{"id":7888,"date":"2026-01-09T18:43:58","date_gmt":"2026-01-10T02:43:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/?p=7888"},"modified":"2026-01-09T18:43:58","modified_gmt":"2026-01-10T02:43:58","slug":"things-glen-found-interesting-volume-537-hippo-poop-manic-complainers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/archives\/2026\/01\/09\/things-glen-found-interesting-volume-537-hippo-poop-manic-complainers","title":{"rendered":"Things Glen Found Interesting, Volume 537: Hippo Poop &amp; Manic Complainers"},"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<\/p><p>You\u2019ve heard of TGIF? This is TGFI: Things Glen Found Interesting<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On Fridays I share articles\/resources about broad cultural, societal and theological issues likely to be of interest to Christians in college. Be sure to see the explanation and disclaimers at the bottom. I welcome your suggestions, so if you read something fascinating please pass it my&nbsp;way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nothing here about Minnesota or Iran. They\u2019re both in the news, but I haven\u2019t yet read anything about them that I\u2019ve found stimulating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Things Glen Found Interesting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list simple-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/marginalrevolution.com\/marginalrevolution\/2026\/01\/the-tyranny-of-the-complainers.html?utm_source=feedly&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=the-tyranny-of-the-complainers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Tyranny of the Complainers<\/a> (Alex Tabarrok, Marginal Revolution): \u201cIn 2023, for example, 5059 sexual discrimination complaints came from a single individual\u2013from a total of 8151 complaints. Thus, one individual accounted for 68.5% of all sexual discrimination complaints in that year.\u2026 These complaints have to be investigated so this single individual may be costing taxpayers millions. It\u2019s as if a single individual were pulling a fire alarm thousands of times a year, mobilizing emergency services on demand, and never facing repercussions.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefp.com\/p\/what-ive-learned-from-watching-people\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">What I\u2019ve Learned from Watching People Wait to Have Children<\/a> (Sarah Poggi, The Free Press): \u201cI\u2019ve known all of this for as long as I\u2019ve been a doctor. So have my colleagues. That\u2019s why ob-gyn residents, despite working 80-hour weeks, are more likely to get pregnant during their training than any other medical specialists.\u201d&nbsp;<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The author is a med school prof at Johns Hopkins.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.crossway.org\/articles\/why-suffering-for-christ-is-more-than-just-a-necessary-evil\/?utm_source=Crossway+Marketing&amp;utm_campaign=fa4074e9eb-20260105+Gen-WhySufferingforChristIsMoreThanJ&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_-fa4074e9eb-325173805&amp;mc_cid=fa4074e9eb&amp;mc_eid=4593ac9484\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Why Suffering for Christ Is More Than Just a \u201cNecessary Evil\u201d<\/a> (Matt Rhodes, Crossway): \u201cYou won\u2019t go far in evangelistic conversations in the West today before someone asks you to explain the problem of <em>theodicy<\/em>: how it is that a good God could allow suffering in the world.\u2026 But we mustn\u2019t forget that questions can be loaded. Ask a defendant in court, \u2018Have you stopped beating your wife yet?\u2019 and his lawyer is sure to object, \u2018Your honor, the question presupposes my client <em>has<\/em> beaten his wife.\u2019 The question needs to be reframed, not responded to.\u201d&nbsp;<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Recommended by a student.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.christianitytoday.com\/2026\/01\/why-christians-ignore-bible-immigrants\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Why Christians Ignore What the Bible Says About Immigrants<\/a> (Russell Moore, Christianity Today): \u201cThe Bible does not give a comprehensive public policy for migration or asylum. Christians of good faith can disagree on those things. But the Bible <em>does <\/em>give a comprehensive view on what we are to think of <em>human beings<\/em>, including migrants. The church has a mission to shape consciences around how we minister to scared and vulnerable people, regardless of whether we think they should have stayed somewhere else. And Jesus has already taken the question of \u2018Who is my neighbor?\u2019 off the&nbsp;table\u2026\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Some Venezuela perspectives:&nbsp;<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefp.com\/p\/was-trumps-venezuela-attack-legal\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Was Trump\u2019s Venezuela Attack Legal?<\/a> (Jeb Rubenfeld, The Free Press): \u201cUnder current U.S. doctrine and precedent, what President Donald Trump just did in Venezuela is almost certainly legal; in fact, the U.S. did the very same thing in Panama four decades ago, and the courts upheld it after years of litigation and careful consideration. But Trump\u2019s plan to \u2018run\u2019 Venezuela for the foreseeable future, declared at a press conference earlier today, is much murkier.\u201d&nbsp;<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The author is a professor at Yale Law School.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefp.com\/p\/why-the-venezuela-operation-wont-embolden-america-enemies\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Why the Venezuela Operation Won\u2019t Embolden America\u2019s Enemies<\/a> (Eli Lake, The Free Press): \u201cIf anything, a precise military operation to seize a rogue tyrant in a predawn raid with no U.S. casualties will cause China and Russia to think twice about testing American power. Venezuela counted on a Russian-made air defense system that failed to stop the U.S. Air Force from dominating its airspace. That sends a chilling message to Russia and anyone who has purchased its military hardware. China had invested billions in Venezuela\u2019s oil sector only to see the man who cut those deals arraigned this week before a U.S. federal court in Manhattan.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/01\/03\/insider\/trump-interview-venezuela-nyt-reporter.html?smid=nytcore-android-share\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Why I Cold-Called President Trump at 4:30 in the Morning<\/a> (Tyler Pager, New York Times): \u201cI just called him directly and he picked up. I wasn\u2019t that surprised because the president\u2019s phone habits are pretty well-documented \u2014 he regularly picks up calls from reporters.\u2026 This is the first time I have ever called the president on his cellphone.\u201d&nbsp;<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>That\u2019s a wild detail in a wild news cycle. How many reporters have Trump\u2019s number and are just waiting for the right moment to&nbsp;call?&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.christianitytoday.com\/2026\/01\/bible-embryo-screening-ivf-euthanasia-life-ethics-evangelical\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">So What If the Bible Doesn\u2019t Mention Embryo Screening?<\/a> (Brad East, Christianity Today): \u201cOpen up the glossary in the back of your Bible, and you won\u2019t find ChatGPT, CRISPR, or IVF. There are no chapter-and-verse citations for lip fillers, egg freezing, or practical questions like the \u2018right\u2019 age to get married or the \u2018ideal\u2019 number of children.\u2026 Mature Christians, and especially pastors and whole churches, must therefore be able to give confident scriptural answers to new questions even when overt biblical teaching is lacking.\u201d&nbsp;<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>I hope these Friday emails are of some small service in this regard.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/nationalaffairs.com\/publications\/detail\/case-prohibiting-vice\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Case for Prohibiting Vice<\/a> (Charles Fain Lehmann, National Affairs): \u201cThis framing of the vice issue\u2005\u2014\u2005as a matter of permitting behavior that may be immoral but is more importantly \u2018harmless\u2019\u2005\u2014\u2005is so central to our public debate that both proponents and opponents articulate their criticisms in its language. They haggle about which is more harmful, vice or its prohibition.\u2026 the fact that both proponents and opponents of vice have resorted to appeals to harm actually greatly undermines the harm principle\u2019s utility. Part of the purpose of the principle is to separate the truly damaging from the merely unliked. But the distinction, it turns out, is far less coherent than proponents once claimed.\u2026 [Vice] is intrinsically a problem, because human well-being\u2005\u2014\u2005the good life\u2005\u2014\u2005is always threatened by&nbsp;it.\u201d<\/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=\"wp-block-list simple-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/youtube.com\/shorts\/HaQJWViiTe0?si=3Rn7DdRV0XM_QtLP\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hippo Blasts Poop At Hyena<\/a> (YouTube): ten seconds<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/babylonbee.com\/news\/teenager-confused-how-parents-still-dont-know-everything-when-it-only-took-him-16-years\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Teenager Confused How Parents Still Don\u2019t Know Everything When It Only Took Him 16 Years<\/a> (Babylon Bee)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\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:\/\/theglendavis.substack.com\/\">here<\/a>. You can also <a href=\"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/category\/links\">view the archives<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You\u2019ve heard of TGIF? This is TGFI: Things Glen Found Interesting On Fridays I share articles\/resources about broad cultural, societal and theological issues likely to be of interest to Christians in college. Be sure to see the explanation and disclaimers at the bottom. I welcome your suggestions, so if you read something fascinating please pass \u2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/archives\/2026\/01\/09\/things-glen-found-interesting-volume-537-hippo-poop-manic-complainers\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> \u201cThings Glen Found Interesting, Volume 537: Hippo Poop &amp; Manic Complainers\u201d<\/span><\/a><\/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":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[16],"tags":[303,227,268,171],"class_list":["post-7888","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-links","tag-children","tag-immigration","tag-south-america","tag-theodicy"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6Ded-23e","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7888","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7888"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7888\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7892,"href":"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7888\/revisions\/7892"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7888"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7888"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7888"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}