New Covenant

Links for Friday, 27 January 2012 (Firearms edition)

It's not like we haven't warned you that New York City is rabidly anti-gun (especially its Mayor Bloomberg)

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And you can't even own a Flintlock in NYC

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What if you're a citizen from another state with a concealed carry weapon permit?
And, while visiting the 911 Memorial you see a "No Handguns" sign (which surely must mean the place is safe, right?) so you want to do the right thing and check in your legally owned handgun?

From the New York Post,

Really, you can’t bring guns into the 9/11 Memorial?

A tourist from Tennessee waltzed into one of the most secure sites in the city — and politely asked a cop if she could check her weapon.

Instead, she was dragged out in cuffs.

Now, Meredith Graves, 39, is facing at least three years in prison for thinking New York’s gun laws are anything like those in the Bible Belt.

Get it? A law-abiding citizen, albeit very wrong in her understanding of the anti-2nd amendment laws in New York City, was attemtping to follow the law and now faces prison time.

Also in the story,

Mayor Bloomberg, with the help of the five district attorneys, has crusaded against the flow of illegal guns, especially from the South.

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But surely a former Marine can check in his legally owned handgun while visiting the Empire State Building?
From the WSJ,

Some veterans linked to the Leatherneck.com online community started sending letters to city officials Monday urging them to drop the prosecution of Ryan Jerome.

He's accused of trying to check his gun, registered in his home state of Indiana, while visiting New York City in September. They say he was acting responsibly and got bad information about city rules.

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Well how about the guy recently arrested in New York City, for possessing a firearm, who claimed to be a Navy SEAL?
The authorities, not believing him, threw him into a psych ward. Turns out... he was telling the truth!

From the New York Post,

His story about being a Navy SEAL wasn’t so fishy after all.

The Virginia man arrested for gun possession in Manhattan Thursday and thrown in a psych ward when he claimed to be a member of the elite military unit but couldn’t provide proof was telling the truth, The Post has learned.

Oops.

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It looks like Tennessee lawmakers are not too thrilled with the treatment of Meredith Graves
From the New York Daily News,

A Tennessee lawmaker angry that a home state tourist was busted with a loaded gun at Ground Zero introduced is threatening to go after New Yorkers who speed in his state.

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CNN report on Jerome and Graves

 

Links for Wednesday, 25 January 2012

What's better than a breakfast burrito?
Nothing! But a burrito wrap around your camera lens might come close.

 

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Why do virtually all roadside memorials include a cross?

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Quiet
The book is out. All you introverts should give it a look see (and all you extroverts should really give it a look see).

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Google's sense of humor
search for "askew"

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Grabbing your own photos from space
This happens a lot now... and it's pretty cool.

 

 

 

Fabulous Food Foto (# 002)

A Tri-Tip Sandwich, with a "side" of fries, at Firestone Grill, in San Luis Obispo, CA. Don't know what Tri-Tip is? Go here. For those of us who have any exposure at all to California's Central Coast, we've long known about the ecstasy of Santa Maria Tri-Tip. Seasoned with only garlic powder, salt, and pepper, then cooked slowly (~ 1 1/2 hours typically) over oak embers, it is sliced cross-grain, and sometimes mixed with a sweet-tangy barbecue sauce, and served on a slightly toasted french roll. As you can see, at Firestone's, the serving size assumes you're a linebacker. Similarly, the "side" of fries is monstrous, and sprinkled with a paprika-laced seasoning.

Enjoy!

- image © 2011 A R Lopez

Only in California (v. 5)

Potentially good news for the defense of marriage Proposition 8

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Daytime Curfew for youth > 18 years-old;  Gov't Protection or Big Brother interference?
In San Luis Obispo County an ordinance is being proposed for a daytime curfew for those under the age of 18. From HSLDA,

If passed, this curfew will affect the flexibility and freedom of homeschool students to be in public places during school hours. Homeschool children, even those from outside San Luis Obispo who are just visiting, could be stopped to verify who they are and that they have a valid excuse to be in a public place. HSLDA recently settled a lawsuit against Los Angeles for false arrest of two homeschool students under a similar law.

From the San Luis Obispo Tribune,

Students do have a number of valid reasons to be out and about during the day. They may be homeschooled; enrolled in independent study or work experience programs; on the way to or from a doctor’s appointment; or they may attend an alternative school that has half-day sessions.

The ordinance includes exemptions for such cases, but here’s the rub: How is a law officer supposed to know whether or not students have a valid reason for being out of school unless they stop and talk to them?

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The fact is, California already has truancy regulations on the books. Parents can face fines and even jail time if their children repeatedly skip school. The students themselves can lose their driver’s licenses.

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Republican Latinos in California? Yes!

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Ex-wife of Los Angeles Lakers' player gets to keep 3 mansions
which are worth $18.8 MM (approximately). Not a bad deal.

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Compare CCW Permit issuance: Urban vs. Rural
Red - Yellow = no issue; Dark Green = will issue for personal protection

Links for Saturday, 21 January 2012

Plugged In, and Trippin'! Literally
Study finds injuries increase with the frequency of headphone use,

Serious injuries sustained by pedestrians while listening to headphones have more than tripled in six years, according to a new study published this week in the journal Injury Prevention.

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Hey, let's bring some MERCURY into our homes!
From the Jerusalem Post,

...from this point onward, only incandescent bulbs of 60 watts and less will be retailed. This limits our choice – like it or not – to compact fluorescent lights (CFLs), those squiggly, coiled bulbs initially hailed by environmentalists as saving as much as 50 percent of energy consumption, while lasting eight times longer. In truth, some CFLs malfunction far more quickly than advertised and they remain expensive.

...

There’s more. Each CFL contains small quantities of mercury and other toxins. If a bulb breaks at home, its fragments are dangerous to bare skin and need special handling and cleaning up. Even vacuum cleaners won’t do because they might spread the contamination.

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Can Science Inform Our Understanding of God?

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Homeschooled students in university science classes: strengths, and weaknesses
The points from this university science professor (HT: Old-Earth Creation Homeschool) echo my own observations and thoughts. From the post,

Desirable characteristics:

1. They are independent learners and do a great job of taking initiative and being responsible for learning. They don't have to be "spoon fed" as many students do. This gives them an advantage at two specific points in their education; early in college and in graduate education.

2. They handle classroom social situations (interactions with their peers and professors) very well. In general, my homeschooled students are a pleasure to have in class. They greet me when the enter the class, initiate conversations when appropriate, and they don't hesitate to ask good questions. Most of my students do none of these.

3. They are serious about their education and that's very obvious in their attitude, preparedness, and grades.

Areas where homeschooled students can improve:

1. They come to college less prepared in the sciences than their schooled counterparts - sometimes far less prepared. This can be especially troublesome for pre-professional students who need to maintain a high grade point average from the very beginning.

2. They come to college without sufficient test-taking experience, particularly with timed tests. Many homeschooled students have a high level of anxiety when it comes to taking timed tests.

3. Many homeschooled students have problems meeting deadlines and have to adjust to that in college. That adjustment time in their freshman year can be costly in terms of the way it affects their grades.

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The face of a Post-Christian Europe?
Rest assured, while Christian churches continue to close, the Church will not disappear (until it's time to leave).

Only in California (v. 4)

Boy's Locker Room; Girl's Locker Room; Boy's & Girl's Locker Room?
From CBS Los Angeles,

Sponsored by Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco), AB 266 would require schools to allow students to play on sports teams according to their “gender identity” and not their biological sex.

...

However, revised language in the proposed bill would mandate that students “shall be permitted to participate in sex-segregated school programs, activities, and facilities, including athletic teams and competitions, consistent with his or her gender identity, irrespective of the gender listed on the pupil’s records”.

Yet another reason to homeschool.

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Cereal Killer - FAIL

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3 Vehicle Ferry - FAIL
From the OC Register,

NEWPORT BEACH – A collision on board the Balboa Island Ferry shoved a minivan into the water on Friday morning, starting the clock on a rescue of two young children and their parents as the vehicle went under.

Witnesses said the family – visiting from Taiwan -- had only a few minutes to escape before the van sank in about 15 feet of water. A ferry worker jumped into the water and swam to help as two boaters pulled alongside the sinking van and helped the family out.

The "ferry" only holds 3 vehicles, in series, as shown in the map image below. Evidently the minivan was the # 1 vehicle to board and, before the driver could engage it into Park, the # 2 vehicle accelerated too fast, pushing the minivan into the drink.

View Larger Map

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University of California system bans Chaw, among other things
In yet another instance of nanny-state nonsense, the University of California system is banning tobacco products from its campuses, including the advertising and sales, and including even chewing tobacco. Now, while I can recall sitting in university classes (with the California State system) and having an instructor or student light up, do we really need to government's muscle in this area? From CBS Los Angeles,

The University of California has banned smoking and the use of chewing tobacco on all ten of its campuses.

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The ban will also prohibit tobacco sales and advertising in all buildings owned or rented by the university.

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Are you too drunk to homeschool?
Oh, no... wait... Are you too drunk to teach 3rd graders in a public school?

A third grade teacher in Winchester was arrested after allegedly showing up to class drunk.

Theresa Davis was removed from her classroom by administrators at Susan LaVorgna Elementary School just after noon Thursday when co-workers discovered she was seemingly intoxicated.

Let's hope it was a medication mix-up and not alcohol related.

 

Fabulous Food Foto (# 001)

Formerly known as Friday Food Foto, I have too much of a backlog of pics to limit posting to just Fridays! So this post launches the new title, Fabulous Food Foto (yes, I know, my alliteration skills are not Lincoln-esque by any stretch of the imagination).

Let's start off with the classic Breakfast Burrito at The Filling Station, in Orange, California. Set near the "historic" and "old" downtown, where some scenes from Tom Hanks' movie That Thing You Do were filmed, this former gas station serves up excellent breakfasts. The breakfast burrito is no exception and in it we find a healthy portion of eggs, onions, black beans, cheese, potatoes, and bell peppers, with a meat addition optional (bacon, in this example). Guacamole and salsa are served on the side. I really like this burrito, although I'd substitute pinto beans for the black beans. The serving size is large and, even though it's big, it's not so wet that it falls apart (in my opinion, burritos are designed to be handheld!).

Inside or patio dining is available. Get there early if you don't want to wait for a table!

Enjoy!

- image © 2010 A R Lopez

Links for Thursday, 12 January 2012

The Firearm as a Tool
In Washington state, a National Park Ranger was shot dead by an Iraq War vet with post traumatic stress syndrome. In Oklahoma, an 18 year-old widowed mother shot and killed an intruder in her home.

From Massad Ayoob,

In each case, the death weapon was a 12-gauge shotgun. Some in the anti-gun camp have already blamed the law that allows ordinary, law-abiding citizens to be armed in parks like the one where the ranger was killed, for the depredations of a madman who had already violated every law from the Sixth Commandment on down before he reached the park. I try not to use words like “idiocy” when speaking of the other side, but in this case it fits. The firearm is a tool, which carries out the will of the owner. Evil in the first case, good in the second. Yes, it IS that simple.

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On that anti-gun hysteria
From the news report on the Park Ranger who was shot and killed,

It has been legal for people to take loaded firearms into Mount Rainier since 2010, when a controversial federal law went into effect that made possession of firearms in national parks subject to state gun laws.

That controversial federal law actually applies to the concealed carry laws which, to the best of my knowledge, do not apply to the carrying of 12-gauge shotguns.

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The True 1%
From Consumer Reports,

Only 1 percent of all mobile subscribers are guilty of gobbling up 50 percent of the world's bandwidth, according to a new report by the British company Arieso, which advises mobile operators in Africa, Europe and the U.S.

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Quiet
Please.

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Coddling replacing spanking?
From The Atlantic,

But crotchety as I am, I find it sort of creepy--and anecdotally, as the first generation of what David Brooks calls "Organization Kids" enters the workforce, employers are apparently complaining that they have an outsized sense of entitlement combined with a difficulty coping with unstructured tasks.

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Apathy about religion and spiritual matters in America?
And this is surprising? From the article,

Most So Whats are like Gerst, says David Kinnaman, author of You Lost Me on young adults drifting away from church.

They're uninterested in trying to talk a diverse set of friends into a shared viewpoint in a culture that celebrates an idea that all truths are equally valid, he says. Personal experience, personal authority matter most. Hence Scripture and tradition are quaint, irrelevant, artifacts. Instead of followers of Jesus, they're followers of 5,000 unseen "friends" on Facebook or Twitter.

This is not surprising given our culture of peace, prosperity, and self-infatuation... the sorry thing is, we perpetuate this mentality in the church and in how we think we are evangelizing.

Fifth Candle of Advent, 2011 - Praise

Tonight, we will light the fifth candle of Advent, that of Praise.

The Lord God said when time was full
He would shine His light in the darkness
He said a virgin would conceive
And give birth to the Promise

For a thousand years the dreamers dreamt
And hoped to see His love
The Promise showed their wildest dreams
Had simply not been wild enough

- The Promise, Michael Card

We praise God that Jesus, the Christ, came into this world, lived a sinless life, died for the sins of mankind and, most importantly, was raised from the dead.

Merry Christmas!

 

 

Fourth Sunday of Advent, 2011 (belated) - Joy

Joy to the world.

Yet the world (and, many times, Christians) tend to confuse joy with happiness. In the reality of the West, we live amidst abundance and peace not realized many times in history. It is no wonder, then, that our culture has come to worship happiness as the end all goal of our existence.

Disneyland is referred to as "the happiest place on earth." Indeed, especially during the season of Advent, seekers of happiness from all over the planet make a pilgrimage to the Disney Resort, hoping to partake of the promised happiness. The Sleeping Beauty Castle (pictured at left) is adorned in "holiday" decorations and lit up especially vibrantly each evening, for the pilgrims to marvel at. Yet the facade of joy is unescapable. After the nightly fireworks extravaganza, pilgrims in various parts of the park are treated to falling snow! However, since the park is located in the southern California basin, it is never cold enough for real snow to fall... hence, fake soapy snow falls upon the guests.

Fake snow - and fake joy.

1 When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. 2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” 3 The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad. 4 Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like streams in the Negeb! 5 Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! 6 He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him. (Psalm 126:1-6 ESV)

Joy cannot be found in a quest for happiness. It can only come about from the Author of Life.

 

Third Sunday of Advent, 2011 - Peace

I was a child during the 1960s and did not enter my teen years until the 1970s, yet I still recall the faddish prevalence of the "peace" sign / symbol as well as the usage of the word (itself) as a gesture of greeting or farewell. It is because of my memories of said usage, in a quickly degrading culture, that I have such an aversion to present day communiques that end with, "Peace," not to mention the feelings stirred whenever I cast eyes upon the gawdy-bum-ugly resurgence of the "peace" symbol. It seems impossible to not see this sign plastered in all manner of variations upon countless consumer items, from home decor to clothing accessories and even down to sequined versions adorning the back-end of female shorts.

Yet where is this peace we worship? Doesn't it seem a bit comical that the sentiment of the two-fingered (reverse victory sign) flash of the '60s is now mass-produced onto such necessary items as iPhone cases?

We continue to live in strife, whether it be wars, conflicts, or political engagements, or crime upon each other, or social media directed revolutions, or protests by the pampered, or discontent among the crowds at the mall, or religious arguments... That we think we can bring about peace on this planet simply by wanting (or wishing) it demonstrates how blind we are to the reality of our situation. Despite all of our technological advancements, and despite the erroneous view that our "morality" evolves, we still delude ourselves into thinking that peace is achievable.

"Imagine all the world, living in peace."

"I have a dream!"

Noble sentiments, yet the authors of those statements died unexpected, violent deaths.

Yet, what of the man who said, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword."?

He, too, died a violent death... however, it was not unexpected.

Let's remember, this Advent season, that peace (and prosperity) by our own hands results in our ignoring not only our need for God, but our obligation to Him as well.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

(Luke 2:13-14 ESV)

Note that it is not peace on earth, but on earth peace. On earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!

Let it be your desire that we would become those with whom he is pleased.

- images © A R Lopez

Friday Food Foto (v. 34)

The ground beef, spinach and green onion scramble, at Carla's Country Kitchen, in Morro Bay (yeah, another central coast selection). With a side of home-style potatoes, and biscuits. Carla's is not much to look at when you drive by, indeed, you might not even realize there's a restaurant there... but the morning food is great and the place is always filled with locals.

This is a departure from the typical bacon and eggs or breakfast burrito I get at Carla's. A nice change of pace. Not really impressed with the biscuits, though... next time I'll order the wheat toast.

Enjoy!

- image © A R Lopez

Second Sunday of Advent, 2011 - Love

During the Advent season we often hear about Love - God's Love. Indeed, the Advent itself is that of the Son of God becoming man, to save a lost world, through God's grace, and love.

However, in focusing on the gift of God's love to us we can sometimes set our sights inward, rather than on Him whom we have been called to love. Consider the words of Jesus, himself,

37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. (Matthew 22:37-38 ESV)

Have you ever stopped to think about this passage from scripture?

All people, everywhere and at every time, are commanded to love God.

In our culture of peace and prosperity I think we have become a bit too introspective, at times. Our narcissism has fueled an apetite for self-fulfillment, self-awareness, etc., in which we seek out that which brings us the most personal satisfaction (sometimes without realizing it). While it is right and honorable to remember the birth of our Savior, especially recognizing the love He has for us, are we sometimes guilty of forgetting that we are commanded, first and foremost, to love God?

This Advent season, let's make it a point to strive to avoid anything that might distract us from the greatest commandment.

Happy Advent!

images © A. R. Lopez

 

Friday Food Foto (v. 33)

Fish & Chips, right on the waterfront, in a small California coastal community... doesn't get any better than Giovanni's in Morro Bay.

A hefty portion (although it seems to have shrunk as of late) of Icelandic Cod, deep fried, with another hefty portion of french fries. Unless you're ravenously hungry, split one order with two people.

Although they have outdoor seating, but because seagulls can be one of the most annoying creatures on earth, I recommend eating in your car. If you're lucky, you can park with a killer view of Morro Rock!

Enjoy!

First Sunday of Advent, 2011 - Hope

Today is the first Sunday of Advent for 2011.

Hope.

In our frenetic, fast-food-paced culture, we tend to equate "hope" with such notions as "wishing," "positive attitude," and "uncertainty". People tend to make statements along the lines of:   "I hope I pulled an A on my Physics test" or "I hope that everything will turn out okay" or "We'll just have to hope for the best."

Yet Biblical hope is not defined as mere wishful thinking for the best possible outcome, all while acknowledging we can never be certain of said outcome. Indeed, Biblical hope is grounded in the understanding that we have a knowledge of what has been promised and a certainty within our minds and hearts of that which will occur. Our task, therefore, is not to worry about whether or not that which we hope for will occur, but to properly work out our existence until our hope is eventually realized.

The Promise

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” - Gen 12:1-3 ESV

God promised Abram redemption, through blessing, not only to Abram's seed, but to all the families of the earth.

That which will occur

1 Now muster your troops, O daughter of troops; siege is laid against us; with a rod they strike the judge of Israel on the cheek. 2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. - Micah 5:1-2 ESV

 

14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. - Isaiah 7:14 ESV

The event of the promise - the realization of the Hope - the long promised Messiah, the Christ. The God of Abraham, established in history, declares a Promise with which His followers place their trust - their hope - on.

images - © 2011 A. R. Lopez

Merry Christmas, and a Happy Advent!

On Ben Witherington's comments regarding firearms

Ben Witherington is a Biblical scholar whom I highly respect. While I've not read any of his books, I have heard him interviewed several times, and recently read his critique of Frank Viola & George Barna's book Pagan Christianity. When it comes to New Testament data, you'd be hard pressed to get a better or more thorough commentator.

However, in perusing his site, I ran across a post he wrote (just after the 2011 Tucson shooting in which Rep. Gabby Giffords was gravely wounded and 6 other people killed) regarding firearms and gun ownership in general. Suffice it to say that he is less than enthusiastic about the manner with which the 2nd Amendment is exercised in 21st century America. While he is entitled to his opinion, I must say that I consider his arguments to be weak and without substantial basis.

 In Guns and Religion - Enough is Quite Enough, Witherington lists the following pro-gun arguments which, as he puts it, are actually "myths".

Myth # 1: "Guns don't kill people"

Myth # 2: "If we ban guns, only criminals will have guns"

Myth # 3: "The Constitution and the Bill of Rights gives the private citizen the right to own whatever gun his heart desires"

Myth # 4: "Hunting Animals (e.g. Deer) is a Sport"

Myth # 5: "The Best Way to Protect Yourself and Your Family is to Buy Guns"

Rather than actually address these "myths" properly, however, he resorts to erecting straw men, following illogical paths, tossing out red herrings, and presenting false or misleading information. Let me address what I believe to be the problems with his arguments.

Only in California (v. 3)

Paramedics equipped with oxygen masks for... pets?
From the OC Register,

Every fire engine and truck operated by the Orange County Fire Authority will now carry oxygen masks for household pets – thanks to a donation from an Anaheim pet owner whose rescued dog was displaced in a wildfire.

Is this merely a sign of compassion in our society, where we acknowledge the soulish qualities of higher mammals? Or does it reflect a potentially twisted view which places certain species of the animal kingdom on a higher plane than warranted? Or... is this merely another indicator of a society so immersed in peace and prosperity, that we are able to allocate resources to such an end?

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Church Food Bank donations - picked up by limo?
A tad much to expect your food donations for an elderly couple will be picked up by their limo? From the article,

An email sent out to members of the Crystal Cathedral congregation requesting meals for founder Robert H. Schuller's wife Arvella, who is ill with pneumonia, is creating mixed feelings of sadness and outrage among members.

According to longtime member Jim McDonald, an email was sent out by administrators to Bible study groups as well as church elders, asking that meals for the reverend's wife be dropped off at the cathedral's Tower of Hope where the Schullers' limo drivers will be waiting to pick them up at the designated time.

Sigh.

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Ahhh, Disneyland - the happiest place on Earth... even for coyotes
Seriously, folks, you've got to watch out for these critters just about all over the country or, even in pump tunnels.

A coyote wandered onto the grounds of the Disneyland Hotel last month and somehow got into a pump room in the tunnels beneath the hotel.

Disneyland Resort security personnel contacted Orange County Animal Care at 10:13 a.m. on Oct. 10 to see if they could come out and help.

They may not always get the roadrunner, but they get just about everything else.

I suppose Disney Security had to call Animal Care because they were too busy surrounding 10 year-old girls and elderly ladies in motorized wheelchairs. What? Didn't hear about that one?

 

 

Friday Food Foto (v. 32)

The Migas Plate, at La Casita, in Orange, CA. Scrambled eggs mixed with fried corn tortilla strips, served with rice and beans (sprinkled with cheese), along with a couple of homemade flour tortillas.

Oh yeah.

Enjoy!

- image © 2011 AR Lopez

Links for Saturday, 5 November 2011

Online Security (HT: Justin Taylor)
A 5 part series providing good tips and info on keeping your online actions secure. I've added snippets from each part.

Part 1 -General Overview

There is still risk in using the Internet (inversely proportional to the amount of effort the user puts into security), and this guide makes no mention to the many online security risks users have absolutely no control over (you might have nightmares and be frightened off the Internet if I told you about those).

Part 2 -General Tips

Log out of web based email, banking/shopping sites and social networks such as Facebook when you are not actively using them. If for example you have Facebook logged in on one tab, malicious code on another site in another tab can attack your Facebook account.

Part 3 -Social Networking

Facebook applications can attack users, including their other social networks, other friends on social networks and other sites, including banking sites. The only even relatively safe way to use Facebook is to turn off all Facebook apps and quizzes.

Part 4 - Banking & Shopping

If the site does not use https, do not use it.

Part 5 - Privacy

Many people ignorantly downplay the risk of privacy, saying that they have “nothing to hide.” However, privacy is not mainly about hiding bad behavior, but about controlling the context in which personal details about our lives are disclosed. All of us have had sensitive, very personal conversations with our closes friends that we would not make public.

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If faced with a mob, thank the founding fathers you're able to have a shotgun in your hands
From the files of Tea Party OWS violence, it seems that one developer in San Francisco was able to "discourage" a mob from vandalizing the building he works in, without having to wait for the authorities to show up (assuming, of course, that they would show up).

"We had people who attempted to break into our building," the landmark Rotunda Building on Frank Ogawa Plaza outside City Hall, Tagami said Thursday. He grabbed a shotgun that he usually keeps at home, went down to the ground floor and "discouraged them," he said.

"I was standing there and they saw me there, and I lifted it - I didn't point it - I just held it in my hands," Tagami said. "And I just racked it, and they ran."

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Freedom of Religion distortion of the day
Once again, we see the misguided notion that the 1st Amendment of the Constitution is all about freedom FROM religion instead of freedom of religion.

Ron Baker, pastor at Russell Baptist Church in Green Cove Springs, said that he would continue to pray no matter what happens. The flagpole, which is the site where the prayers have been taken place, is at the center of an ideological standoff between the school board and those who wish to pray. “Did you ever think that in America you’d be in trouble for praying at the flag? It’s disturbing.” Baker told Fox News.

The issue was raised when the attorney for the Clay County School Board, J. Bruce Bickner, submitted an opinion declaring that praying at the flagpole was against the law, “it is a violation of the United States Constitution for a teacher, school administrator or other school district employee to join in a prayer session during their work time.” Wrote Bickner.

[emphasis added]

Umm... no, it's not.

The first amendment protects the people from the government establishing a state religion, as well as allowing the citizenry the right to exercise the religion of their choice.

For Bickner to be correct, he will have to demonstrate how holding the prayer during school hours is equivalent to the state establishing a religion (which would certainly surprise quite a few other protestant denominations, Islamic, Jewish, Hindu, etc. congregations across the country), and how this action could prevent anyone, including Bickner, from exercising the religion of their choice.

Good luck.

 

Friday Food Foto (v. 31)

Friday mornings and... breakfast burritos. They surely must have been made for each other.

This baby comes to us via Johnnie's Jr., in Orange, CA. Standard innards - including egg, potato, and meat (ham, in this case). Add some salsa on the side, and you're set.

Enjoy!

- image © 2011 AR Lopez

Links for Thursday, 3 November 2011

Is the term "Christian Yoga" an oxymoron?
It doesn't seem to be to many evangelicals, who embrace the practice of yoga, sometimes couched in Christian terms. Pastor Mark Driscoll gives us his views,

There is nothing wrong with stretching, exercising, or regulating one’s stress through breathing. But when the tenets of yoga are included, it’s by definition a worship act to spirit beings other than the God of the Bible. By way of analogy, there is nothing inherently wrong with intimacy, sex, and pleasure. But when the tenets of adultery are included, it’s a sinfully idolatrous worship act. A faithful Christian can no more say they are practicing yoga for Jesus than they can say they are committing adultery for Jesus.

Read it all.

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Steve Jobs: cared about humanity but not about humans
So says Tim Challies, in his review of the recent biography on Jobs.

A brutal man with a terrible temper and a genuine god complex, he was also a man who drove people to new heights of innovation and creativity. As much as people hated to receive a tongue-lashing from Jobs, they knew that in the end he motivated them and pushed them to do better. And this is a crucial component of the strange legacy of Steve Jobs. He will forever be known as a great innovator and a man who lived at the crossroads between the humanities and the sciences. In his own field and in his own way, he sought to make the world a better place. But he did so at the expense of so many people whom he left abandoned and brutalized. It’s like he cared for humanity but not for humans, for mankind but not for individuals.

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The price of peanut butter is skyrocketing
So... try Sunbutter. It's a great alternative (especially for those unfortunate souls who happen to be allergic to peanuts).

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One way to keep violent crime under control? Arm yourself.
So says one sheriff.

Only in California (v. 2)

A Summer camp to help socialize your... dog?
Camp Bow Wow is not limited to California but they are, apparently, serious. From the ad,

"Mom & Dad, take me to camp...
...so I can socialize,"

Remind me again - we're in a recession so severe that some are comparing it as the closest we've come to the Great Depression? And yet, we have people sending their dogs to camp?

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And so goes public education, on the slippery slope
Governor Brown signed into law SB 48, this past summer. An excerpt of the bill,

51204.5. Instruction in social sciences shall include the early history of California and a study of the role and contributions of both men and women, Native Americans, African Americans, Mexican Americans, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, European Americans, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans, persons with disabilities, and members of other ethnic and cultural groups, to the economic, political, and social development of California and the United States of America, with particular emphasis on portraying the role of these groups in contemporary society.

[emphasis added]

Wait, it gets better.

51500. A teacher shall not give instruction and a school district shall not sponsor any activity that promotes a discriminatory bias on the basis of race or ethnicity, gender, religion, disability, nationality, sexual orientation, or because of a characteristic listed in Section 220.

[emphasis added]

And if you think that you have the right to teach what you want in the privacy of your own home, consider this little paragraph.

SEC. 6. It is the intent of the Legislature that alternative and charter schools take notice of the provisions of this act in light of Section 235 of the Education Code, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability, gender, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or other specified characteristics in any aspect of the operation of alternative and charter schools.

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"(Q)uestions regarding vaccination laws are public policy matters for the government to decide."
From ParentalRights.org,

...this past weekend ...California governor Jerry Brown signed into law AB499 allowing children as young as 12 to make their own decisions regarding the Gardasil vaccine.

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Well, at least Governor Brown's recent signing of 3 gun-control bills will help. Right?
Maybe we need a gun-control bill for the LAPD. It seems that they had some trouble controlling the whereabouts of some of their firearms. Not to worry, though, they only lost some submachine guns. It's also reported that criticism of those who were negligent has been light, presumably because they are fellow officers. David Codrea also points out that the LAPD Chief is a darling of the Brady Campaign, is against open and concealed carry, and doesn't want honest citizens to have normal capacity magazines. All this, I suppose, because the normal citizen isn't responsible enough.

Links for Sunday, 30 October 2011

He said what?
Richard Dawkins said "Jesus would have been an atheist had he known what we know today." Wow. I know that Christian apologists have been clamoring for a debate between William Lane Craig and Dawkins, but if he makes such an ignorantly absurd statement like this, then...?

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Only 1 in 4 want to ban handguns
An all-time low (26%) and this spells bad news for liberal democrats. From Gallup,

A record-low 26% of Americans favor a legal ban on the possession of handguns in the United States other than by police and other authorized people. When Gallup first asked Americans this question in 1959, 60% favored banning handguns. But since 1975, the majority of Americans have opposed such a measure, with opposition around 70% in recent years.

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Evangelical Capitalism statement of the day:
"I've never seen an empty seat make a decision for Christ." - Andy Stanley

While this notion is sincere, it usually degrades to nothing more than a "numbers game" approach, and the logical conclusion of this methodology is to do just about anything to entice people through the door (and onto a... seat) where they can then be swayed to "make a decision." And I wonder just what priority is given, if any,, to that of making a disciple of Christ (what the Bible actually states).

"Christians Need To Stop Making Converts" - Read it again, for the first time.

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Geek News # 1
Checking out footprints of the Apollo moonwalkers.

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Geek News # 2
Searching for Snoopy... Apollo 10's Snoopy (aka the Lunar Module)

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A Homeschooling convert?
So in the middle of realizing that school is really just a babysitting service, I became militant. I realized that public school is like Social Security. There is no money to do what we are pretending we are aiming to do. We should just grow up and admit that we cannot have effective public schools for everyone. Just like we cannot have Social Security for everyone.

 

Links for Thursday, 27 October 2011

"The Incredible Shrinking Man" - Daniel Amos, circa 1984
Perhaps a bit prescient. From a LifeSiteNews.com article,

“We have a man problem in American society, and we need to address it,” Bennett said.

Bennett cited figures showing a decline in male participation in the workforce, education, and life commitments.

“Men are not marrying, not making the commitments in the way at they used to,” Bennett added.

“Women have said, women I’ve met, daughters of friends of mine in their 20s and 30s, have said, ‘Where are the men? Where are the men? Where are the men we want to marry, where are the men we want to raise our children with?’”

So, where are the real men?

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Well, here's one:
28 year-old Christian Camp Director, married father, and foster-father Dustin Ellermann. Also, winner of Top Shot: Season 3. Watch video of the final challenge (skip to 38:45).

From the news link,

With his $100,000 in winnings, he plans to help pay off the new camp chapel, expand camp his way to reach more kids, and find a bigger place so he and his wife can take in more foster kids.

"Some of the guys say this is the biggest accomplishment in their life, but I kind of have a bigger perspective on that and I try to look at how God sees stuff and this is just a manmade accomplishment thing and God helped me through it, but honestly it's my kids and passing on good things to them and the kids that we minister to here at the camp, that's what really matters in life because that's what goes on after I'm dead and gone," Ellermann said.

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If this helped girls, could it also help boys?

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Nuclear annihilation has been a potentiality for over 50 years now
Why hasn't it occurred?

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Thinking of homeschooling? What about the issue of "sheltering" your child from the "real world" of public school?
I like one of the points in this article,

Here’s a question for you: When has “the real world” of the school institution ever again entered your life? Does your workplace only hire people from a specific zip code? Do you only hang out with people who were born in the same year as you? When children aren’t compelled to sit in an institution all day, they grow up in the real world.

 

 

 

 

Links for Saturday, 22 October 2011

Tech Help for Parents
Of course, your technologically-illiterate parents need to be able to navigate safely to such a site... which may in itself require some assistance.

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Like a train through a vegetable market
And you thought it was crowded at your supermarket!

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It's coming back, in an electric version
And it still looks just as cool as when Marty McFly drove it.

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10 Privacy Tips
I like #8 (and was using it before I read this list)

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Speaking of privacy...
some password tips

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But...
Has Public become the new Private?

Friday Food Foto (v. 30)

I hadn't been to Socorro's, near Espanola, NM, in about 2 years. Last month I was able to stop by and have another great breakfast of Huevos Rancheros. For the uninitiated, this dish consists of corn tortillas laid flat, with pinto beans, fried potatoes, cheese, onions, smothered in chile sauce, with two fried eggs on top. This day I opted for the red chile sauce (as opposed to green). Ever so delightful! Accompanying the meal was a pair of flour tortillas, and some fresh coffee for good measure.

Sidenote: Socorro's is actually in Hernandez, NM, which has as its claim to fame the "Moonrise over Hernandez" photograph by Ansel Adams. The site where the photograph was taken is not far from the restaurant.

My daughter ordered the breakfast burrito, smothered in red chile sauce (by her choosing). A meal fit for a queen (or king, for that matter).

Enjoy!

- images © 2011 A. R. Lopez

Only in California (v. 1)

Only in California is a new link spotlight to some of the weirdness found on the Left Coast.

***

Stop the Killing! (of coyotes)

After a coyote (or coyotes) began to make dinner out of small dogs and cats in one Anaheim neighborhood, local residents decided to have the animal caught and euthanized. Sounds like a common sense approach, right? Not to animal-rights activists and certain American Indians (aka Native Americans). From the OC Register,

"We want Anaheim and all of Orange County to know that we have lived in harmony with coyotes and other wildlife for generations, and killing coyotes with poison, traps or GPS devices is unfair and upsets the balance of nature," said Randal Massaro of Victorville, a representative for Union Members for Preservation of Wildlife Worldwide. Massaro describes his organization as an "underground movement of union members" trying to protect nature.

"I am here for nature itself," said Apache Daklugie Running-Hawk, who said he is a spiritual leader for the Tarasco Nation band of Indians and is based in Lucerne Valley.

"These are our four-legged friends, and this is their land," he said. "Now they are trying to drive them out, like they drove us (Native Americans) out generations ago. We need to live among them and learn from them."

Running-Hawk played a song on a Native-American wood flute in a show of "respect and peace" during his comments before the council.

There is some sense in all this nonsense, though. By effectively separating humans from the rest of the animal kingdom (e.g., "this is their land"), there is a blanket admission to the distinctiveness of the human species and, I would argue, the imago Dei.

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Gun Control Marches On

Governor Brown, reportedly a gun owner himself, had 4 anti-gun bills on his desk recently.

AB 809 expands gun registration to include long guns, SB 427 effectively initiates ammunition registration, SB 819 redistributes current gun registration fees, and AB 144 would ban the open carrying of an unloaded handgun.

Unfortunately, he signed three of them into law: AB 809, SB 819, and AB 144. He vetoed SB 427, but only because of a lawsuit against the bill's predecessor, which was deemed unconstitutional.

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Government doesn't belong in your home... unless you're having a Bible Study

A southern California couple is faced with a legal battle after being fined for hosting a Bible Study in their home.

So much for the "separation of church and state."

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Achoo! - God Bless You

A California student was penalized for uttering the words "God bless you" after someone sneezed.

“The blessing really doesn’t make sense anymore,” Cuckovich explained. “When you sneezed in the old days, they thought you were dispelling evil spirits out of your body. So they were saying, ‘God bless you,’ for getting rid of evil spirits. But today, what you’re doing really doesn’t make sense.”

I wonder if Mr. Cuckovich has ever told anyone good-bye?

Links for Friday, 16 September 2011

And why not, then, ask candidates about other personal preferences?
"If a candidate for president said he believed that space aliens dwell among us, would that affect your willingness to vote for him? Personally, I might not disqualify him out of hand; one out of three Americans believe we have had Visitors and, hey, who knows? But I would certainly want to ask a few questions. Like, where does he get his information? Does he talk to the aliens? Do they have an economic plan?"

So, is religious belief now equivalent to belief in space aliens?

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Hurricane Irene - NOT
Well, you've got to wonder that if they can't get the weather correct for the next few days right, then how precise are their AGW predictions?

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An Illegal Alien hero

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And one who is not

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So, now you shouldn't use your fingertips at ATMs

"In a research paper titled "Heat of the Moment: Characterizing the Efficacy of Thermal Camera-Based Attacks," the scientist outlined how small infrared cameras and computer software can "steal" someone's PIN.

The cameras, which can be hidden on an ATM machine, are sensitive enough to pick up trace amounts of body heat left by someone using the machine's keypad. Once recorded, hackers could then analyze the thermal signatures using special software to determine which number keys were used in a PIN."

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"Unfortunately, campaigning is all the President knows how to do."

Friday Food Foto (v. 29) - Special Southwest Edition

A special treat, today, of recent Southwest meals.

First up, "Ebenezer" Trout (in honor of Ebenezer Bryce, Mormon pioneer), served up at the Bryce Canyon National Park Lodge restaurant. Boneless, flaky, and tasty.

Next, a BLT served up at the True Grit Cafe, in Ridgway, Colorado. Excellent combination, although a bit too much mayonaisse for my taste. We ate dinner here on 9/11/11, and were serenaded by a singer (upstairs) who had a liking for CSN&Y.

And here we have a Rocky Mountain Buffalo Burger, at Boss Hoggs, in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. Lean, as to be expected, and filling (due, in part, to the 1/2 # size).

Below is a homemade breakfast, prepared at a secret location, of chorizo & eggs, fried potatoes, fried apples, and flour tortillas.

Another homemade meal, this time with freshly caught rainbow trout, pan grilled with a lemon-garlic butter spread. 

And finally, a dinner from the High Country Saloon, in Chama, New Mexico. The "# 2 Combination" includes a chile relleno, enchilada, and taco, all smothered in green chile sauce, along with pinto beans and the northern New Mexico version of posole. Excellent!

Enjoy!

all photos - (c) 2011 A.R. Lopez

 

 

Have you heard of: Fast and Furious, or Gunrunner, or Gunwalker?

Or, how about Brian Terry?

What would you say if you found out that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives allowed firearms to be purchased illegally, in the U.S., and then also let them be transported into Mexico? And what if said firearms were then found at the scene of a firefight where U.S. Border Patrol agent Brian Terry was killed?

• ATF management was allowing potentially hundreds of semiautomatic firearms to be walked across the Mexican border in order to pad statistics used to further budget and power objectives.
• Mexican authorities were kept in the dark, and protests that they should be informed were overridden, first by the Phoenix ATF office, and ultimately by higher-ups in Washington, DC.
• A gun used in this operation was involved in a December 2010 incident in which a Border Patrol agent was killed. 

Do you think that an anti-2nd amendment administration might have used such tactics as a back-door for instituting stricter gun-control measures in the U.S.? Do you think that the head of the BATFE knew about these operations? How about the DOJ? How about White House officials?

At a lengthy hearing on ATF's controversial gunwalking operation today, a key ATF manager told Congress he discussed the case with a White House National Security staffer as early as September 2010.

And if the White House knew about it, then how about the prime resident of the White House? 

Two final questions:  If Obama didn't know about it, why not? If he did know about it, why approve it?

Of course, he's already gone on record stating that he didn't know anything about it. 

Under fire for an operation that allowed smuggling of U.S. weapons across the nation’s border with Mexico, President Obama said in an interview that neither he nor Attorney General Eric Holder authorized the controversial “Operation Fast and Furious.”

...

Obama told Univision‘s Jorge Ramos that President Felipe Calderon wasn’t informed of the operation because he — the president of the United States — wasn’t informed either. When asked whether he knew of the weapon smuggling plan, Obama responded that it is “a pretty big government” with “a lot of moving parts.” (emphasis added)

Yeah. I guess it's too much to ask the President of the United States to skip a few rounds of golf so he can pay attention to that big government he's supposed to be leading.

One parting thought - Imagine the outcry if this was happening under the Bush administration.

Ref:  Gun Right's Examiner