When I was a young man working for a home electronics firm, a pro-life commercial suddenly appeared on the televisions that formed one wall of the store.
The manger, who was white, began to swear. After so many years, I am still sickened by the ugliness of what he said. He was angry at those pro-life and religious fanatics making him pay for more welfare minority babies.
...
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When a few protesters interrupted President Obama’s speech at the Notre Dame graduation by shouting, “Stop killing our children!” the student body replied by chanting, “Yes, we can.”
This inadvertent juxtaposition of messages was, perhaps, not the best way to placate traditional Catholics.
President Obama gave a good speech at the University of Notre Dame gradua...
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(delivered at the Senior Dinner for Biola's graduating class, May 15, 2009)
Thank you so much for how you have honored me by inviting me to this special dinner and electing me Professor of the Year. It means a lot to me that out of all the great professors you have had in your years on this campus, you picked me. I feel especially honored because for this entire Spring semes...
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Torrey students are very bright and I am lucky enough to hear from them every day. As a new cohort heads into society, or when speaking to recent graduates about the economy, what am I hearing? What tips do they give me to share with other grads that might help to land that first job or make it in a difficult environment?
This is not meant to sound "preachy." These are gene...
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I realize that the title might seem a bit premature, given that they are just about to finish their freshman year, but I was not merely stealing the title of Dr. Greg Peters’ blog which you can read here.
Dr. Peters and I have something in common: he is the first Torrey tutor to mentor a whole class of Johnson House students in their entirety (who happen to be this year’...
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Now that the New Seven Wonders of the World have been selected, the same Swiss corporation is doing another internet poll, the New Seven Wonders of Nature, the results of which will be announced in 2011. Originally the Seven Wonders of Nature were the following (in no particular order):
1) Victoria Falls (Africa)
2) Harbor at Rio de Janeiro (South America)
3) Great Barr...
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It seems no work of Man's creative hand,
by labor wrought as wavering fancy planned;
But from the rock as if by magic grown,
eternal, silent, beautiful, alone!
Not virgin-white like that old Doric shrine,
where erst Athena held her rites divine;
Not saintly-grey, like many a minster fane,
that crowns the hill and consecrates the plain;
But rose-red as if the blush of da...
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History:
The Incas were a powerful and sophisticated empire, but they lacked three things that were common to almost every civilization in the world: a written language; the wheel; and the arch. It’s amazing how they were able to communicate long-distances without a written language, how they could transport huge stones and vast amounts of gold without the wheel, and...
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History:
The Taj Mahal, in the city of Agra, India (not too far from the capital city of New Delhi), is probably the finest example of Islamic architecture in the world (with influences from Persia, Turkey, and India). It may seem ironic that India, a predominantly Hindu nation, would have the best Muslim building, but if you consider that India happens to be the second...
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History:
The Great Wall of China was actually built in several phases. The first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, built one in the 3rd century B.C., but the one that we see today is mostly the construction of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 A.D.), the penultimate Chinese dynasty. The purpose of the Wall was to keep out the “barbarian” Mongolian and Manchurian hordes fr...
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History:
In its heyday (most of the first millennium A.D.), the Mayan Empire stretched from the top of the Yucatan Peninsula in modern-day Mexico, through Guatemala and Belize, and as far south Honduras. It included not only Chichen Itza but other famous cities, all worth a visit, such as Uxmal, Palenque, Tulum, and especially Tikal (in Guatemala). You may recognize th...
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History:
The Roman Colosseum was built between 70 and 80 A.D. under the reign of the Emperors Vespasian and Titus. Its original name was the Flavian Amphitheater because Flavius was the surname of both emperors. Under the Emperor Nero, Rome (and the Colosseum) burned in 64 A.D. but it was subsequently repaired. Incidentally, Nero blamed the fire on Christians. Later ...
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