Jonathan's blog

I never got around to posting anything for Finn’s birthday this year…so here are a few photos and videos.

May 29

Associated Baptist Press - Church secretary accused of embezzling $1.5 million

A Southern Baptist church in East Tennessee is considering cutting back on ministries amid reports that a trusted employee of 47 years embezzled more than $1.5 million in church funds.

Barbara Whitt (Hamblen County Sheriff’s Department photo)

Are Democrats pulling back on faith outreach?

May 28

the Mountain Goats "Love Love Love" - Dinner With The Band - Original Series - On Air - IFC.com

@RepDaveCamp CBO says tort reform reduces healthcare spending by 0.5 %.Deceptive 2 pretend it could solve our problems http://bit.ly/chi9l1

Countries That Ban Gays in the Military … Just Saying

Why BP is the Anti-Katrina

May 27

Cohn's history

The right-wing freak-out

dinner at Genji to celebrate Finn’s birthday and Lisa’s job

Consumers Energy delays Bay County power plant

To Change the World: Part 1, Confused about Culture

May 25

Ann Curry Talks About Wrong Wheaton College At Commencement Address | TPM LiveWire

May 24

The New Poor - Lack of Aid for Child Care Pushes Some to Welfare - NYTimes.com

State cuts in child care are forcing many low-income parents to forgo work, and threaten to undo the progress of welfare changes enacted in 1996.

May 23

Sugary drinks and their equivalent in junk food

Nevada bans chicken suits from polling places

May 22

“We believe in letting our lights shine, but not shining it in the eyes of other people.” - Amish father quoted in “Amish Grace”

Midland LAX 3rd/4th team tied Novi 3-3 and defeated Ann Arbor 6-2 in Waterford today.

May 21

When will America face a fiscal crisis?

House Panel Deals Gitmo Closure a Major Setback

May 20

An Atheist's Prayer for the Church

May 19

Who woulda thunk it: Fact-checking is popular!

How bad is the housing situation?

when you see a fail whale you know someone must be getting #mundied

May 18

sore from 17 miles on the bike tonight and 25 on Sunday (all with E Houk)

Welfare 101: Saginaw County forum busts myths about welfare

May 17

The 2020 budget

GINGRICH, MEET GODWIN - The Washington Monthly

Howard Kurtz explores how oil spill, bombing news trumped Nashville flood

Disney to Close Original Star Wars Rides By September 8 [Star Tours]

May 16

The one right terrorists can count on

Female circumcision: A U.S. version?

Lisa and I recently watched The Road (2009,R).  From ScreenIt!:

A father tries to provide safety, shelter and food for his son while teaching him how to survive in a post-apocalyptic world where none of those are guaranteed.

Before the film was released, I had a couple tickets to an advanced screening.  Unfortunately, it was a couple hours away and on a week night...so I decided not to go (figuring I'd just see it a few weeks later when it was released).  Apparently something went badly wrong with the release and marketing of the film because it was never shown anywhere near us.

When we watched it recently as a rental, we realized that somehow Lisa had missed much of the strong, emotional father-son connection when reading the book.  We also thought there might have been some meaning in a detail that Lisa remembered from the end that I didn't (a spoiler that I won't elaborate on here).

I loved the book and the film both and that the latter seemed so true to the former.  I give it 5 out of 5.

A few weeks back the family went to see Toy Story 3 (2010,G) in 3D.  From ScreenIt!:

Various toys, which come to life whenever humans aren't around, must contend with the repercussions of ending up at a daycare facility when their owner heads off to college.

We enjoyed it.  I give it 4 out of 5.