Glide Memorial's Bobby Kent (Olympia 6052N2) 1976 The San Francisco Bay Area was the scene for much of what made the 1960's and 1970's what they were, and this album is right in the groove of that. Glide Memorial is one of the premier black liberal churches in the U.S. It was in the forefront …
The Optimist, Pessimist and Opportunist Square Off Again
Saw this quote from Christian inspirational writer William Arthur Ward on, of all places, Foreign Policy's website: The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails. In the spirit of what I've been seeing on Facebook lately, we should want to know what the opportunist would do. …
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New Orleans Mardi Gras, Sixty Years Ago
As we approach Mardi Gras and the beginning of Lent next week, I thought I'd post these photos of the New Orleans Mardi Gras from around 1950. That date is approximate; the slides that either my father or mother (or both) took were undated. Nevertheless they show a New Orleans that was, in many ways, …
Maybe the Costa Concordia Needed a Native Guide, Too
Among other things: Gianni Onorato, general manager of Carnival (CCL) Corp.’s Costa Crociere line, said the ship had embarked about 7 p.m. from Civitavecchia near Rome on a trip that was scheduled to include stops at ports in France and Spain. The vessel hit the rocks and Captain Francesco Schettino, after assessing the damage, decided …
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The Value of Failure: A Lesson From Soccer
One of the many things that separates me from my contemporaries is the fact that I played soccer in junior high (that designation dates me!) and high school. Today soccer is de rigeur for people growing up in these United States, but until, say, the late 1970's that wasn't the case. A good deal of …
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Of Bomb Threats, Stained Glass Windows, Truthers, Old Books and College Students
This is the time of year when many academic institutions wind down their semesters. That's certainly the case with UTC where I teach. It's time to reflect on a couple of things that have transpired during the calendar year which, in their own way, deflect a good deal of conventional wisdom about those who are …
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Mitt Romney Joins the Bologna Club
He may not realise it, but... When asked his favorite novel in an interview shown yesterday on the Fox News Channel, Mitt Romney pointed to “Battlefield Earth,” a novel by L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology. That book was turned into a film by John Travolta, a Scientologist. There's a little family history behind …
"Extreme events induced by man:" the new euphemism for acts of terror
While digging through my email, I could not help but notice this, from the promotion of a new publication by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO): New and extensively researched, Bridge Security Guidelines offers guidance on bridge design for extreme events induced by man. This document provides the designer with information …
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Belt Your Old Man in the Mouth
The whole "Occupy Wall Street" protest movement--and some comments from family who are closer to the event than I--have reminded me of something I heard a while back and have meant to post but haven't. Hopefully timing will be everything and some will find this strange story helpful. My old family business marketed some of …
People who are Both Gay and Fat are in Serious Trouble
The lobby for the overweight strikes back at Michelle Obama's campaign against swelling waistlines: Speaking at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., Monday, NAAFA public relations director Peggy Howell said the First Lady “essentially gave permission to everyone to condemn the children with higher body weights.” Howell called Obama’s Let’s Move! campaign “well-intentioned, but …
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Positive Infinity 