July 2009 Archives
Coulter, Malkin, Dobbs, and Conspiracy Fantasyland
July 30, 2009 8:29 AM | permalink | comments: 0
Fox News darlings Ann Coulter and Michele Malkin insist that Obama planted the question about Henry Gates at last weeks' news conference. Coulter even said on Fox, "I do have proof." And Malkin says she "absolutely" believes it was planted.
Lynn Sweet, who asked the question, begs to differ in an article on Politics Daily. "If they had, my story would have been about their effort to plant a question," says Sweet who, unlike Coulter and Malkin, is a real journalist with truth standards.
Sweet writes about how she came up with the question, and says Obama had no idea what she would ask. And why would they plant a question like that? It took them off-message (from healthcare), and caused Obama to speak stupidly. I saw the tail end of that press conference, and was astounded when Obama addressed it the way he did. Totally inappropriate.
Speaking of nutty conspiracies: Joe Klein weighs in about Lou Dobbs and the silly birth certificate controversy.
Lynn Sweet, who asked the question, begs to differ in an article on Politics Daily. "If they had, my story would have been about their effort to plant a question," says Sweet who, unlike Coulter and Malkin, is a real journalist with truth standards.
Sweet writes about how she came up with the question, and says Obama had no idea what she would ask. And why would they plant a question like that? It took them off-message (from healthcare), and caused Obama to speak stupidly. I saw the tail end of that press conference, and was astounded when Obama addressed it the way he did. Totally inappropriate.
Speaking of nutty conspiracies: Joe Klein weighs in about Lou Dobbs and the silly birth certificate controversy.
Sex Scandals: Democrats vs. Republicans
July 30, 2009 7:49 AM | permalink | comments: 0
While with my parents recently, the subject of sex scandals came up. There had been three involving Republicans right in a row--Mark Sanford, John Ensign, and Charles Pickering. It does sometimes seem that more sex scandals involve Republicans.
But I said I suspected that, if you go back over time, it all evens out. Sex scandals are a human issue, not a political issue. While Republicans seemed to be having a bad run, I figured Democrats had just as many scandals in their, uh, closet.
Today I came across an article on "Politics Daily" by Emily Miller, in which she argues convincingly that Democrats have the immoral edge. "Summer 2009 may go down as the season of Republican sex scandals. But if you look at the long history of political sex scandals, I think Democrats win both in quantity and (low) quality." Then she starts naming names: the Kennedys, Clinton, Spitzer, Edwards, McGreevey, Condit, Hart, FDR.
Having worked in Congress, she talks about the overall sexual environment, but concludes that it's not much different from anywhere else she has worked. She concludes:
"The worst sex scandals, in my view, involved Democrats. But, that said, all sex scandals taint our country and negatively affect our culture, so we lose every time another allegation surfaces."
But I said I suspected that, if you go back over time, it all evens out. Sex scandals are a human issue, not a political issue. While Republicans seemed to be having a bad run, I figured Democrats had just as many scandals in their, uh, closet.
Today I came across an article on "Politics Daily" by Emily Miller, in which she argues convincingly that Democrats have the immoral edge. "Summer 2009 may go down as the season of Republican sex scandals. But if you look at the long history of political sex scandals, I think Democrats win both in quantity and (low) quality." Then she starts naming names: the Kennedys, Clinton, Spitzer, Edwards, McGreevey, Condit, Hart, FDR.
Having worked in Congress, she talks about the overall sexual environment, but concludes that it's not much different from anywhere else she has worked. She concludes:
"The worst sex scandals, in my view, involved Democrats. But, that said, all sex scandals taint our country and negatively affect our culture, so we lose every time another allegation surfaces."
Colin Powell -- A Better Republican than Rush
July 28, 2009 10:44 PM | permalink | comments: 0
Listened to Larry King's full-hour interview with Colin Powell tonite (half of it on the way home from the table tennis club). Though Powell (like me) voted for Obama (and for pretty much the same reasons as I did, as he explained it), he still calls himself a Republican. He says he's economically conservative and socially moderate. That's how I would describe myself.
Powell touched on a number of issues, and I agreed with him right down the line.
- He favored talking to Iran and North Korea.
- He felt Obama was trying to do too much too fast.
- He was disturbed by the amount of money being spent in Washington.
- He is against torture.
- He thought Henry Gates went overboard and should have cooperated with the police, but that the police should have probably just walked away without arresting him.
On issue after issue, I resonated with Powell. He represents me.
Rush Limbaugh continually criticizes Powell, and wants him out of the Republican Party, along with John McCain, Olympia Snowe, Arlen Specter (got his wish there), and anyone else who doesn't meet his definition of a Republican. So Rush obviously has no room for the likes of me in the GOP. I would just as soon not have an irreligious, drug-addicted, obese, intolerant, multiple divorcé calling the shots in the Republican Party. But hey, he's got a bully pulpit which gives him a stranglehold on ideological purity. If anyone raises a contrary voice, he can lambast them for several hours every day. So Republicans suck up to him, wanting his favor. Woe unto the moderate who disagrees with Rush.
And so, to the Republican far-right base, Powell is a turncoat liberal. Which is a travesty. Powell is an amazingly gifted American, a man we should all look up to and admire. And not too long ago, we did. He was the darling in the GOP. But moderates like him are being chased out of the party. And to me, that spells doom.
If they don't enlarge the tent, there is no future for the Republican Party. Not in a country which is increasingly ethnic in complexion and moderate-to-liberal in outlook. Rush, Glen Beck, Sean Hannity, Ann Coulter, Fred Barnes, Bill Kristol--they are killing the Republican Party.
Books: Before the Frost, Without Fail
July 28, 2009 4:11 PM | permalink | comments: 0
I read three books, and most of a fourth, on vacation last week.
You can't peck away at a Henning Mankell book. You need a big block of time so you can dive in and stay submerged until you're done.
So last week's vacation started with Mankell's "Before the Frost," the last of the Kurt Wallander books currently available (I've read all the others). This one is actually billed as a "Kurt and Linda Wallander Mystery," and daughter Linda is, in fact, the main character.
Linda is within days of joining the police force where her father, Kurt, is an ace investigator. A murder occurs, and because of some relationships, she gets involved. It's another excellent book. This one features some interesting religious themes.
This is the last Wallander book I have (3 other Mankell books sit on my shelf, unread). A collection of several short stories starring Wallander will be released by Vintage/Black Lizard in October, and there's another book out there called "The Troubled Man" which I don't think is available yet in English, and which supposedly brings the career (though not the life) of Wallander to an end.
"Without Fail" is my fifth Lee Child book starring tough-guy Jack Reacher. These have all been tremendous books, and I think "Without Fail" may be the best (it's between "Without Fail" and "Echo Burning"). In this book, the Secret Service invites Reacher's help to foil a plot to assassinate the vice president. The Reacher books are pretty straightforward, with lots of action, though this one has a more intricate plot and less action than the other books.
We have all but one (the first) of the Jack Reacher books. Pam has read all 11 of the books we own. It'll take me a while to catch up.
Coolest Wedding Procession Ever
July 28, 2009 8:28 AM | permalink | comments: 0
You've gotta watch this Youtube video. It's from a wedding in Minnesota. It'll definitely make you smile. They got very creative with the procession. (Thanks, Evan McBroom, for finding this.)
Erin Andrews and Fox & Friends Hypocrisy
July 27, 2009 10:50 AM | permalink | comments: 0
I was amazed at the way Fox & Friends repeatedly showed still photos from the Erin Andrews peephole video. While expressing their shock and outrage that anyone would secretly film Andrews in that way, the F&F anchors--whom I refer to as Gomer, Legs, and Squirrelly--kept showing a number of photos with lacy ribbon barely covering strategic parts of her body, leaving little to the imagination. I can't imagine Ms. Andrews was happy about being exploited in this additional way.
This self-righteous indignation was incredibly hypocritical of those Fox & Friends lightweights, whose main schtick is to repeat the talking points which come down from Fox Central Command. It must have especially been a stretch for Legs, who sits right there in the middle, camera pulled back for a full view, legs crossed, wearing an extremely short skirt which I can't imagine she chose. The same attire is worn by every blonde who fills the Legs spot, whether it's the weekday or weekend edition. Can their motives be any more obvious? While expressing outrage at the objectification of Erin Andrews, they objectify their female anchor for several hours every morning.
You have to remember where Fox News comes from: Rupert Murdoch, who grew his fortune through tabloid sensationalism. Fox just specializes in a different kind of sensationalism.
CBS also ran those photos. Other networks didn't. Good for them. They have some standards.
Celebrating Our 20th...in Michigan?
July 26, 2009 7:35 PM | permalink | comments: 0
It has been six days since my last blog post.
Last Tuesday, Pam and I headed up to Mackinaw City, Mich., where we decided to celebrate our 20th anniversary. It seemed good to flaunt our discretionary income in a state with 15 percent unemployment.
We found a lake-front room at the Hamilton Inn, where we stayed last Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights. On Wednesday, I complained to the hotel front-desk people that I couldn't get a wireless signal for my laptop in our room. They insisted we were the only ones in the hotel having problems. I doubted that, but had no grounds for arguing. Nevertheless, I persisted. Wireless internet access was, after all, part of the very high price we were paying for our room. Plus, if there's anything I should be doing more of on my 20th wedding anniversary, it is surfing the internet and ignoring my wife.
The result of my kind persistence--and of getting connected to Michelle, a most accommodating young lady from Jamaica--was getting moved to a much nicer room. Larger, newer, more expensive. I still couldn't get good internet access (I got a better signal from the neighboring Comfort Inn), but I decided against complaining. I did approve of the new room. So did Pam.
On Wednesday, our anniversary, we took Shepler's Ferry out to Mackinac Island. We ended up spending most of our time at the fort, which was far more interesting than I expected. We were there several hours. Later, as we ordered pizza in a little restaurant in the village, the heavens let loose with a downpour. So much for the idea of renting bicycles. We boarded the ferry and headed back to the mainland.
On Friday morning, we left town (with plenty of Mackinac fudge!) and drove to Pentwater, where Pam's Dad and stepmom have a house along Lake Michigan. We always enjoy staying there; go once each summer.
Yesterday morning (Saturday), we took a 3.5 mile hike on trails through a state park. That was very nice. In the afternoon, we walked 2.5 miles along the beach, barefoot. That was nice. We woke up this morning with stiff legs and sore feet. Not so nice.
Anyway, it was a wonderful vacation. Short, but refreshing.
Last Tuesday, Pam and I headed up to Mackinaw City, Mich., where we decided to celebrate our 20th anniversary. It seemed good to flaunt our discretionary income in a state with 15 percent unemployment.
We found a lake-front room at the Hamilton Inn, where we stayed last Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights. On Wednesday, I complained to the hotel front-desk people that I couldn't get a wireless signal for my laptop in our room. They insisted we were the only ones in the hotel having problems. I doubted that, but had no grounds for arguing. Nevertheless, I persisted. Wireless internet access was, after all, part of the very high price we were paying for our room. Plus, if there's anything I should be doing more of on my 20th wedding anniversary, it is surfing the internet and ignoring my wife.
The result of my kind persistence--and of getting connected to Michelle, a most accommodating young lady from Jamaica--was getting moved to a much nicer room. Larger, newer, more expensive. I still couldn't get good internet access (I got a better signal from the neighboring Comfort Inn), but I decided against complaining. I did approve of the new room. So did Pam.
On Wednesday, our anniversary, we took Shepler's Ferry out to Mackinac Island. We ended up spending most of our time at the fort, which was far more interesting than I expected. We were there several hours. Later, as we ordered pizza in a little restaurant in the village, the heavens let loose with a downpour. So much for the idea of renting bicycles. We boarded the ferry and headed back to the mainland.
On Friday morning, we left town (with plenty of Mackinac fudge!) and drove to Pentwater, where Pam's Dad and stepmom have a house along Lake Michigan. We always enjoy staying there; go once each summer.
Yesterday morning (Saturday), we took a 3.5 mile hike on trails through a state park. That was very nice. In the afternoon, we walked 2.5 miles along the beach, barefoot. That was nice. We woke up this morning with stiff legs and sore feet. Not so nice.
Anyway, it was a wonderful vacation. Short, but refreshing.
Book: Less Clutter, Less Noise
July 20, 2009 11:14 AM | permalink | comments: 0
Let me recommend "Less Clutter, Less Noise," by Kem Meyer. It deals with local church communication, but probably not in a way you would expect. There is some strategy, some technique, some do's and don'ts, some philosophy. But more than anything, I came away with an attitude. An attitude toward everything we do in communicating in the local church.
Kem Meyer is the Communications Director at Granger Community Church near South Bend, Ind. It's a fast-growing church with a laser focus on reaching lost people. A very innovative place. And Kem Meyer is a very innovative person who enjoys the cutting edge. She is doing some original (at least it seems that way) thinking about how we communicate in the church.
I've been familiar with Kem for several years now. I attended her seminar at MinistryCOM 2006, heard her keynote address at MinistryCOM 2007, and attended a full-day seminar by her at Granger. And I've been reading her blog for several years.
The book resembles her blog in ways--a bunch of short pieces, most of which can stand on their own. In fact, I recognized some of the content from her blog.
In 1995, I wrote "A Plain and Simple Guide to Church Promotion" as my project in completing a Masters in Public Relations at Ball State U. I gathered absolutely everything I could find about any aspect of local church promotion--newsletters, advertising, branding, design, printing, Powerpoint, font usage, and much more. In all, over 100 individual topics. Each topic filled a single page, and I mostly just gave bullet points--simple tips, do's and don'ts.
Kem's book is similar. She doesn't go in-depth into anything, but hits a lot of different areas. If you want direction, she gives you more than enough to work with, but she doesn't overload you. Which is part of the book's point--that we need to make life easier for people by lessening the clutter and noise.
People today are barraged with information and choices. Kem writes, "People who live in today's world respond in one of three ways: they become overwhelmed and shut down, they labor over whether they're making the right decisions, or they just ignore you and move on."
So that's important to keep in mind as we communicate in the local church--between ourselves, and with outsiders (or, in PR-speak, with our internal and external constituencies). She emphasizes keeping it simple. Don't complicate people's lives. Help them sort through the clutter. And don't add to the clutter with stuff you think is important, but which they couldn't care less about.
That's an overview of the book. Follow the link below for some quotes.
Continue reading Book: Less Clutter, Less Noise.
From Walk-a-Thon to Run-a-Thon
July 18, 2009 10:34 AM | permalink | comments: 0
The last time I ran a long distance was during the 1976 Huntington College Walk-a-thon. I was on the planning committee, and was up around 4 a.m. driving along the route (which started in Fort Wayne) putting in signs. We returned to Huntington in time to board the bus with other students for Lindenwood Park in Fort Wayne, the starting point. I probably slept most of the way.
As we exited the bus, a couple friends told me they were going to run for a while. Did I want to join them? It was a totally spur-of-the-moment thing. In fact, they were already taking off. Sure, I'd run with them.
We didn't stop running until we reached Roanoke. That was 14 miles later. Most of that time, I was running with Sam Ristow. I think Ray Faber was in that group. Don't remember the others. Sam and I stopped running in Roanoke, and walked the remaining 10 miles or so to Huntington.
The next day, I could hardly move.
Strength Doesn't Need to be Flaunted
July 17, 2009 12:31 PM | permalink | comments: 0
I love this quote from Barack Obama, which shows a fundamental difference between him and the Bush administration:
A great power does not show strength by dominating or demonizing other countries.
Microsoft Scores with its Laptop Hunter Ads
July 16, 2009 7:19 AM | permalink | comments: 0
I'm a Mac guy. Have been since 1988. I'm not a fan of Microsoft...though I'm using a MS keyboard, and they do make the best mice. And I can't do without MS Office. And I use Expression Media all the time. But I digress.Apple's TV ads become cultural phenomena--the Think Different campaign, the snazzy iPod dancing ads, and those wonderful Mac vs. PC ads. Meanwhile, Microsoft's ads usually fall flat. Can you remember any Microsoft ad campaign of previous years? No, there's nothing memorable.
But these Laptop Hunter ads--I think they're good. And they seem to be effective. The way they mention Apple, and downplay the need to be "cool," hits the chord just right. The original "Lauren" ad is still the best.
So while I really hate complimenting Microsoft, I must say: you've got it right this time. (But the Mac/PC ads still blow you away.)
Trivia about Why Americans Keep Getting Fatter
July 15, 2009 11:18 PM | permalink | comments: 1
The July 20 New Yorker has a great article by Elizabeth Kolbert called "XXXL." It's actually a review of books about obesity and over-eating. Here are some interesting tidbits:
- Three National Health studies done in the 1960s and 1970s showed that the number of overweight Americans was around 25%. It nudged up slightly with each survey. But in a study in the 1980s, the figure shot up to 33%.
- Today, men average 17 pounds heavier than in the 1970s. For women: 19 pounds heavier. The number of overweight children (ages 6-11) has doubled, and the number of overweight teens has tripled.
- The typical revolving door has increased from 10 feet to 12 feet, to accommodate obese people.
- The weight gain costs airline companies a quarter-billion dollars in extra fuel costs.
- Soft drinks account for 7% of all calories consumed by Americans. If the average American stopped drinking soft drinks and only drank water, he would lost 15 pounds.
- "Eatertainment" is a term used in the food industry to describe food which mix the big three--fat, sugar, and salt--in ways to produce the most calories.
- A small order of McDonald's fries has 230 calories, a large order 500 calories.
- Supersizing has been a huge hit in selling more junk food.
- Although Americans were the first to fatten up, we're not alone. The proportion of overweight adults is higher in Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Greece, Malta, and Slovakia. And obesity is on the rise in Asia, Africa, and South America.
- People just above the poverty level seem to be gaining weight the most rapidly.
- Some ailments linked to excess weight: Type 2 diabetes, coronary disease, hypertension, various cancers, gallstones, osteoarthritis.
- Overweight Americans cost the medical system $90 billion a year.
- US corporations spend $55 billion a year building food processing and distribution centers in other countries. So "globescity" is only going to continue rising.
For the record, I just returned from the gym.
Sean Hannity Uses the Bible, Sort Of
July 15, 2009 1:50 PM | permalink | comments: 0
Last night, while on the eliptical at the YMCA, I watched Sean Hannity's program. Actually, I kept switching back and forth between Hannity and Larry King (on CNN), but King's show was about Michael Jackson, and I'm a bit tired of that.
Anyway, twice before going to a break Hannity said, "Let not your heart be troubled." Obviously taken from John 14:1. I wondered, What's with that? Because the rest of the verse says, "You believe in God. Believe also in me." So...is this what he was saying?
"Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me, Sean Hannity."
Whatever he was trying to say, I wish he'd stop. It's a biblical reference out of context.
He's already using Martina McBride's "Independence Day" totally out of context. That song is really about a woman's battle with domestic abuse and how she eventually escaped from it--her independence day. It has nothing to do with patriotism, as Hannity's usage implies.
A Great Billy Jean Impersonation
July 15, 2009 1:45 PM | permalink | comments: 0
My brother Rick, on his blog, told about Tim Gilleand, the worship leader at Rick's church in South Bend, Ind. Tim does Michael Jackson impersonations, and he's really good. Here's a Youtube clip of him doing "Billy Jean." Not bad for a white guy. (But then, Michael Jackson was...oh, never mind.)
Learning to Run Again...and Liking It This Time
July 13, 2009 2:00 PM | permalink | comments: 0
I always hated running. I never had much stamina. When I played high school basketball and the coach made us run laps, I usually straggled in close to last. In 11th grade, in California, I had the great misfortunate that the new junior varsity coach was also the cross country coach. He'd send us out on lengthy runs through the neighborhoods surrounding the school, and I could be counted on to trail the pack. Coach Ross Gentry was his name. Cursed be it.
But of late, I've started running, and I enjoy it. "Of late" being April of this year. I decided it'd be nice to work up to a 5K race, and was shamed into the idea by the fact that our pastor's wife had just run a 5K race. But I knew the first step would be managing to run a quarter mile without collapsing. I started running--run an eighth of a mile, then walk, then run again--and I found it fun. But I quickly realized I had done something to my ankle. That something turned out to be a stress fracture. I am terribly fragile.
I stopped running for a month. And then, when the ailment persisted, I saw a specialist, who confirmed it was a stress fracture. BUT, he said I could still run. The stress fracture would heal, as long as I ran in moderation. He repeated that when I saw him again last Friday.
So since early June, I've been running maybe a couple times a week. I did a mile and a half, and then a mile and three-quarters this past Saturday. And I really enjoy it. Why? Why did I hate running as a teenager, and now I find it satisfying? What makes the difference? The difference can be summed up in one word:
iPod
Books: Two by Charles Willeford
July 12, 2009 10:41 PM | permalink | comments: 0
This weekend I finished two books by Charles Willeford. Both are worth recommending.
Willeford, who died in 1988, is a very interesting writer. He was a tank commander during WW2, and won the Silver and Bronze stars and a purple heart. As a writer, he didn't plot things out before starting. Rather, he got the seed of an idea and started writing without really knowing where he was going.
I've read four books by Willeford now, and all are totally different.
- The Burnt Orange Conspiracy (1971).
- Pick-Up (1967).
- Miami Blues (1984).
- Cockfighter (1972).
In "Miami Blues," his most well-known book, he created the character Hoke Mosely, a police detective. He wrote several other novels starring Mosely, and I'll need to read them, because I like him a lot. And the Miami locale adds all kinds of color.
"Cockfighter" is narrated first-person by Frank Mansfield, a well-known chicken-fighter in the south. This book will tell you all you could ever want to know about cockfighting--all the tricks and techniques, how to train and feed chickens--really, everything. And you probably don't want to know anything about cockfighting.
A few years before, Mansfield shot off his mouth and, as a result, ended up losing his chance for a championship. Angry at himself, he took a vow of silence: he wouldn't talk until he won that championship as the best cockfighter in the south. So throughout the book, the main character doesn't talk--only points, gestures, and scribbles notes. But this being first-person, we're privy to Mansfield's thoughts. Everyone else thinks he just lost his voice somehow; they don't realize he's voluntarily not talking. This makes the book extra interesting.
Mansfield starts out down on his luck, and must build back up to pursue the championship. Think of the movie "Tin Cup," but in the world of illegal cockfighting. As I read, I thought of the underworld of dogfighting in which Michael Vick was enmeshed. Both are cruel worlds.
Because of the detail, the atmospherics, I'll remember "Cockfighter" long after the plot of "Miami Blues" fades away. But I'll be reading more about Hoke Mosely.
Misconceptions about Iran's Nuclear Weapon Program
July 11, 2009 12:44 PM | permalink | comments: 0
In the first chapter of "The Inheritance," David Sanger talks about Iran's nuclear program and sheds light on some misconceptions we have.
In 2003 a secret US intelligence report concluded that Iran had suspended work on designing a nuclear weapon. It leaked to the public, and it undercut the Bush Administration's call for sanctions against Iran. Why were we contemplating military action against Iran when they had halted their program? Other countries already felt we had misled them about Iraq (which we had), so there was no trust factor. Instead, they wondered if we were on the verge of another Iraq.
But that was misleading. Sanger notes that designing the bomb is the easy part. It can be done late in the process, and done quickly. The hard part is gathering the parts needed (like centrifuges) and enriching enough uranium (which can be part of the civil nuclear energy program). "The Iranians," Sanger wrote, "had halted their work on the final step, the physical construction of the weapon."
It's like accumulating all the ingredients to make a cake. You just don't figure out the specifics of the recipe--how much of this, how much of that, what temperature to bake at--until you're ready to start. An experienced cook can figure out that part quickly.
Japan doesn't have nuclear weapons, and they aren't trying to develop them. But everyone agrees they could probably do it overnight if they wanted to. They have everything they need (especially the technical expertise).
That's where Iran may be. The info about Iran suspending their weapon design program is misleading.
Johnny Cash Impersonates Elvis
July 11, 2009 12:07 PM | permalink | comments: 0
Thanks to Matt McKeown for pointing out this wonderful Youtube clip.
Sean Hannity is Such an Idiot
July 8, 2009 10:17 PM | permalink | comments: 0
I downloaded the speech Obama gave in Russia to that graduating class and read it during lunch today. I was really impressed. I'm sure some right-wingers think Obama should have made strong statements about human rights to put the Russians in their place, but that would have been totally inappropriate. Instead, he presented to the students a very healthy worldview which showed how Russia's interests line up with those of the United States. It was very well done.
Then tonight, I caught the tail end of Sean Hannity. He was taking individual lines out of the speech, twisting them around, and finding fault. It takes no intellect to do that, which is why Hannity can manage it so well. The typical grade schooler can take a line out of context and criticize it. That's child's play. I'm sure I could do it with the Sermon on the Mount.
You must take speeches of this nature in their entirety. Likewise with the Cairo speech, which I heard live and thought was magnificent. But I'm sure Hannity picked it apart that night. It's a petty, intellectually dishonest game. (Olberman does the same thing to things Republicans say.)
Hannity ended by making a comment like this: "It's my view that you don't negotiate with evil. You defeat it."
Now THAT'S scary. That's the Dick Cheney doctrine. So instead of talking to Russia--and North Korea, Iran, Venezuela, Cuba, China, etc.--the United States should DEFEAT them? Like, go to war? And people listen to this crap and go "Amen! Tell it, Sean!"??????
More importantly, is this the way a "one nation under God" settles disagreements with other countries? Does Jesus advocate aggression, military or otherwise, as the primary way to deal with your enemies? As Christians, we have a responsibility to discern the mind of God when it comes to citizenship. Rush and Sean give me zero insights into that.
Hear Me Talk about Web Writing
July 8, 2009 3:45 PM | permalink | comments: 0
Last September I did a seminar at the MinistryCOM conference on "Writing for the Web." That session is now available for purchase and download at $9.95. Seems a bit steep for 90 minutes of ignorant spouting, but hey. Actually, it was a lot of fun and I had good interaction from people. If you're involved in local church communications, there are lots of other workshops you can download.
I'll attend MinistryCOM in September, when the conference meets in Chicago (the closest it's been so far to Fort Wayne).
It's Not About You (Pastor)
July 8, 2009 10:16 AM | permalink | comments: 0
If you visit the homepage for Lakewood Church, you'll find four photos of Joel Osteen. Make that 5, when you count the one in the rotating banner (and three of the Mrs.).
I think it's safe to say this isn't a "purpose-driven" church but a "personality-driven" church.
(I make this generalization with only surface knowledge of Lakewood and Osteen. This is what bloggers do.)
At any rate: I like seeing photos of people on church sites, but not a photo of the pastor front-and-center. The latter just tells me this church puts too much emphasis on the pastor (or maybe the pastor puts too much emphasis on himself).
Dueling Anecdotes About Health Care
July 7, 2009 9:18 AM | permalink | comments: 0
As the healthcare debate cranks up, we're gonna be hearing lots of stuff about Canada's healthcare system. It has a lot of dysfunctionalities, and will be used to scare people about the idea of government healthcare. Actually, nobody's proposing a plan like Canada has. America's private healthcare system is well-developed, and you build on what you already have (not scrape everything clean and start over).
CNN did a report on Canada's system, trying to determine if what we hear is really accurate (ahh, actual reporting! what a concept!). Some is accurate, some not. In any system, you can find negative anecdotal stories. You can find them about Canada's system (in which every person is, at least, covered), and you can find them in our system (where people forgo needed medical procedures because they can't afford them, or because insurance companies refuse to cover them). We'll soon be engulfed in Dueling Anecdotes.
A wonderful article in the New Yorker talks about the path several other countries have taken (England, France, Switzerland). Each country is different--and none relate well to where the US is right now. It's a very pragmatic piece, written by a doctor.
The Rule of Threes
July 6, 2009 10:16 AM | permalink | comments: 2
I'm losing track. They say deaths of well-known people occur in threes. So here's where we seem to be at:
Set 1: Ed McMahon (June 23), Farrah Fawcett (June 25), Michael Jackson (June 25).
Set 2: Billy Mays (June 28), Karl Malden (July 1), Steve McNair (July 4).
Set 3: Robert McNamara (July 6).
Mom mentioned the death of Harve Presnell (June 30) as part of Set 2. He was evidently a Big Name in the 1960s, appearing in some movie musicals ("The Unsinkable Molly Brown" and "Paint Your Wagon") and on broadway. That would push Steve McNair to Set 3, and mean we need only one more death to complete that set. But since his name rings no bells with me, I'm not including him. (Though I'm sure he was a much bigger deal in his time than Billy Mays.)
You want morbid? You got it.
The Public Bullying of Sarah Palin
July 4, 2009 11:31 PM | permalink | comments: 0
Every school, maybe even every schoolbus, has one: the kid that everyone picks on. Even the schoolbus driver looks the other way, subtly sanctioning the bullying. I remember one such scrawny blond-headed guy in high school. It seemed like other guys were always taunting him, pushing him around. I, new to that school, was not heroic enough to intervene. My thoughts were probably more along the line, "I'm glad that's not me."
The media does the same thing. A well-known person crosses some kind of line, and suddenly they are fair game for any kind of mockery. It might be something they did, something they said. Or it might merely be the accumulation of too many silly caricatures. Whatever the case, word goes out, "She's fair game. You can say anything you want, and it's okay." A person's life becomes tabloid fodder.
Sarah Palin found herself in that tabloidesque situation. In her case, there was nothing major that she did or said; it was just the gradual, day-by-day drip drip drip of negative reporting, which led to continual mockery by late-night comedians and pundits. A good person became a public joke. David Letterman felt she had entered the "anything goes" category when he made disgusting jokes not only about Palin, but about her daughter. He thought he could say such things, and America would laugh, because Sarah Palin and her family had become that scrawy blond guy whom it's okay to pick on. The backlash says that maybe she wasn't quite in the "anything goes" camp. But she was close enough that Letterman though his jokes would be socially acceptable.
Tom Cruise seems to be in that category, thanks to jumping on Oprah's couch and a strange interview with Matt Lauer. Britney Spears was there for several years, thanks to her own bizarre behavior. Amy Winehouse is there. Dan Quayle continues living under the "public joke" cloud. Michael Jackson, especially after leaving the country after his latest trial, became the subject of endless ridicule. Jim and Tammy Bakker were there.
Sometimes it's hard to feel sorry for these people, but that's not the point. The point is: our society revels in knocking well-known people to the ground. And then kicking them.
Palin, Cruise, Spears, Jackson--they aren't much different from that scrawny blond kid I observed in high school. It's open season, in the public's mind. You can say anything about them, and about the people around them.
Bill Clinton certainly brought this on himself (with some help from Monica Lewinsky). He became a public joke. But Hillary--not only an innocent in this story, but a victim--also got dragged into it. How many sick jokes have we heard about Hillary's sexual relationship with Bill, and her sexuality in general? How many such jokes have I heard from church people? How many have I then repeated? (Chelsea was spared the ridicule, fortunately.)
I don't know all the motives behind Sarah Palin's decision to resign as governor. It's quite possible she has her eye on running for president, or getting a TV show, or writing a book. There is probably a mixture of motives. But it's also possible she's just fed up with the continual mockery she and her family have been subjected to. Who needs that?
Shooting Fireworks at Stu's House
July 4, 2009 12:00 AM | permalink | comments: 0
Every year our family gathers at my brother Stu's house in Convoy, Ohio, to shoot off fireworks. Some crazy stuff happens. This year, Stu and his sons Benjamin and Jonathan were dueling with Roman Candles. They would stand a good ways apart, light the candles, and then hold onto one end as fireballs shot out the other. The goal was to hit one of the other persons. They each got hit at least once. Stu has a big cut on the back of one leg where a fireball hit him.
They are trained professionals. Don't try this at home.
Another amusement is watching the dogs--little yappy Toby and big Wrench--barking at the fireworks. Stu bought one huge string of firecrackers, and the dogs went nuts as it went on and on. That's what's in the video below. (If you're reading this in Facebook, click on the "View Original Post" link to see the video.)
Obama: Slow Down, and Count Your Pennies
July 3, 2009 10:39 AM | permalink | comments: 0
I'm quite content with my health insurance, but it's not about me. It's about the 45 million Americans who have no health insurance. So I favor universal health care. And it IS about me in the sense that, despite our seeming good situation, a health situation could arise that would send Pam and I to the poorhouse. Most Americans teeter on that brink.
I applaud Obama for moving aggressively on a lot of issues that desperately need attention. I don't have confidence that John McCain would have gotten much of anything done now, particularly with Democrats ruling both houses of Congress. But I'd really like him to just SLOW DOWN.
I also favor investing in energy independence. I favor investing in green technology, so that the US can become the world leader in what will inevitably become a huge industry. And the financial system definitely needs overhauled.
BUT HOLD ON MR. PRESIDENT.
I've thought for some time that President Obama was trying to do too much, too fast. Huge price tags are being thrown around, and we're rushing to spend this money without really thinking things through. Sure, I guess plans were formulated back during the campaign, and duly published on websites for policy wonks to study. But...can we have some national debate first?
The perpetual Obama-haters at Fox and elsewhere have been spewing about this for some time, but their one-note partisanship lacks any credibility with me. Nobody is ALL bad, as these folks contend about Obama. I listen half-heartedly to what they say, but I pay much more attention to a lot of other folks who don't take such a partisan approach.
Lately, some credible (to me) voices are speaking words of caution.
Colin Powell, speaking to CNN: "I'm concerned at the number of programs that are being presented, the bills associated with these programs, and the additional government that will be needed to excutie them.....I think one of the cautions that has to be given to the president -- and I've talked to some of his people about this -- is that you can't have so many things on the table that you can't absorb it all. And we can't pay for it all."
Jack and Susie Welch, in BusinessWeek July 6: "With his everything-all-at-once overhaul of our country's $13 trillion economy, President Obama is unquestionably taking on too much....People are scared; many are angry. They want problems fixed fast. But change--especially massive, frame-breaking change along the lines the President is pushing--can't just be about getting things done. It has to be about getting the right outcomes, and right outcomes rarely get sorted out in a rush. They emerge from vigorous debate, from grappling with ideas and wallowing in the details of options and their consequences, intended and not....Without question, every area of our economy that he is trying to upend could and should be remade to some extent. Our pushback has to do with pacing and scope."
The column by the Welches is excellent. They get specific about some problems with things being passed. They write that "a 'this is an emergency' approach is just a way to silence debate over long-term consequences."
Sears Tower Ledge: No Way
July 3, 2009 10:26 AM | permalink | comments: 0
The Sear Tower opened three glass-bottomed balconies on the 103rd floor. They say they can hold five tons. I don't care. You wouldn't get me to stand on one.
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