Innovation + Desire

The Middle Tennessee Futbol Club (and most other Youth leagues in America are playing this morning) and already have pretty great fields, but this is a good story about those who wanted to play but couldn’t.

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In Today’s [And Yesterday's] News

Reagan called Qaddafi the “Mad Dog of the Middle East.” This clip is from the 1986 U.S. bombing of Libya.

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What’s Going On In Egypt? A Primer.

Here is a brief primer on the fuss going on in Egypt.

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This Football Coach is Hilarious

He leaves no energy for afterwards.

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His Girlfriend Must Be On the Other Team

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Guess What The Miners Shirts Said?

Not all the miners wore them out of the cave, but some did. They were full of praise to God. The front expressed thanks to God. The verse on the back of the shirt is Psalm 95.4,

In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also.

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Be A Happiness Voyeur

…hopefully.

The Chilean miner rescue is going on right now! Watch it here live.

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Fred Phelps Is Touring the Supreme Court Chambers Today

The ego that is Fred Phelps is appearing before the Supreme Court today. His God Hates Fags campaign and Westboro Baptist Church have become synonymous with the term hyper-basket-case. Phelps and Co. travel the country with their crude signs and slogans picketing soliders’ funerals, churches, colleges and other sites. Last summer, they picketed the church across the street from my subdivision for the Titan’s Steve McNair’s funeral [not sure why], and then they were going to be back again a few weeks ago, but instead there was a big group of anti-protesters there in case they did show up.

The First Amendment is being stretched and tried today as the lawyers banter it out in D.C.

In the court of law, speech is far more protected than limited, particularly speech involving political or social issues. There’s nothing in the 45 words of the First Amendment that forbids speech that is deeply offensive, hateful or repugnant – even when most us might wish for an exception in cases like this.

A good summary of today’s proceedings is here on The Hill.

Perhaps Phelps will be sentenced to 100 hours of sensitivity training.

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In Baseball Oddities

Last night Angel Pagan hit an inside-the-park homerun and caught the first out in a really, weird, slow-motion triple play in the same game.

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National Debt Road Trip

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JECA In the News

This story was in the Tennessean’s Davidson A.M. It was written in April or May and then published this morning with some revisions that were made earlier this month. It’s not a great story, but it is good press.

New School Uses Trivium Method of Learning

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Swine Flu – The Journalistic Scaredemic

A guest entry by Christie’s cousin, Larry J. Miller, M.D., who is highly esteemed for his excellence in medicine and his medical inventions, including the EZ-IO which is saving lives around the world every day. He is mostly esteemed by us simply for being a kind and gracious man.

Swine Flu is a new strain of influenza that has caused very few deaths in the USA. That being the case, why are Americans in a state of panic over the Swine flu?

The answer is that the media (CNN, ABC, NBC, USA Today, along with other publications) have stirred the public into a virtual frenzy. They are bombarding us with hysteria. They love it. Nothing turns them on more than to sensationalize mountains out of molehills. In the case of the Swine Flu, the media is guilty of causing an epidemic of panic. They are guilty because they relentlessly hype this dubious threat into a certain deadly pandemic.

Let’s look at the facts:
Seasonal influenza causes thousands of deaths every week during flu season in the USA. The CDC estimates that seasonal flu causes over 36,000 deaths per year (200,000 hospital admissions) and over 500,000 deaths per year in the world. Does the media discuss these statistics? No. Why? Because these are boring facts – not sensational news that bolsters their ratings and increases their revenue.

How is Swine Flu different than regular seasonal flu?
It has become the “boogie man”, used by the media to terrorize the public. And they are getting away with it. Yes, the Swine Flu will eventually kill more people in the US, but the chance of it becoming more dangerous than seasonal flu is unlikely. Unfortunately, the media is even scaring medical and public officials into irrational behavior. Why are they closing schools for Swine flu (that is credited with a couple of deaths) but not for seasonal flu (that kills hundreds every week)?

What other biological threats do we encounter every day?
Tuberculosis, Streptococcus (flesh eating bacteria), AIDS, Hepatitis, Pneumonia, Influenza, Staphylococcus, E Coli, Salmonella, Shegella, and the list goes on and on. Thousands die every week from these infections; some are incurable and untreatable. I would much rather be infected with Swine Flu which is susceptible to several antiviral agents, than to have MRSA that often cannot be cured.

As EMS leaders what should we do?
We already have protocols that address exposure to dangerous biological threats. As long as we practice our usual and customary universal precautions we will not contract Swine Flu or any of the far more dangerous biologics we encounter every day. We do not have to change any policy, protocol or procedure. We do have to use common sense and notify supervisors or medical control if we are concerned about a particular incident.

We live in an environment of danger from infectious diseases. Swine Flu is only one of them. How do we stay healthy? Most folks have a strong immune system that protects them. In medicine we work in the midst of such infections, but rarely contract them because we use universal precautions (gloves, masks, and gowns) to keep us safe.

What we in the medical field need to do, more than anything else is to remain calm and reassure our patients that the sky is not falling in. Be understanding and prepared, but do not get caught up in the hype and hysteria. We need to be a voice of sanity in an insane world.

During the last great war, Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” That has not changed.

As a rational scientific community, we should reprimand the media for their irresponsible behavior. Force them to develop a balanced approach to a potential problem. As it stands today, they have inadvertently become the problem. They are the Epidemic (Scaredemic).

Larry J. Miller M.D.

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I Just Got So Excited Your Honor

I don’t think the plaintiff thought this was as funny as I do. I laughed through the whole story, especially the Justice’s snarky remarks.

Court Upholds 10-Year Penalty for Robber’s Flub

By ADAM LIPTAK

WASHINGTON — “This,” Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. said Wednesday in announcing one of the term’s less momentous Supreme Court decisions, “is the case of the bumbling bank robber.”

The bank robber, Christopher M. Dean, was wearing a mask and waving a gun when he entered a branch of AmSouth Bank in Rome, Ga., in 2004, saying the usual things. Everyone, as instructed, got down. He walked behind the teller counter, grabbing cash with his left hand and holding his gun with his right.

The gun accidentally went off, hurting no one. Mr. Dean cursed and fled with $3,642.

Read the rest…

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Choose Where You Let Yourself Be Interviewed

Glen Beck puts the AG of Connecticut on the hot seat exposing the buffoonery.

Part One (start at 1:15):

Part Two:

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Kudos to the Brits

I am embarrassed by this news story today of how disportionate the gifts were between the British P.M. and our President. Mr. Brown gave the Obamas thoughtful and important gifts, and we gave him a DVD set of American movies. I hope we remembered to feed him every meal.

Obama’s Blockbuster Gift for Brown

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Welcome to the USSA

Here is a visual showing where that $800 billion is going…supposedly.

Taking Apart the Stimulus Plan

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Miracle on the Hudson Part I

In October of 1956, Pan Am Flight 943 ditched in the Pacific Ocean. All were saved. Here is the story with all original video.

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When The Gestapo Has Chronological Snobbery

This might be a different story if there were an epidemic of children chewing books, but, this is full-on inanity. Here is a story of what the government is doing to outlaw the sale of children’s books published before 1985.

I’m subversive enough to leave the books lying around where kids might ‘accidentally’ read them.

The New Book Banning

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No More Obincoln Talk

They both hailed from Illinois. They are both tall and slender. I cannot think of any other obvious similarities.

Mark Salter laments the too oft-repeated comparisons between the 16th and 44th Presidents. Enough Lincoln Already

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Uncommon Goodness

If God guides geese so precisely, he also guides the captain’s hands. God knew that when he took the plane down, he would also give a spectacular deliverance. So why would he do that? If he means for all to live, why not just skip the crash?

Because he meant to give our nation a parable of his power and mercy the week before a new President takes office. God can take down a plane any time he pleases—and if he does, he wrongs no one. Apart from Christ, none of us deserves anything from God but judgment. We have belittled him so consistently that he would be perfectly just to take any of us any time in any way he chooses.

–John Piper writing of the crash of the USAir flight and the inaugaration of our new President: The President, the Passengers, and the Patience of God.

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Favoritest Part

I was able to watch 20-30 minutes of inaugaration events this morning up to the actual swearing in (and the foible was the Judge’s error–he said it wrong the first time and it sounded weird from his first attempt). It’s an amazing transition and ceremony. I really liked Feinstein’s initial comments, but this was my favorite part:

Also, at the exact moment of the swearing in, the White House website reflected a change in leadership and suddenly the White House got its first blog.

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Government? Problematic? What?

In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem. From time to time we’ve been tempted to believe that society has become too complex to be managed by self-rule, that government by an elite group is superior to government for, by, and of the people. Well, if no one among us is capable of governing himself, then who among us has the capacity to govern someone else? All of us together, in and out of government, must bear the burden.

Ronald Reagan’s First Inaugural Address

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Miracle on the Hudson

Here is a simulation of Saturday’s amazing plane crash. God was good to preserve those lives to hear the Gospel.

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Bright Spot

I suppose that since I hail from Michigan, I should root for the lowly Lions. Well I have since the days of Barry Sanders and since I’ve been paying attention. Well, now I only exhort them when they aren’t playing the Titans. Congratulations on hiring a coach from the Titans today, Lions.

The bright spot in their dismal year was their placekicker, Jason Hanson. Today Randy Alcorn wrote this about his friend Jason:

Jason Hanson…ranks number eight in total points scored in NFL history, and is still going strong.

Jason kicked for Washington State, setting NCAA records that stand to this day. He was teammates with retired quarterback Drew Bledsoe. He holds the all-time college record for most field goals from 50 yards and more (20), and 40 yards and more (39).

As of this season Jason now holds the all-time NFL record for field goals 50 yards and greater–41 of them. Jason kicked eight field goals over fifty this year, tying the NFL record set by Morton Anderson, and surpassing Anderson’s lifetime record.

It was a rough year for the Detroit Lions, but an incredible year for Jason, who missed only one field goal from any distance, which was blocked. He’s a pro-bowl alternate. And at age 38, having played with the Lions sixteen years, he’s been with the same team longer than any other active NFL player.

Most importantly, Jason is not only a great competitor, but a humble follower of Christ, who uses his gifts for God’s glory. He loves his wonderful wife and children and is a real role model, a man to be admired off the field even more than on. Listen to Jason’s thoughtful words.

The way he’s kicking, Jason could have another five years or more as a pro. When he finally does retire, in my opinion (which counts for nothing, since I don’t get a vote) Jason will have had a hall of fame career. And speaking of the Hall of Fame, Jason is already there, as of last month, because the uniform he wore and the football he kicked to break that NFL career record for 50-yard-plus field goals were officially handed over to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Congratulations, brother.

Isn’t it fun to know that God has his people everywhere, in grocery stores and tire shops, in offices, at colleges and in professional sports?

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Human Mole Dies in His Own Home

Weird news from England:

The compulsive hoarder is believed to have become disorientated inside the walls of rotting trash and unable to find a way out — then collapsed with dehydration.

Some people do this spiritually, hoarding all sorts of pet sins that prevent them from freedom that is offered by the Gospel.

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Narnia Films Up in the Air

This news is a few weeks old, but I haven’t mentioned it, but Disney has dropped the 3rd movie in the Narnia series. Walden Media is trying to find someone to handle it. With such definite Christian overtones  throughout, it was little wonder. I’m glad that the series is being produced, but there was a wide gap in the quality and soundness of Lion, Witch and Wardrobe and Prince Caspian.

Here are some of the differences:

Citing “budgetary considerations and other logistics,” Disney pulled out of its partnership with Walden Media, leaving the rights-holder of the Narnia books to scout for a new partner to produce “The Voyage of the Dawn Treader,” which they had planned to release in May 2010.

The latest move casts a cloud of doubt over the third Narnia film, which may cost around $200 million to produce. It has also drawn criticism from fans of the original book series, who blame Disney for the less-than-expected success of the second Narnia film, “Prince Caspian.”

“Disney flatly refused to have any pre-screenings of Prince Caspian and would not pursue any special marketing of the film to churches and other Christian markets,” observed the C.S. Lewis Society of California. “In direct contrast, for the first film an extensive and highly effective marketing campaign directed by Motive Entertainment (the marketing experts from Passion of the Christ fame) produced an enormous response from Christian movie goers.”

In 2005, the first Narnia film, “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,” raked in $745 million in ticket sales worldwide on a $180 million production budget. The second, however, pulled in only $419 million despite a larger $200 million budget.

“Unlike the first ‘Narnia,’ which had a holiday release, the sequel came out in the spring, and it was up against superhero summer fare like ‘Iron Man’ and ‘Indiana Jones,’” observed media analyst James Hirsen in a commentary for Newsmax.com. “Disney tried to market it as an action flick, with limited success.”

“Disney … presented Prince Caspian as a strictly secular and violent, fantasy/adventure/romance, and the result was all too predictable,” the C.S. Lewis Society added in its statement Monday.

The organization also blamed “Prince Caspian” director Andrew Adamson, who they say “refused to embrace the full story and theme of the book,” thus leading to a “weak and mangled script.”

It’s probably better for Disney to do this now, before they have to totally botch the theme and spirit of the coming films, especially the last book–which is the most overtly Christian.

Quote taken from The Christian Post.

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5″ Thick Windows

Presenting the new Presidential “Beast.”

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Child Bankrupts Make-A-Wish Foundation With Wish For Unlimited Wishes

A troubled economy isn’t the worst problem for America’s charities:

From the Onion News Network

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Visualizing Abortion

A Mississippi group has gathered 50 million pennies together to represent the 50 million abortions that have occured since 1973.

Here’s the picture of about half of the collected pennies in 2007:

And here’s the story.

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The Biggest Monopoly in the U.S. is Government Education

Here is an interesting article on what happens when a public school teacher takes to the free-market, to the benefit of his classroom.

Mr. Farber has demonstrated that free-market solutions are superior to any that can be provided by government. This also provides a prime example of one of the fundamental flaws with government funding. Government-funded organizations inherently rely on thinking in which decisions are made from the top and imposed on the lower levels. This stifles the ingenuity of the people who have firsthand experience actually doing the work and defers decision making to bureaucrats and committees.

If we are to believe that monopolies are bad because they do not have the best interest of the consumer in mind and have little incentive to improve their product, then why are we to believe that a government monopoly over schooling is good?

It can be reasonably argued that this particular government monopoly is worse than private-sector monopolies, because citizens are forced to pay even if they do not consume the service.

The whole article: Free-Market Education

HT: Joseph Markey

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