On the issue of national security I believe that it's about not liberal vs. conservative, the choice seems to be closer to something like education vs. terrorism.

In today's Times, Nicholas Kristof talks about the inspiring story as told in Three Cups of Tea.

It's hot and windy here in Denver.

Yesterday, here at the Global Internet Evangelism Network forum, I presented a short breakout session on blogging in Adventism. Mostly talked about all the boring conversations we have here with the Spectrum site (snark).

I asked who had checked out this site and around half the folks raised their hands. Keep an eye out for Gary Krause - I'm hoping to catch more of his great Australian irony on here.

Greetings from the Rocky Mountain State where I'm attending the Global Internet Evangelism Network, an official General Conference and North American Division initiative that connects technologists with the mission of the church.

With apologies to The Atlantic, Spectrum has compiled a list of Adventist Ideas Whose Time Has Come.

OLD IDEAS STAGING COMEBACKS

■ Soy Milk

■ Conscientious Objection

■ Works (not for salvation, but for community)

■ Vegetarianism

■ Caring for Creation

■ The Sabbath School Lesson

■ Women's Ordination

INNOVATIONS WE MIGHT SERIOUSLY REGRET

■ Video screens in church

■ Instant evangelistic conversion

■ Closing so many Adventist academies

■ Praise music

■ The historical-grammatical method

The Atlantic has a list of interesting ideas in various categories. Who cares to argue with number four?

MODEST PROPOSALS FOR THE YEAR TO COME

■ Super-duper delegates for the Democratic Party

■ Nationality-specific ethnic restaurants in all foreign embassies

■ A Fulbright scholarship for Dick Cheney

■ A weekly Sabbath from the Web

■ An end to global warming

Several years ago The Teaching Company sent me a flier pointing out their sale prices on some of their lecture series. Deciding that I would be OK risking $60.00 (but not $250.00), I gave a course a try. It was a mistake only in the sense that it was the beginning of a serious addiction since by now I have purchased probably 20 to 25 additional courses.