August 2009 Archives
« July 2009 | Main | September 2009 »
August 31, 2009
On The Wrong Mailing List Again
I just received the following email under the subject "Duane - We offer Church Loans for Refinance, Purchase, Renovations, Construction and Operating Costs." To protect the guilty, I've made a couple of modifications. Duane Smith: Please take a moment to...Read all of "On The Wrong Mailing List Again"
Posted by Duane Smith at 2:07 PM
| Read more on Humor |
| Abnormal Comments (5)
| TrackBack (0)
| Abnormal Archive Link |
August 29, 2009
The Joy and Nobility of Politics
Here is my favorite paragraph from President Obama's eulogy for Ted Kennedy, We can still hear his voice bellowing through the Senate chamber, face reddened, fist pounding the podium, a veritable force of nature, in support of health care or...Read all of "The Joy and Nobility of Politics"
Posted by Duane Smith at 3:45 PM
| Read more on Current Events |
| Abnormal Comments (1)
| TrackBack (0)
| Abnormal Archive Link |
August 28, 2009
What Now? Corrupting of Youth?
Shirley and I are enjoying a series of lectures on Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle delivered by Robert Bartlett of Emory University. They are on CD from the Teaching Company. Most evenings Socrates joins us. This one: Not this one: Socrates...Read all of "What Now? Corrupting of Youth?"
Posted by Duane Smith at 7:59 PM
| Read more on Humor |
| Abnormal Comments (1)
| TrackBack (0)
| Abnormal Archive Link |
August 27, 2009
Four Stone Hearth #74 Is Up
Four Stone Hearth #74 is up at Natures/Cultures: getting with the nature fetish. For this anthropology blog carnival, Adam Henne has brought together a larger than usual collection of abnormally interesting posts....Read all of "Four Stone Hearth #74 Is Up"
Posted by Duane Smith at 4:54 PM
| Read more on Archaeology |
| Abnormal Comments (0)
| TrackBack (0)
| Abnormal Archive Link |
August 26, 2009
Edward Kennedy February 22, 1932 – August 25, 2009
Ted Kennedy - I already miss him....Read all of "Edward Kennedy February 22, 1932 – August 25, 2009"
Posted by Duane Smith at 8:57 AM
| Read more on Current Events |
| Abnormal Comments (0)
| TrackBack (0)
| Abnormal Archive Link |
August 25, 2009
Sick? Maybe Shamash Can Help
Over the last week or so I've been bothering you with some thoughts on details of a prayer to Shamash, a prayer of a sick person. Today I thought I'd provide my complete translation for those who may need to...Read all of "Sick? Maybe Shamash Can Help"
Posted by Duane Smith at 2:39 PM
| Read more on Akkadian |
| Abnormal Comments (0)
| TrackBack (0)
| Abnormal Archive Link |
August 23, 2009
Let's All Meet At Ethical Realism
Robert Wright wrote an opinion piece for the New York Times that suggests that infidels and some theists will find a common ground if we focus on moral behavior. Here's a sample, Since Lewis wrote — and unbeknown to many...Read all of "Let's All Meet At Ethical Realism"
Posted by Duane Smith at 7:16 PM
| Read more on Odds and Ends |
| Abnormal Comments (1)
| TrackBack (0)
| Abnormal Archive Link |
August 22, 2009
Micromanaging The Gods
While working on Akkadian prayers, I often come across things that strike me as odder than the general oddity. These folks wanted to make sure that their gods looked after them in an expeditious manner and they weren't above giving...Read all of "Micromanaging The Gods"
Posted by Duane Smith at 3:07 PM
| Read more on Akkadian |
| Abnormal Comments (0)
| TrackBack (0)
| Abnormal Archive Link |
August 20, 2009
Quotation of the Birthday Day
In commemoration of Rudolf Bultmann's birthday, Deane Galbraith at The Dunedin School wrote, To the man who demythologized almost everything, but forgot to demythologize God himself: Happy 125th Birthday, Rudolf! Today is also our son's birthday, something less than his...Read all of "Quotation of the Birthday Day"
Posted by Duane Smith at 9:45 AM
| Read more on Odds and Ends |
| Abnormal Comments (0)
| TrackBack (0)
| Abnormal Archive Link |
August 19, 2009
The Many Voices of Job
In The Many Voices of Job, Loren Fisher brings together in a single volume his work on the book of Job. So far, Phyllis Trible, Baruch Levine and John B. Cobb, Jr have offered these appraisals, Loren Fisher provides a...Read all of "The Many Voices of Job"
Posted by Duane Smith at 2:00 PM
| Read more on Hebrew Bible |
| Abnormal Comments (0)
| TrackBack (0)
| Abnormal Archive Link |
August 17, 2009
A Little Cognitive Gift
I'm up to my ears in several things today. So instead of a real post, I thought I'd pass along a little gift that someone once gave me. Count to ten without thinking of a rabbit. You're welcome....Read all of "A Little Cognitive Gift"
Posted by Duane Smith at 10:04 AM
| Read more on Odds and Ends |
| Abnormal Comments (1)
| TrackBack (0)
| Abnormal Archive Link |
August 16, 2009
Mermaid Reward
Some may remember that I am a wicked amermaidist; I believe in amermaidism. It seems that folks from Kiryat Yam in Israel are testing my faith. I am applauded that they would offer a reward, $1 million no less, to...
Posted by Duane Smith at 9:03 AM
| Read more on Humor |
| Abnormal Comments (2)
| TrackBack (0)
| Abnormal Archive Link |
August 15, 2009
Closing The Arts Library at UCLA
Robert Cargill reports on his Official Blog plans to close the Arts Library at UCLA and relocate its collection to other on campus libraries. I believe that this is a damnable plot to ruin the health of those of us...Read all of "Closing The Arts Library at UCLA"
Posted by Duane Smith at 2:26 PM
| Read more on Humor |
| Abnormal Comments (0)
| TrackBack (0)
| Abnormal Archive Link |
Let's Try A Substitution Test.
Lane Keister (I think) over at Green Baggins said the following: Let’s put it this way: everyone has lenses of some sort when they come to Scripture. No one can interpret Scripture from a completely clean slate. Let me repeat...Read all of "Let's Try A Substitution Test."
Posted by Duane Smith at 1:11 PM
| Read more on Hebrew Bible |
| Abnormal Comments (3)
| TrackBack (0)
| Abnormal Archive Link |
August 14, 2009
Why Study Mark Twain?
Mark Twain scholars met last week at Elmira College in New York for The Sixth International Conference on The State of Mark Twain Studies. John Bird, one of their number, ambushed (his word) several other attendees and asked them why...Read all of "Why Study Mark Twain?"
Posted by Duane Smith at 3:26 PM
| Read more on Mark Twain |
| Abnormal Comments (0)
| TrackBack (0)
| Abnormal Archive Link |
August 13, 2009
Yet Another Four Stone Hearth
The latest edition of the Anthropology Blog Carnival is up at Greg Laden's Blog. As usual, there's lots of good stuff. But not so much that it can't be digested in a hour of so. Give it a look....Read all of "Yet Another Four Stone Hearth"
Posted by Duane Smith at 7:52 PM
| Read more on Paleoanthropology |
| Abnormal Comments (0)
| TrackBack (0)
| Abnormal Archive Link |
August 11, 2009
The July 2009 JNES Is Online
The July 2009 issue of the Journal of Near Eastern Studies is now online. Here is a list of the papers. Jack Cheng, "A Review of Early Dynastic III Music: Man’s Animal Call" Isaac Kalimi, "Placing the Chronicler in His...Read all of "The July 2009 JNES Is Online"
Posted by Duane Smith at 4:35 PM
| Read more on Akkadian |
| Abnormal Comments (0)
| TrackBack (0)
| Abnormal Archive Link |
Say What?
This is all over the blogosphere but just in case you haven't seen it, here's a line from the first posting of an editorial in the Investor’s Business Daily. I link to the Google Cache version. They have since deleted...
Posted by Duane Smith at 2:17 PM
| Read more on Current Events |
| Abnormal Comments (0)
| TrackBack (0)
| Abnormal Archive Link |
August 10, 2009
More News from Tell Tayinat: Tablets This Time
Back in April of this year, I did a post on the excavations at Tel Tayinat and said the work there was worth following. Well now, the archaeologists have found tablets. Excavations led by a University of Toronto archaeologist at...Read all of "More News from Tell Tayinat: Tablets This Time"
Posted by Duane Smith at 11:29 AM
| Read more on Archaeology |
| Abnormal Comments (0)
| TrackBack (0)
| Abnormal Archive Link |
August 9, 2009
Goat Sacrifice and Forced Circumcision
Two recent stories illustrate the conflicts between religions traditions and cultural norms. José Merced is a priest attempting to practice his Santería religion in Texas. His religion requires that he sacrifice goats and, until a recent ruling, Texas law forbid...Read all of "Goat Sacrifice and Forced Circumcision"
Posted by Duane Smith at 10:51 AM
| Read more on Religion |
| Abnormal Comments (0)
| TrackBack (0)
| Abnormal Archive Link |
August 8, 2009
Answerless Questions and Confusing Relationships
My Medicare Part D provider, a private, for profit, company, sent me a questionnaire called "Medicare Coordination of Benefits and Employment Status Survey." Medicare Part D is drug coverage. While there is much to rant about regarding Medicare Part D,...Read all of "Answerless Questions and Confusing Relationships"
Posted by Duane Smith at 9:26 AM
| Read more on Odds and Ends |
| Abnormal Comments (2)
| TrackBack (0)
| Abnormal Archive Link |
August 7, 2009
Another Case Of A Cuneiform Literate Professional (?)
A recently annoiunced tablet contains a desperate plea for help from an Assyrian leader. Mannu-ki-Libbali was a city treasurer at Tushan when the ancient city was overran by forces allied with Babylon. Check out the report in Times On Line....Read all of "Another Case Of A Cuneiform Literate Professional (?)"
Posted by Duane Smith at 12:44 PM
| Read more on Akkadian |
| Abnormal Comments (8)
| TrackBack (0)
| Abnormal Archive Link |
August 6, 2009
I Heart This Post
In general, when faced with an idiom of uncertain meaning, I favor a literal translation. If I'm not sure what something means, I think it best to pass that uncertainty along to the reader of my translation. But this can...Read all of "I Heart This Post"
Posted by Duane Smith at 8:10 PM
| Read more on Akkadian |
| Abnormal Comments (0)
| TrackBack (0)
| Abnormal Archive Link |
August 4, 2009
Is There A Doctor In The House?
Not for me, I'm well, thank you. But this list of symptoms makes me think that one really old guy needed a doctor a lot more than he needed prayer. goose bumps dizziness paralysis vertigo joint pain in a daze...Read all of "Is There A Doctor In The House?"
Posted by Duane Smith at 12:27 PM
| Read more on Akkadian |
| Abnormal Comments (2)
| TrackBack (0)
| Abnormal Archive Link |
August 3, 2009
A License To Steal (From Thomas Jefferson)
When it comes to abuse of a copyright ownership, here's one of the funniest and most pathetic things I've seen in a long time. For the sum of $12.00, The Associated Press granted James Grimmelmann of The Laboratorium a license...Read all of "A License To Steal (From Thomas Jefferson)"
Posted by Duane Smith at 2:10 PM
| Read more on Odds and Ends |
| Abnormal Comments (3)
| TrackBack (0)
| Abnormal Archive Link |
August 2, 2009
Postmortem On A Minor Blog Flurry
A few weeks ago, the ancient and biblio blogospheres were awash with wonder at a paper published in an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers journal of all places. I was not exempt from this wonder. The paper by Panagopoulos...Read all of "Postmortem On A Minor Blog Flurry"
Posted by Duane Smith at 1:32 PM
| Read more on Archaeology |
| Abnormal Comments (0)
| TrackBack (0)
| Abnormal Archive Link |
August 1, 2009
Biblical Studies Carnival, The Funhouse Edition, Is Up
Biblical Studies Carnival 44 is up at Dr. Jim West's place. But somehow, all the wonders of this carnival are in the fun house this month. There's the house of mirrors, the bearded lady, the 12 inch tall man and...Read all of "Biblical Studies Carnival, The Funhouse Edition, Is Up"
Posted by Duane Smith at 11:11 AM
| Read more on Hebrew Bible |
| Abnormal Comments (0)
| TrackBack (0)
| Abnormal Archive Link |