War on Christmas, or War on Diversity?

Marci A. Hamilton argues that "War on Christmas" rhetoric is actually a war on diversity. And you know what? I think she has a valid argument! The money moment comes in the sixth paragraph:

Given the prevalence of Christmas in the culture, why do people feel insulted by the judicial decisions holding that the courthouse can’t have a crèche, or the school choir can’t sing only Christian music at the public school annual holiday concert?I suppose it is because there was a time when no one challenged them. Culturally, we came to expect such displays, and it feels like we have a right, but also, emotionally, it is scary to have them removed from our universe. For a Christian, and perhaps other believers, they were a comfort. At base, many apparently feel that if the government can’t support our Christian celebration, then we are losing control and power over the most important values in the culture. But these responses lack historical perspective.

From that point on, Ms. Hamilton obliges the reader with a very necessary, albeit brief, summary of the historical facts. I don't know if the folks who most need to read this piece will even see it, but it's handy to have in your hip pocket if you ever find yourself dealing with, say, Mr. O'Reilly and his associates at Fox News (or one of their fans).

Read The War on Diversity over at Patheos.com.

More Ways to Help Haiti

Anna Brones of the ElephantJournal [elephantjournal.com] has compiled a list of ways that people can reach out and help Haiti earthquake victims. Rather than copy the material and rob them of page views, here is the link to her post: Help Haiti: Ways You Can Help Via Organizations and Social Media

mGive Asks You to Text HAITI to 90999 to Give $10 to Red Cross

Details at their blog: mGive Asks You to Text HAITI to 90999 to Give $10 to Red Cross

RIP Brad Graham; and thanks for coining "blogosphere"

I had no idea a theater publicist had coined the term, "blogosphere." Nor did I know the man behind this term was himself a blogger who didn't even like the word "blog." Read Jeff Jarvis' piece (linked below), or wait till this evening when the audio is posted and listen to it. Too bad it is nearly as brief as Graham's own life (he died at age 41).

Brad L. Graham [Photo: St. Louis Today]

NPR: The Man Is Gone, But Long Live The Blogosphere by Jeff Jarvis January 6, 2010 Most bloggers I know don’t much like the word "blog", and they have even less affection for "blogosphere." Blech. Wikipedia says credit — or blame — for coining "blogosphere" goes to Brad Graham, a theater publicist and blogger in St. Louis who died this week at the age of 41. Look him up on Google and you’ll see: "Blogosphere" is his legacy. But thank goodness, Graham was joking when he first said it... [read more]

More on Brad Graham:

• Obit in St. Louis Today
• Remembering Our Friend Brad (MetaFilter)
• The BradLands (Brad Graham's blog)
• "Blogosphere" in Wikipedia

Indianapolis Public Schools Censoring Pagan Content?

The Wild Hunt Blog, a respected source of Pagan news and commentary, directed me to this story. Like many public schools, the Indianapolis Public School system has employed web filters on school computers. Despite the known problems, this has become a fairly standard practice in schools. What is at issue here, however, is that "almost all of the most popular Internet filters block Pagan sites" [religioustolerance.org]. Refer to the Wild Hunt's reporting for the full story and a hopper full of background linking: The Wild Hunt » Indianapolis Public Schools Block the Pagans The Wild Hunt also raises an interesting question in the midst of all the cyber legalities: Did the school officials in question :put [this policy] place because [they were] "anti-atheist and anti-Pagan, or ... simply lazy"? I am willing to lean toward lazy in this case, but I'm just going by my gut. I have no evidence or reason to believe the school actively condemns expressions of spirituality. It is very likely just the side effect of a budgetary consideration.

Photo by RIUM+ / CC BY-SA 2.0

Thor's Day Reading: Antimatter Lightning

This has got to be the coolest thing I could post on a Thursday: Antimatter Lightning Discovered (On Earth!) According to The Daily Galaxy:

"The Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope was launched to examine the universe for the stupendously powerful processes that produce gamma ray bursts, from black hole jets to the effects of dark matter itself, only to find blasts coming from behind it. [Emphasis mine]

That means the lightning blasts (or "Terrestrial Gamma Flashes") were coming from Earth! Read The Daily Galaxy's summary and then surf on over to Science News for more details. Image from The Daily Galaxy

Odin to Take Over Eden

“Of course all Christian ideas on how the world was created will be wiped out so the Eden name has to go. It will become the Eye of Odin.” So says Gudbrandur Gíslason, leader of the Eye of Odin group. The Eye of Odin is in the final stages of negotiations for taking over the restaurant and tourist attraction known as Eden in south Iceland. Their plans? Turn it into a restaurant, entertainment and information center dedicated to old Norse culture. For the full story, go to IcelandReview - Online. [link] Here is a 2006 photo of Eden:

photo credit: Eysteinn Guðni Guðnason

Steve Jobs Takes a Break

Wow. This sounds pretty serious. Apple's comeback over the last several years was due largely to Jobs being at the helm again. He is closely identified with both Apple's products and the company's image. While many will look only to the inevitable drop in Apple's share prices, I do hope that others will have some compassion for the man and his condition. And I hope that condition does not include cancer.

[News] Apple Inc. Chief Executive Steve Jobs says that because of his health issues he will take a medical leave of absence from the company until the end of June. See full story.

Khan is Gone

Today we lose another acting legend. Ricardo Montalban died this morning at his home. He was 88. I remember Mr. Montalban's work with fondness. I loved his portrayal of the civilized Mr. Roarke on Fantasy Island and the outlaw warrior Khan from the Star Trek series (and the film, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan). I even watched some Kim Possible episodes simply because he was voicing the villain. I hope someone was there with him in his final moments, possibly letting out an ear-splitting, "Khaaaaaaaaaan!" just to let them know, over on the other side, that an actor with the heart of a warrior was on his way. From Fox News:

Montalban's death was announced at a meeting of the city council by president Eric Garcetti, who represents the district where the actor lived. Garcetti did not give a cause of death.

"The Ricardo Montalban Theatre in my Council District — where the next generations of performers participate in plays, musicals, and concerts — stands as a fitting tribute to this consummate performer," Garcetti said later in a written statement.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,479941,00.html

Ancient Roman Battlefield Provides New Insights

Here is some interesting archaeological news from the weekend...

Ancient Roman battlefield excavated in Lower Saxony

A Roman dagger from another dig near Hedemünden. Photo: DPA

Archaeologists have discovered an ancient roman battlefield from the third century near Göttingen that will rewrite history, Lower Saxony's department for preservation of historical monuments said on Thursday. “The find can be dated to the third century and will definitely change the historical perception of that time,” Dr. Henning Haßmann told The Local. The amazing discovery allows an insight in what must have been a dramatic battle between Romans and Germanic tribes. “The find indicates a massive Roman military presence,” Haßmann said.

Read the whole thing: http://www.thelocal.de/sci-tech/20081211-16075.html

Idiots in the Wild: Group of Bird Watchers Commit Act of Face-Smacking Stupidity

Here's the nickel summary of the story: Man spots rarely seen bird -- a burrowing owl. Tells other nearby birders who repeatedly flush the oul into the air so it could be seen. Within hours, the burrowing owl is torn apart by a hawk. Afterward, Robert Hughes, the man who first spotted the owl and sent an alert to others, wrote: "The sad truth is that we birders may very well have been responsible for the demise of the burrowing owl." Well, give that man a gold star and call him Captain Obvious! If this is how folks are appreciating local wildlife, I'd feel a lot better if they just ignored it. Full story at ChicagoBreakingNews.com: Birders wonder if they contributed to owl's death I recommend reading the comments as well.

Modern Day Hobbits in Wales Fought the Law ... and Won

OK. My apologies to Mr. Tolkien and his fans. The villagers in this story are not really Hobbits. But they have been living in straw and mud huts that appear to be perfectly suited to the tiny denizens of Tolkien's fantasy classic. Unfortunately, these folks had to go up against their own version of a dark lord bent on their destruction. In 1993, Julian and Emma Orbach set up an eco-community on their 180-acre farm in the Preseli mountains of west Wales was set up. They thought they had waved their final goodbye to the rat race, let alone judicial issues. But that changed when a survey plane spotted a a bit of sun glinting off a solar panel. Officials were baffled -- they could find no records for this village. No planning permissions had been granted for this green haven. So it was ordered to be torn down.

But, after enduring a decade of inquiries, court cases and planning hearings, the 22 villagers are celebrating a victory. Take a look at the full story, which includes a few photos of the village's buildings. This might be what some Heathens mean when they wistfully speak of getting back to the land.

Read more: Lost middle-class tribe's 'secret' eco-village in Wales spotted in aerial photograph taken by plane | Mail Online

Architectural historian Julian Orbach in front of a village roundhouse

Palin and the Kenyan Witchhunter

I'm sure there were stranger news stories about Sarah Palin or even Kenya this week. Certainly, there are more important news stories what with the financial fall-out occurring this week. But I just have to post this piece from the Times Online because, if there is only the slightest bit of truth to it, I find it highly disturbing. And it's one more reason for me to vote against the rise of the Theocratic Party (read: GOP) this November.

Palin Linked Electoral Success to Prayer of Kenyan Witchhunter (September 16, 2008)

The pastor whose prayer Sarah Palin says helped her to become governor of Alaska founded his ministry with a witchhunt against a Kenyan woman who he accused of causing car accidents through demonic spells.

At a speech at the Wasilla Assembly of God on June 8 this year, Mrs Palin described how Thomas Muthee had laid his hands on her when he visited the church as a guest preacher in late 2005, prior to her successful gubernatorial bid.

In video footage of the speech, she is seen saying: “As I was mayor and Pastor Muthee was here and he was praying over me, and you know how he speaks and he’s so bold. And he was praying “Lord make a way, Lord make a way.”

“And I’m thinking, this guy’s really bold, he doesn’t even know what I’m going to do, he doesn’t know what my plans are. And he’s praying not “oh Lord if it be your will may she become governor,” no, he just prayed for it. He said “Lord make a way and let her do this next step. And that’s exactly what happened.”

She then adds: “So, again, very very powerful, coming from this church,” before the presiding pastor comments on the “prophetic power” of the event.

An African evangelist, Pastor Muthee has given guest sermons at the Wasilla Assembly of God on at least 10 occasions in his role as the founder of the Word of Faith Church, also known as the Prayer Cave.

Pastor Muthee founded the Prayer Cave in 1989 in Kiambu, Kenya after “God spoke” to him and his late wife Margaret and called him to the country, according to the church’s website.

The pastor speaks of his offensive against a demonic presence in the town in a trailer for the evangelical video “Transformations”, made by Sentinel Group, a Christian research and information agency.

“We prayed, we fasted, the Lord showed us a spirit of witchcraft resting over the place,” Pastor Muthee says.

After the spirit was broken, the crime rate dropped to almost zero and there was “explosive church growth” while almost every bar in the town closed down, the video says.

The full Transformations video featuring Pastor Muthee’s story has recently been removed from YouTube but the rest of the story is detailed in a 1999 article in the Christian Science Monitor, as well as on numerous evangelical websites.

According to the Christian Science Monitor, six months of fervent prayer and research identified the source of the witchcraft as a local woman called Mama Jane, who ran a “divination” centre called the Emmanuel Clinic.

Her alleged involvement in fortune-telling and the fact that she lived near the site of a number of fatal car accidents led Pastor Muthee to publicly declare her a witch responsible for the town’s ills, and order her to offer her up her soul for salvation or leave Kiambu.

Says the Monitor, “Muthee held a crusade that “brought about 200 people to Christ”.” They set up round-the-clock prayer intercession in the basement of a grocery store and eventually, says the pastor “the demonic influence – the ‘principality’ over Kiambu –was broken”, and Mama Jane fled the town.

According to accounts of the witchhunt circulated on evangelical websites such as Prayer Links Ministries, after Pastor Muthee declared Mama Jane a witch, the townspeople became suspicious and began to turn on her, demanding that she be stoned. Public outrage eventually led the police to raid her home, where they fired gunshots, killing a pet python which they believed to be a demon.

After Mama Jane was questioned by police – and released – she decided it was time to leave town, the account says.

Pastor Muthee has frequently referred to this witchhunt in his sermons as an example of the power of “spiritual warfare”. In October 2005, he delivered ten sermons at the Wasilla Assembly of God, the audio of which was available on the church’s website until it was removed around the time Mrs Palin’s candidacy was announced. The blog Irregular Times has listings and screen grabs of the sermons.

It was during that these sermons that Mrs Palin, who was then preparing for her gubernatorial run, was anointed by Pastor Muthee. His intercession, she says, was “awesome”.

Her June 8 speech was to mark the graduation of students from the Wasilla Assembly of God’s Masters’ Commission, which, as Pastor Ed Kalins explains, believes Alaska will be the refuge for American evangelicals upon the coming “End of Days”. After her speech, Mrs Palin was presented with an honorary Masters’ Commission diploma.

Posted at 12:15 PM in Sarah Palin | Permalink

The Robot Uprising is Delayed ... Well, Sort of ...

The Care-O-Bots are coming! The Care-O-Bots are coming! (Hmmm...that does sound pretty lame). Check out the new robot by German engineers: Robot Underlords: Welcome Your New Robot Over... Oh, Never Mind

Man gets Air Force leave extended for...

...White Castle?!? USA Today reports on an Air Force serviceman who recently got his leave extended so he could attend the opening of ... wait for it ... a White Castle. Apparently, there's just nothing that comes close to a White Castle burger where he is stationed. That's dedication. Or something.

Grave Thoughts on Nietzsche

Nietzsche's grave in the churchyard of Rocken, Germany, might have to be moved so that a power company can access a vein of coal running beneath it. Ben MacIntyre of The Times muses that digging up the German philosopher might present an opportunity to save him from his sister ... and the unkind ravages of history. Of Nietzsche's sister Elisabeth, MacIntyre writes that she was "a lifelong anti-Semite who hijacked her brother's writings after his death and used them to serve the cause of Nazism, leaving a stain on his philosophy that has never been fully erased." That stain is very much undeserved, for as MacIntyre explains:

Nietzsche was no Nazi. He vigorously opposed German nationalism, as he rejected all mass movements; he had no time for ideologues, mocked the notion of a Teutonic master race and loathed anti-Semitism in all its forms.

Usually, I am against exhuming remains, particularly when the disturbance serves only to clutch greedily at more mineral rights. But in this case, I stand with MacIntyre and would welcome this action. But only if the philosopher's reburial was performed in accord with his own recorded wishes and, as MacIntyre has suggested, his memory is cleansed as well. Read more: Nietzshe and His Nazi Sister

Urban Sprawl Across the Pond (and to the North)

Throughout much of the United States, folks are familiar with the term urban sprawl. It has even been adapted for regions such as Bucks County, PA, to describe the rampant construction in and around suburban developments: hence the eyesore known as suburban sprawl and the rise of the battle for open space. But I'll bet most of my neighbors and fellow citizens rarely think about sprawl in other nations. Well, the Icelandic Review's feature of the week, Loose Screws and Rusty Nails, shatters any notions of sprawl being just an American phenomenon.

Real ID Poses Real Problems for Religious Minorities

If you currently hold a non-photo driver's license or other form of ID, and your objection to the photograph was based on religious conviction, you could be faced with some serious decisions in the next few months -- such as whether your religion is more important than the ability to board an airplane. That's no joke. The deadline for adopting Real ID standards looms large this May 11. And the new rules have uncomfortable ramifications for members of "religious groups including some Amish, Old Order Mennonites, Muslims, members of Native American faiths, and fundamentalist Christians" who "object to identification cards bearing their photographs--or, in some cases, even showing their unshrouded faces in public." And this is only the beginning of privacy and religious freedom issues that plague the National ID debate. Article: Religious minorities face Real ID crackdown

Stranger than Fiction

Have you read about the poll that indicates almost a quarter of all Britons believe that Winston Churchill was a fictional character? Did you know that this same poll shows that a majority think Sherlock Holmes was a real detective? UKTV Gold television surveyed 3,000 people and found a disturbing number of people confuse fictional characters with real ones. Go check it out for a few more examples of twisting history with fiction.

Latin isn't dead, it just smells funny

"Latin isn't dead, it just smells funny." So says Josh Rocchio, a graduate student and an editor of Vicipaedia Latina, the Latin version of Wikipedia. Josh and his colleagues have a simple yet staggering goal: "Make a Latin reference work that is hip and alive" through the power of Wiki. And they are writing in honest-to-goodness, authentic, classical Latin. According to the article by Lee Gomes,

Vicipaedia has 15,000 articles. Catullus, Horace and the Roman Senate all are there; so are musica rockica, Georgius Bush and cadavera animata, a k a zombies. You can read in Latin about hangman (homo suspensus), paper airplanes (aeroplanum chartaceum) and magic 8-balls (pila magica 8), as well as about famous Italians like Leonardo da Vinci and the Super Mario brothers.

Sure, I'd like to make a joke about it being "all Greek" to me. But that isn't accurate, or even funny. So I will simply direct you to Lee's article on WSJ.com.

Veni, Vidi, Wiki: Latin Isn't Dead On 'Vicipaedia' By LEE GOMES September 29, 2007; Page A1 Online Reference Features Britannia Spears, Disneyi; Disputing Computatrum It's not that ancient Romans didn't know a thing or two about wild sex. They had their Bacchanalia, after all. But lacking video technology, they had no expression for "sex tape." And that is why writing about Paris Hilton in Latin can sometimes be so difficillimum. The editors of Vicipaedia Latina, the Latin version of the popular Wikipedia Internet reference site, were thus forced to wing it. In their article about the hotel heiress, they described Ms. Hilton's famous X-rated Web video as pellicula in interrete vulgate de coitu Paridis. [ Full Story ]