Long Time, No Update

Nope, not dead yet. And I still lack meaningful employment. We're not dead, just returning to the embryonic stage. I can't wait to return to this weblog when I have a regular software engineering job. I just don't have time to update with my current job.

If you have some free time, read this NY Magazine article about Al Franken.

Josh Marshall tracks the 9/11 and Richard Clarke 'pushback' from the White House.

Michael Jackson's face. From '79 - '02.

STUFF

Updating will be light this week, too. I'm looking for a better job here in Austin, but there are none to be found. I may be moving to Houston later this month if I can't find work here...

Here's some good stuff to read:

Kerry Dots Deliberation With Decision John Kerry examines all sides of the issue before he makes his decision. George Bush tries to wrap reality around his decisions. That's the basic choice the voters are given this year.

Mark Schmitt fisks the latest David Brooks NYT editorial, and provides some good points about the issue of poverty and welfare reform. The Right, as usual, are trying to distort the issue in order to support their ideology. This post rebuts these arguments, and be sure to check out Schmitt's speculation about the Kerry VP.

STUFF TO READ

Since I won't be updating for a while, here's a couple interesting articles to read:

More about Dominionists. Read this one, too.

Wetness on Mars. Where there's wet, there's usually life.

The Eerily Lovely Children of the Photoshop Generation

More about the Rick Perry rumors. Were they started by Republicans?

SITE NEWS

Blogging continues to be light. My work schedule completely sucks, and my co-blogger can't pick up the slack.

MOVIES - Not So Passionate About Reading

I knew that the average Christian lacks critical analytical skills, but I didn't realize they were unable to read the Bible and truly understand the events therein.

Basically, I'm quite surprised by the number of Christians who have told me that they didn't realize that Christ was tortured. Even though the Bible says that he was tortured. Even though we all know that Jesus "died on the cross." They don't seem to realize that medieval crucifixion was a ceremony that involved torture and humiliation and eventually death.

These Christians have gone to church. They have listened to sermons and songs about the crucifixion of Jesus. And now, they see The Passion and act as if they didn't know anything about it.

Christian: Did you know Jesus was tortured?

Me: Yes, it's in the Bible.

Christian: Yeah, but... he. He was tortured!

Me: Yes, it's in the Bible.

Christian: Yeah, but did you know it was that bad?

Me: Well, Jesus died from it. It must have been pretty bad.

Christian: Yeah, but... but.. you really have to see it to believe it.

Me: Well, show me the real Jesus, the real God, the real Satan, the real Heaven, and the real Hell... And I will believe in them.

Christian: That logic doesn't make sense.

Me: Well, you gotta have faith.

I can only hope that Gibson makes a sequel to this film called The Compassion of The Christ. Maybe then we'd have more Christians speaking about feeding the hungry, assisting the destitute, and practicing reciprocity. It's obvious they have to see this aspect of Jesus' life in gritty detail before it can become part of our national religious discourse.