Nefertiti's 3,300-year-old royal makeover - Science- msnbc.com

Nefertiti's 3,300-year-old royal makeover - Science- msnbc.com:

"BERLIN - Researchers in Germany have used a modern medical procedure to uncover a secret within one of ancient Egypt's most treasured artworks — the bust of Nefertiti has two faces.

A team led by Dr. Alexander Huppertz, director of the Imaging Science Institute at Berlin's Charite hospital and medical school, discovered a detailed stone carving that differs from the external stucco face when they performed a computed tomography, or CT, scan on the bust. ..."

Interesting...

In Fall of 1968 I traveled to West Berlin with my Explorer unit (BSA) and among the places we visited was a museum in which I came face to face with the bust of Nefertiti. This was somewhat exciting to me as it was pictured in my world history textbook from Heidelberg American High School, thus providing me a real world link with ancient history. Did I see the real Nefertiti or a copy? I can't remember the building in which I saw it, but its current location is the Altes Museum.

The bust is a thin layer of stucco over a stone core, and what is intriguing archaeologists is that the stone core is a detailed bust of Nefertiti as well -- with some differences. Computer Tomography (CT scan) was used to show the detailed sculpture below. Previously, the stone core was thought to be merely a support for the stucco.

The image shown here is part of the Wikimedia Commons and contains the following permission: Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".

Bell's Appeal -- Ministry to Young Adults

The Christian Century:

"When Rob Bell walks on stage at Mars Hill Bible Church in Grandville, Michigan, the 38-year-old sports chic black glasses and black jeans with a wide, white 1970s belt. His geeky, affable presence and energized speaking style warm up the room quickly and signal a seasoned performer. After you hear Bell speak, it's not surprising to learn that his childhood hero was David Letterman or that when he was a student at Wheaton College in the 1980s, he was lead singer in a band called '__Ton Bundle' (the blank space allowed band members to change the band's name by adding various adjectives). ..."

A small intergenerational group at my congregation is watching a series of short videos produced by Rob Bell. These 10-15 minute segments provide much in the way of discussion starters. The series is published under the NOOMA name, a phonetic spelling of the Greek work pneuma (πνεύμα), which means spirit or breath.

This article goes on to describe Bell's background and theology as it relates to his ministry in Grand Rapids Michigan as well as his ministry on the road.

To execute or not: A question of cost? - Columbia Missourian

To execute or not: A question of cost? - Columbia Missourian:

"After decades of moral arguments reaching biblical proportions, after long, twisted journeys to the nation's highest court and back, the death penalty may be abandoned by several states for a reason having nothing to do with right or wrong: Money.

Turns out, it is cheaper to imprison killers for life than to execute them, according to a series of recent surveys. Tens of millions of dollars cheaper, politicians are learning, during a tumbling recession when nearly every state faces job cuts and massive deficits. ..."

When you do the right thing for the wrong reasons, it still boils down to doing the right thing. What concerns me is what happens when the economy improves? Revenge or retribution, if you will, is not only a powerful driving force for many people, it seems to play all too well in the voting booth.

Nearly 2000 years ago a weak-willed political appointee bowed to the will of the masses and had a man crucified whom he knew was innocent of the charges laid against him. ...

Man accused of bilking union for prison workers

AP News | The Columbia Daily Tribune:

"EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (AP) -- An official with a union representing federal prison guards is accused of defrauding the group."

Hmmm. If this suspect is found guilty and sentenced to prison, he will do his time in the federal prison system guarded by his alleged victims. I wonder if he appreciates the irony of his situation....

French physicist d'Espagnat wins prestigious Templeton Prize | Science | Reuters

French physicist d'Espagnat wins prestigious Templeton Prize | Science | Reuters:

"PARIS (Reuters) - French physicist and philosopher Bernard d'Espagnat has won the 2009 Templeton Prize, billed as the world's largest annual award to an individual, for his work affirming the spiritual dimension of life. ..."

d'Espagnat, A quantum physicist, holds that ultimate reality cannot be described using traditional Newtonian physics. He is quoted as saying "Mystery is not something negative that has to be eliminated, on the contrary, it is one of the constitutive elements of being."

USB prosthetic finger gives new meaning to thumbdrives | Crave - CNET

USB prosthetic finger gives new meaning to thumbdrives | Crave - CNET:

"This is a story about Jerry Jalava, a Finnish software developer who lost part of his finger in a motorcycle accident last July. According to his friend, Henri Bergius, when the surgeon assigned to work on Jalava's prosthetic finger discovered his hacking history, he made a clever suggestion: incorporate a USB key into the new digit. ..."

This is just a little creepy. And I am a professional geek.

I can just see it:

Hey -- can I get a copy of your PowerPoint?

Sure, you got a thumbdrive?

Yep, right here....

[various and sundry expletives deleted here]

Uh -- where can I get one of those?

A Little Spelling Test

I saw this on the Kruse Kronicle and thought I would give it a try:

The 25 Most Commonly Misspelled Words

My score was 21/25 (leaving off the preferred British spellings at the end of the quiz). I am considered a good speller, even to the point of obnoxiousness, but this quiz was definitely a challenge. At least I beat Mike....

AP News | The Columbia Daily Tribune

AP News | The Columbia Daily Tribune:

"ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Megachurches with large audiences that frequently attract unstable people have long had a heightenend sense of security, experts say, but smaller churches like the one in Maryville, Ill., where a pastor was shot to death often have no security plan.

First Baptist Church, where the Rev. Fred Winters was shot and killed Sunday, initiated a security and emergency plan six months ago but would not say what it entailed. Three people, including the gunman, were stabbed before he was subdued. ..."

This is a pretty sobering thought, but one that might be good to consider. How do you reconcile the safety of the congregation with welcoming all who come to worship?

Some congregations have resorted to discreetly-armed persons with at least one instance in Colorado Springs where a greater tragedy might have been averted because an armed parishioner was able to confront a gunman.

Yet most people, me included, have a gut feeling that having armed guards in a worship service is not an atmosphere in which we want to worship.

Still, it is prudent to have some sort of a prayerfully-considered contingency plan for dealing with emergencies of any type.

Presbyterian Outlook: We are the Presbyterians

We are the Presbyterians

Swallow your coffee BEFORE you start reading this....

Researchers find safer way to make stem cells | Science | Reuters

Researchers find safer way to make stem cells | Science | Reuters:

"LONDON (Reuters) - Researchers said on Sunday they had found a safer way to transform ordinary skin cells into powerful stem cells in a move that could eventually remove the need to use human embryos.

It is the first time that scientists have turned skin cells into induced pluripotent stem cells or iPS cells -- which look and act like embryonic stem cells -- without having to use viruses in the process. ..."

This is a significant advance over previous news of adult stem cell research. Embryo farming just does not seem to be a good solution on more than one level. If pluripotent stem cells can be induced from an adult with health issues, then you not only avoid some of the ethical issues, but you might also avoid the issues with tissue matching that plague transplantation.

Why American churchgoers like to shop around. - By Andrew Santella - Slate Magazine

Why American churchgoers like to shop around. - By Andrew Santella - Slate Magazine:

"Since before Election Day, Washington pastors have been lining up to invite the first family into their flock, and outlets from PBS to the Wall Street Journal have taken their turn handicapping the many contending congregations. Despite all of this cajoling, the White House announced that the Obama family is still shopping for a church in Washington.

Except for the special invitations and the presidential-scale press coverage, the Obamas' church search puts them in a situation a lot of American believers are well-acquainted with. One in seven adults changes churches each year, and another one in six attends a handful of churches on a rotating basis, according to the Barna Group, a marketing research firm that serves churches. Church shopping isn't a matter of merely changing congregations: A survey by the Pew Forum on Religious and Public Life last year indicated that 44 percent of American adults have left their first religious affiliation for another. 'Constant movement characterizes the American religious marketplace,' a survey summary said. ..."

Very interesting...

I tend to get a little nervous when I hear the language of marketing used to describe the preaching of the Gospel, but on the other hand why should people attend church where their needs aren't being met?

Andrew Santella points out that when the church was disestablished, it fell to the preachers to recruit and retain parishioners (and to get them to give generously). This may be part of the equation, but my feeling is that a healthy congregation equips all its members to perform such functions, not just the minister or elders or deacons. In fact, a congregation that is held together by the personality and preaching of one pastor is in danger of collapsing when the pastor moves on.

Much of what defines a church happens at times other than the worship hour. Sunday school, fellowship groups, Bible studies, prayer groups, potluck dinners, retreats, visiting the sick, and so on are not, nor should they be, the sole job of the minister.

A large congregation does not necessarily mean a healthy congregation, nor does a small congregation necessarily mean one that is slowly dying. The pitfall in thinking of the Church as a consumer product is that we easily forget why we are called together in the first place -- to worship, fellowship, and serve others. Or in the words of the PC(USA) Book of Order (G-1.0200): "The great ends of the church are the proclamation of the gospel for the salvation of humankind; the shelter, nurture, and spiritual fellowship of the children of God; the maintenance of divine worship; the preservation of the truth; the promotion of social righteousness; and the exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world".

Presbyterian Outlook: Younger elders

Younger elders:

"... Why not ask every presbytery to elect one commissioner under the age of 27? Such a commissioner would have been nominated and elected by his/her own congregation and entrusted with leadership in that particular church. He would have been examined by the Session and been ordained into office. She would have voted on church school curriculum, on receiving members, and sorting through the costs of building maintenance. After serving at the GA, this young adult commissioner would give an account to that same local body of leaders. ..."

The Book of Order (G-14.0221) provides that: "... Every congregation shall elect men and women from among its active members, giving fair representation to persons of all ages and of all racial ethnic backgrounds and to persons with disabilities who are members of that congregation, to the office of elder and to the office of deacon (if used in the congregation). ..."

Many congregations, including the one where I worship, elect a high school student for a one year term on Session. This allows them an opportunity to be a part of church leadership without burdening them with a three-year commitment. The idea of ordaining youth and young adults has been around for some time. I was ordained an elder at the age of 21 in the United Presbyterian Church in the USA, and there was at least one congregation that had ordained a high school student in my presbytery. My son, who is a sophomore in high school, began a one year term on Session in early January, so he too is getting a taste of Church leadership.

One of my minor peeves is the way people tend to label them as "youth elders". There is no such office in the PC(USA). These young adults when elected, ordained, and installed to active service on a Session are elders on the same level as any who serve in a like capacity. And, like any other elder, they are elders for life.

There is not complete agreement as to whether this is a good idea or not. One substantive difficulty some have is whether a young person is ready to take on the role of spiritual leader. I have to admit that when I was ordained an elder at age 21, I was not ready to be a spiritual leader. But I had to come to grips with the concept and thus I began a process of self-examination, prayer, study, and service. Now I am of an age where I am an "elder" in the chronological sense, I have presbyopia. and my hair and beard are grey -- I am truly a presbyter. And I still know that even though I am better equipped spiritually than I was 35 years ago, I still am striving to be worthy of the calling of elder. My son is now finding his own way, and I wish him the best.

Jack Haberer's suggestion for each presbytery to send an elder under 27 to General Assembly seems to me to be a solution looking for a problem. There is currently no bar to younger elders serving as GA commissioners, and while I have no idea how many such there are, I suspect there are some commissioners each year who would also qualify as a Youth Advisory Delegate.

I can understand the issues with YADs, but they do have voice and vote in the committees, and often hold the balance of power when the issues are closely divided. Many observers have felt that as a group they are vulnerable to manipulation by special interest groups. There is no question that they are a heavily-lobbied group at General Assembly. But I am not convinced that eliminating the YADs and requiring that each presbytery send one commissioner from that age group is a viable solution. I assume that this would entail significantly increasing the number of commissioners -- otherwise smaller presbyteries would be locked into sending one minister and one youth to represent the presbytery.

One factor that complicates things was our move to biennial General Assemblies. While it was, in general, a good idea, it made it even less likely that any given Presbyterian elder would have the opportunity to serve as a GA commissioner. Short of doubling the number of commissioners, it is hard to see that situation improving. Increasing the number of commissioners could also have the effect of erasing the savings resulting from the move to biennial assemblies.

I see no reason why a younger elder should not serve as a commissioner to General Assembly, but making it a mandate would create problems of its own.

For a thought-provoking essay on how the PC(USA) might go about rebuilding itself, including dealing with the issue of youth representation, check out Beau Weston's Rebuilding the Presbyterian Establishment, which is made available through the Office of Theology and Worship of the PC(USA). Beau and I see things in a similar way, though I differ with him in some details of youth involvement.

You've Got Jail | Christianity Today

You've Got Jail | Christianity Today:

"Longtime missionaries David and Fiona Fulton were sentenced by a Gambian court to a year of hard labor last December after pleading guilty — in hopes of a lenient sentence — to sedition charges stemming from a wry comment e-mailed to a prayer list. ..."

When you read further in this article, you find that Mr Fulton did say something questionable, but in its full context it is obvious that he was not advocating violence -- quite the contrary. But this does raise an important issue when it comes to emails and newsletters from the mission field. First of all, circumspection is called for, especially when dealing with the frustrations of seeing mindless sectarian violence all around you. And secondly, one of the recipients for reasons that are not particularly obvious decided to forward to message to Gambian authorities. I try to assume positive motives, but is it difficult in this case.

Messages from missionaries, especially in sensitive parts of the world, need to be kept confidential and not posted on websites, forwarded outside the original distribution list, and certainly not sent to a government not known for due process or humane prison conditions.

Prayers are needed for the Fultons and for those who have imprisoned them

Universal cellphone charger will ring the changes, say makers - CNN.com

Universal cellphone charger will ring the changes, say makers - CNN.com:

"BARCELONA, Spain (CNN) -- Cell phone makers Tuesday pledged to end one of modern life's chief frustrations --- and introduce a universal charger for handsets by 2012."

This is something that has been a pet peeve of mine, and I'm glad to see the industry take steps to mitigate it.

A Valentine

John Anderson, My Jo
Robert Burns, 1789

John Anderson, my jo, John,
When we were first acquaint,
Your locks were like the raven,
Your bonnie brow was brent;
But now your brow is beld, John,
Your locks are like the snaw;
But blessings on your frosty pow,
John Anderson, my jo.

John Anderson, my jo, John,
We clamb the hill thegither,
And mony a canty day, John,
We've had wi' ane anither;
Now we maun totter down, John,
But hand in hand we'll go.
And we'll sleep thegither at the foot,
John Anderson, my jo.

I enjoy reading Robert Burns from time to time, and this is one of the poems that has a whole new meaning as I get older. Did I mention that in four days my wife will have one of those "milestone" birthdays? She and I "clamb the hill thegither" for close to 28 years already, but we're not quite ready to "totter down". And we still enjoy "mony a canty day".

There are at least two versions of John Anderson, My Jo, a longer version (not written by Burns) from about 1744 and this shorter (and more suitable for a family blog) version from 1789. The 1789 version was written by Robert Burns. You can see both versions by following the link in the previous sentence.

Anyway, happy Valentine's Day, Susan!

And Happy Valentine's Day to all of you who love and are loved.

AP News | The Columbia Daily Tribune

AP News | The Columbia Daily Tribune:

"WILKES-BARRE, Pa. (AP) -- For years, the juvenile court system in Wilkes-Barre operated like a conveyor belt: Youngsters were brought before judges without a lawyer, given hearings that lasted only a minute or two, and then sent off to juvenile prison for months for minor offenses.

The explanation, prosecutors say, was corruption on the bench.

In one of the most shocking cases of courtroom graft on record, two Pennsylvania judges have been charged with taking millions of dollars in kickbacks to send teenagers to two privately run youth detention centers. ..."

This was not a case of judges meting out harsh justice. It was nothing more than greed and kickbacks from two privately-run juvenile detention facilities, which received fees based on the numbers of incarcerated juveniles. One victim of this corruption was sentenced to three months for lampooning an assistant principal on her MySpace account.

According to this article, the two former judges made a plea bargain that calls for more than seven years behind bars. That seems a little lenient considering the nature of the crime.

Scout Sunday 2009

Yesterday was Scout Sunday, generally observed on the Sunday closest to February 8th, which is the anniversary of the founding of the Boy Scouts of America. This year Scout Sunday fell on the day of the actual 99th anniversary of the BSA.

Three of our troop members, who are also members of the congregation, acted as the worship leaders. They did a great job, reading clearly and with feeling. Having the boys help out with the service is a long-standing tradition in our congregation and troop, and is even more meaningful when the boys are also active participants in the work and worship of our congregation. Just a bit of historical perspective -- when Troop 4 was chartered in 1963, the core leadership and boys came from the congregation itself, since this was a young congregation with many youth. Over the years as the congregation aged, the proportion of congregation members in the troop fell and occasionally stood at zero boys and only a few adults. This trend seems to be reversing with an influx of young families, and we hope that there will always be Trinity youth involved with the troop.

This 99th anniversary of Scouting in the USA was also special for the Reformed Angler family. Sunday morning my son was recognized for his completion of the requirements for the God and Life award (part of the God and Country series). This represented several months of delving deeply into Scripture, discussions with the pastor, and putting what he learned into action. Susan and I were definitely proud parents. The image to the left is Liam and his pastor.

The evening before was the annual District Dinner, honoring volunteers for their service. It culminates in the awarding of the District Awards of Merit (based on the size of the district). This year I was recognized for my service to Scouting and the district. I had no inkling that this was coming, but is is sure nice to be recognized.

Next year will be the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scout of America and there will be many different ways in which the BSA celebrates its heritage and service to the youth of America. It will also represent the 50th anniversary since the day in 1960 when I put on my first Cub Scout uniform and started my own involvement with the Boy Scouts of America.

The Associated Press: Fuller, co-founder of Habitat for Humanity, dies

The Associated Press: Fuller, co-founder of Habitat for Humanity, dies:

"ATLANTA (AP) — Millard Fuller, the millionaire entrepreneur who gave it all away to help found the Christian house-building charity Habitat for Humanity, died Tuesday. He was 74. ..."

The loss of Millard Fuller will be keenly felt, not just by the Habitat for Humanity organization but by the countless people he touched in various ways -- families who experienced home ownership for the first time as well as volunteers who learned not only how to hammer nails but what it means to serve.

Austin road sign warns motorists of zombies | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News

Austin road sign warns motorists of zombies | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News:

"An Austin road sign meant to warn motorists about road conditions instead read: 'The end is near! Caution! Zombies ahead!'"

Some people have too much time on their hands.

Of course, this is a caution to (1) secure the input; and (2) change the default password, which is apparently well-known.

You There -- Out of the Jury Pool!

This week was my term of service on the circuit jury for my county. The last time I was liable for service I ended up serving on a jury -- two days of a trial for sexual abuse of a minor.

This time when I called in on Monday, jurors 1-152 were told to appear the next morning for jury duty. This seemed like an pretty high number just to get 12 jurors qualified. I went in, and it was pretty much "hurry up and wait". Well after the time that things should have been underway there seemed to be a flurry of activity in one of the side rooms, and after a while the presiding judge came out and addressed the jury pool with "good news and bad news".

The good news was that we would be going home for the day since the prosecutor had dropped the charges and would be refiling them probably within the day. In any case, this would no longer involve us. The judge then left without delivering the bad news.

The bailiff was able to get everyone's attention as they were putting on their coats and chattering away, and it fell to him to inform us that we still needed to call in every evening for the remainder of the week. That turned out to be good news in disguise, since no other jury trials were scheduled for this week.

So what was this all about? I read the local afternoon paper later Tuesday and learned that this was to have been a first degree murder trial resulting from a shooting that occurred in the past couple years. The judge in this case had ruled that the defense could raise issues related to a Missouri law that allows deadly force when there is a danger to one's own life or the lives of others. (This is a fairly recent law that makes it a little easier for such people as battered spouses or other abuse victims to take action when they feel immediately threatened. My personal take on self defense or defense of others is that my threshold for acting is set significantly higher than what the law apparently permits. )

So I breathed a sigh of relief. It is doubtful I would have been selected for this particular jury for a few reasons. First, the defense would probably not have wanted me since I spent three years as a reserve police officer in Colorado. The prosecution would have probably dismissed me since I am one of those knuckle-dragging neanderthals who believe the Second Amendment to the US Constitution can be understood in plain English to guarantee an individual right to keep and bear arms. I don't know whether this was to have been a death penalty case, but I am opposed on moral grounds to the death penalty, so that too would have disqualified me.

Having said all this, had the trial proceeded, and I were picked a a juror, I would have listened to both the prosecution and defence as they laid our their respective cases and I would have followed the instructions of the judge in my delberations and done my utmost to render a fair verdict. I'm just glad I didn't have to serve this time.