• Writing for love or money?

Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) wrote, “No man but a blockhead ever wrote, except for money.”
According to the latest reports, the majority of us who write for a living, aren’t making a lot of money compared to other professionals with similar education.
The National Endowment for the Arts Study Artists in the Workforce: 1990–2005 reports there [...]

• Olympic committee scores 0

The Olympic committe has scored a perfect 0 in the site selection event.
China a) has one of the worst human rights records in the world, b) is one of the worst in persecuting people of faith, c) is one of the worst countries for pirating software and media and d) has flooded markets with [...]

• Controversial news and views

Whew! Controversial news and views this week.
1. The James Dobson v. Barak Obama controversy continues with a new Web site sponsored by a pastor and Obama supporter called James Dobson Doesn’t Speak for Me.
2. The Supreme Court ruled against capital punishment for child rapists sparking controversy yesterday. Today, the Court struck down the District [...]

• Focus on the surgery

I try to avoid talking about personal affairs here.
I’d rather comment on things like Focus on the Family’s James Dobson accusing Democratic presidential candiate Barak Obama of “distorting” the Bible. The conservative talk show host told his listeners, ”I think he’s deliberately distorting the traditional understanding of the Bible to fit his own worldview, [...]

• Jesus is the way: most Christians disagree

Jesus declared, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6) and “Whoever believes in the Son [Jesus Christ] has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him” (John 3:36).
But the majority of Christians [...]

• George Carlin: last laugh

While I didn’t appreciate his often vulgar delivery, comic George Carlin served as a witty social critic for my generation. He died Sunday at 71 from heart failure.
He not only took on complex and controversial issues, such as the Vietnam War, but made us laugh at simple things such as “jumbo shrimp” [...]

• Ghosts Among Us: uncovering the truth about mediums

Multi-million-dollar medium, James Van Praagh, is out with a new book: Ghosts Among Us: Uncovering the Truth About the Other Side.
In it, he reveals that the set of TV’s Ghost Whisperer is haunted and that Britney Spears has two ghosts “attached” to her. (Hmmm? Could it be the ghosts of that head-shaving incident [...]

• Top ten great things about having cancer

I have in my right hand, direct from my home office, today’s category: Top ten great things about having cancer:
10. It’s a great excuse to get out of work. “Sorry, I can’t help with VBS. I’m having radiation for prostate cancer.” (One editor actually offered to delay a deadline if I didn’t [...]

• Ubuntu: I am, because we are

Congrats to the Boston Celtics for winning the National Basketball Association title last night. (And condolences to my friends in LA.)
This season, the team has stressed, well, teamwork by adopting the South African word ubuntu (pronounced Ooh-BOON-too). In English, it roughly translates to “I am, because we are.” I love it!
“A person is [...]

• ‘The floods engulf me’

Iowa man canoes from his flooded home (CBC Photo)
Save me, O God,
   for the waters have come up to my neck.
I sink in the miry depths,
   where there is no foothold.
   I have come into the deep waters;
   the floods engulf me.
Answer me, O Lord, out of the goodness of your love;
   in your great mercy turn to me.
(Psalm 69)
Some [...]