[flv:http://www.dograt.com/Video/APR07/ColbertApr09.flv 400 300]© Comedy Central
Colbert’s Americone Dream ice cream is now Ben & Jerry’s #1 flavor? Where the heck are people finding this stuff? It’s nowhere around here yet.
Category: Politics, Religion & Money
Legal Loan Sharking
With all of the talk and concern about predatory lending practices, why is it that Web sites are still covered with ads like this one?
I don’t know what the girls in it have to do with getting a mortgage, but one gets the impression the ad is intended to appeal to non-white customers. I think the use of the term sub-prime should be stopped. The uninformed might get the impression it has something to do with the Prime Rate, and not unqualified borrowers.
The problem isn’t just with those who aren’t credit-worthy. The herd mentality that led to the stock market surge in the late 90’s simply jumped over to real estate. Professionals traded up to a bigger house than they could otherwise afford. The assumption was an $850,000 home would be worth $1m in no time. Combined with the hope, if not expectation, that interest rates wouldn’t go up significantly, some people with healthy incomes are now in trouble because the value of their house is down, and their adjustable mortgage rate is up.
Hart Has Stopped
Speaking of Easter, cartoonist Johnny Hart has died. What does the creator of the comic strips B.C., and The Wizard of Id have to do with Easter? After hitting bottom as an alcoholic, Hart found Jesus, big time. He embraced Christianity in a way that was, shall we say, insensitive to the beliefs of others. Hart’s faith found expression in his work, and was most notably depicted in the controversial comic strip in the upper left corner. Click the thumbnail picture to enlarge. The always even-handed Mark Evanier (and I mean that sincerely) has a remembrance of Johnny Hart. [Link]
Easter
To paraphrase Charlie Brown, “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Easter is all about??”
Matthew, Chapter 28
New American Standard Bible
Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men. The angel said to the women,”Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. “He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. “Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.”
And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me.” Now while they were on their way, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened.
And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, and said, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’ “And if this should come to the governor’s ears, we will win him over and keep you out of trouble.” And they took the money and did as they had been instructed; and this story was widely spread among the Jews, and is to this day.
But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
… That’s what Easter is all about, Charlie Brown.
It Was The Worst Of Times, It Was The Worst Of Times
The Great Depression. What was so great about it, anyway?
Actually, a lot of positive things came out of the 1930’s despite, and because of, economic hardship. There were many technological advances, and FDR innovated many social and public works programs that remain with us today.
But times were indeed extremely harsh for working people. PBS is running a show called Novel Reflections on the American Dream. One of the featured books is John Steinbeck’s unflinching look at the plight of migrant farm workers in California, The Grapes of Wrath.
[flv:http://www.dograt.com/Video/APR07/GrapesOfWrath.flv 400 260]© PBS
Killer Killed Bees
[flv:http://www.dograt.com/Video/APR07/HiveCollapse.flv 400 300]© PBS
What’s killing the bee hives? Bee colony collapse is a serious problem, if you haven’t heard about it. I recorded the last few minutes of a 10-minute report on the PBS News Hour. The complete audio of the report is below.
[audio:http://www.dograt.com/Audio/APR07/Bees.mp3]A report on the bee problem that was presented to Congress last week is at this link in PDF. [Link Here]