How To Live (Comfortably) on $36 A Month For Food. Hacking your food budget is one of those things that I am surprised more people don't do.
It seems like a longshot, but even now, the Obama administration has begun to face the harsh reality of governing. What would it take for Obama to be a one-term president? MSNBC’s Carlos Watson has some ideas: “This much is clear: we’re officially out of the honeymoon and into the slog stage. His once-impenetrable poll numbers have taken a hit. Independents are reportedly moving away from him. The stimulus package has come under serious fire, and he has to find a way to come up with $5 trillion. Over the next few months, Obama is going to become a singles and doubles hitter—the home runs will be hard to come by.”
This week, the Episcopal Church voted at its General Convention to allows the oridnation of gays and lesbians. The vote really isn’t surprising, as clergy and laity within the denomination have been talking about such an arrangement ever since V. Gene Robinson was ordained as bishop of New Hampshire in 2003. This move will likely for deepen the growing schism between the American church and the worldwide Anglican Communion. One of the most thoughtful and well-respected voices in Anglicanism is N.T. Wright, who wrote this in the wake of this week’s vote: “The Episcopal Church is now distancing itself from that fellowship. Ways must be found for all in America who want to be loyal to it, and to scripture, tradition and Jesus, to have that loyalty recognised and affirmed at the highest level.”
Peggy Noonan lays waste to Sarah Palin in this piece: “The world is a dangerous place. It has never been more so, or more complicated, more straining of the reasoning powers of those with actual genius and true judgment. This is a time for conservative leaders who know how to think.”
Here’s a round-up of some of the best analysis on Sarah Palin’s resignation: Ross Douthat, Reihan Salam, Mark Steyn.
I found this a lot funnier than I should have. I actually went to find the originial version after I watched the translation, and it’s definitely not a word-for-word translation, which is slightly disappointing. I’d like to see someone actually do a literal translation and then, perhaps, put it back into hip hop. (via)
Melik Kaylan, writing at Forbes.com, argues that the notion — held forth by Reza Aslan — that Islam is undergoing a full-fledged reformation seems to lack much support: “To be precise, and pace Aslan, Islam is undergoing a counter-reformation without having lived through a reformation. When will our bien pensant institutions resist the suave appeal of the “useful idiots” in our midst?” He does see some hope in the Iranian revolt: “Iranian citizens can help spur a true Reformation in Islam by sweeping away their turbaned and bearded tormentors back to the moderation of the cloister. They have the good taste, cultural depth and independence of mind to see the absurdity of their condition.”
I’ve been reading Real Live Preacher’s stuff for several years now. His stuff is great, and this is no exception. He visited an Orthodox church and tells of his experience: “I LOVED IT. Loved it loved it loved it loved it loved it. In a day when user-friendly is the byword of everything from churches to software, here was worship that asked something of me. No, DEMANDED something of me.” (via)
Reihan Salam suggests that the rhetoric of Glenn Beck is actually good for America: “Beck’s great strength is that he’s a kind of national therapist for some of America’s craziest people, few of whom are willing to go in for professional help. Without Beck and O’Reilly and even Olbermann, how exactly would these people let off steam? I don’t want to know.”
