I’m thinking of converting to Islam, just to annoy a Republican. I’ve watched the news coverage the past month of the “controversy” over the Cordoba House project in New York City where a 13-story Burlington Coat Factory building two blocks from where the World Trade Center stood will be renovated into an Islamic community center.Continue reading “On The Cordoba House Project”
Category Archives: News
On Booing Santa Claus
When I lived outside Philadelphia about a decade ago, one thing I learned was that Philly was not the “City of Brotherly Love,” no matter what the etymology of the name meant. No, Philadelphia was the city that booed Santa Claus! Santa Claus! And the city booed him! No, I had no idea what thisContinue reading “On Booing Santa Claus”
On Daniel Schorr
I have a routine on Saturday mornings. I fix coffee. I listen to Weekend Edition Saturday with Scott Simon. And one of the things I listen for each week is Simon’s weekly discussion with Daniel Schorr. Simon tweeted a few minutes ago that “My longtime friend and colleague Dan Schorr has died. Please find aContinue reading “On Daniel Schorr”
On Glastonbury and Robert Byrd
First, fun. Matt Smith’s appearance at Glastonbury last night with Orbital as they performed the Doctor Who theme: I’ve seen other videos of this performance, but this one is, by far, the best quality. In other news, Robert Byrd, the senior Senator from West Virginia, passed away. The longest serving Senator in history — fifty-oneContinue reading “On Glastonbury and Robert Byrd”
On World Cup Musings
I’ll be honest. I’m indifferent to the World Cup. I’ve nothing against soccer. I like Hibs in the Scottish Premier League, for instance. I’ve played FIFA on the PS2 and Xbox; I’ve even been decent at playing it. Nick Hornby’s Fever Pitch is a fantastic book — and Jimmy Fallon’s Fever Pitch is an utterContinue reading “On World Cup Musings”
On Draw Muhammad Day
Today is “Everybody Draw Muhammad Day.” The day was declared in the aftermath of Comedy Central’s censoring of a recent South Park. Muhammad, who had appeared in 2001 in the episode “Super Best Friends” was depicted wearing a bear suit; Sunni Muslims find depictions of the Prophet offensive, and editorial cartoons in Denmark resulted inContinue reading “On Draw Muhammad Day”
On South Park, the Prophet Muhammad, and Censorship
This, to the left, is the Prophet Muhammad. He appeared in the 2001 episode of South Park, “Super Best Friends.” He could shoot fire from his hands, and he battled evil alongside fellow religious icons Buddha, Krishna, and Joseph Smith. This, to the right, is also the Prophet Muhammad. He’s wearing a bear suit, likeContinue reading “On South Park, the Prophet Muhammad, and Censorship”
On Passages
Yesterday, Howard Zinn passed away. Today, J.D. Salinger. I’ve read both men’s work. I would not characterize myself as a fan of other, though I respected what they both wrote, even liked much of it. Salinger I read, like most people, in high school. I didn’t find his work as revelatory as my classmates did.Continue reading “On Passages”
More on a Biblical Book Burning
Two weeks ago, I wrote about the sad tale of Pastor Marc Grizzard and the Amazing Grace Baptist Church of Canton, North Carolina. Grizzard and his flock planned to spend their Halloween not giving out candy or dressing up for the holiday. Rather, they planned to burn Bibles that were not the King James Version.Continue reading “More on a Biblical Book Burning”
On a Biblical Bonfire
On Halloween, in the western North Carolina town of Canton, parishioners of the Amazing Grace Baptist Church will be having themselves a book burning. But not just any books. Satanic books. Like Bibles. If it’s not the King James Version, it’s Satanic, according to pastor Marc Grizzard: “The New Revised Version Bible, the American StandardContinue reading “On a Biblical Bonfire”