«— Doohan Dies at 85
—» Destroyer Dwarfs Barge
July 29, 2005
Frist’s Flop: Some Implications in the NYT Article
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Senate Leader Criticized and Praised for Stem Cell Shift – New York Times (registration required)
- Yet polls show that a majority of Americans support human embryonic stem cell research.
- We’re the New York Times; believe us or don’t. If we say that polls support it, just take our word for it.
- Scientists and advocates for patients believe that human embryonic stem cell research holds the potential to treat and cure a variety of diseases.
- Another case of believe it or don’t. Yet, in this case, the broad generalization argues in favor of “don’t.” All scientists believe that? All patients’ advocates believe that? Wow. That’s a lot to swallow without some proof, Ms. Stolberg.
- “Here’s a man who really knows science and who really knows government.”
- The implication here is that there are also people who know not science as well as people who know not government, and obviously those who know neither. Luckily for the venerable Times, this is a quote from a politician, so we expect this kind of vague implication.
- “There are 110 million people out there who are madder than hell about being afflicted with disease when it could be prevented or cured.”
- More political rhetoric. It “could be prevented or cured” is accurate — it is entirely speculation; that is why it’s called research. However, in this context, Mr. Specter makes it sound like there’s some definite treatment out there using human embryos. Not quite false advertising, so no one can accuse him of lying.
But I am happy to accuse him of being a politician, and I dare him to deny it.
«— Chronia Polla!
—» Frist’s Flop: Some Implications in the NYT Article
July 21, 2005
Doohan Dies at 85
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James Doohan, Scotty on ‘Star Trek,’ Dies at 85 – New York Times
Truly the end of an era. Scotty joins Dr. McCoy on eternal patrol.
Memory eternal.
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«— Juxtaposed
—» Doohan Dies at 85
Chronia Polla!
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From a letter my mom sent me:
Yesterday was July 20, 2005. I didn’t remember but Bob diid. 36 years ago the first man walked on the moon. Also on that date Bob and Laura met for the first time at Peachtree Methodist Church in Atlanta. That evening they attended the 8:07 Club, a singles group that met at the Methodist Church and after their meeting went to someone’s house to watch the landing on television.
“One small step for man; one large step for mankind.”
And the rest as they say is history.
Happy anniversary, Mom and Dad. God grant you many years!
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«— A Clump of Condor Cells
—» Chronia Polla!
July 18, 2005
Juxtaposed
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I bought an iPod yesterday. Here’s a sampling of the juxtapositions I’ve gotten today:
Are you ready for the thing called love? / Don’t come from me and you / It comes from up above
“Thing Called Love,” Bonnie Raitt
So you’re on your own / Looking down the road / That goes only by one name / And you don’t need the signs / To see lonely still runs both ways.
“Borderline,” Alison Krauss + Union Station
S nami Bog, / razumeyte yazytsy, i pokaryaytesa: / yako s nami Bog. (Translation: “God is with us! Be broken, you nations, and submit yourselves, for God is with us!”)
Festal hymn from Great Compline, from Isaiah 8:9,10
«— Like “Crocodile” But Not Spelled That Way
—» Juxtaposed
July 16, 2005
A Clump of Condor Cells
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«— Personal Update
—» A Clump of Condor Cells
July 12, 2005
Like “Crocodile” But Not Spelled That Way
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Somewhere along the way, I heard Mark Knopfler‘s name mentioned along with the names of thoughtful lyricists. I also heard it mentioned among the names of great guitarists. Yet, I don’t think until now that I’ve heard anything he’s done since Dire Straits.
Thanks to the wonderfully diverse radio stations here in Portsmouth, I heard “Boom, Like That” (iTunes, lyrics) the other night. It gave me a tingly feeling that I haven’t had in a long time — the same feeling you get when you meet a beautiful girl who likes you. It’s not the kind of song that would do well on radio that caters to the Top 40 demographic; it’s the kind of song that musicians and writers tend to like.
Or my name’s not Kroc / That’s Kroc with a “K” / Like “crocodile” / But not spelled that way, now / …Well we build it up / And I buy ’em out / But, man they made me / Grind it out, now / They open up a new place / Flipping meat / So I do, too / Right across the street / I got the name / I need the town / They sell up in the end / And it all shuts down
«— Portsmouth Area
—» Like “Crocodile” But Not Spelled That Way
July 10, 2005
Personal Update
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Portsmouth is a wonderful little community. Downtown is full of these great little shops and eateries. I haven’t been into the shops yet, but the eateries are way too expensive. Oh, wait. I have been into a little independent bookseller. Very nice, but small. It was good to talk again to people like the folks I used to work with at Joseph-Beth.
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«— Portsmouth Brewery
—» Personal Update
Portsmouth Area
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I uploaded some photos of the Portsmouth area. I’ll put more up as I go along. (You’ll need to be a Flickr member in my friends and/or family contacts to see some of the photos. Email me if you have no clue what I’m talking about.)
«— Convicted for Modifying an Xbox
—» Portsmouth Area
July 9, 2005
Portsmouth Brewery
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Portsmouth Brewery is a local pub, eatery and microbrewery. I enjoyed a fine amber lager and a New York Strip sirloin. The food was a little overpriced, but it was very good. Also overpriced in the area: Pesce Blue. I settled for a chicken dish, because at $18.95, it was the only thing on the menu under $20.
«— Every Two Seconds, a Child Dies
—» Portsmouth Brewery
July 4, 2005
Convicted for Modifying an Xbox
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«— More on Shelby Foote
—» Convicted for Modifying an Xbox
July 3, 2005
Every Two Seconds, a Child Dies
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Yesterday, I was at a local eatery enjoying some pulled pork barbeque (in New England! imagine that). On the television was MTV’s live coverage of Live 8, the updated sequel to the Eighties’ Live Aid, coordinated to coincide with the G8 summit in Britain this week. They had a pretty catchy thing to get people aware of death from poverty: Every three seconds a child dies from extreme poverty, which I found striking and moving.
It also made me think of another, similar statistic that probably the MTV crowd doesn’t care about: The abortion rate per second. I did some research and crunched some numbers: A child dies by abortion every two seconds. One thousand one, one thousand two: A child just died. Could this death have been prevented?
Of course, the progressive crowd will argue that if abortions stopped worldwide, the number of deaths due to poverty — starvation, malnutrition, disease — would sharply increase, that these two statistics are inextricably intertwined. Perhaps so.
If the answer for one is awareness, so is the answer for the other. That, however, is rubbish designed to make the teenagers who watch MTV feel good without having made them do anything. The answer is action motivated by fraternal solidarity with all people. Create a culture of life that includes all the nations by bearing each other’s burdens.
How does it help, my brothers, when someone who has never done a single good act claims to have faith? Will that faith bring salvation? If one of the brothers or one of the sisters is in need of clothes and has not enough food to live on, and one of you says to them, “I wish you well; keep yourself warm and eat plenty,” without giving them these bare necessities of life, then what good is that? In the same way faith, if good deeds do not go with it, is quite dead. James 2.14-17
«— Noah’s Ark
—» Every Two Seconds, a Child Dies
July 2, 2005
More on Shelby Foote
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Following up on my previous obit on Shelby Foote, I point you to an excellent appreciation of his life, work, and especially his friendship with Catholic novelist Walker Percy. I especially loved this paragraph:
Despite his aversion to the faith, Foote was a brave and thoughtful man. He loved his native South while standing firm against Jim Crow and the race-baiting populists of the twentieth century. In what had to be the most withering blow a Ku Klux Klansman could ever hear, Foote accused the white supremacist group of “degrading the Confederate flag” by converting it “from a symbol of honor into a banner of shame,” having “covered it with obscenities like a roadhouse men’s room wall.”
I would have loved to hear Foote’s warm, sonorous, Mississippi drawl speak those words.
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«— West Maryland Rail Trail
—» More on Shelby Foote
Noah’s Ark
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GetReligion: July 2, 2005
I saw this story on Get Religion and gleefully rejoiced. The book mentioned has a cover picturing Noah’s ark being rebuilt (apparently with steel instead of gopher bark). It sits prominently on the side of I-68, and I passed it on my way back to New England. “Gleefully rejoiced” because I wanted to turn around and get a photograph, but I felt pressed for time (especially after taking an hour’s nap).
Also featured in the GR article: a photograph of Golgotha Fun Park. People, you can’t make this s—— up.
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«— Obi-Wan Kenobi
—» Noah’s Ark
West Maryland Rail Trail
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On my way up to Portsmouth, I stopped by this trailhead for the West Maryland Rail Trail. I just happened to see the sign for it as I was passing by and thought I would stop and see. Unfortunately, time was pressing, and I didn’t have a chance to walk the trail. However, the trailhead boasted some nice facilities.
I’ll try to post some pictures of Portsmouth soon. (I don’t think I’m allowed to take photographs of the Navy yard, though.)
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«— Petra Retires After 33 Years
—» West Maryland Rail Trail
Obi-Wan Kenobi
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You scored as Obi Wan Kenobi
Which Revenge of the Sith Character are you?
created with QuizFarm.com
Actually, I had a tie-breaker between the crazy old fool and Chewie. See my scores for other characters below.
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