Hot and Humid

I voted early yesterday. I was able to do a bit of research, although not enough. It's hard to do research for a primary when there's not much information out there about some races. The attorney general race is a prime example. There are two candidates for the Republican nomination for attorney general. I have no clue about either one, and there's not much information out there, either. It's hard enough to decide how to vote in this day and age of everyone claiming to be "conservative" to try to earn votes. It's harder when there's no way to check out their claims.

Hot

The weather here is hot. Really hot. Hot enough that it would probably be possible to fry an egg on the sidewalk. In fact, it's hot like Appalachian State. (Watch the video at this link and make it through the 1st verse to get the joke.)

Really?

I was reading this article from the Reuters earlier today, and I stared in shock at the start of the 2nd paragraph. It ran as follows: "The two-year-old octopus with possible psychic powers...."
Ok, hold on a minute. Yes, Paul the octopus did happen to "predict" the winner of 8 World Cup games, but that hardly seems to justify the use of the phrase "possible psychic powers." Never mind that the whole concept of psychic powers is absurd (and that the reference to them reveals something about the worldview of the reporter, a New Age and/or pagan worldview). The odds are 1/256 of picking 8 winners completely at random (as Paul obviously did). While unlikely, that certainly is possible. It is no different than flipping a coin 8 times and getting heads 8 times. It can happen because the sample size is so small.
I find it shocking that people are willing to believe that an octopus is somehow "psychic" because he happens to get lucky on 8 separate games, yet they are unwilling to believe in the existence of a Creator God when any study of nature reveals that it is highly, highly improbable that life as we know it could have evolved. The odds of any single system of the human body independently evolving is so much greater than an octopus getting 8 games correct. People are willing to believe that something supernatural allowed the octopus to beat the odds. Why aren't they willing to believe in something supernatural when it comes to life existing?

Election Season Has Begun (yay?)

With less than a month to go before the primary on August 3rd, election season in Kansas is heating up. The big news is the primary for the Senate seat being vacated by Senator Brownback. The two challengers, Moran and Tiahrt, have spent most of the past two months trying to portray themselves as more conservative than the other guy. The amount of effort that they're going to, especially Moran, is a bit sickening. Just show us your record and let it speak for itself. Who is more conservative? Well, I think it depends on what measures you use. I would say that Moran is barely (just barely) more conservative fiscally (if there is such a thing in Washington anymore, which I doubt) but that Tiahrt is more conservative socially. Both, in reality, are probably fiscal moderates and social conservatives of some sort.
The problem, really, is that there simply aren't enough politicians in the entire government who are true fiscal conservatives, which is what this country probably needs more than anything right now. Yes, there are important social & moral issues that need to be dealt with. The current leadership, however, is spending money like they're making it in the cellar. As a registered Republican voter, I need to decide who I'm going to vote for. What I really want to see, of course, is a candidate who is fiscally and socially conservative. They apparently don't exist. I'd settle for someone who is fiscally conservative and won't allow a liberal social agenda. Since I have neither of those options, I'll wait a little while longer before I make my decision, although I'm leaning one way over the other.

Happy 4th of July!

Today is an exciting day in American history! It was on this date in 1776 that we officially adopted the Declaration of Independence, marking our separation from Great Britain as a separate nation. While the Declaration probably wasn't fully signed until August, the Declaration itself lists July 4th as the date of the Declaration. It is a convenient date to use to commemorate the founding of the United States of America.
I have to take a moment to praise and thank God for the blessings I have of living in America. From the resources to the political, economic, and religious freedom with which we as a nation have been blessed, thank you, Lord!
Bashing America has become fashionable. While it is true that as a country, America has never fully lived up to its ideals, it is still not right to focus solely on the mistakes made by us. Yes, as a country, we have done evil. Yet we have also done good. From World War II to humanitarian aid to economic development, the United States has done much good in this world.
So, at least for one day, let's forget about the problems of the country and celebrate what has been done well for 234 years. Tomorrow, the problems will still be there, and we can do our best to solve them then.

A Reprieve from Summer

A temporary reprieve from the hot summer weather has arrived. After a week plus of temperatures in the middle and upper 90s, temperatures have cooled down into the 80s. With lows in the 60s, it's definitely a night to open the windows and let some fresh air into the house. Unfortunately, I know that the hottest days of summer are still ahead, in July and August. So, I'm planning on enjoying the nicer weather while it lasts.

World Cup -- The U.S. Undone

Well, the U.S. made it as far as I expected from them at this World Cup. Anything farther would have been a bonus. I'm proud of what they've done and how they showed resiliency to recover from being consistently behind. Unfortunately, that tendency to play from behind, along with an inexplicable habit of giving away goals in the first 5 minutes of games, led to their downfall. If they don't concede that early goal, they game would have been very different. I'm not sure if the U.S. would have won, though. Ghana had so much speed, and we didn't have the central defenders to match. Once the game reached extra time, we looked tired. Having to play from behind constantly will wear a team out, and the team looked tired as they played out the final minutes.
It was a great run by this U.S. team. It will be interesting to see what sort of team we assemble in 4 years. Several of the players on this year's team will be gone, and it will be hard to replace them. The biggest challenges, in my mind, are solidifying the defense and finding a consistently 2nd center midfielder to complement Bradley. We'll see what happens. Either way, this year's team gave us an enjoyable experience.

The Effect of Worldview on News Reporting

Worldview shapes what events reporters cover, how they cover them, and even which pictures they choose for their stories. To illustrate this effect, read these two articles, one from Fox News and one from CNN.
Can you tell the reporter's opinion of the events that are occurring, even though it's never directly stated? With the CNN article, it is pretty obvious. The picture alone tells the reader that CNN is opposed to the actions taken by Freemont, NE. The article itself views the measure in a negative light, as well. There is hardly any mention of why people this resolution and no interviews with supporters. The Fox News article also shows some evidence of bias. The picture at the start of the article tells the reader the view of the reporter (the opposite of CNN's picture). But Fox News at least tries to balance its coverage, having interviews with both sides of the debate.
In this case, the political worldviews that shape the two networks show up relatively clearly. Fox News, despite being derided as biased by liberals, comes out ahead in this case on being closer to balanced. CNN, which conservatives also deride as being biased, does worse in the neutrality issue. In each case, however, the event is interpreted through the reporter's/network's worldview. There's no way to prevent this. It is how we operate as humans, and it is one reason why we need to be wise in how we interact with the news reports that are out there. Sometimes, it is necessary to read two or three different reports to get the full story because reporters (unintentionally) angle their store as a result of their worldview.

World Cup Refereeing Comments

Refereeing soccer is not easy. Believe me, I know. I am a referee. I am nowhere near in the league of those men who take the field every 4 years at the World Cup, so I am almost always impressed by the manner in which these guys handle such intense pressure.
That said, the past few days have been full of controversial refereeing decisions, which is sad. It distracts from the beauty of the game. I understand how the referees must feel because I've been there myself. I've had to make difficult calls, issue red cards, and deal with irate parents, coaches, and players. I've had bad games. I've had great games. And, since I am not in a soccer-insane country like Colombia, my life is not in danger after a bad game.
The latest firestorm to hit the World Cup was the 2nd yellow and subsequent sending off of Brazilian star Kaka. While Brazil has taken issue with the red card (of course), and while the replay shows that the Cote d'Ivoire player exaggerated the contact, I still think Kaka's 2nd yellow was justified. Let me explain why. The reason, plain and simple, is that Kaka stepped into his opponent and raised his arm, trying to make the contact look incidental. It was Kaka who created the contact. It was, in my opinion, classic unsporting behavior. Now, should the Cote d'Ivoire player also have received a caution for exaggeration of the foul? Absolutely. The problem, however, is that from the referee's point of view, he could not see the contact and where it occurred. He was in proper position, and as a result, the players had their backs to him. The only way that the simulation on the part of the Cote d'Ivoire player could have been seen is if there were two more Assistant referees on the touch lines, one covering each quadrant. I think that might be unnecessary. Maybe not.
The only thing I've always found out about soccer is that there are 22 players on the field, operating in far more space than American football, and yet there are only 3 referees for the entire field. American football uses 6. Hockey uses 4 (I think). So, maybe it's time FIFA looked at adding some extra referees out on the field at the International level. I'm not sure exactly how it would work. Perhaps some sort of hybrid between the Diagonal System of Control and the 2-man system still used by high schools in the U.S. The system would still utilize 2 assistant referees with flags who are responsible for boundary decisions and offside and 2 referees, each of whom was responsible for one half of the field, looking for fouls and the like. I don't know. Maybe that wouldn't work.
Regardless, I completely agree with the referee's decision to caution and send off Kaka, and I'm sure that puts me in the minority. I don't care. I'm used to having a minority opinion. I am, after all, a referee.

Rain!

Yesterday was a very rainy day, with over 1.75" of rain falling in the capital city. More rain fell to the east, where daytime heating, combined with a slow-moving front, set up cell after cell after cell rolling over the Kansas City metro area. More rain will probably fall today and tomorrow, which will result in more flash flooding in the Topeka area. The rain should also make soccer games tomorrow not possible, which is fine with me, since I'm still suffering from a cold and an injured ankle.

The Death of College Sports

Okay, maybe I'm being a bit over-the-top with my title, but the whole hoopla surrounding the conference "expansion" (read "destruction") going on in college athletics right now is showing just how out-of-touch major universities' athletic departments are with their institutions' goals. It used to be that athletics were considered a part of the educational experience, a way of helping the student body develop into well-rounded individuals. Sure, winning was nice, but as important was allowing athletics to play a part in molding the young men (and eventually women) into complete human beings. Somewhere along the way (maybe the 1970s?) this emphasis slowly disappeared. Now, major universities' athletics programs became about one thing only: money. The players and their interests no longer matter.
If you doubt my statement, consider what is driving all of this conference realignment nonsense. Does Nebraska really need to become part of the Big 10 (the conference that can't count because it has 11 teams)? Does the entire Big 12 south really need to join with the Pac-10 to form a new superconference? No! There is not one good reason as far as the athletes or their institutions' educational mission are concerned. The only reason is money, which is downright pathetic, short-sighted, and shallow.
I don't know if the NCAA can do anything about this situation, but it would seem to me that it would be appropriate for the NCAA to step in and say, "Nebraska, if you join the Big 10 (read "Big 11") then you are banned from postseason play." Or to say the same thing to the other Big 12 south schools. I don't know if the NCAA has that sort of power. They probably don't. But it is sad that a few schools (Nebraska and Texas, in particular) care only about themselves and more specifically only about money. Greed is vice, and several excellent universities (Kansas, Kansas State, and Iowa State) are going to find themselves relegated to 2nd class status because of the vices of other schools.

Summer Colds. Bah. Humbug.

I have managed to catch (achoo) a summer cold. And the drainage (achoo) from it was so bad that I couldn't (achoo) sleep last night due to the pain in my (achoo) throat. I'm not going to write any (sniffle) more right now. My thoughts (cough) are too scattered to make any sense. (achoo)

World Cup in Less than One Week

World Cup 2010 in South Africa starts on Friday, and I am excited! The U.S. is in a group that is favorable for them advancing out of group play. However, to do so, they must not play like many U.S. teams have in most of recent history once they reach the tournament stage. The U.S. tends to play one great game, one average game, and one mediocre game. We need two good games and one average game to get through. Otherwise, we'll be packing our bags and headed home after pool play. With the talent that this team has, there is no question that they should advance into the round of 16. Quite possibly, with a good break, we might even make it to the round of 8. The semi-finals are highly unlikely, and the final is probably out of the question. Then again, sports are notoriously unpredictable, and at this level, just about any team can beat any other on a given day. So, if we play well, we have a chance to progress a ways. If not, it will be like World Cup 2002 all over again.

Memorial Day 2010

Tomorrow is Memorial Day, the day on which Americans stop to commemorate those who lost their lives in defense of our country while in military service. Last year, if I remember correctly, I honored the members of my family who had served in the armed forces during World War II and Korea. They both lived through their combat experiences, however, so I wanted to take a moment to express thanks for the many men and women throughout the past 234 years who have died in order to preserve the political, social, economic, and religious freedom that I enjoy today in 2010. Without the sacrifice of all of these people, we as a nation would not be able to enjoy the prosperity with which God has blessed us. Instead, we would be under the rule of a king or a dictator, possibly speaking German (or Japanese, depending), and unable to assemble peacefully to petition our government for redress of grievances. In so many ways, life as we know it would not be possible. We would not be free.
Yet, sadly, in America, we have misunderstood what true freedom is. Freedom is not the right to do whatever we want. Rather, it is the power to do what we ought. In other words, freedom is not just a state of being, it is a responsibility. In this country, we have lived far too long neglecting the responsibilities inherent in our freedom. And that neglect is, in part, an insult to the sacrifice of those who died to preserve our freedom.
So, on this Memorial Day, you may not be able to go out to a cemetery and decorate the graves of veterans now deceased. You may not attend a parade. But you can still honor these brave soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice by becoming responsible with your freedom -- for example, engage in the the political process by being cognizant of the issues and by voting intelligently. Our freedom only will last as long as we the people allow it to last. Let's not waste that freedom, and in so doing dishonor those who have died for their country.

The Basic Gospel

In my post last week, I referenced the concept of the Gospel, which is the foundation of a Christian worldview. In brief, I would like to give an outline of the Gospel, with supporting Bible verses in parentheses.
1. We are all sinners. (Romans 3:23)
2. Our sins bring us under God's righteous judgment and separate us from God. (Romans 2:12)
3. The penalty for our sins is eternal death. (Romans 6:23)
4. Jesus Christ died on the cross to be a perfect sacrifice for our sins. (Romans 8:3,4)
5. Through faith in His work on the cross, we can be forgiven our sins and have our relationship with God restored. (Romans 6:23)

Rambling: Gulf Oil Spill & Worldview

During my blogging hiatus, a horrendous disaster struck in the Gulf of Mexico. An offshore oil rig exploded and sank, causing an oil well to leak huge amounts of oil into the water. Safety measures on the rig and safety measures on the pipeline leading to the rig both failed to prevent the oil from spewing out.
The owners of the well, BP, have tried for nearly a month, now, to close off the well, with no success. Various techniques that traditionally work in these situations have failed, and now BP is getting set to try a radical approach that, if successful will plug the well. This attempt has about a 60% chance of succeeding, according to their estimates.
The mainstream media, of course, immediately spend hours and hours lambasting the executives of BP and generally making all sorts of noise about the "horrendous damage" caused to the environment by the oil spill. What's sad is that in the midst of all of this "green" reporting, the ultimate tragedy of the lost lives of the workers on the rig is being ignored or minimized. Who cares if several people lost their lives? There are herons, cranes, and storks who are covered in oil!
Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that it's a good thing to have those birds covered in oil. It's not. But the underlying worldview of the media is a secular, humanist, evolutionist midst that all life on this world is equally valuable and should be treated exactly the same way. In other words, this worldview says, "Animals are people, too."
The only problem with this, though, is that animals are not that. They are not people. From a Biblical point of view, they are something less than humans. They are creations of God, yes, and we should be doing what we can to treat them well, given that we humans are supposed to be stewards of the Earth. But they are not the same as people, created in the image of God. There is something unique about us humans. We think. We create. We build. Even a secular humanist has to admit that there is something special about this "animal" called "man." That something unique is what the Bible clearly identifies as the imago Dei in us. Too often, though, we dismiss it or ignore it, at our own peril.
For if God made us in His image, doubtless He also expects us to give account for how we treat that image. Given how nasty, rude, disrespectful, and terrible we are to ourselves and each other, I'd say that none of us can claim that we have rightly seen His image as we ought. We all justly deserve God's judgment. And that's where the Gospel begins. The bad news is that we deserve to be judged for not mistreating what God has made. The good news is that through trusting in Jesus Christ's work on the cross, we can be forgiven of such mistreatment (sin) and be restored to a right relationship with God. But now I wander too far from my point. I'll save that for another post.

Hiatus Over; Summer Weather

The school year is officially over, with graduation occurring yesterday. Just in time, summer-like weather has descended upon the Topeka area with a vengeance. It is hot and humid outside, with strong, south winds. Ah, yes, summer is here. And with it comes the return of blogging for me. The Sunday/Wednesday schedule will be back, with only a couple of interruptions, throughout the summer.
For now, I'll content myself to end on that note and save any other comments for the next post.

Commentary: VAT? No!

President Obama has started to say that a European-style VAT (Value-Added Tax) might be an option for the U.S. in order to address the deficit that his party's Congress and the monstrosity of a health-care bill created. In case you doubt me, here is the story.
My immediate reaction to this idea is an overwhelming "NO!" I generally oppose increasing taxes as a matter of principal. It is generally better for the economy to have low tax rates. Business seek those areas that have low tax rates (among other things) and tend to function better in those environments. So, a VAT, which would impose multiple levels of taxation on every level of the economy (and be hidden, since it would already be included in the price), would effectively hurt business while also stifling the spending power of the American consumer.
This suggestion to me shows how out of touch this Administration is with the American people. The majority did not want a debt-ballooning social medicine program. But the Democrats arrogantly said, "Too bad, we know better than you, so there." Now, on top of passing a bill we don't want, the Democrats are floating the idea of a tax that we don't want to pay for a social medicine program that we don't want.
And the Democrats wonder why there is such voter backlash....

Blogging Hiatus

Because of the busyness of my schedule, I've been on a hiatus from blogging for the past two weeks. I'll probably be on hiatus for the rest of this school year, posting only sporadically, until I have some time to think of things worth saying. That means that I will try to resume my regular posting schedule in June.

The Oddities of English

I was pondering the strangeness of the English language two days ago, especially how prefixes don't always work according to the expected rule.
For example, the prefix "in-" (meaning not) behaves quite strangely. "Edible" and "inedible" obey the rule and are antonyms. But "flammable" and "inflammable" are not opposites. "Flammable" means able to be set on fire, and "inflammable" means able to be inflamed (i.e. set of fire). Likewise, "habit" and "inhabit" are not opposites the way the rule would suggest. In fact, the relationship is quite complex, considering that "habit" is a noun and "inhabit" is a verb. The relationship between "tense" and "intense" is also not an antonym relationship.
As near as I can tell, the reason for this unusual behavior stems from the etymology of words. Sometimes, the "in-" as a prefix is the result of the Latin "intensifier prefix" (i.e. a prefix meaning "very"). In other words, "inflammable" results from taking "flammable" and adding "very" to the front of it.
This explanation, of course, is limited, and there are no doubt plenty of good etymologists out there who would take me to task for my incomplete ("not complete" :-) ) description of the issue. Still, it is one of the more difficult aspects of English for many speakers, native and non-native. The only aspect that I can think of that is more challenging is the use of the word "up," but that it is a discussion for another day.