HerbEly

On (not) Stereotyping Evangelicals

Stereotyping clouds analysis. I learned this lesson during my years as an intelligence analyst following Soviet weapons programs. On many occasions we found that political conservatives were prevented by their ideology from seeing that change would come to the Soviet Union.

Today the Democratic Party and mainstream media hold stereotypes that are causing them to lump evangelicals, born again Christians, and fundamentalists together. Their stereotyping of evangelicals as “right wing Christians” and “moral values voters” is likely to prevent them from adapting to a changing political environment.

Here are links to three pieces that may help to undo these stereotypes:

Gotta Have It But Don’t Need It

Clinical psychologist Patricia Dalton,writes in Sunday’s WaPo:
On the biggest shopping weekend of the year, many of us are beset by a dilemma: what to buy for the person who has everything. It makes me think of the teenager I heard about in my psychotherapy office, who opened a gift from his 90-year-old great-aunt, tossed it aside and said, "I already have that."…

Maryland Educrats Keep up wth the Left Coast

Just after finishing the last item, I found this
"the Maryland State Department of Education has rewritten its curriculum, and renamed the holiday (thanksgiving) 'Lucky Thursday'".

Grade School Principal Declares the Declaration of Independence Unconstitutional!

A California teacher is suing for the right to use the Declaration of Independence in the classroom. The principal at Stevens Creek Elementary school has banned they use the Declaration and other documents in the classroom because the mention the “G-word”.

Here are four predictions. The third should come true, but won’t.

Matt's Senior Trumpet Recital

Last Friday our youngest son, Matt, played his senior trumpet recital at James Madison University. It was a proud time for all of us and the payoff for hours of practice starting in the fifth grade. Matt is a graduate of the Charlottesville High School Band under the direction of Vince Tornello.

Thanks to our son, David , who got me started as a blogger in order to publicize the poetry of my mother Marie Schmitt Ely (1914-1945).

Matt's pieces can be downloaded here.

(ITunes required to play them.)

Aria Convariazioni by G.F. Handel Download 01_aria_con_variazioni_handel.m4a.zip

Sonata for Trumpet and Piano by Kent Kennan (I. with Strenth anv Vigor & II Rather slowly and with freedom)Download 02_sonata_for_trumpet_piano_kent_kennan.m4a.zip

Duets with Suzanne Tarrant (horn). Menuet by J.S. Bach and Duet IV by Francois Devienne. Download 03_menuet_bach__duet_iv_devienne.m4a.zip.

Concert Etude by Alexande Goedicke Download 04_concert_etude_goedicke.m4a.zip.

Thanks to our daughter; Elizabeth, her husband Tom (who have made us grandparents to Sarah and Peter) and to our son, Paul. Elizabeth and Paul were in high school when David & Matt came along.

Most of all, thanks to my wife, Dorothy (Bonny) who is even more of a saving grace and joy to me now than she was 38 years ago.

It is almost thanksgiving. A good time to recall Psalm 138:13-19

"How can I repay the LORD for all the good done for me?
I will raise the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD.
I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people.
Too costly in the eyes of the LORD is the death of his faithful.
LORD, I am your servant, your servant, the child of your maidservant; you have loosed my bonds.
I will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the LORD.
I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people,
In the courts of the house of the LORD, in your midst, O Jerusalem. Hallelujah!"

Just testing

My son, Matt, played his senior trumpet recital and James Madison University last Friday. This posting is a test to see if I can upload one of his pieces. Download 04_concert_etude_goedicke.m4a

Oline Access to Satellite Imagery

"Fly from space to your home town. Visit exotic
locales such as Maui, Tokyo, Rome and Paris.
Satellite imagery makes it real. Explore restaurants,
hotels, parks and schools. Think magic carpet ride!"

It boggles the mind. Of course, in my previous life I signed a "voluntary" agreement saying I would never discuss this topic in connection with one of the words contained in the URL for this site .

I hope that the counter-terrorism people are thinking about what the bad guys might be able to do for $29.95.

Journalist Discovers: Our Values Different from Mainstream!

"I am now taking seriously the theory that we mainstream journalists are different from mainstream America. 'Different' is too pale a word. We are alienated. We may live in the same country, but we treat each other like aliens," he said, in an essay called "Confessions of an Alienated Journalist." So says Roy Peter Clark of the Poynter Institute. Thanks to Terry Mattingly for his discussion of this issue. Terry is part of the Get Religion (as in "the press doesn't get religion" weblog. If you are interested in how the press covers religion, this should be a regular stopping place for you.

Corporate Merger: Christmas and Hannukah

Here is the original 1998 announcment of a merger between Christmas and Hannukah. For continuing coverage click and an excellent selection of Chrismukkah gifts and cards here .

"Continuing the current trend of large-scale mergers and acquisitions, it was announced today at a press conference that Christmas and Hanukkah will merge.An industry source said that the deal had been in the works for about 1300 years. While details were not available at press time, it is believed that the overhead cost of having twelve days of Christmas and eight days of Hanukkah was becoming prohibitive for both sides. By combining forces, we're told, the world will be able to enjoy consistently high-quality service during the Fifteen Days of Chrismukkah, as the new holiday is being called.

Massive layoffs are expected, with lords a-leaping and maids a-milking being the hardest hit. As part of the conditions of the agreement, the letters on the dreydl, currently in Hebrew, will be replaced by Latin, thus becoming unintelligible to a wider audience. Also, instead of translating to "A great miracle happened there" the message on the dreydl will be the more generic "Miraculous stuff happens" In exchange, it is believed that Jews will be allowed to use Santa Claus and his vast merchandising resources for buying and delivering their gifts.

One of the sticking points holding up the agreement for at least three hundred years was the question of whether Jewish children could leave milk and cookies for Santa even after having eaten meat for dinner. A breakthrough came last year, when Oreos were finally declared to be Kosher. All sides appeared happy about this.

A spokesman for Christmas, Inc., declined to say whether a takeover of Kwanzaa might not be in the works as well. He merely pointed out that, were it not for the independent existence of Kwanzaa, the merger between Christmas and Chanukah might indeed be seen as an unfair cornering of the holiday market. Fortunately for all concerned, he said, Kwanzaa will help to maintain the competitive balance.

He then closed the press conference by leading all present in a rousing rendition of 'Oy Vey, All Ye Faithful' "

Dick and Jane Learn Yiddish

You dont have to be old enough to remember the Dick and Jane reading books. You dont have to be from New York. Just click here to enjoy this video clip advertising Ellis Weiner and Barbara Daveilman's new book.
Thanks to Holy Weblog for spotting this.