Random

• Thomas Nelson is about to release the NT of the Expanded Bible -- which appears to be something like the Amplified Bible of previous generations -- allowing "the reader to see multiple possibilities for words, phrases, and interpretations. Rather than opting for one choice, it shows many." The core translation is the New Century Version. Nice tool. ~ link

• "Swine flu" is milder than most strains of seasonal influenza and is not as common. ~ link | link

• "At the same time that the ranks of the unaffiliated have grown, the Landscape Survey also revealed that the unaffiliated have one of the lowest retention rates of any of the major religious groups, with most people who were raised unaffiliated now belonging to one religion or another." ~ Pew Forum Faith in Flux Report

• The new search function in Twitter is a winner! ~ link

• The Greenfield Congregational Covenant Church (Greenfield, New Hampshire) will hold its final service in the building that they've used for the last 214 (!) years. I think the town would have been more open to renewing the lease it they had not turned "conservative." It will be a good move for them and allow then to grow. ~ link

• Exxon Mobil profits have taken a dive. Their first quarter net was only $4.55 billion -- compared to $10.89 billion in Q1 2008 (when they were really gouging us at the pump). ~ link