Gene Edward Veith Jr.'s Blog, page 311
August 11, 2014
Destroying our own military equipment
My brother-in-law (Seabees, retired) told me that when we withdraw from Iraq and Afghanistan, we are going to be leaving behind or destroying much of the military equipment our troops had been using, since it is too expensive to bring back and there won’t be that much use for it anymore. Well, now it’s happening. [Read More...]
The potato chip bag as microphone
Sounds are vibrations of the air that are picked up by vibrations of the eardrum. Those vibrations of the air can cause other objects to vibrate. Scientists at MIT have found a way to reconstruct what people have said from a video of the vibrations of a potato chip bag. From Rachel Feltman, MIT researchers [Read More...]
August 8, 2014
Obama allows U.S. airstrikes in Iraq
As Islamic State routed tough Kurdish forces (the largest pro-American group in Iraq), drawing near to Americans still in Erbil, President Obama has given the go-ahead for airstrikes “if necessary.” He also said we would drop food and water to the sectarian Muslims that Islamic State is starving out on a mountaintop. From Obama Allows [Read More...]
The post-Protestants
We have the post-moderns and the post-Christians; now we have the post-Protestants. Referring mainly to post-mainline Protestants, these are the children of those liberal denominations who have preserved their parents’ self-righteousness, individualism, millennialism, and sense of being chosen–except without Jesus and any kind of Biblical faith. Catholic author Joseph Bottum explores this new WASP establishment [Read More...]
How to identify a narcissist
Psychologists have used a 40-question test to diagnose the condition of narcissism, a syndrome of extreme self-regard and lack of empathy for others. A study has determined, though, that it is possible to diagnose narcissism by asking the subject only one question. And that question is. . . . “Are you a narcissist?” From Rachel [Read More...]
Russian bombers in American airspace
Russia is responding to our sanctions and expressing its leader’s contempt for what he considers American weakness by sending nuclear bombers into American airspace. This has happened 16 times in the last 10 days. From Russian bombers penetrated U.S. airspace at least 16 times in past 10 days – Washington Times: Russian strategic nuclear bombers [Read More...]
August 7, 2014
Being practical vs. having compassion
Last Sunday’s sermon was a great take on the feeding of the five thousand. Pastor Douthwaite saw in the account a contrast between the pragmatism of the disciples and the compassion of Jesus. From Rev. James Douthwaite, Pentecost 8 Sermon, St. Athanasius Lutheran Church.(The reference is to a former student of mine who became a [Read More...]
Corporations changing their citizenship
The corporate tax rate in the United States is 35%, the highest of all developed nations. So more and more companies are practicing “inversion,” a transaction on paper that relocates their corporate home (while leaving most operations and employees where they are) to another country, such as Ireland, where the corporate rates are 12.5%. Even [Read More...]
Time to change your passwords
A group of Russian criminals has collected 1.2 billion user names and passwords. And since most people use the same password for everything–from travel sites to banking (how else to remember the things?)–that makes 1.2 billion people extremely vulnerable. From Russian Gang Amasses Over a Billion Internet Passwords – NYTimes.com: A Russian crime ring has [Read More...]
August 6, 2014
You are the pearl of great price
Two Sundays ago, the sermon was on these parables from Matthew 13: 44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a [Read More...]
