Saturday, August 08, 2009

He Reached Down - Iris DeMent

Enjoy

Micro Blogmeet

Last night Sally and I got together with Zana and her philosopher to see the Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged). We had a grand time. We traded some Mountain news, discussed the state of philosophy as a profession, and learned we have curious similarities as to desired beach destinations.

Friday, August 07, 2009

Thursday, August 06, 2009

Rage Filled Blog

I recently was accused of having 'rage filled blog', which is apparently an astro-turf talking point.

For the record, I think I've only blogged angry once. Generally I'm in a pretty good mood when I blog.

Now I think I did blog this:



Which is Rage filled, I guess. (Original video here).

Wednesday, August 05, 2009

New Toy

Sally had a minor fender bender recently and we found that our camera was broken. So I ordered a Nikon Coolpix still camera and a Flip Minos video camera. My initial impression of the Flip is that I am gobsmacked. If the bottom of the line performs this well, I hate to think what the top of the line can do. And I have to wonder how long the mainstream media, with their large capital costs, will be able to compete.

Building Demolition Fail

Tuesday, August 04, 2009

Sharing the Love




Or, if a picture is worth a thousand words, why am I speechless?

More here

You can thank Andrea Harris for this post.

"Weird Al" Yankovic - CNR

All kinds of musical parody awesomeness.

Charles Nelson Reilly
The White Stripes
Weird Al

Before the Common Era

One of the great changes that has swept academia since I was a college student is the switch from AD to CE and BC to BCE in dating history. AD stands for Anno Domini or 'in the year of the Lord (Jesus Christ)". BC, of course stands for 'Before Christ'. There is strong evidence that the dating system gets the advent of Our Lord wrong. BCE stands for 'Before Common Era' and CE therefore stands for 'Common Era'.

I really do not have a problem with non-Christians using the new system. Were I a Muslim or a Jew, I too would refuse to use a Christian dating system. Doing so elevates a mere man to undeserved significance. I am a Christian, so I refuse to use CE and BCE. It introduces a flasity into dating and removes the true meaning from it. In particular AD is a witness to the continued presence of God. I can make a pretty strong srgument that we really should be marking time from the Resurrection, but the possible (but probably erroneous) birth of Christ is acceptable.

Where it really gets interesting is in the case of purported Christians who use the new system. Academia is pretty rough and tumble and I can understand those who, in the quest for employment or tenure, use the new system. I've been unemployed and the uncertainty that brings can sap the courage.

Which brings me to two scholars. One very well known and one who is candidate to be bishop. Both are priests.

The first is Marilyn McCord Adams, who is a doctor of philosophy, expert in my fave philosopher William of Ockham, progressive apologist, and canon. She's very very smart. She just wants God to learn from her wisdom. She also falls into the trap of using the secular system of dating. So much for boldly proclaiming the Gospel.

The second is a candidate for suffragan bishop of Los Angeles, Rev. John Kirkley has written an interesting fusion of Bible story, revisionist theology and gay bodice ripper. He too believes that God has no place in the time business.

It may seem a little thing, but the little things show where your priorities are. It's very similar to discovering who a person is by the way he treats his subordinates. The Reverends Adams and Kirkley have redefined their job description of 'God botherer' to mean that they bother God, not that God should ever bother them.

Post Script, eminent scholar though she is, the The Rev Dr Canon Adams completely misunderstands Ockham. She is right in almost all of the details and completely wrong as to the totality. Some day, I'll explain exactly why her two volume set on Willy O is overpriced for the content.

Wicked Cool- Volcano edition

From Popehat

More Right, More Free

My Political Views
I am a right social libertarian
Right: 6.4, Libertarian: 4.61

Political Spectrum Quiz


My political views continue to be more rational than those of my fellow citizens. :) My trek towards libertarianism is due to the past three administrations (ie If the clowns are running the circus, then the ringmasters whip had best be made of licorice and his gun had better shoot blanks).

From TexAnglican and The Kraalspace.

Triplets



Couldn't resist

Monday, August 03, 2009

Sunday, August 02, 2009

From the Mouths of Babes and Methodists

Comes truth.

Part of being a recovering Episcopalian is overcoming the jealousy I feel when I view other denominations. The Roman Catholics have the Magisterium, the Methodists have level headed people like the author of the above (who are heard and not discounted), the Lutherans have options. There is no perfect church, but golly why is it that the others have their act together whilst the lunatics are running the Episcopalian asylum?

Impossible Things

I've always wished I could dance like Fred Astaire.