This made me smile

If you trust Google more than your doctor than maybe it's time to switch doctors.

- Jadelr and Cristina Cordova

Gift Certificate

Last Friday while visiting my grandfather, something someone said somehow reminded me of something in my wallet: a gift certificate for Southridge Mall.



To fully appreciate this document, you have to look at the large version (click it) and notice certain details, like:

• the date of issue
• the areas colored by blue ink (i had a blue card in my wallet as well)
• the reproduction of the price in two different places

On the back of the certificate it explains that it is redeemable for 42 months after the date of issue. I was delighted on Friday when I did the calculation in my head: "42 months....that's four years...minus 6 months...ok...December 2006...June...23...that's next week!"

So today, on the last possible day, after 3 and a half years of tagging along in my back (and sometimes side) pocket, following me around the US, to El Salvador, to Minneapolis, and back to Milwaukee, the certificate was redeemed for a couple of bargain books. If I'd had more time, I would have agonized some more and probably chosen different ones, but I can live with them.

"Oh, this one's been around for a while, hasn't it?"

*smile* "Yes, yes it has."

Needless to say, I don't get to Southridge very often.

Bahá'ís in Iran

Several weeks ago, I wrote an email to a certain senator from Wisconsin expressing my concern about the growing threat to Iran's Bahá'ís. Today I received a response in the mail that began:

Dear Mr. Greuel,

Thank you for contacting me to express your support for wind power and to share your concerns over how the provision related to the development of an offshore wind energy facility in the Nantucket Sound was added to H.R. 889, the Coast Guard reauthorization bill.

Hmm. I think there was a mixup somewhere. Presumably, someone else got a random letter about the Bahá'ís, so at least a little awareness is being raised. But still. I wanted to hear what he had to say. Someone (*cough*Dan) should talk to him for me.

Meanwhile, in Shiraz:

54 Baha'is arrested in Iran

NEW YORK, 24 May 2006 (BWNS) -- Iranian officials have arrested 54 Baha'is in the city of Shiraz, the Baha'i International Community has learned. They are mostly youth and were all engaged in humanitarian service when they were arrested. It is one of the largest number of Baha'is taken at once since the 1980s. The specific charges are not clear, though in the past, Baha'is have been arrested summarily on false charges.

(Read more...)

Globaloney

...We will also analyze the divergence between the grand claims of the globalists' theories and their meagre explanatory power - their claim to be the filet mignon of social theory while their results approximate baloney. (Hence we can introduce the concept of "globaloney" as a way of highlighting the contrast between globalist rhetoric and contemporary realities.

Petras, J. and H. Veltmeyer. 2001. Globalization Unmasked: Imperialism in the 21st Century. London: Zed Books.

Genuine Development

In order to be genuine, development must be achieved within the framework of solidarity and freedom, without ever sacrificing either of them under whatever pretext. The moral character of development and its necessary
promotion are emphasized when the most rigorous respect is given to all the demands deriving from the order of truth and good proper to the human person. Furthermore the Christian who is taught to see that man is the image of God, called to share in the truth and the good which is God himself, does not understand a commitment to development and its application which excludes regard and respect for the unique dignity of this "image." In other words, true development must be based on the love of God and neighbor, and must help to promote the relationships between individuals and society. This is the "civilization of love" of which Paul VI often spoke.

- John Paul II, Sollicitudo Rei Socialis

Two Great Quotes About Cows

On materialism:

Strange indeed that after twenty years training in colleges and universities man should reach such a station wherein he will deny the existence of the ideal or that which is not perceptible to the senses. Have you ever stopped to think that the animal already has graduated from such a university? Have you ever realized that the cow is already a professor emeritus of that university? For the cow without hard labor and study is already a philosopher of the superlative degree in the school of nature. The cow denies everything that is not tangible, saying, “I can see! I can eat! Therefore, I believe only in that which is tangible!”
Then why should we go to the colleges? Let us go to the cow.

-Abdu'l-Bahá

On the creationism vs. evolution debate:

The controversy seems to me to be similar to an argument about a cow. One side argues that the cow is brown. The other side argues that the cow gives milk. Why don't we simply pet the cow and drink the milk? From a Bahá'í viewpoint, the act of arguing is wrong.

-Duane Herrmann

RIP Dino

I've received the solemn news that Dino, our furry friend that lived across the street from us in El Salvador, was recently struck and killed by an automobile.



May he rest in peace.

Seat Conformer

Check it out! This guy is chillin' on top of a molecule of cyclohexane. How cool is that?

Yo, I ain't down.

be down chiefly slang supporting or going along with someone or something : “You going to the movies?” “Yo, I'm down.”

be down on informal disapprove of; feel hostile or antagonistic toward.

-

An afternoon reading about Ladakh and then watching a certain televised address has got me down on (as opposed to down with) Western values.

*sigh*

Fíjense que no hay pupusas aquí

Sadly, it seems there are no pupusas in Milwaukee after all. As a consequence, you are spared from reading me go on about how darn expensive they are and how they just aren't the same as the ones in El Salvador.

If you are ever even remotely unsure whether or not somewhere you plan to visit is still in business, call ahead. Trust me, it is well worth the 45 seconds it takes. Oh, and don't blindly trust Google Local. Even he makes mistakes.

Ahh...all was not lost, though, as I got to enjoy a good cup of vegan chili in Bay View and some very high quality Spanish-language music. (Jorge Drexler's Eco - I'm listening to it now for the third time through and it is good.)

Trademark

Today on my really cool customized Google homepage, I saw this somewhat humorous encoding mixup:



I just thought it would be funny if "Making the world a better place™" was actually a registered trademark of Bahá'í youth everywhere.

Well That Was Fun

Tonight I went with Andrew and Emily to see Willy Porter at the Cedarburg Cultural Center. It was good (but long! I was gifted tickets to two back-to-back benefit shows for the Wisconsin Humane Society).

Afterwards the freeway was closed so we had to devise an alternate way to traverse the city and reach Bay View. After dropping Emily off, we drove a few blocks and decided we were hungry. I pulled over and shot Google a text message looking to locate a George Webb's nearby. I got an address, but the subsequent request for directions was denied. Whatever, we kept driving.

We got over to the east side and after I very nearly drove us straight into a crowded one-way for which the light was about to turn green, and then we witnessed a very angry homeless man shouting at someone, we stopped at Ma Fischer's for a 1:30am meal. I got a quesadilla and Andrew got a breakfast special. He didn't want eggs, however, and so he requested french fries in their stead. This led to a long and frighteningly in-depth conversation, littered with economic terms, about the various costs associated with making french fries as compared to eggs.

It was great.