{"id":6039,"date":"2020-05-22T19:35:05","date_gmt":"2020-05-23T03:35:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/?p=6039"},"modified":"2020-05-22T19:38:36","modified_gmt":"2020-05-23T03:38:36","slug":"things-glen-found-interesting-volume-251","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/archives\/2020\/05\/22\/things-glen-found-interesting-volume-251","title":{"rendered":"Things Glen Found Interesting, Volume 251"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/issachar-update-logo-wordswag\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-4396\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/issachar-update-logo-wordswag.png?resize=300%2C300&#038;ssl=1\" alt width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/issachar-update-logo-wordswag.png?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/issachar-update-logo-wordswag.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/issachar-update-logo-wordswag.png?resize=768%2C768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/issachar-update-logo-wordswag.png?resize=1024%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/issachar-update-logo-wordswag.png?resize=1200%2C1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/issachar-update-logo-wordswag.png?w=2048&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/issachar-update-logo-wordswag.png?w=1680&amp;ssl=1 1680w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 85vw, 300px\"><\/a>\n\n    On Fridays I share articles\/resources about broad cultural, societal and theological issues. Be sure to see the explanation and disclaimers at the bottom. I welcome your suggestions. If you read something fascinating please pass it my&nbsp;way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Things Glen Found Interesting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"simple-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2020\/05\/religious-services-may-lower-risk-of-deaths-of-despair\/\">Religious services may lower risk of \u2018deaths of despair\u2019<\/a> (Chris Sweeney, Harvard Gazette): \u201cAfter adjusting for numerous variables, the study showed that women who attended services at least once per week had a 68 percent lower risk of death from despair compared to those never attending services. Men who attended services at least once per week had a 33 percent lower risk of death from despair.\u201d Those are HUGE reductions!<\/li>\n<li>Pandemic Perspectives\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.newyorker.com\/science\/medical-dispatch\/amid-the-coronavirus-crisis-a-regimen-for-reentry\">Amid the Coronavirus Crisis, a Regimen for Re\u00ebntry<\/a> (Atul Gawande, The New Yorker): \u201cBut, in the face of enormous risks, American hospitals have learned how to avoid becoming sites of spread. When the time is right to lighten up on the lockdown and bring people back to work, there are wider lessons to be learned from places that never locked down in the first place.\u201d This was quite&nbsp;good.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.newyorker.com\/news\/news-desk\/what-african-nations-are-teaching-the-west-about-fighting-the-coronavirus\">What African Nations Are Teaching the West About Fighting the Coronavirus<\/a> (Jina Moore, The New Yorker): \u201cMuch of what Gercama encountered at the airport had been designed to prevent Ebola. Since 2018, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan\u2019s neighbor to the southwest, has been struggling with the disease. But local public-health officials\u2019 quick repurposing of Ebola protocols and infrastructure impressed Gercama, as did the work of rapid-response teams, whom she twice witnessed respond to suspected coronavirus cases during the week she spent in the country.\u201d<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/daringfireball.net\/2020\/05\/washington_post_exposure_notification_story\">A Spectacularly Bad Washington Post Story on Apple and Google\u2019s Exposure Notification Project<\/a> (John Gruber, blog): \u201cA Washington Post story today on Apple and Google\u2019s joint effort on COVID-19 exposure notification project, from reporters Reed Albergotti and Drew Harwell, is the worst story I\u2019ve seen in the Post in memory. It\u2019s so atrociously bad\u2009\u2014\u2009factually wrong and one-sided in opinion\u2009\u2014\u2009that it should be retracted.\u201d Ouch. Gruber backs it&nbsp;up.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalreview.com\/2020\/05\/coronavirus-crisis-ron-desantis-florida-covid-19-strategy\/\">Coronavirus Crisis: Ron DeSantis Got Florida\u2019s COVID-19 Strategy Right<\/a> (Rich Lowry, National Review): \u201cA couple of months ago, the media, almost as one, decided that Governor Ron DeSantis was a public menace who was going to get Floridians killed with his lax response to the coronavirus crisis\u2026. The conventional wisdom has begun to change about Florida, as the disaster so widely predicted hasn\u2019t materialized.\u201d<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/news.yahoo.com\/as-more-states-reopen-georgia-defies-predictions-of-coronavirus-resurgence-whats-the-lesson-for-the-rest-of-the-country-164734815.htm\">As more states reopen, Georgia defies predictions of coronavirus resurgence. What\u2019s the lesson for the rest of the country?<\/a> (Andrew Romano, Yahoo News): \u201cThat\u2019s the balance reopening needs to strike if it\u2019s going to work: fewer official restrictions in exchange for more individual and community responsibility.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>A contrary perspective: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cracked.com\/article_27790_it-sure-seems-like-florida-georgia-lied-about-their-infection-rates.html\">It Sure Seems Like Florida And Georgia Lied About Their Infection Rates<\/a> (Luis Prada, Cracked): \u201cFlorida and Georgia are petulant, entitled quarantine protesters embodied as states. Since this all started, both states have been frantically searching for an excuse to end their quarantines as fast as possible and get back to life as usual despite a rampaging virus that\u2019s killing people.\u201d<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbt.com\/2020\/05\/20\/mississippi-church-destroyed-by-arson-was-suing-city-holly-springs-over-safer-at-home-order\/\">Mississippi church destroyed by arson was suing city over safer-at-home order<\/a> (Arianna Poindexter, WLBT TV): \u201cA Mississippi church at the center of an arson investigation is the same church currently in a battle with city leaders over a COVID-19 safer-at-home order. First Pentecostal Church in Holly Springs was destroyed by what investigators believe is an arsonist. Investigators found graffiti on pavement in the church parking lot that reads, \u2018Bet you stay home now you hypokrits (sic).\u2019\u201d&nbsp;<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.christianitytoday.com\/news\/2020\/may\/coronavirus-gangs-pastor-cape-town-south-africa-hillsong.html\">Meet the \u2018Gang Pastor\u2019 Behind Cape Town\u2019s Viral Coronavirus Cooperation<\/a> (Jayson Casper, Christianity Today): \u201cWe regularly stop while we are working to invite people to follow Jesus. I\u2019ve lost track, but maybe 5,000 to 10,000 have told us they\u2019ve repented and are turning to follow Jesus. But I don\u2019t call this success, it is just a small piece in the overall cause of what we Christians are called to&nbsp;do.\u201d<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2020\/05\/19\/opinion\/coronavirus-trump-orban.html\">Donald Trump Doesn\u2019t Want Authority<\/a> (Ross Douthat, New York Times): \u201cGreat men and bad men alike seek attention as a means of getting power, but our president is interested in power only as a means of getting attention.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.oaktreecapital.com\/docs\/default-source\/memos\/uncertainty.pdf\">Uncertainty<\/a> (Howard Marks, Oaktree Capital): \u201cThe people who are always sure are no more helpful than the people who are never sure. The real expert\u2019s confidence is reason-based and proportional to the weight of the evidence.\u201d Shared by an alumnus\u2019 father.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tabletmag.com\/sections\/news\/articles\/china-plans-global-order\">China\u2019s Plans to Win Control of the Global Order<\/a> (Tanner Greer, Tablet Magazine): \u201cAs Beijing sees it, China\u2019s success depends on discrediting the tenets of liberal capitalism so that notions like individual freedom and constitutional democracy come to be seen as the relics of an obsolete system.\u201d I found this piece to be very insightful.&nbsp;<br>\n<ul>\n<li>Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2020\/05\/20\/world\/asia\/coronavirus-china-xi-jinping.html\">In China\u2019s Crisis, Xi Sees a Crucible to Strengthen His Rule<\/a> (Steven Lee Myers and Chris Buckley, New York Times): \u201cMr. Xi, shaped by his years of adversity as a young man, has seized on the pandemic as an opportunity in disguise \u2014 a chance to redeem the party after early mistakes let infections slip out of control, and to rally national pride in the face of international ire over those mistakes. And the state propaganda machine is aggressively backing him up, touting his leadership in fighting the pandemic.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/providencemag.com\/2020\/05\/xi-jinping-regime-recasts-china-good-samaritan-covid-19-pandemic\/\">Xi\u2019s Regime Recasts China as the Good Samaritan during Pandemic<\/a> (Alan Dowd, Providence): \u201cAdd it all up\u2014the PR spin, the propaganda push, the pallets of aid, the preening\u2014and in a very real sense, Xi Jinping\u2019s regime is offering a new, twisted version of the Parable of the Good Samaritan. In Xi\u2019s retelling, the roadside robbers who assault the traveler later return to rescue him\u2014and somehow expect to be hailed as heroes.\u201d<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/world\/asia_pacific\/an-explosive-summer-of-discontent-is-brewing-in-hong-kong\/2020\/05\/20\/4252f026-98de-11ea-ad79-eef7cd734641_story.html?utm_campaign=wp_post_most&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=newsletter&amp;wpisrc=nl_most\">An explosive summer of discontent is brewing in Hong Kong<\/a> (Shibani Mahtani, Washington Post): \u201cOn Tuesday, Hong Kong authorities extended pandemic-related rules limiting public gatherings to effectively ban, for the first time, a June 4 vigil marking the anniversary of China\u2019s massacre of student demonstrators in Tiananmen Square in&nbsp;1989.\u201d<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2020\/05\/21\/world\/asia\/hong-kong-china-security-law.html\">China Pushes for New Hong Kong Security Law<\/a> (Keith Bradsher and Austin Ramzy, New York Times): \u201cThe legislative push in Beijing marks the most aggressive step by the party to exert its influence over the former British colony since it was reclaimed by China in&nbsp;1997.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>Seriously \u2014 pray for Hong&nbsp;Kong.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/arts-entertainment\/2020\/05\/20\/voice-finale-todd-tilghman-winner\/?utm_campaign=wp_post_most&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=newsletter&amp;wpisrc=nl_most\">A Mississippi pastor with eight kids and no professional music background won \u2018The Voice\u2019 \u2014 and made show history<\/a> (Emily Yahr, Washington Post): \u201c\u201c\u2018I\u2019ve literally never performed. I just sing at church,\u2019 Tilghman explained, introducing himself as a pastor. This sparked an attempt to prove who was the biggest church fan; Legend revealed his grandfather was a pastor, and Jonas one-upped him by boasting his <em>father<\/em> was a pastor.\u201d<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.firstthings.com\/article\/2020\/06\/under-the-rainbow-banner\">Under the Rainbow Banner<\/a> (Darel Paul, First Things): \u201cIn June 1999, President Bill Clinton declared the first national Pride Month. Twenty years later, June is as teeming with rainbows as December is with reindeer. The Pride flag flies above embassies, state capitols, and stadiums. Rainbow stripes adorn city crosswalks.\u201d&nbsp;<ul>\n<li>In response: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.firstthings.com\/web-exclusives\/2020\/05\/queer-times\">Queer Times<\/a> (Carl Trueman, First Things): \u201cThe debate over LGBTQ issues is not a debate about sexual behavior. I suspect it is not really at this point a debate with the L, the G, or the B. It is the T and the Q that are carrying the day, and we need to understand that the debate is about the radical abolition of metaphysics and metanarratives and any notion of cultural stability that might rest thereupon.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theatlantic.com\/magazine\/archive\/2020\/06\/edward-snowden-operation-firstfruits\/610573\/\">Since I Met Edward Snowden, I\u2019ve Never Stopped Watching My Back<\/a> (Barton Gellman, The Atlantic): \u201cSomeone had taken control of my iPad, blasting through Apple\u2019s security restrictions and acquiring the power to rewrite anything that the operating system could touch. I dropped the tablet on the seat next to me as if it were contagiou\u201d Recommended by a student. Gripping and disturbing.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Less Serious Things Which Also Interested\/Amused Glen<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"simple-list\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/babylonbee.com\/news\/man-leaves-the-99-bible-verses-that-disagree-with-him-to-go-find-the-one-that-doesnt\">Man Leaves The 99 Bible Verses That Contradict Him To Go Find The One That Doesn\u2019t<\/a> (Babylon Bee) \u2014 the best Bee headline in some&nbsp;time<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=yKf9aUIxdb4\">The Miracle Sudoku<\/a> (Cracking The Cryptic, YouTube): you\u2019re going to spend 26 minutes watching a seemingly impossible puzzle get solved. Way more satisfying than I expected.<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smbc-comics.com\/comic\/social\">University Reopening<\/a> (SMBC)<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.stanforddaily.com\/2020\/05\/18\/new-study-finds-vaccine-designed-to-protect-against-disease-may-actually-protect-against-disease\/\">New study finds vaccine designed to protect against disease may actually protect against disease<\/a> (Stanford Daily): satire<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/babylonbee.com\/news\/study-finds-anyone-who-makes-a-different-decision-to-wear-a-mask-than-you-is-a-sheep\">Study Finds Anyone Who Makes A Different Decision To Wear A Mask Than You Is A Brainwashed Sheep<\/a> (Babylon Bee)<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/dilbert.com\/strip\/2020-05-21\">Masks Have Advantages<\/a> (Dilbert)<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/Unexpected\/comments\/gogiit\/what_a_gamer_move\/\">What A Gamer Move<\/a> (Reddit)<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2020\/05\/21\/858155045\/she-gets-calls-and-texts-meant-for-elon-musk-some-are-pretty-weird\">She Gets Calls And Texts Meant For Elon Musk. Some Are Pretty Weird<\/a> (NPR)<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/pupu_tintin\/status\/1263575309447815170\">What A Real Smokescreen Looks Like<\/a> (Twitter)<\/li><li><a href=\"http:\/\/theneedling.com\/2020\/05\/16\/new-study-confirms-cats-cant-spread-covid-19-but-would-if-given-option\/\">New Study Confirms Cats Can\u2019t Spread COVID-19, But Would If Given Option<\/a> (The Needling)&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Things Glen Found Interesting A While&nbsp;Ago<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Every week I\u2019ll highlight an older link still worth your consideration. This week we have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/news\/2018\/05\/06\/ian-mcewan-dubious-schools-studying-books-helped-son-essay-got\/\">Ian McEwan \u2018dubious\u2019 about schools studying his books, after he helped son with essay and got a C+<\/a> (Hannah Furness, The Telegraph): this is a real article. First shared in <a href=\"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/archives\/2018\/05\/11\/things-glen-found-interesting-volume-151\">volume 151.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><b>Why Do You Send This&nbsp;Email?<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In the time of King David, the tribe of Issachar produced shrewd warriors \u201cwho understood the times and knew what Israel should do\u201d (1 Chron 12:32). In a similar way, we need to become wise people whose faith interacts with the world. I pray this email gives you greater insight, so that you may continue the tradition of Issachar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><b>Disclaimer<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Chi Alpha is not a partisan organization. To paraphrase another minister: we are not about the donkey\u2019s agenda and we are not about the elephant\u2019s agenda \u2014 we are about the Lamb\u2019s agenda. Having said that, I read widely (in part because I believe we should aspire to pass <a href=\"http:\/\/econlog.econlib.org\/archives\/2011\/06\/the_ideological.html\">the ideological Turing test<\/a> and in part because I do not believe I can fairly say \u201cI agree\u201d or \u201cI disagree\u201d until I can say \u201cI understand\u201d) and may at times share articles that have a strong partisan bias simply because I find the article stimulating. The upshot: you should not assume I agree with everything an author says in an article I mention, much less things the author has said in other articles (although if I strongly disagree with something in the article I\u2019ll usually mention it). And to the extent you can discern my opinions, please understand that they are my own and not necessarily those of Chi Alpha or any other organization I may be perceived to represent.\n\nAlso, remember that I\u2019m not reporting news \u2014 I\u2019m giving you a selection of things I found interesting. There\u2019s a lot happening in the world that\u2019s not making an appearance here because I haven\u2019t found stimulating articles written about it.\n\nIf this was forwarded to you and you want to receive future emails, sign up <a href=\"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/\">here<\/a>. You can also <a href=\"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/category\/links\">view the archives<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Concerning the benefits of religion, the virtue of intellectual humility, perspectives on the pandemic, the global strategy of the Chinese Communist Party, and an unsettling account of governmental surveillance.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wp_typography_post_enhancements_disabled":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"Concerning the benefits of religion, the virtue of intellectual humility, perspectives on the pandemic, the global strategy of the Chinese Communist Party, and an unsettling account of governmental surveillance. 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