ESPRESSO ROAST - A TEAM BLOG

THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS BLOG DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THE VIEWS OF ALL CONTRIBUTORS AND EACH TEAM MEMBER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR FACTS AND OPINIONS CONTAINED IN HIS POST.

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Monday, January 31, 2005

You've got to be kidding!

Newsweek: "The Insurgents: Who They Are and Why the Elections Won't Stop Them"

THIS is the cover for the Iraqi election edition?

...figures.

Labels: David C. Price

DiCaprio Gets Lifetime Achievement Award. Huh?

I'm not knocking the guy's talent or anything, but by it's very definition, to get a lifetime achievement award shouldn't there be, you know, a lifetime worth of achievements?

Oh, what the heck...Hollywood's been out of whack and out of touch with a lot more important issues than this one.

Labels: David C. Price

Slideshow: The Iraqi Elections

You need to see this slideshow if you've not already. One question to keep in mind as you watch it: The lines and groups of people you see waiting to vote know that at any moment there is a very real chance that they could become the target of attack. If that were the case in your country, would you vote? The courage and determination of the people in these images cannot be over-stated and must not be forgotten.

Labels: David C. Price

Victims no more

The Iraqi elections seem to have been such a success that even the New York Times could not resist offering tepid praise to the process:

At least for now, the large turnout appeared to vindicate the strategy to hold elections sooner rather than later, over the objections of many Sunni leaders and in the face of the ferocious insurgency. That strategy, advocated by Ayatollah Sistani and President Bush, drew criticism that it would further divide the country and that, in any case, the Iraqis were not ready.

The process has clearly given Iraqis a new hope for a better life. When I was a pastor in Massachusetts, I had a young Iraqi citizen in my church. During the initial attacks on Iraq, he told me how, in spite of what the mainstream media of this country told us, the Iraqi people wanted to be free and welcomed the chance to see a day like we have just witnessed; a day when Iraqi men and women have the opportunity to choose leaders to represent their own interests rather than to be oppressed by the selfish interests of a murderous dictator. Clearly, my friend was right. The Times quotes 25 year old Najaf Goldsmith echoing similar sentiments as he dropped his ballot into the box: "We feel now that we are human beings living in this country. Now I feel I have a responsibility, I have a vote. Things will go right if people leave us alone to do what we want to do. If they leave the Iraqi people to decide for themselves, things will get better." Though perhaps his desire to be left alone is a bit premature in the case of security, certainly he is right. The Iraqi people will be fine as a democracy, given the chance and the support that any fledgling democracy requires. Perhaps the most encouraging account of Iraq's determination to thrive as a democracy came in the Times' report of the voting that occurred within the Shiite areas of Baghdad:

With vehicular traffic banned and American and Iraqi forces imposing especially tight security, the attacks on Sunday were carried out in some cases by men wearing explosive vests who rushed polling centers and blew themselves up.

In the Shiite and Kurdish areas, the strategy clearly failed. In Shiite neighborhoods in Baghdad, including Sadr City, many Iraqis cast their ballots to the sounds of exploding shells.

In some cases, the violence seemed to goad the Iraqis on. In the predominantly Shiite neighborhood of Khadamiya in northern Baghdad, where nearly 100 people were killed in a terror attacks last year, the turnout was said to approach 80 percent.

Such determination reminds me of how a young democracy was born some 200 plus years ago when confronted with seemingly insurmountable obstacles. The sheer will and determination of the young Americans led to the great Nation that we are today. Will it be easy for Iraq from now on? Of course not. There will be many great challenges ahead with many who will continue to try and stifle the freedoms that are already felt throughout the country. But why should we expect anything different? Freedom is always costly and difficult to achieve. It certainly hasn't been easy for us and we still have struggles within our democracy to this day.

Nevertheless, let's hope and pray for a day when the kind of violence that has been experienced throughout Iraq will give way to a new day of hope and peace, providing opportunities for all of the people of that country and that these words which we hold dear will prove true for each man and woman of Iraq as well:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Let freedom ring.

Labels: David C. Price

Sunday, January 30, 2005

Pretty funny

HT: Captain's Quarters

Labels: David C. Price

President Congratulates Iraq

President Bush's remarks on elections

Labels: David C. Price

The Iraqi Vote

Says it all.

HT: Michelle Malkin
(visit Michelle's blog for more images)

TexasBug has some good images, too.

Labels: David C. Price

Saturday, January 29, 2005

Call for freedom

Here is a link to a petition I encourage you to sign calling on the release of the Philly 5. Those following this blog have read several posts related to this story of four Christians facing up to 47 years in prison (plus one minor facing time in the juvenile system) for preaching at a homosexual rally called Outfest in Philadelphia.

Hat Tip: Le Sabot Post-Moderne

Labels: David C. Price

Cop Shows Elderly Lady Who Is Boss

A 75 year-old lady distraught after not finding her sick friend is hit with 50,000 volts of electricity when an officer apparently became frightened that the mean old lady would beat her up. OK, the last part is my analysis, but does it not seem absurd that something like this could happen? If an officer is supposedly trained to take down real threatening individuals, is there any rationality to bringing out the Taser on an elderly lady?

According to a report, "[Officer] Macon was called to the nursing home after Margaret Kimbrell refused to leave. Kimbrell has said she was distraught after the staff would not disclose the location of her sick friend, and she became concerned the friend had died." If anyone has spent any time in most nursing homes, one can understand the concern of this lady. The level of care is generally below what should be basic standards of living and care (at least in the majority of nursing homes in which I have spent time).

Could this whole thing not have been avoided if the nursing home had just provided a little information to an obviously concerned lady? Maybe I'm missing something here, but at the point the nursing home staff realized this lady was legitimately upset enough that they felt calling the police was in order, is it not time to simply tell her the condition of her friend and defuse the situation before it elevated to that point?

The encounter resulted in the officer being required to attend a "Taser retraining course" while the lady who got zapped was charged (no pun intended) with trespassing and resisting arrest. In my opinion, that is absurd. The kind of action brought against the woman should have resulted in assault on the part of the cop instead of simply enrolling her in a retraining class.

I am all for police defending themselves, especially when it can be done using non-lethal means. However, if a police officer cannot handle a situation involving a 75 year-old woman in a nursing home, it raises serious concerns about the qualifications of the officer in question.

Full Story

Labels: David C. Price

Friday, January 28, 2005

And you thought YOU had crap to deal with.

MILFORD, Nebraska (AP) -- Urban dwellers who enjoy dining on filet mignon at five-star restaurants would probably just as soon not know about David Dickinson's dilemma.

Bad for the appetite, you know.

But Dickinson, who makes his living in the cattle business, has an environmental problem on his hands that is vexing state officials: a 2,000-ton pile of burning cow manure.

Dickinson owns and manages Midwest Feeding Co. about 20 miles west of Lincoln, which takes in as many as 12,000 cows at a time from farmers and ranchers and fattens them for market.

Byproducts from the massive operation resulted in a dung pile measuring 100 feet long, 30 feet high and 50 feet wide that began burning about two months ago and continues to smolder despite Herculean attempts to douse it.
More

HT: Drudge

Labels: David C. Price

What does it take to make a difference?

Yahoo! News - Bono, Gates say rich leaders carry hopes of generation for Africa

I'll be honest: I don't know that much about all that is going on in Africa related

to the projects that Bono and Bill Gates are involved in. I know that Bono has been a staunch advocate and spokesman for ending AIDS in Africa, calling on world leaders to commit to attacking the problem head-on. I applaud that. It's one of the reasons, besides great music, that I am a fan of Bono. He has created for himself a platform of respect from which he can say things the way he sees them without the need for political correctness. For instance, regarding the extreme poverty in Africa (which I didn't know until this article was so bad that one billion Africans are living off of less than one dollar a year), Bono very plainly calls this kind and level of poverty "stupid poverty." In other words, it shouldn't happen and can "easily" be stopped.

It is also nice to see someone like bazillionaire, Bill Gates, leading the charge spending billions on poverty and fighting diseases in some of these countries that are absolutely destitute. Hopefully, others with the kinds of resources he has at his disposal will take their cue from him and join the work.

Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Along with the physical needs, there are plenty of other needs that these people have. There are many people who have and are giving their lives as career missionaries in order to help meet many of these needs. In my own denomination, many are working within the country now to not only provide medical aid to the millions who are ravaged with killer diseases like AIDS but also to take the message of hope that there is a God who loves them and it is for that reason that they have left their homes to spend their lives in Africa.

How easy it is for many of us to go about our own lives of relative ease, thinking little about the suffering of people in other places around the world. For that matter, we sometimes completely overlook those who are suffering within our own neighborhoods. Perhaps it's time for all of us to listen up to people like Bono, Gates, and others who have taken up the responsibility to make a difference and begin looking for ways ourselves, even in seemingly small ways, to get involved.

Perhaps we don't do more to help to alleviate the suffering of people around us because we simply don't know how to go about it or we feel we don't have enough time. Maybe you have some ideas. Maybe there are ways that you have been involved with some good organizations or know of ways that the average concerned person can get involved. If so, I ask you to share your knowledge and wisdom and post a comment or two with your thoughts or ideas. Rather than me simply listing out ways I know of, perhaps an ongoing dialogue or discussion would be more beneficial. Granted, there's not a whole lot of traffic that comes through this little blog, but who knows, maybe one of you will post something that my other reader will find very helpful. At least I will benefit from your input and will appreciate it. What could be done if all of us had the same drive and desire to change the world that Bono has demonstrated? I think we've gotten a taste of what is possible following the tsunami. Now, perhaps the test is whether that will carry over to our own neighborhoods and towns as well as to the rest of the world. Maybe it will. Hopefully, it will.

Labels: David C. Price

Thursday, January 27, 2005

What can happen when Hope leaves?

Compton man to face criminal charges in deadly California commuter rail tragedy:

The man whom authorities say caused the chain-reaction train derailment that killed 11 people was to face criminal charges Thursday for leaving his sport utility vehicle on a railroad track after apparently changing his mind about committing suicide. Nearly 200 were injured.

Juan Manuel Alvarez, 25, got out of his green Jeep Cherokee before the two commuter trains crashed Wednesday morning on the outskirts of Los Angeles. He stood by as gruesome collision scattered wreckage and bodies over a quarter-mile of track.

He changed his mind...from a brain to what, we do not know. One man decides he doesn't want to kill himself, but has arranged it so that even if he wanted to remove his vehicle from the tracks, he could not. Now, I'm not for anybody killing themselves and it's always good to hear that someone has reconsidered. However, if one feels he must do it, can't he figure out a way to do it quietly that doesn't affect those who rather like their own lives?

The result of one man's internal anguish: eleven people dead and nearly 200 are injured including a trapped man who "used his own blood to write a note on a seat bottom. Using the heart symbol, he wrote 'I love my kids' and 'I love Leslie.'" Reports are that he was pulled out alive, but his condition is unknown. All victims of one man's hopelessness.

I am reminded of a passage of hope for those who believe in God and who trust Him to provide help in hopeless situations, whether it be a temptation to do something "crazy" or an overwhelming problem for which there seems to be no way out: "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it." (I Corinthians 10:13)

Everybody feels a sense of hopelessness sometimes and in various parts of life. Frankly, I have struggled with that myself lately (though nowhere close to what this man obviously felt, but simply about an area in my life that I've felt will never change). Temptations to do things "crazy" can enter the mind so quickly, and for me, I'm thankful I'm not alone. I'm thankful that I KNOW there is a God who is working in my life to provide for me what I am unable to provide for myself. I am thankful for a sense of peace in situations where there should be none; a sense of purpose when I feel as though there is none; a genuine desire to go on when all seems lost; a hope and certainty in the unseen God, knowing with as much certainty and confidence that He is as real as the unseen force of gravity of which I feel it's pull and power--feeling His presence as I feel the unseen (and freezing) wind blowing and causing things to move. I am thankful that He is the "Unmoved mover" and I pray His presence will be felt by all of those who have been affected by this tragic story, including Juan Manuel Alvarez.

Labels: David C. Price

Wednesday, January 26, 2005

Passion for the Oscars? Nope.

Is it really possible for one of the highest grossing films of all time to get completely snubbed by Oscar? Titanic?

Spiderman? Lord of the Rings? Nope, they were all high grossing films that recieved Oscar nods in multiple categories. The film that grossed $370 million dollars at the box office but was completely overlooked in all categories by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is, of course, The Passion of the Christ. Surprised? Not really. Disappointed? A little...not because of what it does to the movie or the producers or any other person who had a stake in the making of the film. The film did just fine, thank you very much, as did those who have a bank account to which a little deposit was made from the proceeds. Gibson certainly deserved consideration as best director, but he's certainly been recognized for his expertise with his craft. I'm disappointed because it was an incredibly well-made film that deserved recognition on its own merits that should not have been discounted because of it's content; disappointed because it highlights the disdain that Hollywood has for the message of Christ and couldn't care less how many people think otherwise.

Was the movie too controversial for the Oscars? Please. Hollywood loves controversy. What they don't like is anything that puts Christianity in a positive light. Think about it. The Last Temptation of Christ? They were all over it. That movie from 1988 degraded Christ, caused a ton of controversy and backlash, but Hollywood ate it up and gave Scorsese a nomination for Best Director.

The Passion scored where it counts...with the people (not only financially, but it did win the People's Choice award for Best Drama). To be sure, not all Americans agree with my views on the subject, which is fine, but this certainly demonstrates the disconnect between Hollywood and a very large portion of the country.

I came across an article written by a guy named Phil Boatright that I think sums up the heart of the matter:

Was the disdain [from entertainment writers] aimed at the film or the filmmaker? Perhaps not, because Tinseltown is not a community that often slights a product or one of their own who manages to bring in $370 million.

Rather, this might suggest that the belittling was in response to something else. Perhaps, as many have suggested, it was spiritual blindness or rebellious pride harbored against not the artistry of Mel Gibson, but the Savior of the world. After all, to acknowledge Gibson’s Passion is to admit that there is validity to the greatest story ever told.

And validity for the message of Christ is something Hollywood can never afford to admit.

--------------------
1/26/05 Correction: I was mistaken in saying that The Passion was snubbed in all categories. It did receive nominations for original score, cinematography and makeup. My apologies.

Labels: David C. Price

Tuesday, January 25, 2005

Rolling Stone accepts ad for new Bible

HoustonChronicle.com - Rolling Stone accepts ad for new Bible

Sounds to me like Rolling Stone is back-peddling on a bad PR move after some public outcry. Whatever works.

HT: Powerline

Labels: David C. Price

I'm the King of the World: Ethics in action from a humanistic perspective

On January 16, 2005, Adriana Iliescu became the oldest woman to have a child. At 66, Ms. Iliescu gave birth to a three pound one ounce baby girl through IVF treatments using donated eggs and sperm and by way of caesarean section. I have long had concerns over IVF technologies under normal circumstances which I have written about to some degree on this blog, but this case raises the bar of concern over the mindset and worldview of those who believe that personal autonomy gives us the right and privilege to do whatever we wish to do whenever we want.

Besides the dangers to the woman herself, there are concerns over the well-being of the child, both physically as well as psychologically and developmentally, having a "mother" (again, this woman was only the carrier of the child to which she is in no way biologically related) as old as she is. As is often the case, the line from the movie, Juraissic Park is apprapoe: "Just because we can, should we?" The problem with many related to that question lies in the fact that there is no "should." To say that something "should" or "should not" be done presupposes a right or wrong, better or worse. Stated more simply, it presupposes an absolute, transcendant standard which is only possible if there is a Absolute Lawgiver or Source. Since many do not espouse the belief in an Absolute Law-giver, there is really no substantial reason or right to believe in anything more than opinion, pragmatism, and desire. If one chooses any of these three as a basis for their morality or guiding force, they are left with a view that can change with the wind; that can be shifted by public opinion. That, of course, is what is occurring here.

The view that people may do whatever they are capable of doing is becoming more and more widely accepted as moral and ethical standards shift with the autonomous will of the people. Funny thing is, many people are fine with this worldview until the majority decides to make a moral shift away from something that they disagree with. As is the case with the Groningen Protocol in the Netherlands, hospitals are moving into the area of making life and death decisions for terminally ill people which they call "mercy killings." One frightening aspect of this (among many!) is that they have determined that in some cases a committee can make the decision to carry out one of these "mercy killings" in spite of the family's wishes or protests to the contrary. Again, we see morality and ethics run amuck when there is no Absolute on which to base our standards.

Without a transcendent Creator, life has no intrinsic value, ethics are opinions, people are expendable, and hope is lost. We are left with piles of matter, accidentally formed out of substance of which no one can give account of its origin, in a world that somehow developed from chaotic nothingness into an amazingly intricate masterpiece without a master, which serves no purpose only to pass on into annihilation. Wow...what a great worldview that is. Where do I sign up?

Unfortunately, that is the worldview we see at work here. It is the worldview that is guiding much of our scientific advancements and forming the ethics from which our choices are made. Unless there is some major shift in thinking and understanding, I'm afraid we can only brace ourselves for more of the same. When people get the taste of power in their mouths, it too often leads to absolute corruption in the name of scientific advancement.

For more commentary on the Adriana Iliescu story, I encourage you to read Dr. Al Mohler's blog at Crosswalk.com.

Labels: David C. Price

Sunday, January 23, 2005

Yesssss!

Super Bowl bound!
AFC Champion New England Patriots 41
Pittsburgh Steelers 27

I'm truly amazed as I watch the New England Patriots play football. They are, quite simply, the quintessential football team. Several of the players like Tom Brady, Troy Brown, Corey Dillon, Deion Branch and others could be stars (even Adam Vinatieri, a kicker), but they are not. Much more importantly, they are a team...something that is demanded by Head Coach Bill Bilichick and embraced by the players. They really seem to relish the idea of being a "team of one," for lack of a better term. Reminds me of the "bunch of idiots" who are the Boston Red Sox. That is one of the things that makes me proud to be a fan of the Pats. This is a classy bunch of guys who deserve every good thing in football they get. The New England Patriots...a football dynasty.

Labels: David C. Price

Friday, January 21, 2005

Congrats to Dr. John Mark Reynolds

Philosopher John Mark Reynolds has picked up the first Warnie Award. UK blogger, Adrian Warnock, has begun recognizing blogs that offer promise and contribution to the blogging community (the evangelical community, in particular). If you have not done so yet, check out both of these gentlemen's blogs.

Labels: David C. Price

SpongeBob got issues

Perhaps you've heard all the hoopla in the last day or so over "SpongeBob Squarepants'" reported promotion of the gay agenda. If the reports are accurate, it goes much farther than the sponge, himself, and includes a whole host of popular cartoon characters.

In a new video to be distributed to 61,000 schools across the nation, homosexual activists are using popular children's TV characters such as SpongeBob SquarePants and Barney the dinosaur to surreptitiously indoctrinate young children into their lifestyle, a pro-family activist group charges.

Based on the 1970s hit song "We Are Family," the video will be distributed to public and private elementary schools nationwide March 11, along with lesson plans for teachers, points out the American Family Association.
The distribution, sponsored by FedEx, will coincide with the video's broadcast March 11 on Nickelodeon, PBS, and the Disney Channel in celebration of the proposed National We Are Family Day.

AFA researcher Ed Vitagliano sees the project as an "open door" to a secondary discussion of homosexuality, noting the the [sic] foundation has a "tolerance pledge" on its website that children and others are encouraged to sign, which includes sexual orientation.

Full Worldnet article.
"We are Family" website here.

Labels: David C. Price

The Latest

New evidence leads to renewed appeal in federal court for arrested Christians “Speech cannot be . . . punished or banned simply because it might offend a hostile mob.”- United States Supreme Court.

AFA Center for Law & Policy has filed a renewed motion for emergency relief in federal district court based on evidence from the preliminary hearing in the Philadelphia case involving four Christians facing up to 47 years in prison for evangelizing at a homosexual event.

Read the entire article.

Labels: David C. Price

Student Sues to End Summer Homework

Our sue-happy culture has gone one step further, this time indicating how the frivolous practices are being passed on to the next generation.

In this case, reported on Fox's website, a seventeen year-old student in Milwaukee, has sued a math teacher, three school administrators and the state's superintendent of public instruction for assigning summer homework.

According to seventeen year-old Peer Larson, summer homework caused him "a lot of undue stress both at home and at work," and though he admits it didn't completely ruin his summer, he claims he "just didn't have the energy or the time for it."

Now, perhaps one could have sympathy for poor Peer if he had taken this up with the school board or brought attention to it through other, more appropriate means. After all, I don't ever remember having homework over the summer, though some could argue that, in my case, it probably wouldn't have been a bad idea. Nevertheless, for us, summer was ours; a time for rest and fun between the rigors of our school life. A time to forget about school for a while and re-fuel.

In this case, however, I have no sympathy for old Peer. When your first option in dealing with a silly problem like this is the court-system, it is quickly filed under the "pathetic" column. It's incredibly pathetic because his father actually joins him in the suit. I can't imagine my father even considering taking part in something so frivolous and counter-productive to his son's education. It's not about whether or not this father is in favor of limiting his son's education, it's about what he is teaching him. In a society that is already full of junk lawsuits, the signs seem to be that the best (or worst) is yet to come.

The best thing the judge can do in this case is to swiftly dismiss this and laugh them out of the court. Hopefully (though I'm not holding my breath), others would get the message and think twice (or, please, at least once) about getting involved in this kind of absurdity.

Labels: David C. Price

Thursday, January 20, 2005

The Case for Judeo-Christian Values

Conservative talk-show host, Dennis Prager, has begun writing a series of articles laying out the case for Judeo-Christian values in American society. As attempts by some within our culture to further secularize America by removing as many reminders of the Christian base from which this country grew (Michael Newdow's attempt at removing prayer from todays inauguration is a good example), I commend them to you. In these articles, Dennis attempts to demonstrate the necessity of Judeo-Christian values in order to maintain an orderly society and that the founding of the country was done so based upon these values.

Regarding the idea of a historically Christian foundation of America, I should note that I do not claim that America is necessarily a "Christian" nation, though the majority of Americans claim to be so, nor do I assert that the founding fathers were all Christians...many were deists, though I believe all acknowledged the existence of God. However, I do claim that this country was founded upon Judeo-Christian values. I should make clear that I am not saying that there is no room within American society for those who think otherwise and disbelieve in the existence of God. I am simply agreeing with Dennis that we really do not want the results of a society based upon purely secular, atheistic principles.

As you read the articles, you will notice that part of Dennis' argument is based on the fact that rationality doesn't necessarily lead to right actions and a better society due to subjectivity apart from an objective lawgiver. In that argument, he is assuming rationality. I would go one step further and argue that the opposing view, naturalism, gives no basis for rational thought whatsoever. Philosophical naturalism (which basically claims humanity is a great cosmic accident) provides no grounds upon which to give account for rational thought. Even if one argues for rational thought based upon the fact that we do, in fact, act and think rationally (which has been one argument actually put forth), that is simply question-begging, starting from the assumption that naturalism is true, still lacking in warrant for why we are rational creatures. Certainly, we may think and act rationally, but how can we know that what we think and say is "right"? What is good? What is bad? How can we know anything? We're left with subjectivism and pragmatism, ultimately leading (if we're honest in our naturalistic worldview) to nihilism. As C.S. Lewis said, the moment we begin thinking about these things; the moment we begin "rationalizing," we are, in practice, disproving philosophical naturalism (he actually says we have "abandoned" naturalism).

I assume that more articles by Dennis will follow, so if you are interested, I encourage you to bookmark the site and check back regularly.

(Michael Medved is another Jewish American who argues strongly for Judeo-Christian values and for maintaining the prominent place that Christianity has in America.)

Labels: David C. Price

Wednesday, January 19, 2005

Is anyone surprised?

Regarding Condoleeza Rice's confirmation hearing:

Former presidential candidate John Kerry, D-Mass., and Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., were the only two votes against Rice.

Looks as though Kerry and Boxer have agreed to share Daschle's vacated post as Obstructionist-in-Chief.

Labels: David C. Price

Tuesday, January 18, 2005

Diving in

Tomorrow, my semester begins. I'm wondering how much blogging I will actually get to do with the load I'm going to be carrying. Philosophy of Religion Seminar, Apologetics in the local Church, Apologetics in Contemporary Ministry, and Philosophy Colloquium. Fourteen hours which is a pretty hefty load. My life for the next three months can be summed up in one word: "Reading." I have a ton of reading to do which, along with work, leaves little time for anything else. Nevertheless, my goal is to find a balance and drop a few comments or observations here pretty regularly.

Let's see...yep...time's up. Back to the books.

Labels: David C. Price

Monday, January 17, 2005

Speaking of WORMS. How pathetic. Read this...you may need it.

Reaffirmation of my belief in the total depravity of man:

A mass e-mail posing as a plea for aid to help the victims of last month's Asian tsunami disaster is actually a vehicle for spreading a computer virus, Web security firm Sophos said Monday.

The worm appears with the subject line: 'Tsunami donation! Please help!' and invites recipients to open an attachment called 'tsunami.exe' -- which, if opened, will forward the virus to other Internet users.

It could also initiate a denial-of-service attack against a German hacking Web Site, Sophos said, in which the site's server would be bombarded with messages, putting it out of action.

'Duping innocent users into believing that they may be helping the tsunami disaster aid efforts shows hackers stooping to a new low."

Watch your inbox. Sadly, one never knows.

Labels: David C. Price

Who ya gonna call? FOXBlocker!

Hard to believe, but this appears to be the real deal. Call now, operators are standing by.

FOXBlocker - Keep The Radical Right Out Your Home By Filtering Out FOX News!: "Send A Message To The Advertisers At FOX

Purchasing a FOX Blocker and telling the advertisers at FOX News why you did it will encourage advertisers spending their money somewhere else.

If we band together and tell the advertisers to shut the FOX up, we can help limit the scope, or at least the profitability of FOX News.

FOXBlocker is an innovative new product that filters out the FOX News network. Simply screw the filter into the back of your TV and never be exposed to right wing propaganda again (at least through FOX News). Using a proprietary technology, the FOXBlocker works to filter out FOX News from your cable lineup.

Protect yourself and your family, or send one to a misguided right wing friend.

Priced at JUST $8.95, the FOXBlocker is a wonderful way of telling the advertisers at FOX News that you are no longer interested in being exposed to right wing propaganda."

Heck, I've had something like that for years now...it's called REMOTE CONTROL!

HT: LGF

Labels: David C. Price

Kennedy says Iraq is 'Bush's Vietnam'

Boston.com / News / World / Middle East / Kennedy says Iraq is 'Bush's Vietnam'

I'm afraid that if at all possible,Edward M. Kennedy will do all he can to make certain that Iraq is George Bush's Vietnam. It would be too politically damaging for Iraq to be a success. That is not to say that I would accuse Kennedy or any other American of wanting to see the death and defeat of our troops. However, the far left, of which Kennedy is one of their poster children, needs Iraq to be a miserable failure in order to try and gain some lost ground in the next two years.

Kennedy has never minced words when discussing his feelings for Bush, raising the level of vitriol during the presidential elections in true Kennedy fashion. This time, Kennedy says that ''the policy is ridiculous. The policy is blunder after blunder." As has often been the case, there is plenty of criticism with no constructive plan laid out to replace it. Kennedy authoritatively asserts, ''We cannot continue the way that we are continuing," but offers no guidance on the way we should be going.

So, if Edward Kennedy were in charge (who's own candidacy never got off the ground because of his criminal actions during his own scandal--he lost his chance at Commander-in-Chief after the incident at Chappaquiddick), what would be different? Where would Saddam Hussein be? Where would the terrorists be? What would be the condition of the United States and would there have already been additional attacks in our country? Of course, answering any of these questions would be nothing more than speculative, and I will not venture to do so. Frankly, I'm not sure anyone knows what Kennedy would do if he were in charge. It's apparently not his job to help find solutions...poor guy always seems to end up playing "bad cop." (or is that bad senator?) Either way, he seems to be doing something he really enjoys.

Labels: David C. Price

Sunday, January 16, 2005

Poor Peyton...Denied Again!

Can we all just please shut up about Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts now?
New England 20
Indianapolis 3

I love the caption on espn for this picture:
"Peyton Manning strikes a familiar pose in Foxboro."
(Peyton: still winless at Foxborough)

The New England Patriots, in spite of never being able to gain the respect they deserve, continue their streak with twenty straight wins at home and advancing to the AFC Championship against the
Pittsburgh Steelers.

Labels: David C. Price

Saturday, January 15, 2005

¨Moore Gets No Love From Old High School¨

My Way News:

"Oscar on the shelf or not, Michael Moore is not getting much respect at his old high school. Despite his fame and many honors, the filmmaker has been rejected all four times that he has been nominated for Davison High School's Hall of Fame.

'Would you want him as a role model? Would you want your son or daughter to be like him?' asked Don Hammond, a member of the Hall of Fame selection committee. 'I haven't talked to anybody yet who's for him. The word to describe Michael Moore is embarrassing. He embarrasses everybody.'"

I don´t know this Don guy...but I think I like him.

Labels: David C. Price

Anti-Bush Bracelets Say, 'Count Me Blue'

Yahoo! News - Anti-Bush Bracelets Say, 'Count Me Blue'

Oh, give me a flipping break.

After spending 10 days in London with friends who were outspoken about their disdain for President Bush's policies, Berns Rothchild came home wishing she had a way to show the world she didn't vote for him.

"I sort of felt ashamed, and didn't really want to be associated with being an American," said Rothchild, who lives in New York City and voted for John Kerry (news - web sites).

Her mother had a suggestion: bracelets, inspired by the Lance Armstrong Foundation's popular "LIVESTRONG" bands, that would signal opposition to Bush.

Thousands of miles away, two women in Idaho had the same idea. So did a woman in Kansas. The result? At least three separate bracelet ventures targeting left-leaning citizens who want to wear their political affiliation on their wrists — and at least one competitor bearing the opposite message.

Sort of reminds me of the Scarlet Letter.

Labels: David C. Price

Friday, January 14, 2005

I tell you what, let's just go ahead and dump the 1st Amendment

So, is it called the First Amendment because it's the first one that's going to be cut from the Bill of Rights? Well, here's yet another example of a double-standard...and what a doozey this is:

Florida’s Indian River Community College (IRCC) is engaging in a campaign of repression against a Christian student group for attempting to show Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" on campus. The college banned the Christian Student Fellowship from showing the film despite the fact that the college has hosted a live performance entitled "F**king for Jesus" that describes simulated sex with "the risen Christ." When the group complained to the college president, administrators pulled group leaders out of class and demanded an apology.

Daddy Day

My son is now four years old. I still can't believe it. Of course, as busy as I am with doctoral work, the time seems to go by that much faster. Today I have the opportunity to spend the entire day with him while my wife takes a much needed hiatus to meet up with a friend a couple of hours south to play "catch up."

I know these opportunities are fleeting and I get so caught up with "life" that I forget about the most important things in my life. Today is a day to try and remember; to try and refocus on one of the most important things in my life. God entrusts us with little treasures that remain little for such a short time that we must grab onto them and make the most of it. What will we do? I have no idea, but that is unimportant to me. We'll probably do whatever he wants to do today. Funny, as I reflect on this post, I sound like a divorced father who gets his son once or twice a month. Sad really. I have a good friend who is in that situation and he seems to appreciate the time with his son so much more than I do. I'm sure it's because I'm with mine all the time and take it so much for granted. Shame on me.

So, my goal is to change the

attitudes. My desire is to reflect on the precious gift of my son today and thank God for blessing me with a healthy, ACTIVE, and kind little boy who, for some reason, loves me all his heart. I don't want to be the proverbial "50s Father." You know, physically present but emotionally absent. I want to be the kind of man that that little boy wants to grow up to be like the way I did as a little boy...and still do. I know that doesn't happen by accident. It's hard work...24/7.

Ok, enough...time's a wasting. My son is calling.

Labels: David C. Price

Thursday, January 13, 2005

Ok, enough already...drop the charges

Excuse me for harping on this story, but it seems somebody needs to. The fact that the case of the Philadelphia 5 has not been dropped already is pretty absurd, in my opinion. Every day that passes demonstrates a lack of a case on the part of the Outfest organizers.

It is clear now that the event in question was completely open to the public with no areas even cordoned off for the event, itself. Without so much as a permit to hold a "private" event in which only those invited or allowed within the parameters (which there were none) could participate, I don't see how this could be anything other than a case of misplaced justice. After all, it was the so-called "Pink Angels" who were causing an obstruction at a public event. Yet the Christian group gets charged with, among other things, "possession of instruments of crime": a bullhorn! Now they face up to 47 years in prison.

It appears that even an advisor for the group recognizes the illegitimacy of the case. A recent post on the Life & Liberty website outlines Outfest organizers intentions prior to the event and the lack of merits of the case:

according to an article in the Philadelphia Gay News days before the street festival, homosexual organizers were planning to block Christians from access to the event.
Chuck Volz, senior adviser to Philly Pride Presents, told the publication the Pink Angels security force would carry large signs alongside the Christians to surround them and block their access to OutFest participants.

"We'll have a pink wall around them," he said. "Hopefully, they will be so frustrated they won't come again. Talking to a piece of Styrofoam is not the same as talking to a crowd of people."

Volz also made clear that "diversity" was not the goal of the street festival.

"It's our event, and we're not going to permit vendors or community groups that conflict with the theme of the event," he said. He said welcoming Christians to the street festival would be analogous to a black event welcoming white supremacists.

Police said they would have cordoned off the permitted area for OutFest, preventing protesters from attending, had event organizers obtained an injunction from a judge. But OutFest organizers did not get an injunction.

Dan Anders, an attorney for Philly Pride Presents, said: "Our position is that they are not welcome to attend, they haven't been invited to attend, and we would rather that they protest the event from outside the permitted area."

Volz admitted in the report that OutFest organizers didn't have a leg to stand on in keeping out people exercising their First Amendment rights in a public venue.

Fortunately for Mr. Volz and his organization, not having a leg to stand on doesn't seem to matter. What is right, legally or otherwise, is beside the point in Philadelphia.

Previous posts on the subject:
"Unprecedented abuse of power silences Christian message"
Follow up on Philadelphia story
Following the story out of Philly
More on the "Philadelphia 5"

Labels: David C. Price

Wednesday, January 12, 2005

Rather says CBS can overcome

Veteran anchorman Dan Rather sent a memo to his CBS News colleagues Tuesday calling for ' renewed dedication to journalism of the highest quality.'

That's like Captain Edward John Smith renewing his dedication to seamanship of the highest quality.

Labels: David C. Price

Tuesday, January 11, 2005

Heart-felt Congratulations to Michael Moore

There is no way on God's green Earth that I would have ever spent even a nickel to see Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 911. As a matter of fact, this is one occasion in which I would have been serious in using the old cliche, "You couldn't pay me to see that movie." That's really true. I have no desire to see it (even out of morbid curiosity). Nevertheless, I want to congratulate Michael Moore for putting together a documentary that has exceeded the expectations as well as the successes of any previous documentary, and winning best picture in the People's Choice Awards.

To me, it is important to demonstrate to a large portion of the extreme left of the Democratic Party something that they seem incapable of being: gracious in defeat. You see, I would love to have seen just about any other movie take that prize, but it didn't. Oh sure, I could go off on a tangent and say that it was rigged; that there was no way that this movie cold have garnered enough votes without some sort of voting scandal or fraud. The fact is, it wouldn't change a thing. The movie would still be the "best picture" and the only result would be more negativity and bad feelings in an already bad environment.

However, for some reason, many Dems just can't accept the fact that the election is over and they didn't win. They absolutely cannot get over it and move on. They refuse to offer congratulations to the President on a successful campaign and accept him as the President of the United States. Instead, they feel they have to keep the Ohio-thing alive because Florida was clearly taken out of contention for them this time around. They disrupt the otherwise dignified and ceremonious counting of the electoral votes. They prefer to make plans for disrupting the Presidential Inauguration rather than joining in as Americans have throughout the past even in the face of defeat and celebrate one of the great events in our democracy: the swearing in of the President of the United States.

We've all been there. We all have felt the disappointment of our candidate not winning. That's part of it. I wasn't excited to see Bill Clinton's two inaugurations, but I watched them and took pride in the event because of what the event represented. I feel certain I would have watched the inauguration of Al Gore and John Kerry with great dissatisfaction of the results, but proud at the "peaceable transfer of power" that is a hallmark of the United States of America. Will this peaceful transfer of power continue? Had I been asked in years past I would have been absolutely certain. Now, I have reservations. I fear we are on a dangerous path towards some level of anarchy. The rule of law is less respected than it ever has been in the past and every democratic process seems to be brought into question with the results outrightly rejected as being somehow eschewed.

So, congratulations Mr. Moore. You worked your tail off in order to produce a movie that would unseat the current President of the United States. Though you failed miserably in that endeavor, you have won a much deserved glass statue for excelling in your craft of making documentaries. Obviously, you are very good at it and deserve the honor you receive. Hopefully, that is some consolation to you and to all of the Democrats that voted for it.

Labels: David C. Price

Monday, January 10, 2005

More on the "Philadelphia 5"

Apparently, there is a big problem within the Justice Department. Since the beginning of the story out of Philadelphia related to the 11 Christians arrested for demonstrating at the "Ouftest" event on Oct. 10 (5 facing felony charges), there have been reports that homosexual attorneys from the DOJ were taking part in the rally and actually advised the police "as witnesses" on how to go about making the arrests.

According to the Justice Department employee, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, a number of agency attorneys from Washington, D.C., attended the October "OutFest" event, and, he says, they therefore are not likely to take up the cause of the five criminally charged Christians who believe Philadelphia officials violated their civil rights.

So, at this point, it appears that there will be little help from the United States Department of Justice because of the participation of its attorneys. The DOJ employee stated, "Because of that participation, the source thought there would be a 'conflict' with the homosexual attorneys, saying they would not be too eager to help the Christians who protested at OutFest."

The facts surrounding this case seem to be the exact opposite of what the five Christians facing up to 47 years imprisonment are accused of. The "Pink Angels", who were seen obstructing the group from being seen or heard using large pink pieces of insulating material, seemed to be the ones motivated by hate for this group as you could hear the verbal taunts being hurled at them as the group leader spoke with police. The cheers and yelling when the group was hauled off to prison was hardly motivated out of "love" and "compassion."

I am emphasizing this case not because I am a "homophobe." I am not. What I am, however, is someone who believes there are incredible injustices going on here that must be stopped. There are five people here who are in danger of spending what amounts to the rest of their lives in prison for nothing more than peacefully exercising their Constitutional right to free speech. Exactly how many times a week do homosexual groups around this country picket, protest, or march somewhere without ever being cited for anything? Every single time there is a meeting of a group deemed "homophobic", there is a group of homosexuals as close as possible trying to disrupt what is going on. Should they be arrested? In my opinion, only if they are truly breaking the law. Most of the time, however, they are simply exercising their right to free speech which they should be allowed to do. My question is, why the double-standard? First, because of bad legislation. There is obviously a problem with Philly's "hate-crime" legislation when this kind of action is allowed. Secondly, It appears to be happening because the Department of Justice is being filled with homosexuals more concerned with their self-interests than the justice they are sworn to uphold.

In my opinion, every homosexual in America with any shred of decency should be as outraged as anybody. This is not, by and large, a homosexual problem, it's an American problem. It certainly does not put the "homosexual agenda" in any better light with the American public. Do I feel this way just because I'm a Bible-believing Christian? No. I would be just as outraged if a group of homosexuals was peacefully protesting and arrested and charged with similar crimes. This is an example of legislation gone nuts. Why isn't there more of a widespread outcry over this? Has the "culture war" really moved to this level? If so, it is certain to only get a lot uglier.

Brian Fahling, attorney for the "Philadelphia 5" stated, "It's clear that the facts don't matter … in Philadelphia, so there's going to have to be outside intervention from the Justice Department." It appears that if it's up to the DOJ, there may be little hope for the five.

Fahling said that at the preliminary hearing in December, the Philadelphia city prosecutor in the case, Charles Ehrlich, attacked the defendants as "hateful" and referred to preaching the Bible as "fighting words," a characterization, the law group says, with which Judge Meehan agreed.

Charges were dropped against six of the 11 Christians, apparently because they were not seen quoting Scripture on the videotape.

The ethnic intimidation charge stems from Pennsylvania's "hate crimes" law – to which the newest "victim" category of "sexual orientation" was recently added.

Fahling believes the only way the DOJ will get involved is if enough public pressure is applied to over-ride it's bias. Those who believe this case is a miscarriage of justice are encouraged to get involved by contacting Chief Albert Moskowitz in the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division at 202-514-4540, and Chief Shanetta Brown-Cutlar in Special Litigation at 202-514-6255.

Please see previous posts on the subject.

Labels: David C. Price

Saturday, January 08, 2005

Another option for contributing to Tsunami relief

Many links to various relief organizations have been posted on this and other blogs. Another option for some is the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. Because SBC churches contribute regularly to the administrative costs of the organization as well as for providing full-time support of all of its personnel around the world, the IMB is in a relatively unique position of being able to send 100% of all contributions directly to relief efforts. For those who may be interested in finding out more about this organization's efforts, you can watch a video here or visit the IMB website.

Labels: David C. Price

Following the story out of Philly

A visitor to espresso roast has posted a very helpful link for following the story I wrote about earlier this week regarding the Christians arrested at a rally in Philadelphia. The Life and Liberty Ministries has been following the case and updates regularly. If you are interested in seeing the video of the arrest and missed the post with that link, it is here. I will continue to post commentary here related to major developments.

Labels: David C. Price

Friday, January 07, 2005

Shocking satellite images

Click here to see 14 unbelievable before/after satellite images of some of the areas hit hardest by the tsunami.

hat tip: TexasBug

Labels: David C. Price

Mexico's New Comic Book

Just Great.

Mexican immigrants hoping to cross the Mexico-U.S. border can use an illustrated guide to help them break U.S. immigration laws and live in the United States illegally.

The 32-page booklet, free with popular comic books and advertised at bus stations and government offices south of the border, comes courtesy of the Mexican government.

Full story

Labels: David C. Price

Planned Parenthood: Planning for their own future?

According to LifeNews, "A new report by a consumer watchdog group confirms what many pro-life organizations have been saying for a long time: Planned Parenthood distributes condoms to teens and young adults knowing they will fail, leading to a pregnancy and allowing the abortion business to gain a new customer."

It's nearly impossible to believe that even a group like Planned Parenthood would stoop to such a low. However, the story cites as evidence a Consumer Reports study demonstrating the poor quality of the condoms. The article states, "Consumer Reports, in a study focusing on the effectiveness and quality of condoms, says Planned Parenthood offers the worst ones on the market." Full story here.

HT: World Magazine

Labels: David C. Price

who's next?

Oliver Stone is going to soon run out of people to blame for some of his whacky ideas. This time it's Christian "fundamentalism" (however he defines that) which is to blame for his current big screen train-wreck (Alexander). You know, homophobia and all. Or was it the war in Iraq (Bush has to be to blame somehow)? Oh, yeah...it's both. Ya know, at some point you just have to suck it up and take a good look in the mirror (that's seems to have been Colin Farrell's assessment: "It's not exactly Gladiator").

Perhaps his next movie will have something to do with the conspiracy against Stone, himself. I bet that would be a blockbuster.

...ok, maybe not.

Labels: David C. Price

Thursday, January 06, 2005

Follow up on Philadelphia story

Reference: "Unprecedented abuse of power silences Christian message"

Click here to watch the video of the actual incident involving the arrest of a group of Christians for singing and preaching on a Philly sidewalk during a homosexual event. A prosecutor for the city "referred to Scripture verses they read as 'fighting words.'"

Labels: David C. Price

Concerns over the "emergent church"

Adrian Warnock's UK Evangelical Blog: "Our understandings of the gospel constantly change" Brian McLaren

Any non-Christian readers of this blog may find this post especially uninteresting, but for those who are involved with the church, especially the "emergent church" movement, this should be of particular interest.

Regarding the movement in which many of us have been previously interested and/or involved to one degree or another, Adrian Warnock eloquently voices our concern about the direction the movement is going. In an honest attempt to move back to the heart of the Gospel and to differentiate between church tradition and biblical mandate, there is the fear that many proponents of the emergent church movement are coming close to (if they have not already done so) "throwing the baby out with the bathwater." It appears that the message of the Gospel is becoming very open to changing with the cultural times. What started out as an attempt to speak to and reach out to a postmodern culture is itself becoming postmodern in which Truth, including the Truth of Scripture, has become relative. (quick disclaimer: obviously, this does not apply to everyone who is involved with the movement)

Warnock points out a quote by Brian McLaren (if you're at all familiar with the movement, you know who I'm talking about) as an example of the dangerous grounds upon which this movement treads:

Our understandings of the gospel constantly change as we engage in mission in our complex dynamic world, as we discover that the gospel has a rich kalaidoscope [sic] of meaning to offer, yielding unexplored layers of depth, revealing uncounted facets of insight and relevance. No doubt as we look back and see ways in which our modern understandings of the gospel were limited or flawed.

Whereas I agree that we must make sure that our modern interpretations of the Scripture are correct, much of what I have read in many of the emergent church blogs and other materials has been a widespread abandonment of some of the bedrock principles of Scripture (and historical Christianity) that have been embraced since the first Century church. In so doing, most any lifestyle or action can be justified and embraced since "we're not exactly sure what Scripture meant by that" or "what Scripture teaches about that." In my opinion, that is a dangerous step to take. Read Adrian's commentary here.

Labels: David C. Price

"Unprecedented abuse of power silences Christian message"

A story I am following is the report that Christians have been arrested in Philadelphia and face up to 47 years imprisonment because of what amounts to the city's interpretation of "hate speech." The American Family Association has posted the following story on it's website:

Unprecedented abuse of power silences Christian message

For Immediate Release: 1/5/2005

Tupelo, MS - Appearing on Fox News The OReilly Factor last night, Brian Fahling, senior trial attorney for the American Family Association Center for Law & Policy, pointed to the profound abuse of power by the city of Philadelphia and emphasized that evangelism does not constitute criminal charges.
Eleven Christians were arrested at a homosexual event called Outfest in Philadelphia last October and were charged with three felonies and five misdemeanors. Four of the eleven now face up to 47 years in prison because they, and not the others, were caught on camera evangelizing.
This case is about the unprecedented abuse of power that took place in Philadelphia -- the Bible and evangelism criminalized as hate speech and four men facing prison because they dared to exercise rights guaranteed them under our Constitution, said Fahling who is defending the Christians. The city has attempted to silence a message it deems offensive by sending the messengers to jail. Thats frightening, thats chilling, and every American ought to be outraged, Fahling said.
The Christians were singing, praying, and reading scriptures that city officials deemed as fighting words and hate speech.
The video footage shows my clients were peacefully evangelizing, Fahling said. There was absolutely no crime committed. They were bringing the message of Jesus Christ to a public event as they do at a wide venue of other events.
Fahling said he plans to seek intervention from the Department of Justice.

There is a related story here. The implications of this can be far-reaching if the city is successful, since the city of Philadelphia is determining what constitutes free speech and what constitutes "hate" speech. Of course, in this situation, there was no such "hate" involved. Apparently, it is fine for groups like the KKK to march and promote bigotry all day long, but Christians are required to keep quiet because what they say amounts to hate speech. Someone once asked me on this blog how Christians are being persecuted. If this plays out, you'll see it in action.

If anyone has more information on this developing story, please feel free to post it here in the comments section. As I said, I'll be following the story and posting more as it develops.

Labels: David C. Price

Wednesday, January 05, 2005

World Magazine Blog: Boy indicted for "external" abortion

World Magazine Blog: Boy indicted for "external" abortion

Amazingly, a boy who hit his pregnant girlfriend in the stomach with a small baseball bat (at her request!) in order to end her pregnancy is being charged and could face up to 15 years in prison for killing the unborn child. However, the girl is not being charged with anything because she wanted the fetu-...baby (yeah, I said it, Baby) dead.

The contradictions and double-standards are growing more bizarre every day. Read the full post from World Magazine and also check out my previous post on the subject.

Labels: David C. Price

Schumacher steps to the plate.

Sports Roundup | Reuters.co.uk

Wow. think I'm a new Michael Schumacher fan.

HT: Michelle Malkin

Labels: David C. Price

Cal Thomas' take on God and the Tsunami

As a student of Christian apologetics and Worldviews, I'm very interested in how different people (theologians and non-theologians alike) try and make some sort of sense of this natural disaster. I have either read or listened to some "theologians" with a slight cock of my head sideways trying to understand where they got their views from (ever watched a dog trying to understand what your saying to him? "HmmMM? Bone? Did you say bone? I THINK you said 'bone."--wag, wag, wag---"Bone?"). But I think Cal Thomas (a "non-theological" columnist) has one of those perspectives worth considering. While he doesn't go into detail of dealing with the problem of evil in the world (natural or otherwise) as it relates to the existence of God, I think he offers a nugget of balance to the discussion. Check out the article here.

Labels: David C. Price

Richard Gere Speaks 'For Entire World' To Palestinians

That's a pretty hefty responsibility, isn't it? I hope he didn't use pdiddy's "vote or die" thing. Read the story here.

HT: Drudge

Labels: David C. Price

Tuesday, January 04, 2005

Waiting for Hollywood

The one million dollar contribution from Sandra Bullock for tsunami relief has been big news over the last several days as it should be. Regardless of the size of her bankroll, that's a large and generous donation that will do a lot of good in an area that is desperately in need of all they can get. It is in times like these when you really see the heart and soul of people.

What stands out to me is that Bullock, regardless of her personal political stance, is more action and less talk. Perhaps part of the reason is that instead of living the posh west coast lifestyle of a starlet, she has chosen to move back to Austin, Texas where real people live with down-to-earth values. This is not to say that there are none on the west coast who share these values, but the caliber of people I'm referring to tend to be rather disconnected from the real world.

Unfortunately, many of Ms. Bullock's Hollywood associates prefer talk over action. They are quick to criticize, aggrandize, and politicize, but are often rather slow in making a real difference with their pocket books when it counts. My criticism comes only because I believe most people in America are pretty sick of the political show-boating and selective morality they display when it suits them without showing any real consistency through their life-choices (so if you are a real fan of any of these folks...sorry).

So if I'm wrong, let's see it. Step up to the plate and make a difference. But don't just show us consistency by following up the rhetoric with cash, let's see it in how you live your life. Let's see it in your choices of values, in morals, and even your choice of projects. If we as Americans are going to support you in your movie projects, make us want to because you are a person of real values, not just talent.

In the meantime, I'm still waiting to read the reports of people like Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, Susan Sarandon, Barbara Streisand, Chevy Chase, et al. to start spreading their millions around as liberally as they spread their opinions. It very well may come (and I hope it does), but unless I've missed the reports, they sure are taking their sweet time.

Labels: David C. Price

aid for tsunami victims

Click here to read a letter from Ed Gillespie regarding the USA Freedom Corps which is providing assistance for the earthquake/tsunami victims. The Freedom Corps site provides links to the major relief organizations. Please give what you can.

Labels: David C. Price

Monday, January 03, 2005

victim

a victim of the tsunami. hard to comprehend.

from Foxnews.com

Labels: David C. Price

The Crisis in the Sudan

I will be honest with you (ashamedly so): I have paid little attention to the situation going on in the Darfur region of western Sudan. I have heard bits and pieces from Colin Powell and others, but other news events including the tsunami tragedy have certainly muted much of the African crisis.

The fact is, right now there are many different fronts of human suffering around the world and each calls for immediate response. If you, like me, have been out of the loop on the genocide in Darfur, I encourage you to read through the following article and follow the link to the Save Darfur website to see how you can become more involved.

Also, many questions continue to fly around regarding the meaning (if any) behind the increase in violence, natural tragedy, etc.. Why now and why so much all at once? For one Christian theologian's perspective, consider reading through the two-part series on Al Mohler's blog and also check out Evangelical Outpost's blog for another perspective.

Violence and Suffering in Sudan's Darfur
A preventable humanitarian crisis is raging in the Darfur region of western Sudan.

The emergency in Darfur presents the starkest challenge to the world since the Rwanda genocide in 1994. A government-backed Arab militia known as Janjaweed has been engaging in campaigns to displace and wipe out communities of African tribal farmers.

Villages have been razed, women and girls are systematically raped and branded, men and boys murdered, and food and water supplies targeted and destroyed. Government aerial bombardments support the Janjaweed by hurling explosives as well as barrels of nails, car chassis and old appliances from planes to crush people and property. Tens of thousands have died. Well over a million people have been driven from their homes and humanitarian agencies have only limited access to the affected region.

John Prendergast of International Crisis Group warns, "We have not yet hit the apex of the crisis."

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) estimates that 350,000 people or more could die in the coming months. Ongoing assessments by independent organizations such as Medecins sans Frontieres (Doctors without Borders) suggest that USAID’s estimate may be conservative. If aid is denied or unavailable, as many as a million people could perish.

Lives are hanging in the balance on a massive scale.

Labels: David C. Price

Tsunami devastation. Hat Tip: Powerline

Labels: David C. Price

What a Guy!

You just have to love Sean Penn. Why? I have no idea, but such an astute and thoughtful man deserves admiration for something. In a recent interview with the AP, Penn gave some of his thoughts on President Bush and our current governmental leadership:

AP: Has corruption in government grown worse since Nixon?

Penn: No question about it. The arrogance with which it's played out. I think you'd have a very difficult time Watergating George Bush. The spin and the manipulation of media, the distraction of planned emergencies, is on a whole new level. And there's a kind of general lack of diversity of principle within the Congress. So I think when you can get something like the Patriot Act passed, it would be kind of like child's play to pull off a Watergate ...

AP: What did you think of Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11"?

Penn: All of that footage — how long was it, seven plus minutes (when Bush sat in the classroom)? ... That's who George Bush is. I think it speaks very specifically to something that not everybody has. Forget politics, forget Republican, right, left. But it speaks to his unfitness to lead anything.

Wow, unfitness to lead anything, huh? Of course, Penn is infinitely qualified to make such an assessment. After all, he won an Academy Award and looks to Michael Moore as his fact-finder (Golly-gee, Wally...all that footage! I know George Bush personally and that's who he is). Not to say he has no right to such opinions. He clearly does, regardless of how foolish they are. However, the kicker for me in regards to his ineptitude is his comparison of an incident in 1974 with the terrorist attacks of 9/11.

In a new movie called The Assassination of Richard Nixon, Penn stars as Samuel Byck, a man who "blamed his shortcomings on societal corruption and attempted to kill President Nixon by hijacking a plane to crash it into the White House."

Penn explained that "the dismay Byck felt over revelations of government deceit as Watergate unfolded is relevant today amid allegations that President Bush misled Americans by fanning fears of future terrorism to gain support for the Iraq war."

Exactly how is it relevant, Mr. Penn? Besides the fact that one man's attempt to crash a plane into the White House has nothing to do with terrorists crashing jetliners into three buildings, killing thousands of innocent people, Penn seems to be justifying the actions of Byck and, presumedly, anyone else who might take such extreme actions in response to their dismay over the scandalous actions of President Bush. Clearly, with Penn's anti-Bush views, he could hardly blame someone's "short-comings" like attempting to kill the President of the United States when there is so much corruption...I mean, Bush just begs to be taken out by some poor, innocent citizen who only wants to do what is right, but can't help himself in light of such an evil regime.

OK, maybe I'm off-base here with Mr. Penn...after all, I did say you have to admire him for something, didn't I? I thought he was great in Dead Man Walking. But in addition to all this it seems absurd that, despite the feelings one may have about this particular president, anyone could be accused of "fanning fears of future terrorism to gain support for the Iraq war"? When buildings came crashing down, killing over 3,000 people, exactly how much more could fears of future terrorism be "fanned"? How much more did we need to be convinced in order to realize that there were bad people who wanted to do us great harm, not the least of which was Saddam Hussein? At what point does assessing a dangerous situation and calling a spade a spade become prudent? Apparently, for some, never. For pacifists like Sean Penn, it's more important to fan the fears that we're being led by an incompetent man who is "unfit to lead anything" than to entertain the idea that peace at all costs is not really peace at all.

Labels: David C. Price

News

Relief Organizations

Glenn Reynolds Says

Proud Member of the Alliance of Free Blogs

BLOG AGGREGATORS

League of Reformed Bloggers

Monday, January 31, 2005

You've got to be kidding!

Slideshow: The Iraqi Elections

Victims no more

Sunday, January 30, 2005

Pretty funny

President Congratulates Iraq

The Iraqi Vote

Saturday, January 29, 2005

Call for freedom

Friday, January 28, 2005

Thursday, January 27, 2005

Wednesday, January 26, 2005

Passion for the Oscars? Nope.

Tuesday, January 25, 2005

I'm the King of the World: Ethics in action from a humanistic perspective

Sunday, January 23, 2005

Yesssss!

Friday, January 21, 2005

Congrats to Dr. John Mark Reynolds

SpongeBob got issues

The Latest

Thursday, January 20, 2005

The Case for Judeo-Christian Values

Wednesday, January 19, 2005

Is anyone surprised?

Tuesday, January 18, 2005

Diving in

Monday, January 17, 2005

Sunday, January 16, 2005

Poor Peyton...Denied Again!

Saturday, January 15, 2005

Friday, January 14, 2005

I tell you what, let's just go ahead and dump the 1st Amendment

Daddy Day

Thursday, January 13, 2005

Ok, enough already...drop the charges

Wednesday, January 12, 2005

Tuesday, January 11, 2005

Heart-felt Congratulations to Michael Moore

Monday, January 10, 2005

More on the "Philadelphia 5"

Saturday, January 08, 2005

Another option for contributing to Tsunami relief

Following the story out of Philly

Friday, January 07, 2005

Shocking satellite images

Mexico's New Comic Book

Planned Parenthood: Planning for their own future?

who's next?

Thursday, January 06, 2005

Follow up on Philadelphia story

"Unprecedented abuse of power silences Christian message"

Wednesday, January 05, 2005

Cal Thomas' take on God and the Tsunami

Richard Gere Speaks 'For Entire World' To Palestinians

Tuesday, January 04, 2005

Waiting for Hollywood

aid for tsunami victims

Monday, January 03, 2005

victim

The Crisis in the Sudan

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