Breakall Updates: 08/23/05

Dinner With a Perfect Stranger

(W)hy does a popular book like "Dinner"--as well as so much popular American Christianity--feature a personal relationship with God so prominently? The answer probably lies in the adaptive character of the Christian faith. Students of world-wide Christianity have noted that in every region where Christianity takes root it has adjusted to the values of local culture.

You might be interested in reading this book. It is by David Gregory. There are reviews at Amazon, but the price is less at CBD.

Scott: CCPL has three copies in circulation.

Penmanship IS Important

"Handwriting is surviving in a computer age," said Kate Gladstone of Albany, N.Y., who describes herself as a handwriting repairwoman, teaching adults and students how to write more legibly and quickly. "All of us at times, and some of us all the time, find ourselves in a position where they have to write without an electric power supply."

And now that a composition section has been added to the SAT, legible handwriting is important for the high school student too.

Blog Depression

Have you read this pamplet?

New music business model emerging

Declan McCullagh writes for CNET News:

Warner Music Group is creating a new music-distribution mechanism that will rely on digital downloads instead of compact discs.
...
Warner Music's move seems to be a response to the exploding popularity of music-download services and the slowly slipping sales of physical CDs. According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, about 180 million songs were sold online in the first half of 2005, up from 57 million in the same period last year. Apple Computer's iTunes recently passed 500 million downloads.

The e-label will permit recording artists to enjoy a "supportive, lower-risk environment" without as much pressure for huge commercial hits, Bronfman said. In addition, artists signed to the e-label will retain copyright and ownership of their master recordings.

Source: Engadget.

This is the obvious trend -- moving away from distribution of music on physical media to making it available for download. P2P has been doing this for years, and it's about time the music industry started to head in this direction. Their cost system was based in part on the capital layout required to burn and distribute discs, and when you eliminate that cost, you can afford to hire more artists and take more chances.

It will be interesting to see if they take on distributing the MP3s (or whatever) themselves or license them to Apple (for iTunes) and other outlets like Music Giants.

Technorati Tags: music, music industry

Pat Robertson calls for assassination of foreign leader

AP:

Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson called on Monday for the assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, calling him a "terrific danger" to the United States.

Robertson, founder of the Christian Coalition of America and a former presidential candidate, said on "The 700 Club" it was the United States' duty to stop Chavez from making Venezuela a "launching pad for communist infiltration and Muslim extremism."
...

"You know, I don't know about this doctrine of assassination, but if he thinks we're trying to assassinate him, I think that we really ought to go ahead and do it," Robertson said. "It's a whole lot cheaper than starting a war ... and I don't think any oil shipments will stop."
...
"We have the ability to take him out, and I think the time has come that we exercise that ability," Robertson said.

"We don't need another $200 billion war to get rid of one, you know, strong-arm dictator," he continued. "It's a whole lot easier to have some of the covert operatives do the job and then get it over with."

This is going too far. Apparently being an American Christian, complete with the right to be safe in our country at any expense, is the most important thing he can strive for.

I just think it's sad when a Christian leader calls for the death of someone else.

Edit: This guy is right on: