Matthew 6

16 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

John 8

1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
7 But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
11 “No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

Had some real life interactions that left me frustrated and angry.

Of course I know quite well that such passages are just as applicable to me as to anyone else.

I’ll try to remember that.

Don’t look here for entertainment. You’ll be disapointed.

The suit that makes you feel old

The Third Age Suit restricts the mobility of the wearer to give them an appreciation of what it is like for patients getting around the hospital.

Architects from Capita Symonds are using the suit to help them redesign the Derby City General Hospital.

What an excellent idea. I’d suggest that this is something that not just doctors and nurses should have to wear, but all those who need to deal with the elderly.

“Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we,” Bush said. “They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.”

Right.

…I’m married.

Cingular Wireless now offers a new wrinkle on this strange social effect called “Escape-A-Date.” If you’re going out on a date, you can arrange to have your cellphone ring at a specified time. The call guides you through a script that makes it sound, to the gullible party across the table, as if you’ve got to rush off. Think of it as a wake-up call with benefits. If the date’s going well, just don’t answer.

I am definitely not cool.

Everytime I read the title of this post over at Making Light, I see World Congo-ing, and start thinking about drums.

(sigh)

The other day when I was walking past some classrooms, I heard a student giving an end of the semester presentation. If you’ve gone to school in the past several years, you know precisely the kind of presentation it was: PowerPoint, loaded with statistics and numbers, given in a monotone, and probably thrown together the day before.

It made me wonder: why don’t students actually think before creating presentations. They give presentations that are simply a compilation of statistics and dry facts, guaranteed to put their audience to sleep within a few minutes.

Yet the students who create such dust dry presentations seem to be the students most likely to complain about the teacher, and how boring the class is. I don’t think it’s hypocrisy, because I’m pretty sure that they don’t even realize the contradiction, though about five seconds into the presentation one begins to wish they would.

Just got an e-mail forward from Andy, which I think he expected to set me off. I’m pretty sure I gave him a far different response than he expected.

Online Privacy “Eviscerated” by First Circuit Decision

The First Circuit Court of Appeals dealt a grave blow to the privacy of Internet communications with its decision today in the case of U.S. v. Councilman. The court held that it was not a violation of criminal wiretap laws for the provider of an email service to monitor the content of users’ incoming messages without their consent. The defendant in the case is a seller of rare and used books who offered email service to customers. The defendant had configured the mail processing software so that all incoming email sent from Amazon.com, the defendant’s competitor, was copied and sent to the defendant’s mailbox as well as to the intended recipient’s. As the court itself admitted, “it may well be that the protections of the Wiretap Act have been eviscerated as technology advances.”

My response to him was thus:

It’ll probably end up at a higher court, but I think the ruling was correct.

Just as a landlord has the right to enter your apartment or house, so, I think, should an e-mail provider retain the right (unless otherwise stated in a privacy policy) to read your e-mail messages. Is this a wise business decision? Hell no! But caveat emptor! It is, I believe, up to the consumer to scope out products they purchase or buy. For these same reasons I have no problem with g-mail. After all, if I don’t like the service, I can switch to another, that does not violate my privacy.

This makes it far different, I think, from a wiretap run by the government, where you do not have the option switching to another provider with a privacy policy.

—

On further reflection, it’s stupid on other grounds, as it would then, I believe, make the e-mail provider legally responsible for the content of messages.

But as usual, feel free to explain to me how I’m wrong.

It’s a sickness I tell you! Something I have little control over! I can’t help myself!

Yes, I bought another jacket. I’m not that out of control yet—no Imelda Marcos of coats—but I have to admit that if I have one clothing weakness it’s coats and jackets. Last night’s purchase was black cotton blazer—the brushed cotton that’s so very soft. I had already convinced myself that I needed a new jacket, so I didn’t have too far to fall.

But it’s a very nice jacket, even if I did buy is a couple of sizes to big to fit over multiple shirts (yes, I work in a place of excessive air conditioning, where two shirts are a necessity all year round.) AND, unusual enough in a women’s jacket, there are two large pockets. I typically buy men’s jackets, because they have lots of roomy pockets—space, for stuff like chapstick, and my cell phone and stuff like that.

So I now have a nice new black jacket, unlined, and quite sharp looking. Which means I’m good for another few weeks.

Until I again start my search for a new pea coat. A thick, heavy, black one, with big buttons and several pockets, that will last for years. And the new leather jacket, I also need a new leather jacket…

To make up for how depressing my last post was, I recommend Philosophoraptor, on the word count of Kerry’s speech to the Democratic Convention.

(If you haven’t read the last post, on Iraq, read that first, so you’ll have something to look forward to.)
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George Bush, as he has flaunted in the past, is commander-in-chief of the armed forces. Thus, he must take responsibility for our military forces. It is he who has lead them to this low point, and it is he who must ultimately be responsible for any atrocities committed.

It sickens me beyond measure to know that American soldiers have been responsible for the abuse and rape of children in Iraq.

I must admit that I had heard about this several weeks ago, but was truly hoping that it was simply a rumor that would prove to be unsubstantiated. I sickens me to find that rumor was in fact truth.

Those who committed such crimes must be called to account, as must those who allowed such crimes to be committed on their watch.

(via Body and Soul [as usual, make sure to read Jeanne’s post.])

I found the results of this quiz quite amusing.
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Anyone whose listened to me babble about WV politics for any length of time, knows that I really like Ken Hechler.

Thus, I was pleased to see he had an op-ed piece in the NY Times. It’s quite nice, although to be honest I’m not sure why it’s there.

Ah well, enjoy it anyway.

The Death Gate Cycle Dragon Wing, Elven Star, Fire Sea, Serpent Mage, Into the Labyrinth, The Hand of Chaos, The Seventh Gate by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman

It had been years since I’d read the Death Gate cycle, mostly because 7 books is a lot to read for someone who has to complete an entire series as quickly as possible.

One of the things I’d forgotten about the books, is how good the story was.

Read More about The Death Gate Cycle