Wednesday Notes

PC RULING
I'm no fan of state established religion (we've already seen how that played itself out in Europe and we know that the healthiest churches are those which live with a strong church/state tension) -- nor am I overly fond of the pledge and hyper-patriotism -- but this seems pretty silly. As of today it appears that it is illegal in our part of the country for school children to say "one nation under God" when reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. (CLARIFICATION: The judge has not yet issued the actual injunction and at this point it will probably only apply in the Sacramento area -- north of us.)

At some point we're just going to nit-pick everything apart because someone somewhere finds it offensive -- and we certainly wouldn't want to offend someone. We'll become bland tasteless, culture-less people.

I suspect that if this holds up in the Supreme Court that it will eventually lead to a constitutional amendment. Link


PACKAGE BACK-UP
A surprise decision by the Homeland Security people has caused a back-up of tons of packages sent via the USPS in Guam. The island's mail is primarily carried on commercial airlines but the government's new rule prohibits the transport of mail parcels weighing more than 16 ounces on passenger planes. The problem is that thousands of people sent packages through the post office not knowing about the new rule (a little communication goes a long way). Sounds like a future windfall for UPS and FedEx. Link


MILITARY CHAPLAINS
Stan Friedman has a great series of stories on military chaplains running on the Covenant website. This highlights an area of ministry that often goes unnoticed. The third installment of the six stories is up today.


UNHAPPY UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
International students, unhappy with the political and cultural climate in the US and the UK, are shunning higher education in those countries. Universities in Australia, Japan and New Zealand are picking up the slack. Link


CONNECTING RURAL AFRICA
A San Francisco non-profit has developed a VOIP and Wi-Fi system, utilizing Linux computers, solar panels, and bicycle generators to connect villages in west Uganda with the rest of the world. Link


NO SMOKING!
An Arizona man has burns over 75% of his body because he attempted to gas up his truck while smoking a cigarette.


HEARING LOSS IN THE YOUNG
The proliferation of devices that attach directly to the ears -- including cell phones and portable music players -- is contributing to hearing loss in younger people. For example, A survey published this summer by Australia's National Acoustic Laboratories found that about 25 percent of people using portable stereos had daily noise exposures high enough to cause hearing damage.

Research by Britain's Royal National Institute for Deaf People has determined that young people, ages 18 to 24, are more likely than other adults to exceed safe listening limits.


"BOOMER"
The official UC Merced mascot is a young bobcat that was abandoned at the Applegate Park Zoo. And now he has a name.


JOHN ROBERTS HEARING
I've been catching snippets of the John Roberts confirmation hearing on TV. As far as I can tell the hearing is designed to give senators a platform for inane pontification. Judge Roberts, who hardly has a chance to talk, sits there patiently and lets the senators ramble for the camera. Some of them really do think it's all about them.


NEW BLOGGER
Roger Staubach -- talking football and real estate. Link


EUTHANASIA IN NOLA?
The Sunday Mail printed an interview with a New Orleans physician who claims to have euthanized critically-ill patients deemed unlikely to survive evacuation. And she wasn't the only one! It should be noted that the Mail isn't exactly the most reputable newspaper. While I would not be surprised if such a travesty occurred (a lot of what we consider to be right or civilized fell apart down there) we should not automatically jump to the conclusion that this is fact because an English tabloid claims it to be so.


CHICKEN RUN
Meanwhile, a Vacaville, California woman has traveled to Mississippi to set-up a chicken rescue. Some 1,000 lucky hurricane victims are being spared the slaughterhouse and are on their way to sites throughout the US, where they will live out their lives in comfortable backyards and on farms.

Okaaay.