Assorts..

:: Religion, apparently promotes self control.

:: The NFL could teach Congress something about accountability

:: Santa Claus, paves the way for people to believe in God.

Links..

A couple of  interesting articles .. about the power of celebrities to draw attention to mental health issues, and another one about the "fun and games" associated with finalising the new issue of the DSM.

I also foudn this one interesting.. "while liberals show tremendous compassion in pushing for generous government spending to help the neediest people at home and abroad. Yet when it comes to individual contributions to charitable causes, liberals are cheapskates". [Kristof, NYT]

Good Weekend..

I was going to title this post 'Links'; but I don't remember being able to find the articles  from the Good weekend on the SMH's website. But a couple of interesting reads, the first was about the authors resolution to buy any new books, and rather read the books she already owns. Thought that's a good resolution for me, to stop buying new books at least for the first half of the year - there's a lot of interesting ones to have a look at.

The other piece was 'Joy to the World'; the regular Christmas season article about money and happiness.The soundbyte of the article is that the key to feeling good; is to give and keep giving. Another few quote that hit me were, when 'God died, the GDP took over and economists became the new priests, and the second one from a Holocasut surivvor - Hermann Gruenwald - 'I have come to realise that during inhumane times, helping others makes as feel human again'.

Coffee and Community...

A few bits and pieces I saw this week...

:: This article complete with abstract coffee art is great..

:: On Twitter, and knowing//sharing..

:: Here's a dictionary to decipher Facebook status updates.

Catching up on reading

:: our political views defined by our psychology. (via the BBC), John Hibbings, the project leader agrued that perhaps this explains why it is so hard to change someone's mind in a political debate.We all start from a different psychological point.

:: On Fear v Hope in November. (via The Guardian)

:: Thacker writes about why suffering strengthens religious hope (via The Guardian)

:: There's also an interesting piece about Team sports. (via The Guardian)

Weekend Reading...

:: Saving the world is off the curriculum... Audio: interview with Stanley Fish author of Save the World On Your Own Time)

:: An experiment on teaching taste ... (Interview)

:: One I don't need to be convinced of - the value of the male school teacher. For more about teachers and teaching, Lesson Plans (a new NYT's blog) is well worth a read.

:: A day without google...

:: Depression and men ..

~~~~

Links..

:: Here's one piece on Facebook, about the how the News Feed page and Twitter, is impacting how we relate (via NYT).

You could also regard the growing popularity of online awareness as a reaction to social isolation, the modern American disconnectedness that Robert Putnam explored in his book “Bowling Alone.”

:: I enjoyed this piece about Bono, and his activism. As for me, I am glad to see people like him out there speaking about what's going on, and the profile he has, brings light onto the cause.

~~~~

Some links..

I've been catching up with Google reader tonight.

:: Another piece about adjusting medal tallies. [via The Guardian]

:: Punditry .. or prayer [via The Guardian]

:: Fallen Stars.. [via the NYT]

:: Obama accepts the Demorcatic nomination [via the NYT]

Random Shorts

:: An interesting article about living with autism (via the Washington Post)

:: On technology recommending movies (and music),via the WSJ This quote sums it up nicely for me:

And sometimes, even when technology can get it right, many of us will still opt for the old-fashioned way. After all, it's nice to listen to a computer recommending a movie we might like. But sometimes it's even nicer to listen to a person we know we like.

~~~~

Links

:: On news coverage and when images of disasters are shown.

:: On the impact of playing sport as kids.

:: On the “need” for role models.

:: On church and faith in Britain [and a response]

:: On Global Politics:

We are living in a dangerous world, and that will remain true for the indefinite future. Yet to a surprising extent, political debate in this country fails to reflect this. In consequence, our efforts to secure our own future are doubly impeded. We underestimate the urgency of the need to take crucial steps to improve our long-term prospects. We overestimate our influence on global problems. (and perhaps this is true, of Australia too)

:: Military intervention – does it work?.

:: Foreign aid – does it work?

:: On Apologetics

A starting point for taking on the responsibility of the work of Christian apologetics is recognizing the role that living out a disciplined Christian life plays.

I remember well in the early days of my Christian faith talking to a Hindu. He was questioning the strident claims of the followers of Christ as being something supernatural. He absolutely insisted "conversion was nothing more than a decision to lead a more ethical life and that in most cases it was not any different to those claims of other 'ethical' religions." So far, his argument was not anything new.

But then he said something that I have never forgotten, and often reflect upon: "If this conversion is truly supernatural, why is it not more evident in the lives of so many Christians that I know?" His question is a troublesome one. After all, no Buddhist claims a supernatural life but frequently lives a more consistent one. The same pertains to many of other faiths. Yet, how often the so-called Christian, even while proclaiming some of the loftiest truths one could ever express, lives a life bereft of that beauty and character. [Ravi Zacharias]

~~~~

Sportsmanship

Stories likes this, should be collated and given to every professional sportsman, or women. It reminded me about what sport is all about.

With two runners on base and a strike against her, Sara Tucholsky of Western Oregon University uncorked her best swing and did something she had never done, in high school or college. Her first home run cleared the center-field fence. But it appeared to be the shortest of dreams come true when she missed first base, started back to tag it and collapsed with a knee injury.

Given the rules, she would be out if her teammates assisted her (and a replacement runner, would reduce it to a single). What happened next was:

members of the Central Washington University softball team stunned spectators by carrying Tucholsky around the bases Saturday so the three-run homer would count — an act that contributed to their own elimination from the playoffs.

I'm sure we could find many more stories like this, the Sydney Morning Herald occasionally prints a few in "The Fitz Files" (in the sports section).

Updated: Here's a link about this story from the New York Times. (including a video).

Other links:
The Wall St Journal writes about eating our national emblem.

Some more reading..

... On our Greatest Social Ill.

Here's a great piece suggesting that our desire for more, is at the front of our social decline, - that the most significant forms of social evil are individualism, consumerism and decline of community. I like the below quote

Firstly, governments need to stop paying lip service to the idea that wellbeing is defined by economic prosperity. Of course, successive waves of politicians make noises along these lines, but as soon as they realise the motivational power of money, they tend to revert to type. Yet we are now inundated with studies that have shown that the accumulation of either money or stuff simply doesn't deliver the sense of wellbeing for which we all long. Despite this, though, we continue with the mantra of economic growth to the almost complete exclusion of any other narrative. Justin Thacker, Beyond the pleasure principle

... on Social Efficacy

The other piece which I found intriguing is 'If at first you don't succeed - you're in excellent compnay, which reminded me:

• Julie Andrews, was initially seen as plain.
• J.K. Rowling's book about a boy wizard was rejected by 12 publishers before a small London house picked up "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone."
• Decca Records turned down a contract with the Beatles, saying "We don't like their sound."
• Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor who said he "lacked imagination."
• Michael Jordan was cut from his high-school varsity basketball team sophomore year.[there's more in the article]

The question posed is what makes some people rebound from defeats and go on to greatness while others throw in the towel?

Voting Christianly

Given the State Election on the 24th, and looming Federal Election this year, I've found the below few articles quite interesting reading.

:: Shock News - I’m Christian and I Vote.
:: Why we must vote Christianly - and not just for the CDP (Sandy Grant)
:: Nothing New Under the Sun; [Byron's Blog], this post and the comments make for worthwhile reading.
:: Voting Christianly (John Dickson) [on the All Saints Petersham website]

+++

Links …

Did he really say …

“Gossip is not a trivial pastime”

Sounds like …

Random acts of kindness; and senseless acts of beauty..

+++

The Chappell-Hadlee Trophy; no its not the World Cup, but wow. NZ win by 10 wickets, 5 wickets (chasing 336), and 1 wicket (chasing 346).

March of the Penguins

One of the more interesting films I have seen. March of the penguins shows the viewers a breathtaking part of God’s creation (that we may not be blessed to see).

The Emperor Penguins are beautiful birds, and their breeding ritual would be one of the more treacherous on earth, featuring a role-reversal where the male nurses and protects the egg//chick, while the mother goes and finds food). The film is wonderfully narrated by Morgan Freeman.

I really enjoyed the film, while I marveled at the bird’s ability to survive in these extreme conditions year in and year out. I pondered the fact that people also were there to shot this footage (who you see through the end credits).

++

I read a really interesting book review in the ALD last week. Apparently the least visited memorial in Washington is a waterfront statue commemorating the men who died on the Titanic. Seventy-four per cent of the women passengers survived while 80 per cent of the men perished in the disaster; I’m not so sure the numbers would be the same today. It is interesting thinking thought about the place of gallantry and trying to understand what it means to be a man.

In Brief:

Over the past week I’ve not really done a whole lot – I borrowed the latest Harry Potter novel from my family, and on Thursday I went and saw an amazing Icelandic band called Sigur Ros.

Spoiler free review: I found the new Harry Potter book to be disappointingly predictable.

Links:
When the Premier thinks it's cool to cringe, it's time to get parochial
Beware the child glued to his handheld [via F]
I must preach holy war

+++

6 August 1945
9 August 1945
Lest we forget

Links

Labour Party, Of the True Believer[via The Age]
Its about balance in life not payment [via SMH]
Religion used to justify anything[via The Heckler]

From the papers ...

Men have often been mystified by women's close friendships. Now there's a scientific explanation, reports Lisa Reich.

An interesting piece on the significance of close friendships in our lifecourse.

+++

By the by, I've made a few changes to this pond. Hopefully, in the next few days I'll get a chance to add commenting. I've had a quick look at the blogger provided comments, and I'm not too keen. Anyway, this is a learning process for me, as I am not all that good with html and the like, but yeah it is good to push yourself every now and again.

In other news, it's back to the netball court tonight, which should be fun. I played in a mixed team for the first time last session, we had a great deal of fun together. Yeah, I am looking forward to playing rather than watching some sport.

The other thing to expect in the next few days, is further reflections on my time in Brisbane, and a comment or two on the Public/Private School Education debate that is currently featuring in the Sydney Morning Herald this week.

Songwriting

The Songwriters - U2 - 'Where Craft Ends and Spirit Begins'

The Art of Communication...

My brother pointed me to this site... very insightful.. Well worth a visit and read. The series of entries are are entitled "Sleeping with Pigs IV - VI " [Great comments about reviews, reviewing, David Gerrold's writing and communication].

I was challenged by a large portion of what he said - seeing communication as not simply the transferring of information, but the sharing of experience in relationship; seeing acknowledging the message communicated, not as agreement, or committment to action, but simply - 'I heard what you said'. And I could go on..

Pay his site a visit. :)