For Want of a ...
A friend stopped by and commented, "If you give a mouse a cookie, he's going to ask for a glass of milk." Anyone know that children's story?

If a hungry little traveler shows up at your house, you might want to give him a cookie. If you give him a cookie, he's going to ask for a glass of milk. He'll want to look in a mirror to make sure he doesn't have a milk mustache, and then he'll ask for a pair of scissors to give himself a trim...

I was thinking about this while I went to Bible study and came upon the thought, "For want of a blank, the kingdom was lost. For want of a what?! For want of ....? Was it the kingdom or the war that was lost? I think it has something to do with a horse. For want of a horse the kingdom was lost? That still doesn't sound right." Though almost no one recognized giving a mouse a cookie... more gears started turning for want of a something. Is it Shakespeare?

A friend at Bible study got on Google and first found.

A horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse!

which is from Shakespeare's Richard III. That is something but still I felt that was not it.
Then he found the elusive quote:

For want of a nail the kingdom was lost.

It is from a longer nursery rhyme–origin uncertain–likely English.

For want of a nail the shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe the horse was lost.
For want of a horse the rider was lost.
For want of a rider the battle was lost.
For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.

Saw Amazing Grace the movie about William Wilberforce and the abolition of slavery.

"Oh what thanks do I owe the Giver of all good for bringing me in His gracious providence to this great cause!"

It is well done. And I recommend it for all to see. This year is also the 200th anniversary of the abolition. The makers of the film also are pushing for abolition of present day slavery, directing people to International Justice Mission and World Vision.

An interesting character is Olauda Equiano a former slave.

Apple & Cisco have come to an agreement to both use the name iPhone, drop legal actions, work on interoperability (in future projects or with the iPhones?), plus some undisclosed agreements.

Personally it does not bode kindly for Apple's image. From unveiling, Apple appears to have muscled for a name knowingly owned by another. But Cisco wanted interoperability from the outset, so perhaps both parties got what they wanted. Apple could have avoided this by using their famous innovation to generate another name.

Similarly there is the hubub about Martha Stewart using Katonah trademark in her furniture line. Katonah says "No Thank You Martha," for fear of diluting the value of that name. I think Stewart has a better case since Katonah does not have trademark ownership and is already used by a variety businesses. On the flip side I don't know if she could protect the name from use by others.

Worthy Cause
Amazing Grace the movie coming out Friday, February 23, has teamed up with hundreds of churches across the US in a fight and put an end to slavery globally.

The chytrid fungus is eradicating frogs globally leading scientists to create the Amphibian Ark – an effort to preserve species in captivity (zoos). How can we stop this fungus?

Race Relations
Am I late recognize what is racism towards and even persecution of the ethnically Chinese residing in southeast Asian countries? This may not be systematic but more of an understanding of how the cultures just are – accepted as part of living there. Are there any efforts to reverse this process?

This may be why Chinese in Thailand change their names. And why else would people in Indonesia who look "too Chinese" have to hide during certain days?

golden pig
Originally uploaded by maycos60.

Happy Lunar New Year! I recently learned the animal associated with each year is also associated with some material (gold, sand, water, fire, wood) and this is the year of the golden boar, a sign the superstitious regard as lucky.

But today's headlines evince the reality of a world getting crazier.

• 28 Bombs Blast Thailand Muslim extremist may demand a separate state now, but if they're like the Abu Sayyaf in the Philippines who demand a separate state, their actual goal would be eventual Muslim domination of the nation and then the world.
• Pakistan-Bound Train Bombing
• H5N1 Avian Flu Continues Africa/Eurasia Spread
• N. Korea Holds Possible 2-8 Nuclear Bombs... What seems a victory earlier last week may be concessions to a little poker player bullying the disjointed field of countries.
  

And like Rio de Janeiro celebrating Carnival amidst ongoing violence, we at least need some escape and some little victories to keep going.

A Chinese Activist Lost in the System

North Korea has agreed to close down it's nuclear reactor. We all hope for a nuclear free Korea. I just hope it is carried out as well as neutralizing it's plutonium reserves. Let's pray that it is carried completely through and real trust may be built at least akin to the world's relations with China. I hope N. Korea doesn't violate it's agreements again; otherwise trust may never be had.

(image from Daily Herald)

Sad day, my high school world history teacher passed away.

Youtube Meet Hollywood
Noah K. Everyday with Celebs.

It seems as though everyone now presses for pullout of Iraq. Democrats & Republicans who initially pushed for war were not eager to go to war in Iraq then–we already were managing war in Afghanistan–but the majority still voted "yeah." Let's not obscure the fact that both the American & British governments had faulty intelligence, intelligence showing that Iraq was developing WMD's against the UN Security Council recommendations. It was only post hoc that no WMD's were found (though the facilities for developing WMD's were in place); and that the intelligence information was in error. Yet so many are ready to call foul or betrayal with our hindsight. So can we call it a mistake? That's hard to answer or perhaps I'm unwilling to because a preemptive attack by the U.S. is unprecedented.

NPR was in Bagdad before the U.S. announced it's declaration of war. They interviews the people and the response was surprising, "Saddam has thrown down the gauntlet. The U.S. must and will respond. It is inevitable."

What wasn't planned for was the resistance to restructuring, stability, and unity. If there was stability there wouldn't be such an outcry around the world. What effected unity and stability before war? Fear of the Bathist government. In part America saw it's work as liberation. And it was. The tyranny was real and cruel. Even retired military types, photojournalists and eyewitnesses say that the Iraqis suffered brutally under Saddam Hussein and welcomed the overthrow...but not the following instability...no one wanted that.

What can fill the void left by the departure of tyranny? Something an entire nation can hope for and rally behind. That is why there is such an emphasis on creating a viable democracy in the Middle East, but can the Iraqis grasp that? I don't know. There is a war of ideals. We cannot desert them and leave them to self destruct or be overtaken by a new hostile regime.

Sometimes it seems hopeless. I guess that's why people are calling for pull out, they doubt the cost will pay off.

Today I embark on learning to speed read. I hope it works. I should have done it earlier.

Mr. Underbrink
From the grapevine I hear that my high school world history teacher is hospitalized with pancreatic cancer. I need to confirm this. A real Indiana Jones. He's an anthropologist, archaeologist, professional photographer, teacher. His other job is a photojournalist for UNESCO & NATO. He travels the world photographing ancient ruins as part of the UN's preservation efforts. He is well loved for his stories, his camel call, his love of food ("If it comes out of the sea, I'll eat it"), his self-absorbed cat, his loathing of camels, his humor, his energy, his involvement in the local community. Someone needs to record his story.

The most memorable story was his climbing in the Himalayas(?) for a better view, only to fall down the mountains and have a rock pierce through his right forearm because he did what "any photographer would do–protect my camera." He was taken care of by indigenous people who wrapped his arm in a caste and rowed him down a river to civilization. The caste form was thought long gone to the endless fascination of the physicians who examined him. The muscles of his right arm had to be rearranged and attached. He learned to write with his left hand while his right healed (which it did).

It's hard to imagine him not living life grandly and sharing a bit of that with us students, but now he may be stricken with a terminal illness. I've never gotten tired of his stories. Because he's a part of so many of our pasts a bit of our own history is maligned. (But more so I suspect mortality calls each of us and we don't want to be reminded.)

Wow, teachers can impact so many people. They definitely need more respect in this society.

Sad, sad, saaaad Americans. This video makes me want to cry. Julian Morrow Reports. Why?! Ignorant adults. Of course this is not a statistical sample but selected to humiliate Americans. Still shows a definite sample of Americans who seem to care less about the world. In the least it speaks to a void of information and or interest among Americans.

"Close, but no cigar." Sounds funny. What is that from?

Suite 101 shows how to make an em-dash hold down Alt, type 0150, release Alt and you get – instead of using --.

Unity? Among Christians
Sacrificing truth for the sake of unity is an insidious trend among the majority of evangelical Christians in the United States. Truth is not targeted directly but treated with complete disregard—it's out of thought. It meshes perfectly with the celebration of ignorance by truthiness, post-modernism, and political correctness.

This is so prominently manifested as Christians court Catholics for the sake of unity i.e. ecumenism. This happens nationally in the wake of ECT (Evangelicals & Catholics Together), locally in colleges and churches trying to boost membership without offending.
However when critics cite the discernment and counsel of the Bible, the reaction ranges from confusion to outrage. "How dare you promote division among Christians! How could you be so unloving?" they counter the critics.

The critics return, "Have you even considered what a Christian is?" Since Evangelicals and Catholics differ in defining what a Christian is, can there be substance by which they put up a united "Christian" front? An objective measure is necessary to gauge any Christian's decision. That measure is Scripture. Follow the Berean example of examining not only if words are found in the Bible but if the ideas agrees with the Bible. Christians are Christians not by their church attendance, prayer, or happy singing; but in whom they believe and put all their trust.

Without the weight of Scripture to define Christians, Christians can be and are seduced by cults calling themselves Christian such as the Mormon church.

It's cold. 9°F, windchill of -7°F. But this is only the start.

World Cup of Bakery
I recently found out there is a world cup for baking that seems to be held every 3 years (?) [last competition was in 2005, next one is 2008]. The official name of the competition is Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie. Team USA is under The Bread Bakers Guild of America. Surprisingly, or not so surprisingly, Team USA won 1st prize in the 2005 World Cup! France 2nd. Japan 3rd.
In fact there is a world of baking/cooking competitions beyond the advent of Iron Chef, The Next Food Network Star, Top Chef, Hell's Kitchen, Cooking Under Fire, etc. I thought Iron Chef is what inspired the professional circuits but I am mistaken. I thought until recently they were relegated to local fairs with competitions for pies, chili, ribs, and the likes.