tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82064177834252670422024-03-05T01:44:41.956-05:00the anxiety of influenceIanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16873955154027525756noreply@blogger.comBlogger122125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8206417783425267042.post-21240132417391793102008-12-07T18:01:00.003-05:002008-12-07T18:05:55.331-05:00Moving Day!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://ccflearning.com/vle/file.php/1/moving-day.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 412px; height: 291px;" src="http://ccflearning.com/vle/file.php/1/moving-day.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />The time has finally come. Yesterday I successfully moved all the posts and comments from this faithful blog to www.theanxietyofinfluence.wordpress.com - my new place in the blogosphere. I do very much appreciate what blogger has done for me but the enticement of easy lay-outs and better themes has done me in. If you do regularly read here, please update all your whatevs and I'll see you over at wordpress.<br /><br /><a href="http://theanxietyofinfluence.wordpress.com/">the anxiety of influence</a>--now powered by wordpress.Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16873955154027525756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8206417783425267042.post-34651199918286091952008-12-04T10:47:00.004-05:002008-12-04T11:35:36.056-05:00My life on paper<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://us.st12.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/yhst-71326348041790_2027_6899075"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 260px;" src="http://us.st12.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/yhst-71326348041790_2027_6899075" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I have never been able to effectively use any sort of day planner thing. Throughout middle and high school I was given some sort of school sanctioned assignment planner every fall and every year I would dutifully plan to use it to its fullest capabilities. Three weeks later it would be buried at the bottom of my locker, not to be seen again until I cleaned out the wonderful metal box. Every semester at Harding, I was enticed by the large box of planners found next to the check-out aisle of the HUB and would shell out four bucks for a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">HU</span> sanctioned day planner that would inevitably go to waste.<br /><br />Not 2008! This academic year--the second and third semester of my M.A.--has uncovered an Ian that is fully capable of keeping a day planner. Not only do I keep my work and class schedule, I also faithfully record upcoming projects, reading schedules, planned meetings with fellow students, and even long-term project steps. I attribute this <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">newfound</span> organization not to self-will, but to my wonderful wife and the gift of a <a href="http://www.moleskines.com/moleskine-pocket-weekly-planner-horizontal.html"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Moleskine</span> weekly planner--horizontal layout</a>. It looks like the typical <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Moleskine</span> pocket notebook, but it's so much more! Beyond the quotidian (ha! puns) day planner features, there is adequate space for note jotting and an address book. Also included in the pages are several pages of possibly necessary information (conversion tables, geography, measurements, and area codes).<br /><br />I have been very pleased with my weekly planner. For her part, Jenna tries to keep her mind sharp by keeping most of her appointments and dates mentally. I would never make it to anything if that were the case. How do you keep track of your life?Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16873955154027525756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8206417783425267042.post-35618617003960536862008-11-21T14:08:00.003-05:002008-11-21T14:16:42.588-05:00Free Dr. Pepper!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.aerostar.com/images/Dr%20Pepper.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 288px;" src="http://www.aerostar.com/images/Dr%20Pepper.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />According to the <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27829616/">AP</a>, the manufacturer of Dr. Pepper is making good on their promise to give free soda (or, as I prefer, pop) to every American, provided that Guns N' Roses releases their new album in 2008.<br /><br />In their defense, it seemed like a safe bet. GNR fans (and yes, the do still exist) have been waiting for this album since they began recording it in 1994. Whether or not you're jazzed for "Chinese Democracy," you can now enjoy the cool, crisp, refreshing taste of a Dr. Pepper on the house. All you must do is visit the Dr. Pepper Web site starting on Sunday the 23rd of November, print a coupon, and use it on or before February 28th.<br /><br />Enjoy!Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16873955154027525756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8206417783425267042.post-32623081862834593602008-11-19T15:54:00.005-05:002008-11-19T16:40:35.635-05:00RevelationLast night I was able to attend what was dubbed a Transnational Panel hosted by a professor at West Chester University. Presenting in the panel were three professors--a British man who focuses on postcolonial literature, an American woman who focuses on 19th century American women authors, and a woman of Korean descent who focuses on critical pedagogy and gender studies--who have formed a group of transnational scholars on our campus in an effort to move our academic discourse beyond nationalistic literary boundaries that have long dominated our discipline. The three papers presented were, all in different ways, enlightening and informative. Had I gotten nothing out of the panel beyond the information found in the papers then it would have been well worth my attendance. However, I had a bit of a scholarly revelation during the presentation.<br /><br />My scholarly interests are pretty varied. Right now, I imagine that my focus is late-20th century American literature. It's where I feel most at home but that's not to say that I don't want to branch out. I have a great deal of interest in postcolonial studies, African American literature, and gender studies but I worry that I will be unable to contribute in these other fields because I am so terribly regular.<br /><br />Here's where my revelation comes in. Last night, the aforementioned professor of Korean descent presented a project she has been working on that explores representation of Chinese women in American society. My initial reaction was to question why she wasn't working through Korean culture instead of Chinese culture but I quickly realized that I was being incredibly racist. There is no reason why her ethnicity should determine whom she studies and I was just being ridiculous. After my initial shock at my surreptitious racism, I realized that my scholarship, too, had been liberated! Just because I'm straight doesn't mean I have no place adopting Queer Theory, or that because I'm a white male I can't add to the conversation about black women writing in America. I can perform the scholarship that I want. I'm excited.<br /><br />So for now, I'm off to class.Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16873955154027525756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8206417783425267042.post-45417741517794766802008-11-18T10:48:00.004-05:002008-11-18T12:53:26.298-05:00Graduate Study Lounge<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.thcphotography.com/photos/frances_harvey_green_library_west_chester_university_FULL.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 231px; height: 296px;" src="http://www.thcphotography.com/photos/frances_harvey_green_library_west_chester_university_FULL.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Found on the sixth floor of the main library of West Chester University is a graduate study lounge. The graduate study lounge comes complete with a standard library table suitable for six people, a love seat, and a fairly large padded chair to match the love seat. To gain access to the room, one must have the appropriate five-digit keypad code. Luckily I possess the correct code. I'm not exactly sure how one goes about legitimately gaining access to the room, but I was told the code early last Fall by a recently graduated graduate student and I have happily used it since.<br /><br />What brought me to write this post is the way students refuse to share the room. There are over one thousand graduate students at West Chester University and, based on a terribly unscientific poll, only a small portion of those students are aware that the graduate study lounge exists. I trust this is the case because those that know about it guard the secret of it like a middle school crush.<br /><br />It is wonderful to sit in said study lounge and see the faces of people who walk up to the door, only to see someone else occupying the room. There is plenty of room for at least five people to study privately and quietly with adequate room for their computes, books, notepads, etc but people refuse to share the space.<br /><br />I may never understand people but at least they're fun to watch.Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16873955154027525756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8206417783425267042.post-44581346240359657282008-11-14T11:28:00.002-05:002008-11-14T11:40:59.605-05:00Arts & Letters Daily<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.aldaily.com/header.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 550px; height: 154px;" src="http://www.aldaily.com/header.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Just last week I discovered my new favorite Web site. It's a fantastic aggregate site called <a href="http://www.aldaily.com/">Arts & Letters Daily</a>. This may be an over-generalization, but it is my humanities-oriented answer to Drudge Report (or Drudge Retort, however you are politically inclined). Found on the site are book reviews, literary criticism, history debates, music news, philosophical discussion, and articles exploring politics in our lives.<br /><br />The motto of the site, "Veritas odit moras," means "Truth hates delay." With that in mind, delay the truth no more!Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16873955154027525756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8206417783425267042.post-908359842410213792008-11-12T16:16:00.003-05:002008-11-12T16:40:42.692-05:00Kings of Leon<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.clashmusic.com/files/images/KINGS%20OF%20LEON%202.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 311px; height: 230px;" src="http://www.clashmusic.com/files/images/KINGS%20OF%20LEON%202.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>So I realize that the episode of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">SNL</span> that aired last Saturday was a few months old, but it was new to me. That being said, I was fairly excited when I heard that Kings of Leon were performing as the live musical guest on the show. I've heard a few of their songs on the radio and generally like their sound. <br /><br />While watching them perform I wasn't blown away by their sound but it was good. What was terribly disappointing was their look. The picture to the right doesn't do justice to their look on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">SNL</span>, but it was as if each member of the band was a terrible parody of what they considered to be rock. The lead singer had some ridiculous wide suspenders, the bassist had an awful Elvis-type hair, the drummer had long hair a la Dave <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Grohl</span> circa 1992, and the lead guitarist had a leather jacket under which he was flashing some stunning white chest. I cannot imagine being able to watch a live show of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">KoL</span> and not feel a sense of lacking.<br /><br />That being said, there are plenty of bands that I enjoy that I would rather have not seen them in person. My primary example is Jimmy Eat World. There's little that is visually appealing about that band, but they make such catchy music that I can't let them go.<br /><br />On the opposite end of the spectrum there are artists whose looks perfectly fit their sound. Both <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Sufjan</span> Stevens and Sam Beam (aka Iron and Wine) look exactly like I had imagined they would. <br /><br />I realized immediately after writing the above paragraph that it's quite possible that I saw pictures of the artists before I had imagined their <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">appearance</span> so my judgment would be faulty. In order to be more honest, I conjured mental images of the looks of three bands: <a href="http://www.theairbornetoxicevent.com/">The Airborne Toxic Event</a>, <a href="http://www.rarariot.com/">Ra Ra Riot</a>, and <a href="http://www.vampireweekend.com/">Vampire Weekend</a> to see if their images match their sounds. The verdict: they do, especially <a href="http://www.la-underground.net/uploaded_images/theairbornetoxicevent_01-711033.jpg">The Airborne Toxic Event</a>.<br /><br />On a different note, I would highly recommend all three of these bands.Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16873955154027525756noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8206417783425267042.post-1748230794218486182008-11-08T18:42:00.003-05:002008-11-08T18:45:34.603-05:00Simulation"I reject the notion of football as warfare. Warfare is warfare. We don't need substitutes because we've got the real thing."<br /><br /> -Don DeLillo in <span style="font-style: italic;">End Zone</span>Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16873955154027525756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8206417783425267042.post-77902969657952210492008-11-05T16:47:00.003-05:002008-11-05T16:58:36.436-05:00More humor!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://logo.cafepress.com/3/3666313.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 490px; height: 200px;" src="http://logo.cafepress.com/3/3666313.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Wow, some people can be so reactive and unoriginal.<br /><br />I may be wrong, but <a href="http://www.cafepress.com/1_20_13">they</a> should probably use 17 instead of 13.<br /><br />I can't stop smiling when I think about the results of last night's election return.<br /><br />Good job America.Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16873955154027525756noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8206417783425267042.post-64603319686499354672008-11-04T21:15:00.002-05:002008-11-04T21:24:31.840-05:00The American Bard"Election Day, November, 1884"<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">by Walt Whitman<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">If I should need to name, O Western World, your powerfulest<br /> scene and show,<br />'Twould not be you, Niagara--nor you, ye limitless prairies--nor<br /> your huge rifts of canyons, Colorado,<br />Nor you, Yosemite--nor Yellowstone, with all its spasmic geyser-<br /> loops ascending to the skies, appearing and disappearing,<br />Nor Oregon's white cones--nor Huron's belt of mighty lakes--<br /> nor Mississippi's stream:<br />--This seething hemisphere's humanity, as now, I'd name--the<br /> <span style="font-style: italic;">still small</span> voice vibrating--America's choosing day,<br />(The heart of it not in the chosen--the act itself the main, the<br /> quadriennial choosing,)<br />The stretch of North and South arous'd--sea-board and inland--<br /> Texas to Maine--the Prairie States--Vermont, Virginia,<br /> California,<br />The final ballot-shower from East to West--the paradox and<br /> conflict,<br />The countless snow-flakes falling--(a swordless conflict,<br />Yet more than all Rome's wars of old, or modern Napoleon's:) the<br /> peaceful choice of all,<br />Or good or ill humanity--welcoming the darker odds, the dross:<br />--Foams and ferments the wine? it serves to purify--while the<br /> heart pants, life glows:<br />These stormy gusts and winds waft precious ships,<br />Swell'd Washington's, Jefferson's, Lincoln's sails.</span></div></div>Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16873955154027525756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8206417783425267042.post-44487833428129999952008-11-04T16:25:00.003-05:002008-11-04T16:30:04.671-05:00A little election humor<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://globalnerdy.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/floppy_fail.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 171px; height: 167px;" src="http://globalnerdy.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/floppy_fail.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />This has to be the <a href="http://mikemuhammad.com/index.html">worst political website ever</a>.<br /><br />No, seriously. There cannot be a worse, legitimate site created in an effort to get someone elected. If there is a more terrible site out there, please let me know.<br /><br />O, and apparently we should vote for Mike Muhammad.Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16873955154027525756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8206417783425267042.post-8049829429768120902008-11-04T11:04:00.006-05:002008-11-04T16:30:55.537-05:00Vote!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.fadingad.com/blog/brooklyn/avenue_n_vote01.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 316px;" src="http://www.fadingad.com/blog/brooklyn/avenue_n_vote01.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Here's my friendly reminder to let you know that if you're able, you should vote today. Plus, if you vote (o<a href="http://www.kirotv.com/news/17885256/detail.html">r even if you don't</a>) you can get a free tall coffee from Starbucks. The coffee giant in West Chester is brewing a nice Thanksgiving Coffee (which is a tasty blend of Sumatra and Guatamalan coffees) that nicely hits the spot after waiting forty-five minutes out in the 45° dampness outside my polling place.<br /><br />That's right, I awoke at 5:45 this morning in order to get to my polling place in time to get to work on time. I still contend that Election Day should be a national holiday, but that's for another post. Last night I looked up directions to the Ridge Road Fire House in Pottstown, PA but it turns out that googlemaps is a dirty liar. What should have been a ten minute drive ended up taking thirty which put me further back in line than I would have liked. I arrived at said polling place at 6:45, fifteen minutes before it officially opened, and was about fifty people back from the front. The energy of the people in line was incredible.<br /><br />At the front of the line was an almost-giddy black man who I would guess is around fifty in age. He came prepared with a folding chair, thermos of coffee, a portable heater, and lots of enthusiasm--and the wonder didn't end with him. All through the line people (most, but not all, were people of color) were asking strangers to take pictures of them on this historic day (as is noted on <a href="http://whatsleftnow.com/2008/11/04/vote-its-your-democratic-right/">What's Left Now</a>, no matter who wins, today's election is certainly historic). Though it was far too early in the morning for me to muster enthusiasm, I couldn't help but get caught up in the moment of voting.<br /><br />Just after casting my ballot, I walked out of the building and took great joy at the sight of the long and growing line outside. People of all backgrounds, ethnicities, and political leanings were together to make their voices heard. Never mind the bickering, mud slinging, and negative campaigning--this is the beauty of the democracy in which we live.<br /><br />No matter what you say, I will not be disenfranchised. Not today--I voted!Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16873955154027525756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8206417783425267042.post-69396407957076854812008-10-31T10:10:00.003-04:002008-10-31T10:24:06.552-04:00James Dobson’s ‘Letter From 2012 in Obama’s America<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:YIH_14YVqVOxEM:https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmivaYGxdOfVq9oRV4J_kDqDufPIDjBo4aKM9CCdd2NLie8z81_pouQg1Ols1llEGOe1lzsEdQNZFvBUlTDOanbOJV3UUHSGE2ZaAFMfItpdsZcJi7EKSQdr79f3ZQkPAG-yK9kOFIhUU/s1600-r/Paix.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 143px; height: 143px;" src="http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:YIH_14YVqVOxEM:https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmivaYGxdOfVq9oRV4J_kDqDufPIDjBo4aKM9CCdd2NLie8z81_pouQg1Ols1llEGOe1lzsEdQNZFvBUlTDOanbOJV3UUHSGE2ZaAFMfItpdsZcJi7EKSQdr79f3ZQkPAG-yK9kOFIhUU/s1600-r/Paix.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />The following can be found on Jim Wallis' blog called Sojourners. It's in response to a <a href="http://focusfamaction.edgeboss.net/download/focusfamaction/pdfs/10-22-08_2012letter.pdf">letter</a>, published by Focus on the Family, from a citizen of America in 2012. As Wallis points out, the letter attempts to stir up the worst in people, not the best. I echo his sentiments of shame that people who identify as Christians would stoop to such slander and fear-mongering. Our faith is one of hope and love. There is no place in Christianity for hate and negativity toward other people.<br /><br />Here is Wallis' <a href="http://www.sojo.net/blog/godspolitics/?p=3283">response</a>:<br /><br /><div class="p-con"><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;">"James Dobson, you owe America an apology. The fictional letter released through your Focus on the Family Action organization, titled <a href="http://focusfamaction.edgeboss.net/download/focusfamaction/pdfs/10-22-08_2012letter.pdf">“Letter From 2012 in Obama’s America”</a>, crosses all lines of decent public discourse. In a time of utter political incivility, it shows the kind of negative Christian leadership that has become so embarrassing to so many of your fellow Christians in America. We are weary of this kind of Christian leadership, and that is why so many are forsaking the Religious Right in this election.</p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;">This letter offers nothing but fear. It apocalyptically depicts terrorist attacks in American cities, churches losing their tax exempt status for not allowing gay marriages, pornography pushed in front of our children, doctors and nurses forced to perform abortions, euthanasia as commonplace, inner-city crime gone wild because of lack of gun ownership, home schooling banned, restricted religious speech, liberal censorship shutting down conservative talk shows, Christian publishers forced out of business, Israel nuked, power blackouts because of environmental restrictions, brave Christian resisters jailed by a liberal Supreme court, and finally, good Christian families emigrating to Australia and New Zealand.</p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;">It is shocking how thoroughly biblical teachings against slander—misrepresentations that damage another’s reputation—are ignored (<a href="http://bible.crosswalk.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?passage=eph+4:31&version=nrs&context=1&showtools=1">Ephesians 4:29-31</a>, <a href="http://bible.crosswalk.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?passage=col+3:8&version=nrs&context=1&showtools=1">Colossians 3:8</a>, <a href="http://bible.crosswalk.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?passage=tit+3:2&version=niv&context=1&showtools=1">Titus 3:2</a>). Such outrageous predictions not only damage your credibility, they slander Barack Obama who, you should remember, is a brother in Christ, and they insult any Christian who might choose to vote for him.</p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;">Let me make this clear: Christians will be voting both ways in this election, informed by their good faith, and based on their <a href="http://www.sojo.net/blog/godspolitics/?p=3166">views of what are the best public policies and direction for America</a>. But in utter disrespect for the prayerful discernment of your fellow Christians, this letter stirs their ugliest fears, appealing to their worst impulses instead of their best.</p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;">Fear is the clear motivator in the letter; especially fear that evangelical Christians might vote for Barack Obama. The letter was very revealing when it suggested that “younger Evangelicals” became the “swing vote” that elected Obama and the results were catastrophic.</p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;">You make a mistake when you assume that younger Christians don’t care as much as you about the sanctity of life. They do care—very much—but they have <a href="http://www.sojo.net/blog/godspolitics/?p=2866">a more consistent ethic of life</a>. Both broader and deeper, it is inclusive of abortion, but also of the many other assaults on human life and dignity. For the new generation, poverty, hunger, and disease are also life issues; creation care is a life issue; genocide, torture, the death penalty, and human rights are life issues; war is a life issue. What happens to poor children after they are born is also a life issue.</p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;">The America you helped vote into power has lost its moral standing in the world, and even here at home. The America you told Christians to vote for in past elections is now <a href="http://www.sojo.net/blog/godspolitics/?p=3279">an embarrassment to Christians around the globe</a>, and to the children of your generation of evangelicals. And the vision of America that you still tell Christians to vote for is not the one that many in <a href="http://www.sojo.net/index.cfm?action=magazine.contents&issue=soj0811">a new generation of Christians</a> believes expresses their best values and convictions.</p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;">Christians should be committed to the kingdom of God, not the kingdom of America, and the church is to live an alternative existence of love and justice, offering a prophetic witness to politics. Elections are full of imperfect choices where we all seek to what is best for the “common good” by <a href="http://www.sojo.net/index.cfm?action=action.VOP&item=VOP_download_form">applying the values of our faith</a> as best we can.</p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;">Dr. Dobson, you of course have the same right as every Christian and every American to vote your own convictions on the issues you most care about, but you have chosen to insult the convictions of millions of other Christians, whose own deeply held faith convictions might motivate them to vote differently than you. This epistle of fear is perhaps the dying gasp of a discredited heterodoxy of conservative religion and conservative politics. But out of that death, a resurrection of biblical politics more faithful to the whole gospel—one that is truly good news—might indeed be coming to life." --END--<br /></p><br /><p>I am anxiously waiting for this election to be over. While it is certainly entertaining, I am looking forward where we can be unified as a people--as Americans, but more importantly as Christians.</p><br />Peace.<br /><p></p><br /></div>Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16873955154027525756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8206417783425267042.post-20036028092250712972008-10-27T11:37:00.004-04:002008-10-27T12:40:07.947-04:00Yes we Carve!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://yeswecarve.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/justinjessica.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="http://yeswecarve.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/justinjessica.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I have never put election day and Halloween together in my mind, but they're mighty close this year! This, of course, is very exciting news for me. My wife happens to absolutely love Halloween and we are both very anxious to vote and have this whole election cycle behind us. While scrounging around on the internets today, I discovered <a href="http://yeswecarve.com/index.php">YES WE CARVE</a>. This is a site dedicated to pumpkins carved to promote Barack Obama's bid for the presidency. They're having a contest for the most creative pumpkin and on the site you can find dozens of pumpkin stencils to make your supportive gestures easier.<br /><br />If you're interested, you should come on up to Pottstown and we can carve some Barack O'Lanterns.<br /><br />O, don't forget to vote next Tuesday. It's pretty important.<br /><br />full disclosure--I googled 'McCain Pumpkins' and <a href="http://www.zombiepumpkins.com/patterns-president.php">Zombie Pumpkins</a> was the first result. They have a McCain stencil, if you're so inclinedIanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16873955154027525756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8206417783425267042.post-52335182238426115982008-10-21T11:07:00.002-04:002008-10-21T11:28:18.456-04:00Grammar Bonanza!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img.slate.com/media/1/123125/122953/2180638/2201304/081001_GW_sentenceDiagram2E.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img.slate.com/media/1/123125/122953/2180638/2201304/081001_GW_sentenceDiagram2E.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I am so excited about <a href="http://www.slate.com/id/2201158/">this</a>. I realize that I am several weeks late in talking about this, but Slate posted a fantastic article about the sentence structure of some of the things Sarah Palin has said. I will admit that if someone decided to diagram much of what I say aloud, it would look fairly ridiculous so I can give here the benefit of the doubt on most of this. However, a couple of these diagrams are out of control.<br /><br />I love this article because it's a combination of two of my favorite things: poking fun at politicians and language. Thanks Slate for making my day a little bit brighter.Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16873955154027525756noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8206417783425267042.post-6980165555256826352008-10-18T11:28:00.002-04:002008-10-18T11:29:57.843-04:00Breaking News!John McCain is a ninja*!<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20081018/videolthumb.840ce6aa433cd5bf233510e64bed0ec0.jpg?x=213&y=160&xc=1&yc=1&wc=399&hc=300&q=100&sig=K3oCzuQpHt5axW8HRY14hw--"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20081018/videolthumb.840ce6aa433cd5bf233510e64bed0ec0.jpg?x=213&y=160&xc=1&yc=1&wc=399&hc=300&q=100&sig=K3oCzuQpHt5axW8HRY14hw--" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">*Please do note the throwing star.</span><br /></span></span></span>Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16873955154027525756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8206417783425267042.post-34164994802466207342008-10-17T09:48:00.003-04:002008-10-17T10:30:40.434-04:00A foray into economics<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2006/04/02/opinion/ts-krugman-190.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2006/04/02/opinion/ts-krugman-190.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />More often than not, I shy away from discussions of anything beyond basic economics. I am a competent bank teller so I'm a whiz at counting and doling out cash, but beyond those and similarly simple financial transactions I am typically woefully ignorant. I have decided to try my hand at economics this morning because it's an important part of our cultural landscape and it's something I want to better understand.<br /><br />To make matters easier, <a href="http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/">Paul Krugman</a>, the most recent winner of the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences, has written a fantastically <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/17/opinion/17krugman.html">lucid op-ed</a> outlining his best plan to pull up on the levers of our steadily sinking airplane of an economy. Krugman is a self-professed liberal (his NYT-hosted blog is called "The Conscience of a Liberal") so his political bent aligns with mine and he has disagreed with most of the Bush fiscal policy and hasn't shied away from letting that be known. But more importantly, he's a brilliant economist.<br /><br />The basic gist of his plan follows:<br /><br />1.) The Fed should continue to cut the rates, but that won't be enough. Increased government spending is necessary to turn this economic ship around.<br /><br />2.) The government should work to buy up existing mortgages and restructure the terms. Krugman disagrees with McCain on the notion that they should be purchased at face value.<br /><br />3.) It is now more important than ever to boost the economy by investing in rebuilding our infrastructure. <br /><br />These solutions seems almost too easy to be true because most of what it seems to be only throwing money (probably imaginary money, at that) at problems hoping that they go away. I don't believe, though, that that is the solution Krugman is calling for. He believes that this downturn is worse than the technological bubble burst because there is no foreseeable bubble on the horizon. <br /><br />I don't believe that we should take any one person's opinion, but I tend to take the opinions of people with awesome beards more seriously.Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16873955154027525756noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8206417783425267042.post-78605009766552820112008-10-16T17:52:00.002-04:002008-10-16T17:55:39.131-04:00Helpful e-mails<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.jewishjournal.com/images/thegodblog_images/Rove-735412.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://www.jewishjournal.com/images/thegodblog_images/Rove-735412.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />So I got this e-mail today from Karl Rove:<br /><br /><table class="BwDhwd"><tbody><tr><td class="zyVlgb XZlFIc"><table class="O5Harb"><tbody><tr><td><div class="xUReW"><h3 class="EP8xU" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 28);"><span email="moveon-help@list.moveon.org">Karl Rove</span> to <span email="ian.t.thomas@gmail.com" class="Zv5tZd">me</span></h3><span class="tQWRdd"> </span></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td><td class="i8p5Ld"><div class="XZlFIc"><span class="D05ws" idlink="">show details</span> <span id=":t6" class="rziBod" title="Thu, Oct 16, 2008 at 10:11 AM" alt="Thu, Oct 16, 2008 at 10:11 AM">10:11 AM (7 hours ago)</span> <span></span></div></td><td class="i8p5Ld"><div class="JbJ6Ye"><br /></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <span style="font-family:Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"> Dear Ian, <p> Time to relax!</p> <p> Obama is way ahead in the polls. It's time for you to take victory for granted, and to stop paying attention.</p> <p> <span style="font-weight: bold;">And there's definitely no need to <a href="http://pol.moveon.org/obama/teams/training.html?office_id=351&id=14415-9376144-92LD4Mx&t=1" target="_blank">spend one more minute volunteering</a>.</span></p> You're probably thinking, "But Karl Rove, why would you—the mastermind behind the stealth get-out-the-vote program that powered George Bush's victories—be advising us <span style="font-style: italic;">not</span> to get out and talk to voters?" <p> That is a good question. (And by the way, I prefer "Evil Genius" to "Mastermind.") It is true that voter outreach can tip an election. But Obama's ahead in the polls, and they <span style="font-style: italic;">never</span> lie.</p> <p> So relax! Do some yoga. Check out the new season of Project Runway. Sip white wine lattes, or whatever it is that you people like to drink.</p> <p> Barack does <span style="font-style: italic;">not</span> <a href="http://pol.moveon.org/obama/teams/training.html?office_id=351&id=14415-9376144-92LD4Mx&t=2" target="_blank">need you out talking to voters in Pennsylvania this weekend</a>—so there's finally time to tie-dye the seat covers for your Volvo. In fact, you probably shouldn't even bother to vote.</p> <p> Please forward this to all of your Democrat friends. Don't send it to Republicans, though. Thanks!</p><p>–"Karl Rove"</p> <p> P.S. Again—no volunteering! Don't click this link to sign up to help Obama in Pottstown:</p> <p style="overflow: hidden;"> <a href="http://pol.moveon.org/obama/teams/training.html?office_id=351&id=14415-9376144-92LD4Mx&t=3" target="_blank">http://pol.moveon.org/obama/<wbr>teams/training.html?office_id=<wbr>351&id=14415-9376144-92LD4Mx&<wbr>t=3</a></p> <p> P.P.S. Our lawyers made us promise to tell you that Karl Rove didn't actually write this message—but we're pretty sure this is what he'd write if he had.</p><p><br /></p><p>Well done, moveon.org. Now I feel like I have to volunteer this weekend just to spite Mastermind Rove.<br /></p></span>Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16873955154027525756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8206417783425267042.post-287396103459731622008-10-15T09:23:00.003-04:002008-10-15T09:37:08.199-04:00Stephen A. Douglas was a great debator<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/SADouglas.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/SADouglas.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />... but Abraham Lincoln was the great emancipator.<br /><br />Yesterday at a fund raiser, speaking about the debate set for tonight, John McCain said, "I hope to do about half as well as [Sarah Palin] did against poor Joe Biden," (I heard this on the radio this morning, and can't find an appropriate link for it) and I sincerely hope that he means it. If McCain hopes to do half as well as Palin did, then he should immediately drop out of the race for the POTUS. To her credit, Palin didn't do too terribly and she met or exceeded the expectations set for her--though they were incredibly low. <br /><br />As all polls and most pundits have said, Biden handily beat Palin in their debate so I'm not exactly sure what McCain meant by that statement. Perhaps he is conceding that Obama is that much better than McCain, perhaps McCain is sweet-talking his running mate so soften the blow of her resounding defeat at the debate, or maybe McCain will say whatever it takes to make his audience happy. I would bet on the third assessment, but I'm not sure that any of them aren't true.<br /><br />Unfortunately, I have class until ten tonight and I will not get home until around eleven. Here's hoping that my professor will want us to be politically aware and will let us go very early so I can watch it and be informed, conscious American voters. I'm not holding my breath, though--he's British.Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16873955154027525756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8206417783425267042.post-17786726630371749562008-10-08T16:01:00.002-04:002008-10-08T16:08:35.372-04:00Vote for That One<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://thatone08.com/thatonesk9.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://thatone08.com/thatonesk9.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />On Monday I walked from work to campus on my lunch break to visit the library and try to catch a few professors (no such luck) but I was wonderfully surprised to see at least a dozen different people registering voters on campus. I gleefully told different volunteers that I had already registered after being asked and I've never felt better about blowing off a street hawker. Monday was the last day to register to vote in the state of Pennsylvania and it's an important state in the election. Polls show that Obama has a comfortable lead, but I certainly hope that Obama supporters won't see us as a foregone conclusion. <br /><br />On a different note, no matter whom you support, please vote. Let's revel in our democratic freedom!<br /><br />ps--Last night's debate was terribly boring.Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16873955154027525756noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8206417783425267042.post-55903529276713302592008-10-03T14:15:00.003-04:002008-10-03T18:17:23.825-04:00Nobel Outrage<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.4to40.com/images/legends/hargobindkhorana/nobel_prize.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://www.4to40.com/images/legends/hargobindkhorana/nobel_prize.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />On Tuesday, I read an article about the <a href="http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D93H89QO0&show_article=1">continentalism</a> evident from the actions and words of the Nobel Prize in Literature selection committee. Really, the word 'continentalism' may not exist, but it's exactly what <span class="lingo_region">Horace Engdahl is displaying by saying, "</span><span class="lingo_region">Of course there is powerful literature in all big cultures, but you can't get away from the fact that Europe still is the center of the literary world ... not the United States." I have been struggling all week to think of way to express my disgust with this comment; lucky for me, </span><span class="byline"><a href="http://www.slate.com/id/2201447/?from=rss">Adam Kirsch</a> of </span><span class="lingo_region">Slate.com did it better than I ever could have.<br /><br />Not only are Engdahl's comments culturally ignorantly, they're also patently false. Kirsch's piece does a nice job of pointing out exactly why the European elites no longer much care for American culture. Having been the global hegemon of commerce and trade for many decades, America has come of age as a culture of art in the last few decades as well. For the most part, American authors who have been awarded the Nobel prize in Literature have been lauded in Europe for portraying the folksy nature of the former colony, but that's no longer the case. American authors such as Thomas Pynchon, Philip Roth, Joyce Carol Oates, and (of course) Don DeLillo have produced much better work than many of the Nobel Laureates of the recent past, but those at the Swedish Academy cannot seem to accept that.<br /><br />All this having been said, I don't believe that any one nation's literary power is greater than any other. The best attribute of literature is that it can deftly cross cultural borders and bring impossibly diverse groups of people to a better understanding of one another. I happen to be very fond of American literature and I plan to devote my scholarly and professional life to the study of that which I am fond; but I never want to isolate myself from the word of the world.<br /><br />So Swedish Academy, you can award whomever you want--it doesn't really matter anyway.<br /></span>Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16873955154027525756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8206417783425267042.post-32426183121254983482008-10-02T12:58:00.004-04:002008-10-02T14:14:55.707-04:00Anticipation<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://blog.indecision2008.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/vps.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://blog.indecision2008.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/vps.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I don't know if I can express how excited I am for the VP debate tonight. I'm fairly certain that I like Biden and I'm anticipating a good performance. At the same time, I think I'm more anxious to see how Palin reacts to the spotlight. After watching her in several interviews (albeit filled with softball questions), I am quite prepared to see good things from her. According to <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7643879.stm">some who have debated her before</a>, she is quite a good debater--not because she's a brilliant thinker, or because she knows all the facts, but because she is uniquely able to get away with not giving any answer at all.<br /><br />I would love to live-blog the event here, but realistically, too few people read this to make commenting worthwhile. I'll be quite content to quietly watch it at home with my lovely wife. Enjoy the political sparring!Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16873955154027525756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8206417783425267042.post-5186617833566986442008-09-24T13:52:00.005-04:002008-10-02T14:14:17.062-04:00Treasury Secretary of Fight Club?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.viperalley.com/gallery/data/500/Fight_Club_ID_by_psychol_bob.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 238px;" src="http://www.viperalley.com/gallery/data/500/Fight_Club_ID_by_psychol_bob.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://banks.com/blogs/fed/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/500px-henry_paulson_official_treasury_photo_2006.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://banks.com/blogs/fed/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/500px-henry_paulson_official_treasury_photo_2006.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Whenever stories mention the name of Henry Paulson, the current U.S. Treasury Secretary who is begging Congress to bail out our free market, I can't help but thing of Meat Loaf in the film <span style="font-style: italic;">Fight Club</span>. I am fully aware that they are not at all related and that Robert Paulson is, indeed, a character of fiction from the mind if Chuck Palahniuk, but I can't shake the link in my mind.<br /><br />It really makes me wonder. No matter what happens as a result of our current financial crisis, will we remember the Treasury Secretary at the reigns of our economy with the mantra, "His name was Henry Paulson?"<br /><br />His name was Henry Paulson. His name was Henry Paulson. His name was Henry Paulson.Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16873955154027525756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8206417783425267042.post-82405492995442128182008-09-22T11:01:00.002-04:002008-09-22T11:32:15.377-04:00Equinox!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.visitmammoth.com/images/db/static/Fall%20Images/Lake%20Sabrina,%20Fall.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://www.visitmammoth.com/images/db/static/Fall%20Images/Lake%20Sabrina,%20Fall.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Fall is, hands down, my favorite season. There are so many good things during the season that it is difficult to even name them all. I'll give it a shot:<br /><br />1. Football--this wonderful autumnal game completely diverts me from anything truly productive and I'm sure that my grades suffer as a result but I don't even come close to caring.<br /><br />2. Weather--along with the leaves changing (which is beautiful in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Pennsyltucky</span>), the fall brings cooler, crisper weather and an outdoorsy scent that is simply indescribable, but wonderful.<br /><br />3. Halloween--is Jenna's favorite holiday and it's a good time for all. I particularly like it when it falls on a weekend and this year it's on a Friday so hooray! What could be better than dressing up and acting like something/someone else and eating way too much candy?<br /><br />4. Thanksgiving--it may very well be my favorite holiday. It combines all the good things of Fall plus wonderful food. Last year we hosted a Thanksgiving feast and we're doing it again this year. I do love a good turkey.<br /><br />5. Autumn--this is one of my favorite words. Words that end in -<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">mn</span> are wonderful to me. It is even better in the phrase 'autumnal equinox."<br /><br />That list is in honor of the autumnal equinox that occurs at 11:44 EST today, September 22.<br /><br />Enjoy this most wonderful of seasons and take a few extra steps to crunch a particularly crispy-looking fallen leaf this year.Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16873955154027525756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8206417783425267042.post-79371904583159664042008-09-19T17:23:00.002-04:002008-09-19T17:27:06.235-04:00WordpressThe more I read other blogs, the more I wish I had chosen Wordpress as the host for this blog. It is fully possible that I am under utilizing blogspot, but it seems that all of the sites on Wordpress are much more full and easier to navigate. <br /><br />I don't particularly want to switch (unless Wordpress made it ridiculously easy to transfer the posts from place to place), but I desire more from the format!<br /><br />If you happen to know how to make a snappier blog, do let me know.Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16873955154027525756noreply@blogger.com2