external monologue

Linguistic Terrorism

"Remember, the use of French words is not only snotty, rude and impolite. It's un-American."

my francophobic friends ought to enjoy this one... flak magazine (an online magazine that "exists to take the raw creativity of strong writers and temper it with good sense, good taste and the spirit of responsible journalism") is working to put a stop to lingustic terrorism. it seems that over the past few hundred years, a number of french words with sinister intentions have snuck into the "American" lexicon. the aforementioned memo gives Americanized alternatives for commonly used french phraseology. some of my favorites:

Mayonnaise - Tubby kreme
Repartee - Jibba jabba
RSVP - Holler back
Genteel - La-di-da
Connoisseur - Grandmaster shiznit
Naïve - Canadian

Does God care about sporting events?

wow, more faith in the media. i was cleaning out my inbox this afternoon, and came across this link to an ESPN.com article in an old email from my brother. its pretty incredible some of the stuff this guy is writing about, not only because its in a sports column, but in a typically secularist medium context. some of his claims, and refutations, seem a bit simplistic, but its definitely worth the read.

chris and megan wildeman hit the road tomorrow morning. we're all gathering tonite at the taqueria la altena to send them off. if anyone wants to join us we'll be there around 6pm.

recovering secularists

There are six steps in the recovery process. First you have to accept the fact that you are not the norm. Western foundations and universities send out squads of researchers to study and explain religious movements. But as the sociologist Peter Berger has pointed out, the phenomenon that really needs explaining is the habits of the American professoriat: religious groups should be sending out researchers to try to understand why there are pockets of people in the world who do not feel the constant presence of God in their lives, who do not fill their days with rituals and prayers and garments that bring them into contact with the divine, and who do not believe that God's will should shape their public lives.

this is an excerpt from an incredible article by david brooks (one of mesh's favorites i believe) in the march 2003 Atlantic Monthly. i find it fascinating that the backlash against secularism seemingly kicked off by the events of september 11 still continues. and that it not only continues but seems to be reaching higher and higher into what brooks calls the "professoriat" -- what you and i might call elitist-left-wingers.

brooks honesty is disarming (I suspect I am not the only one who since September 11 has found himself reading a paperback edition of the Koran that was bought a few years ago in a fit of high-mindedness but was never actually opened.), however, even with these sorts of confessions, i have to wonder where this all leads. what does a man like brooks do with this sense of unrest? is it enough merely to be spiritual? or will he proceed down some more exclusive path? but even that issue he doesn't shy away from: Human beings yearn for righteous rule, for a just world or a world that reflects God's will—in many cases at least as strongly as they yearn for money or success. Thinking about that yearning means moving away from scientific analysis and into the realm of moral judgment...One has to try to separate right from wrong. The problem is that once we start doing that, it's hard to say where we will end up.

you can say that again...

rarecoffee.com

in other news... all of you coffee snobs, and otherwise ex-chattanooga types who never got over that greyfriar's addiction, you can now get the world's best coffee online. Greyfriar's Coffee and Tea (Ian Goodman Coffee Company LLC) is now available online, in not one, but two locations. originally it could be purchased at Cafe Mas, however now the Official Greyfriar's website has been launched. and while it offers the same coffees i believe, it does have the added benefits of being not only beautifully designed (thanks to b. horner), but includes a nifty taste chart.

photo.net

i've recently set up a new account at photo.net where i'll be hosting some of my online photography. it's a pretty extensive photographers site and seems to have developed into quite a community. i believe you can find my portfolio right here, but if some reason you can't, you can always look me up by last name. feel free to leave critiques/comments on my work. (i think my stuff gets displayed on the front pages if i get enough good critiques.) the newest (and only) work on there are some photos i made out at the walnut creek horse ranch, where april roe works. i believe they're hoping to use some of them for the ranch website. spread the word...

streaming lanois

anti records, my new favorite record label, is currently streaming the new daniel lanois album in real audio. this producer is the genius behind all of the best U2, Peter Gabriel, Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson, and some of the Bob Dylan albums. occasionally he comes out with something of his own (usually collaborating with the aforementioned stars) and its always good. this album is no exception.

more fountains

more fountains of wayne adulation. these guys are so un-cool.