Conservative Musings

Another Bible Translation

Kel Richards, of Australia, has issued his second volume in the popular "Aussie Bible" series.  For many reared on the King James Version, this Bible translation may have a few needing a visit to the E.R.

"Out of the blue God knocked up the whole bang lot.... God said 'let's have some light' and bingo – light appeared."

The 90-page phenomenon was promoted as a "ripping yarn about Jesus of Nazareth" in which Mary was "a pretty special sheila," Jesus was "God's toddler," and the Three Wise Men were "eggheads from out east."

I'm actually excited to see another attempt to reach folks in their own language.  More excitement from Richards himself:

Inspiration for the second book came from the large number of people who told Richards the first volume had prompted them to delve into the full-length Bible.

"I'm jaw-droppingly staggered by how well it did," says Richards, a radio presenter with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. "It's astonishing."

This means that, just maybe, someone stands a better chance to meet up with the Author behind the Words.  Even the Trekie in me would have to admit this is a better idea than even a Klingon translation.

-Colonel Steve

Quote of the Day

"Our city has an excessive number of churches." - Leonard Scarcella, Mayor of Stafford, Texas.

With today's issues of crimes, problem teen-agers, etc., I never thought I'd hear this from someone in power.  His problem is that, in his town of 19,227, he doesn't have enough for-profit businesses to tax.  My answer - find another way to raise money that your citizens can accept.

-Colonel Steve

The Reason We Fight

When al-Qaeda planned their attacks and implemented them on 9/11/2001, they thought they were attacking a country that wouldn't attack back.  They figured we'd back off in the horror of what they were able to accomplish.

Today, I saw this very hard to watch video.  It reminded me of the horror I went through that day.  But it also drove home the much much greater horror the victims of that day went through.

But mostly, it drives home to me the reason we then turned and went after the terrorists themselves.  We may in the past been seen as spineless, but not under our current administration.  Not when many of the victims fellow New Yorkers volunteer to go after them.  Followed in turn by volunteers from the rest of the country, and from other countries into our own military.

The next time the left asks why we're fighting this war, pass them on to the video.  I doubt even they can watch it more than once.

(HT: The Anchoress)

-Colonel Steve

This HAD to Hurt!

From Reuters:

A man was bruised but alive on Wednesday after a Saint Bernard dog thrown out a two-story window landed on him as he was walking down the street in the southern-Polish city of Sosnowiec.

The 110-pound dog was pushed out of the window by its drunken owner Monday, police said.

"The dog had a soft landing because it fell on a man," said police spokesman Grzegorz Wierzbicki. "The dog escaped with just a few scratches."

Ouch!

-Colonel Steve

Representative Jefferson Wins One in Court

Rep. William Jefferson wins a request from the Court.

A federal appeals court ruled yesterday that prosecutors may not examine documents seized from Rep. William J. Jefferson's Capitol Hill office until the congressman has a chance to review them for privileged legislative materials.

Immediately after reading this, I pictured Rep. Jefferson in a Sandy Berger-like exit from the document review, with papers stuffed in every available pocket.

-Colonel Steve

Advertisers: Where Not to Put Your Ads

We've talked before about "The Incredible Shrinking New York Times".  Along these lines comes news of The Los Angeles Times.  Both Hugh Hewitt (here and here) and Radioblogger have chronicled the tremendous decline in the LA-area subscription rate of the LA Times.  See Radioblogger's graph on the percentage of the LA population that is subscribing to the times.  That downward spiral is very telling.

Also, I showed in the New York Times post the two-year slide of the New York Times stock (ticker: NYT).  Here is the two-year history of the LA Times owner, the Tribune Co (ticker: TRB).

I can think of two stocks that aren't in any of my 401k's  or IRA's.

-Colonel Steve

Far From Typecast

The last person I ever expected to play, of all characters, Liberace.

-Colonel Steve

Return of Babylon 5

According to news at the San Diego ComicCon, J. Michael Straczynski is working on bringing back Babylon 5 as a direct to 'DVD series.  It may be a little tough, since some of the actors portraying main characters have died since the end of the television series.  But heh, I loved the show and so did many other sci-fi fans.

(HT: Outside the Beltway)

-Colonel Steve

A REAL Mom

When Casey Sheehan died, his mom could have done many things.  We know what direction she has chosen.

When Private Tracy Branton was severely injured by an IED in Iraq, her mom, Cindra Smith, did something 180 degrees from Casey's mom.  She enlisted.  As an explosive ordnance disposal specialist.

“If I can save another parent from getting the same phone call I did, then I would have done everything I came in to do,” Smith said.

See the full story over at milblog Blackfive.

-Colonel Steve

LA Times Morale Booster

Great.  The LA Times used to treat only it's readers as children.  Now it's their employees.

(HT: Professor Bainbridge).

-Colonel Steve