Paging Dr. Moreau - Your Island is Ready

Sci Fi writers have been talking about it as far back as Frankenstein and the Island of Dr. Moreau, but we were all comforted by the fact that it was simply impossible. No longer it seems. Scientists - American scientists - are comingling human and animal material to produce chimeras. Maybe I am just getting to be an old fuddy-duddy, but I am horrified by the matter-of-fact attitudes of this story.

The University of Nevada-Reno researcher talks matter-of-factly about his plans to euthanize one of the pregnant sheep in a nearby lab. He can't wait to examine the effects of the human cells he had injected into the fetus' brain about two months ago.
"It's mice on a large scale," Chamberlain says with a shrug.
As strange as his work may sound, it falls firmly within the new ethics guidelines the influential National Academies issued this past week for stem cell research.

Why is this not a debate in the public? Why is it at the same time Congress debates the ethics of euthanizing rats and frogs, no one questions the ethics of doing the same to a human brain?

The Terrorists Won't Attack Here

Portland has pulled their officers out of the anti-terrorism program, apparently because they don't believe that terrorism is a real threat in this country. Of course, they're probably right that the terrorists won't attack the Oregon area if they know anything about politics. They'd just be killing some of their biggest supporters.

A Sight to Behold

Wow

Bush as Robin Hood

John Tierney has an op-ed piece at the NYT that raises the question of what the Democrats will do now that Bush has "called their bluff."

Democrats like to portray Mr. Bush as King George or Marie Antoinette. But on Thursday night, when he promised to improve benefits for the poor while limiting them for everyone else, he sounded more like Robin Hood, especially when he rhapsodized about poor people getting a chance to build up assets that they could pass along to their children.

I agree that the President made a good move. However, I don't share Tierney's optimism at this point. And it's not because of the Democrats. It seems that the American people will refuse to move on this issue until the crisis is actually upon us. Much like the issue of dependence on oil, we refuse to change our lifestyles until the absolute end.

Death Sentence For Akbar

I must have missed the full significance of this the first time around. I vaguely remember hearing something about a soldier killing his comrades. Well, the jury just gave Sgt. Hasan Akbar the death penalty. It will be automatically appealed. Akbar claimed in his apology,

I want to apologize for the attack that occurred. I felt that my life was in jeopardy, and I had no other options. I also want to ask you for forgiveness

The scariest thing is what the prosecution is claiming,

Akbar launched the attack at his camp days before the soldiers were to move into Iraq because he was concerned about U.S. troops killing fellow Muslims in the Iraq war

Do we have to start screening our current military personel to find out where their true interests really lie? What's to prevent terrorists from joining our armed forces and then using our own weapons against us?

If Hollywood Wants Smut, You'll Get Smut!

Hollywood's not happy that the President has signed legislation allowing content blockers on DVD systems. Apparently, a parent being able to control what their child watches is a violation of copyright laws, according to the biz.

And this from the same people who claim that it is up to the parents, and not the government, to police what their children watch. Yet, when something comes along that allows that, Hollywood does everything in their power to destory it.

Seriously, I don't have any desire to get one of these and I tend to think that if a movie needs one, you probably shouldn't be letting your kids see it anyway. But, parents deserve the right to do as they see fit in protecting their children. Hollywood has no business in telling parents what they can and can't control when it comes to their children. They'll make the same amount of money they would off of the DVD if someone else bought it and did not use editing equipment.

And let's not pretend that Hollywood is really intersted in "the art." Hollywood long ago showed that they have no interest in the "art" of film. If they did, sequels would be the exception rather than the rule, horror movies would be terrifying for their atmosphere instead of gore, comedies would be funny for reasons other than nudity and fart jokes, Sci-Fi would actually dare to consider new frontiers rather than recycling the same horror/action garbage, Clint Eastwood would never be able to make another movie where he makes fun of his age, Denzel Washington would be required to play someone other than himself in at least every other role, and Steven Segal would never be seen on camera again.

A Poverty of Moral Imagination

Donald Sensing posts an excellent anyalisis of the left's failure to come to terms with terrorism. The piece is borrowed from another site and is well worth the read. Here's the best part:

… a seeming lack of ability, of the imagination, to digest the meaning of the great moral and political evils of the world and to look at them unflinchingly. …

They come to be treated, generically, as the product of class societies and, today, as the product of capitalism. The affinity between this overall intellectual tendency within Marxist and other left thinking, and the practical reductionism I have just described-in which America is identified as the source of all worldly wrongs-should be transparent. …

The Taliban in Afghanistan; Saddam’s Iraq; the reduction of a human being by torture; the use of terror randomly to kill innocents and to smite all those by whom they are cherished; mass murder; ethnic cleansing; all the manifold practices of human evil-to look upon these and at once see “capitalism,” “imperialism,” “America,” is not only to show a poverty of moral imagination, it is to reveal a diminished understanding of the human world. A social or political science, or a practical politics, that cannot rise to the level of what has been understood, in their own mode, by the great religions-and I say this as a resolute and lifelong atheist-and what has also been understood, in their own mode, by all the great literatures of the world, is a science and a politics that can no longer be taken seriously. It should not be taken seriously by anyone attached to the democratic and egalitarian values that have always been at the heart of the broad socialist tradition.

Now, consider this. The author is Norm Geras, a Marxist. And yet, our American liberals still can't get it.

They Must Be Doing Something Right

There are few politicians that I absolutely cannot stand. Al Gore is one of them. So, if he's mad about the fillibuster then the Republicans must be doing something right. Consider the crux of Gore's argument:

"What makes it so dangerous for our country is their willingness to do serious damage to our American democracy in order to satisfy their lust for one-party domination of all three branches of government," Gore said of the GOP in a speech. "They seek nothing less than absolute power."

Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't the Democrats dream of having the same power? Isn't the contest of politics about being the more powerful? Sure, we're a country that values the minority, but if the people put you in power...

What Gore is really saying is that the Republicans should not be utlizing the power that they have rightly gained through the elected process. Only Democrats should be able to use that power. But then, Gore spends half the speech still bemoaning the 2000 and 2004 elections. Remember, the Republicans stole the election with some mythical power that they alone have the rights to. So, here's to hoping that he keeps up on that track. Then he'll never have power again. And there could be little sweeter then never having to see Al Gore in a government position again.

Those Yummie Little Candies

I really love the new dark chocolate M&M's. They rock out for sure. And, I love the Star Wars bags. They're really cute. So Muse and I were out grocery shopping and picked up a couple of bags. I'm all like "Wow, check out how cute these guys on the bags are! I wonder if we could get the various bags!" And Muse was all like "I don't know, we'll see how it looks next time we pick some up."

So then, we're riding home (having opened a bag to enjoy) and she notices on the bag that this cover is 51 of 300,465,293! Well, more like 51 of 72. But still, that seems a little silly to have so many. I mean, think of how much candy you'd have to eat! That is seriously unhealthy.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a lot of M&M's to get through and I need both hands for the work.

Rant: Idiot Celebs and Political Ideas

I know I'm not the only person that has issues with this, but today I have just snapped. The snapping is a result of reading about Maggie Gyllenhaal's comments last week about 9/11. I know that we have the freedom of speach, which is a great thing, but I'm so tired of stupid idiotic celebs thinking that we need to listen to their opinions about politics and the social fabric of the world. Why should I care about what some dope who barely graduated high school's opinion on something they know nothing about.

The irony of me saying this on a blog is obvious, but you don't have to read this and if you don't like it stop reading. The point is, you don't have to read Mod-Blog (though we're happy you do). If celebs were willing to shoot their mouths off on a blog where I never had to hear about it, that would be terrific. Instead they do it in public when I'm watching television or it gets reported on news outlets that I read - so I am forced to come to grips with the undeniable truth that celebs honestly believe that since they're a celeb they're worth listening to or worse that they're somehow more intelligent than the general public.

Ok, rant's done. Thank you for listening.

Making Paris Hilton Look Like a Genius

The end of Western civilization is upon us. Run while you still can.

Wonders

Ah, the wonders of the optical nerves. Don't get sucked in for too long. You might waste your day spinning in blue and yellow circles.

An Interesting Question

From Southern Appeal:

Where would Barbara Boxer stand on illegal immigration if she discovered that these migrants were crossing the border in order to block the entrances of American abortion clinics?

What Passes For Discourse on the Left

Apparently, threatening violence against the President is acceptable political discourse for the left. Can you imagine if some right wing group had put an add like this out for Senator Reid over his obstructionist ways? The liberals would be going nuts. But since it was at the expense of a Republian President, it's all in the name of fun.

More from High Gear 2005

One more posting about High Gear for interested readers. (For non-interested readers, please move along to the next political commentary article by Ward or Sean.) I put together some of our photos into a slide show, and put audio under it from an actual performance from one of the singing groups that competed. Click the image below to see the site (QuickTime required). Enjoy!

Reid and Social Security

If Reid thinks that Social Security is in perfect condition, than why did he propose legislation attempting to let he and his colleagues out of it? Just another little piece of the picture that shows how easily the Democratic leader, formerly a fair-minded moderate, will do anything to tow the party line.

The Trouble with Fantasies

Stalin appears to be making a comeback in Russia of late, including gaining government support. Chrenkoff has some good thoughts about what is going on over there:

Vladimir Putin gets nostalgic in his address to the Russian people:

"First and foremost it is worth acknowledging that the demise of the Soviet Union was the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the century... As for the Russian people, it became a genuine tragedy. Tens of millions of our fellow citizens and countrymen found themselves beyond the fringes of Russian territory... The epidemic of collapse has spilled over to Russia itself."

No, Vladimir, the creation of the Soviet Union was the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the century. It led to deaths of tens of millions, enslavement of hundreds of millions and half a century of Cold War with its simmering tensions, frequent violent outbursts, and the ever-present specter of nuclear annihilation. After all this, the collapse of the Soviet Empire was the greatest geopolitical blessing of recent times.

As for the Russian people, maybe these tens of millions shouldn't have found themselves beyond the fringes of Russian territory in the first place. If you have an official policy of colonizing fellow Soviet republics from Latvia to Kazakhstan with ethnic Russians, you should expect that the locals will feel rather resentful about being swamped by the occupier's ideology as well as its people. Of course I feel sorry for the people themselves, most of were just innocent pawns in Kremlin's geo-demographic chess game, and many of whom were actually born outside of Russia, but as for Putin, as the old saying goes, after you killed your parents you can't ask for leniency on the ground that you're now an orphan.

I agree with what Arthur says here. The USSR was all about spreading its people across their empire to encourage loyalty. He concludes on considering how the West will deal with this new reality.

Seven years later, and the situation is even worse than in Harris's fictional account, mostly because Stalin's rehabilitation now seems to be the official priority of the Russian government. And once again, the Western chattering classes which foam at the mouth when Prince Harry dresses up as a Nazi for a fancy costume party, and agonize endlessly whether the new German film "Downfall" makes Hitler look too human, will once again ignore the communist revival going on in Russia. Once again to the disgust of Robert Harris, who while a leftie, is one with a keen sense of history and perspective.

Again, I agree with Arthur. Communism is still seen as chic in many leftist circles. The argument goes that Communism isn't really what failed, it was the fault of the leaders. But all of this doesn't really get to the heart of why this is happening. After all, people don't clammer for the misery that was the USSR without warrant.

I really think that this is at least partly our fault. I will explain what I mean by that in a moment...

My first time in Russia was in '98 shortly after a major collapse of their currency. In spite of the difficult times, the average Russian still seemed very supportive of the collapse of Communism. Especially the younger generation that was around my age, they were happily singing Beatles songs and looking forward to growth. My second trip, a mere year later, showed a lot of that growth. Stores were open everywhere and money was flowing. Part of a new problem, though, was that the Neo-Russians had consolidated so much of that wealth and many people were not seeing the benifits. Moscow was still claiming upwards of 90% of the nation's wealth for their own benifit and people were beginning to see a nasty side of capitalism. We have so much regulation in this country that we don't even notice it anymore, but Russia was experiecing true free-market economics and a lot of people were suffering for it.

Now, how I think we're partly to blame...When Communism fell, the Russians accepted our concept of captialism without flinching. The Russians who I spoke to, unanimously, believed that if they accepted Democracy, it would make them rich and happy like they saw Americans as being. But the struggles came and some of the craftier Russians sold out their own people to make a lot of money. Suddenly, Democracy didn't seem to be doing what the Russians thought it would.

And that's basically where we are today. A lot of people are nostalgic for the old way because they feel that the new system has failed them. And the US didn't prepare Russia for the struggles coming ahead. We were so joy-filled with the collapse of the USSR that we thought the rest would happen on its own. We should have encouraged Russia to make the change to capitalism more slowly, in my opion. China, for all its flaws, is a much better example of how a Communistic economy can turn captialistic slowly and effectively. We encouraged Russians to partake in a fantasy instead of reality. Now Russia, and tomorrow the world, will have to pay the price for that. I only hope that it doesn't come in more blood and pain.

Right and Wrong

Sullivan proves again why it is so difficult to label him. He gets it right on with his essay on the New Green Coalition but couldn't be more wrong in another post concerning Barry Goldwater. He quotes the conservative hero:

"However, on religious issues there can be little or no compromise. There is no position on which people are so immovable as their religious beliefs. There is no more powerful ally one can claim in a debate than Jesus Christ, or God, or Allah, or whatever one calls this supreme being. But like any powerful weapon, the use of God's name on one's behalf should be used sparingly. The religious factions that are growing throughout our land are not using their religious clout with wisdom. They are trying to force government leaders into following their position 100 percent. If you disagree with these religious groups on a particular moral issue, they complain, they threaten you with a loss of money or votes or both. I'm frankly sick and tired of the political preachers across this country telling me as a citizen that if I want to be a moral person, I must believe in 'A,' 'B,' 'C,' and 'D.' Just who do they think they are? And from where do they presume to claim the right to dictate their moral beliefs to me? And I am even more angry as a legislator who must endure the threats of every religious group who thinks it has some God-granted right to control my vote on every roll call in the Senate. I am warning them today: I will fight them every step of the way if they try to dictate their moral convictions to all Americans in the name of 'conservatism.'"- Barry Goldwater, September 16, 1981.

Then he asserts that that is little chance Goldwater could have survived in the Republian party today. Of course, the logic is so circular that it's almost hard to reason with.

But here we go. Sullivan references this quote to show that Goldwater stood against the sort of "theocon" idealogy that is becoming popular again, according to Andrew and his libertarian friends. If that is Goldwater's view, then there is no way that he could survive in today's party because the religious nuts have taken over. That's what we're told. Yet, the situation that Goldwater describes is every bit as awful sounding as Sullivan argues the situation is today. It could even be argued that the "religious right" was even more out of control in 1981. Yet, Goldwater survived in the party. He even became an icon for conservativism.

Goldwater had to deal with the presence of religious voters in his day, and the party survived. So did he. It's actually a credit to the Republican party that it continues to thrive with room for disagreement. But Sullivan has become so hostile to religion of late, that I doubt he'd ever see that. It doesn't fit into his worldview.

Environmentalists on the Cusp of a Paradigm Shift?

MIT's Technology Review has up an interesting article with some predictions that the modern environmental movement is on the tipping point. It posits that we will soon see modern environmentalists doing an abrupt about-face on: nuclear power, geneticall modified foods, urbanization, and population growth. Those who have spent any time talking to (which usually means "being lectured by") a serious environmentalist know that their zeal often surpasses that of most religious zealots.

Reversals of this sort have occurred before. Wildfire went from universal menace in mid-20th century to honored natural force and forestry tool now, from “Only you can prevent forest fires!” to let-burn policies and prescribed fires for understory management. The structure of such reversals reveals a hidden strength in the environmental movement and explains why it is likely to keep on growing in influence from decade to decade and perhaps century to century...The environmentalist aesthetic is to love villages and despise cities. My mind got changed on the subject a few years ago by an Indian acquaintance who told me that in Indian villages the women obeyed their husbands and family elders, pounded grain, and sang.  But, the acquaintance explained, when Indian women immigrated to cities, they got jobs, started businesses, and demanded their children be educated. They became more independent, as they became less fundamentalist in their religious beliefs. Urbanization is the most massive and sudden shift of humanity in its history. Environmentalists will be rewarded if they welcome it and get out in front of it. In every single region in the world, including the U.S., small towns and rural areas are emptying out. The trees and wildlife are returning. Now is the time to put in place permanent protection for those rural environments.

Is it possible that the environmental movement is ready to admit they were wrong on these topics? Not likely, frankly. Nuclear power is hanted by the Darth Vader-esque image of the mushroom cloud. GM organisms are haunted by Frankenstein. Urbanization is seen thru the smoggy lens of the old L.A. Skyline. And population growth is not so much about sustainable human living, as it is a way to protest the existence of humans at all. The romantics still rule the environmental movement, and they are not turned around by the scientists in their midst, but by massive propogada flicks like The Day After Tomorrow.

The Nomad is Back!

Well, I am back from High Gear 2005 and had a great time. Unfortunately, the hotel we have chosen is the only one in the area which refuses to admit the fact of the internet. And the schedule was full enough that I did not have time to figure out an Earthlink dial-up. But it was a great time of quizzing, worship, fellowship, and fun... not necesarily in that order. Here is a sampling of photos from the event. To see the full listing, check out this link (there may be some delay until all photos are up).

Man Survives Second Bear Mauling

It appears a new Alaskan record has been set. Scott MacInnes has successfully survived two bear maulings. On the page, at least at time of this posting, is a link to a video of a 90 year old woman fending off a bobcat that was attacking her housecat.

British Take Schiavo One Step Further

Xinhua has up a news article about the British courts allowing a baby to die against her parents' wishes.

Her parents, Darren and Debbie Wyatt, who believe in preserving life at any cost, sought to overturn a court order by Justice Mark Hedley who ruled that it would not be in Charlotte's best interests to die in the course of futile aggressive treatment.

I understand, but don't agree, that the US courts said that Schiavo's husband was the closest one to Schiavo and therefore had the right to make the decision. This isn't even the case here. It seems that the British courts overruled the parents. What a sad turn we have taken.

The BBC has more here.

Competition is a Beautiful Thing

Nomad likes to brag about a certain hotel chain that he and his family frequent which offers free wireless networking. I have to admit that I've often been a little envious of that. But, thanks to competition, his bragging days appear to be just about over. Muse and I stopped for the night at a rival who is now offering wireless access as well.

Proving that I'm addicted to the web, I had to post something, even if it was just to rub it in to Nomad.

No More Old Maids

I am a popcorn lover, maybe not lover but I like the stuff a lot. The biggest annoyance of popcorn - other than it getting stuck in your teeth - is old maids. Old maids, for those who don't know, are the unpopped popcorn kernals at the bottom of every bowl and bag of popcorn. Well, Purdue University researchers have discovered why old maids don't pop. Perhaps this will lead to less nasty kernals for me to bite and hurt myself on. We can only hope.

CT Okays Same Sex Civil Unions

I have made no secret that I live in CT, so it may have surprised some that I have waited to post on the news that Connecticut has passed a law okaying Civil Unions. My conservative friends may have been waiting for me to decry it. My liberal friends may have been waiting for me to embrace it. But this is why this Blog is called MOD-blog. I have to say that I am really going down the center on this one.

On the one hand, I am not in any way for same-sex marriage. Marriage - in my opinion - is about the formation of a family for the betterment of society and the raising of children. It should be something restricted to a man and a woman, based on both the societal function and the religious tradition. And I do not believe that same-sex couples should be placed on the same level as traditional couples.

On the other hand, after 9/11, it was brought home to me the fact that there are some "rights" that our society has attached to marriage that are appropriate to extend to same-sex couples. Especially such things as inheritance rights and next-of-kin rights. There were a number of stories after 9/11 of same-sex couples who were denied information on their partners's health state or even whether they were dead or alive, because there was no legal right. Likewise, some were left in poverty because there were no inheritance rights for them, and the partner had been their sole provider.

Now, civil unions is not my preferred method of accomodating these rights. In my opinion, these rights can be accomplished thru existing legal means - power of attorney and the like. But I am willing to accept this as a middle ground between where we are today and making Same Sex Marriage the same as traditional Marriage.

Nomad Off to High Gear!

Well, CRChair and I are heading off to High Gear in Hershey, PA It is an annual Youth Conference for the Eastern District of the Evangelical Free Church of America. The Quiz Team I help to coach is competing there and many teens from my church will be also competing in skits, music, dance, and other talent competitions.

The only downside to this is that I will be away from my Broadband Internet for a while, so posts to Mod-Blog may be quite rate for a few days. Maybe a few posts from my camera phone, but otherwise it may be sparse. I hope our loyal readers will be patient and enjoy the many photos from when we return.

Conscience vs. Doctrine

In this USA Today poll 74% of US Catholics indicated that they would follow their own conscience over the teachings of the new pope. While this is a triumph of modern individualism it shows a major weakness in American Christianity - and not just among Roman Catholics. Individualism is a great thing, the Bible even talks about making your own decision to follow Christ, among other things. But there is an end to individualism and it comes shortly after that decision for Christ. Now I have to admit my own personal point of view with a long list of descriptors of myself. I am a protestant charismatic leaning Wesleyan Methodist that is smitten with the Eastern Orthodox church. I am also a scholar of historical theology that is in love with the universal church - warts and all. What all that means is that I am quite the traditionalist in many ways, which is not to say that I am opposed to change just simply hesitant. The teaching of the church cannot simply be pushed aside every time they conflict with our feelings - or even our conscience. The teachings of the church are supposed to represent absolute truths, we need to be willing to submit to them even when they conflict with our conscience. If we think that a teaching of the church is wrong then we need to work through the appropriate process to see that teaching changed. Simply ignoring the teaching is essentially saying that it is a good guide, but it doesn't really matter in the end because I'm going to do what I want anyway.

There are many things that I hear people are upset about concerning the new pope - the biggest being his opposition to the use of birth control. This is understandable in our age when sexual relations among a husband and wife are no longer simply an issue of reproduction. The church's teaching on birth control goes much deeper than Catholic's need to fulfill themselves, it goes all the way back to the doctrine of original sin as proposed by Augustine in the 420s. To change the Church's view of birth control you would have to change the doctrine of original sin and from that the doctrine on sexual relations. You see for the pope to say it is all right for Catholics to use birth control would be to admit that the teaching of the church for the past 1500+ years on sexual relations and the transmission of original sin - not to mention baptism - was wrong. I happen to believe that they are wrong - then again I disagree with almost everything that Augustine taught, but that's a side point. All this is to say that if Catholics want birth control it's going to take more than the pope agreeing with them - unless he speaks ex cathedra which I seriously doubt he would on birth control - it's going to take a major council to reevaluate all the doctrine surrounding it. That's the way many of the topics that people are upset about are going to have to be approached, because many of them are deep doctrinal issues that have a lot of repercussions.

All of this is to say that when you align yourself with a Christian denomination you need to be willing to submit to its teachings. Otherwise you're not really aligning yourself and that is the cause of disunity in the church. If you're a Roman Catholic, follow cannon law it's good for you. If you're a United Methodist, follow the book of discipline it's good for you. The same goes with all the other Christian denominations. Change can be good, but don't expect it really quick because quick changes tend to be bad - especially in the church.

The Media: Off to a Wonderful Start with Benedict XVI

It was predicted that the media wouldn't even give Benedict XVI more than a day or two before the attacks and distortions began. And it's already heating up. Consider this Yahoo story that boldy trumpets "New pope intervened against Kerry in US 2004 election campaign." And then consider the article:

In a June 2004 letter to US bishops enunciating principles of worthiness for communion recipients, Ratzinger specified that strong and open supporters of abortion should be denied the Catholic sacrament, for being guilty of a "grave sin."

He specifically mentioned "the case of a Catholic politician consistently campaigning and voting for permissive abortion and euthanasia laws," a reference widely understood to mean Democratic candidate Kerry, a Catholic who has defended abortion rights.

The letter said a priest confronted with such a person seeking communion "must refuse to distribute it."

Now that obviously makes the new Pope look like a partisan political type. And if this is what the Pope had actually said, I would agree. However, Yahoo news somehow managed to leave our some important details of the then Cardinal's letter. Let's look at the rest of what he wrote, from "Catholics For Democracy" (a liberal group):

This great news was reported in the "Signs of the Times" in the most recent issue of America Magazine. Spread the word!

"...Two U.S. bishops, Archbishop Raymond L. Burke of St. Louis and Bishop Michael J. Sheridan of Colorado Springs, recently said that Catholics who knowingly vote for pro-abortion politicians would be committing a grave sin.

Cardinal Ratzinger’s note underlined the principles involved for the Catholic voter. “A Catholic would be guilty of formal cooperation in evil, and so unworthy to present himself for holy Communion, if he were to deliberately vote for a candidate precisely because of the candidate’s permissive stand on abortion and/or euthanasia,” Cardinal Ratzinger wrote. “When a Catholic does not share a candidate’s stand in favor of abortion and/or euthanasia, but votes for that candidate for other reasons, it is considered remote material cooperation, which can be permitted in the presence of proportionate reasons,” he said. In other words, if a Catholic thinks a candidate’s positions on other issues outweigh the difference on abortion, a vote for that candidate would not be considered sinful."

It's like reading a different article, isn't it? But why bother with all the research and facts when you can just choose the words you want and label the Pope according to your own bias.

What Ever Happened to Mace?

I mean, seriously. Look at this product and then read the description,

The “product“ is a kind of protection against rape, somewhat similar to a tampon in that it’s user carries it inserted into her vagina. The basic idea is that the woman carries the protective device in her vagina. In it there is a sharp pin which has a penetrating effect on the perpetrator’s penis in the event of a rape. The construction is such that the pin still cannot injure the bearer.

Don't get me wrong, any guy who would try to rape a woman has it coming. I have no argument there. He should be made to pay to the fullest extent of the law. But this seems a little bit sadistic, like maybe it was made by someone who really hates men. Then again, maybe we just need more preventive measures. I don't know, but it just makes me shiver in horror just thinking of the thing.

Jumping the Shark

Who is it that's been so quick to "jump the shark" concerning the new Pope? Hmmm...Professor Bainbridge thinks it's Andrew. I have to agree.

South Park Conservatives: The Book

It was only a matter of time once the idea got moving. And now there's a book about the movement. Being a fan, I'll probably have to pick this one up and read more of the author. He seems to make a lot of sense in the interview, I hope the book is as well thought out.

A Question About Elevators

I'm not a terribly impatient person. I have no problem with letting the elevator doors close as they choose to. But I've often wondered why elevator designs include a "Close Door" button that doesn't actually make the door close any faster. Everywhere I've gone, it's the same thing. You push that button and nothing happens! That is, until recently. I've found an elevator at the school library that actually responds to the "Close Door" button. So here's my question, is this door just a fluke or have I just ran into elevators all my life that don't work. What is your experience with elevators and the "Close Door" button. Do they ever work? Have I just been denied this function for most of my life while others have been able to enjoy it? Or have I just found an elevator that somehow missed the day at training where they teach elevators never to close on command?

The Price of Oil: Is it Really so High?

We're a spoiled bunch, let's face it. So perhaps a little historical perspective will help.

The fact is, oil is still relatively inexpensive. By one measure tracked by Dow Jones, we are still far from matching an April 1980 spike in US oil prices. The $39.50 per barrel price that month exceeds $90 in today's dollars.

Of course, there are economic issues on the horizon, and the article doesn't deny that. But the fact still remains that the situation is not nearly as bad as it has been in the past. China and India are starting to suck up a lot more resources as they develop and we've got to get used to the fact that we will not be the dominant force forever. And of course, we have to consider what we're willing to pay for.

"The same people who are complaining about gas prices don't blink when they pay $3.50 for a latte," he says. "That's different somehow."

Also, consider how expensive it is to buy water. You can get that for free, but people still buy bottled water for almost the same price they pay for gas. It's about the decisions we make and what we're willing to go without. Sadly, in America, that seems to be very little anymore.

Mac Sync for the T-Mobile Sidekick is HERE!!!

Those of you who are long-time readers will remember that I own a T-Mobile Sidekick II - a GREAT SmartPhone device especially made for web surfing and e-mail on the go. The one downside to the device until now has been my inability to sync my local address book and calendar with the online one - the only software to do so was PC-only and NOT approved for my work network. Well, finally someone has released the program for the Mac! Now, using iSync, you can sync your Mac and your Sidekick anytime, anywhere. How sweet it will be!

New Pope Chosen

Well, it is offiicial, and the Catholic Church has officially chosen the new Pope. It is easily the worst choice for English-speakers in terms of opening up for ridiculing his name: Joseph RATzinger who is now Pope BENEDICT XVI. But it appears that it is a move for continuity with JP2, as the German Cardinal was formerly the last pope's doctrinal advisor. Not much chance of a change in church law to allow prists to marry, nor to allow the ordination of women, nor the marrriage of homosexuals. This is a good thing. The church - whether Protestant or Catholic - is supposed to be an institution that believes in absolutes that don't change with time.

Those Pesky Evangelicals

I came across an opinion piece posted by Sullivan this morning dealing with evangelical politics and the Bush Presidency. The piece is shameless and utterly wrong for so many reasons. As an evangelical, I feel compelled to fisk the rather self-righteous author of the piece. The author, former speech-writer for Reagan and Nixon, Jeffrey Hart, begins with a bang.

During the 2000 Republican primaries, in the third televised debate, the candidates were asked by a panelist to name the political philosopher who had most influenced them. Most replied in a conventional way, Tocqueville always a safe bet. No one would say Machiavelli, of course. But George W. Bush answered "Jesus Christ."

The first image we’re given of the Bush Presidency in this piece is that admittedly awkward quote. Christ wasn’t exactly a philosopher of the normal variety. But Hart takes this to mean something rather different:

Too bad, because Jesus teaches little or nothing about politics. His focus is inward, to the purity of the soul.

Barely two paragraphs in and we already start to see the crux of the problem. Hart sees Christ as the “nice teacher” who was interested in spreading love. And sure, Christ was the teacher. He was primarily focused on the soul. But to assume then that Christ’s message was not FULL of political import is to miss the point. Indeed, Christ did not preach politics, but his words carry into every area of our lives, including politics. If you accept Christ as your savior, but notice no difference in how you live, then you need to re-consider exactly what you accepted. It wasn’t the Christ of the Bible. So Hart is already off base, but let’s see where else he goes.

Next, he asserts that the President is not conservative. I at least half agree. Hart argues,

The Bush presidency often is called conservative. That is a mistake. It is populist and radical, and its principal energies have roots in American history, and these roots are not conservative.

So what is not conservative about the roots? Hart never bothers to actually answer this, except maybe to himself and a few others who already agree with him. He takes us through three awakenings which, he argues, show us the un-conservative roots of Bush’s policy. First he deals with the Great Awakening, moved forward by Edwards and Wesley.

Both of these men possessed professional theological training, Wesley at Oxford, Edwards at Yale. They were to be the exception on that point. Such American Evangelicalism typically has a homemade quality because of its "faith" in Scripture, a "faith," as it is today, often based on wild misreadings of the text of Scripture itself.
Though Edwards was an educated man, his preaching of sin, damnation and the possibility of salvation through Jesus drew large crowds, often filled with emotion and showing it in sometimes bizarre ways, rolling on the ground, fainting, having spasms. The same with Wesley's immensely popular preaching here and in England. The emotions raised by this first Awakening are held by historians to have energized the beginnings of the American Revolution.

Make sure you catch that. Wesley and Edwards were educated men, but the rest of the rabble following after them were uneducated, and unclean. They got excited about the Bible and they had this weird little voodoo called “faith.” They didn’t know how to read the scripture either and it’s their fault that all Christians today have it wrong.

If Hart said this about any minority in America, he would be flayed alive for it. But never mind which groups it’s chic to mock. We’ve got a lot of ground to cover. We move to what Hart sees as the next “big” movement, the Civil War era.

The second Awakening occurred during the period leading up to the Civil War, and energized the Abolitionist movement in New England. From there it spread west along the wagon trails after the war. Its Cromwellian strains can be heard in Julia Ward Howe's "Battle Hymn of the Republic," where the Lord is stamping out the vineyards where the grapes of wrath are stored -- in the South. But Lincoln and Grant were not New England Evangelicals, far from it, and fought to save the Union.

This is classic bait and switch. He admits that the evangelicals were largely responsible for the work of the Northern Abolition movement. Then, it went west and south. And you know what happened in the south, right? Slavery. And it was up to Lincoln and Grant, as sophisticated Northern “secular” types to fix those crazy southern religious types who wanted slaves.

In other words, even though it was northern evangelical Christians who led much of the Abolitionist movement, it was still the fault of evangelicals (in the south) that the Civil War had to be fought. And it was thanks to mighty secular giants that we were freed from the religious evangelicals that wanted to enslave the Africans. Hart has completely twisted history for his own purposes. He’s sounding more like a liberal (or this days, libertarian) by the minute.

But now we get to where Hart attempts to make his point that evangelical belief is at odds with conservative practice.

After the Civil War, Evangelicalism rose in the West with the poor farmers and eventuated in William Jennings Bryan and his Cross-of-Gold campaigns for cheap silver. But though the Democrats nominated him for president three times -- 1900, 1904 and 1908 -- Bryan was an ignorant man, considered by Theodore Roosevelt a mere "trombone" orator of no worth at all. He brought the Democratic Party into disrepute and never came close to winning.

Hart pulls out an obscure reference to one figure who isn’t even that important in evangelical history, to prove that a Democrat was once an evangelical. Wow, that is conclusive proof that evangelicals are at great odds with conservative teaching! Thank you Mr. Hart. But wait, there’s more. Why stop at arguable historical opinions when you can jump straight into insults from there?

The present or Third Awakening of Evangelicalism believes all sorts of bizarre things, such as the imminent end of the world, the second coming of Christ, the sudden elevation of the just to heaven and the final struggle of Good versus Evil in Jerusalem: Armageddon. We thus have the immense popularity of the Left Behind series of novels by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins.
The whole thing is based on two visionary books of the Bible, Thessalonians and Revelations. Cast in poetic imagery, these often are highly allegorical, for example alluding to events of the late Roman Empire, and hardly to be taken literally. The term "Armageddon" does not even refer to Jerusalem, but is an English translation of the Greek transliteration of the Hebrew har geddon, "at" or "near Geddo." This was a large town at a considerable distance from Jerusalem. That it was the juncture of two caravan routes where brawls were likely could have led to its metaphorical use as a metaphor for battle.
In any case, Ariel Sharon can rest easy on this point, and you yourself can safely make a date for lunch without fear of being wooshed up to heaven. People have kept a lot of lunch dates since those visionary books were written 20 centuries ago.

I’m as big a critic of Dispensational theology as the anyone out there, but Hart blatantly wades out into waters that he doesn’t understand here. And it shows, horribly. Of course, Thessalonians is hardly prime fodder for end-of-the-world Christians. They prefer Daniel and even the OT Prophets much more. Even more importantly, equating evangelicals with those of doomsday cults that predict an exact end of the world is pretty disingenuous and if Hart knows any better, he should be ashamed. But, Hart eventually leaves insults behind and attempts to get back to the point of his piece.

The reason that religious populism in the form of Evangelicalism cannot work is that it is very difficult to cross from the world of the five senses, in which we live, to the realm beyond it, if any, with which the higher religions of course are concerned, since they posit a God who was there before the beginning. If we did not believe in the evidence of our senses, we would walk into walls and fall down stairs.

This is, of course, stupid. Hart is arguing that if we believe in a God beyond the senses, then we obviously discredit science and learning. This is the same sort of religious bigotry that is so prominent in extremely liberal (and once again, libertarian) circles. In his mind, there is no room for faith. You cannot believe that God exists and also believe in what can be seen. It’s funny that secularists, because of their inability to comprehend God, assume that those of us who do comprehend God must not be able to comprehend the physical world. Hart continues with the real beef that he has.

If we recall Leo Strauss's formulation that "Athens and Jerusalem" -- science and spiritual aspiration -- are the core of Western civilization, American Evangelicalism is a threat to both, through ignorance of both.

Yet, Hart has failed to show that evangelicalism truly matches this perception. How have evangelicals become a threat to spiritual aspiration? Hart gives no reason. He simply asserts it and moves on. Of course, in his mind, there need be no reason. It simply is. As for the threats that evangelical faith poses to science? Well, this will hardly come as a shock.

During the 2004 presidential election perhaps the most scandalous of these arose as an issue in the campaign, stem-cell research. In August 2001, Bush issued an executive order banning federal funding for such research involving fertilized cells created after 2001. This severely inhibited research which had indeed proved promising. Bush claimed to have issued his order for "moral reasons," but all the moral reasons seem to support the research.

Some Christians have issue with the idea of an aborted fetus being used for spare parts, and Hart sees this as evangelicalism threatening science? Is science so fragile that a few questions asked of it are going to end the scientific process?

But this takes us to the real issue at hand. Hart and those who agree with him blast Christians as bigoted control-freaks bent on forcing their will on the people. Yet, it is they that cannot stand a dissenting voice. Dare to speak against what Hart holds near and dear, and you truly are a danger to the American way. No wonder Sullivan likes what he has to say. And we’re supposed to believe that it’s the evangelicals who broke no dissent?

Killing Us Sweetly

There has been some discussion of late on the blog about diets and so on. Since we're all health conscious and want to live a long, healthy life, I offer two pieces for your consideration. Both are on the dangers of High Fructos Corn Syrup. One at Men's Health and the other from the San Francisco Chronicle. The bottom line? The stuff is VERY VERY bad for you and it should be avoided, or at least compensated for, to avoid serious health risks.

I'm sure there are some who will debate the merits, but I think we can all agree that we eat far too much processed sugar in our diets.

Iraqi Poll Numbers

Chrenkoff has new poll numbers from Iraq.

"Do you support the pull out of foreign troops?

"At once - 12.56%

"According to a future timetable - 81.80%

"Do not know - 5.64%

"Has the security situation improved since the start of the new government?

"Yes - 55%

"No - 35%

"No change - 10%"

There's more at his site. And instead of reporting the good news, the media has simply stopped reporting about Iraq at all.

Good For the Goose, No Longer Good for the Gander

Powerline posts on the DNC Chair's recent comments urging Democrats to use the Schiavo case against Republicans as a political tool. Of course, as Powerline points out, this story doesn't seem to be making the rounds in the MSM. I can't imagine why.

Stewart

There's a lengthy piece on Jon Stewart that's worth reading, if you're into pop-culture. I don't even watch the show anymore, it's just become too bitter for my taste, despite the sometimes still funny bits. But Stewart has indeed become the champion of the left, and become nothing but a (sometimes funny) political tool. (Hat tip: Ann Althouse)

Darth Foxtrot Speaks

Foxtrot has up some speculations on the final straw that drives Anakin Skywalker into the persona of Darth Vader. I happen to already know - having listened to the AudioBook - but it is fun to see some other possibilities.

Personally, the only thing that could make me turn to the Dark Side is the cool red lightsabers. Who would use a green or blue one - even a fruity purple color - when red it out there for the taking?

Helpful Food Websites for our Readers

Last year... well... two years ago now, I lost quite a lot of weight on the Atkins diet. Over 50 pounds! But unfortunately, back surgery (and the extreme pain and inability to walk that required the back surgery) restricted me to a chair/bed for several months, and the pounds came back. This year, I have been slowly returning to eating healthy. I was on Atkins again for several weeks. But this time around, it was not really doing the job. So after talking to several friends who had a lot of success on Weight Watchers, I decided to give it a try. (Well, not entirely the whole try. Attending meetings, weekly weight-ins, etc., would not really be the kind of thing I could do.) The same friends have sent along some useful sites that I wanted to repost here for the benefit of our readers.

Some sites that help with WW info:
Health Discovery Dining Out Guide
Beige Tower Fast Food Guide

Some sites that sell low carb/low point foods:
Walden Farms - No Calorie Foods
Grandma's Guilt-Free Goodies
ThinkThin Low Carb Meal Bars - 5 points/0 Carbs/Taste Great

It's All Greek to Me...

Have you ever wondered just how much Greek culture was lost to the mists of time? We know a lot about this classical culture that molded the Romans, formed the linguistic backbone of the gospels, and essentially molded the way that Western Civilization thinks. But we may suddenly be about to learn a whole lot more.

Now, in a breakthrough described as the classical equivalent of finding the holy grail, Oxford University scientists have employed infra-red technology to open up the hoard, known as the Oxyrhynchus Papyri, and with it the prospect that hundreds of lost Greek comedies, tragedies and epic poems will soon be revealed. In the past four days alone, Oxford's classicists have used it to make a series of astonishing discoveries, including writing by Sophocles, Euripides, Hesiod and other literary giants of the ancient world, lost for millennia. They even believe they are likely to find lost Christian gospels, the originals of which were written around the time of the earliest books of the New Testament. The original papyrus documents, discovered in an ancient rubbish dump in central Egypt, are often meaningless to the naked eye - decayed, worm-eaten and blackened by the passage of time. But scientists using the new photographic technique, developed from satellite imaging, are bringing the original writing back into view. Academics have hailed it as a development which could lead to a 20 per cent increase in the number of great Greek and Roman works in existence.

Very interesting. I'd be interested in what the Seminarians (and one expert in New Testament Greek whom I know reads this site) would have to say about this one. Comment, please!

LoBand.Org Cuts the Fat from the Net

Tired of waiting while your "favorite" site spews all of the graphically-intensive ads at you? Still on a dial-up, and tired of waiting for the pretty backgrounds that add nothing to your experience, but make your old modem crawl like a sick sea turtle. Why not try out Loband.Org which will try to lighten up any web page on the Net. In my attempts so far, it ain't 100% ready for prime time - it can't even load Mod-Blog yet - but it does wonders with some of the more popular sites on the web.

On Frist and the Fillibuster

There is an excellent piece up at Vodkapundit concerning the fillibuster issue. The conclusions are right on, religious litmus tests on either side are downright dangerous. The liberals in the Congress have been doing this for years, and while I agree that the Republicans need to bring it to light, I don't think the way they're going about it is the right one.

Also of interest is mention of a Democratic memo that is everything the liberals blasted the Schiavo memo for being. I'm sure we're all SHOCKED that it hasn't been picked-up on by the media.

The "nuclear option" is not the answer. Frist would really be making himself no better than the bigot leftists that he's fighting against. Instead, he needs to organize his party to get the word out and make the Democrats pay at the polls. That's the best victory one can hope for in politics.

Sony PSP Update - Bigger Potential, New Software

It appears that the PSP is not only a great gaming machine, but getting better. According to this site, the Sony PSP is running at less than half its speed due to a software lock. It appears that Sony may have downgraded its own system as a tradeoff to better battery life. But this means that once better batteries have come out - which seems to occur every six months or so - Sony will be able to release a firmware or software update that unlocks the full potential of the portable. Maybe this is why the PSP's Spider-Man 2 looks more like Spider-Man 1 from the PS2.

PSPWare 2 is out, too. This is the software I use for syncing my PSP to my Mac, and it is fantastic. Best enhancement in this version is the ability to separately sync different memory sticks.

STOP BRUSHING YOUR TEETH!!!

Yes, it has finally happened. Health authorities have issued an alert about toothpaste. Apparently, an antibacterial compound in many toothpastes, hand soaps, etc. reacts poorly with water.

Researchers have discovered that triclosan, a chemical in the products, can react with water to produce chloroform gas. If inhaled in large enough quantities, chloroform can cause depression, liver problems and, in some cases, cancer. An Evening Standard investigation found dozens of products on supermarket shelves containing the chemical, from brand names including Colgate, Aquafresh, Dentyl and Sensodyne.

So apparently, brushing your teeth is hazardous to your health. We'd better all stop taking care of our dental experience, just in case exposure might cause cancer in a small number of us in 30 or 40 years. Sigh. More proof that health experts have no sense of proportion.

The Wedding Singer - the musical?

From the huh...why exactly would they do that? pile. The CBC is reporting that the Adam Sandler/Drew Barrymore hit The Wedding Singer will be adapted into a musical. It certainly was a musical movie (as opposed to a movie musical), but there's a level of doubt in my head as to how well the movie will translate to the stage, especially minus the comic talents of Sandler and the personality of Barrymore. I guess sometimes you just have to wonder what people are thinking.

Off the Roll

I have removed several blogs from the blogroll today. I do this after prayerful consideration and regretfully becuase they were all right-leaning sites and at least one of the sites removed tended to be a very good site.

So why are they gone?

Because, although I agree with much of what they said, I cannot agree with their way of saying it. It bothers me that many of the conservative sites on the web really and truly are as hate-filled and closed-minded as the liberals accuse them of being. Do I think anyone who visits the sites is equally horrible? No, but a link in the blogsphere is a way of saying I trust these people enough to send other readers to them. And I can no longer trust these sites because they have become havens of hateful dialouge towards those who disagree, even if they are on the "same side." I am on only one side, and that is God's. And our God is a God of love and kindness. Therefore, they have been removed. Following are some verses that I feel we should all remember when dealing with others on the web. I offer them, not as preaching, but as consideration.

2 Tim 2:22-23
Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.

James 1:26
If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain

Prov 6:16-19
These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren

1 Cor 13:1-2
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity , I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity , I am nothing.

Eph 4:29-32
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Matt 5:22
But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, `Raca, ' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, `You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.

Rom 2:1-4
You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment? Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?

Col 3:12-14
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

The web is a big place and we are free to roam as we chose. But I would just say that as we travel, we must remember we are members of God's Kingdom first and we must show love and kindness. Likewise, we must be careful with whom we associate with on the web. The links that we follow and support are a reflection of our own understandings and limitations.

We must strive always to love and to pass on love, not hate and ignorance. Because Christ-like love is more important than being "right."

But Sgrena Wouldn't Lie

The Americans accused of mowing down the car carrying the Italian journalist have been cleared of the charges. A joint American-Italian investigation found that Nicola Calipari was killed by friendly fire after failing to respond to the checkpoint guards. Of course, I'm sure the Americans bought the Italians off. Sgrena wouldn't lie or exagerate the case at all, right?

Tax Day Dawneth

Just wanted to wish everyone a "happy" Tax Day today. The stormtroopers at the IRS are preparing their ambushes, so be sure to get those forms complete and in on time. If you have waited until now to even begin your work, consider TurboTax's online tax preparation software. No install, no muss, no fuss. (Well, a little fuss.) And if you pay with a credit card or direct debit, then you can get everything done without having to face the Dark Lord of the Post Office tonight.

Then again, I imagine the last-second thrill of posting your taxes at 11:59 PM is akin to the thrill of doing all of your Christmas shopping on Christmas Eve. Nearly suicidal, but a MAJOR adrenaline boost.

An Interview With Spong

I don't agree with much of what the guy says, but it's worth reading this interview just to get into his head and see what makes a true liberal Christian tick.

New Poll

Well, the OBL diet really cleaned up in our last poll, so everyone get running toward those mountains!

Now we move on to a show near and dear the Mod-Blog staff's hearts. But that show has maybe gone a little too far with spin-offs. But if it works once, it's bound to work again, right? So pick the next one you want to see.

Access-4-Free Goes the Way of the Dodo

I know that Nomad and I have used Access-4-Free before. The deal was great. $5 setup fee; first 10 hours free; after that, $1 per hour. Most you ever paid was $10 per month. It was great as a backup account and I even used it as my primary account for about a year. Well, all good things come to pass. This is from Access-4-Free's website:

Starting the month of May 2005, Access-4-Free will no longer offer dial-up Internet access.
We have now entered a transition period which will enable our customers to stay connected to the Internet. We have made a special arrangement with EarthLink that will keep you connected through EarthLink's award-winning service at special discounts available especially to our subscribers.

Does anyone know of any similar deals?

Genocide

Blogicus posts more about the lack of will to act in the Sudan crisis. Someday, future generations will look back to us and see yet another failure to act. Will we even have enough shame left to feel remorseful about it? Or will it just be another tacky memory like Rwanda?

TAXES!!!

Public Service Announcement

Death and Taxes... yep, what we all have coming to us.

I just wanted to mention, DON'T FORGET to do your taxes... that is, unless you're an illegal alien who need not declare income, or you have chosen to move your citizenship to Australia but just haven't purchased your next airfare to Sydney yet.

By the way, I have never, ever let my taxes go this long without already sending them. But hey, I got married and had to figure out the differences between filing jointly and filing separately, and then there was TurboTax and all those updates and rebates and e-file for the fed as well as the three-state conversion that my husband and I are now a part of due to our union.

Just think, if we actually HAD money, then this might have been a chore..

So anyway, if you can claim citizenship, then be a citizen, and do your taxes.

Oh, and be nice to the people you meet while waiting in line at the local U.S. Post Office. Take a bag of Hershey's kisses or something and send them through the line. It's the least you can do, and it may count as a write-off for next year!

ONE YEAR

Mod-Blog turns one year old today! Thanks for everyone who has been a visitor and especially to the Mod-Blog staff for all the hard work. It's hard to believe that it's been a year since my first post. We weren't exactly excellent back then, but I think it's safe to say we've all learned a lot. A lot has happened in a year and we've grown quite a bit. Here's to another year.

CAIR

I wrote about this group just a couple of weeks ago, and they're in the news again, because a founder has been found to have links to terrorism. Of course, the irony is that they're not in the news because that would be "anti-Muslim" reporting. But thanks to LGF for keeping up the story and taking the personal attacks of being called a hate site for it.

Iron Chef America

Disclaimer: I love the Food Network.
I've watched a few episodes here and there of the original Iron Chef from Japan. It's fun and entertaining, especially if you find yourself needing to finish some homework in the wee hours of the night. The show was comprised of an Iron Chef battling a lesser known, yet quoted to be good, local chef from somewhere in the Orient. It was a timed cook-off in which a secret ingredient was revealed just moments before the clocks began to tick down. There was this crazy emcee, three somewhat famous Japanese pop-icons, a few other floor commentators, and lots of energy. The show was brought to America on the Food Network complete with voice-overs and sometimes really funny, and bad translations.

Now, we have our very own Iron Chef America complete with some of the most beloved FoodTv male stars. In recent weeks, they have even added women chefs into the high-energy mix, in further attempts to really branch out this old Japanese favorite.

Last night as I watched an episode and heard the comments from the food critiques I was amazed at the differences between the original and the new American version. The Japanese pop-icons really acted as though they were really honored to be a part of Kitchen Stadium on the original Iron Chef. Yet as I watched last night, the little known American foodies were terse and tactless in their critiques of the food. The energy seemed to be lost as it all came down to a few unimportant people talking about how they couldn't get over the originality of a dish long enough to really try it for flavor, and made comments about the food that really didn't help any of us either in Kitchen Stadium or at home on the couch.

I'll have to keep watching to see if this was just a factor contingent upon the guest tasters ICA has appear, or if the American version has become a haughty, honorless undertaking in which the Americans always win, the chefs' talents are always overlooked (both the famous and the not-so famous), and unknowledgable people always get the spotlight in which to say tasteless, meaningless things for all watching Americans to bear.

So far the saving grace for the American version is the main commentator Alton Brown, who lets few outstanding moments go unnoticed on both sides of the challenge. His knowledge of the culinary arts and the science of food really helped me to overlook the food-tasters. He seemed to be able to talk equally with both challengers, even though he has an obvious friendship with the Iron Chef competing last night.

Frog Watch

The growing concern over the EU seems to be spreading, even into the heart of the anti-American French. Imagine that.

Don't Water Your Kangaroo Rat

As Nomad and others have found, humans need to drink water, but not too much water as it could be dangerous to us as we deplete and flush out the very much needed calcium and potassium levels. This reminded me of the Kangaroo Rat, of which there are some 21 species. The reason 'Roo Rats are so cool, and timely in our water discussion:

Kangaroo rats have highly developed hind legs, live in deep burrows which shelter them from the worst of the desert heat, and rarely drink water. Instead, they have a highly water-efficient metabolism (their kidneys are at least four times more efficient than those of humans), and manufacture water by chemical breakdown of their food.

This came from Wikipedia.

How cool is that?!

Can You Overdose on Water?

The new eating plan I am on right encourages the drinking of a LOT of water for health. Allegedly, large amounts of imbibed water help to "clean out the ateries" and "flush the system." Pretty much gobbeldygook from what I can tell, but I have read elsewhere that most Americans don't drink enough water to meet the body's daily needs. Especially since most of us tend to get that water in the form of highly sugared or highly caffeinated beverages. Luckily, I have always been a big water drinker, so it has been no problem for me.

But now, another Blogger site "Precautionary Tales" points out a new danger that some doctors are seeing: water overdose!!!

This is a panic inspired by a panic. For years, we have been told by health 'experts' that we don't drink enough water. As the Mirror story notes, 'Some experts claim dehydration is to blame for everything from heart disease and cancer, to asthma and depression'. It is a fine line between drinking the two litres of water we supposedly need, and the three litres which could potentially kill us. But, as Professor Heinz Valtin wrote in the American Journal of Physiology in 2002, it is 'difficult to believe that evolution left us with a chronic water deficit that needs to be compensated by forcing a high fluid intake'. In other words, our bodies are extremely good at controlling the amount of water in our blood at any time. While 'water intoxication' is possible, it is also very rare. If we drink too much, we are likely to spend rather longer than we need going to the toilet, but that's about it. A radical solution might be to suggest that people should drink some water when they feel thirsty. But where's the public health education programme in that?

Does Success Boost Domestic Terrorism?

Tom Friedman has up a sobering warning for American's flushed with the relative success of Iraqi elections: If Al-Qaeda loses in Iraq and Afghanistan it may actually increase the odds of an attack in America. Why? Because up until now, the Radical Islamists have thought fighting in the Middle East was to their advantage. If they are defeated their, they may feel their only chance to save face is to do a rerun of 9/11. Or even worse, a bigger-badder sequel.

NBC's "Revelations" Proves It - Hollywood Doesn't Get "Passion"

Ward and Sean are no great fans of the Left Behind Series of novels. Frankly, very few people who have been thru seminary and studied the complexities of apocalyptic literature are fans of Timothy LaHaye's works. But I have always enjoyed the various interpretations that novelists have made of the End Times... so long as there is at least a reasonable attempt to comply with scripture. But I am not planning to watch NBC's "Revelations" miniseries. Newsweek lays out its own analysis bolstered by that of the author of the Left Behind Books.

Jerry Jenkins, co-author of the zillion-selling "Left Behind" novels, has weighed in on NBC's End of Days miniseries "Revelations." He called Wednesday night's premiere episode "a mishmash of myth, silliness and misrepresentations of scripture." Far be it from me to challenge the opinion of such an authority, a writer whose own apocalyptic fiction makes an "X-Men" comic book sound like J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. Jenkins' assessment is spot on. In "Revelations," writer and co-executive producer David Seltzer brings together the overcooked portentousness of "The Hellstrom Chronicle" (1971), a mock documentary he scripted about insects taking over the planet, and the promiscuous misappropriation of Christian doctrine and iconography of his best-known cinematic work, "The Omen" (1976). "Revelations" is schlock, starting with the cross that doubles as a "t" in its title-logo and NBC's promotional allusions to "the greatest story ever told." It's slickly produced, decently acted schlock, but schlock nonetheless.

This proves what we all suspected from the reactions of the "Academy." Hollywood has no idea why The Passion of the Christ worked last year. NBC Execs just thought, "Huh, religious stuff sells. X-Files sells. Let's do a religious X-Files!" What would work? A serious attempt to portray Christ and the apostles - or even Moses and the Prophets. Need it be a literal word-for-word walk thru the Bible? No. But it should respect the text, respect the traditions, and keep the special effects to a minimum. But what are the odds we'll see anything like that from NBC?

Am I the Only One Who Missed This?

CRChair (my brother) informed me last night that recently a baseball pitcher hit a pigeon mid-flight accidentally. Allegedly, the funniest baseball moment ever. (Except for the laughs my Red Sox fans had last season when the Yankees self-destructed.) Well, since I don't watch Sports Center, my only chance to see this is from videos online. So here we go and here is a smaller one and here is a ZIP file of a high quality version. Amazing!

Papal Election 2005 is Under Way

The first selection of an apostle after Christ was simple. Consider this from Acts 1.

23So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone's heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen 25to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” 26Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.

Well, no longer does the Catholic church use such simple methods (probably logical since now the leadership measures in the hundreds and the membership in the billions), and more and more the tools of modern campaigning are appearing in the race for "Peter's Throne."

Being a Protestant, it all seems a bit esoteric and strange. But then, I am part of a church of about 600 and a denomination of about 1,300 churches. So our governmental issues are much smaller. Of course, in some ways it would all be easier if God simply thundered from heaven, "Choose Joe this time!!!" But then, I am sure the Vatican would be horribly embarrassed to have to put "Pope Joe" on all of their stationary, anyway.

UPDATE: Just found this out on the Blogsphere. It is just wrong, but it is really funny.

Sajak and the New Republic

I found this article at the New Republic (FRR), via a post on Pat Sajak's blog (yes, the Wheel of Fortune guy) that gives George W. full credit for the work done in the middle east. It's nice to see a liberal finally starting to notice that they're being idiots about how they've been arguing Iraq and various other topics. Both the article, which is rather long, and the blog post are worth reading. Here is a sample from the article.

If George W. Bush were to discover a cure for cancer, his critics would denounce him for having done it unilaterally, without adequate consultation, with a crude disregard for the sensibilities of others. He pursued his goal obstinately, they would say, without filtering his thoughts through the medical research establishment. And he didn't share his research with competing labs and thus caused resentment among other scientists who didn't have the resources or the bold--perhaps even somewhat reckless--instincts to pursue the task as he did. And he completely ignored the World Health Organization, showing his contempt for international institutions. Anyway, a cure for cancer is all fine and nice, but what about AIDS?

The Enormity of Iraq

Lee recalls an interview with Hitchens about the enormity of Iraq and how much has been accomplished there. And I couldn't agree more with Lee's conclusion:

The naysayers and antiwar idiots simply refuse to recognize the enormity of what is going on in Iraq right now. It’s far from perfect and nowhere near over, but something big is happening. And for all of those scumbags who signed the Not In Our Name petition, when Iraq turns into a success you can know that it was all done not in your name.

The Politics of Wal-Mart

There's an interesting read about the politics surrounding Wal-Mart and the many struggles the company is fighting. It's a well-balanced piece that gives some insight into the debate.

More Out of Touch Libertarianism

Case in point: Andrea Dworkin, a renowned feminist who is known to have fought hard against anything that she viewed as dangerous to women has died. Sullivan quotes a bit of her obituary from conservative David Frum which reads as follows,

And in one respect at least, she shared a deep and true perception with the political and cultural right: She understood that the sexual revolution had inflicted serious harm on the interests of women and children – and (ultimately) of men as well. She understood that all-pervasive pornography was not a harmless amusement, but a powerful teaching device that changed the way men thought about women. She rejected the idea that sex was just another commodity to be exchanged in a marketplace, that strippers and prostitutes should be thought of as just another form of service worker: She recognized and dared to name the reality of brutality and exploitation where many liberals insisted on perceiving personal liberation.

So where does Sullivan go with this? Only the place that reckless libertarian could.

They agreed on one important thing: the need to roll back sexual freedom...And she shared with Frum a deep suspicion of people who believe they are free and act accordingly.

That's right, they both realize the damage that pornography does to the image of women and to the psyche of the men who "enjoy" it. And because of that, they're "suspicious" of people who think they should be able to enjoy whatever they want to enjoy.

Sullivan, and libertarians everywhere, refuse to see that porn is not a victimless act. It turns women into objects of lust and makes them toys to be owned. It creates unrealistic expectations within males which makes true love and intimacy next to impossible. But even more horrid is that it twists a gift given by God between one man and one woman and makes it a public display of lust and self-gratification.

The fact that Sullivan, himself a confessing Catholic, cannot see this shows a disturbing lack of understanding concerning one of God's greatest gifts and the way it was meant to be enjoyed. And it also reflects how bankrupt our minds have become, when the sexual subjugation of women becomes "enjoyment."

Yet again, I find less in common with the libertarians, supposedly on our own side of the spectrum, then I do with those on the other side.

Open Season on Cats

My friends all know that I am a dog person and always have been. I despise house cats as a group - they're just plain annoying. But seeing there are more cat sites than porn sites on the web, it seems likely that I am in the minority with this opinion. USA Today is reporting that there are some in Wisconsin that would like to make it legal to hunt wild house cats. It's an interesting idea, that I whole heartily agree with (more for my afore mentioned reasons than the reasons of the proponents in Wisconsin). Nonetheless, it is an interesting concept that could help to end the spread of some diseases in animals. It will be interesting to see how this one pans out.

Authors and Religious Beliefs

Someone has done a ton of footwork and put together the research on various authors and their religious backgrounds. It's interesting to have the access to what motivates writers. Nomad and I are both Christians and writers and have had many discussions about how the art of writing intersects with faith. Reflecting your own understanding in your writing can be both simple and difficult and I think the list shows us that. Some of those listed are no-brainers but others I was surprised at.

Dobson and More Embarrassment

As I have stated many times, I think James Dobson is good at what he does, family psychology. But he's awful at politics. His recent comments comparing the Supreme Court to the KKK is another example of why this man should stick to what he knows. It's about 22 minutes into the address when the statements comes and there's just no reason for it. Dobson should not be a leading spokesperson for Christians in politics. The Christian movement really needs to come to terms with comments that Dobson, Falwell, and Robinson continue to make. These men might be great spiritual people, but their public personas are harmful to the Christian image.

Even worse, each of them accepts this as proof that they're following Christ. They assume that Christ's words are true of them when he said that we would be hated and mocked as he was. But there's a difference between being hated and mocked for saying stupid things and being hated and mocked for standing up for the truth of the Gospel. These men, I'm sure, have the best intentions. But we know where good intentions lead without wisdom and counsel. And it honestly seems that these men have not been receiving much counsel of late before they speak publicly. It's time to return some accountability to our leadership within the Christian realm.

A Better World In 7 Steps

One of Chrenkoff's guest bloggers has some excellent thoughts about fixing serious problems around the world. It's a lengthy piece but well worth the read.

Tim Robbins: Idiot

I was at the in-laws this weekend and was able to catch up on Real Time with Bill Maher since they have HBO and On Demand. What a great set-up. But I digress. So I'm watching and on one particular episode, there is none other than Tim Robbins. Now, I can respect someone who disagreed with the war in Iraq. Tucker Carlson was on the same episode and had reasons to oppose the war. But his were actually backed up in reality. Robbins, on the other hand, appeared either high or drunk through half the show and couldn't make a valid point to save his life. But this is a technique that he seems to have picked up from Sean Penn and apparently thinks it's cool.

So, they're discussing Iraq and Robbins and Bill have a brief interlude that reflects just how out of touch and plain stupid Robbins is. I can't find a transcript so I'll have to recall it as well as I can. It goes something like this:

Robbins: Well, this illegal war that has cost 100,000 or more Iraqi lives...

Bill: First off, I'm not sure where you're getting that number, I haven't heard anyone confirm those numbers. To be fair, we know that at least 50,000 Iraqis died every year. So there are probably less Iraqis dead than there would have been had Saddam stayed in power, and now they are free, you have to give Bush credit for that.

Robbins: Well, where are you getting your numbers? I seriously doubt that many Iraqis died each year.

Bill: From the graves. You know, the mass graves that we've found all over Iraq.

Robbins: Well, I mean...A lot of those graves were really old and they probably happened a long time ago. There's no proof that Saddam killed so many people each year.

At this point, Bill simply stares at him for a moment in shock (something you don't see often from him) and moves on. But there you have it, the quintessential moonbat position. Saddam probably wasn't that bad. And if he was, we're still worse because of what we did.

I couldn't believe how often, time and time again, Maher actually called liberals out for refusing to support a President that has, in effect, hijacked their stance on spreading Democracy. Regardless of how shrill Bill might be at times, he deserves credit for seeing the hypocrisy within the Democratic party over this war. And they should be ashamed of themselves for defending a murderous regime.

Revenge of the Sith, Not For Younglings

Well, it is official. Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith will be rated PG-13. I just finished listening to the Audio Book of the movie, and I must say depending on how Lucas chooses to put many of these scenes onscreen, PG-13 is probably the right call. I won't mention any specifics - I don't want to spoil anything for readers who don't know the scuttlebutt surrounding Star Wars for the last few decades - but I would imagine most Star Wars fans can imagine at least two scenes that could even go R depending on how they are shot. We all know the story of the Rise of Darth Vader has to be a dark tale. What we don't know, is just how far Anakin Skywalker has to go to destroy the faith that Obi-Wan Kenobi had in him.

Oh, and yes. I do recommend the novelization... at least the abridged Audio Book.

Border Tech is Faulty At Best

You have to admit at least one thing about the much maligned "Minuteman Project." It is drawing media scrutiny back onto border and immigration issues, after a long, long period of inattention after 9/11. Consider this story about the automated technology along our border which was so badly installed and maintained that criminal charges may be filed!

A critical network of cameras and sensors installed for the U.S. Border Patrol along the Mexican and Canadian borders has been hobbled for years by defective equipment that was poorly installed, and by lax oversight by government officials who failed to properly supervise the project's contractor, according to government reports and public and industry officials...Many irregularities were documented in a scathing GSA inspector general's report, released in December, which cited millions of dollars in potential overcharges by the contractor, International Microwave Corp. (IMC), as well as the record of U.S. officials paying for work never performed.

While I am not encouraged that it is a CT-based firm getting the criticism, it is good to finally see the media taking border control issues seriously. Until we do, we have a major weakness in our approach to combating terror and terrorists.

The "First iPod"? The "Presidential Playlist?"

The New York Times has up a cute article analyzing the iPod given to President George W. Bush by his twin daughters last year. While it certainly it the ultimate non-sequitor in terms of importance, it is nice to see that even people in power can appreciate music and the power of portable technology.

As for an analysis of Mr. Bush's playlist, Mr. Levy of Rolling Stone started out with this: "One thing that's interesting is that the president likes artists who don't like him."
Mr. Levy was referring to Mr. Fogerty, who was part of the anti-Bush "Vote for Change" concert tour across the United States last fall. Mr. McKinnon, who once wrote songs for Kris Kristofferson's music publishing company, responded in an e-mail message that "if any president limited his music selection to pro-establishment musicians, it would be a pretty slim collection."

Now, we have to wonder if Apple Computer will get inspired and release a special limited-edition iPod Mini in red, white, and blue!

Douglas Adams's Biographer: H2G2 Movie Stinks

This isn't the first review of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy movie, but it is the first by someone who can really be called an authority. He is the biographer of Douglas Adams, and has thus studied the H2G2 movies, radio shows, TV shows, and stage plays. His evaluation of the new film? Sounds like the director doesn't know where his towel is! Oh, and a warning on the link. There are spoilers, though the author also offers a spoilers-free version.

Really bad. You just won't believe how vastly, staggeringly, jaw-droppingly bad it is. I mean, you might think that The Phantom Menace was a hopelessly misguided attempt to reinvent a much-loved franchise by people who, though well-intentioned, completely failed to understand what made the original popular - but that's just peanuts to the Hitchhiker's movie. Listen.

The part that makes me REALLY worried is how much the reviewer dwells on the fact that classic Adams dialogue - the stuff that made every incarnation work - has been cut out, cut up, and in some cases replaced with generic sitcom humor. Sigh. I'll still see it, but you may consider my expectations significantly lowered.

Marbug Virus Worse Than Ebola

Anyone else still remember the movie Outbreak? In it, a small American town is ravaged by a hemorragic fever which spreads like wildfire and has an almost 100% mortality rate. We were all a bit freaked out by it, but were reassured that it is not possible because (1) even ebola is not airborne and (2) even ebola is not quite that lethal. Well, we are now learning the Marbug outbreak in Angola is that lethal!

The outbreak of the deadly Marburg virus in Angola is worse than Ebola, a UN disease expert said, as the world body launched an urgent appeal for funds to fight the fever which has claimed 180 lives...The world body on Friday launched an emergency appeal for 3.5 million dollars (2.7 million euros) to "intensify the fight" against the outbreak which "was the largest ever recorded and still growing."
"The appeal for 3.5 million dollars will enable UN agencies, including the WHO, UNICEF and the WFP to support the Angolan government intensifying outbreak control efforts," said the UN's resident co-ordinator in Angola, Pierre-Francois Pirlot. "It is clear that this epidemic is unprecedented not only in Angola, but everywhere. It is the biggest epidemic of haemorrhagic fever so far," he said.
Most of the victims come from the northern town of Uige, the epicentre of the outbreak some 300 kilometres (180 mile) north of the seaboard capital Luanda. Some 200 cases had been reported since it first surfaced in October.
"The victims included nine health workers, seven nurses and two doctors," said Angolan vice health minister Jose Van Dunem.
Fear has gripped the capital and the country of 14 million people, which emerged three years ago from a brutal 27-year civil war. The Ebola-like Marburg virus, whose exact origin is unknown, spreads through contact with bodily fluids such as blood, excrement, vomit and saliva, but can be contained with relatively simple health precautions, according to experts. Yokouibd told reporters that the disease "was transmitted through contact with all bodily fluids which also included sweat and tears if you touch a sick person," but he stressed that it was "not an airborne disease".

Star Wars Episode 3 Soundtrack?

For the record, I will be buying the episode 3 soundtrack when it comes out on May 3 on CD. I have all of them up until now, and I want the full collection. But in the meantime, it appears someone has posted a sneak peek. No idea how long this will be up there. Get 'em while they're hot!

UPDATE: And if you want to see the cover art for the CD, here that is!

Always TWO, There Are

Wondering who is being considered as the next Sith Apprentice? Check it out: how sweet it is!