Random

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> "US is feeling charitable, just not through churches" -- In someways this is contrary to what you might expect. Church finances tend to be more subject to local control, whereas the popular charities are larger, more distant organizations. We're so full of contradiction. ~ Huffington Post

> "Indonesian officials have confirmed that key elements of a high-tech tsunami warning system installed in the wake of the giant Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 were not working on Monday." High-tech systems are only as good as our ability to maintain them. In some contexts maintenance is not realistic. Low-tech solutions should be the goal. ~ BBC

> The private prison companies were a driving force behind the Arizona immigration law. One of Arizona's other quirks -- privatization gone wild. ~ NPR

> The president seemed pretty relaxed and candid on the Daily Show -- relatively speaking. ~ Huffington Post

> Awesome interview with N.T. Wright. He is so good at the integration of his theological perspective into the way he functions as a bishop and scholar. ~ link

> The creative edge:

...South Korea is not alone in its academic melancholy. The highest performing nations in mathematics — many of them in East Asia — tend to score lowest on a “happiness” index, according to a 2006 analysis by the Brown Center on Education Policy.  

The findings have prompted some critics to argue that the educational music videos and technicolor text books that proliferate in the United States are not the surest path to academic growth.  

Still, joylessness has become a worry for South Korean leaders who hope to train the next generation to do more than memorize. They are looking for technological breakthroughs that will propel their economy further ahead. If students enjoy what they are studying, the thinking goes, they will be more likely to ask new questions and innovate in their fields. ~ Global Post

> "Medieval cathedrals were stone and stained glass. Modern cathedrals are made of amplified sound. In both, worshipers are lost in immensity." ~ Andy Crouch

> "After serving at Hillsong Church for 25 years alongside Pastors Brian and Bobbie Houston, renowned worship leader Darlene Zschech will be leaving the megachurch to assume a senior pastor role at a nearby Pentecostal church." ~ link

> 16 Reasons why this is the craziest election ever ~ The Atlantic

> As the camera pans onto Nolan Ryan you have to wonder if he's not itching to get up and go down and take the mound. If you want it done right sometimes you have to go do it yourself.