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To end the old year/begin the new year right, I thought I’d provide a fun antidote (or at least supplement) to the atheist/Christian biblioblog rankings kerfuffle. Different systems assess different things and rank differently, which could potentially lead to arguments over who is really ranked this way or that. On the other hand, we’re all good at something. And so I thought I’d try to start a meme that gives bloggers an opportunity to say what they rank #1 in. For me, I... Read more

I’m not sure if this video is a useful illustration of the dangers of literalism. But it offers lyrics that literally describe what’s going on in the video for “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” and I think you’ll find it funny: HT 3quarksdaily Read more

Fans of Battlestar Galactica will remember the Last Supper photo taken in connection with that show. Now LOST has joined in what may well become a sci-fi tradition: Read more

Since the war on new year shows no sign of abating, I have decided to repost a blog entry of mine from this time last year which addresses the subject: Apparently the forces of darkness are mounting an attack, this time on the Christian holiday of New Year’s Day, which commemorates and worshipfully celebrates the anniversary of the day on which a Romanian monk miscalculated the year in which our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was born. In addition to... Read more

I saw Avatar (in 2D), and although I understand why it has been criticized for engaging in a romantic orientalist (or perhaps even racist) view of the encounter between “primitive” and technologically advanced, the detail with which the beautiful world of Pandora was created largely made up for it, in my mind. (A recent carnival gives the perspectives of several anthropologists on the movie). I won’t discuss the plot (at least in part to avoid giving spoilers), but presumably I... Read more

Joseph Kelly has decided to keep the tradition alive of ranking the top biblioblogs each month. Read more

There’s a skirmish in the biblioblogosphere as Polycarp denies John Loftus the status of biblioblogger, and John retorts that such accusations are motivated by jealousy at his ranking. Others have already joined the fray. This should be interesting fun… Remind me again – what’s the official definition of a “biblioblogger” anyway? Read more

For some time now, I’ve noticed a regular stream of visits from Ontario, Canada, many of them from Carleton University. They usually come by searching on a Canadian search engine for my blog, and usually in an intense burst of visits. I’m not sure whether my blog is being mentioned in classes at the university, or if there is a particularly strong branch of my fan club there north of the border, but I did want to offer a special welcome to... Read more

I finished reading The Fall of Hyperion today. I found its continuation of the theological explorations begun in Hyperion deeply satisfying. Although certain ‘mysteries’ revealed at the end of each book could be foreseen by attentive readers, I much prefer that to the Angels and Demons approach of writing a mystery and then contriving a reason on the final pages why the least likely character was the murderer. But I found the theological twists and turns to be genuinely thrilling. One... Read more