Positive Infinity » Unusual Stuff

Maybe the Costa Concordia Needed a Native Guide, Too

me — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 14:16:35 +0000

Among other things: Gianni Onorato, general manager of Carnival (CCL) Corp.’s Costa Crociere line, said the ship had embarked about 7 p.m. from Civitavecchia near Rome on a trip that was scheduled to include stops at ports in France and Spain. The vessel hit the rocks and Captain Francesco Schettino, after assessing the damage, decided …

The Value of Failure: A Lesson From Soccer

me — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:00:35 +0000

One of the many things that separates me from my contemporaries was the fact that I played soccer in junior high (that designation dates me!) and high school. Today soccer is de rigeur for people growing up in these United States, but until, say, the late 1970′s that wasn’t the case. A good deal of …

Of Bomb Threats, Stained Glass Windows, Truthers, Old Books and College Students

me — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 00:20:36 +0000

This is the time of year when many academic institutions wind down their semesters. That’s certainly the case with UTC where I teach. It’s time to reflect on a couple of things that have transpired during the calendar year which, in their own way, deflect a good deal of conventional wisdom about those who are …

Mitt Romney Joins the Bologna Club

me — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 03:17:59 +0000

He may not realise it, but… When asked his favorite novel in an interview shown yesterday on the Fox News Channel, Mitt Romney pointed to “Battlefield Earth,” a novel by L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology. That book was turned into a film by John Travolta, a Scientologist. There’s a little family history behind …

“Extreme events induced by man:” the new euphemism for acts of terror

me — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 13:13:26 +0000

While digging through my email, I could not help but notice this, from the promotion of a new publication by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO): New and extensively researched, Bridge Security Guidelines offers guidance on bridge design for extreme events induced by man. This document provides the designer with information …

Belt Your Old Man in the Mouth

me — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 22:33:50 +0000

The whole “Occupy Wall Street” protest movement–and some comments from family who are closer to the event than I–have reminded me of something I heard a while back and have meant to post but haven’t. Hopefully timing will be everything and some will find this strange story helpful. My old family business marketed some of …

People who are Both Gay and Fat are in Serious Trouble

me — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 19:13:08 +0000

The lobby for the overweight strikes back at Michelle Obama’s campaign against swelling waistlines: Speaking at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., Monday, NAAFA public relations director Peggy Howell said the First Lady “essentially gave permission to everyone to condemn the children with higher body weights.” Howell called Obama’s Let’s Move! campaign “well-intentioned, but …

Rick Perry’s Prayer Rally: It’s Really Midnight Yell Practice

me — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 05:00:10 +0000

This Saturday Texas Gov. Rick Perry is sponsoring a prayer rally called “The Response.” In a country whose elites are sensitive to any serious demonstration of faith, the reactions have been predictable. But in view of the buzz regarding Rick’s plans after The Response, I think we need to look at this another way. Ags, …

Les Reflets: De l’abondance du coeur, la bouche parle (Out of the Abundance of the Heart, the Mouth Speaks)

me — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 05:00:59 +0000

When we think of “contemporary” Christian music, most of us restrict ourselves to the US, or throw in the UK for good measure. But the revolution in Christian music in the 1960′s and 1970′s went far beyond the Anglophone world, and this album–from France–may be the best example of that. It’s conventional wisdom to characterise …

My Fourth of July Tribute: Tragedy in a P-47

me — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 05:00:45 +0000

For the Fourth of July, when the U.S. celebrates its independence from the U.K., I have gone on at length about the importance of the Declaration of Independence as our true founding document. This year, however, I’ve picked something a little closer to home: the aviation service during World War II of my uncle, Don …