Random

• Being landlocked with bad neighbors can stifle your growth. Ask much of Africa. ~ link

• The Australians are feeling left out of the race and are moving to set up their own space agency. Hey, mates, not so quickly. If you ask we might be willing to share (or even give you) ours! ~ link

• I noticed this morning that they've started the holiday music at Home Depot. It's hard to blame them for wanting to jump the gun -- especially since the retailers are so anxious about the profit margin this year. But frankly, most of the people living on Guam have never seen or experienced snow -- and probably don't feel any more like spending when they hear "Frosty the snowman..."

• Why I miss Costco. It's not so much that I miss all the stuff in there -- okay, well, maybe the Polish and kraut for lunch two or three times a week -- but mostly I enjoy the energy of the place -- and their ability to read the market. If you want to understand where people are in their thinking watch Costco. Great interview with CEO Jim Sinegal ~ link

• Prices are down but sales are up. Arizona is leading the US in the housing market recovery. ~ link

• WALL-E was in my mailbox this morning. But I was able to get him out.

• Now that Alpha is over we returned to Wednesday night at Chamorro Village. It's mostly about barbecue and the buzz of a very mixed crowd. We usually go once every 4 or 5 weeks.

• Pirates are a dangerous nuisance -- not such a romantic fantasy. ~ link

• Steve Bilynskyj (add him to your RSS feeds) on Matthew 25:31-46 -- as always to the point -- deconstructs sola fide -- or at least the modern perversion of it... ~ link

• 20% of Westmont College was destroyed by the fire. ~ link

• Las Vegas with a high level of social isolation, sprawling growth, and casino-style gambling has unusually high suicide levels for both residents and visitors. But social isolation, sprawling growth, and casino-style gambling are no longer unique to Vegas. Interesting article. ~ link (THX)

• The Street Pastor Movement (THX)