don’t panic

I received a letter today from a guy I did some design work for a couple of years ago. Most of the time when something like this hits me, I figure it’s a spambot virus that has taken over someone’s computer and plastered their address book. But after examining the email a bit more, I was convinced it was legit, which scared me even more. You see, it was a Christian petition.

Mind you, this email came from someone who was highly technical… a programmer even. So you would think they would understand how to use an email program and the dangers of multiple recipients in the clear. Well, apparently, the “seriousness” of the content superseded the more intelligent parts of his brain because there was my email address along with a half dozen others in the “To:” field.

But setting aside my initial displeasure, I read down to see what he felt was so important that he had to compromise my privacy… and found a petition. Preceding the actual list of names (all 2042 of them… listed twice in case you missed it the first time) was an article entitled, “DR. DOBSON’S PLEA FOR ACTION”, which among other things, cites the reason that CBS discontinued the show “Touched by an Angel” was for using the word “God” in every program. Off to a good start (cough).

Okay, putting aside for the moment the idea that CBS didn’t just cancel the show because it was OLD, I found it a little frustrating that this so called “plea for action” uses Dr. Dobson’s name only in the headline. Nowhere else does it mention him personally or his organization. In fact, from the sig at the bottom, it would seem the “plea” came from a Dale Parker in Cordova, TN. Dale goes on in detail about how someone he refers to as “an atheist” named Madeline Murray O’Hare and her organization are responsible for the television program being canceled, and are petitioning toward any number of other terrible crimes against society including getting church programs off the airwaves and removing Christmas programs from schools.

Personally, I think getting people off their butts and into a physical church building might not be a bad idea.

Ms. O’Hare is also purportedly responsible for getting prayer removed from school. Right, like she did that singlehandedly… It’s always been a mystery to me how a teacher would even know you’re praying? I mean, God can’t hear you if you don’t say it aloud? And if you DO have to pray aloud, then wouldn’t you be disrupting class? Either nothing is stopping you, or you’re at school for the wrong reason. Whatever.

The final sign that Mr. Parker doesn’t have a clue came in one of his final statements where he says, “Please stand up for your religious freedom and let your voice be heard. Together we can make a difference in our country while creating a way for the lost to know the Lord.”

Notice how freedom only applies to those of the Christian faith?

And of course, he wants the 4,000th person to send the petition directly to the President of the United States (he even includes an email address!) completely bypassing our whole system of governmental hierarchy.

Hey, but this is IMPORTANT!

Bother…

I was reading recently about the latest wave in solar technology having to do with concentrating light when I got to thinking, why couldn’t we do that with wind?

Granted, it wouldn’t be very practical in an open area setting. I mean, creating a large structure to funnel the wind would be completely cost prohibitive. What we really need is a large, wind blocking structure in an already windy place… like a sky-scraper.

Think about it. Many large cities are located near the shore – San Diego, New York, San Fransisco to name a few – and all you’d need to do is hang a curved baffles along the top edge of the building to funnel all the wind pressure coming up the surface of the building into a duct that leads to a force turbine, like a jet engine in reverse. You could even throw in some vanes to get the air spinning as it’s pushed.

The great part about this concept is that it uses a MUCH greater surface area of wind than a standard windmill, which just sits on top of the building and catches the wind that flows OVER the building. In fact, it’s likely that because of the aerodynamics of a square building, the wind force might actually be less because of turbulence.

But at the edge of the structure you have the maximum air pressure which could be channeled on the sides as well. Force the air to flow upwards to another turbine (or even the same one if you could direct the flow).

Things that make you go “hmmm….”

Well, Ted Haggard apparently… At least according to Focus on the Family founder James Dobson. I’ve never been much of a fan of FOTF, but it sure looks like all he was interested in was his name in a major headline news story. As soon as Haggard is old laundry (the Democrats sort of made his story small potatoes) Dobson is suddenly “too busy” to help the guy out any more. Seems to me he should have checked his busy schedule before he offered, yes?

And why offer at all? I mean, why is it that the big guns are the ones to counsel Haggard in the first place? Is he SO important that only a “huge spiritual leader” could handle his situation? Aren’t there better, more lowly members of the church (even his own church – what a concept!) that could give the guy some counseling?

And you certainly don’t hear about anyone from the church offering counseling to his gay “masseuse”.