Capitalism and Hybrid-Communism

http://ericmargolis.com/2015/01/the-tsunami-facing-cuba/

Excellent insights here. Reading about Vietnam and looking at China I've often thought about the futility of the embargo. While Vietnam and China are hardly perfect open societies, they have vastly improved when compared to their condition in the 1970's. While the VC and NVA stopped the United States, today it's starting to look like the US model won the war.

http://www.voanews.com/content/more-us-brands-heading-to-communitst-vietnam/1730978.html

Interesting changes. I'm not sure they're a good thing. But interesting.

I am not Charlie

What happened in France was indeed tragic but it's also tragic that for all the attention given to this, round-the-clock news coverage, demonstrations, world leaders on parade etc, few seem to care about the mass slaughter in Nigeria. It's received some coverage, but nothing like the coverage in France.

2 Timothy 1.8-12

2 Timothy 1.8-12 Notes

The Corrupting Influence of Money: An example in the American Church

I had an interesting exchange recently with an old acquaintance who also happens to be a conservative Lutheran pastor. I harped for a moment about middle class values... my normal line about security and respectability being values cherished by the middle class and yet absent from the New Testament. He had asked, and I was attempting to explain to him my financial situation which usually leads most people I know to wonder what's wrong with me? Am I stupid? They know I'm not. Why are we always so poor and struggling? Am I insane? Why don't I do something about it? Something different? Usually they pull out the Einstein quote on me which I quickly repudiate as worldly wisdom and unbiblical rubbish.

2 Timothy 1.1-8

Notes on 2 Timothy 1.1-8

Insurance Games

I don't need to dwell on how the Insurance Industry is corrupt and how misleading many (if not most) of the agents are. The ones that aren't are often just ignorant of how their industry functions and under what principles it operates.

Looking Forward to the End of All Wars

Recently I re-watched 'To End All Wars' a movie about British POW's building the Burma Railway during WWII. I wanted to revisit it because I recalled the screenplay was written by a Christian, in fact one who was associated with Theonomy.

The American Legal System on Display via Podcast

http://serialpodcast.org/

Some of you may have already heard of this podcast. I listened to it as it was been released week by week. It was interesting but a little frustrating too.

I think the takeaway for us is that it provides a reasonably detailed yet understandable and certainly gritty portrayal of the complexities of the justice system. It unquestionably dispels any assurance that such cases are cut and dry. When you consider questions regarding the nature of evidence and witness testimony you realize that many convictions are in fact somewhat dubious.