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December 18, 2005
God and Taxes
It's that time of year again, when some mysterious combination of the season and fiscal year-end evokes the normally shy spirit of giving. If you've got the urge but are unsure where to give, let me recommend two worthy causes:
San Francisco Network Ministries, led by the aptly named Glenda Hope, offers badly needed services in the Tenderloin neighborhood. These include computer training, housing, and a safehouse for women leaving prostitution. I've worked with this organization for many years, and endorse it with all my heart. They are good people doing seriously important work.
OTX West, led by an old IBM colleague of mine Bruce Buckelew, offers free computers to students in Oakland Public Schools, as well as heavily discounted ones to schools. They receive donated equipment from business and government, tune 'em up and install a clean build, then offer them along with training and tech support to people in need. I've seen his operation in action, and the passion and efficiency of his team are inspiring. I'll post some photos soon, but in the meantime they could use your support.
If you'd rather give llamas and goats to people around the world, that's cool too. The main thing is just to give.
"As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “I tell you the truth,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” (Luke 21:1-4)
Posted by Michael at 01:26 PM
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December 13, 2005
Tookie Williams - Atonement and Redemption
As expected, the State of California executed Tookie Williams last night. I opposed this in a previous post, not because I believe he is innocent, or that good works cancel out bad deeds. What struck me today was the excerpt from Governor Schwarzenegger's denial:
"Without an apology and atonement for these senseless and brutal killings, there can be no redemption."
This is the language of God and not politics. We should separate such men from society for the rest of their lives, but it is not our place to judge atonement and redemption. Leave that to God.
Posted by Michael at 02:20 PM
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December 02, 2005
Beware the Greenies!
Rating:
This is a typical Michael Crichton book: cartoon-like characters engaged in a fast-moving plot delivering usually interesting scientific information. This was best exemplified in "Jurassic Park", which I consumed in one long evening. Here his target is the environmental movement and the near universal concern over global warming.
Not being an expert in the matter, it's hard for me to agree or disagree with his conclusions. However, two points he makes strike me as fundamentally true: we tend to overstate man's influence on our environment, and to falsely assume that the earth is naturally in a static state. Drilling in the Greenland ice sheet, for example, has turned up evidence of abrupt climate changes in the past (when industrialization was not a factor).
Regardless of the merits of his argument, however, Crichton lets his viewpoints dominate the plot to the point of absurdity. An environmentally conscious actor who played the president on TV, for example, turns out to be a lascivious fool. He ends up being devoured by cannibals - I doubt Martin Sheen is interested in the part. The environmental movement is portrayed as universally stupid and corrupt in equal measure. Here's a representative bit of dialog:
"You don't suppose this guy is really a graduate student?"
"Could be, though I doubt it. Eco-terrorists aren't usually well educated."
Interesting since these same misguided fools are apparently capable of inducing killer hurricanes and breaking off huge chunks of the Antarctic ice shelf. Their only motive for these despicable acts appears to be fundraising. Makes me wonder what PBS is up to...
If you consider yourself an environmentalist, you should only read this book as part of a supervised anger management program. For everyone else, two stars.
Posted by Michael at 05:03 PM
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