NASA - Moondust and Duct Tape

NASA - Moondust and Duct Tape:

"April 21, 2008: At this year's Great Moonbuggy Race in Huntsville, Alabama, Prof. Paul Shiue of Christian Brothers University was overheard joking that duct tape was his team's 'best engineering tool.' Others felt the same way. The sound of gray tape being torn from rolls practically filled the race course as dozens of college and high school student engineers busily assembled and repaired their homemade moonbuggies.

Little did they know, this was in the finest tradition of lunar exploration. Turning back the clock 36 years reveals the key roll of duct tape in NASA's Apollo program:

The date was Dec. 11, 1972. Astronauts Gene Cernan and Jack Schmitt had just landed their lunar module Challenger in a beautiful mountain-ringed valley named Taurus-Littrow on the edge of the Sea of Serenity. Mission planners chose the site for its geological variety: the ground was covered by a mix of giant boulders, hardened lava, orange glass beads (a sign of ancient volcanic fire fountains) and, of course, ubiquitous moondust. The valley itself was a fracture created in the aftermath of an asteroid impact billions of years ago; the history of the Moon, many suspected, might be written along its walls. Jack Schmitt, the first geologist on the Moon, could hardly wait to get started. ..."

My son will be thrilled. He insists on taking not less than one roll of duct tape on all scout camping trips, and when I looked in his pack last weekend there were two complete rolls of tape. My first thought was that here was a potential for a lot of mischief, but I didn't say anything. (He comes up with enough ideas for deviltry on his own, and doesn't need me to give him ideas). After we returned I noted that the rolls were nearly unused -- a far cry from when he was a new scout and would go through nearly a whole roll of duct tape. It seems he is rapidly maturing, and this is a comfort as Susan and I contemplate the fact that he is now eligible for a learner's permit.

Anyway, this story out of NASA is a fascinating look into the ingenuity and imagination of the people that took us into the space age.

And I'll try to lighten up on my son for his fascination with duct tape.

What's Shakin'?

Well, that's a loaded question...

I am a light sleeper and tend to wake up for anything out of the ordinary. Early this morning it was several seconds of vibration in the bed.

I immediately thought "the dog needs her flea drops", but I quickly ruled that out as I didn't hear the jangle of the dog tags. Besides, the dog is not allowed on the bed....

How about cats? No cats on or beside the bed.

How about earthquake? Did the New Madrid Fault finally do its thing? By this time the vibration had ended and I decided to go back to sleep.

Upon waking at 6:00am, I did my usual morning things and ended up at my laptop where I checked the news.

It really was an earthquake, 5.4 magnitude, with an epicenter about 130 miles west east of St. Louis and felt up to 450 miles away. The time was 4:36AM. [oops -- 130 miles west of St. Louis would have been just about in our backyard!]

See "Illinois Earthquake Felt in Boone County" for additional information.

[Update] The US Geological Survey revised the earthquake's magnitude downward to 5.2.

All-in-all an interesting way to start off the day.

A Renegade Against Greenpeace | Newsweek Future Of Energy | Newsweek.com

A Renegade Against Greenpeace | Newsweek Future Of Energy | Newsweek.com:

"Patrick Moore is a critic of the environmental movement—an unlikely one at that. He was one of the cofounders of Greenpeace, and sailed into the Aleutian Islands on the organization's inaugural mission in 1971, to protest U.S. nuclear tests taking place there. After leading the group for 15 years he left abruptly, and, in a controversial reversal, has become an outspoken advocate of some of the environmental movement's most detested causes, chief among them nuclear energy. NEWSWEEK's Fareed Zakaria spoke to Moore about his sparring with the green movement, and why he thinks nuclear power is the energy of the future."

There are more and more former anti-nuclear activists who are re-evaluating their stands based on science and reality. Some interesting statistics are presented in this short interview.

It's been years since I have gotten into a discussion with anti-nuclear folks, but there seem to be fewer and fewer scientists in such groups and more and more ideologues. And it's no fun arguing with ideologues...

My wife told me that the current Discover magazine has an article on the same topic. I was not able to wrest it out of her hand, but I'll take a look later. I should also note that she pointed me to this Newsweek article.

Perry Presbyterian Church closes after 125 years

Hannibal.net:

"PERRY How does a congregation say 'good-bye' to their long-time house of worship? How do they permanently close the doors to what has been their church home as long as they can remember? Just ask the former members of the Perry Presbyterian Church who held their final Worship and Closing Service at the Church, Sunday, April 6, after over 125 years of service to the 'glory of God.'..."

I was present at Presbytery when the Session of the Perry Presbyterian Church asked that the congregation be dissolved and the members dismissed to other congregations.

Here in the Presbytery of Missouri Union we have many such congregations, some of which go on and on, and over the past century many have simply dissolved.

It was a somber vote, but there was no point in denying the request.

Interviews: 'A Poorer Story, but a Better Movie' | Christianity Today Movies

Interviews: 'A Poorer Story, but a Better Movie' | Christianity Today Movies:

"In late 2005, Douglas Gresham was nervously looking forward to the theatrical release of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, the film adaptation of the first book in the beloved Chronicles of Narnia.

Gresham had a dual interest in the film's success. Not only was he one of the movie's producers, but he's also the stepson of the books' author—C. S. Lewis. ..."

Here is a good interview with the co-producer of Prince Caspian, due to be released on May 16, 2008. We get a glimpse into the mind and personality of a person who is at once the stepson of C. S. Lewis, a producer of film adaptations of Lewis' books, and a Christian who has his own story to tell.

Go Royals!

It's been a while since the Royals have had a season open like this. With the 4-0 win over the New York Yankees yesterday their record improved to a quite respectable 6-2. I'm going to enjoy it while I can and hope I don't jinx them.

Apple Sour Over Big Apple's Green Logo

Apple Sour Over Big Apple's Green Logo:

"SAN FRANCISCO -- Apple Inc. (AAPL) says The Big Apple is worming into its territory with a logo the city is using for its green living campaign.

Apple on Friday renewed its challenge to a trademark registration application that New York City filed last May, saying the apple logo was too similar to its own.

Both logos depict a plump apple with a leaf. Apple's logo is white, with its signature bite mark, while New York City's proposed trademark is a green, figure-eight outline reminiscent of an infinity sign, with a stem, and the word 'greeNYC' under it. ..."

It seems to me that Apple Computer has some lawyers with too much time on their hands....

New York City, known widely as "The Big Apple", has pointed out that they were using an apple long before Apple Computer Corporation did. And I would venture to add that most, if not all, of the employees of Apple were born after NYC became associated with an apple. Personally, I'm not all that confused by GreeNYC's use of a stylized apple in its logo.

The city of Manhattan, Kansas must be getting a little nervous at this point, with their nickname of "The Little Apple".

Maybe our friends from Cupertino need to get a grip.

Note: The Apple Computer logo is an image obtained from Wikipedia. The GreeNYC logo came from an Infoworld article on this topic. Both are low-resolution and serve to illustrate a point.

Google won't like it, but neither will any other search company--too bad | Coop's Corner : A Blog from Charlie Cooper - CNET News.com

Google won't like it, but neither will any other search company--too bad | Coop's Corner : A Blog from Charlie Cooper - CNET News.com:

"On the eve of the RSA security conference, there's a showdown in the offing between 'Old Europe' and U.S. search operators. Earlier today word leaked about a European regulatory plan to press search engine providers to dump personal search data after six months.

Barring the unforeseen, it's likely the European Commission will look kindly upon the plan. This would be quite a big deal, setting the stage for a continent-wide challenge to the way big search engine companies set procedures handling log deletion and browser cookies. ..."

This seems just a little paranoid, but the European Community has been more concerned with the appearance of privacy that we here in the US. Considering what is logged by ISPs and web hosting services, the sorts of information Google maintains is trivial, by comparison.

Another thing to consider is that the dynamic addresses provided by ISPs to the majority of users change on a fairly regular basis. Making the connection between a user and his/her activity on the web requires access not only to web server logs, but ISP data on who had a given dynamic address assigned at a particular time -- and I suspect a court order as well.

Big Win for Va.'s Breakaway Anglican Parishes in Property Fight | Christianity Today

Big Win for Va.'s Breakaway Anglican Parishes in Property Fight | Christianity Today:

"A Virginia judge Thursday upheld key arguments of 11 Anglican churches seeking to keep their property and assets after leaving the Episcopal Church and its Virginia Diocese. The Anglican District of Virginia (ADV), a coalition comprised of defendants in the case, called the ruling an 'initial victory' in one of the biggest church property battles in recent history."

I spent my school years from 6th through 8th grade, and again from the last couple months of 11th grade through graduation in Falls Church, VA. In seventh grade our Virginia History class went on a series of Saturday field trips to some of the local historical sites, and among them were The Falls Church and Truro Parish. George Washington was a vestryman at the Falls Church, which is located a couple blocks from the Falls Church Presbyterian Church where my parents were members, and where I was first received into communicant membership.

This ruling is based on Virginia law which uses "neutral principles" in determining questions of ownership of church property, which I assume means that the denominational hierarchy is not automatically presumed to be the owner of the property. In addition, an 1867 law governing divisions of property in a church split says the faction with the majority of votes is entitled to the property.

It's pretty sad when things get to this point, but I expect we will see more and more of this, especially where there is such a wide gulf between the denominational hierarchy and the people in the congregations.

PC(USA) - Presbyterian News Service - PC(USA) set to lease Presbyterian Center space

PC(USA) - Presbyterian News Service - PC(USA) set to lease Presbyterian Center space:

"LOUISVILLE — The General Assembly Council (GAC) announced today that it has signed a leasing contract for approximately 30,000 square feet of first floor office space at the Presbyterian Center in downtown Louisville.

“We are in a prime area for downtown real estate,” said Joey Bailey, GAC deputy executive director for shared services, 'and it only makes good stewardship sense to take advantage of our location to produce additional funds for mission.'..."

This raises a lot of interesting questions, but with the budget crunch and recent personnel cuts in the Louisville PC(USA) staff, using the empty space to generate revenue makes sense.

Blogger Implements delayed posting

Or not...

If the delayed posting worked, then this will have a time stamp of 5:00pm.

[UPDATE] Finally! Blogger has implemented delayed posting (you have to go to draft.blogger.com to try it out). This has been on my wish list for some time.

Can This Last?

As of last night, the Kansas City Royals were 3-0 -- a statistic that I was beginning to despair of ever seeing again. Keep it up guys!

Presbyweb: Moderator Candidates Answer "What is the Gospel"

Presbyweb has been a valuable resource for years, providing news and commentary about not only the PC(USA), but the Church in the world. Its offerings are available by subscription (and the user still gets to pay what he or she feels the service is worth). A thirty day trial subscription is available.

In a welcome departure from the lists of questions provided by various interest groups to all the moderatorial candidates for the upcoming General Assembly, Hans Cornelder asks one simple question: "What is the Gospel?". The moderator has limited power, does not define policy, does not administer the bureaucracy of our denomination, but IS the "public face" of the PC(USA) for many people. He or she must be able to clearly define why we have come together as a body calling ourselves the Presbyterian Church (USA).

In its April 1, 2008 edition, Presbyweb listed the responses of all four candidates for Moderator of the 218th General Assembly:

Carl Mazza
Bruce Reyes-Chow
Roger Shoemaker
Bill Teng

What I read opened a window on the candidates' minds. I have formed an opinion, but I will not express it here. The commissioners who will make the decision need to be able to deliberate and pray without pressure.

I hope to hear more such questions being asked, and I thank Hans Cornelder and Presbyweb for setting a standard.

Scholars say resurrection misunderstood by Christian faithful

Scholars say resurrection misunderstood by Christian faithful:

"On Easter Sunday, Christians proclaimed the message at the heart of their faith - 'He is risen' - and affirmed the hope that God will raise all the dead at the end of time.

But this belief is deeply misunderstood, say scholars from varied faith traditions who have been trying to clear up the confusion in several recent books.

'We are troubled by the gap between the views on these things of the general public and the findings of contemporary scholarship,' said Kevin Madigan and Jon Levenson, authors of the upcoming book, 'Resurrection, The Power of God for Christians and Jews.'

The book traces the overlooked Jewish roots of the Christian belief in resurrection, and builds on that history to challenge the idea that resurrection simply means life after death. To the authors, being raised up has a physical element, not just a spiritual one. ..."

It seems that, along with the usual "Easter Surprises", there have been a number of well-written, informative and fair treatments of the Resurrection -- one of the core beliefs of Christianity. Rachel Zoll, AP religion writer, has provided readers with an interesting history of resurrection beliefs in Christianity and Judaism, and how they have shaped the spiritual lives af their respective adherents.

Heaven Is Not Our Home | Christianity Today

Heaven Is Not Our Home | Christianity Today :

"There is no agreement in the church today about what happens to people when they die. Yet the New Testament is crystal clear on the matter: In a classic passage, Paul speaks of 'the redemption of our bodies' (Rom. 8:23). There is no room for doubt as to what he means: God's people are promised a new type of bodily existence, the fulfillment and redemption of our present bodily life. The rest of the early Christian writings, where they address the subject, are completely in tune with this.

The traditional picture of people going to either heaven or hell as a one-stage, postmortem journey represents a serious distortion and diminution of the Christian hope. Bodily resurrection is not just one odd bit of that hope. It is the element that gives shape and meaning to the rest of the story of God's ultimate purposes. If we squeeze it to the margins, as many have done by implication, or indeed, if we leave it out altogether, as some have done quite explicitly, we don't just lose an extra feature, like buying a car that happens not to have electrically operated mirrors. We lose the central engine, which drives it and gives every other component its reason for working. ..."

Interesting article...

Some Thoughts on the Proposed Form of Government

As I was looking over the recommendations for changes in the Form of Government section of our Book of Order, I was struck initially by this paragraph:

3.0202 Governed by Presbyters

This church shall be governed by presbyters, that is, ruling and teaching elders, also called elders and ministers of the Word and Sacrament. Ruling elders are so named not because they ‘lord it over’ the congregation (Matt. 20:25), but because they are chosen by the congregation to discern and measure its fidelity to the Word of God, and to strengthen and nurture its faith and life. Teaching elders, also called ministers of the Word and Sacrament, shall be committed in all their work to equipping the people of God for their ministry and witness.

I was ordained as a Ruling Elder in the United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America and this is a welcome recognition of the equal nature of what the PC(USA) calls "Elders" and "Ministers of Word and Sacrament". It seemed to me at the time that, by dropping the ruling and teaching designations, it created an implicit hierarchy of presbyters in the church where there had been not only parity of numbers in the various councils from Session to General Assembly, but parity in the value of each office. It's good to see the names reflect that.

As I read further, I saw a significant change in how members are defined, and thus how numbers are reported:

G-1.04 Categories of Membership

The membership of a congregation of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) includes baptized members, active members, and affiliate members.

The category of inactive member is not on this list. In addition, there seems to be no clear path to remove a member who has become inactive or moved away, and further has not responded to contacts and counseling. This is not a punitive sort of thing, nor is it excommunication (impossible, of course, in a denomination that has open communion).

I should make it clear that people whose health prevents them from active participation are not "inactive" to my way of thinking. In the same way, family members who have moved away from the area, but choose to maintain their membership in their parent's congregation are certainly not "inactive", even if they come only once a year for a visit. When the Congregational Care Committee (or whatever it is called in other congregations) tries to make contact, they can often determine what the situation is. Sometimes it is an easy call. Other times, when multiple attempts to contact the person fail, placing them on the inactive roll serves to "hold their place" pending a clarification of their intentions.

I should note that the new proposal does make it incumbent on the Session to review annually the active roll and counsel with "those who have neglected the responsibilities of membership". It just does not provide a framework for dealing with those who choose not to respond over a period of years.

One practical effect of not having a separate inactive category is to retain members on the active roll who neither participate in the life of the congregation nor provide financial support, yet are counted when it comes time to transmit the per capita assessments up the denominational ladder.

All-in-all, though, simplifying the Book of Order is a worthy goal, and what I have read so far is a good rough draft. I think the section on membership needs a lot more work.

Has the 'notion of sin' been lost? - USATODAY.com

Has the 'notion of sin' been lost? - USATODAY.com:

"Is sin dead? No, not by a long shot. Yet as Easter approaches, some pastors and theologians worry: How can Christians celebrate Jesus' atonement for their sins and the promise of eternal life in his resurrection if they don't recognize themselves as sinners? ..."

Personally, I was a little put off by the flippancy of this article, but truth can be found in many places, if you listen for it.

This first paragraph of the longer article cut quickly to the heart of why theology matters. I have often said that the Resurrection is where I dig in my heels and refuse to yield an inch, but in reality the Resurrection is dependent upon a lot of other things to which, intellectually, I must also give my assent.

Jesus' death on the cross was an atonement. For what? My sins. I am a sinner "prone to evil and slothful in good" and can make no claim that I am worthy in the absence of Christ's atonement. If I accept that Jesus was God in the flesh, then I find myself dealing with the Incarnation. And once I have come to grips with both the beginning and end of Jesus' earthly life, then I need to deal with everything in between.

All this because I believe that Jesus was raised from the dead....

Kansas.com | 03/20/2008 | Resurrection is key to Christian faith

Kansas.com | 03/20/2008 | Resurrection is key to Christian faith:

"Americans are a religious people. About 90 percent of us believe in some form of God.

For many who are Christian, Easter is the most important celebration of all. The Apostle Paul summed up why in a letter to the Corinthians: 'If there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised,' he wrote. 'And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain.'

Because the Resurrection is the centerpiece of Christianity, it has naturally become a target of naysayers. It's something believers should be accustomed to, but not discouraged by. ..."

I remember fondly the Wichita Eagle (or Beagle, as we nicknamed it) from the years I lived in Kansas. They have published a good piece here summarizing the centrality of the Resurrection to Christian faith.

How early Christians grappled to accept the idea that Jesus returned from the dead. - By Larry Hurtado - Slate Magazine

How early Christians grappled to accept the idea that Jesus returned from the dead. - By Larry Hurtado - Slate Magazine:

"Easter Sunday represents the foundational claim of Christian faith, the highest day of the Christian year as celebration of Jesus' resurrection. But many Christians are unsure what the claim that Jesus had been raised to new life after being crucified actually means—while non-Christians often find the whole idea of resurrection bemusing and even ridiculous. ..."

Slate, which actually tends to have fair coverage of religious issues, has posted an interesting article about the various ways Christians have viewed the Resurrection.

Larry Hurtado, who is a professor of New Testament Language, Literature and Theology at the University of Edinburgh (Scotland), provides a short scholarly history of resurrection attitudes over the years. The brief quotation above gives a flavor of the entire article, which is well worth reading.

PC(USA) Adopts New Tracking Software For GA218

For the 217th General Assembly, the PC(USA) used a web-based business tracker called "Les". It received mixed reviews, especially from commissioners on the floor of General Assembly. I was "watching" the business of GA217 from my home in Columbia Missouri, and I found the Les interface a little clunky, but reliable, and in conjunction with the live streaming video feed I could watch as little or as much of the proceedings as I wanted to..

Why were there so many complaints from the people in attendance? I found out later that the commissioners had access only to the General Assembly intranet and had to wait until they got back to their rooms to get internet access. My guess is that the local intranet was not up to feeding all the commissioners, advisory delegates, and staff members, all of whom wanted to keep track on what was going on. This is going to become more and more critical as the PC(USA) moves closer to a "paperless" General Assembly. It is a fairly easy proposition to install a wireless access point in the committee rooms where numbers are generally limited, but the plenary sessions present another set of problems. The more people attaching to a wireless network, the more contention there is for bandwidth. And I suspect that most of the several hundred people in the plenary room are going to be trying to access the same information at the same time. Hopefully the GA site will have competent networking personnel dealing with the infrastructure.

The new tracking software, www.pc-biz.org, is web-based (as was Les) and the business from GA217 has been ported over and can be searched using the "Explorer" tab. The FAQ section is a work in progress, but there is enough to get you started. Right now the only information you will get on the 218th General Assembly is the overture list (about 80 at this point), task force reports, as well as some news items. This will, no doubt, change quickly as committee assignments are made and schedules are firmed up. If you register, you can make notations on various items, retrieve your recently viewed items, and flag certain items that you want to watch. Registration is free and open to the public. Commissioners have already received their user ids and passwords.

I am glad to see this being made available not only to the GA commissioners, but to Presbyterians in general. The more information the average Presbyterian has, the more informed decisions can be made, all the way down to the congregation level. My initial impression of the new tracking system is that it is more intuitive than Les, and a little more responsive. Of course that could all change when more people get on and start puttering around.

'My Heart Is in Gaza' | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

'My Heart Is in Gaza' | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction:

"Gaza Baptist Church used to draw hundreds of Palestinian worshipers to its two Sunday services. But on a recent Sunday in January, less than 10 people risked attending the only evangelical church in the 25-mile coastal strip.

Palestinian evangelicals, a group of hundreds living among 1.5 million Muslims, have been fleeing the Gaza Strip for the West Bank in response to increased violence and threats from Islamic extremists. In October, Rami Ayyad, the 29-year-old manager of Gaza's only Christian bookstore, was kidnapped and murdered. Then on February 15, a group of 14 masked gunmen forcibly entered the ymca offices and set off a bomb in the library, burning thousands of books. ..."

This article raises issues that Christians need to come to grips with. First, there is most definitely persecution in today's world, and it seems to be growing in some areas. And second, warfare has significant effects on innocent bystanders.

PC(USA) - Presbyterian News Service - New initiative digitally expands religion’s reach in the world

PC(USA) - Presbyterian News Service - New initiative digitally expands religion’s reach in the world:

"LOUISVILLE – Religion will more readily be at the world’s fingertips thanks to a new partnership between Princeton Theological Seminary and Microsoft Corporation.

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)-related seminary and the technology giant have entered into an agreement to digitize a large number of public materials from Princeton’s library. That means the library will now contribute content to Microsoft’s Live Search Book service, which is accessed by people across the globe. ..."

Microsoft may have a hard time coming up with a timely service pack for its Vista operating system, but it is making a positive contribution here.

The Live Search Book Service is not to be confused with Microsoft Live Search, which is a Google-like search engine.

Net Neutrality Divides Christian, Conservative Groups | Liveblog | Christianity Today

Net Neutrality Divides Christian, Conservative Groups | Liveblog | Christianity Today:

"For people who frequent YouTube, Facebook, and Google, net neutrality is a hot topic. For Christian and conservative groups, it became a divisive topic today.

While the Christian Coalition supports net neutrality, 12 politically conservative and Christian conservative groups today began lobbying against net neutrality, according to U.S. News & World Report."

Sarah Pulliam summarizes the Christian responses to this important issue. Net Neutrality is a response to the idea that internet service providers could partition the internet into premium and basic service levels, based on amount paid. This unites people from all points in the political and social spectrum in the common goal of ensuring that all information providers (news, bloggers, universities, organizations, etc.) would have equal access to the internet.

The main objection some groups have to this is that pornography would be unfettered along with most other content. Of course, we already have that. The question is whose responsibility it is to control access to objectionable content. Public schools and libraries often filter content on their networks. Parents can install software that does similar filtering.

Blocking content at the ISP level would possible, but not a particularly smart thing to do. Who will decide? Will Democrat's blogs be filtered out while Republican's blogs pass through unfettered? Will evangelical web sites be sent to the slow track while more liberal church web sites run at maximum speed? There is much opportunity for mischief here, and trusting the ISPs (or even the government) to make such decisions is not necessarily prudent.

The average person has unprecedented access to information of all kinds -- sometimes "too much information." The proliferation of Presbyterian blogs, nearly all of which are independent of PC(USA) control, have provided members in the pews access to information that, 10 years ago, might take many weeks to propagate to the congregations, if at all.

Of course, it really isn't about politics, religion or morality -- it is, at its core, about money. We have been using the Web for information, email, buying stuff from Amazon, and so forth for many years.

All during this time companies have been looking for ways to put a meter on the network, and establish a "pay-as-you-go" financial model (above and beyond the basic cost to have broadband in the home). That, in and of itself, should cause people to think hard about what freedoms they are willing to give up.

Just As I Am

Just as I am, without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bidst me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, and waiting not
To rid my soul of one dark blot,
To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, though tossed about
With many a conflict, many a doubt,
Fightings and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
Sight, riches, healing of the mind,
Yea, all I need in Thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
Because Thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, Thy love unknown
Hath broken every barrier down;
Now, to be Thine, yea, Thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, of that free love
The breadth, length, depth, and height to prove,
Here for a season, then above,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!

-- Words from The Cyber Hymnal

Charlotte Elliot (1789-1871) wrote Just As I Am, Without One Plea in 1935 following an encounter with a man who asked her if she was a Christian. Initially she took great offense and told him it was none of his business. After some reflection, she asked this man how she might go about finding Christ. His answer was to come as you are. The man is not identified in the Wikipedia article, but The Cyber Hymnal identifies him as Cé­sar Ma­lan, who was not only a minister, but a hymn writer and composer. The hymn tune that comes to mind is Hendon, which is used for Take My Life And Let It Be Consecrated, Lord, To Thee.

Not long after this encounter she wrote this hymn, which has been a staple of hymnals across the Protestant spectrum.

Judge Rejects Attempt to Close Huntingtown Church Pantry, Center - washingtonpost.com

Judge Rejects Attempt to Close Huntingtown Church Pantry, Center - washingtonpost.com:

"In a test of wills, church vs. state, the church wins the first round.

Chesapeake Church in Huntingtown, a congregation of about 275 members, has been locked in a heated, three-year battle with Calvert County over zoning violations that has progressed to state and federal courts.

Last week, Circuit Court Judge Marjorie L. Clagett ruled that the church's counseling center and food pantry can stay open pending the federal litigation, marking the first blow to the county's case.

Calvert County's request for a preliminary injunction to shutter the Chesapeake Counseling Center and Chesapeake Cares Food Pantry for failing to obtain the proper permits and site plans since the center opened in 2005 was denied by Clagett because closing the ministry would cause more harm to county residents, the decision said. ..."

The story in the Washington Post does not clarify all that is going on here, but it does seem that the county is treating the food pantry like a business, requiring it to have a site plan and operating permit. The sticking point is the driveway that goes to the food pantry, which is located in a house on the church property. Apparently this driveway opens onto a busy street, and represents a danger. The church has a driveway that opens onto the same busy street. If the county has its way, then the clients of the food pantry and counseling center will drive through the church parking lot, and then follow a dirt road to the house in which the two ministries are located.

Experts create new image of Bach | Science | Reuters

Experts create new image of Bach | Science | Reuters:

"BERLIN (Reuters) - Experts have digitally rebuilt the face of 18th century German composer Johann Sebastian Bach -- and say the results may surprise his fans.

Using his bones and computer modeling, they have come up with an image of a thick-set man with closely-shorn white hair.

The new Bach face, the creation of Scottish forensic anthropologist Caroline Wilkinson, will go on display at the Bachhaus museum in the eastern German town of Eisenach, Bach's birthplace, next month. ..."

Johann Sebastian Bach's portraits show him in a wig, and that is how we "know" him. But these guys didn't live in their wigs. Put a powdered wig on this reconstruction to the right, and it would look plausible.

The image below is the iconic portrait painted in 1748 by Elias Gottlob Haussmann.


Click on the image for a larger version.

Researchers Find Way to Steal Encrypted Data - New York Times

Researchers Find Way to Steal Encrypted Data - New York Times:

"SAN FRANCISCO — A group led by a Princeton University computer security researcher has developed a simple method to steal encrypted information stored on computer hard disks.

The technique, which could undermine security software protecting critical data on computers, is as easy as chilling a computer memory chip with a blast of frigid air from a can of dust remover. Encryption software is widely used by companies and government agencies, notably in portable computers that are especially susceptible to theft."

As I tell people I work with, there is NO expectation of privacy in your email, online activities, and apparently now on your encrypted hard drive in your laptop.

A few things to note:

• Physical access to a running or recently shutdown computer is required. The passphrases that encrypt and decrypt your data are maintained in unencrypted form in your computer's RAM. While this information is supposed to go away when the power us shut off, the contents of RAM may persist for a few seconds up to a few minutes. Chilling the RAM modules may extend this period to several hours.
• Only a cold shutdown will cause the RAM to clear after a few minutes. Putting the computer into sleep mode keeps the contents of RAM intact. This is by design to permit the laptop to start up in seconds when the user wishes to resume work. How many people use sleep mode routinely? Personally, I don't, especially when traveling. And I require a password to resume work after sleep mode is exited.
• If security tokens are kept on a USB drive or smartcard, and these are part of the security mechanism, then the techniques worked out by the Princeton computer scientists are not effective.

This is not simply an abstract issue for technogeeks. A friend of mine helps to support evangelism in a part of the world that is not openly identified. The indigenous Christians use laptops and email for communication, and encryption of sensitive data is part of their security strategy.

NFL Reverses Call On Church Parties - washingtonpost.com

NFL Reverses Call On Church Parties - washingtonpost.com (Registration required):

"The NFL, which found itself on the receiving end of protests and controversy after it objected to churches showing the Super Bowl on big-screen televisions, has reversed course and will now permit the viewings.

In a letter to Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah), NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said the league would not object to 'live showings -- regardless of screen size -- of the Super Bowl' by religious organizations.

In response to questions from Hatch, Goodell said in the letter, dated Feb. 19, the NFL will implement the policy starting with next year's Super Bowl. ..."

A wise choice.

What President Am I?

I saw this over at The Kruse Kronicle. Mike is Eisenhower. So what was I to be?

Which Great US President Are You Most Like? created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Theodore Roosevelt 26th President, in office from 1901-1909 Born: 1858 Died: 1919 Theodore Roosevelt 76% Abraham Lincoln 74% George Washington 62% Ronald Reagan 53% Thomas Jefferson 52% Franklin Roosevelt 52% Dwight Eisenhower 50% Lyndon Johnson 50% John Kennedy 48% Harry Truman 45% Woodrow Wilson 38%

Father, Long Before Creation

Father, Long Before Creation

Father, long before creation
Thou hadst chosen us in love,
And that love so deep, so moving,
Draws us close to Christ above.
Still it keeps us, still it keeps us
Firmly fixed in Christ alone.

Though the world may change its fashion,
Yet our God is e'er the same;
His compassion and His covenant
Through all ages will remain.
God's own children, God's own children
Must forever praise His name.

God's compassion is my story,
Is my boasting all the day;
Mercy free and never failing
Moves my will, directs my way.
God so loved us, God so loved us
That His only Son He gave.

Loving Father now before Thee
We will ever praise Thy love,
And our songs will sound unceasing
'Til we reach our home above,
Giving glory, giving glory
To our God and to the Lamb.

This hymn is found in The Hymnbook (1955). The words are anonymous Chinese from about 1952 and translated by Francis P. Jones in 1953.

The tune, Miller Chapel (8. 7. 8. 7. 4. 4. 7), was written by David Hugh Jones in 1954. A google search on his name turns up not only that a person of that name was the choir director at Princeton Theological Seminary at that time, but also that there is a "Miller Chapel" on that campus, so I am pretty sure that is who it is.

The melody line is written in a pentatonic mode (it can be played using just the black keys on a piano), thus is neither major nor minor. It has a faintly oriental sound to it.

This hymn is one of the "sleepers" of the 1955 hymnal. It did not make it into subsequent Presbyterian hymnals, although it has been used by others with a different tune. Its words are full of meaning and it has a beautiful and haunting tune.

In Memory of Franc

This afternoon Trinity Presbyterian Church celebrated the life of the Reverend Franc M. Guthrie, who had been a parish associate for our congregation since his retirement from full-time ministry in 1998. Judging from the number of people present, Franc touched many lives in many places over the nearly 50 years of his ministry.

When I first got to know Franc, he struck me as a genuinely nice person -- but there was something about him that put me off-balance. I finally figured it out. When he asked "How are you?" he actually paused and waited for me to answer.

All too many people in the world ask that question and just keep right on going. It just something to say, something to fill dead air. Not so with Franc. When he asked you how you were, he was willing to listen.

When my wife's mother was in a nursing home following her stroke, he visited her on more than one occasion and brought her communion. When she died, Franc came to our home and visited with us and prayed with us.

We join hundreds of people in thanking God for Franc's ministry among us and we will miss him.

Congratulations, Mike!

PC(USA) - Presbyterian News Service - Fort Worth elder elected chair of General Assembly Council:

"LOUISVILLE — Carol J. Adcock, an elder from Fort Worth, TX, was unanimously elected chair of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) General Assembly Council (GAC) at a meeting here Feb. 13.

Adcock, a member of St. Stephen Presbyterian Church in Grace Presbytery, was elected chair on recommendation of the council’s nominating committee.

Michael W. Kruse, an elder from Kansas City, MO, was unanimously elected vice chair. He is a member of Ward Parkway Presbyterian Church in Heartland Presbytery. ..."

Mike Kruse, of the Kruse Kronicle, has been elected vice chair of the General Assembly Council.

The GAC made a fine choice here. Hopefully this won't put too many constraints on on his blogging activities....

More About the PJC Decisions

Bob Davis of Presbyblog has summarized yesterday's decisions of the PC(USA) Permanent Judicial Commission and provided useful links to the relevant PJC decisions.

"The decisions have been issued:

Buescher, et al v. Olympia Presbytery (218-09)

Bush, et al v. Pittsburgh Presbytery (218-10)

1st Presbyterian Church, Washington, et al v. Washington Presbytery (218-15)

Also released and relevant is Advisory Opinion #21 from the Stated Clerk of the General Assembly. ..."

Personally, I wish they would write those decisions in plain English rather than lawyer-speak, but at least there is an advisory opinion that provides the official version of events.

Bob Davis points out that decisions of the PJC are authoritative interpretations themselves.

Probably the most significant outcome of these three decisions of the PJC is that Constitutional requirements for ordination cannot be changed by an "authoritative interpretation" of a particular General Assembly. In fact, the PJC seems to have upheld the AI arising from the Peace, Unity, and Purity report and makes it clear that it did not set aside any requirements for ordination, nor did it provide a loophole that would permit such requirements to be ignored.

Another related aspect of all this was the rejection of enumerated lists of essentials that many presbyteries had published following GA217. The PJC considered these and other restatements of what the Book of Order already says to be redundant, unnecessary, and unconstitutional. The presbyteries in question had a reasonable belief that the authoritative interpretation would be used to do an end run around the Book of Order. Subsequent events bore this out. By issuing the three rulings together, the PJC upheld the Book of Order, thus demonstrating to the presbyteries that the various restatements of ordination requirements were unnecessary.

I hope that some trust is being restored in our denomination. These decisions are a positive development.

Presbyterian Outlook: Top court prohibits scrupling on fidelity-chastity

Presbyterian Outlook: Top court prohibits scrupling on fidelity-chastity:

"LOUISVILLE – The General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission (GAPJC) has ruled that candidates for ordination must comply with the sexual behavior standards of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), even if they disagree in conscience with them.

The GAPJC, in a landmark ruling dated Feb. 11 on a case from Pittsburgh presbytery, declared that the authoritative interpretation that the General Assembly approved in 2006 does not permit exceptions to the requirement in the PC(USA)’s ordination standards, which say that candidates must practice fidelity if they are married or chastity if they are single.

It described the “fidelity and chastity” provision as “a mandatory standard that cannot be waived.” And it upheld language from a prior Synod of the Trinity PJC ruling that made a distinction between allowing departures from the church’s standards related to belief – but not departures related to behavior."

This ruling is a long-awaited clarification of just how the Peace, Unity, and Purity report would be applied in the inevitable attempts to probe the boundaries.

My quick take on this is that the plain sense of the English language is to apply to how the Book of Order is applied to polity decisions. "Shall", "Should", and "May" mean very different things, and the Book of Order uses those words purposefully.

In this particular ruling the PJC clearly states that to change such provisions of the Book of Order will require a constitutional amendment, and not the "scrupling" that has been the object of a number of recent actions in presbyteries around the nation.

Hopefully this will allay some of the fears that the PUP authoritative interpretation would be employed as an end run around the Presbyterian Constitution.

The PJC has made a sensible decision and I hope it can serve to cool things down among those who are trying to leave the denomination as well as those who are trying to parse authoritative interpretations in such a way as to change the Constitution with submitting amendments to the Presbyteries for up-or-down votes.

NOTE: I first saw this a couple hours ago on the Presbyweb site, but no details were given. It seems that Hans Cornelder is in the hospital. I sure he could use our prayers.

UCLA stem cell scientists reprogram human skin cells into embryonic stem cells

UCLA stem cell scientists reprogram human skin cells into embryonic stem cells:

"UCLA stem cell scientists have reprogrammed human skin cells into cells with the same unlimited properties as embryonic stem cells without using embryos or eggs.

Led by scientists Kathrin Plath and William Lowry, UCLA researchers used genetic alteration to turn back the clock on human skin cells and create cells that are nearly identical to human embryonic stem cells, which have the ability to become every cell type found in the human body. Four regulator genes were used to create the cells, called induced pluripotent stem cells or iPS cells.

The UCLA study confirms the work first reported in late November of researcher Shinya Yamanaka at Kyoto University and James Thompson at the University of Wisconsin. The UCLA research appears Feb. 11, 2008, in an early online edition of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of the Sciences.

The implications for disease treatment could be significant. Reprogramming adult stem cells into embryonic stem cells could generate a potentially limitless source of immune-compatible cells for tissue engineering and transplantation medicine. A patient’s skin cells, for example, could be reprogrammed into embryonic stem cells. Those embryonic stem cells could then be prodded into becoming various cells types – beta islet cells to treat diabetes, hematopoetic cells to create a new blood supply for a leukemia patient, motor neuron cells to treat Parkinson’s disease. ..."

It's good to see this kind of research producing results. There is much to do before this translates into effective therapy, but some major hurdles are being overcome. It wasn't that long ago that many researchers were claiming that it was impossible to do what is now being reported.

This Samaritan Life | Christianity Today

This Samaritan Life | Christianity Today:

"... Gospel-writer Luke tells us of the Samaritan village that refused hospitality to Jesus and his followers. Why? Because they were Passover pilgrims headed for Jerusalem. Samaritans didn't like Jews doing their Jewish thing. James and John took the inhospitality for a religious affront; in fact, they were ready to firebomb the village (Luke 9:51–56). These groups had a familiarity that bred suspicion and mutual grudges.

So I sometimes find life in America. The problem is not that my religion is strange. The problem is that my religion is familiar. Like Samaritans and Jews, Christians and non-Christians have a partly shared worldview (our Western traditions, which include the Bible), a shared point of origin (Christendom), and well-defined points of contention (the exclusivity of Christ). We are familiar with what each other believes. We're suspicious of one another. So we start off with a grudge. ..."

Tim Stafford, a senior writer for Christianity Today, has written a good explanation of why Christians are the subject of much scorn and dislike, even in a nation that was founded by people who adhered to Christian principles.

He starts by reacting to a common belief that, metaphorically, we live in Babylon with all its attendant issues of just how we are to worship the Lord in a strange land. Tim Stafford suggest that, no, we live rather in Samaria. We live among people who have some knowledge of where we are coming from, and we have some knowledge of what drives them.

Without saying as much, Stafford provides evidence of what many conservatives have suspected for a long time -- that bigotry and discrimination directed against Christians (and specifically more conservative Christians) is acceptable in the larger society.

James and John were so indignant they wanted to carpet-bomb the hapless Samaritan village. I suppose it was not for nothing that Jesus called these two the "Sons of Thunder." But Jesus had a different approach -- walk to the next village and see how they were received. Jesus chose a way that was not quite a confrontational as his disciples might have preferred. Rather he chose to engage individual people, and some the the first converts were Samaritans.

Personally, I would take Tim Stafford's approach a little farther. Some of the most bitter attacks on Christians come not from secular society, but from within the Church. One does not need to look beyond the PC(USA) to see examples of what, in a secular context, would be described as "hate speech". It's something we need to work on.

A personal note: Reading Tim Stafford's writing is always a pleasure. I taught at Sterling College (Kansas) from 1977-1979 and the pastor at the Sterling Presbyterian Church was Tim's father, the late Chase Stafford, who in 1981 presided at my wife and my wedding. We had the opportunity to meet Tim while he was home for a visit. If memory serves, he was working with InterVarsity at the time.

Requiring Photo ID Has Little Effect on Voter Turnout, MU Study Finds | MU News Bureau

Requiring Photo ID Has Little Effect on Voter Turnout, MU Study Finds | MU News Bureau:

"COLUMBIA, Mo. – With the 2008 Presidential election less than a year away, many states are working to require photo identification from all voters in an attempt to curb illegal voting. Critics argue that the requirement is unconstitutional and will ultimately reduce participation in elections. However, a recent study of Indiana’s photo ID law, conducted by a University of Missouri professor, found that requiring identification doesn’t have much impact on voter turnout rates. ..."

This is actually from late last year, but it is timely as today is Super Tuesday and Fat Tuesday all rolled into one. Or as one radio personality has put it, Super Fat Tuesday.

The Supreme Court of the United States also has the Indiana voter ID law on its docket this year, and a ruling is expected before summer. The Indiana law is described by many as pretty strict in its application, so one would expect that if there are harmful effects, they would be evident in the elections since the law went into effect.

Jeffrey Milyo, a professor of economics and public policy at the University of Missouri, has found in comparing the 2002 election with the 2006 election (both off-year elections) that the voter turnout did not vary significantly and in fact increased in some counties with high proportions of Democrats.

You can download the full text of The Effects of Photographic Identification on Voter Turnout in Indiana: A County Level Analysis from the University of Missouri.

My wife and I went out and voted early this morning. We showed our ID, signed the register, and chose which party's ballot we would use. The lines were not particularly long, the the ballots were pretty simple. There's a certain satisfaction in performing one of the most important duties of a citizen, even when the choices are not that exciting.

Richard Dawkins Calls Himself A "Cultural Christian" - News Bloggers

Richard Dawkins Calls Himself A "Cultural Christian" - News Bloggers:

"Asked by a British member of Parliament if he is one of those atheists who wants to get rid of Christian symbols especially during the Christmas season, atheist Richard Dawkins replied that he is not. Dawkins said that he himself sings Christmas carols and that he considers himself a 'cultural Christian.' Just as many Jews regard themselves as Jewish, defend Jewish interests and cherish Jewish culture while not participating in Jewish religious rituals, Dawkins says that he respects the fact that the history and traditions of the West are shaped by Christianity. Dawkins says he's not one of those who wants to purge the West of its Christian traditions. The main threat to Christian symbols, Dawkins argues, does not come from atheists like him but rather from Muslims and members of other faiths. ..."

Dinesh d'Souza, who has written a book titled What's So Great About Christianity, suggests that Dawkins might be coming to a realization that Christianity may be more of a force for good than a force for evil in the world. I'm not sure I buy into all of his analysis of Dawkins' motives, but he certainly makes some interesting points.

Finnish patient gets new jaw from own stem cells | Science | Reuters

Finnish patient gets new jaw from own stem cells | Science | Reuters:

"HELSINKI (Reuters) - Scientists in Finland said they had replaced a 65-year-old patient's upper jaw with a bone transplant cultivated from stem cells isolated from his own fatty tissue and grown inside his abdomen.

Researchers said on Friday the breakthrough opened up new ways to treat severe tissue damage and made the prospect of custom-made living spares parts for humans a step closer to reality. ..."

Another interesting story that suggests that conventional wisdom regarding embryonic stem cells is falling victim to scientific progress.

Proofs of concept are one thing, but actual results are even better. If science and technology can keep moving in this direction, in the not-too-distant future students may read about the ethical and moral debates surrounding the harvesting of embryos for stem cells and wonder what it was all about.

NFL Pulls Plug On Big-Screen Church Parties For Super Bowl - washingtonpost.com

NFL Pulls Plug On Big-Screen Church Parties For Super Bowl - washingtonpost.com:

"For years, as many as 200 members of Immanuel Bible Church and their friends have gathered in the church's fellowship hall to watch the Super Bowl on its six-foot screen. The party featured hard hitting on the TV, plenty of food -- and prayer.

But this year, Immanuel's Super Bowl party is no more. After a crackdown by the National Football League on big-screen Super Bowl gatherings by churches, the Springfield church has sacked its event. Instead, church members will host parties in their homes.

Immanuel is among a number of churches in the Washington area and elsewhere that have been forced to use a new playbook to satisfy the NFL, which said that airing games at churches on large-screen TV sets violates the NFL copyright."

This is not exactly new, but the NFL is starting to get litigious about churches that host parties, many of which collect food for local food banks in association with the event. These "Souper Bowl" parties encourage each attendee to bring a food item for the needy, but do not charge any kind of admission.

The NFL is suffused with arrogance and greed from the players on up to those who breathe the rarefied air of the sky boxes. I can't see how even church groups numbered in the hundreds can cut into NFL profits. If nothing else, there are more warm bodies viewing the advertising.

Fortunately the ban extends only to television sets greater than 55 inches. I suppose this will have to be adjudicated, though. Are we talking nominal size or actual size? Do we use the diagonal measurement or the horizontal? What about digital versus analog?

If you use a digital projector, you'll just have to use the zoom feature to bring it in just under 55 inches or you may just receive a letter from the NFL.....

I don't have a dog in this fight (although, to be honest, it wouldn't bother me to see the Patriots get their 19th win this season). Beyond that, I think I will check in every so often to see the score, and ignore the game otherwise. Pretty much as I've been doing for several years now. When I go to a Super Bowl gathering it's for the friends, fellowship and food. The game is secondary.

Oh well. I'm starting off February in a rather curmudgeonly way. It must be the snowstorm.

NASA - Messenger Reveals Mercury's Geological History

NASA - Messenger Reveals Mercury's Geological History:

"NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft’s closest approach to Mercury on January 14, 2008, acquired this image as part of a mosaic that covers much of the sunlit portion of a hemisphere not view by previous spacecraft. Images such as this can be read in terms of a sequence of geological events and provide insight into the relative timing of processes that have acted on Mercury's surface in the past. ..."

There are some pretty awesome images coming back from the Messenger probe of the planet Mercury.

Mission consultation: Time for change

Mission consultation: Time for change:

"DALLAS – It’s not reasonable to expect a three-day meeting in Texas to spit out all the answers to how the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) ought to approach world mission. But the folks gathered here for a consultation on world mission Jan. 16-18 did have some pretty clear ideas about what’s happening in the world that Presbyterians can’t ignore — changes sweeping the land, whether people have figured it out yet or not.

The bottom line: this is a time of tremendous change, in the PC(USA) and in the world. As Paul Pierson, a former missionary in Brazil and Portugal and senior professor of the history of mission and Latin American studies at Fuller Theological Seminary has written: “The changes in the worldwide church today are probably greater than those that took place during the sixteenth century Reformation. The transition today is analogous to the shift from the Jewish to the Gentile church in the first century.”

How the PC(USA) responds, how well it adapts to change and how quickly, may go a long way in determining what it has to contribute in a pluralistic world."

Leslie Scanlon, writing in The Presbyterian Outlook (free registration required to read the entire article), points out several areas in which the Church has changed. I'll highlight two of them, and let you go to the full article to read the rest:

Christianity Shifts South: The Church has grown in such a way as to shift the center of global Christianity south of the equator. To put it another way, the First World churches are a minority in the Church Universal. The percentage of missionaries from Europe and the United States have gone from 80% in 1918 to around 6% today. This is not a cause for alarm; rather it is a natural outcome of the spread of the Gospel.

Mission Goes Local: In the PC(USA) the number of mission dollars has steadily risen yet the number of mission dollars flowing through our denominational offices in Louisville has fallen. This has been a major paradigm shift over the past 30 years, and the General Assembly Council has recognized this and shifted their programs to enable local mission.

Many challenges remain. Decentralization runs the risk of letting important needs fall through the cracks. Hunter Farrell, the Director of World Mission for the PC(USA), points out that to "get it out of the bottleneck" of the offices in Louisville is a good thing, but goes on to ask that people consider whether all the needs are in fact being met.

We are in a time of rapid change, and Joan Gray, the Moderator of the 217th General Assembly, puts it into its necessary perspective: "...if we are not doing it in the power of God somehow, we’re not doing mission. That’s my fear for us Presbyterians. Every group has a besetting sin. … Our besetting sin is arrogance, in thinking that we can do mission, and that if enough smart people get together we can figure this out."

We all need to keep that in mind as we deliberate and pray about our reponse to the needs around us.

San Jose Mercury News - Sunnyvale homeowners told to cut redwoods that block solar panels

San Jose Mercury News - Sunnyvale homeowners told to cut redwoods that block solar panels:

"Talk about a clash of cherished green values.

In a case with statewide significance, the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office is pursuing a Sunnyvale couple under a little-known California law because redwood trees in their backyard cast a shadow over their neighbor's solar panels. ..."

Only in California...

TCS Daily - A Question of Religion

TCS Daily - A Question of Religion:

"Some years ago I was asked a question that has haunted me. It came during a telephone conversation I had with a young man whose Internet book club has selected one of my books to read. The young man wanted to find out more about me, and he began asking what I thought about various subjects. Finally, hesitantly, he said, 'Would you mind if I asked you a very personal question?' How personal, I wondered briefly, but gave my consent anyway. His question was, 'Are you for or against religion?'

I have lost a clear recollection of my reply, but I recall being shocked at the radical and remorseless either/or with which I had been confronted: Either a person is for religion, or a person is against it. ..."

Harris makes the point here that much depends on what you are thinking about when you ask the question. The question, asked in a political debate, might be a trap -- sort of like "when did you stop beating your wife?" In this context, it seems to have been nothing more than a novice reporter trying to get a handle on who Lee Harris was.

Was Harris in favor of the blood-thirsty religions that practiced human sacrifice? Or the French Huguenots of Le Chambon who protected Jews during the Nazi occupation? He asks rhetorically whether atheists might also come to the same realization that saving Jews from Nazi extermination was the right thing to do. He answers his own question in the affirmative, but then asks whether they would have the moral imperative to lay their own lives on the line. Perhaps.

But those who believe in God could also be presumed to have some knowledge of what the Lord requires -- and that does not include turning one's back in the face of evil.

Along the way, Lee Harris quotes Thomas Huxley ("Darwin's Bulldog") who is also known as the man who coined the word "agonostic". Huxley's writings showed an admiration for those whose faith led them to do good things, and was unwilling to condemn all religion for the shortcomings of a few.

Harris' points are well summarized in this statement:

"... The villagers of La Chambon were collectively committed to carrying out the highest Biblical ideal, even if it meant their personal extinction. They were prepared to defy a despotism far more hideous than that of the European middle ages. They remind us that the simplistic "for or against" approach to religion inevitably obscures the startling differences between the various religions of mankind, between those religions that demand human sacrifice to appease a blood-thirsty god, and those that have inspired self-sacrifice in the name of a better world."

It is refreshing to know that not all people have bought into the "moral equivalency" of all religion, and are willing to acknowledge that some belief systems inherently lead to good moral choices.

First Temple seal found in Jerusalem | Jerusalem Post

First Temple seal found in Jerusalem | Jerusalem Post:

"A stone seal bearing the name of one of the families who acted as servants in the First Temple and then returned to Jerusalem after being exiled to Babylonia has been uncovered in an archeological excavation in Jerusalem's City of David, a prominent Israeli archeologist said Wednesday.

The 2,500-year-old black stone seal, which has the name 'Temech' engraved on it, was found earlier this week amid stratified debris in the excavation under way just outside the Old City walls near the Dung Gate, said archeologist Dr. Eilat Mazar, who is leading the dig."

This article from the Jerusalem Post is quite interesting.

The seventh chapter of Nehemiah enumerates the exiles who returned to Israel from Babylon. Listed among the temple attendants is Temech (Temah in the NIV). Interestingly enough, the crescent figure above the two men has been identified as the symbol of a Babylonian deity. The three letters at the bottom are Hebrew and spell "Temech".

While this does not prove that the person listed on the seal and the one listed in Nehemiah are the same individual, it is significant because it is contemporaneous with the events described in Nehemiah, and names an individual whose name also appears in the book of Nehemiah.

Faith Central - Times Online - WBLG: Number of the Beast

Faith Central - Times Online - WBLG: Number of the Beast:

"The Number of the Beast - 666 in the book of Revelation - sprang into the news when someone noticed that the Parliamentary motion for disestablishment of the Church of England was tabled as no. 666. Meanwhile a poor mad man in the US thought his hand had a 666 on it and microwaved it. If you want a more upbeat take on the number of doom, this delightful US Catholic site offers such variants as those below (sometimes you could just love American bloggers to bits)"

Ordinarily I don't indulge in "666" jokes. Evil is all too real in this world, but most of hoopla about "666" (or "616", depending on what text source is used) is just plain silly to begin with, so I don't see any harm in posting this.

A sampling from the original site:

665 -- the beast's older brother
999 -- the Australian beast
1010011010 -- the binary number of the beast
x/666 -- the beast common denominator

Backlash as more claim religion to get place in top schools -Times Online

Backlash as more claim religion to get place in top schools -Times Online:

"New evidence that middle-class parents are playing the system to get their children into church schools emerged last night prompting calls for the Government to put a halt to new faith schools.

A surge in late baptisms into the Roman Catholic Church is reported by researchers as part of a phenomenon known as the “Year-Five Epiphany.” The findings have reignited the debate about the place of religion in the school system and led to renewed criticism that faith schools favour the selection of middle-class pupils whose parents know how to play the system. ..."

From what I have observed over at least 30 years, parents will send children to denominational schools even if they are not a member of that denomination. It isn't a new thing, at least in the United States. From this article, though, it seems that the denominational or parochial schools are a fairly recent phenomenon in Great Britain. These are predominantly Christian, although Jewish, Muslim, and Sikh schools are to be found.

This article, while mainly quoting members of Parliament and the government opposed to the concept of of faith-based education, also touches on the reasons why parents try to get their children into non-public schools. These reasons are similar to those given in the USA for choosing non-public schools.

WWI 'blogger' captures attention - CNN.com

WWI 'blogger' captures attention - CNN.com:

"LONDON, England (AP) -- In many ways he's a typical war blogger: William Henry 'Harry' Bonser Lamin's descriptions of grueling battles compete with complaints about cramped quarters and apologies for his irregular updates.

But the postings from the twentysomething English laceworker are from the trenches of World War I -- nine decades ago.

His letters are being posted now -- 90 years to the day -- to the Internet by Lamin's grandson, Bill. And like Harry's family at the time, readers don't know if his most recent update will be his last. ..."

This is one of the more creative blogs I have run across. Private Lamin's grandson is posting the letters 90 days to the day after they were written and they provide a fascinating look at one soldier's experience in World War I. The blog itself is named "WW1: Experiences of an English Soldier" and the compiler/author suggests that one start at the beginning to get the full flavor of these letters.

OLPC fires back at Intel, children learn nothing - CNET News.com

OLPC fires back at Intel, children learn nothing - CNET News.com:

"Nick Negroponte, founder and chairman of the One Laptop Per Child project, came out swinging at Intel on Friday, one day after the chipmaker decided to leave the group.

The OLPC's goal of bringing low-cost technology to children in developing countries apparently conflicts with Intel's goal of running a business. Even though the two agreed to put aside their differences in July, it's pretty clear that they never actually became friends.

'We at OLPC have been disappointed that Intel did not deliver on any of the promises they made when they joined OLPC; while we were hopeful for a positive, collaborative relationship, it never materialized,' Negroponte said in a statement distributed by the OLPC on Friday.

Intel cited 'fundamental differences' in describing its exit from the group Thursday; this appears to be the classic 'creative musical differences' breakup."

Sigh. It seems that people are fighting and scrabbling for the moral high ground here -- much like the presidential debates we have been treated to over the past few weeks.

It's a real pity, since these guys, presumably, are not fighting for profits or power. Or are they? Certainly this has pitted the AMD folks against Intel and the Windows aficionados against Linux lovers -- and as the article's title indicates, the children lose.

As one who has been following the One Laptop Per Child initiative since it started, I am disappointed to see it degenerate into sniping.

A recent CNET article I blogged on a few days ago mentioned a lawsuit filed in Nigeria over OLPC's alleged use of patented technology. I wonder if these two stories are related in view of the fact that the laptop choice is still up in the air, and Intel is one of the players along with OLPC?

Whatever is going on in Nigeria and in other countries where this dispute is playing out, this is not a winner-take-all kind of situation. Intel and AMD processors are compatible, and both will run Windows or Linux. Is there any reason why there can't be cooperation?

What Art Movement Am I?

You Are Romanticism

You are likely to see the world as it should be, not as it is. You prefer to celebrate the great things people do... not the horrors they're capable of. For you, there is nothing more inspiring than a great hero. You believe that great art reflects the artist's imagination and true ideals.

What Art Movement Are You?

I somehow wonder if five or so questions can probe the very depths of my soul, but these little quizzes are fun to take.

Alice Cooper: The shock rock pioneer speaks about his Christian faith - Alice Cooper

Alice Cooper: The shock rock pioneer speaks about his Christian faith - Alice Cooper:

"... 35 years since 'School's Out' and at school, Alice is very definitely in. Witnessing him on his current arena tour of the UK, he draws an audience which ranges from five to 65 and everyone to a man (or woman) admires his showmanship, his ability to hold an audience in the palm of his hand and take his entire audience on a journey from grim horror and death to victory and life. There are no altar calls at an Alice Cooper show. There is no church. But this is not someone trading on his past. Not a whiff of nostalgia. Alice Cooper is still very relevant to his audience today. He still rocks. Alice is cool. And your church elders are not going to understand how Christian faith and Alice's show fit together. And your Granddad still won't like it.

Alice has thought about this: 'As a Christian, I don't declare myself as a 'Christian rock star'. I'm a rock performer who's a Christian. ..."

Apparently Alice Cooper (born in 1948 as Vincent Damon Furnier) has been a Christian since the 1990s, but has not gone the "celebrity Christian" route. He is quoted as saying that he is not a theologian and simply wants to learn who God is and to love his neighbor.

I have to confess that I know little about Alice Cooper (other than his bizarre persona onstage), but having seen a number of celebrities publicly embrace Jesus, only to backslide in a spectacular way, it is refreshing to hear of a person who has embraced Christ, and quietly tried to live as a Christian.

Washington Post sticks by RIAA story despite evidence it goofed | Tech news blog - CNET News.com

Washington Post sticks by RIAA story despite evidence it goofed | Tech news blog - CNET News.com:

"It's late on Wednesday evening and the Washington Post has yet to correct a story that accused the recording industry of trying to paint law-abiding music fans as criminals.

But the paper should make things right and soon."

CNET has pointed out that there is more to this particular case than was portrayed in the Washington Post article I blogged about a couple days ago.

It's easy to come down on the RIAA due to their heavy-handed tactics, but in this case there are additional facts that did not get mentioned in the original article. It seems the defendant not only copied music to his personal computer (perfectly legal), but made the folder publicly available for people to access and download (completely illegal -- it's called stealing).

There is clear distinction between making copies of music you purchased and placing them on your personal MP3 player and making such copies available to anyone who can access your shared folder.

Nigerian firm demands $20 million from One Laptop Per Child - by Matt Asay - CNET Blogs

Nigerian firm demands $20 million from One Laptop Per Child - by Matt Asay - CNET Blogs:

"Remember that Nigerian company headed by a convicted felon that sued the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project for patent infringement?

Well, the suit has finally been brought...in a Nigerian court...with $20 million in damages on the table.

The cheekiness is breathtaking. ..."

The original Groklaw article gives much more detail. It seems that the multilingual keyboard in question has never been shipped on an OLPC machine, putting aside for the moment that this is a patent troll that would be laughed out of court in most countries.

Ring Out the Old, Ring In the New

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light;
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out the grief that saps the mind,
For those that here we see no more,
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.

Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.

Ring out the want, the care, the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring out thy mournful rhymes,
But ring the fuller minstrel in.

Ring out false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.

Ring out old shapes of foul disease,
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring in the thousand years of peace.

Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be.

-- Alfred Tennyson, 1850

Alfred Tennyson wrote such poems as Crossing the Bar and Strong Son of God, Immortal Love, which, like the poem above, are fixtures in English hymnody. All three of these were present in The Hymnal (1933). Strong Son of God and Ring Out the Old were present in The Hymnbook (1955). Strong Son of God made it into The Worshipbook (1972), but there is nothing by Tennyson listed in The Presbyterian Hymnal (1990).

We sang this in worship on the last Sunday of 2007, and I was struck by its timeliness, even considering that the hymn in the older red hymnal consists of only stanzas 2, 4, 7, and 8 of the poem above.

It is a pity that none of Tennyson's hymns made it into the latest PC(USA) hymnal. For this election year, Ring Out the Old, Ring In the New could serve to call us away from the evils of inequity, greed, hate, war, and partisanship.

The words to the poem, Ring Out, Wild Bells, and the image of Tennyson were obtained from Wikipedia. The photograph is from the 1904 book, The Hundred Best English Poems, which was released in 2006 by Project Gutenberg.