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Sunday, February 26, 2006

Unplanned Trip South

Please pray for my mother who will be undergoing surgery tomorrow morning (Monday) at 7:00 Eastern time. She has been suffering for some time with severe hip problems and will have a cyst removed from near the lower spine. As she is in her early 70s, there are always risks, but especially due to the fact they will be operating so near her spine.

Yesterday, we travelled to Mississippi to be here for the surgery and to help with the recovery for a few days. Blogging may be lighter than usual, but I will plan on at least posting an update on the procedure as soon as I can tomorrow. Thanks.

UPDATE [02-27-06]: Surgery went well...she's doing great so far. Thanks so much for your prayers. Please continue to pray for her recovery.

Labels: David C. Price

Farewell Barney

One of the best all-time comedic actors as well as one of my favorites, Don Knotts, has died at 81. There is simply no one, in my opinion, who compares to Barney Fife from the "Andy Griffith Show."

Knotts died Friday night of pulmonary and respiratory complications at the University of California, Los Angeles Medical Center, said Sherwin Bash, his friend and manager.
Griffith, who had visited Knotts in the hospital before his death, said his longtime friend had a brilliant comedic mind and wrote some of the show's best scenes. "Don was a small man ... but everything else about him was large: his mind, his expressions,"
Griffith told The Associated Press on Saturday. "Don was special. There's nobody like him. "I loved him very much," Griffith added. "We had a long and wonderful life together."

Didn't we all. Farewell, Mr. Knotts.

story here.

Labels: David C. Price

Friday, February 24, 2006

South Dakota House Approves Abortion Ban Bill

"PIERRE, S.D. — State lawmakers voted Friday to ban nearly all abortions in South Dakota and sent the measure to the governor, who said he is inclined to sign it."

Labels: David C. Price

Thursday, February 23, 2006

Free Books!

Interested in some free books? Check out Scott Lamb's Wisdom of the Pages...quickly or they'll be gone before you know it.

Labels: David C. Price

Thirty Best Short Film Reviews From Nehring

If you haven't checked out the blogs in my blogroll, you've got to check out Nehring the Edge. This is a blog of film reviews which I have found very funny and almost always right on the mark (in my humble opinion). Anyway, Nehring has compiled his thirty best short reviews and they are absolutely hilarious. I laughed, I cried, I wet my pants (did I say that out loud?).

Check it out here.

Labels: David C. Price

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Dead Man Walking: A Little Story of Sin and Redemption at the Price House

Yesterday my wife discovered a nice, big circle on our dining room table. Actually it was more of a big "e". In ink. Black ink. Permanant black ink.

Assuming the somewhat obvious, she told my little five-year-old boy to come to her. "Did you do this?" "No, ma'am...not me." Inquiring further, she asked if he was telling the truth, to which he replied, "Yes, ma'am, that's not me. I didn't do it."

Overhearing what was going on, I walked into the kitchen and asked my son the same question. He looked me square in the eye and said, "No sir, I didn't do it." At that point, I looked him in the eye and said, "I believe you. I know you wouldn't lie to me and if you say you didn't do it, I believe you." I must admit my own sin in that I really didn't believe him, but chose to give him the benefit of the doubt, thereby giving him the opportunity to do the right thing. I walked out of the room.

Within about three minutes he walked up to me with a deep sadness on his face and grabbed me around the legs. "What's wrong, Jacob?" "I just want to blidjiseb..." "What did you say? I couldn't understand you." "I lied, Daddy. I did do it."

I picked up my little boy and gently sat him down on the coffee table in front of me. I asked him why he had lied and he told me because he was scared when he knew his sins were found out. I then did what I don't often do: I asked him what he thought should happen now. He said he didn't know, so I asked if there should be some kind of punishment. He agreed that doing wrong has consequences. What those consequences should be, he didn't know.

I had the opportunity to talk with my son about sin and how doing bad things enslaves us, bringing on guilt. I told him that when we do bad things, there must be payment for that sin and how God provided a way for us to avoid the punishment for our sins and how, because Jesus took our place, we don't have to live under the guilt of that sin. I asked Jacob if he confessed to his lie because he felt guilty. He, of course, said yes. He knew what he had done was wrong. I told him that it is because we know inside us that sin requires a payment and how, here on earth, we can recieve forgiveness for our sins in heaven, even though there may be consequences of it we must endure.

So, anyway, I told him how proud I was that he had confessed to his lie, that the lie hurts me much more than the drawing on the table, and that my love for him was unconditional. Finally, we agreed that there should be consequences to his damaging the table. What would it be? No dessert after dinner, no "Cyber-chase" (his favorite t.v. show) tomorrow, fifteen minutes in his room alone, or one swat on the bottom? After being assured that it would not be a real hard spanking, he chose the latter (mainly because it would be over the quickest. Smart kid.)

I have to tell you, I have never been prouder of my little boy in the way he handled himself. As we walked down the hall, he asked me if it would be in my room or his, and he climbed up and laid across my lap. I felt like it was a scene out of Dead Man Walking. I almost couldn't do it though I knew that in this case, it was so important that he learn the complete lesson regarding the consequences of doing wrong. It really did hurt me so much more than it did him (especially when he sat back up and said, "Hey, that didn't hurt." I wondered if I should have given him another).

After giving him a huge hug, I asked him how he felt. He said he felt better. There is no feeling in the world like experiencing forgiveness and having a relationship restored. It was important that I made clear that the spanking was the consequence for his sin, but it could not be the payment. When we do bad things like lying, we are sinning against a perfect and Holy God and no amount of spankings can make that right or restore that relationship. It is infinitely more serious than that. That's why Jesus did what we could not do. However, the Bible says that "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)

About that time, Mommy walked in the room and he had the opportunity to ask her forgiveness to which, of course, she responded with a big hug and an assurance of her love and forgiveness towards him. It was a great illustration of God's unconditional love for us and His willingness to forgive us when we ask Him.

Deep down, we all know there is right and wrong and that the things we do wrong must be paid for. We try and "make it right" in all sorts of ways: treating people fairly, giving time to humanitarian efforts, giving money to worthy causes, trying to "be a good person." Those who have tried, though, know that nothing really makes it right. When we're laying in our beds at night, the guilt of our lives begins to creep in. We know we're unworthy and we wonder what's going to happen to us; we know there must be more. We know that somewhere, somehow, there will be payment for the things we've done wrong. My son knows there is more and I am thankful to God for the love, forgiveness, and the complete removal of that nagging, stomach-churning guilt. I remember what it feels like, but I experience it no more.

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:1-6)

Labels: David C. Price

Tuesday, February 21, 2006

A Supreme Decision Today: The Court Looks at Partial-Birth Abortion

The newly re-formed Supreme Court is set to hear the first major case related to abortion today. The case deals with the highly controversial procedure popularly known as partial-birth abortion.

Whatever one's overall view of abortion, it seems difficult to see how this particular procedure can be considered acceptable by anyone. Nevertheless, there are many who seem to fail to draw the line anywhere regarding the level of brutality committed against infants.

This is considered something of a test-case by many in determining the nature of how this court will operate. Of course, regardless of the outcome, there will be many (especially the MSM) who will pass judgment on the Court based on one decision.

For previous comment on the procedure in question, read this E.R. post.

Labels: David C. Price

Monday, February 20, 2006

Christians Become Target of Islamofascist Rioters

"Rioting in Nigeria left at least 16 people dead, as police moved to disperse demonstrators caught up in the unabated furore over the publication of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, witnesses and police said.

The protesters in the northern city of Maiduguri turned on the Christian minority, burning churches and shops" [More]

Labels: David C. Price

Friday, February 17, 2006

Watching America: What The World Is Really Saying About Us

Ever wonder what the world is really saying about the United States? Now you can read it for yourself. A new service called Watching America has launched with the daunting task of taking international news reports about America from around the world, translating them, and compiling them into a single news source.

Co-creator Robin Koerner explains that the purpose of Watching America is "to enable Americans (and all English speakers) to read what is being written about them and their country throughout the world."

Since news is sometimes conveyed through partisan filters, Watching America is a welcome news resource. Robin claims that Watching America attempts to bypass those filters, allowing Americans to read it and interpret it for themselves:

Much of our content is available nowhere else in English. Our attempt to break down the final barrier to understanding – the language barrier – has attracted the attention of mainstream media (such as USA Today, dozens of other US papers, BBC, and various talk radio stations), since we launched about a year ago. We are generally considered now an A-list media site, mentioned and listed along with the NYT, BBC, CNN etc. What is put out in other countries in English for Western consumption often differs markedly from what is being written in the native languages. Accordingly, Watching America offers a unique window into world opinion. We have no political agenda or position.

Check out Watching America for yourself. Robin tells me that the creators of Watching America follow Espresso Roast so if you like what you see, leave a comment for them here. For future access, you can use the link under the news section.

Labels: David C. Price

Thursday, February 16, 2006

ID and Neo-Darwinism: Philosophy, Science, Or Both?

Father Jonathan Morris' has a blog post on Intelligent Design this morning which I think is helpful in framing the issues involved with understanding the relationship of ID, Neo-Darwinism, and the scientific method. His claim is that both Neo-Darwinism and ID should both be viewed as philosophy rather than science. I made similar points in a post called Darwin the Philosopher:

I am amused when Darwinists make the claim that Intelligent Design is not science because it cannot be proven, especially when Darwinism is based on philosophical naturalism rather than on real, empirical evidence. In spite of the fact that so much of what has been promoted as evidence for Darwinism has been publically debunked, they continue to recite the same old arguments. OK, boys and girls, one more time together: Darwinism is not science, it is philosophy...stop trying to pawn it off as something that it is not.

The only difference is that Fr Morris completely divides ID theory and modern science, calling one philosophy and the other science. I simply call ID and Neo-Darwinism philosophy of science (which is what they are). One cannot strictly divide science and philosophy, as Morris proposes by "sending it down the hall", due to the fact that once one has followed the evidence where it leads, there must then be hypotheses developed or proposed to explain that data. That's what Darwinism is and that's what ID is.

To say ID is strict science is incorrect, just as it is to say that Neo-Darwinism is strict science. It, too, is philosophy of science, but again, it is part of the scientific process. I've included a pretty lengthy excerpt from Morris' post, but there is more good points made, so I encourage you to check it out in its entirety.

"Let’s agree on what we mean by modern science and what we mean by intelligent design. Unlike thinkers of ages past, who intertwined gracefully some elements of philosophy with the natural sciences, today we prefer — for reasons of method — to separate one from the other. In these categories, the competence of modern science accepts only what we can observe and measure (empirical evidence). Questions like, “What’s the essence of it?” and “What’s it for?” are sent down the hall to the philosophy department. And that’s fair.

Intelligent design theory asks just that type of “down the hall” question. Its proponents claim that a good scientist can’t look at the complexity of the human eye without asking himself, “How did that happen?,” and responding with the answer, “I don’t know, but I do know that it didn’t just happen; there must be intelligence behind that design.” The affirmation is quite logical, but the evidence would be philosophical, not empirical, and for that reason it belongs down the hall.

You would think this reasonable principle would be valid for everyone. Not so. Judge Jones wrote that ID was “a religious alternative masquerading as a scientific theory.” An alternative to what? Ask your children or grandchildren what they are taught in their public school about the origin of human beings. They may say “evolution,” but it’s more than that. They are being taught a very unscientific theory called Neo-Darwinism, the belief that there is NO purpose or intelligence behind life forms, that it’s all random. Where’s the empirical evidence for that? As a matter of fact, it’s impossible to prove, either scientifically or otherwise. It too should go down the hall.

'Father, are you saying that evolution is not true?' Nope. I’m saying that mainstream, atheistic, Neo-Darwinism is bad science because it isn’t science."

Perhaps a proper categorization would not completely end the debates, but it would at least re-frame them so that there could be a consideration of the two on their merits as describing and defining the data that has been discovered. At the very least, the claims that one or the other is not real science could be eliminated, paving the way to allowing both philosophies of science to be considered in the classroom. That may never happen, though, since putting them toe-to-toe is the last thing a Neo-Darwinist ever wants to see happen.

Labels: David C. Price

Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Willie Nelson Goes 'Brokeback'

"Country music star Willie Nelson has released a tune about gay cowboy romance for Valentine's Day.

Nelson said the release, Cowboys Are Secretly, Frequently (Fond of Each Other), was timed to coincide with Oscar hopeful Brokeback Mountain.

The song, originally written in 1981, was played for the first time on Howard Stern's radio show on Tuesday.

'The song's been in the closet for 20 years. The timing's right for it to come out,' said Nelson.

'Special meaning'

'I'm just opening the door,' added the performer, who recorded the track at his home in Texas last year."

[Story here. HT: Pearcey Report]

Labels: David C. Price

Espresso Shots [02-15-06]

The Chaplaincy Has Been "Fixed"

An army chaplain has been "silenced" after openly criticizing a superior for exercising intolerance towards Christian expressions. Capt. Jonathan Stertzbach has reportedly been suspended from preaching after accusing his superior of only allowing non-sectarian prayers. Rep. Walter B. Jones of North Carolina has begun an investigation into the silencing in order to determine whether or not Captain Stertzbach was removed illegally. [story here]

Hiding Bombs

Peter Glover has posted a story in which a former general for Saddam Hussein claims Iraq's WMDs were transported over into Syria before the invasion began. Peter points out the fact that both the U.S. and British MSM have been silent on the issue:

A second former general and friend of Saddam Hussein has confirmed that Saddam moved his stock of WMDs to Syria prior to the US-led invasion - and that Sadaam's Iraq did support al-Qaeda with intelligence. Ali Ibrahim al-Tikriti (known as Chemical Ali', southern regional commander for Sadaam's Fedayeen), speaking to Worldthreats.com has confirmed that the White Houses' reasons for going to war, including the claims over Sadaam's WMD, were entirely valid.

[Read Peter's full post here]

Alabama Burning

Ten Baptist churches have now been torched in Alabama over the last couple of weeks. As these congregations struggle to reorganize and recover, there is a way you can help. John Martin of Martin's Musings has posted information and contacts of how to get involved in the recovery. If you are interested in lending support, check out John's post here.

A Fowl Conspiracy

By the way, John has some interesting quotes on Hillary Clinton's views of the recent shooting accident by veep Dick Cheney. Here's one: Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton thinks White House delays in disclosing Dick Cheney's shotgun mishap are evidence of a vast West Wing conspiracy to stonewall journalists and voter Clinton told reporters Tuesday that the nearly 24-hour lag proved the White House has a "disturbing" tendency to "withhold information" no matter what the issue.

"I don't think that one incident alone tells a story, but put it all together, going back years, there's a pattern and it's a pattern that should be troubling," Clinton said during a Capitol Hill news conference criticizing the administration's handling of Hurricane Katrina.

"I don't care if you're a conservative, a liberal, a Democrat, a Republican, an Independent -- the refusal of this administration to level with the American people in matters large and small is very disturbing because it goes counter to the way our constitutional democracy ... is supposed to work," she added...
No surprise that she thinks it's a vast, right-wing conspiracy. She thinks everything is a vast-right-wing conspiracy. Closely following this news quote, however, is one demonstrating a bit of a delay of information of her own. Vast, left-field conspiracy? Read it here.

Cartoon Carnage

I have refrained from commenting to this point on the ungodly riots begun by that "great religion of peace," Islam. Frankly, these people continue to discredit themselves as they use a silly cartoon as an excuse to carry out their ultimate mandate: elimination of the infidel (defined as all who are not Muslim). Therefore, I have felt no inclination to speak of them. It is sad, though, when a report has come out that an eight-year-old little boy is the latest victim of these insane actions. I believe we are seeing what happens when adherents take their religion seriously and live it out honestly.

Labels: David C. Price

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

A Question of Love

Well, guys and gals, It's Valentine's Day once again. On this special time of year when women focus on love and men focus on basketball, I have a bit of a philosophical question to submit to you and would love to read some responses. Since I know that I have some people who read Espresso Roast who do not share my particular worldview, I would be honored to hear some definitions of love and your idea of where love comes from. Of course, those who do share a biblical worldview are welcome to comment as well. There is plenty of insight and wisdom to gleen from the masses.

Certainly, love is something we all feel and/or experience at one time or another. It is something that we have either felt the joy of receiving from another person, or we have felt the pain of its absence. So how real is it and from where does it originate?

I suppose by now you know my answer if you've followed the blog for any length of time. But to summarize, I believe love is transcendant, with a sovereign and loving God as its source. It seems pretty clear that in order for something as intangible as love to exist, if it is real, it must have something as its source other than simple matter plus time plus chance, and it seems it must have another key quality--personality. Can an impersonal "universe" or energy force really produce something as strong, dynamic, and dependent on personality such as love (as many "spiritualists" believe)?

Am I wrong here? If so, tell me why and how it can be anything more than simple utilitarianism or a meaningless chemical reaction in the brain. Finally, if that is the case, how can Valentine's Day or any other day in which you express love for someone mean anything of any significance at all?

What the heck, let's open this up a bit: if you agree with me, what is your basis for believing that love is anything more than mere sentiment or religious fervor? Anybody up to the challenge of lo-o-o-o-ove?

Happy Valentine's Day.

Labels: David C. Price

Monday, February 13, 2006

Procrastination: A Great Way To Booby-Trap Your Life

Hello. My name is David Price...and I'm...I'm a procrastinator. All together now: "Hello, David Price." Yes, it's true, I am a long-time citizen of the procrasti-nation, though I think I would consider myself a recovering procrastinator at this point. It is definitely something I have struggled with most of my life which is why I think I developed into being able to do my best work under pressure nearing a deadline. That's not to say that I think that is the ideal situation and it is something I have been working on over the last several years (especially after entering post-graduate studies), but it's not easy to overcome for those of us less than type-A personalities.

I have learned that the only thing that works for me is to break major tasks into parts and then to give myself a deadline for each of those "mini-tasks." A tool that has helped me structure this sufficiently has been Yahoo Calendar in conjunction with Outlook. Because they can be synchronized, I can put my tasks in Outlook (or directly into Yahoo) and then have Yahoo actually send me automatic update emails (I only recently figured out how to do the email thing, but it's a great way to build in accountability). This also allows me to keep track of what tasks remain to be done and what has been accomplished for that oh-so-sweet feeling of satisfaction. Of course, the secret is not to put off going through the process of planning!

Psychology Today has chimed in on the subject of procrastination in their latest issue. The following excerpt is a part of an article called, "Ten Things To Know About Procrastination.":

"There are many ways to avoid success in life, but the most sure-fire just might be procrastination. Procrastinators sabotage themselves. They put obstacles in their own path. They actually choose paths that hurt their performance."

I couldn't agree more with that statement and have experienced the frustrations associated with a lack of productivity many, many times. The fact is, we're created for productivity. Having been created in the image of God, we are made to work; to accomplish; to succeed. That doesn't mean that it's always easy to do, though, does it?

So, I know I'm not the only one who has struggled with this tragic flaw. Anybody willing to 'fess up? Come on, now, confession is good for the soul. Do you struggle with it or have you mastered it? If so, what's your secret?

It's OK, you can tell me tomorrow.

(ht: Lifehacker)

Labels: David C. Price

Friday, February 10, 2006

Charges Against Priest Dropped (and they may not be the charges you expected)

Did you hear about the Italian priest who was brought up on criminal charges? No, no, it wasn't over child molestation this time, but over a much more fundamental charge: He believes in God.

Scandal!

Luigi Cascioli claimed that the Catholic church has, for 2000 years, been promoting a lie that Jesus Christ actually lived. For a while, the small-town priest was given a deadline in order to present evidence to prove the existence of Christ.

Though there is really strong evidence that could have been submitted regarding the historicity of Jesus (along with strong arguments in support of the actual deity of Christ), whether or not that evidence would have satisfied a civil authority may remain a mystery. The judge in the case not only dismissed the charges against the priest, but also recommended that an investigation be launched against Cascioli for possible slander.

Labels: David C. Price

Thursday, February 09, 2006

Evolution Sunday: Evidence Of A Faith-Based Worldview

Seattle – “Evolution Sunday is the height of hypocrisy,” says Bruce Chapman, president of Discovery Institute the nation’s leading think tank researching scientific challenges to Darwinian evolution. “Why do Darwinists think it is not okay for people to criticize Darwin on religious grounds, but it is just fine to defend him on religious grounds?”

Sunday marks the 197th birthday of Charles Darwin and to celebrate 400 ministers have announced they will deliver pro-evolution sermons in conjunction with “Evolution Sunday.”

“Our view is not that pastors should speak out against evolution, but that the Darwinists are hypocrites for claiming--falsely--that opposition to Darwinism is merely faith based, and then turning around and trying to make the case that Darwinism itself is faith based,” added Chapman.

Chapman pointed out that the only time religion is brought up in the debate over how to teach evolution is when Darwinists bring it up and falsely charge that anyone criticizing Darwin’s theory is religiously motivated.

“We maintain a list of hundreds of scientists who are skeptical of Darwinian evolution because of the unresolved scientific problems with the theory, not because of any so-called religious motivation,” said Chapman. The Scientific Dissent From Darwinism is available on the Institute’s website at www.discovery.org.

“This isn’t science versus religion, it’s science versus science,” added Chapman. “It’s a standard part of science to raise evidence critical of an existing scientific theory or paradigm. That’s what good science is about—analyzing evidence and asking tough questions. Scientists have a duty to raise critical questions about existing scientific theories.”

Discovery Institute, the nation’s leading think tank dealing with scientific challenges to Darwinian evolution, seeks to increase the teaching of evolution. It believes that evolution should be fully and completely presented to students, and they should learn more about evolutionary theory, including its unresolved issues. The Institute opposes any effort to mandate or require the teaching of intelligent design by school districts or state boards of education.

Labels: David C. Price

Wednesday, February 08, 2006

Funerals and Politics

Watching portions of Coretta Scott King's funeral yesterday, I must say I admire former President Bill Clinton for keeping politics out of his remarks. Clinton's words came off as sincere and gracious, choosing to maintain decorum and dignity, even thanking the current president for allowing he and former President Bush to "travel around the world doing good together". Unfortunately, that was not the case with others, including another former president known little for either decorum or dignity.

Jimmy Carter, along with Rev. Joseph Lowery, co-founder of Southern Christian Leadership Conference, took political opportunity to lay into the current president, sitting on the stage along with the First Lady and his parents and the Clintons. Though, of course, it is no secret that Mrs. King was no supporter of the wars in either Iraq or Afghanistan, it seems less than appropriate to turn her memorial service into a political rally any more than it would be appropriate on that occasion for someone to tear into her support of same-sex marriage.

Though I think it a demonstration of a deficiency in class on the part of Carter and Lowery, I'm sure that the President knew to expect that in such an environment, along with the thunderous applause it invoked. If so, they were certain not to disappoint.

Read a report on the events from Matt Drudge here.

Labels: David C. Price

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

Best news I've heard all day...

Bush seeks to slash public broadcast funds

Labels: David C. Price

'Mercy Killings' on the Rise in Belgium

In 2002, Belgium legalized euthanasia ending that year with 200 cases. According to recent reports, 2005 ended with 400 cases...and the snowball grows on. [more]

Labels: David C. Price

Monday, February 06, 2006

Face Transplant Follow-up

Thanks to John Martin of Martin's Musings for the link to this inspiring story of a Phoenix police officer, severely injured in a traffic accident while on duty, who will be undergoing a similar surgery (though it would appear much more extensive) as the one in my last post:

Long before the face transplant in France, Phoenix police detective Jason Schechterle, badly burned in a crash five years ago, was approached by American doctors about a face transplant. Jason and his wife tell Lin Sue Cooney about their decision.

Along with a video interview with Jason, there is also a press conference by the doctor to perform the operation. Although she is said to be a Cleveland doctor, she is apparently working through Keinert, Klutz, & Associates here in Louisville, the hand specialists who pioneered the hand transplant a few years ago. We are now intimately acquainted with Kleinert and Kutz as my wife's hand surgeon is a part of this practice.

Labels: David C. Price

A Really Extreme Makeover: Coming Out With a Whole New Look

Back in September, I wrote on the story of a new procedure involving transplanting facial tissue from a donor to a recipient who had suffered some sort of severe facial trauma. Well, six months later, the surgery a success (as far as anyone can tell at this point), the recipient has a coming out of sorts.

The French woman, whose face was mauled by her own labrador retriever (so much for man's best friend), received a new nose, chin, and lips (notice the circular scar on the image to the right).

Though this amazing surgery was considered a success, the surgeons warned that they do not know how long the donated tissue will live, especially since the woman's smoking habit could lead to the rejection of the tissue (Sheesh!). Nevertheless, I suppose when one is faced (no pun intended) with the possibility of living through life with a horribly disfigured face anyway, the possibility of rejection is worth the risk (the risk of rejection, not of smoking).

There is still no word on the reaction of the donor family upon seeing the results of the new surgery. It appears the French woman seems to be having no psychological problem taking ownership of the new face. It is really hard to imagine the experience, though, is it not?

My initial thoughts were based on questions related to putting tissue that is considered so personal and central to one's identity on someone else. Will it cause psychological issues for either of the two parties? Should someone's face be considered off-limits in regards to tissue-donations? Will there be social ramifications (generally, people close to the individual having a difficult time getting over the "yuck-factor"?).

In spite of questions such as these, I can't help but think that it is for such purposes that medical break-throughs occur. In other words, with so many Dr. Frankenstein-type procedures on the rise, such as cloning dogs, sheep, and anything else that breathes just because we can or embryonic stem cell harvesting, this is a procedure that, on the surface (again, no pun intended) seems to give quality of life back to people who, perhaps, feel they have little and is done without deliberately ending life elsewhere in order for it to occur. I still think it's a creepy procedure, but I guess sometimes even something creepy can lead to blessings.

Any thoughts or insights?

Labels: David C. Price

Sunday, February 05, 2006

Farewell Grandpa

Al Lewis, best known as Grandpa
on the sixties show, The Munsters,
died Friday at the age of 95.

Labels: David C. Price

Friday, February 03, 2006

Six Southern Baptist Churches Burned in Alabama

CENTREVILLE, Ala. — The search for a possible arsonist was underway Friday after six churches in rural Alabama were found burning. At least five of the fires were suspected to have been set deliberately.

FOXNews.com - U.S.:

4:45 P.M. UPDATE: There seems to be conflicting reports regarding the affiliation of the churches. Some accounts I've read have stated that four of the six were SBC while this quote from the original FoxNews story I read indicates that all were SBC:

The minister of The First Baptist Church of Woodstock — which was not burned — told FOX News that all the churches targeted were southern Baptist; one is predominantly black while the others were predominantly white.

Labels: David C. Price

Stolen and Stripped For Parts: Not a Car...Could be Dead Uncle Ed

Hundreds of very live Americans are walking around with pieces of the wrong dead people inside of them.

A macabre scandal has spread from a body-harvesting lab in New Jersey to hospitals as far away as Florida, Nebraska and Texas as hundreds of people discover that they have received tissue and bone carved from looted corpses, not least the cadaver of Alistair Cooke, the late and erudite host of PBS's Masterpiece Theatre.

The Brooklyn district attorney and federal Food and Drug Administration inspectors are investigating dozens of funeral homes in New York City and Biomedical Tissue Services Ltd. of Fort Lee, N.J., which is run by a former dentist who, his lawyer acknowledges, abused intravenous pain medications while with patients.

The former dentist came to funeral homes, investigators say, and extracted bone, tendons and skin from corpses without the consent of relatives. Later, Biomedical Tissue Services shipped coolers full of tissue to hospitals for surgeries. A dead body can be worth tens of thousands of dollars when it is dissected for parts.

Read more here.

Labels: David C. Price

Thursday, February 02, 2006

Cruci-fixins?: More Caricatures For NBC and 'Will and Grace'

Hot off of the royal failure that was "Book of Daniel," NBC decides to incorporate their version of "Christianity" into their only remaining winner using a famous person who used to call herself one (Christian, that is...you decide on the winner part).

"NEW YORK — Britney Spears will guest star on an episode of 'Will & Grace,' NBC announced Tuesday.

The pop star will appear as a Christian conservative sidekick to Sean Hayes' character, Jack, who hosts his own talk show, on the April 13 episode, the network said.

Jack's fictional network, Out TV, is bought by a Christian TV network, leading to Spears contributing a cooking segment called 'Cruci-fixin's.'"

With so many failures by NBC of late, they have given another nuanced meaning to "Out TV."

Labels: David C. Price

We Are All Scientists

I was watching a children's show with my little boy this morning featuring Dr. Robert Ballard of the Woods Hole Oceanogragphic Institution. Ballard was the leading scientist who discovered the wreckage of the ship, Titanic, in 1985. As he described the thrill of the search and the exuberance of the discovery, he concluded that we are all born scientists, desiring to know why we're here, where we came from and where we are going.

I thought of that for a minute and concluded he is exactly right. We are all scientists in that we are on a journey of discovery. There is something implanted in each of us that is unsatisfied with not knowing from where we came. It is a rare thing for an adopted child, for instance, to not set out, at some point in his life, to discover his birth-parents. Even if he desires no relationship with him, there is something satisfactory in the knowing.

Very often, people delve into their family's past in order to dig up their "roots." Only recently, I started doing that myself. How exciting it was to find out that on my mother's side of the family, I am a direct descendant of Betsy Ross, the one credited with creating the first American flag. I recently discovered on my father's side, my great-great grandfather was a pastor. However, I've not been able to find out anything beyond that and there is a sense of longing to know more; to not being satisfied with stopping there. There is an inner drive to know.

Another journey of discovery in the last few months was in relation to the fate of my father's oldest brother, William Thurman Price who was imprisoned by the Japanese for three years in World War II and then died in the sinking of the Japanese "hellship", Shinyo Maru, on September 7, 1944. Up until now, that was all that was known. However, because of the desire to know, I was able to provide my father and his surviving siblings more than they've ever known, including pictures of the actual ship, and the discovery that he was forced through the infamous Bataan Death March. In knowing, there was the satisfaction of closure; a sense that they could understand. From them came a deep appreciation for having received what they have not had--knowledge of the truth; certainty of what actually happened and an opportunity to understand the depths of his sacrifice and his heroism.

When we don't know where we came from, there is something unfinished. If we can get a hint of our origins, we inevitably want to know more...we need to know more. There is a reason for this. As a matter of fact, this longing, this determination is strong argument for the existence of God. Why this urge to know if there is nothing to be known? Why the desire to discover if it leads to nowhere...to nothingness? There is a desire to know because there is something to be known; there is Someone to be known...and deep down, we all know it. It appears that more and more people are realizing this as those who question the veracity of Darwinism, a theory and a map that truly leads to nowhere, continues to grow.

The simple fact is, our appetites for truth will not be satisfied with nothingness. We cannot fool ourselves into believing that we are here by accident and the very functions of our bodies and our minds developed by chance. Like sea-turtles, instinctively making their way to the sea after birth, we all arrive on this earth with a built-in quest for something that will satisfy our longing to know and to have purpose. Sadly, like many of those turtles, we don't all make it to the sea, but we all know that the little hole in the sand we came out of is not the end of our journey. Ballard was right, we are all scientists--that fact alone should be a clue into the depths of human purpose and origins pushing us on to the truth that purpose [A result or effect that is intended or desired; an intention.] can only be imbued by intelligence; One who intends and/or desires.

The words of C. S. Lewis are true not only in relation to our physical appetites, but also in relation to the unsatisfactory explanations that some people will settle for in their quest for answer to origins:

'Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.'

There are some who cannot imagine the "holiday at the sea" offered in Scripture, so they determine that the "slums" they see are all there is. One who has never seen the sea cannot comprehend what it must look like (or even know if it really even exists). However, in Christ we hear from One who has been there and promised of its existence and provided a way to get there. The question is, will we use our God-given sense of discovery to find it, or will we go on foolishly making mud pies in the slums, being far too easily pleased?

Labels: David C. Price