2.<\/strong>\u00a0Scott Lemieux<\/a>\u00a0reminds us that yesterday was the 50th anniversary of\u00a0one of the greatest pitching duels of all time<\/a>.<\/p>\n 3.<\/strong> Carlos Whitaker<\/a> takes a look at the Oxygen Network\u2019s new reality show, Preachers of L.A.,<\/em> which he finds \u201ca bit nauseating.\u201d The show appears, he says, \u201ca bad idea all the way around.\u201d He\u2019s not wrong.<\/p>\n Watching the trailer I can\u2019t help but wonder if the title refers to what it is these preachers preach \u2014 a gospel of \u201cL.A.,\u201d the good news of Hollywood and of Rodeo Drive. With only a few slight edits, this trailer could be teasing an upcoming documentary \u2014 a muckraking expos\u00e9 of the salesmen selling \u201cprosperity\u201d as religion. Except that none of the preachers profiled quite seems to realize that they\u2019re being exposed. They don\u2019t seem to have more than the slightest inkling of how they appear to a watching world.<\/p>\n Related: \u201cIrish Prosperity Gospel Church Collapses Under 18-million Euro Debt<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n Also related: Mark Evanier<\/a> on \u201cpsychics\u201d:<\/p>\n It is my belief that 100 percent of people who claim to have psychic or similar abilities are frauds. They are occasionally frauds who believe their own steer manure but they are still frauds.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n See also the Kyle Swenson article<\/a> he links to, in which grifters posing as psychic advisers fleece their marks with a message remarkably similar to what some of those L.A.<\/em> preachers are saying.<\/p>\n 4.<\/strong> Ralph Reed is not a \u201cfraud who believes his own steer manure.\u201d Ralph Reed is a fraud who believes in nothing<\/a>. I\u2019m not saying that because he is politically conservative and I am politically liberal. Ralph Reed is not<\/em> politically conservative. He\u2019s a parasite posing as a political conservative so that he can move among them and take their money.<\/p>\n 5.<\/strong> I\u2019m a big fan of the story of Peter and Cornelius<\/a> in the 10th and 11th chapters of the New Testament book of Acts. Some<\/a> American<\/a> Christians<\/a>, unlike Peter himself, think that story is just about shellfish, bacon and cheeseburgers and not the gospel of radical inclusiveness<\/a> I see there. But that radical inclusiveness is a major theme throughout the book of Acts, not just in that one story. Here\u2019s the sermon Katherine Willis Pershey preached on Sunday<\/a> based on the story told in Acts 8. Same theme. You can\u2019t miss it \u2014 the whole story revolves around one question: \u201cWhat is to prevent me from being baptized?\u201d The man asking that question is Gentile. And a foreigner. And a eunuch. And the answer to his question is \u201cnothing.\u201d Nothing at all.<\/p>\n 6.<\/strong> Blow your mind. Or try to, at least. If you need help, here\u2019s some good advice on how to do that from Brian Eno\u2019s \u201cOblique Strategies<\/a>\u201d and from Vi Hart\u2019s \u201cTwelve Tones<\/a>.\u201d That video from Hart is about 30 minutes. It\u2019s more than worth it.<\/p>\n 7.<\/strong> Item: \u201cChris Christie Vetoes Family Planning Funding for the Fifth Time<\/a>.\u201d So as one Jersey guy to another, here\u2019s a word from the Boss<\/a>:<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/52\/2013\/07\/Of9-252x300.jpg\")
<\/a>The Giants beat the Braves 1-0 on a solo home run by Willie Mays in the 16th inning. Juan Marichal, who was then 25 years old, got the win, pitching all 16 innings for the shutout. Warren Spahn, 42, \u00a0took the loss, pitching all 16 innings on the losing side. Giants manager Alvin Dark tried to pull Marichal for a relief pitcher in the ninth, but Marichal refused to leave the game \u201cas long as that old man is still pitching.\u201d Marichal wound up throwing 227 pitches in that game. Spahn threw 200 before Mays belted the 201st.\u00a0Daniel Brown<\/a>\u00a0interviews some of the players from that game, which Jim Kaplan called \u201cThe Greatest Game Ever Pitched<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n