October 2007 Archives
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October 31, 2007
Goodbye Washoe
Washoe died Tuesday night. You can read the Associated Press article. I'm sure there will be a lot more to come. Whether you believe Washoe could communicate complex ideas in American Sign Language or not, her life as an extended...
Posted by Duane Smith at 8:12 PM
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October 30, 2007
In Which I Complain About "Proof" - Again
A recent article in the Pittsburg Post Gazette has inspired a flurry of renewed discussions of the Tel Zayit abecedary. If you're interested in those discussions, head over to Chris Heard's Higgaion blog or check out the several comments on...Read all of "In Which I Complain About "Proof" - Again"
Posted by Duane Smith at 4:00 PM
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October 29, 2007
The Veterinary Tablets from Ugarit and Scribal Training
It has been a while since I wrote on KTU 1.85 and its three relatives but I haven't forgotten them. Today I want to address the role of this text in scribal training. The first question one needs to ask...Read all of "The Veterinary Tablets from Ugarit and Scribal Training"
Posted by Duane Smith at 8:06 PM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
October 28, 2007
Should I Feel Sad About This?
This month's Biblical Archaeology Review has an interview with Father Justin, the only Monk of American origin at Saint Catherine's Monastery in the Sinai. He is also the librarian for the monastery. When asked about the number people visiting the...Read all of "Should I Feel Sad About This?"
Posted by Duane Smith at 9:20 AM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
October 27, 2007
The Written Word
I dropped by the library of the Claremont School of Theology Library this morning. Their collection and that of the Honnold/Mudd Library of the Claremont Colleges serve several of my abnormal interests. During my visit this morning I needed to...Read all of "The Written Word"
Posted by Duane Smith at 11:20 AM
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October 26, 2007
The Moon Through Smoke and Ash
I took this picture at about 7:00 PM this evening from our front yard. The smoke has cleared a great deal in our area but the smoke from burnt areas still colored this nearly full moon. I think that...Read all of "The Moon Through Smoke and Ash"
Posted by Duane Smith at 7:46 PM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
October 24, 2007
Google Meme
Over at The World's Fair, David Ng suggests a meme; I'd like to suggest a meme, where the premise is that you will attempt to find 5 statements, which if you were to type into google (preferably google.com, but we'll...
Posted by Duane Smith at 1:45 PM
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Four Stone Hearth #26 is Up
Four Stone Hearth #26 is up at Primate Diaries. Give it a look. In addition to the great content, the presentation is extremely attractive, well organized with attractive graphics. Also, take a look at Christopher O'Brien's new post on Eric...Read all of "Four Stone Hearth #26 is Up"
Posted by Duane Smith at 8:30 AM
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October 23, 2007
Faith Based Baseball
Check out what Christopher O'Brien at Northstate Science has to say. If Chris is too mild for you, then read PZ Myer's comments at Pharyngula. Or if you are more into primary sources, read The Independent's story on "Batting for...Read all of "Faith Based Baseball"
Posted by Duane Smith at 7:59 PM
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October 22, 2007
Ancient Hebrew as a "Cultural Priority?"
John Hobbins of Ancient Hebrew Poetry has a dream, It goes like this. The day is coming when ancient Hebrew will be widely taught at the high school and college levels in private and public institutions. And after defining what...Read all of "Ancient Hebrew as a "Cultural Priority?""
Posted by Duane Smith at 7:42 PM
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Iron Age IIB Potsherds from the Temple Mount
Over the weekend there was a bit of a to do over the discover on the Haram-esh-Sharif, the Temple Mound, of potsherds from the first temple period. Here is what the Israel Antiquities Authority said of the find, During a...Read all of "Iron Age IIB Potsherds from the Temple Mount"
Posted by Duane Smith at 1:54 PM
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October 20, 2007
Does the Universe Have a Purpose?
The Templeton Foundation asked a group of intellectuals if the universe has a purpose. You can read their varying responses at the Templeton website. Answers range from "no" to "certainly" with "unlikely," "perhaps," "not sure," and "I hope so" making...Read all of "Does the Universe Have a Purpose?"
Posted by Duane Smith at 4:19 PM
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October 19, 2007
Your Servant, the Dog
A couple of the Amarna letters (EA 60 and 61) have an interesting use of the word "dog." Because it is the least damaged, I'll use EA 60:6-7 as an example. a-mur a-na-ku ÌR(arad) LUGAL(šarri) ù UR.GI7(kalbu) ša É(bîti)-šu "Look,...Read all of "Your Servant, the Dog"
Posted by Duane Smith at 11:30 AM
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October 18, 2007
Psephomancy?
Does this remind you of anything? Judgment is nigh. O pure Shamash. The word hastens, hear the ut[terances of my mouth(?)] Your will judge me, O Bel, whose brothers are [ ] The whi[te waters(?)] and the black waters in...
Posted by Duane Smith at 2:57 PM
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October 17, 2007
The Sy Gitin Festschrift
I was glad to hear about the forthcoming festschrift for Sy Gitin. The list of contributors is impressive and several of the papers could well be important. I worked as an area supervisor under Sy at Gezer. And while our...Read all of "The Sy Gitin Festschrift"
Posted by Duane Smith at 7:29 PM
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October 16, 2007
"It Depends on Who You Ask"
Jason von Ehrenkrook at Ancient Mediterranean Musings asks the pressing question, "Can Urine Desecrate an Idol?" He then turns to Rabbinic literature for an answer. I find this abnormally interesting in the light of my own musings on the underlying...Read all of ""It Depends on Who You Ask""
Posted by Duane Smith at 8:21 PM
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October 14, 2007
How to Cite a Blog
Citing Medicine, the NLD Style Guide for Authors, Editors and Publishers has some very good advice on how to cite a blog in a scholarly paper. Their advice would work as well in any field of study. They suggest the...Read all of "How to Cite a Blog"
Posted by Duane Smith at 2:07 PM
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October 13, 2007
Phoenician Names with ZBL
Zbl is an element in the Biblical name Jezebel and the letter string also occurs as part of a name on a much-discussed seal. If you are interested in this seal, Christopher Rollston's discussions along with those of Chris Heard...Read all of "Phoenician Names with ZBL"
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October 12, 2007
Congratulations Al Gore
Al Gore shares the Nobel Peace Prize with the IPCC and makes a nearly perfect statement. I am deeply honored to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. This award is even more meaningful because I have the honor of sharing it...Read all of "Congratulations Al Gore"
Posted by Duane Smith at 9:49 AM
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CSI: Tebtunis
The ancient town of Tebtunis is about seventy-five miles south of Cairo and is famous for the papyri that archaeologists are still finding there. Archaeology has an update. Among the recent finds are 300 cards that seem to be tools...
Posted by Duane Smith at 8:39 AM
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October 11, 2007
Where is Ba'al?
Those who are worrying about the "Jezebel" seal might want to consider these two lines from a speech of El to Anat in KTU 1.6:3-4 and 15-16. iy . aliyn . bʿl iy . zbl . bʿl .arṣ Where is...
Posted by Duane Smith at 3:10 PM
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October 10, 2007
Queen Jezebel's Seal?
Jim West has the story and so does Haaretz. Jim's post also has a picture. Let's wait until we see Marjo Korpel's actual article before we get too excited. But it does should interesting. Update, October 11, 2007: Back in...Read all of "Queen Jezebel's Seal?"
Posted by Duane Smith at 7:39 PM
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A Part Time Golf Pro Who Studied What?
I generally don't write about the work that sustained me and my family for thirty some years and now allows me to pursue my abnormal interests at considerable leisure, but a post by Charles Halton at Awilum stimulated a memory....Read all of "A Part Time Golf Pro Who Studied What?"
Posted by Duane Smith at 7:16 PM
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October 9, 2007
Depleting the Language
Alun Salt has a hilarious post on things you might get sued for writing. It seems that the 2011 plus 1 Organizing Committee of some famous international games thinks it owns a UK copyright on the year after 2011 and...Read all of "Depleting the Language"
Posted by Duane Smith at 8:04 PM
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October 8, 2007
Nine Years of Peace and Abundance
I found this Hittite song while checking out the new things on ABZU. I don't read Hittite, at least not for public consumption, so what you see below is my translation of Jean-François Blam's French translation of the Song of...Read all of "Nine Years of Peace and Abundance"
Posted by Duane Smith at 8:10 PM
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October 7, 2007
Collateral Damage and a 2000 Year Old Culture
Nathaniel Deutsch, professor of religion at Swarthmore College, told the story in yesterday's New York Times. The United States didn’t set out to eradicate the Mandeans, one of the oldest, smallest and least understood of the many minorities in Iraq....Read all of "Collateral Damage and a 2000 Year Old Culture"
Posted by Duane Smith at 3:29 PM
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October 5, 2007
More From Ebla (Please!)
This is the kind of announcement that leaves me hungry. Italian renowned Archaeologist Paulo Mattieh on Thursday shed light on the most important archaeological discoveries that the Italian expedition team at the ancient site of Ebla Kingdom had discovered. "Statues...Read all of "More From Ebla (Please!)"
Posted by Duane Smith at 7:53 PM
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October 4, 2007
More Evidence for Duane's Inverse Bookshelf Length Law
J.P. Moreland of the Talbot School of Theology at Biola University wrote, A vast literature supports the reality of demons . . . For those who may not remember, my law states, "The amount of actual knowledge on any specific...Read all of "More Evidence for Duane's Inverse Bookshelf Length Law"
Posted by Duane Smith at 9:05 AM
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October 3, 2007
I Don't Know What I'm Talking About
As I've said, I'm working on a formal paper that proposes an abnormal understanding of the Hebrew expression מַשְׁתִּין בְּקִיר, "he who pisseth against the wall." Over the last couple of days, it has dawned on me that I don't...Read all of "I Don't Know What I'm Talking About"
Posted by Duane Smith at 7:37 PM
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October 1, 2007
Psalm 68 Biblical Studies Carnival XXII is Up
Tim Bulkeley at SansBlogue has posted Biblical Studies Carnival XXII. Tim has done a great job bring together a large array of posts on things academic and biblical. One important feature that he added this month is a collection of...
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Posted by Duane Smith at 9:12 AM
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