…but I can’t get it into my header.
(Click to enlarge)
The lovely Night Visions created this logo for my blog, but I can’t get it to show up at the top of the page. My tech guru at Powerblogs sent me some info that I don’t quite understand and he’s temporarily unavailable. I think I’m going to actually have to read some technical stuff about using CSS, so it might be awhile. In the meantime, isn’t it a lovely logo?
Science marches on. In addition to news today about the discovery of a possible 10th planet (composed largely of methane and the possible future home of the United Nations), word came today in the Minnesota Constitution Party newsletter of the discovery of a new element:
A major research institute has just announced the discovery of the heaviest element yet known to science. The new element has been named “Governmentium”. Governmentium has one neutron, 12 assistant neutrons, 75 deputy neutrons, and 224 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 311.
The 311 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons. Since Governmentium has no electrons, it is inert. However, it can be detected, as it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact. A minute amount of Governmentium causes one reaction to take over four days to complete, when it would normally take less than a second.
Governmentium has a normal half-life of four years; it does not decay, but, instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places.
In fact Governmentium mass will actually increase over time, since each reorganization will cause more morons to become neutrons, forming isodopes. This characteristic of the moron promotion leads scientists to believe Governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a certain quantity in concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as “Critical Morass”. When catalyzed with money Governmentium becomes Administratium, an element which radiates just as much energy, since it has half as many peons but twice as many morons.
Today is the 17th anniversary of the debut of Rush Limbaugh’s national radio program. (HT: The Writer’s Almanac)
My wife and daughter are safely back home and still decompressing from their 17 day trip to the “distant and mysterious land” (DML). I apologize for appearing coy, but it’s not out of the mistaken impression that this blog is widely read. It is because I know there are software and web tools that collect and report the usage of certain words and phrases, especially when used together (I use these tools myself in my day job to monitor information that may impact my company). Because of people still in the DML, it really doesn’t pay to come to the attention of a particular government. I think alert readers should be able to piece things together themselves, but there’s no point in waving any red flags electronically.
It sounds like a cliche to say it, but the DML is a land of many contrasts. For example, by government it is officially a collectivist state, yet the daily lives of its people openly revolve around buying and selling and collecting wealth. In fact, the “free” healthcare for some 1.3 billion people isn’t very free: we have heard first-hand accounts of seriously ill (but not contagious) children being refused admission to a hospital unless cash is provided upfront. It is a land of modern skyscrapers and streets – that uses these same streets as public urinals. It is a land with an ancient and intricate culture – where the sound of hocking and spitting is constant as you move around (even while on airplanes). It is a land where the women dress exquisitely – while their husbands and brothers accompany them on the streets wearing dirty shorts and tee-shirts, often with the shirts pulled up to cool their bellies in the stifling heat. It is a land where cellphones are everywhere – even among people living in homes and environments that would have been considered squalid 2000 years ago.
Another contrast is in the area of religious faith. Offically the DML worships nothing – and everything. There are countless shrines and temples for an ancient religion – and many who worship their former 20th century leader as a god. Even the Christian faith is “accepted”; that is, as long as it is practiced in the “government church” designated for it. My wife and daughter went to a Sunday service at the government church with the rest of their group. Even though they arrived late, they were ushered into the front rows – the better, it was pointed out, to be seen by the cameras. The cameras were not, however, for the church’s benefit.
The bulk of the effective Christian teaching, evangelizing and discipling inside the DML is done in underground house churches, many of them no doubt similar to the home church my wife and I conduct. The crucial difference is in our version we are open to visitors and welcome new faces. In the DML the prevalence of government spies makes the small groups wary of newcomers; a justifiable precaution because friends of ours there know of midnight raids and home church leaders that have been beaten, deported or “disappeared.” Yet the body of Christ thrives. While there was never going to be a chance for my wife and daughter to be taken into a house church, they met many Christians throughout their travels who were excited in their faith and hungry for news and teaching and they were deeply touched by the strength and hope of these believers.
These are, of course, simple observations. Any stranger visiting a new land is sure to find many things that don’t appear to make sense, whether they are in Chicago or Cairo, or even between Minneapolis and St. Paul. We carry our filters and expectations with us wherever we go, and part of seeing a new place is having these preconceptions shaken up (let’s hope in a positive way). In my wife’s case, for example, she imagined that people living under this form of government would be chafing at their oppression in the same way that people from our culture would under similar circumstances. Instead, most appeared fairly stoic and comfortable (though there is a history of the more discontented being dealt with harshly).
This was the first time my wife had been on an overseas mission where she and her group could not go openly about her business. In other trips national governments were at the worst indifferent to their cause and the local governments even embraced and celebrated their activities whether it was for a large open-air crusade, or the quieter and vitally important pastors conferences and training. As I noted the difference between the DML and, say, the Philippines, it made me appreciate what an 800 pound gorilla the government can be in evangelical work…and then I realized that the same is true in America, with all the permits, regulations, licenses and 501(c)(3) hoops that encumber our “freedom” of religion.
And I wondered if someone visiting from another land would look at us and marvel at how stoic and comfortable we appeared to be.
Wife and daughter arrived safely from the distant land. Luggage to follow.
Gotta go. Kind of busy…
Another communications black out for my wife and daughter as they turn toward home … almost. An engineer friend of mine from college is working in the capital city of the distant and mysterious land and he was able to cross paths with them last night. They tried using his international cell phone to get through to me but couldn’t. He tried again a couple of hours ago and got through with an important message:
My wife wants me to buy her a watermelon.
I don’t know if this is indicative of a desire on her part to eat fresh fruit that doesn’t have to be sterilized first, or an indication of how much (or what) they may have had to drink at dinner. I’m leaning toward the former.
Anyway, my friend reports they are looking well and everything is in order for their return trip in just a few more hours. They’re coming on a flight he himself has taken many times that is typically very punctual, and once even had the benefit of a 175 mph tailwind. Yes!
I am so stoked to see them again. I’m planning to go to Keegan’s tonight for trivia and to celebrate surviving my singleness. If you see me you might want to allow a little space.
Yee-hah!
I was out in my front yard last night, bringing in another bumper crop of dandelion greens for the guinea pig when two young ladies walked up my driveway. The one in front had unnaturally black hair and a demure ring in her right nostril. Her companion was wearing a St. Benedict’s sweatshirt. Overall their attire suggested they might be homeless, or perhaps trying to raise money for a latte. Then I noticed the clipboard. Ah, a petition!
I had a hunch I probably wouldn’t go along with whatever they were supporting, but I smiled pleasantly because that’s what I do. They were also very sweet in demeanor. The first young lady informed me that they were in my neighborhood on behalf of NARAL to show support for protecting women’s rights. “Do you support women’s rights?” she asked me.
“Indeed I do,” I said. “Just not in the way that your group goes about it.”
“Do you mean you don’t think asking people to sign petitions is a good idea?”
“No,” I said, still smiling pleasantly. “I mean I support the rights of all women, including the unborn ones.”
There was a bit of a pause as she cogitated my statement. Ding! “Oh, you’re not pro-choice then,” she said.
“Choose life,” I said, still smiling. They thanked me and went off. I went in the house where Faith was waiting.
“What did they want?” she asked. I told her.
“Did you play with her mind like it was a drunk kitten?” she asked.
Sigh. “You know me so well.”
I’ve waited for Sisyphus at Nihilist in Golf Pants to jump on this, but now that he’s watching the Real World on television it might be awhile. Therefore I’m borrowing the automatic Top 11 generating computer to commemorate the arrival of Chad the Elder’s new son, and the tyke’s imminent appearance as a Fraters contributor.
11. Has already received Hugh Hewitt autographed diaper bag and copy of “Blog.”
10. Don’t let the babyface fool you; it hasn’t hurt Brian “St. Paul” Ward.
9. Falls asleep listening to NARN broadcasts (perhaps that’s not so unique).
8. Already knows the difference between a tax and a fee.
7. Every bit as cute as David Strom and Margaret Martin.
6. Had Adam Smith’s “Wealth of Nations” read to him in utero.
5. Already knows what Wellstone would do, and doesn’t like it.
4. His custom onesies have Ronald Reagan’s face on the front…and Ted Kennedy’s on the butt.
3. Not intimidated by Atomizer’s “Rock Solid” award.
2. MOB pool has him as the 3-1 favorite in the race to see who will post next between him and JB Doubtless.
1. He has to be ready to respond to whatever Nick Coleman’s new baby writes.
I can’t talk much yet about the things that are happening with my wife and daughter and their little group, but lately I’ve been reminded of something I received in an email a few years ago. It’s an account by missionary Helen Roseveare of God’s wondrous provision and encouragement. This story moved me so that I wanted to confirm it’s authenticity, and with a little research I found out more about this remarkable woman and the tremendous impact she had in the Congo – at great personal cost. (See this link for more information.)
The story still moves me, even though I know it practically by heart. And it is always on my mind when we pack a Christmas box for Samaritan’s Purse or put together a care package for our Soldier’s Angels soldier. Sometimes all you need to do to be part of a miracle is simply listen…