to pursue a new technique that can create stem cells without an embryo.

Wilmut's announcement could mark the end of therapeutic cloning, in which DNA is inserted into an unfertilized egg, an embryo is produced and stem cells are harvested, the newspaper said. Tens of millions of dollars have been spent
worldwide on therapeutic cloning research in the past decade, but nobody has made it work in humans.

Wilmut believes a rival method pioneered in Japan that creates stem cells from fragments of skin is better for growing tissue that can be used to treat people who are paralyzed or have illnesses ranging from diabetes to Parkinson's disease.

He said the Japanese method does not require human eggs, making it "easier to accept socially" than his Dolly method, known as "nuclear transfer." The Japanese method removes the need to destroy embryos — an action many people oppose and that has become a major stumbling block for funding and regulating research. (USA
Today)

More: Dolly Dad Dumps Cloning, Doesn't Discourage Democrats

As you walk on by, will you call my name?

There are very few vocalists in the music scene that I can listen to and think, Man, I wish I sounded like him. This song, however, causes me to think that every single time I hear it.

Reds sadness

Sounds of mourning can be heard from Cincinnati and Reds' fans all over the world today. Joe Nuxhall, who pitched for the Reds before becoming a radio broadcaster for their games, has died. The Reds' website has a tribute page to Nuxhall.

Ten Tidbits 6

1. USA Today has what appears to be images of Abraham Lincoln on his way to deliver his three minute address in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
2. The sun is no longer (at this time, anyway) the largest single object in the solar system. A comet is. (HT: Betsy's Page)
3. Even a three-year-old can be a Calvinist.
4. Alan Kurschner believes there are five good reasons to own a gospel synopsis.
5. There's never been a better year for gift cards. Are you going to buy them? (HT: In the Agora)
6. Justin Buzzard reports on Rob Bell's "the gods aren't angry" tour when it stopped in San Francisco. From the pictures, it doesn't look like Bell wore any flowers in his hair.
7. Think twice before you order a cake from Wal-Mart.
8. Pay close attention when you're flipping the breakfast pancakes. If you see an image on Jesus and Mary, you could get $338 for the pancake on Ebay. I made waffles for my girls last night, but alas, no images.
9. If you haven't heard, I've got a new nephew. Here are the pics.
10. Shirt Woot offers a new T-shirt daily for $10. You have to be quick, though - today's shirt is already sold-out.

the fall season

I took a very brisk walk today, bringing my camera along. I saw a tree still holding on...

...a tree that's given up...


...and a child's autumnal paradise.

This is under the pine tree in my front yard

Somehow I don't think it's a truffle...

The alligators might not like new neighbors

Matthew Yglesias, who is usually somewhat sharp, appears to be fairly ignorant about the state of Florida when he ponders Miami expansion.

There's something pretty cool about the shape of the Miami-related sprawl when you pull it out to an appropriate distance. I'd been interested to know what, if anything, is legally or practically preventing the city from just expanding further and further west if anyone happens to know.

Matt, it's a little something called the Everglades National Park.

are you there? hello??

People. Of the last 26 posts, I've received only one comment. ONE. Now, I know there are people coming through here, because Sitemeters tells me that my little site is currently averaging 50 people a day. I have several family members and a friend in Raleigh who stop by faithfully, but they haven't left any comments and I'm beginning to worry about them.

Am I going to have to bring out Miss Snider, my second grade teacher, to deal with ya'll?

Please do not question the customer's sanity

Here's a poster of approved and forbidden words for workers at a Chinese clothing store.

(Warning: There is one little word that would not be uttered - or in this case, typed - at this site, so proceed with caution.)