The Problem of Self Sabotage

Last night my wife and I were discussing the problems of the Middle East and specifically the Muslim on Muslim attacks in Pakistan and Iraq. If the Islamic world would like to see the world turn completely to Islam, aren’t the Sunni/Shia conflicts a form of self-sabotage? A getting caught up in a smaller goal [...]

Snitching and self-preservation

Philadelphia is on track to have over 400 homicides this year. Gun violence is out of control. Recently, a murder happened at a crowded bar but there are no witnesses. This is a re-occurring problem. Why? Simply, intimidation and a sense of despair that you can’t really do anything about it.
Yesterday on our local public [...]

Vacation! 1 Year of blogging

The family and I are leaving for 2 weeks of vacation to good ole New England. Stops in CT, MA, ME, and NH. Alas, only driving through VT (my hometown got to premiere the new Simpson’s movie. Probably the best thing that has happened there is awhile) but missing RI completely. Will spend it with [...]

Ethics update from APA

The 2006 annual report from the APA contains a report from the Ethics committee.  Here’s the skinny on complaints:
1. In 2006 282 inquiries were received; 82 complaint forms were received. If you count how many complaints were received (including nonmembers), a total of 672 new matters were brought before the committee.
2. Complaints were filed against .09% of [...]

Blackberries and the fall

Needed a mind-clearer so I took youngest son and went to the cemetary to pick some perfectly ripe blackberries. Is it wrong to pick cemetary berries? No, they aren’t growing in enriched soil next to plots. Anyway, the berries were quite ripe and juicy. The bushes were loaded and in just a few minutes I [...]

Getting the real news about conflicts

In our world of 24 hours news, we really do not know what is happening in the world. What we get is simplistic summaries (who is good, who is bad) with little substance. I was reminded of this fact over the weekend while listening to some stories from a survivor of the Rwandan genocide and subsequent [...]

Is it a blessing or a trial?

I read last night to the kids from Exodus before they went off to bed. Chapter 13:17-18a says this: When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though it was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” [...]

Summer reading, II

Just got Children of Hurin from the library and have 6 days to read it. Not that it will take me that long. So far, it doesn’t move me like LOTR or the Hobbit, but didn’t really expect it to either. Some nice color drawings throughout.
My wife is waiting anxiously for the last Potter book. Haven’t [...]

What’s on your summer reading list?

Now that my semester is over I’m looking to knock off some books off my fun reading list (which always grows faster than I can read). Do you have a list and what are the books you would like to read (or, are likely to read) before the summer is over? Trying to decide what to [...]

Waiting

I hate waiting. Does anyone like it? When you are waiting for 15 minutes to pass so you can do something else, doesn’t it seem like a long time (unless you do a good job distracting yourself)?
Right now, I’m waiting for a phone call from a transmission shop. We think our transmission went over the [...]