1. In his recent testimony at a Congressional hearing, U.S. Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Malcolm Nance--a former instructor for the Navy's Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) school--says "waterboarding is not simulated drowning -- it is drowning":
The SERE community was designed over 50 years ago to show that, as a torture instrument, waterboarding is a terrifying, painful and humiliating tool that leaves no physical scars and which can be repeatedly used as an intimidation tool.
Waterboarding has the ability to make the subject answer any question with the truth, a half-truth or outright lie in order to stop the procedure. Subjects usually resort to all three, often in rapid sequence. Most media representations or recreations of the waterboarding are inaccurate, amateurish and dangerous improvisations, which do not capture the true intensity of the act. Contrary to popular opinion, it is not a simulation of drowning -- it is drowning.
2. If killing an enemy combatant is worse than torturing them, why shouldn’t torture be allowed? Philosopher John Mark Reynolds briefly notes four reasons why the argument fails. One of the most compelling for Christians should be the "Argument from Soul Liberty":
First, killing a combatant actually honors his free will. He has chosen to take up arms and the minister of justice is honoring that choice by meeting him as he has chosen to be met.
Torture removes the internal free will of the combatant by forcing him to a mental submission that should not be in the power of humankind. We should allow his mental defiance, even if we cannot allow his physical defiance. In this way, we honor his reason (one aspect of the divine image), while also protecting the innocent.
3. One Of Every Three Popular Songs Contains References To Substance Use
According to new research presented at the American Public Health Association’s Annual Meeting & Exposition in Washington, D.C., 33 percent of the most popular songs of 2005 portrayed substance use. The study, in which researchers analyzed 279 of the year’s most popular songs according to Billboard magazine, also found that allusions to substance use varied widely by genre.
Rap music led the way with 77 percent of songs referring to substance use, followed by country at 37 percent and R&B/hip-hop at 20 percent. Rock and pop were on the lower end of the spectrum at 14 percent and 9 percent, respectively.
Alcohol and marijuana were the substances most frequently portrayed. Substance use was commonly associated with partying, sex, violence and/or humor, and was most often motivated by peer/social pressure, sex, and/or money (for instance, through trafficking). The majority of songs with substance use portrayed more positive than negative consequences of use.
4. The ultimate time management tip: Cut off activities at the point of diminishing returns.
5. John Frame on "Marriage as Unjust Suffering
The Bible, of course, has a very positive view of marriage, but it is also realistic. It recognizes that in a sinful world there are a lot of problems in marriage. So while it says many positive things about marriage, it says some negative things as well. Once, indeed, Jesus told his disciples, in effect, “You’re not allowed to get divorced, so some of you shouldn’t get married at all.” In this sinful world there is a downside to marriage, and we ought to ask if we can accept that downside before we presume to make a lifetime commitment. And so the apostle Peter speaks of some situations in which marriage involves “unjust suffering.”
(HT: Talking Out of Turn)
6. Sign of the Times: 'Acting White' Is Old School
Economist Roland Fryer has done research on "acting white," i.e. the phenomenon by which black children who excel academically are stigmatized by their peers.
Recently, he was in a New York City school and asked some of the seventh graders he was talking to whether they had ever heard the phrase "acting white."
The kids laughed at him and said, “Of course, but that’s old school. Now it's called 'acting Asian.'"
7. Nat Hentoff, a liberal atheist pro-lifer, on abortion and next President:
As this heretical kind of writer who publishes in both the liberal Village Voice and the conservative Washington Times, I consider it a major story that this summer Day Gardner, president of the National Black Pro-Life Union, revealed that “since 1973, over 14 million black babies have been aborted, which is equal to the combined population of eight midwestern states.” But there were hardly any references in the media to this slaughter. For that matter, I don’t recall even the pro-life Republican candidates challenging their opponents to comment on this vast, homicidal disrespect for human life—despite the guarantee of “equal protection” in the Fourteenth Amendment and the civil-rights laws. Would the pro-choicers say all those black corpses were not persons under the Constitution?
Yes, Mr. Hentoff. That is exactly what they'd say.
8. This is good news: Suitcase Nukes Probably Don’t Exist
Members of Congress have warned about the dangers of suitcase nuclear weapons. Hollywood has made television shows and movies about them. Even the Federal Emergency Management Agency has alerted Americans to a threat — information the White House includes on its Web site.
But government experts and intelligence officials say such a threat gets vastly more attention than it deserves. These officials said a true suitcase nuke would be highly complex to produce, require significant upkeep and cost a small fortune. […]
"The suitcase nuke is an exciting topic that really lends itself to movies,” said Vahid Majidi, the assistant director of the FBI’s Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate. “No one has been able to truly identify the existence of these devices."
9. 20 Books to Read on Christians and Culture (HT: Between Two Worlds)
10. Justin Taylor on adoption and Christianity:
One of the problems in Islam, I think, is that they have a concept of Allah as a creator and ruler — but there's no concept of "the fatherhood of God." Consequently, they do not have a concept of being spiritually and legally adopted into the household of faith — which is at the center of biblical Christianity.
The great theologian, J. I. Packer (whose three children are adopted), has written an attention-grabbing line in his classic, Knowing God, "Our understanding of Christianity cannot be better than our grasp of adoption." Elsewhere he writes that "adoption is the highest privilege the gospel offers." Whereas "justification" gives us the righteousness of Christ, "adoption" makes us members of his family and gives us access to all of the family benefits and privileges.
But sometimes I wonder if the way we speak about physical, earthly adoption shows that we have not yet let the truths about spiritual adoption truly sink into our hearts and minds.
11. How to Win at Monopoly® - a Surefire Strategy (HT: The Presurfer)
12. Patrick Ruffini compiled an interesting list of the top 10 campaign lessons learned (so far) from 2008.
13. 21 good books that need to be great films, like now
14. Lost In Translation: 20 Good Books Made Into Not-So-Good Movies
The National Right to Life Committee has estimated, conservatively, that the Hyde Amendment has prevented at least one million abortions. That's one million Americans who are alive today because of Henry Hyde.
(HT: The Point)
16. Steve Hays on why some evangelicals prefer Romney to Huckabee:
Why is it that so many Evangelical leaders are endorsing the Mormon candidate rather than the Baptist candidate?
Of course, we know their stated reasons, but there may also be an unspoken reason. To be tactless, Romney is Camelot to Huckabee's Gomer Pyle. I'm not saying that this comparison is the least bit fair. I'm just suggesting that it may be the elephant in the room.
Romney's the manor-born Brahman, with the Ivy League degrees, and the movie star looks to Huckabee's hillbilly Babdist. Romney's old money to Huckabee's po' white trailer trash; Romney's blueblood to Huckabee's redneck; Romney's Mozart to Huckabee's bluegrass; Romney's Polo to Huckabee's rodeo; Romney's a Lexis to Huckabee's Ford tuff pickup truck.
Of course, Evangelical leaders aren't going to express their preference in this fashion since that would expose a deep streak of snobbery, but you have to wonder if Huckabee's Baptist faith isn't being held against him.
I've been thinking the same thing. Huckabee is too much of an evangelical for some evangelicals.
17. 9 creative staircases, including this retractable staircase by industrial designer Aaron Tang
(HT: The Presurfer)
18. Top 101 U.S. Cities -- Hundreds of top lists from U.S. cities in varied categories. (HT: The Presurfer)
19. The Cluelessness of the Conservative Intellectual (Example #467): William Kristol proposes Joe Lieberman for the GOP VP slot:
As for Rudy and John and Fred and Mitt and Mike: Take a break from kissing babies to pick up the phone and congratulate Joe. Seek his endorsement after you win the nomination. What the heck--offer him the vice presidency. (Rudy, you might try State or Defense, since you'll need a pro-life running mate.) But McCain-Lieberman, Thompson-Lieberman, Romney-Lieberman,Huckabee-Lieberman--those sound like winning tickets to us. It's true, given the behavior of the congressional Democrats, the GOP nominee might well win with a more conventional running mate. But why settle for a victory if you can have a realignment?
So a Democrat has the same position of the war as every GOP candidate (except for Ron Paul) and that makes him worthy of being VP? Granted, I suspect Kristol's tongue is planted firmly in his cheek. If not it’s the silliest thing he's ever said.
20. Image of the Week: Man takes relaxing snake bath
Jackie Bibby, the "Texas Snake Man," has set a new world record for sitting in a bathtub with 87 rattlesnakes. (HT: Neatorama)
Related: Back in 2003, I wrote about Bibby back in The Self-help Lessons of a Snake Handler
21. As The Economist points out, megachurches aren't just an American phenomenon :
Mention a “megachurch” and most people think of a gleaming building in the American suburbs. In fact, many of the biggest churches are outside the United States. In Guatemala, Pentecostals have built what may be the largest building in Central America: Mega Frater (Big Brother) packs a 12,000-seater church, a vast baptism pool and a heliport. One church in Lagos can supposedly bring 2m people out onto the streets. But five of the world's ten biggest megachurches are in just one country: South Korea.
22. A new study sheds light on the nature of heroism:
In a paper to be published in the management-oriented journal The Leadership Quarterly, researchers asked 526 World War II veterans who experienced "heavy and frequent combat" to evaluate themselves on qualities such as leadership, loyalty, spontaneity and selflessness. There were 83 men in the group who received a medal for meritorious service or valor — either a Bronze Star, Silver Star, Distinguished Service Cross or Medal of Honor.
Unsurprisingly, veterans who had been awarded medals tended to rate themselves higher for qualities like leadership, adventurousness and adaptability. Results became more intriguing when researchers divided medal earners into two groups: those who enlisted ("eager heroes") and those who were drafted ("reluctant heroes"). The reluctant heroes scored higher than any other group in selflessness and working well with others.
The study suggests that quiet heroes rely on a deep sense of duty and esprit de corps as opposed to derring-do. That sentiment was echoed by several of the medal-earning veterans interviewed separately for this story.
(HT: Outside the Beltway)
23. 87 Great Photography Blogs and Feeds (HT: The Presurfer)
24. Cocaine Abuse Blunts Sensitivity To Monetary Reward -- New measurements of brain activity confirm that cocaine-addicted individuals have compromised sensitivity to monetary rewards. This altered sensitivity may help explain why some drug-addicted individuals are unable to modify their drug-taking behavior, even in the face of well-understood negative consequences and/or positive incentives for behavioral change
25. LOLCat LOLBunny of the Week
moar funny pictures
26. On da Vinci’s "The Last Supper" (Part I) -- The Last Supper In Detail presents the painting as a special digital image that lets you get (virtually) closer to its surface than you ever could in real life. (HT: Very Short List)
27. On da Vinci’s "The Last Supper" (Part II) -- Musician Giovanni Maria Pala claims to have discovered a hidden musical score for a solemn hymn in da Vinci's masterpiece. He says the musical notes themselves encode for a Hebrew text, and even a image of the chalice. (HT: Neatorama)
28. What is neoconservative foreign policy? James Joyner reminds us that the principles were first laid out in the Project for the New American Century (PNAC) Statement of Principles back in 1997:
We seem to have forgotten the essential elements of the Reagan Administration's success: a military that is strong and ready to meet both present and future challenges; a foreign policy that boldly and purposefully promotes American principles abroad; and national leadership that accepts the United States' global responsibilities.
Of course, the United States must be prudent in how it exercises its power. But we cannot safely avoid the responsibilities of global leadership or the costs that are associated with its exercise. America has a vital role in maintaining peace and security in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. If we shirk our responsibilities, we invite challenges to our fundamental interests. The history of the 20th century should have taught us that it is important to shape circumstances before crises emerge, and to meet threats before they become dire. The history of this century should have taught us to embrace the cause of American leadership.
Our aim is to remind Americans of these lessons and to draw their consequences for today. Here are four consequences:
- we need to increase defense spending significantly if we are to carry out our global responsibilities today and modernize our armed forces for the future;
- we need to strengthen our ties to democratic allies and to challenge regimes hostile to our interests and values;
- we need to promote the cause of political and economic freedom abroad;
- we need to accept responsibility for America's unique role in preserving and extending an international order friendly to our security, our prosperity, and our principles.
Such a Reaganite policy of military strength and moral clarity may not be fashionable today. But it is necessary if the United States is to build on the successes of this past century and to ensure our security and our greatness in the next.
29. Initial influence decisions? From the abstract of the paper, "Why Susie sells seashells by the seashore: Implicit egotism and major life decisions."
Because most people possess positive associations about themselves, most people prefer things that are connected to the self (e.g., the letters in one's name). The authors refer to such preferences as implicit egotism. Ten studies assessed the role of implicit egotism in 2 major life decisions: where people choose to live and what people choose to do for a living. Studies 1-5 showed that people are disproportionately likely to live in places whose names resemble their own first or last names (e.g., people named Louis are disproportionately likely to live in St. Louis). Study 6 extended this finding to birthday number preferences. People were disproportionately likely to live in cities whose names began with their birthday numbers (e.g., Two Harbors, MN). Studies 7-10 suggested that people disproportionately choose careers whose labels resemble their names (e.g., people named Dennis or Denise are overrepresented among dentists). Implicit egotism appears to influence major life decisions. This idea stands in sharp contrast to many models of rational choice and attests to the importance of understanding implicit beliefs.
(HT: MIT Advertising Lab)
30. Doctor, (Don't) Heal Thyself -- Psychiatrists who treat themselves for depression:
Compared with the average person, depression is particularly prevalent among doctors and especially among psychiatrists. When Richard Balon at Wayne State University surveyed 567 psychiatrists listed by the Michigan Psychiatric Society, he found that 15.7 per cent had already treated themselves for depression, 43 per cent said they would consider it in future for mild depression and 7 per cent would do so for severe depression or feeling suicidal. There was a tendency for these figures to be higher among biologically oriented psychiatrists, as opposed to their psychodynamically or eclectically oriented colleagues….
In the current survey, the most common reasons the psychiatrists gave for treating themselves were to keep a clean health insurance record, followed by concerns about the stigma associated with mental illness. This latter finding echoes previous observations about the pervasive stigma associated with mental illness in the medical profession.
31. Fasting is Healthy: Foregoing food for a day each month stood out among other religious practices in members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, who have lower rates of heart disease than other Americans, researchers reported at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2007.
32. A Big Chunk Of The Universe Is Missing - Again: Not only has a large chunk of the universe thought to have been found in 2002 apparently gone missing again but it is taking some friends with it, according to new research. The new calculations might leave the mass of the universe as much as ten to 20 percent lighter than previously calculated. The same group that found what was theorized to be a significant fraction of the "missing mass" that binds together the universe has discovered that some x-rays thought to come from intergalactic clouds of "warm" gas are instead probably caused by lightweight electrons.
33. Dilbert and Dogbert debate the theory of evolution
1
Of course, Evangelical leaders aren't going to express their preference in this fashion since that would expose a deep streak of snobbery, but you have to wonder if Huckabee's Baptist faith isn't being held against him.
I knew the day would come when right wing evangelicals got so hooked on playing the victimization card that they would play it on themselves! What's next? How about having Romny attack Huckabee for being bigoted against evangalicals by acting like a sterotypical evangelical?
So a Democrat has the same position of the war as every GOP candidate (except for Ron Paul) and that makes him worthy of being VP? Granted, I suspect Kristol's tongue is planted firmly in his cheek. If not it’s the silliest thing he's ever said.
What no comments on Rudy being endorsed by Pat Robertson?
posted on 11.12.2007 11:51 AM2
I've been talking Lieberman as an independent.
And I do think he could win.
But who listens to me? ;-(
Collin
http://evangelicalperspective.blogspot.com/
3
As to #16.
The reason I prefer Romney to Huckabee has nothing whatsoever to do with that analysis. As a matter of fact, if all those perceptions were true, i'd be gung-ho for Huckabee.
They're not my perceptions of the two men though.
Huckabee strikes me as a guy who thinks he can win the whitehouse without money, without organization and without a plan. This is perhaps a great way to run for President and not really invest too much of yourself and say when you lose, "Ah well, I didn't have the money or the organization of my opponenet, it wasn't me that lost."
On the other hand, Romney and Huckabee seem almost identical on the issues (Which is most important to me). And Romney actually understands how to raise money, how to organize and he's got a plan to win the election.
So, all that hogwash above has almost zero to do with why this evangelical supports Romney over Huckabee.
If things change before the election and Huckabee looks more organized, has more money and a plan to win and this shows in election results, then i'll happily vote for Huckabee. Rudy is the worst choice (After Ron Paul) so whoever can beat Rudy will get my vote in the Republican Primary.
posted on 11.12.2007 8:37 PM4
Joe,
I think we can find agreement here:
Most media representations or recreations of the waterboarding are inaccurate, amateurish and dangerous improvisations, which do not capture the true intensity of the act.
Here's where I think we can agree. If the media representations/recreations of waterboarding aren't waterboarding and therefore are not torture, then you'd be alright with using that (What we've seen the media do) as an interrogation technique?
posted on 11.12.2007 9:05 PM5
Baggi
I don't think Joe would object to having all Fox News personalities subjected to the kiddie waterboarding they featured.
Your assertion doesn't make much sense when you think about it. If 'waterboarding' is the silly stuff Fox News ran then what use would it be? If waterboarding is torture then why are you defending it as non-torture?
You're essentially trying to have it both ways. Saying its not torture on one hand but saying we need to use it as torture on the other.
posted on 11.13.2007 7:50 AM6
#14:
I'd add The Long Ships by Frans G. Bengtsson (trans. from Swedish by Michael Meyer). The book is one of my favorites, an episodic novel about 10th century vikings that perfectly captures the atmosphere of medieval sagas and has wonderful dry humor. The 1963 movie is horrible, but not quite bad enough to be fun.
posted on 11.13.2007 9:06 AM7
Combatants from un-free societies are excercising free will?
posted on 11.13.2007 12:53 PM8
If killing an enemy combatant is worse than torturing them, why shouldn’t torture be allowed? Philosopher John Mark Reynolds briefly notes four reasons why the argument fails.
How about simply the fact that the argument commits a formal fallacy? Consider the following arguments of the same structure:
1. If killing my neighbor is worse than raping her, then shouldn't raping her be allowed?
2. If genocide is worse than killing one person in cold blood, then shouldn't killing in cold blood be allowed?
3. If bombing Canada is worse than bombing China (because of the relative immorality of the leaders), shouldn't it be ok to drop bombs on China?
It's pretty clear that one thing that's obviously wrong can be worse than something else that's also obviously wrong, and it doesn't diminish the wrongness of the second thing. Being less wrong than something that's wrong is consistent with being wrong.
Now it's possible the argument was originally supposed to have been the following: "If killing an enemy combatant in battle is worse than torturing them, why shouldn’t torture be allowed? Philosopher John Mark Reynolds briefly notes four reasons why the argument fails."
Now we've got something that isn't wrong. But we get it while sacrificing the clear comparison with the thing that's supposed to be less wrong. Once you make it clear that it's killing in battle that's supposed to be worse, it's not at all clear that killing in battle is morally worse than torturing someone, at least if it's the wrongness of the actions that you care about. After all, one is done while in combat. To be parallel, don't you need to ask about killing a prisoner in cold blood and compare that? But then we go back to the original kind of case.
There is one other interpretation that sounds even less like the actual way the argument is put but may well be what people meant by it. Maybe the idea is that the consequence of being killed in battle is worse than the consequences of being tortured. OK, suppose that's true. Not everyone would agree, but grant the assumption. It doesn't follow that it's morally worse to kill in battle than to torture. If there are moral considerations that count against torture that don't count against killing in battle (and surely there are at least several), then the argument remains fallacious even in this extremely charitable form.
posted on 11.17.2007 6:26 PM