My first attempt at LOL ing a sci fi scene at Set Phasers to LOL is on the front page!

I ROCK!

And so does T Rex

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Found the recipe here. 

Recipe:
4-7lb. Eye Round Roast
Large Onion
Olive Oil
Beef Rub
Beer, Apple, Grape Juice, or Water

This is about a 6lb. roast. Prepare the meat as shown. Sprinkle on your favorite Rub. Coat with some olive oil. Sear over high heat on all sides for a minute or two. Put roast in a shallow and grated roasting pan, and then place opposite the hot coals in your 400f-500f covered grill. Add some beer, or apple juice, grape juice, or water to cover the bottom of the pan, but well below the roast. Add a sliced onion. Cover grill and roast for about 45 minutes (7 minutes per pound). Remove cover to quickly lower the temperature of the grill to about 225-250f. Cover again and cook ”low and slow” for about 2-3 hours or until the internal temperature of the roast reaches your desired “doneness” -Rare, Medium Rare, or Well. Remove, and let the Roast rest for about 20-30 minutes before slicing. Serve with grill roasted potatoes veggies, and your favorite beef or steak dipping sauce.

I recon the best way to die would be to travel the southern states going from BBQ joint to BBQ joint and letting cholesterol have its own sweet way with me…

For the vegetarians, Mary is making marinated tofu/eggplant/Portobello mushroom … Continue reading

As in previous years, we have a great selection of papers from across the broad spectrum of Religious Studies and its many associated disciplines. This is the second year running that we have nearly fifty papers on the schedule, and their variety and sophistication clearly shows the depth of research conducted in undergraduate and Masters level programs in Canada.

The conference itself has been a tremendous success, developing from a rather humble meeting of around half a dozen students in 2003 to what it is today. In the past several years only about one quarter of the presenters come from Lethbridge, and so our conference is clearly addressing a need for students to find venues for their work outside of the classroom as well as the need to compare notes, make connections and friends in the larger world of academia.

We owe a tremendous debt to Prof. Anne Moore of the University of Calgary and the many students there who have supported our efforts so enthusiastically over the past six or seven years. A quick look at this year’s lineup reveals their investment in the meeting! It is also encouraging to see students travel from the East and West coasts and many points in between.

With the increasing size of the conference came increasing complications in organization and rising costs. A great thank you goes out to Bev Garnett, our admin assistant, for doing so much of the work and putting up with me. And thanks … Continue reading

Ah, Stephen Harper, Canada’s Conservative  Party Prime Minister and  megalomaniacal control freak and increasingly tin-pot dictatorish tea-partier! He’s really outdone himself this time. His latest gaffe was to declare in the House of Commons that the opposition, New Democratic Party (a left leaning bunch) was opposed to Canada joining World War Two against Hitler. Of course, the New Democratic Party didn’t even exist in the late thirties! The National Post reported:

NDP MPs gently reminded Harper from across the aisle that the NDP didn’t come into existence until 1961, birthed by a union between the socialist Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) and the Canadian Labour Congress.

“CCF, NDP, same difference,” Harper responded curtly.

“I guess we can start talking about Reform Party policies,” Mulcair replied, to the delight of the opposition benches.

[The current Conservative Party is a schnozzle of the old Tory party and the right wing "Reform" party].

And the CCF Party was NOT in favour of Hitler or against fighting the Germans. Rather, it was ONLY the party leader  who, for reasons of being a pacifist, voted against war. Every other CCF member of parliament voted for joining the war.

It is true that Mr. Woodsworth, leader at the time of the CCF, the party that would become the NDP some 22 years later, opposed Canada’s involvement in the war. Mr. Woodsworth was a pacifist. But he was also the only member of the CCF to oppose the declaration of … Continue reading

Stolen from somewhere on FRDB

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I think as a Caucasian I have an advantage,” Ron Leech told a radio station on the weekend. “When different community leaders such as a Sikh leader or a Muslim leader speak, they really speak to their own people in many ways. As a Caucasian, I believe that I can speak to all the community.”
Leech, a longtime pastor running in the multicultural riding of Calgary-Greenway, has previously been at the centre of controversy for some of his religious views against homosexuality and abortion.

The Journal’s story goes on to say that Leech apologized but can anyone really take that seriously? Honestly, can anyone who really does not believe that “White is Right” even generate that kind of BS in the first place?

Of course, the Wildrose party leader, Dannielle Smith charged to the rescue of decency and egalitarianism Leech, refusing to condemn the remarks. Instead, she tried to explain their correct interpretation spin-doctoring them into something else entirely:

“I think every candidate puts forward their best argument for why they should be the person the way represent the community,” she said in Calgary. “I know Dr. Leech runs a private school that has a large number of people from cultural communities, he has an ethnically diverse riding, he’s made great friendships … Continue reading

OK, a little un-American snark about the US election. Sue me. I couldn’t resist… I guess I’m just a little lefty.

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May’s Biblioblogger’s carnival is supposed to be hosted by Phil Long at Reading Acts Reading Acts but I received an email from him the other day saying his PhD defence is now scheduled for May 30, the day before his (infinitely more important) carnival should hit the inter tubes. I would fill in for him, but that will be my anniversary and The Real Mrs. Dr. Jim and I will be out of town.

I originally posted this to ask if any other blogger would care to step in, but Rodney at Political Jesus agreed to swap. In any case, wish Phil all the best on the defence!

Also, I will need some more volunteers for the carnivals in the latter part of the year. HEre is the lineup

April (early May): Jonathan Robinson at ξἐνος

May:  (June 1)Rodney  from Political Jesus

June: Michael Kok: Euangelion Kata Markon

July: Phil Long, Reading Acts  

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The paper labelled the column “It’s difficult to label Religions”

My last column for Public Professor (Feb. 4) stirred up a bit of a controversy. One letter writer expressed shock that a “teacher of religious wisdom” would label the Bible’s creation stories “mythology.”

The word “myth” is frequently used to disparage as false, or deceptive, stories held to be true by others. I presume the letter writer thought I had meant this. In scholarly contexts, however, “myth” denotes stories which are foundational to a group’s sense of identity or understanding of the world. By using the term, scholars do not judge a story as inferior or childish, but as important and sacred to others, regardless of how those people may label it themselves.

In this light, the biblical creation accounts and the gospels themselves can be labelled “myth” since they are central stories in Christian theology. Some (but not all) Christian scholars are resistant to this because it puts the Bible on the same level as other religions. Yet, a common cross-cultural academic vocabulary is necessary for Religious Studies. Given the great number of religions throughout history, it is rather arbitrary to protect one tradition from the critical analysis directed at all others or to adopt the judgments of one tradition over others. For example, I cannot count the times I have had students from an evangelical background … Continue reading