Hither and thither 10/16/09

Lots of fun things, lots of irritating things, lots of interesting things. However, I'll be on the road for the latter part of the day, so comments may be delayed... well, until I next get on The Intrawebs. I'd be happy too see a nice passel of comments to moderate.

• Wait wait wait — you mean everything scientists say about what was what a gazillion years ago might not be 100% accurate?  L, IB.
• Onoes! Looks like Kermit, Josiah and I have even more to be thankful for than we knew!
• I love my iPhone, but hate iTunes. Just wiped everything off my iPhone, for the whatever-th time. That in spite of doing a backup just beforehand, and then trying to restore from backup. Grrr.
  
• USA Today writer Tom Krattenmaker makes it very clear: he doesn't object to Christian athletes being Christians. He just objects to their practicing Christianity. Meaning: he objects to Christian athletes being Christians. (HT reader "Laptops and More.")
  
• Don't you just sleep better at night, knowing that the geniuses running public schools are keeping us safe from dangerous, six-year-old Cub Scouts? As one wag noted, at least he's earned his "Suspended from School" belt loop. Here's my concern: in the interim, he's being homeschooled. Will he be able to dumb back down when they re-admit him?
• Whee. Racism is still another accusation that only needs to be made, to cause harm. Not proven.
• I think racism in America is grossly exaggerated. However, every now and then an ugly example rears up to say that neither racism nor stupidity has yet become obsolete.
• Good grief. Question for rock aficionados who are also regular readers: what painfully-obvious name is missing from this list?
• So what does $400 worth of Legos look like? This (with some commentary here):
  

• I don't know if any of you are Sam Storms fans. You might want to listen to this talk, featuring every influential evangelical eschatological perspective... well, except the most influential one. Why listen? It's remarkable to hear Storms say that, if the Apostle John doesn't agree with him, Sam Storms, then John is in error.
• Thinking of taking your kids to Where the Wild Things Are? I'm really not. I wasn't already: it looks dumb, and I didn't love the book, where the insufferably bratty kid's parents end up caving. I was even less tempted when I learned that the author, Maurice Sendak, was an angry, lost, unhappy "gay" with messed-up views about the family (— did I just say the same thing twice?), who really didn't like positive, happy books that might encourage well-behaved kids. Now that I read Sendak telling concerned parents to go to He!!, I'm even less inclined.
  
• Some are shocked that supposed conservative stalwart Dick Armey would throw in with pro-abort Kay Hutchison for the Texas gubernatorial election. I'm not; but then, I have a memory. Armey used to be a good guy, maybe until he got his nose out of joint for not being supported to lead Congress. Hard to say when something cracked, but Armey launched a nasty attack against politically-involved Christians. (See also Dobson's response.) So I'm sad, but not shocked, to see Armey support a pro-abort "earmarks queen" against a pro-family, pro-life candidate.
  
• Our Title of the Week this time is not picked because it's odd, but because it's so good:  It's a 12-day miracle! Praise Obama and pass the Hopium. Columnist breaks it down that the 12 days between 0's inauguration and the nominating deadline left "a mere 288 hours for Obama to have been credentialed as President Peace."
• In a sane world, the Nobel Committee would never again be able to buy a "give-a-rip" from the public. 
• Any chance the benighted clones of the Nobel committee are beginning to realize what a laughing-stock they've made of themselves?

• Update since writing that previous. What was I thinking? Being liberal means never having to say you're pathetic, clueless and embarrassing. Think Jimmy Carter. Or see this.
• To the Title of the Week, maybe I'll add line of the week as an occasional feature. This week's entry is from an article on Arizona's Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who is planning another sweep for illegal aliens, though it may irritate the feds. Then we're told, "He said he expects to use a 'new secret weapon,' but declined to say what it is." Really? I'm going out on a limb here, but could that be because it's, you know, secret?
  
• One Baptist church will be having a hot time on Halloween eve. They'll be burning... well, all sorts of things.  Like Bibles (Readers: "Ungh?") — that is, Bibles that aren't the KJV. (Readers: "Sheesh.") And books by "heretics." (Readers: "Oh?") Heretics like Erwin McManus and Robert Schuller and Rob Bell and Benny Hinn. (Readers: "Ahhh.")  And "heretics" like John MacArthur and John Piper and Chuck Swindoll. (Readers: "Huh?!") Oh, and "Satan's music," like "country, rap, rock, pop, heavy metal, western, soft and easy, southern gospel, contemporary Christian, jazz, soul (and) oldies." I guess surf music is OK. Whew! But wait, you haven't heard the punch-line.
• The church's name is — I Kid You Not! — "Amazing Grace Baptist Church." Click.
  
• Everyone's favorite Aussie ex-pat, Rachael Starke, ran a little graphic for folks thinking of moving Down Under. I'm not sure where Aussie Vicki Lowing fits on the chart... but she's got her some interesting priorities.
• So, having already demoralized the military, the transformational president now adds this: he has in mind further to demoralize and distract it by forcing it to enlist broken individuals plagued by sexual perversion which, instead of resisting and seeking deliverance from, they openly embrace and practice. Obama: the bill that keeps getting steeper and steeper and steeper and....
• Say, though, isn't it reassuring that the leader of the free world has finally squared his shoulders and identified an enemy, a threat that calls for his firm, focused, and relentless opposition?  Yes indeedy.
  
• Woo hoo. Turns out I'm going to live forever (interpreting "educated" as "smart"), and Baby Allen will live to be at least 100. 
• Will knuckle-cracking give you arthritis? Maybe not. But it's still obnoxious.
• Then the dessert-tray: