What could possibly go wrong?
Asia's largest statue of Jesus Christ, measuring nearly 100 feet tall, has been unveiled in Manado, Indonesia.
Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation, with almost 86% of Indonesians declared Muslim according to the 2000 census.
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Funny stuff: "James Watson, the DNA pioneer who claimed Africans are less intelligent than whites, has been found to have 16 times more genes of black origin than the average white European." Steve Sailer examines the evidence and says it's probably bunk, but it's still funny.
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My new column is up at The Register: "Carol of the Blogs." Registration required. Excerpt:
Advent is a season of quiet expectation. It's also a season of penance. I used to think there shouldn't be any bustle or parties, and the gross displays of consumerism disgusted me. . . .
But it later dawned on me: There can be no Christmas celebration without preparation. You can't be Mary if there's no Martha. You can't have a blow-out family celebration on Christmas morning unless you're ready with gifts, candy and breakfast. You can't honor the entire 12 days of Christmas – visiting distant relatives, spending time with friends, ringing in the New Year – unless you've prepared.
And the preparation requires activity, which in turn spills excited joy into the soul. And where there's joy, there's an urge to share it. The bustle of preparation spills over into parties and celebrations, people jumping the gun before the 25th. It's unfortunate, but understandable.
The simplest grandmother could have told me all this 20 years ago, but, in my ignorance, I didn't get it till now.
Christmas celebrates great paradoxes – the God made man, the Almighty baby, the coming of great joy to undertake the greatest sadness. Fittingly, it's marked by contradictory traits: hustle and contemplation, bustle and prayer . . .
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Received in an email:
Safety and Life Tips
1. If you are choking on an ice cube simply pour a cup of boiling water down your throat. Presto! The blockage will instantly remove itself.
2. Avoid cutting yourself slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold while you chop.
3. Avoid arguments with the Mrs. about lifting the toilet seat by using the shower.
4. For high blood pressure sufferers: simply cut yourself and bleed for a few minutes, thus reducing the pressure in your veins. Remember to use a timer.
5. A mouse trap, placed on top of your alarm clock, will prevent you from rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze button.
6. If you have a bad cough, take a large dose of laxatives, then you will be afraid to cough.
7. You only need two tools in life: WD-40 and duct tape. If it doesn't move and should, use the WD-40. If it shouldn't move and does, use the duct tape.
8. Remember: Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.
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One final thing:
