SDG – Page 43 – Jimmy Akin

Star Wars III-B: Allure of the Fat Side

Did you know that the Dark Side is not the only aspect of the Force that parents should fear? The new movie Revenge of the Sith is luring kids to the Fat Side. Or so say Wannabe-Nanny Groups that pose as Advocates for The People:

"Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith promotes unhealthy eating, according to a review conducted by the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC). Sixteen separate food promotions feature twenty-five different products, most of which are devoid of nutrients, filled with empty calories and targeted directly to young children.

"’The quantity of nutritionally deficient Star War’s food being marketed to children is staggering,’ said nutritionist Jane Levine of Kids Can Make a Difference. ‘In the midst of an epidemic of childhood obesity, once again junk food marketers have shown that they have no restraint when it comes to targeting kids. The Star Wars promotions demonstrate why we need restrictions on food marketing to children.’"

GET THE STORY.

Spare me. I didn’t take along a child when my sister and I saw Revenge of the Sith this past weekend (indeed, my sister, who is a mommy, was horrified to see a stroller in the theater in which we watched the film), but I would have had no trouble explaining to a child that he couldn’t have whatever candy-cum-snack he thought he must have based on having seen the movie. And what, exactly, these nanny groups have in mind as their concern puzzles me. They appear to be referring to the food products that have advertising from the movie on them. Sheesh. Just refuse to buy, for pity’s sake! Parents are parents because they are supposed to be able to say "no" to their children when their children would otherwise make unacceptable choices.

Grrrl Power Pitcher

An 11-year-old girl became the first in her Little League division to pitch a perfect game, proving that "throwing like a girl" can be something to which athletes of both sexes can aspire:

"Katie Brownell is in a Little League all her own. The 11-year-old — the only girl playing in the Oakfield-Alabama Little League program — pitched a perfect game Saturday for her Dodgers. She struck out all 18 batters she faced in the six-inning, 11-0 victory over the Yankees.

"Oakfield-Alabama officials said they can’t remember anybody ever throwing a perfect game in this western New York league between Buffalo and Rochester.

"In two games on the mound, Katie has struck out 32 of 33 batters. And she’s hitting .714 through the team’s first three games."

So, not only can she pitch; but, unlike many pitchers, she can hit too. You go, girl!

GET THE STORY.

Star Wars III-A: Attack of the Virus

As you know, Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith is now in theaters. I hope to see the movie sometime this weekend. Some diehard fans of the film couldn’t wait for the weekend. Their desire to be at the theater on opening night led to a strange malady that forced many to call in sick today:

"For some in the tech industry, the chance to see Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith in its opening couple of days is just not something they’re willing to pass up—at any cost.

"And while that early viewing may be a badge of honor for geeks around the world, the ‘Star Wars flu’ may pull down productivity figures, analysts warned.

"’There’s nothing like being here for the first showing,’ said an IT manager for a financial brokerage firm on Wednesday, while standing in line in front of the Metreon theater complex in San Francisco.

"He had called in sick in order to see the midnight showing on the DLP (digital light processing) cinema screen. After spending quite a few hours in the cold and drizzle, he added that he might not make it to his job on Thursday, as he felt a ‘second day’ of his cold coming on."

GET THE STORY.

Amazing, isn’t it, how a long-anticipated film can be a carrier of the cold-and-flu virus.

Seriously though, what is it about grown men and women that too many of them seem never to have heard of the concept of delayed gratification? Instead of figuring "Hey, I’ve waited six years for the final episode of the prequel trilogy; I can wait another day or two and catch the movie this weekend," the thought processes are more like, "Must … see … NOW!"

Patience is an underrated virtue in our society, I’m afraid.

Starring On The Antiques Roadshow

Well, not really; but it makes for an intriguing post title.

In my post Made In America, I mentioned that I had once appeared on The Antiques Roadshow. A reader commented:

"Michelle, you have teased us and now you must produce — what is your Antiques Roadshow experience?"

A couple of years ago the show filmed in San Diego. A coworker had been asked to attend the taping by a friend who had won two tickets to the show. The coworker was unable to go, knew that I loved the show, and asked her friend if I could have the ticket. Friend said yes, so off we went.

Continue reading “Starring On The Antiques Roadshow“

Dateline: Jerusalem, Holy Sepulchre

Oh, goody. ABC’s Elizabeth Vargas — the journalist who brought you the straight scoop on Jesus and Mary Magdalene’s luv-‘n-marriage, according to the Gospel of Dan Brown — is doing a special for 20/20 on the Resurrection of Christ to be aired on Friday, May 20. Guess who will be joining her as special guests?

Did you say Fr. Richard McBrien and (Episcopal) Bishop John Shelby Spong (among others)? How’d you figure it?

Sample Quotes:

McBRIEN: "If they had digital cameras in those days, and they took … tried to take a photo of Jesus, you know, ‘Get over there with Peter … would you stand with Mary Magdalene? This would make a great shot. I mean, no one will ever believe this.’ You take a photo of that scene and you’d get Peter and Mary Magdalene, but not Jesus."

You’d think a college professor would speak more coherently.

SPONG: "I don’t think that most of the resurrection narratives in the New Testament are historical at all. But I don’t think there would have been a New Testament or a Jesus movement had there not been some astonishing experience of power that caused these people to see Jesus in a way they had never seen him before."

Translation: "The Gospels are pretty fakey, but those poor misguided souls who spun those fairy tales must have experienced some weird Christ event to get them to make that stuff up."

GET THE STORY.

(Nod to Relapsed Catholic for the link.)

Be sure to wake me when it’s over.

Cracking Spines

One sure way to end a promising friendship is to crack someone else’s spine.

Well, yes, putting someone in a wheelchair tends to be a relationship buster, too, but that’s not what I have in mind. I am referring to borrowing a person’s paperback book and destroying the book’s spine through ruthless handling:

"I had a rude awakening my first year of college when I discovered these book guidelines [of the proper care and treatment for paperbacks] weren’t universal: there are creasers [of book spines] and non-creasers. I worked in a used bookstore for a few summers, so I brought a number of books with me to my dorm. One of my roommates was a creaser. I didn’t mind as much when she was reading the used books, but she treated new books the same way. Oh, the horror! It got to the point where I would hide my new books in drawers or under my mattress or pillow so she couldn’t get to them."

GET THE STORY.

I can relate to this writer’s sorrowful tale. I first became aware of the phenomenon of creasers when I was in high school. I had so many new and used paperbacks that I could have opened a used bookstore in my bedroom, and all of the books I bought new still appeared to be new. One day I was chatting with a girl in my science class — the teacher was otherwise occupied 😉 — and discovered she shared my love for romance novels. I recommended a book I’d recently bought and offered to lend it to her, an offer she snapped up.

I lived to regret it. The book I gave her to read was brand new. The book I received back was thoroughly trashed, to such an extent that I doubted it was the same book. Perhaps it was petty of me, but that budding friendship withered.

I’ve heard the various justifications for spine-cracking: It demonstrates love for the book; like the Velveteen Rabbit, the book becomes Real; breaking the spine makes the book easier to read. I don’t buy it. I can manage to flop on a couch, soda in one hand, book in the other, snack nearby. The book will be thoroughly read and loved, but escape the experience unscathed. On the rare occasions that drops of liquid touch the pages, I dry them out carefully. I remove any crumbs from the pages before turning a page. In other words, you can love your books and still respect them the next day. You can leave them fit for someone else to love.

Moral of the story: Creasers can lend books to non-creasers without worry, but non-creasers would be well-advised to interview potential borrowers about their reading habits.

But What Do You Mean By That Woof?

So, you say you want to know how man’s best friend really feels? A South Korean cell-phone company will be trying to fill that void in your life:

"South Koreans hoping to communicate with man’s best friend could be getting help soon from their cell phones. KTF Corp., a South Korean mobile phone operator, said Thursday it will begin offering a service that will enable dog owners to know whether their pets are feeling happy or sad.

"The users must first connect to Internet with their cell phones, and then register information of their dogs such as the breed and age. The service will then record the dog’s bark.

"The owner will receive text messages telling them how their pet is feeling, such as ‘I am happy’ or ‘I am frustrated.’"

GET THE STORY.

You know, dogs are very capable of letting you know what they’re thinking. You really don’t need a novelty service to translate for you. The dog I had a few years ago would stand by the back door when he wanted to go out. If he was ill, he’d lay down and whine. If he was eager for a walk, and he always was, he’d yip and prance when a leash was produced. He would stare at me with wide, sad eyes when he was trying to beg a treat.

And that’s all I really needed to know about his inner dog, thank you very much.

Introducing The New Doctrinal Enforcer

Now that the rumor has been proven accurate that Pope Benedict XVI has tapped Archbishop William J. Levada to head the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Vatican correspondent John L. Allen Jr. of the <shudder>National Catholic Reporter</shudder> has some helpful analysis on the possible reasons Abp. Levada was offered the job:

"Why Levada?

"First, he has a solid theological background. He wrote his doctoral thesis in theology at Rome’s Gregorian University under the direction of Jesuit Fr. Francis Sullivan, widely regarded as one of the best minds in ecclesiology of the 20th century. The subject of Levada’s dissertation was ‘The Infallible Church Magisterium and the Natural Moral Law,’ examining how the magisterium understands natural law, and especially its binding force. Levada reviewed a range of theological opinions and drew what one observer described as ‘balanced, judicious’ conclusions. Given the way that moral questions, especially on sexual issues and biotechnology, are among the most contentious matters the doctrinal congregation handles, it’s a background that would serve Levada well.

"At the same time, because Levada has not spent his career as a professional theologian, he has not developed a deep specialization in any one area. A theologian in Rome described him as a very capable ‘general practitioner.’

"Jesuit Fr. Gerald O’Collins at the Gregorian, who remembers Levada as an industrious doctoral candidate, said that Levada now phones him to keep tabs on his own men.

"’He keeps in touch,’ O’Collins said. ‘He says, "How is he doing?" … I feel it kind of encourages the student to finish, because the archbishop needs him back.’

"O’Collins described Levada as ‘an extremely decent human being.’"

GET THE STORY.

(Nod to the reader who mentioned Allen’s column in a post comment down yonder.)

Santo Subito!

On the twenty-fourth anniversary of the attempted assasination of Pope John Paul II, the late pope’s successor Pope Benedict XVI announced that he will be waiving the five-year waiting period required before a cause for canonization can be opened for John Paul II:

"The pope’s decision to authorize the start of the process for sainthood for Pope John Paul II overrode the usual five-year waiting period following the death of a candidate before beatification procedures can begin. The only other time the waiting period was waived was for Mother Teresa. The process was begun a year after her death.

"Benedict made the announcement in Latin during a meeting at the Basilica of St. John Lateran with the Roman clergy. Friday is the anniversary of an 1981 assassination attempt on John Paul in St. Peter’s Square at the hands of a Turkish gunman.

[…]

"Benedict’s announcement drew a standing ovation from the Roman priests.

[…]

"Benedict, who had been seated, stood up to join the clergy in applauding the major tribute to his predecessor."

GET THE STORY.