Thabiti Anyabwile lays out “Seven Reasons Conservative Whites and White Evangelicals Should Stop and Enjoy Obama's Nomination.” Thabiti is an African-American pastor serving at my former church, and he has a point. I admit that Obama's atrocious voting record on behalf of abortion advocates has kept me from taking a moment to "rejoice with those who rejoice" over the historical significance of Obama's nomination. This is gonna be an interesting General Election . . . .
“My marriage ended because John McCain didn’t want to be 40, he wanted to be 25.” Carol McCain, who is more tolerant of John McCain’s adultery and divorce 30 years ago than the others quoted in an unflattering piece on John McCain in London’s Daily Mail. (story) As I said, this is gonna be an interesting General Election . . . .
Happy Father’s Day: “A few days ago, I came across a draft of a memoir my father was working on before he entered immortality in 1999. After reading it carefully, I realized that I knew almost everything in it except for one huge thing: how hard his work — his “business,” as one might say, for it surely kept him “busy” — had been for a number of years in middle age.” (Ben Stein, on his father)
“If I had to pay 42 cents to send this email, would I?” And review 35 more questions to ask before you send your next e-mail.
Value your First Amendment freedom of speech, because the U.S. is becoming the last place among Western nations to exercise this right. Last week a French court convicted Brigitte Bardot of provoking discrimination and racial hatred for writing that Muslims are destroying France, and in England two pastors handing out gospel leaflets in a predominantly Muslim area were threatened with arrest and warned of being beaten for committing what a police officer called a "hate crime."
“In the last decade, even during the seven-plus years of the Bush presidency, the center of American politics has moved considerably to the left. Whether Obama or McCain wins the White House, liberalism has already won the national debate about the future of the country.” I’m a conservative, but I found this article by Michael Lind in Salon absolutely intriguing.
You should read Time’s coverage of the violence against Israel’s messianic Jews and pray for the Ortiz family. And I send you to this article despite the fact that editors let a horribly-worded phrase from reporter Tim McGirk slip in: “Orthodox Jews view [messianic Jews] as traitors for joining the Christian faith, which for centuries has persecuted Jews.” What a contrast to how McGirk carefully nuanced his presentation of the violence: “Lately, the outrage among extremist orthodox Jews has spilled into violence.” So let me get this straight: Christians persecute Jews, but its only “extremist” orthodox Jews who blow up the children of messianic Jewish pastors. I’m sure that’s not what McGirk meant, but it was lazy reporting nonetheless.
“Card-carrying members of the intelligentsia like Mr. Hitchens, Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris would surely be doubtful, even incredulous, if a politician who had illegally seized power claimed that his motives for doing so were purely patriotic; or if a CEO of a drug company explained a sudden drop in prices by professing her undying compassion for those unable to afford her company's products. Discerning a difference between people's professed aims and their real aims is just what intellectuals do. Yet when someone does something nasty and claims to have done it in the name of religion, our leading atheists suddenly become paragons of credulity.” (“Too Much Faith in Faith” by Alan Jacobs)
“A computer spell-checker run amok christened several Pennsylvania high school students with new — and in some cases unflattering — last names. Middletown Area High School's yearbook listed Max Zupanovic as ‘Max Supernova,’ Kathy Carbaugh as ‘Kathy Airbag’ and Alessandra Ippolito as ‘Alexandria Impolite,’ just to name a few.” (story)
Can you use “compunicate” in a sentence? How about “defriend” or “moofer”? Advertising agency Cramer-Krasselt has compiled a 2008 Cultural Dictionary of new words and phrases culled from magazines, web sites, blogs and conversations. Check it out.
How to Get More Than 40 Miles Per Gallon Without a Hybrid
“Back where I come from, we have universities, seats of great learning where men go to become great thinkers. And when they come out, they think deep thoughts — and with no more brains than you have. But! They have one thing you haven’t got! A diploma!” (“The Wizard of Oz”)
The stress from deepening debt is becoming a major pain in the neck — and the back and the head and the stomach — for millions of Americans. (story in Time magazine)
“A rich 80-year-old Indian widow has spent thousands of dollars on a feast for 100,000 people in the hope it would please the gods and open the doors of heaven for her, local officials said.” (story)
“For just $40 a year, believers can arrange for up to 62 people to get a final message exactly six days after the Rapture, that day when -- according to Christian end times dogma -- Christians will be swept up to heaven, while doubters are left behind to suffer seven years of Tribulation under a global government headed by the Antichrist. ‘You've Been Left Behind gives you one last opportunity to reach your lost family and friends for Christ,’ reads the website.” From Wired magazine, which smells a possible scam.
What’s the solution to the worldwide environmental, obesity, and food crises? Eat more bugs, or, as they are euphemistically called, “mini livestock” and “land shrimp.” Yum.
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