After a comprehensive look at “Jesus through the ages” to illustrate how the Church has repeatedly reinvented him to maintain popular appeal, Fade to Black does its part “in helping the Church create the updated image of Jesus for the new Millennium”, with its Jesus 2000 Contest.

Memento Mori By Jonathan Nolan —

The short story that inspired the film Memento is available online in its entirety, courtesy of Esquire.

Whoops! An LA Times article on the joys of collecting wild edible mushrooms was inadvertently illustrated with a photograph of an amanita, which can be poisonous. Here’s the erratum.

Tolerance Ads To Infiltrate Web Sites Of Hate Groups. You may recall my coverage of the exploits of Morris Dees and the Southern Poverty Law Center, on my most-worthy-charities list for many years for their effective work in breaking the back of rightwing hate groups. The SPLC has gotten Yahoo to provide $3 million woth of ad space over the next three years for “in-your-face ads urging tolerance and racial harmony”. While they’re going to be broadly disseminated, the organizers will be positioning them to come up especially for Yahoo users searching for hate sites and extremist chat rooms. Reportedly, Yahoo has allowed more than 100 “white pride and racialism” clubs among the thousands of community clubs it hosts.

The SPLC is also launching a new site, tolerance.org, with content like:

Click-on maps to locate hate groups and human rights organizations in your
city.

A hands-on primer on four hate groups on the Web and ”how they disguise
their message under a veneer of respectability.”

Tips such as ”101 Tools for Tolerance”; online forums for parents, teachers
and caregivers; and ”Planet Tolerance” for youth.

Six do-it-yourself, five-minute ”image association” tests for unconscious
biases: black and white race bias, age bias, gender bias, skin-color bias,
Asian-American bias and body-image bias. Results remain anonymous.

About time the pot called the kettle black? North Korea And Cuba Take Aim At Human Rights In US Genocide. Rape. Murder. Racism. Executions.

Systematic child abuse.

Such was the list of charges leveled Monday against the U.S.during the U.N.Human Rights Commission annual meeting.

And those pointing the finger? North Korea and Cuba.

Flocking & Schooling. A computer simulation shows that flocking/schooling behavior results from the application of three simple rules in a leaderless system. The original principles have been used to program realistic screen animations such as the stampede scene in The Lion King and bats swarming in several movies. There’s a link to a swarming program you can d/l. [via boing boing]

Email ‘joke’ leads to bus strike The Register

D.C. Officers Upbraided Over E-Mails. “Elected officials from Capitol Hill to city hall chastised D.C. police officers yesterday for sending racist, vulgar and homophobic messages on their squad car computers over the last year, and legal experts said the e-mails could expose the department to lawsuits and provide fodder for criminal defense attorneys.” The behavior was reportedly found in routine internal monitoring of patrol computer usage and email traffic, but The Register, in pointing to this Washington Post story, also blinked to this reprint of an alt.radio.scanner usenet group discussion on “how easy it is to intercept the supposedly secret traffic on
the Motorola mobile data terminals used by many police forces to access
criminal history and other sensitive information.”

Hanging Gardens of Where? “Name the Seven Wonders of the World.

OK, name one.

If you think of any of them, don’t worry. Few people besides 6th graders and ancient history scholars can
name them all. In fact, only one of the original ancient wonders survives: the Egyptian Pyramid at Giza, built
around 2600 B.C. and the oldest structures on the list. Over the millennia, the monuments have been
destroyed by earthquakes, fires, sandstorms and marauding armies.

Now there’s a campaign under way at new7wonders.com to pick seven new symbols of humanity’s greatest
achievements. So far, more than 2 million people from over 200 countries have cast their ballots, according to
the site… So far, the Mayan pyramids at Chichen Itza in Mexico top the list. Mexicans, by the way,
have cast 30 percent of the ballots in the poll, which concludes June 30.” Wired

Conan Doyle ghost story resurrected A rough and ready ghost story written 125 years ago by Sir Arthur
Conan Doyle when he was an 18-year-old student will be published for
the first time today…

(R)ejected for publication at the time, (i)t has since been considered too
immature to appear in print.

But Conan Doyle’s executors were persuaded to publish after academics
suggested that the story featured characters they considered to be the
precursors of his most famous creations, Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson.” Telegraph

Writing Off Into the Sunset. The somewhat serpentine book-to-movie connection. Publishers Weekly

Earthquake As Artist [thanks, Abby]

The infamous Laura Schlessinger recently said on her radio program that as an observant
Orthodox Jew homosexuality is an abomination according to Leviticus 18:22
and cannot be condoned in any circumstance. The following is an open letter
to Dr. Laura which is doing the email chain letter rounds:

Dear Dr. Laura:

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God’s Law. I have
learned a great deal from your radio show, and I try to share that knowledge
with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual
lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly
states it to be an
abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however,
regarding some of the specific Bible laws and how to follow them.

a) When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a
pleasing odor for the Lord (Lev. 1:9). The problem is my neighbors. They
claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

b) I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus
21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?
She’s 18 and starting University. Will the slave buyer continue to pay for
her education by law?

c) I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her
period of menstrual uncleanliness (Lev. 15:19-24). The problem is, how do I
tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

d) Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female,
provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims
that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? …. Why
can’t I own Canadians?

e) I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2
clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him
myself, or should this be a neighborhood improvement project? f) A friend of
mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination (Lev. 11:10),
it is a lesser abomination than
homosexuality. I don’t agree. Can you settle this?…

g) Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a
defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my
vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here? Would contact
lenses help?

h) Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around
their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How
should they die?

i) I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me
unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

j) My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two different
crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two
different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse
and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of
getting the whole town
together to stone them? (Lev. 24:10-16) Couldn’t we just burn them to
death like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can
help. Thank you again for reminding us that God’s word is eternal and
unchanging.

 
        Your devoted disciple and adoring fan.

The infamous Laura Schlessinger recently said on her radio program that as an observant
Orthodox Jew homosexuality is an abomination according to Leviticus 18:22
and cannot be condoned in any circumstance. The following is an open letter
to Dr. Laura which is doing the email chain letter rounds:

Dear Dr. Laura:

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God’s Law. I have
learned a great deal from your radio show, and I try to share that knowledge
with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual
lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly
states it to be an
abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however,
regarding some of the specific Bible laws and how to follow them.

a) When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a
pleasing odor for the Lord (Lev. 1:9). The problem is my neighbors. They
claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

b) I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus
21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?
She’s 18 and starting University. Will the slave buyer continue to pay for
her education by law?

c) I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her
period of menstrual uncleanliness (Lev. 15:19-24). The problem is, how do I
tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

d) Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female,
provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims
that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? …. Why
can’t I own Canadians?

e) I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2
clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him
myself, or should this be a neighborhood improvement project? f) A friend of
mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination (Lev. 11:10),
it is a lesser abomination than
homosexuality. I don’t agree. Can you settle this?…

g) Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a
defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my
vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here? Would contact
lenses help?

h) Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around
their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How
should they die?

i) I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me
unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

j) My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two different
crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two
different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse
and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of
getting the whole town
together to stone them? (Lev. 24:10-16) Couldn’t we just burn them to
death like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can
help. Thank you again for reminding us that God’s word is eternal and
unchanging.

 
        Your devoted disciple and adoring fan.

The infamous Laura Schlessinger recently said on her radio program that as an observant
Orthodox Jew homosexuality is an abomination according to Leviticus 18:22
and cannot be condoned in any circumstance. The following is an open letter
to Dr. Laura which is doing the email chain letter rounds:

Dear Dr. Laura:

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God’s Law. I have
learned a great deal from your radio show, and I try to share that knowledge
with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual
lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly
states it to be an
abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however,
regarding some of the specific Bible laws and how to follow them.

a) When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a
pleasing odor for the Lord (Lev. 1:9). The problem is my neighbors. They
claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

b) I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus
21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?
She’s 18 and starting University. Will the slave buyer continue to pay for
her education by law?

c) I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her
period of menstrual uncleanliness (Lev. 15:19-24). The problem is, how do I
tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

d) Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female,
provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims
that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? …. Why
can’t I own Canadians?

e) I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2
clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him
myself, or should this be a neighborhood improvement project? f) A friend of
mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination (Lev. 11:10),
it is a lesser abomination than
homosexuality. I don’t agree. Can you settle this?…

g) Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a
defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my
vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here? Would contact
lenses help?

h) Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around
their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How
should they die?

i) I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me
unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

j) My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two different
crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two
different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse
and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of
getting the whole town
together to stone them? (Lev. 24:10-16) Couldn’t we just burn them to
death like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can
help. Thank you again for reminding us that God’s word is eternal and
unchanging.

 
        Your devoted disciple and adoring fan.