What can Bible Reading do for you?

It comes as no shock to those of you who know that I coach a Bible Quiz Team, that I am a big advocate of Bible reading. In my opinion, no person should consider themselves educated unless they have read significant portions of the scriptures for themselves... in whatever translation. How can you understand our legal system unless you have read about the 10 Commandments and Moses's practice of acting as judge over Israel? How can you understand political protest and standing firm before authority without reading about Daniel and the fiery furnace or the lion's den? How can you understand most of the literature of the Western World without reading about the life of Jesus, to which it constantly alludes?

Well, one agnostic Jewish man decided to take the challenge for himself and got more than he expected out of the experience. Both for the positive and the negative. His conclusion? "Everyone should read it—all of it! In fact, the less you believe, the more you should read."

The struggle of the professional creative

Horror Show: 1929 vs 2009

If you're wondering how the start of the Great Depression stacks up to the current Recession, wonder no longer. Fair warning, this is a SCARY story. If you are already stressed or anxious today, leave it for another day.

At the same time, we must remind ourselves that while history repeats themes, it rarely does so with absolute fidelity. History loves variation. This means there is hope to produce a better result out of the current economic climate.

Fun take on the Whopper vs Big Mac Commercials

Fun take on the new Burger King commercials by Saturday Night Live.

AIG hungry! Want more bailout!

Sigh. What more can be said? Sigh.

The government agreed late Sunday to provide $30 billion more to American International Group as the company prepares to report a $62 billion loss today, people involved in the discussions said.

The insurer’s quarterly loss would be the biggest in history.

The intervention marks the fourth time that the federal government has been forced to step in to help AIG avert bankruptcy.

I hate to ask as a Conservative, but would it be cheaper to just let AIG go bankrupt and promise to fund all the displaced people for 5 years via the unemployment system, when the Recession will likely have passed?

Removing the Moral Dilemma to Stem Cells

When George W. Bush announced a freeze on Federal support for Stem Cell research in 2000, he was roundly condemned by the medical establishment who accused him of "wanting Alzheimer's patients to suffer." But at the time, Pro-life advocates were already pointing to sources of stem cells which did not require the death of an embryo - fetal cord blood, for example. Now, scientists have announced they have found a way to produce stem cells without embryo death from any patient! A mere 8 years - when added to a little political pressure - was enough to completely free the way for future stem cell experimentation.

In a breakthrough that could have huge implications, British and Canadian scientists have found a way of reprogramming skin cells taken from adults, effectively winding the clock back on the cells until they were in an embryonic form...

Because the cells can be made from a patient's own skin, they carry the same DNA and so could be used without a risk of being rejected by the immune system.

So, not only is it a morally-defensible solution for Pro-Lifers, it is actually a better solution medically because it uses the patient's own cells and obviates the need for anti-rejection drugs (which suppress the immune system in general). In my ever-so-humble opinion, this justifies GWB's decision from 8 years back.

Paul Harvey says "Good day!" for the last time

I was only an AM Radio Boffin for a few years of my life, but one of the regular joys of the airwaves was the daily news program by Paul Harvey. In a world where "If it bleeds, it leads" was the watchword of reporting, he was unafraid to also report happy and uplifting news. And he always had a cheerful take on life. Now, he has passed away, and we are poorer as a nation for it.