Two Old School Books Relevant Still, for Me
With all the fear and loathing going on still around September 11 — the possibility of nuclear weapons being transferred, the Middle East without a light of peace in its midst, and a general economic malaise — I can recommend the following two books. I read these on vacation, in the Adirondacks, last week, which was grand.
Restoring Faith is a book that mostly focuses on the sermons of Christian religious leaders directly after the September 11, 2001, attacks. I found the sermons by Frank Griswold and Alvin O’Neal Jackson startlingly clear. Here’s Jackson:
The third handle of grace is promise. The power of promise to live now as if things are going to be all right tomorrow. Things might not be all right now, but grace is promise. Paul said, “We boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering roduces endurance, and endurance character and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us.” They can slay the dreamer, but never kill the dream. The can murder the prophet, but never stop the proclamation. They can excoriate the preacher, but never exterminate the Gospel. They can stone people, but never stop God. Right will win. Truth crushed to earth will rise again.
The other book is The Tipping Point — “old” but very relevant to the anti-Semitism now rising up in Europe. A small number of very influential, strong individuals, it is argued, can change the face of our social economies.

News for Jews and Others
I am purposefully trying to follow the ME conflict right now. Well, I am and I am not. I think I know way too much about the context and way too little about the actual action there. This is a dangerous and paranoic combination for a little guy like me.
Here are some links that I’m looking at that might shed some light on the situation “not fit to print” in the NYT:
Are you following everything? I am and I’m not. I think I know way too much about the context and way too little about the action there. This is a dangerous and paranoic combination.
No tomfoolery
A big need to read – plus look at links at left on home page
For the paranoid and realists
Solid but stolid
I also have been hearng and reading about the incredible revival of The Sun. Cannot wait to see the 1950’s type butt up against ads for database software. Ha.

Catch as Catch Can
Take a good look at Metafilter today, which has so well taken on the look and feel of the “competition,” that being Kuro5hin. My hat is off to the amazing amount of work that went into translating the interface, ensuring the transition of full functionality, and still making the entirety feel as real as it gets. Nice joke that put that is a commentary on design, collaboration, competitive Web functions, and plain old technological invention/intervention.