A handful of items worth repeating, and worth following the links to read in full: Nobel laureate Peter Diamond: Infrastructure spending is not a vehicle for dealing with a normal recession. But once you recognize this recovery will be slow, you realize this is a time when we should be doing major spending on infrastructure. And a lot of the infrastructure investments are stuff we’re going to have to deal with eventually, so doing it now doesn’t actually add to... Read more
201. In case of Rapture | Dec. 14, 2008; LBTM, pt. 5 202. Jesus met the woman | Dec. 19, 2008; LBTM, pt. 6 203. Lone Gunmen | Dec. 29, 2008; LBTM, pt. 7 204. Accumulated radiation | Jan. 9, 2009; LBTM, pt. 8 205. No love for Hattie | Jan. 17, 2009; LBTM, pt. 9 206. Think Different | Jan. 23, 2009; LBTM, pt. 10 207. Something happens | Jan. 30, 2009; LBTM pt. 11 208. The worst mankind... Read more
Tribulation Force, pp. 402-403 In a rush at the end of this volume, Jerry Jenkins loses track of the narrative pattern he has followed up until this point. For more than 800 pages he’s been alternating between the points of view of his two main characters, Rayford Steele and Buck Williams, revealing to readers only that which is seen or heard by each character in turn. That storytelling framework has shaped the plot of this second book in the series,... Read more
. Job seekers: Let us know where you are and what you’re looking for. Everybody: Skim through and see if you know something, or know someone, or know someone who knows someone, who might help out one of our job seekers. For twice the fun, you might also want to check out the jobs threads they’ve started at Balloon Juice. Read more
Jason Pitzl-Waters of The Wild Hunt writes about “Invisible Christian Privilege“: To many Christians their immense privilege seems invisible. They don’t understand how much of our society panders to their unspoken power. The churches on every corner, the holidays and celebrations structured around Christian dates, the pandering of politicians, the ceremonial deism that acts as a placeholder for state-sponsored religion. Even our vernacular is colored by Christianity. … Yet despite this, many Christians, particularly conservative Christians, have a major investment... Read more
Not every “Christian T-shirt” is worn as a witnessing tool or a tribal symbol or a culture warrior’s warning shot. Many of the sorts of things sometimes regarded as “witnessing tools” mainly serve a different function. They’re devotional. The popular “WWJD?” bracelets, for example, are not meant primarily to be a “witness” to others, but to be a reminder to the wearer of commitments she has made and of who it is that she wants to be. The same is... Read more
Romans 12: 9-21 Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with... Read more
In a post last week — “You might be an evangelical …” — I touched on some of the esoterica of the evangelical subculture. Much of that post was inside-baseball, jargon and references some readers (maybe the luckier ones) found a bit bewildering. Such as this, for example: If you think the phrase “a witnessing tool” refers to something that’s good to have rather than someone it’s bad to be, then you might be an evangelical. “What is a ‘witnessing... Read more
We never have enough / time to show our love “Valentine’s Day,” Bruce Springsteen “Valentine’s Day,” Linkin Park “Valentino,” Diane Birch “Valerie,” Mightyhead “Valparaiso,” Sting “Vampire,” Antsy Pants “Vampiresa Mujer,” Jonathan Richman “Vapour Trail,” Ride “Venezuela,” Randy Stonehill “Ventilator Blues,” The Rolling Stones “Verdi Cries,” 10,000 Maniacs “Veronica,” Dust Poets “Veronica,” Elvis Costello “Verdi Cries” probably teeters on the edge of precious or artsy, but after more than 20 years it still sounds lovely, with just enough precision of detail... Read more
151. Mystery Dance | Oct. 12, 2007; pp. 344-346 152. New Babylon | Oct. 19, 2007; pp. 346-353 153. Chairface Stonagal | Nov. 2, 2007; pp. 355-359 154. Buck’s soul searching | Nov. 9, 2007; pp. 356-357 155. Buck & Hattie & Ray & Chloe | Nov. 16, 2007; pp. 361-364 156. Bucky’s in love | Nov. 30, 2007; pp. 364-375 157. Cruel to be kind, pt. 1 | Dec. 7, 2007; pp. 367-377 158. Cruel to be kind, pt.... Read more
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