FIFA admits that it made a mistake…by letting people see its mistakes

June 28, 2010 in Misc with 0 Comments

According to a Yahoo article posted earlier today, FIFA admits to committing one glaring error in the World Cup so far. Not the apparent inability of its referees to make good calls on offsides, goals, or hand balls. No, it’s one mistake was showing the replay of England’s not-goal on the screen in the stadium where people could see it.

FIFA spokesman Nicolas Maingot said Monday that replaying the incident was “a clear mistake.”

“This will be corrected and we will have a closer look into that,” Maingot told a news conference Monday. “We will work on this and be a bit more, I would say, tight on this for the games to be played.”

Maingot said the screens were used to broadcast a FIFA “infotainment program” to fans before the match and could be used to replay some match action.

So, clearly their biggest mistake so far was letting people see it. That’s quality logic.

But, as Jim West pointed out earlier today, here is clear visual evidence that it wasn’t a goal anyway.

The secrets of scholarly abbreviations finally revealed

June 28, 2010 in Humor, Writing with 1 Comment

Many thanks to James McGrath for pointing out this “Lexicon of Scholarly Usage,” which explains what several common scholarly abbreviations and phrases actually mean. You can see the whole list on his blog, but I thought these were too good to pass up:

  • “et al.” = “plus some people I’ve never heard of”
  • “c.f.” = “You look it up, I didn’t have time.”
  • “etc” = “there may be other examples but I can’t find any.”
  • “i.e.” = “or as I should have said in the first place”
  • “It is well established” = “Those who think what I think agree with me”

Irenaeus and The Great Cucumber

June 28, 2010 in Church History with 3 Comments

Irenaeus of Lyons died on this day in 195. Since he is best known for his arguments against the gnostic heresies of his day, particularly the version espoused by Valentinus, I thought it would be appropriate to commemorate the anniversary of his death with one of my favorite passages from Against Heresies – The Great Cucumber – in which he mocks gnosticism for its arbitrary and complex hierarchy of divine beings.

There is a certain Proarche, royal, surpassing all thought, a power existing before every other substance, and extended into space in every direction. But along with it there exists a power which I term a Gourd;  and along with this Gourd there exists a power which again I term Utter-Emptiness. This Gourd and Emptiness, since they are one, produced (and yet did not simply produce, so as to be apart from themselves) a fruit, everywhere visible, eatable, and delicious, which fruit-language calls a Cucumber. Along with this Cucumber exists a power of the same essence, which again I call a Melon. These powers, the Gourd, Utter-Emptiness, the Cucumber, and the Melon, brought forth the remaining multitude…. (Against Heresies 1.11.4)

and along with this Gourd there exists a power which again I term Utter-Emptiness. This Gourd
and Emptiness, since they are one, produced (and yet did not simply produce, so as to be apart from
themselves) a fruit, everywhere visible, eatable, and delicious, which fruit-language calls a
Cucumber. Along with this Cucumber exists a power of the same essence, which again I call a
Melon. These powers, the Gourd, Utter-Emptiness, the Cucumber, and the Melon, brought forth
the remaining multitude of the delirious melons of Valentinus.2804 For if it is fitting that that language
which is used respecting the universe be transformed to the primary Tetrad, and if any one may
assign names at his pleasure, who shall prevent us from adopting these names, as being much more
credible [than the others], as well as in general use, and understood by all?and along with this Gourd there exists a power which again I term Utter-Emptiness. This Gourd

and Emptiness, since they are one, produced (and yet did not simply produce, so as to be apart from

themselves) a fruit, everywhere visible, eatable, and delicious, which fruit-language calls a

Cucumber. Along with this Cucumber exists a power of the same essence, which again I call a

Melon. These powers, the Gourd, Utter-Emptiness, the Cucumber, and the Melon, brought forth

the remaining multitude of the delirious melons of Valentinus.2804 For if it is fitting that that language

which is used respecting the universe be transformed to the primary Tetrad, and if any one may

assign names at his pleasure, who shall prevent us from adopting these names, as being much more

credible [than the others], as well as in general use, and understood by all?

Seven errors that keep us from our writing goals

June 28, 2010 in Th.M. Program, Writing with 5 Comments

According to Kerry Ann Rockquemore, academics commit seven common errors that prevent them from accomplishing their writing goals. This is particularly important now as many of us head into our “summer writing season.” And, all of these apply as well to students working on research papers and theses.

Error 1: You haven’t set aside a specific time for your research. Block out 30-60 minutes in your calendar each day, Monday through Friday, and show up at the appointed time. Treat it with the same level of respect you would a meeting with someone else (start on time, end on time, turn your phone off, and only reschedule for an emergency).

Error 2: You’ve set aside the wrong time for writing. Too many people treat their writing as an activity they “hope” to have time for at the end of the day, after everyone else’s needs have been met. If writing is the most important factor to your long-term success as a scholar, it should be given your best time of your day. If you’re just starting to develop a daily writing routine, try writing first thing in the morning (even if you’re not a morning person).

Error 3: You have no idea how long writing tasks take. The most common complaint I hear from academic writers is that everything takes far longer than expected. Keep track of your time, particularly for repetitive tasks. This will not only give you an accurate assessment of how long writing a proposal, constructing a table, or reviewing the literature actually takes, but it will also help you to set realistic expectations for the future.

Error 4: You think you have to do everything yourself. Ask yourself what tasks must be done by you and what tasks can be delegated to other people. Often there are many writing and research related tasks that can be delegated or outsourced to others (checking citations, proof-reading, editing, etc.). Don’t use “I don’t have a research fund or research assistants” as a reason for doing everything yourself. Sites like ODesk.com and Elance.com can provide quick and incredibly inexpensive assistance on a wide variety of writing tasks.

Error 5: The tasks you have set out are too complex. Take a piece of paper and pencil and map out whatever it is you need to do. When I feel overwhelmed by a big task, I write the big-overwhelming-thing on the right side of the paper and a stick figure (me) on the left side. Then I work my way backwards from the overwhelming thing to myself by asking: What are the steps that need to be accomplished to complete this? I keep breaking it down into smaller and smaller steps until I’ve reached the tasks I can do today. It will also help you to uncover if there are aspects of a project that you don’t know how to do, so you can pinpoint areas where you will need to seek assistance.

Error 6: You can’t remember what you have to do. Make a list. Get all of the things you need to do out of your head and onto a piece of paper in one place. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, electronic, or synced with some gadget or gizmo. A note card, post-it note, or your paper planner will do fine to capture all of your to-do tasks. Start the week with a 30 minute planning meeting where you determine what needs to be done for the week and place each of those items in a specific time block in your calendar. If they don’t all fit (and they won’t), then figure it out how to delegate, delete, or renegotiate the deadlines on the least important items.

Error 7: Your space is disorganized. Set aside time to organize your writing space in a simple and easily maintainable manner. I recommend Julie Morgenstern’s Organizing from the Inside Out. It’s a quick read and will help you to develop a simple and sustainable way to organize your office. If you find yourself working on multiple computers and can’t keep your electronic files straight, consider ways that you can either access your other computers when you’re away from them (GoToMyPC) or keep all your computers automatically synced (Mobile Me).

Ben’s article in the new JETS issue

June 28, 2010 in Misc with 1 Comment

The latest issue of JETS was waiting for me when I (finally) got back from Montreal, and I was pleased to see that it features an article by Ben Johnson, “What Type of Son is Samson? Reading Judges 13 as a Biblical Type Scene.” Ben is a Ph.D. student at the University of Durham and an alum of our Th.M. program. He also posts and comments here occasionally. If you get a chance, check it out.

Flotsam and jetsam (5/28)

June 28, 2010 in Misc, Uncategorized with 0 Comments

  • Andrew Perriman addresses the issue of whether Jesus saw himself as God. He walks through a number of NT texts, arguing in each case that they show Jesus as one who had a special status before God, but not necessarily as actually being God. (HT James McGrath)
  • You’ve probably heard by now that Belgian authorities raided Catholic church properties searching for evidence of a cover-up in the sex abuse scandal. Yesterday, Pope Benedict issued a harsh criticism of the raids and their “deplorable” methods. (Seriously, what could they have been hiding in the tomb of a dead bishop?) What I found most interesting, though, was the Pope’s continued claim of some “autonomy” for the church in investigating these scandals. Isn’t that what got the church into this problem in the first place?
  • C. Michael Patton has posted a number of graphs that illustrate the relative sizes of major world religions and Christian denominations.
  • Getting tired of American Idol? Try Young Imam, a Malaysian reality TV show where hopeful, young muslim scholars compete for a scholarship, a job, and a trip to Mecca. Globalization at its finest.
  • If you haven’t heard about Horseboy, Daily Mail has an interesting article on him and other interesting people who have appeared in Google Streetview images.
  • Here’s an article on brands that could disappear in 2011. No shock to find BP on the list, but Reader’s Digest and T-Mobile were a bit more surprising.

What are the best shows on TV today?

June 27, 2010 in Misc with 4 Comments

Now that Lost, 24, and Scrubs are done (all three went on longer than they should), I’m in the market for some new TV shows to follow. Currently, I just have two fairly escapist shows that I follow with some regularity (Chuck and NCIS). I’m also working through Battlestar Gallactica (fabulous show). I’m looking for another show or two of substance to add to my list. So, I’m wondering what you think are the best recent TV shows?

Brian LePort recently helped out by commenting on “Five TV Shows I Enjoy.” (He went with House, Ugly Betty, Mad Men, The Wire, and Rome.)  And, Mark Stevens followed up with his own list (West Wing, Glee, Scrubs, NCIS, and Bones). Based on these suggestions and some others that I’ve gotten from people, here are the shows that I’m considering.

  • Glee. I’ve seen a couple of episodes, but I’ve heard enough good things about it that I think I’ll get the first season from Netflix and start from the beginning.
  • The Wire. This one has been on my list of shows to watch for quite a while, but I never feel like I have the time or emotional energy to invest in it properly.
  • Mad Men. I’ve actually seen most of the first season, but I was never able to get into this one. I think I had too much going on at the time and couldn’t just sit and watch it.
  • Friday Night Lights. I really liked this one when it first came out, but I gave up on it in the second season. I’ve heard that it’s gotten a lot better since then and might be worth following again.
  • Dexter. I’d have to catch up on this one through Netflix, which is fine, and I’ve heard good things about it if you like your shows on the dark side (I do).
  • Modern Family. I don’t know if this meets the “substance” requirement, but several people I know well recommend this one highly.

So, what do you think? Do you watch (or have you watched) any of these shows and can offer some advice? If you had to pick one from this list, which one would you go with? Are there any others that you would recommend?

Remembering Cyril of Alexandria and the Twelve Anathemas

June 27, 2010 in Church History with 7 Comments

Cyril of Alexandria died on June 27, 444. Although his reputation has not survived entirely unscathed over the years, he is still widely regarded as one of the most important and influential theologians of the early church, and a staunch opponent of Nestorian christologies in any form. Here are the Twelve Anathemas that Cyril leveled against Nestorius and his supporters, arguing that the personal unity of Christ in the incarnation is of vital importance for Christian theology.

  1. If anyone does not confess the Emmanuel to be truly God, and hence the holy virgin to be Mother of God (for she gave birth in the flesh to the Word of God made flesh), let him be anathema.
  2. If anyone does not confess that the Word of God the Father was hypostatically united to the flesh so as to be One Christ with his own flesh, that is the same one at once God and man, let him be anathema.
  3. If anyone divides the hypostases of the One Christ after the union, connecting them only by a conjunction in terms of honour or dignity or sovereignty, and not rather by a combination in terms of natural union, let him be anathema.
  4. If anyone interprets the sayings in the Gospels and apostolic writings, or the things said about Christ by the saints, or the things he says about himself, as referring to two prosopa or hypostases, attributing some of them to a man conceived of as separate from the Word of God, and attributing others (as divine) exclusively to the Word of God the Father, let him be anathema.
  5. If anyone should dare to say that Christ was a God-bearing man and not rather that he is truly God as the one natural Son, since the Word became flesh and ‘shared in flesh and blood just like us’ (Heb.2.14), let him be anathema.
  6. If anyone says that the Word of God the Father is the God or Lord of Christ, and does not rather confess the same one is at once God and man, since according to the scriptures the Word has become flesh, let him be anathema.
  7. If anyone says that Jesus as a man was activated by the Word of God and invested with the glory of the Only Begotten, as being someone different to him, let him be anathema.
  8. If anyone should dare to say that the assumed man ought to be worshipped along with God the Word and co-glorified and called ‘God’ as if he were one alongside another (for the continual addition of the phrase ‘along with’ demands this interpretation) and does not rather worship the Emmanuel with a single veneration and render him a single doxology since the Word became flesh, let him be anathema.
  9. If anyone says that the One Lord Jesus Christ was glorified by the Spirit, using the power that came through him as if it were foreign to himself, and receiving from him the power to work against unclean spirits and to accomplish divine signs for men, and does not rather say that the Spirit is his very own, through whom he also worked the divine signs, let him be anathema.
  10. The divine scripture says that Christ became ‘the high priest and apostle of our confession’ (Heb.3.1) and ‘offered himself for our sake as a fragrant sacrifice to God the Father’ (Eph.5.2). So if anyone says that it was not the very Word of God who became our high priest and apostle when he became flesh and man as we are, but it was someone different to him, a separate man born of a woman; or if anyone says that he made the offering also for himself and not rather for us alone (for he who knew no sin had no need of offerings), let him be anathema.
  11. If anyone does not confess that the Lord’s flesh is life-giving and the very-own flesh of the Word of God the Father, but says that it is the flesh of someone else, different to him, and joined to him in terms of dignity, or indeed only having a divine indwelling, rather than being life-giving, as we have said, because it has become the personal flesh of the Word who has the power to bring all things to life, let him be anathema.
  12. If anyone does not confess that the Word of God suffered in the flesh, was crucified in the flesh, and tasted death in the flesh, becoming the first-born from the dead, although as God he is life and life-giving, let him be anathema.

Flotsam and jetsam (6/27)

June 27, 2010 in Misc with 0 Comments

  • InternetMonk has weighed in on the the recent discussions regarding BioLogos and evolution. He argues that we should affirm the overall mission of BioLogos regardless of whether we should agree with their stance. And he takes Al Mohler, John MacArthur, and Phil Johnson to task for what he thinks is a reactionary and unnecessarily polemical response to BioLogos
  • Brian posted a couple of good quotes from Forsyth and Warfield on why academic study should be viewed as a spiritual practice.
  • Richard Beck has a post on George MacDonald’s view of justice, hell, and the atonement, and why MacDonald’s argument convinced him to be a universalist. I may post a more extended reflection on this one later if I get some time.
  • Apparently Kevin Costner’s oil cleanup idea wasn’t as much of a joke as it sounded at first.
  • And, the 2010 Lotus Award winners (science fiction) have been announced. I haven’t read any of these yet. Has anyone else?

The human brain is fascinating

June 26, 2010 in Misc with 1 Comment

Here’s video from NPR discussing the amazing case of a writer who could not read. He suffered a stroke and, although he could still write words just fine, he couldn’t understand written words at all. His brain was no longer able to process the visual shapes of the letters.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KERQv9FIxkw&feature=player_embedded#!]

(HT Joe Carter)

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