March 2007 Archives
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March 31, 2007
My Philosophy?
So says the QuizFarm. You scored as Kantianism. Your life is guided by the ethical model of Kantianism: You seek to have consistent laws rule your actions, and your will is directed by reason. "I do not, therefore, need any...
Posted by Duane Smith at 9:49 AM
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The Convocation on Job - Session I
It's been almost two weeks since the Convocation on Job and its high time I wrote more than the few words I posted shortly after the event. Links to the other posts in this series. Overview of Session II -...Read all of "The Convocation on Job - Session I"
Posted by Duane Smith at 9:45 AM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
March 29, 2007
Oh Boy, A Free Book
I just learned that I won a free book from Eisenbrauns. I have no idea what book it is but I do love free books. I'll let you know what it is as soon as it comes....Read all of "Oh Boy, A Free Book"
Posted by Duane Smith at 8:50 AM
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The Problem with Wikipedia
A minor storm has blown up again over Wikipedia. Mark Goodacre defends it. Jim West condemns it. Rick Sumner strikes a strong middle position with perhaps a tilt toward Mark. Loren Rosson appears largely to agree with Mark. Mark has...Read all of "The Problem with Wikipedia"
Posted by Duane Smith at 8:48 AM
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March 28, 2007
The CBS Evening Medical News
For as long as I can remember Shirley and I have watched the local news on CBS followed the CBS Evening News. We really like the 6:00 PM local news team and we were fans of most of the national...Read all of "The CBS Evening Medical News"
Posted by Duane Smith at 6:45 PM
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March 20, 2007
Not Exactly What I'd Call Unanimity
Yesterday several scholars and about 35 to 40 abnormally interested and interesting people tried to sort out a couple of issues concerning the Book of Job. I start my series of reports with an short overview of the focus of...Read all of "Not Exactly What I'd Call Unanimity"
Posted by Duane Smith at 8:16 PM
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March 18, 2007
Getting Ready to Party and Think
Tomorrow is the Convocation on Job that I previously mentioned. While my own role is minimal, I will be spending some of today reviewing the material I've read to prepare for the Convocation. The more one prepares, the more one...Read all of "Getting Ready to Party and Think"
Posted by Duane Smith at 9:55 AM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
It's About Time
According to Reuters, The United States on Thursday condemned an Egyptian appeals court ruling that upheld a jail sentence for a blogger convicted of insulting Islam and President Hosni Mubarak. "His conviction is a setback for human rights in Egypt,"...
Posted by Duane Smith at 9:33 AM
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March 17, 2007
A Pop Quiz
I don't normally give quizzes here on Abnormal Interests, but I thought I'd try a simple one and see how it works. You don't even need to tell me your answer. Do you think contraceptives help stop the spread of...
Posted by Duane Smith at 2:36 PM
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Saturday Cat Blogging
The animal pictured below, the cat not the stuffed thing, consents to live in our house and allows us to feed and groom him. But does he know his name? We normally call him Soc but his full proper name,...Read all of "Saturday Cat Blogging"
Posted by Duane Smith at 10:02 AM
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March 16, 2007
This Seems Dangerous
Back in November of last year I mentioned that Logos Bible Software was about to offer what they called The Ugarit Library on CD-ROM. The Ugaritic Library consists of seven works (in 12 volumes), primarily reference works, on and about...Read all of "This Seems Dangerous"
Posted by Duane Smith at 7:04 AM
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March 14, 2007
Yielding to Temptation Once Again
I thought I was done with the Jesus Family Tomb but I can't seem avoid temptation. In a letter to Rick Brannan of ricoblog, Mike Heiser reports on finding an online report with references to another set of inscribed ossuaries,...Read all of "Yielding to Temptation Once Again"
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March 13, 2007
Whose lemons are these?
My neighbor has a lemon tree. A couple branches extend over our shared wall. If I really wanted one of these lemons, I'd ask my neighbor. They do make an interesting picture....Read all of "Whose lemons are these?"
Posted by Duane Smith at 1:12 PM
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March 12, 2007
It's Time for an Attorney General Rather than a Consigliere
The New York Times has an important editorial on Attorney General Gonzales. Among other things is summarizes his career as attorney general with these words, The attorney general helped formulate and later defended the policies that repudiated the Geneva Conventions...Read all of "It's Time for an Attorney General Rather than a Consigliere"
Posted by Duane Smith at 7:11 AM
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March 10, 2007
A Little A and the Scribe that Couldn't Add
Simon Holloway over at דבר אכד is working on Ugaritic text KTU 4.173. This is an administrative text of some kind, perhaps something like a payroll or head count by function. You can check out the whole text at Simon's...Read all of "A Little A and the Scribe that Couldn't Add"
Posted by Duane Smith at 7:07 PM
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March 9, 2007
Happy Birthday PZ Myers
Today is PZ Myers 50th birthday. Always instructive, and, so I'm told, occasionally controversial, PZ' Pharyngula is one of those must read every day blogs. PZ asked for poems in honor of this occasion but poems just aren't my thing....Read all of "Happy Birthday PZ Myers"
Posted by Duane Smith at 8:30 AM
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March 7, 2007
Moain Sadeq on Tell es Sakan and Tell el 'Ajjul
Yesterday I wrote about the perplexing array of challenges that face the Department of Antiquities of Gaza and its Founding Chairman, Moain Sadeq. Today I will report on a couple of the archaeological sites Dr. Sadeq referenced during his Tuesday...Read all of "Moain Sadeq on Tell es Sakan and Tell el 'Ajjul"
Posted by Duane Smith at 7:59 PM
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March 6, 2007
Moain Sadeq and Palestinian Archaeology
This is the first of two planned posts on a talk given today by Moain Sadeq, Founding Chairman of the Department of Antiquities of Gaza. In this post I will focus on a few of the issues faced by the...Read all of "Moain Sadeq and Palestinian Archaeology"
Posted by Duane Smith at 9:01 PM
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March 4, 2007
Math and the Study of the Ancient Near East
Two recent works reminded me of the importance of mathematics in the study of the ancient Near East. First was the use of statistics to try to define the probability that the names inscribed on the Talpiyot tomb ossuaries represented...Read all of "Math and the Study of the Ancient Near East"
Posted by Duane Smith at 8:10 PM
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March 3, 2007
Once More into the Breach
I first learned of Jodi Magness' work through her Journal of Biblical Literature (JBL) paper, "Ossuaries and the Burials of Jesus and James," which I summarized back in April 2005. At that time, I found her scholarly work clear and...Read all of "Once More into the Breach"
Posted by Duane Smith at 2:04 PM
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March 2, 2007
Jon Stewart on Jesus' Family Tomb
I hadn't planned to write anything further on the subject, but I think the definitive statement has now been made and it would be remiss of me not to point it out. So get thee over to Crooks and Liars...Read all of "Jon Stewart on Jesus' Family Tomb"
Posted by Duane Smith at 11:30 AM
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The Hardest Workers at Amarna
I ran across an abnormally interesting paper by Jerome C. Rose on the paleopathology of the commoners at Tell Amarna. By a strange coincidence, Rose called his paper "Paleopathology of the commoners at Tell Amarna, Egypt, Akhenaten's capital city." Much...Read all of "The Hardest Workers at Amarna"
Posted by Duane Smith at 7:31 AM
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March 1, 2007
Biblical Studies Carnival XV is Up
Charles Halton has posted Biblical Studies Carnival XV on Awilum and dedicated it to the memory of Bruce Manning Metzger. Lots of good stuff, well presented. Like most carnival hosts, Charles asked for nominations early so he could get a...Read all of "Biblical Studies Carnival XV is Up"
Posted by Duane Smith at 6:57 AM
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