Random

✽ "The US Foreign Service Institute teaches foreign languages to government diplomats and personnel for duties abroad—and its courses are available online, for free. Which means you can access audio, texts, and tests in 41 different languages." English is not available. ~ link

✽ Pepsi is experimenting with bottle/can recycling machines. They are trying hard to become our favored green company. ~ link (via)

✽ Ergun Caner, the former Muslim who became president of Liberty University, is under fire, accused of fabricating his jihadist background. Strange. I'd really like to hear his side of the story before coming to any conclusions. Still, very strange. ~ link (via)

✽ Periwinkle is apparently an effective screening tool for the citrus greening disease. ~ link

✽ "Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio is expected to announce Monday if he'll run for Arizona governor." Well, at least it would get him out of the sheriff's office. And it would add a lot more flare and drama to the governor's office (since Arizona politics is currently soooo boring). ~ link

Today's immigration drama

✽ The Phoenix chief of police doesn't like the new immigration law but says he will enforce it, unless legal challenges block it. "It provides a tool to divert our officers from investigating property crimes and violent crimes and divert these resources, our personnel, to enforcing civil portions of federal immigration law.." ~ link

✽ "What is the REAL cost of illegal immigration in Arizona?" A University of Arizona study says we're netting off their presence. State Treasurer Dean Martin says we're losing money. ~ link

✽ Not all Hispanics are aghast at Arizona's new immigration law. Some seem to be strongly in favor of it. There is danger in assuming that there is an Hispanic opinion. Likewise, there is danger in assuming that the most vocal people are most representative. ~ link

✽ The deputy shot in the desert by drug smugglers this afternoon is apparently okay. Helicopter video of his rescue. ~ link

✽ Even though I think the new law muddies things and will create more problems than it solves, I can certainly understand the sentiment behind it all. I have a hard-time demonizing those who think otherwise. I may believe that they don't know what they're doing and that some of them are too into political grandstanding -- but they aren't hateful people.

Random

✽ If you're into berries you might want to buy the current issue of Fruit Gardener from the California Rare Fruit Growers. ~ link

✽ By the time they award it to you, you should probably realize that it is not a Masters of Divinity degree. ☺

✽ Seth Godin on "the coming melt-down in higher education" -- colleges have become too average, expensive, unnecessary, and uniform. ~ link

✽ The text of the Arizona law about which everyone is talking but which very few people have actually read ~ link (.pdf)

✽ NY Times article recognizing complexities of situation -- "Welcome to Arizona, Outpost of Contradictions" ~ link

✽ I still think it's bad law and less than helpful but a NY Times Op-Ed piece does good job presenting the other side -- sans melodrama. ~ link

✽ Arizona lawmakers have okayed several changes to the new immigration law. I think they're feeling some heat. ~ link

✽ Nine undocumented aliens, beaten and being held for ransom, were rescued by Arizona police. ~ link

✽ Some experts are expressing doubts about flu vaccine benefits for the elderly. ~ link

✽ Jay Phelan's prayer at the last Covenant Midwinter Conference -- a prayer for those in ministry ~ link

The challenge of immigration enforcement

We've created a catch-22 system for those who enforce immigration rules. We tell them that they have to stop the influx of undocumented aliens. But we get upset when they question people who look like they could be from some other country.

With this kind of system we end up with countless incidents such as that of the US-born Hispanic truck driver who was recently held by immigration officials until he came up with a birth certificate.

One possible solution, which would be more fair to all, is a national identification card which communicates citizenship or legal standing. (Driver licenses and social security cards do not establish citizenship.) If every adult, regardless of race or ethnicity, were expected to carry and provide such documentation at check points then we'd avoid a lot of the discrimination issues.

Of course, conservatives have with good reason traditionally resisted this idea. Many people feel that allowing the government to track their movement with such a system would be unconstitutional --or at least dangerously close to being so. But there could be checks and balances built into the system. There are other countries which have tackled this issue.

The wallet-size US Passport Card is a step that direction but it is over-priced (IMHO) and voluntary. (Note that it is only good at the land border crossings or sea ports-of-entry. For some reason it doesn't work for cross-border air travel.)

What a place! What a mix!

From Brushstrokes -- the weekly e-letter I send to those connected with MasterPiece Church.

- - - - -

This week I am spending time looking at potential sites for the fall when we plan to move our gatherings to Sunday mornings. And as I am out and about I am struck again by the rich mixture of people who live here. This is a great place to be!

We are young, middle-age, old, black, white, brown, Asian, Indian, rural, suburban, urban, red-neck, cosmo... -- all living as neighbors. It is a privilege to be a part of what God is doing in such an interesting place. And as a congregation we want to be reflective of the population in Laveen and surrounding areas.

As a mixed church we are going to be challenged to care for one another in ways that we previously had not considered. Right now many of our Hispanic brothers and sisters are feeling pretty stressed and anxious by the new immigration law. They are worried that the law will be used to make their lives miserable.

It is important that we look for ways to encourage them and when necessary speak-up on their behalf. Even those who think that the legislation is a good idea can still advocate to make sure that it is not abused and that Hispanics do not become victims. Regardless of political persuasion we are all called to be especially sensitive to the needs of people from other places. This is a recurring biblical theme -- let's not ignore it!

The Lord is passionate about saving people from bondage to sin -- and he is equally passionate about saving the vulnerable from abuse and discrimination. It all comes from the heart of God. God does not divide these things up and treat them as separate priorities. It is all a part of the same salvation -- the salvation which is most fully revealed in Christ Jesus.

The Lord "defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigners residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt." ~ Deuteronomy 10:19-20 (TNIV)

The other side of the Arizona story

I think I've made it clear enough that I oppose Arizona's new immigration legislation. It's bad law and it intimidates innocent people. But I am trying hard to understand the thinking behind it all. Even when we disagree we need to walk a bit in the opposition's shoes. And it seems to me that all of us hotheads on the boycott bandwagon need to understand what's going on before we get too huffy about the situation.

Governor Jan Brewer was on the radio this morning and basically she said that the only reason they've enacted this legislation is to try to get the nation to act on immigration reform. That is, the rest of you have up to this point failed to act -- victimizing Arizona. Your inaction has created this problem. You have backed Arizona into a corner and the state is desperately attempting to get a hearing. You've turned deaf ears to every other attempt to get your attention.

What percentage of the population in YOUR state is without legal standing? How much of the crime in YOUR state is directly related to illegal foreign nationals? How many human trafficking rings operate in YOUR cities?

Arizona is a state where 5-10% of the population is undocumented (depending on which study you read). Arizonans, who tend to be a bit paranoid these days, see on a daily basis all of the crime related to the presence of undocumented aliens -- drug wars, cartels and Mexican gangs, kidnapping, sex slavery, human smuggling, etc. We as a state would like the federal government to do its part and "secure the borders" so that this element is kept out of Arizona.

However, since the feds have failed to act, the state has had to establish an enforcement system which more or less mirrors what the feds are supposed to do. The new law essentially deputizes all sworn Arizona police officers to also act as immigration officers.

This does not mean that they will start rounding up Hispanics -- or systematically checking papers from people that look Mexican. But in the course of their duties if they discover someone that appears to be out of their element (probable cause) officers will be required to inquire about immigration standing. If the suspect cannot substantiate legal status he or she will be turned over to federal immigration officials.

In other words, local police will be doing the very same kinds of things that the Border Patrol officers already do.

Again, I think that this is bad law. We don't really want state agencies in the position of enforcing immigration standards. That should be a federal responsibility. This action by Arizona just further complicates an already complex situation.

Furthermore, this new law makes it harder for local police to do their other duties because 30% of the population will no longer see them as safe people. Hispanics will stop calling 911 to report crimes because they don't want to encounter cops who could ask to see their green cards or birth certificates.

Of course, there is the potential for abuse -- great potential. But that potential already exists. There are already extremist law enforcement agencies and some abusive officers on the streets. This changes nothing in that sense -- other than that all this extra attention might make rogue officers hesitant to further abuse their powers. A silver lining?

The real crime is that this legislation and political circus creates unnecessary anxiety and insecurity for our neighbors -- American citizens and legal immigrants who are also Hispanic. They're worried that they're going to become enforcement targets. They're afraid that they're going to have to unfairly carry documentation that no one else has to provide. They thus become second class citizens -- undermining the very values for which America stands.

I suspect that this law will be tossed out by the courts -- and it should be. But if it is not, those of us who are not Hispanic have to be vigilant on behalf of our neighbors -- to make sure that they are being treated fairly. We need to look out for them as we would look out for our own families.

And those of you who live in other states. It would be helpful if you did something, too. If you think boycotts are the answer -- fine. That might make you feel good about yourselves. (Do first check, though, to make sure that there isn't a log somewhere in your own eye.) But if you really want to do something helpful, encourage your congressional leaders to get moving and to start working on short-term and long-term immigration reform.

Random

✽ Post-it gun -- taking those indispensable sticky pieces of paper to the next level ~ link

✽ "Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez will soon join the ranks of politicians on the popular micro-blogging site Twitter, under the profile @chavezcandanga, Minister of Public Works Diosdado Cabello said Tuesday." This is good because it means that he will not likely try to shut down the internet in Venezuela. Of course, it might all blow up if he gets offended because no one wants to "follow" him. ~ link

✽ Noah's ark found in Turkey -- really... This time it's true. Well, you have to admit that there is no other known explanation for the ruins at 13,000 feet. Link includes video of the site (assuming it is all legit). ~ link (via)

✽ Housing prices in Arizona continue to increase. ~ link

Random

✽ Depressing news -- "Research in Archives of Internal Medicine shows those who eat at least a bar every week are more glum than those who only eat chocolate now and again." ~ link

✽ The Annoying Orange has become an online phenomena. I am now beginning to question the value of the internet. ~ link

✽ Swedish experiment -- a dedicated monastic community within prison grounds for prisoners serving life or long-term sentences. ~ link

✽ Barna on preparing for multi-racial congregations -- We've reached a tipping point in the population mix. ~ link

What is Arizona thinking?

Since people from outside Arizona are asking, here is my current take on the immigration legislation -- point by point:

A. The legislation is really a political ploy to force the US government to act on Arizona's agenda for immigration reform.

B. As it is written it is probably unenforceable and will likely be thrown out in court.

C. Until then the City of Phoenix, the largest law enforcement entity, will likely ignore the legislation. I am guessing that Tucson and many of the other police departments will follow their lead.

D. In reality, at least in our county, Maricopa, this legislation changes nothing. Our flamboyant sheriff has already been doing a lot of what the legislation supposedly enables, under his interpretation of federal law. And as far as I can tell they are not arbitrarily harassing individuals off the street. (But they do seem to harass the sheriff's political opponents and businesses which employ large numbers of aliens.) The police aren't going to use the rules to randomly stop Hispanics. Even if they wanted to they don't have the resources to harass half the state. Besides, a lot of the cops are Hispanic, too. It is just not realistic to think that they're going to be able to actually do anything with the law.

E. I suspect that the attempted rules for engagement on this will be similar to what the Border Patrol has. And they don't stop everyone who is brown.

F. The Border Patrol is suggesting that if Arizona police turn a lot of immigrants over to them for deportation they're just going to turn them all loose because they see this legislation as an intrusion into their territory. There is turf at stake.

G. Hispanics are pretty stressed about it all. I am concerned about my neighbors and the families in our fledgling congregation. People are feeling intimidated. Even if the law is unenforceable and will be tossed out in court, Hispanics perceive that it is aimed at making their lives miserable. It is less than gracious and hospitable -- and is going to tarnish Arizona's reputation. There is nothing positive about it.

H. This whole matter is just one component in the growing influence of the extremist right here. The culture has changed since the last time I lived in Arizona 30 years ago. Somehow we've become a magnet for vocal gun advocates and the paranoid. They are more afraid of the federal government than immigrants. My sense is that Hispanics (and everyone else!) should be more concerned about the growing number of dysfunctional people carrying concealed weapons than this half-baked attempt to turn the police into immigration officers.

I. Arizona straddles the line politically. The last governor was a Democrat; this one is a Republican. Republicans are currently in control but we can expect to see a turn-over this fall. The combined dissatisfaction with the local handling of the economy/housing crisis and this crazy attempt at forcing immigration reform will probably put many of them out on the street. If the legislation is still on the books at that point (I doubt it will be) we'll be able to repeal it.

J. The amusing side of it all is that it has given Colbert fodder for comedy.

In spite of this ridiculous attempt to make political hay, Arizona is still a great place, enriched by many cultures, and on a whole grateful for its Hispanic heritage.

Random

✽ They're shooting part of Transformers 3 at Andersen Air Force Base on Guam -- NOT. It was a part of a phishing scam. ~ link

✽ A child dies from malaria every 30 seconds. Children are rallying to save lives with high quality $10 nets, which are purchased as often as possible from local suppliers (stimulating the local economies). BTW, today is WORLD MALARIA DAY. ~ link

✽ BBC story on the new Arizona immigration law: "...All the same, most Arizonans support the new law..." They do? What is the basis of that statement? ~ link

✽ 2,000 people attended a peaceful rally in downtown Phoenix to protest the new state immigration law. ~ link

✽ Nearly 100,000 people have attended a rally in Japan's southern island of Okinawa demanding that a US military base be moved off the island. 100,000! ~ link

✽ New designer newspaper start-ups in London ~ link

✽ India's copyright laws contextually appropriate?

When the US entertainment industry looks at India, it sees one gigantic copyright problem. That's why it wants India to remain on the US government's "Priority Watch List" for intellectual property issues in 2010, and that's why it blasted the country's new copyright proposals for (among other things) having too many legal reasons to bypass DRM.

But what happens when you look at India from the perspective of culture and consumers? The country comes out number one... ~ link

✽ "...Surprisingly, these figures show that, since 1940, Republicans and Democrats are just about equally invested in big government. If anything, government gets slightly smaller under Democrats." ~ LaVonne Neff

✽ CalTech has come up with a relatively inexpensive and efficient solar technology. Go Beavers! ~ link

Out-of-the-box immigration reform

I know that this is a bit counterintuitive but I suggest that we open the borders a bit, make it easier for people to get legitimate work visas. Then we get a better system of visa checking for employers.

I think that an incentive program that involves small benefits for those who are legit would help -- something such as basic insurance, return airplane tickets, and perhaps even a fee-free system of transferring money back home.

My suspicion is that once you start crunching all the numbers that this kind of approach would be a lot cheaper (and more effective) than more police and fences. It would pull the rug out from under the underground economy which supports the violence and smuggling industry. And it would create good will which would result in global business opportunities.

The flow of legitimate cash south of the border would ultimately improve the Mexican economy, raise the standard of living, and in the long-run make emigration to the US less desirable.

Random

✽ John Notehelfer announced at our Pacific Southwest Conference annual meeting today that North Park Theological Seminary is opening an extension center in Santa Barbara, California.

✽ The library at Fuller Theological Seminary will become host to a collection of material related to the Jesus People movement of the 1960s and 70s, ~ link

✽ Efrem Smith has been elected as the new superintendent of the Pacific Southwest Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church.

✽ Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon in tomorrow's Washington Post:

The Arizona I've known since moving here from Chicago as a boy is the birthplace of César Chávez; it's a free-thinking, hospitable state capable of balancing great natural beauty and cultures of all sorts. This place we've heard about lately, the Arizona willing to risk economic boycotts and international ridicule in the pursuit of an ugly, discriminatory law? I don't recognize it.

But I do recognize those responsible for this humiliating moment. They are bitter, small-minded and full of hate, and they in no way speak for Arizona. ~ link

✽ The upcoming primary election in Arizona is August 24th. General election is November 2nd.

Colbert sticks it to Arizona

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
The Word - No Problemo
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Fox News

Random

✽ New law under consideration in Arizona would give the Secretary of State unilateral freedom to keep a presidential candidate off the ballot in Arizona if he or she has "reasonable cause" to believe the candidate is not qualified. Wow. I think the legislators are trying to get us laughed out of the Union. There are a lot of us who are not Democrats who will be voting for Democrats in the next election. We need to shift the unhealthy and loopy balance of power in Arizona politics more toward center. Weird things happen when too many Republicans or too many Democrats are in power. They forget the people and see their power as a mandate to advance their pet causes. ~ link

✽ Chuck Warnock on the tea-partiers:

I was born in the South and have lived here all my life. My great-great-grandfather fought for the Confederacy, and I grew up going to segregated public schools. I grew up during the era of the Civil Rights struggle and heard many Southern Baptist preachers and laymen express their anger at the audacity of the federal government to force our state to integrate its schools and our businesses to serve all people, black and white. The images of white Tea Party protesters are eerily similar to anti-integration protesters in the 1960s. The subtext of racism is still there, even in our churches. Sometimes especially in our churches. ~ link

✽ I was responding to an iGoogle query about updating my contact list and apparently as I was adding some people the system sent out invitations to join Google chat. Sorry about that. I was just trying to stay organized.

Random

✽ Ed Stetzer on the genesis and development of the missional "conversation" ~ link

✽ "Christianity's Surge in Indonesia" -- Time magazine has noticed. ~ link

✽ IMF cuts estimated cost of financial crisis by 18% ~ link

Random

✽ Audio files of "Jesus, Paul and the People of God: A Theological Dialogue with N.T. Wright" at the annual Wheaton theology conference ~ link

✽ In case you're taking freedom for granted, "Google is blocked in 25 of the 100 countries they offer products in." ~ link

✽ Remote cameras have photographed an ocelot, a rare tropical cat, in southern Arizona. ~ link

Random

✽ Prior to WWII Americans would use "the Bellamy Salute" when reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. You can probably figure out why that was changed. ~ link

✽ China quake toll rises to 1,144 ~ link ☹

✽ "$3 hand-powered suction device quickly heals wounds" ~ link

✽ From the AZ Republic's level-headed editorial on the proposed immigration legislation:

...the state will not benefit from a law that is more about rage and rhetoric than real solutions...

This bill creates an atmosphere of fear and division. In some neighborhoods where a lot of migrants live, crimes will go unreported because people won't want to subject themselves or their neighbors to police scrutiny. It will mean Latino Arizonans have to wonder what kind of identification to carry when they walk the dog...

There's something else this law does that Arizona doesn't need: It furthers a growing perception of this state as a kind of hayseed, backward place where extremism is considered a virtue.

That will not help our state attract high-paying, high-tech jobs. It will not help our state increase trade and commerce with Mexico.

And they list several more good reasons to nix this bill.

✽ The USSR collapsed under the weight of its own paranoia.

✽ I do have serious doubts about the judgment of our current politicos and their ability to make sound decisions. Governor Jan Brewer signed a bill today allowing Arizonans to carry concealed firearms without a permit.

I was at the Interfaith Golden Rule banquet (a guest of a local LDS bishop!) last night and with my own two eyes saw the very same governor presented with an award for her efforts at making Arizona a "Golden Rule state." The irony is glaring. ~ link

Somehow the wild west has crept back into Arizona since I lived here 30 years ago. This is definitely a mission field.

✽ Dan, en route to Sweden, is stuck in Iceland. ~ link

✽ "How many PhD students does it take to screw in a light bulb? One, but it takes 9.3 years." ~ link

✽ It's a long haul for the people in the humanities. Our daughter Betsy graduates from UC Berkeley with her bachelor's next month and will move across the Bay to UC San Franciso to begin her PhD work in genomics. That is a five year program. (Parental bragging alert: UCSF was her top choice. She was also accepted at Stanford, Harvard, MIT, CalTech, and the University of Washington. I married into a smart gene pool.)

Random

✽ My long-time friend Mike Gillett, who is an Army reserve chaplain and has done a couple of tours in the desert, works with vets in his civilian job. He is pretty frustrated with the poor treatment and bureaucratic headaches that our military veterans are receiving right now. Mike, by nature isn't much of a whiner, so when he sounds the clarion call it's worth a listen. He points to this Adam Liptak column in the NY Times.

✽ New statistics show one in five people on Guam have diabetes and up to 50% of Pacific Islanders have the disease. ~ link

✽ We are NOT God's masterpieces... Our latest MasterPiece Church newsletter is now online. ~ link

✽ Arizona drivers are now paying an average of $2.89 for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline. ~ link

✽ "'The focus of the issue is predominantly Guam,' Seymour said. 'We really don't have a big problem with the other places.'" ~ link

✽ "America Must Boycott Arizona" -- Arizona already thinks of itself as the victim in this case. This is why people here are willing to embrace some extreme measures and people. A boycott would just reinforce that mentality and as the state digs in its heels to protect itself from critics it will become even more irrational in how it deals with the problem. We need people who can foster constructive dialog -- people who can come up with realistic solutions rather than knee-jerk reactions. ~ link

✽ New Pew research: 25% of African Christians still engage in traditional animistic religious practices. ~ link

✽ Recent deadly quakes ~ link

• Feb 2010: Magnitude 8.8 quake in central Chile kills at least 450
• Jan 2010: About 230,000 die in magnitude 7.0 tremor in Haiti
• April 2009: Quake measuring 6.3 in L'Aquila, Italy, kills 300 people
• May 2008: 87,000 die in 7.8 scale tremor in Sichuan province, China
• Oct 2005: Quake measuring 7.6 hits north Pakistan, killing 73,000
  

✽ Over 600 dead, 9,000 injured, widespread damage in this week's China quake. ~ link

✽ "A federal judge in Wisconsin ruled the National Day of Prayer unconstitutional Thursday, saying the day amounts to a call for religious action." ~ link

✽ Mark Galli is quite quotable again:

In short, what Christians uniquely have to offer the world is not religious experience or even a unique religious way of life. We're not hawking "your best religion now," for our religion, upon close examination, seems no more admirable or sinful than any other religion. Christianity stands under the judgment and grace of God—as do all religions.

No, what Christians bring to the world is a message embedded in a story, and nothing less than a God-given, God-revealed message and story...

The Christian faith is, at its core, not about ethics or religious experience, but a message about a God who has gone to extraordinary lengths to be and remain on our side, to become the-God-with-a-name, Emmanuel, "God with us." Christians are not primarily mystics (those who experience God in a special way) or activists (those who live the way of Jesus). We are mostly witnesses of who God is and what he has done and what he will do in Jesus Christ, the God who in Christ has "a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth" (Eph. 1:10). ~ link

Random

✽ One more thing to worry about -- Chagas disease ~ link

✽ 6.9 earthquake in Qinghai province, China ~ link

✽ The Arizona House further complicates the immigration problem with yet another "immigration bill." (Immigration issues in the US are supposed to be handled by the federal government but because Congress has been unable to create a workable reform plan states like Arizona are attempting to take the matter into their own hands -- which then makes it more difficult for a coordinated national plan once they get their act together on the federal level.) ~ link

✽ So, get rid of the pennies and the dollar bills. ~ link

Random -- all global today

✽ A few months ago it was raining fish in Northern Territories, Australia and now a Northern Territories town has awakened to the sight of a twisting diagonal cloud formation in the sky. Somebody is playing with the Oz weather machine. ~ link

✽ There is a major migration underway and Tibetans are leaving the refugee camps that they’ve called home in Nepal since the late 1950s. Some are going into India but many are headed to Canada and the US. ~ link

✽ "GTA TeleGuam Monday questioned whether a federal agency that is distributing broadband stimulus funding is making the best use of that money, when some of the taxpayer funds are going for projects that will compete with private companies on Guam." This is the same sensitive subject that will come up over and over again if the FCC's proposed broadband plan is implemented. ~ link

✽ The rise and impact of global universities ~ link

✽ Great line from der Spiegel's massive, even-handed article on climate change amidst the current crisis of credibility in climatology -- "For Scandinavians, for example, the only drawback will be a possible guilty conscience over the fact that they are benefiting from climate change..." ~ link

Random

✽ T&T Clark has sold publishing rights for Karl Barth's 14-volume edition of Church Dogmatics to Hendrickson, which will sell it for $99 through Christianbook.com. Great price! (I paid $350 for my set 25 years ago.) The footnotes alone, packed with historical theology references, make it a worthwhile investment -- even for those not particularly fond of Barth's approach. ~ link

✽ Implosion video of unsightly Texas Stadium ~ link

We have an ugly stadium in Phoenix, too, Unfortunately University of Phoenix Stadium, where the Cardinals play, is too new to replace. Why do they build football stadiums to look like space ships from a 1950's B-movie? Baseball stadiums, in contrast, are designed to have personality and character. (What? Me opinionated?)

✽ "When less is more: the case for teaching less math in schools" OR what happens when you put the psychologists in charge of curriculum development -- fascinating study which suggests that waiting until 6th grade or above to teach basic math is more effective. ~ link (via)

TOP PHOTO: Texas Stadium in its heyday
BOTTOM PHOTO: University of Phoenix Stadium

Random

✽ "Thousands of digital billboards have sprung up around the nation with one purpose: displaying Conan's current tweet." His PR people are sharp. ~ link

✽ OT era discovery:

Canadian archeologists in Turkey have unearthed an ancient treaty written in cuneiform that could have served as a model for the biblical description of God's covenant with the Israelites.

The tablet, dating from about 670 BC, is a treaty between the powerful Assyrian king and his weaker vassal states, written in a highly formulaic language very similar in form and style to the story of Abraham's covenant with God in the Hebrew Bible, says University of Toronto archeologist Timothy Harrison. ~ link

✽ Dietrich Bonhoeffer became a double-agent involved in the plot to assassinate Hitler after he mustered some guts during his time in the US, according to a new biography. Today is the 65th anniversary of his death. ~ link

✽ Ancient Chamorro cultural rituals still practiced daily on Guam. ~ link

✽ Brandon O'Brien, author of The Strategically Small Church, and Chuck Warnock, are hosting a free webinar on May 6th, "The Strengths of a Small Church." YES! ~ link (via)

✽ Venture capital opportunity in Mexico ~ link

✽ New 6-ft lizard discovered in the Philippines! (Actually they've been there awhile; they're only new to the outside of the world.) ~ link

✽ Watch the spread of Walmart in flowing chart -- fascinating ~ link

✽ More than 60% of Tweeps aren't American. ~ link

✽ Bruce Waltke, a prominent evangelical Old Testament scholar has resigned, apparently under pressure, from Reformed Theological Seminary following his comments on evolution. I have no doubt that he'll have no trouble finding new teaching gigs -- if he is so inclined. ~ link

Random

✽ Episcopal Priest Barbie ~ link

✽ Yeehaw! Welcome to Arizona where everyone gets to carry. (Of course, it's for our own protection, safety, and peace of mind that we want everyone armed.) ~ link

✽ "Survey results: Americans insist on government benefits but don't want to pay for them" -- No surprise there. ~ link

✽ There are currently 109 malarious countries in the world. April 25 is "World Malaria Day" and there is an "end malaria action summit" in Washington, DC, April 21st-22nd. ~ link

✽ Growing bananas in the desert ~ link

Random

✽ Lin Yu Chun sings Whitney Houston better than Whitney Houston. ~ link

✽ "Is mixing diversity into your local church wise?" isn't really the right question. We should be asking, "Is visible diversity in the local church core to the gospel?" ~ link

✽ Chuck Swindoll interviewed by CT ~ link

✽ Presentations that stick ~ link

✽ Do other cities have so many car/light rail collisions? It's not like you can chalk it up to the light rail being new anymore. ~ link

✽ ISTM that putting troops on the border is an expensive band-aid that doesn't really deal with the problem. It does, however, allow politicians to say, "See, we're doing something." Even if it were the most effective and just solution, we don't have the resources to stop the flow through intimidation or force. We have to reform the system so that people can move back and forth across the border legitimately. ~ link

✽ United Airlines and US Airways are talking merger. ~ link

Guam capsized -- THE MOVIE!

Random

✽ "British plants are flowering earlier now than at any time in the last 250 years, according to new analysis... Earlier this year, another study showed that on average, spring in the UK now begins 11 days earlier in the year than 30 years ago." ~ link

✽ 7.7 shake-up in Indonesia. It seems that we're seeing a lot of 7.0+ activity this year. ~ link

✽ Spirit has the dubious distinction of being the first airline to charge passengers for carry-on luggage. ~ link

✽ Who is willing to speculate about the identity of the witty @XIANITY? ~ link

Random

✽ Michael Spencer, the "Internet Monk" or "iMonk," one of my favorite bloggers, has died. He was diagnosed with cancer a few months ago. Michael had a sharp and faithful mind and did not hesitate sharing his struggles with the shape of modern evangelicalism. He managed to do so without venom. Christ is risen! We will rise indeed. ~ link

✽ Five billionaires who live way below their means -- "The dirty little secret of some of the world's wealthiest people is that they rarely act like it." ~ link

✽ Steven Levitt (Freakonomics economist) says "the health care bill that passed recently is a disaster for at least two reasons..." I hope he is wrong. ~ link

✽ See also Gary Becker’s post on the subject. Also Richard Posner. They don't totally dislike the new system. And they're not political mudslingers -- just educated number crunchers.

✽ "The purchasing power of $1 compared to the base year of 1996 is now just $0.63 cents" on Guam. ~ link

✽ Phoenix is one of the top-10 Facebook cities in the US -- and other surprising demographic trivia ~ link

✽ Correlation between smoking and lower IQs ~ link

Random

✽ Wilfried Welti, playing Bach's Bourre in E minor on a Makapili soprano uke. (via)

✽ "Justice is when we get what we deserve. Mercy is when we don't get what we deserve. Grace is when we get what we don't deserve!" ~ link

✽ Easter has lost its status as a holiday of significance among non-believers. Is that such a bad thing? ~ link

✽ The Baja earthquake, which we felt here in Phoenix this afternoon, has been upgraded to 7.2. To put things in perspective, the Haiti earthquake was 7.0. However, the Baja quake occurred in a more rural and less developed area. Communication with the affected region has not yet been re-established but it is expected that there is major damage. ~ link

✽ 8 big mistakes online students make ~ link

✽ Terminally cute picture and story from the Mail about the rescue of a baby wombat orphaned through an encounter with a car. Photo ©Craig Borrow/Newspix/Rex Features. ~ link

✽ Ken Colburn's description of the iPad on his radio show this afternoon was interesting. Laptops, Notebooks, and Netbooks are more about productivity and creation of information "while the iPad is better suited for entertainment and consumption of information." ~ link

✽ No Glory of Easter @ Crystal Cathedral this year. ~ link

Random

✽ Don't the Assyrians and Chaldeans (of which there are quite a few in diaspora in the US) also speak a form of Aramaic (the language which Jesus spoke)? ~ link

✽ Easter is the 8th day of creation -- "creation began again in the Resurrection of Jesus..." Steve Bilynskyj has posted a teaser for his sermon this Sunday. He's always thought-provoking. ~ link

✽ Ukulele trip around the globe ~ link.

Capsizing Guam

Yes, I saw this but ignored it as an attempted April Fools prank. However, no one has yet jumped out with a "gotcha!" One way or the other it is a joke.

UPDATE: Congressman Hank Johnson is now saying that he was speaking metaphorically. Watch the video and decide for yourself. (I'm thinking he may end up on Colbert explaining himself.)

Random

✽ "The recession and lack of adequate donor support have led to the cancellation this year of the popular Hollywood Bowl Easter Sunrise Service, organizers said Thursday." Or it could be that the giant pageant doesn't connect as well with people anymore. ~ link

✽ When did the graduate program at Moody Bible Institute become Moody Theological Seminary? ~ link

✽ First Covenant Church Las Vegas ~ link

✽ 25 years ago this month Coca-Cola introduced New Coke. I am certain that somebody, somewhere, will be celebrating. ~ link (via)

✽ If it were not Sheriff Joe Arpaio speaking I'd guess that it was an April Fools joke. He announced "a new program where inmates have to pedal on exercise bicycles to watch television." ~ link

✽ My understanding is that they built those houses fully aware that they were on the projected pathway of the freeway. Why they built there and why the city let them do it -- I don't know. But now they want to stop the freeway. ~ link

✽ We can add up to 10 stand-alone pages on our blogger blogs. ~ link

✽ Apparently, you can buy beer in Arizona starting at 6 a.m. each day -- except Sundays. On Sundays you have to wait until 10 a.m. I suppose lawmakers were at one time worried about people showing up to mass sloshed. All of that is about to change. ~ link

✽ I guess it survived that little mishap at the end of the movie. Ferris Bueller's favorite "Ferrari" (a replica) is on the auction block -- estimated value: $67,000. ~ link

Census fiasco

The Census form is intended to facilitate a snapshot of the US population on April 1, 2010 (e.g. "Were there any additional people staying here on April 1, 2010 that..."). This means that unless I am God or somehow otherwise know everything ahead of time, it would have been irresponsible to have mailed that form back before April 1st. Yet, the government persisted in mailing us reminders indicating they had not received our form. (Received another reminder today!) Apparently they were annoyed that we did not send in our form before April 1st.

I heard on the radio that 50% of Americans mailed forms in ahead of time.

But I ask you, fellow over-achieving citizens, if you had died yesterday, on March 31st, would your spouse then have had to send in an amended form? Do they even have an amended form? Or would you in dying be personally responsible for screwing up the entire US Census 2010?

Dear "Director, US Census Bureau..." (whoever you are -- since you neglected to sign those personal messages that you sent to me) I mailed the form in this morning. Since the "capture center" (Are you sure you're not friends with our sheriff?) is just down the road from here you should have it on your desk in the morning. Enjoy!