Of Frogs and Men

“If you throw a frog into a pot of boiling water, he will immediately try to get out. But if you put him in a pot of cold water, the frog will be comfortable. Raise the water’s temperature ever so slowly and eventually the comfortable frog will be boiled to death.”

Ever heard this maxim? It is usually given to argue against complacency in the midst of gradual changes. Don’t be so complacent! After all, we all know what happens to the comfortable, complacent frog! If only the poor guy were capable of seeing the danger he was in. (Why someone would want to boil a live frog in the first place is beyond me, but I digress.)

Well, there’s good gnus and bad gnus. The good news is for all you frog lovers out there. The bad news is for all the would-be philosophers. Here it is: the maxim is entirely, completely, 100% false.

For our source, we turn to that bastion of urban myth debunkery, Snopes.com. Here’s what they have to say:

“According to Dr. Victor Hutchinson, a Research Professor Emeritus from the University of Oklahoma’s Department of Zoology…’The legend is entirely incorrect! The “critical thermal maxima” of many species of frogs have been determined by several investigators. In this procedure, the water in which a frog is submerged is heated gradually at about 2 degrees Fahrenheit per minute. As the temperature of the water is gradually increased, the frog will eventually become more and more active in attempts to escape the heated water. If the container size and opening allow the frog to jump out, it will do so.’”

Now, boiling live frogs certainly makes for a very effective picture and it certainly teaches a good lesson. We should be mindful of our surroundings and not settle for complacency. But let’s not get so carried away with trying to make our point that we either fabric “facts” or perpetuate those fabricated “facts” without checking them out first. After all, if we did so, wouldn’t we be kind of like that poor mythical frog? “I’m just going to accept this maxim as truth without checking it out. La la la la la. [sizzle].”

There you have it. On behalf of Kermit and frogs everywhere, stop trying to boil live frogs.

History is Made - President Obama

No matter what your political stance or who you voted for, you cannot help but marvel at and appreciate the history being made right now. For the first time in its history, the United States of America has elected an African American president. Let’s put it into historical perspective.

Almost 150 years ago, this nation was embroiled in one of the most bitter and costly wars it has experienced to this day. Among the issues being fought over was the issue of slavery – specifically slavery of the black people. The black people were not even considered people but property to be bought, sold, traded, and treated as livestock. The war ended and slaves were freed. The blacks may have been freed legally, but by no means were they freed socially. Racial discrimination and segregation was prevalent in many areas of the U.S. Blacks were not allowed to go to the same schools as whites, use the same restrooms, even drink from the same water fountains. In essence, they were still viewed as subhuman. And this was not even 50 years ago. Through the incredible workings of the Civil Rights Movement, all this began to change, albeit painfully slowly. Slowly but surely, African-Americans were granted equal rights, desegregation took over, and respect began to grow toward the black community. Robert Kennedy once said in 1962: “"[T]he Irish were not wanted here. Now an Irish Catholic is President of the United States. There is no question about it, in the next forty years a Negro can achieve the same position.” Although off by only 7 years, this has still rung true.

America is painted as the land of opportunity. The land where any one can grow up to be President. Not until now has this claim been solidified for the African-American community. Today, we have elected Barack Obama, an African-American, to the highest office in the land. To the African-American community, this is more than a simple election of one man over another. This is an echo of the cry for freedom heard throughout the last four centuries of American history. This is indeed cause for celebration in seeing just how far we’ve come even in the last 50 years.

Election Day

I voted! And in honor of Election Day, a bit of humor courtesy of JibJab

Spam Spam Spam Spam Spam

For the most part, I dislike FaceBook groups. I will generally decline an invitation to join a group or cause. But have you ever noticed the ones that are titled in such a way that to decline would seem really bad. I mean, who doesn’t want Facebook to get rid of the sexual ads on the side? So if I decline an invitation to join “People Against All the Sexual Image Ads that facebook is now allowing” – that doesn’t mean that I want to keep the ads. If I don’t want to join “People Against Westboro Baptist Church,” it’s not that I agree with them (I don’t) – I just don’t see the point in creating or joining a group that says I don’t agree with them. I mean, it’s not like Phelps is sitting in his office thinking, “Oh dear, those heathen wretches have over 4,000 members in their group!! Maybe I’d better rethink things.” Or the “Please Invite All Your Friends so little Billy ‘Smiles' Evans can get a body transplant” group. Okay, I made that one up – but it sounds plausible, doesn’t it? And honestly, I really don’t care to find out which ‘80’s cartoon character I am.

Now, maybe if there was a group called “Crotchety 30-somethings against Facebook groups”……

I am a Family Man

I don't care much for Andrew Peterson's voice, but I thought this song/video was very touching. Enjoy. I'm proud to be a Family Man.





HT: BetweenTwoWorlds

Let's play "Spot the Bias"

If there’s one thing this election year has shown, it’s the blatant bias of the media coverage of the candidates. And not just at the national level, but more specifically in The Roanoke Times. Let’s do a little comparison.

First things first, if you weren’t aware of it, Gov. Sarah Palin will be visiting the Roanoke Valley today, speaking at the Salem Football Stadium. More information, including obtaining the necessary tickets, can be found at here. The event was originally scheduled to be at the Salem Civic Center, but because organizers have had such an overwhelming response, the event has been moved to the Salem Football Stadium.

So what’s this about The Roanoke Times being biased? Glad you asked. Before we get to that, let’s go back in time a few weeks to October 17, 2008. Barack Obama was coming to the Roanoke Civic Center to speak to a crowd of over 8,000. In preparation, The Roanoke Times included on its front page a little blurb about the candidate along with a very nice bulleted list of the details of the event – where to go, when to go, admission (free), what to do about parking, where to catch a shuttle bus, etc. All at the top of the page or, as they say in the newspaper industry, “above the fold.” (“Above the fold” is important since coin operated racks have a folded copy in the door and anything below that fold cannot be seen, and thus will not be likely to drive sales).

Fast forward to today. You’re walking down the street and, hearing that Palin is coming, you want some information. Ah, look, there’s a Roanoke Times rack. Surely the newspaper would have some information on it, right? Before plopping your $0.50 in, you glance at the front page. Hmm, there’s nothing there about Palin! Just some article about local high school sports teams dealing with tough travel schedules. Surely, with such a huge event (estimated to draw a crowd larger than the Obama rally!), the Times would want to capitalize on the need for information, right? After all, their stated purpose is to be the leader in local information, right? [deafening silence]

Okay, well, you decide to purchase the paper anyway. Oh look, at the bottom of the page, there actually is a small piece about Palin’s visit. It says to check in the Virginia section (the middle section of the paper). Nothing about what time, where to park or anything on the front page. Turning to the Virginia section, you finally find the necessary information. Well, almost. There’s an article about all the prep work needed for moving the event to the stadium, with an underlying hint that the article is more about pointing out the inconvenience to all the vendors for having it moved than anything else. Oh and the local Democrats have to have their say that “Palin’s visit ‘is too little, too late.’” So where’s the event information?!? Oh wait, there it is. “If you go: A shuttle bus to take people to the Salem Stadium for the Sarah Palin rally will begin running at 10 a.m. today at the Plaza of Roanoke-Salem at 4100 Melrose Ave in Northwest Roanoke. Parking also is available at the stadium and at the Salem Civic Center. The gates open at 3:30 p.m. The even begins at 5:30 p.m.”

That’s it.

No mention of the fact that tickets are needed and where they can be obtained. No nicely bulleted, easy-to-read list. No blurb about the candidate. Even WSLS has better information.

Hmm, nope, no bias here.

I can’t wait to see the newspaper’s coverage (or lack of) tomorrow.

More Progress on The Wealth of Nations

Books 2 and 3 of Adam Smith’s The Wealth of Nations are now completely recorded and available for downloading. And remember, all audio downloads at Librivox are absolutely free! I’ll be starting on Book 4 soon and am also hoping to begin John Owen’s Mortification of Sin as a side project. I’m especially looking forward to recording this one as I have truly enjoyed going through the book with Pastor Tim. Stay tuned.

Music Monday - Blessed Assurance

While I enjoy many of the newer songs and hymns being written today, there is something about the older hymns that really speak to me about God, who He is, and our relationship to Him. Blessed Assurance is one of those songs.

Friday Funny

Catholics vs. Protestants - the battle rages on!

Obama's Abortion Extremism

If you read only one essay on social or political issues this year, make it this one. Here's an excerpt:

"Sen. Barack Obama's views on life issues ranging from abortion to embryonic stem cell research mark him as not merely a pro-choice politician, but rather as the most extreme pro-abortion candidate to have ever run on a major party ticket.

"What kind of America do we want our beloved nation to be? Barack Obama's America is one in which being human just isn't enough to warrant care and protection. It is an America where the unborn may legitimately be killed without legal restriction, even by the grisly practice of partial-birth abortion. It is an America where a baby who survives abortion is not even entitled to comfort care as she dies on a stainless steel table or in a soiled linen bin. It is a nation in which some members of the human family are regarded as inferior and others superior in fundamental dignity and rights. In Obama's America, public policy would make a mockery of the great constitutional principle of the equal protection of the law. In perhaps the most telling comment made by any candidate in either party in this election year, Senator Obama, when asked by Rick Warren when a baby gets human rights, replied: ''that question is above my pay grade.'' It was a profoundly disingenuous answer: For even at a state senator's pay grade, Obama presumed to answer that question with blind certainty. His unspoken answer then, as now, is chilling: human beings have no rights until infancy - and if they are unwanted survivors of attempted abortions, not even then."

Continue reading here

HT: James