I was pleased to see that the Knicks acquired Carmelo Anthony from the Denver Nuggets on Monday. I was convinced that the maelstrom of trade rumors would fizzle out and the question of Anthony's long-term plans would be resolved in the off-season via free agency. Pleasantly, I was mistaken. In a massive trade--one of the largest in NBA history--Anthony and veteran point guard Chauncey Billups were sent to the Knicks in exchange for Danilo Gallinari, Timofey Mozgov, Wilson Chandler and Raymond Felton, not to mention a large handful of supporting players on all sides.
Initially, I had been concerned about the long-term cost of parting with so many of the Knicks' "core," their young, improving players. But a series of articles on the New York Times sports page pointed out that while supporting players come and go, stars are much harder to replace. Better to acquire a second legitimate star to complement Amar'e Stoudemire and then replenish the role players than to try to win a championship based on the power of Stoudemire and the role players alone. I think he might be on to something there--LeBron James's stint in Cleveland proved that no one superstar can win a championship by himself--and I hope the Knicks achieve everything they'd hoped with this trade.
Staying on the hardwood, the Cal Tech men's basketball team defeated Occidental 46-45 last night. This victory is significant because it snaps Cal Tech's 310-game conference losing streak. According to The New York Times, the last time they defeated a fellow Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference foe was during the 1984-1985 season ... which means the losing streak is older than any of the current players. Congratulations to Cal Tech, and I hope their baseball team will be the next to find redemption (412 consecutive losses in conference games).
And in baseball, spring training is underway and games start up this weekend. Opening Day is March 31!
About Me
- Robert
- I'm a 2009 graduate of Dartmouth College who loves Jesus, my wife and all things Northeast.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Back to work
I started a new job a couple weeks ago. It has been a lot of fun so far, and I'm really enjoying working on my own as a paramedic. I also have a great schedule, even if I did spend all of Valentine's Day at work. Two twenty-four hour shifts a week is demanding, but having five days off is a definite upshot! Ellen and I are both pleased with the way things have turned out.
Looking at the bigger picture, taking my first solo call as a medic two weeks ago was the culmination of something that began all the way back in August of 2009. What a great testament to God's faithfulness that He saw Ellen and me through the entire paramedic school and National Registry certification process, strengthening and enriching our relationship in the process. (No "paramedic school divorce" for us ... just the opposite, in fact!)
Speaking of Ellen, she and I finally brought our car hunt to a close. We purchased a 2004 Pontiac Vibe last weekend, which was extremely exciting for both of us (and especially for Ellen, since she gets to drive it every day!). But as soon as I (resume and) finish learning how to drive stick, I will enthusiastically take a turn in the driver's seat. It's a very nice car!
Dartmouth's 100th Anniversary Winter Carnival was Valentine's Day weekend; Ellen and I got to spend a fair amount of time enjoying the festivities. The snow sculpture was more respectable than in recent years (which isn't saying much), but considering the amount of snow that fell this winter, the sculpture was a bit lackluster. There was enough snow to support a sculpture twice as big. Presumably the limiting factor is manpower, which is unfortunate. Have Dartmouth students forgotten that a Winter Carnival snow sculpture once held the world record for tallest free-standing snow sculpture? Whither that gung-ho spirit?
Dartmouth undergrads do get credit for showing up in force to the men's ice hockey game against Princeton (which Dartmouth won 4-1). And they get credit for launching an impressive barrage of tennis balls at the Princeton goalie following Dartmouth's first goal, as is the custom. Sadly, things took a turn for the disappointing as the crowd continued to pelt the goalie with tennis balls following each of Dartmouth's subsequent goals, which is not only a delay-of-game penalty but is also altogether not in keeping with the tradition.
In other news, the U.S. Amateur Team East, the largest team chess tournament in the country, concluded yesterday. "West Orange Krush," headlined by International Masters Mikhail Zlotnikov and Irina Krush, took top honors. I have never played in this event, and I had hoped to change that this year, but in the end the timing just wasn't right. Maybe next year!
Looking at the bigger picture, taking my first solo call as a medic two weeks ago was the culmination of something that began all the way back in August of 2009. What a great testament to God's faithfulness that He saw Ellen and me through the entire paramedic school and National Registry certification process, strengthening and enriching our relationship in the process. (No "paramedic school divorce" for us ... just the opposite, in fact!)
Speaking of Ellen, she and I finally brought our car hunt to a close. We purchased a 2004 Pontiac Vibe last weekend, which was extremely exciting for both of us (and especially for Ellen, since she gets to drive it every day!). But as soon as I (resume and) finish learning how to drive stick, I will enthusiastically take a turn in the driver's seat. It's a very nice car!
Dartmouth's 100th Anniversary Winter Carnival was Valentine's Day weekend; Ellen and I got to spend a fair amount of time enjoying the festivities. The snow sculpture was more respectable than in recent years (which isn't saying much), but considering the amount of snow that fell this winter, the sculpture was a bit lackluster. There was enough snow to support a sculpture twice as big. Presumably the limiting factor is manpower, which is unfortunate. Have Dartmouth students forgotten that a Winter Carnival snow sculpture once held the world record for tallest free-standing snow sculpture? Whither that gung-ho spirit?
Dartmouth undergrads do get credit for showing up in force to the men's ice hockey game against Princeton (which Dartmouth won 4-1). And they get credit for launching an impressive barrage of tennis balls at the Princeton goalie following Dartmouth's first goal, as is the custom. Sadly, things took a turn for the disappointing as the crowd continued to pelt the goalie with tennis balls following each of Dartmouth's subsequent goals, which is not only a delay-of-game penalty but is also altogether not in keeping with the tradition.
In other news, the U.S. Amateur Team East, the largest team chess tournament in the country, concluded yesterday. "West Orange Krush," headlined by International Masters Mikhail Zlotnikov and Irina Krush, took top honors. I have never played in this event, and I had hoped to change that this year, but in the end the timing just wasn't right. Maybe next year!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Joshua Bell
Ellen and I went to see Joshua Bell perform at the Dartmouth's Hopkins Center for the Performing Arts last week. We had fantastic seats to a fantastic show. Truly remarkable. It was Ellen's first time seeing him perform, but I had actually seen him once before, back in 2005. I was in Vienna on a class trip and a few friends and I used a free evening to watch him perform Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" (which happens to be my favorite piece). Pure bliss.
Moving back to 2011, there was only one part of the entire evening that stuck in my craw: When did standing ovations become de rigueur? Joshua Bell performed three pieces plus two short encores, with an intermission following the second piece and a series of applause breaks following the third. After each one of these, with the exception of the first piece, the audience broke into a standing ovation. Don't get me wrong: It was a terrific show, and in a couple instances the standing ovation was well-deserved. But who gives a standing ovation to a two-minute second-encore? In my view, you cheapen standing ovations by doling them out automatically rather than after an especially noteworthy performance. Perhaps some of my musically inclined readers can shed some light on the matter.
This weekend is Dartmouth's 100th Anniversary Winter Carnival. Between ski races, human dog sled races, the Polar Bear Swim, snow sculpting, an assortment of marquee home sporting matchups (men's hockey versus Princeton!) and a host of other events, there's sure to be something for every Dartmouth student and alumnus. I, for one, am looking forward to it!
Moving back to 2011, there was only one part of the entire evening that stuck in my craw: When did standing ovations become de rigueur? Joshua Bell performed three pieces plus two short encores, with an intermission following the second piece and a series of applause breaks following the third. After each one of these, with the exception of the first piece, the audience broke into a standing ovation. Don't get me wrong: It was a terrific show, and in a couple instances the standing ovation was well-deserved. But who gives a standing ovation to a two-minute second-encore? In my view, you cheapen standing ovations by doling them out automatically rather than after an especially noteworthy performance. Perhaps some of my musically inclined readers can shed some light on the matter.
This weekend is Dartmouth's 100th Anniversary Winter Carnival. Between ski races, human dog sled races, the Polar Bear Swim, snow sculpting, an assortment of marquee home sporting matchups (men's hockey versus Princeton!) and a host of other events, there's sure to be something for every Dartmouth student and alumnus. I, for one, am looking forward to it!
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Dartmouth Apologia review, Part III
This is the final installment of my review of the Winter 2011 edition of The Dartmouth Apologia. As always, I encourage you to read the issue for yourself before reading my take on it.
The cover article for this issue, "Quantum Mechanics and Divine Action," was written by Emily DeBaun '12. Quantum mechanics is not an easily accessible topic, but DeBaun does a commendable job of explaining its basic tenets without making the reader feel condescended to. The article abruptly shifts focus in the latter half, temporarily leaving behind the world of physics and looking at the biblical treatment of miracles, aided heavily by Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology. I thought the second half of the article was terrific, though there probably could have been a stronger transition joining the two. If anything, I would have preferred the primary focus of the article to have been on miracles in the Bible, with physics playing a secondary role, but as it is, there should be something for everyone in this piece.
"A Proof for the Existence of God," by Editor-in-Chief Peter Blair '12, is an exposition of Thomas Aquinas's "First Way." The First Way, which Aquinas put forth in his Summa Theologica, is a version of the cosmological argument for the existence of God. No doubt due to the denseness of the source material, Blair's article is itself somewhat viscous, but he does an admirable job of capturing the essence of Aquinas's argument and making it accessible even to those who don't have a background in philosophy or Thomistic physics. The article is unnecessarily verbose in places, but if you take time to wade through it, it will be time well spent.
Alexandra Heywood '11 contributed "God in the Gulag," a compact history of Christianity in the Soviet Union (and the article with the snappiest title, in my opinion). As the title suggests, she pays particular attention to the way Christianity survived and even thrived in the infamous Soviet gulags. It's a fascinating article that strikes just the right balance between detail and fluidity. As I've mentioned, my natural bent is more toward the historical and literary than the scientific and philosophical, so this piece, like Nauman's, is right up my alley. Still, even if you lean in the other direction, you will not be disappointed by the substance and rigor of Heywood's research and prose.
The final article in the Winter 2011 issue is "Free Will, Predestination, and the Value of Christian Debate." Written by Anna Lynn Doster '12, the article is much less about free will and predestination themselves than Christian debate, namely that between Desiderius Erasmus and Martin Luther in the first part of the sixteenth century. Doster does a great job of relating the facts and context surrounding this fascinating exchange without taking one side or the other. I recommend both the article and its bibliography to anyone interested in theology, history or two dynamic and thoughtful minds conducting a (somewhat) civil discussion on one of the biggest issues of the day.
The cover article for this issue, "Quantum Mechanics and Divine Action," was written by Emily DeBaun '12. Quantum mechanics is not an easily accessible topic, but DeBaun does a commendable job of explaining its basic tenets without making the reader feel condescended to. The article abruptly shifts focus in the latter half, temporarily leaving behind the world of physics and looking at the biblical treatment of miracles, aided heavily by Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology. I thought the second half of the article was terrific, though there probably could have been a stronger transition joining the two. If anything, I would have preferred the primary focus of the article to have been on miracles in the Bible, with physics playing a secondary role, but as it is, there should be something for everyone in this piece.
"A Proof for the Existence of God," by Editor-in-Chief Peter Blair '12, is an exposition of Thomas Aquinas's "First Way." The First Way, which Aquinas put forth in his Summa Theologica, is a version of the cosmological argument for the existence of God. No doubt due to the denseness of the source material, Blair's article is itself somewhat viscous, but he does an admirable job of capturing the essence of Aquinas's argument and making it accessible even to those who don't have a background in philosophy or Thomistic physics. The article is unnecessarily verbose in places, but if you take time to wade through it, it will be time well spent.
Alexandra Heywood '11 contributed "God in the Gulag," a compact history of Christianity in the Soviet Union (and the article with the snappiest title, in my opinion). As the title suggests, she pays particular attention to the way Christianity survived and even thrived in the infamous Soviet gulags. It's a fascinating article that strikes just the right balance between detail and fluidity. As I've mentioned, my natural bent is more toward the historical and literary than the scientific and philosophical, so this piece, like Nauman's, is right up my alley. Still, even if you lean in the other direction, you will not be disappointed by the substance and rigor of Heywood's research and prose.
The final article in the Winter 2011 issue is "Free Will, Predestination, and the Value of Christian Debate." Written by Anna Lynn Doster '12, the article is much less about free will and predestination themselves than Christian debate, namely that between Desiderius Erasmus and Martin Luther in the first part of the sixteenth century. Doster does a great job of relating the facts and context surrounding this fascinating exchange without taking one side or the other. I recommend both the article and its bibliography to anyone interested in theology, history or two dynamic and thoughtful minds conducting a (somewhat) civil discussion on one of the biggest issues of the day.
Dartmouth Apologia review, Part II
Having offered some general thoughts about the Winter 2011 issue of The Dartmouth Apologia, I would like to now look at each in turn. I will omit the interview with Peter Kreeft because it rather resists criticism, given its nature as an interview. And as before, I encourage you all to read the articles for yourselves before engaging with the reviews that follow.
First off, "Euthyphro's Dilemma and the Goodness of God," by Brendan Woods '13. Woods takes on the ancient Greek philosophical problem of what the implications might be when one considers God's role in determining what constitutes "good." The analysis is thorough and the conclusion sound; the only question I had about this article is why it was written in the first place. Woods wrote a post last March for "Tolle Lege," the Apologia's blog, in which he considered the identical topic. This article is merely an expansion of that earlier piece with relatively little to add to the discussion. Whether or not this expansion was ultimately unnecessary, though, it is certainly a well crafted piece.
This issue's guest piece, "Taking the Bible Seriously," is contributed by Luke Timothy Johnson. Professor Johnson teaches at Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. (Incidentally, guest pieces are unique among the Apologia's offerings because they are the only articles not routinely edited for content.) Professor Johnson puts forth an interesting examination of contemporary "schools" of Biblical hermeneutics as compared to historical examples of the same, holding up Origen of Alexandria as an example of someone who really "got it" when it came to how to read and engage with the Bible. The writing style is a little on the polemical side for my taste, and Origen struck me as an odd choice for a protagonist (he was anathematized by the Fifth Ecumenical Council for believing in a hierarchical Trinity, among other things), but Professor Johnson's point about the importance of not skimming but deeply engaging with the Bible is nevertheless well taken.
"Science and Orthodoxy" by Grace Nauman '11 bears the subtitle, "The Faith of Galileo and Kepler." This piece takes on author Nancy Frankenberry's assertion that many of the giants of the Scientific Revolution may have been Christians, but they adhered to an, "Eccentric ... unconventional" theology. Through careful research and exposition, Nauman shows that the two titular scientists were not only not unorthodox but supremely mainstream. She includes an illustrative episode from Kepler's life in which he suffered a minor falling out with the Lutheran church over the doctrine of ubiquity. As it turned out, Kepler was right and later Lutheran theologians overturned the erroneous doctrine. Admittedly, my natural bent runs more toward history than philosophy, but all the same, this was one of my favorite articles in the issue, and I would encourage anyone picking up the journal not to miss it.
First off, "Euthyphro's Dilemma and the Goodness of God," by Brendan Woods '13. Woods takes on the ancient Greek philosophical problem of what the implications might be when one considers God's role in determining what constitutes "good." The analysis is thorough and the conclusion sound; the only question I had about this article is why it was written in the first place. Woods wrote a post last March for "Tolle Lege," the Apologia's blog, in which he considered the identical topic. This article is merely an expansion of that earlier piece with relatively little to add to the discussion. Whether or not this expansion was ultimately unnecessary, though, it is certainly a well crafted piece.
This issue's guest piece, "Taking the Bible Seriously," is contributed by Luke Timothy Johnson. Professor Johnson teaches at Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. (Incidentally, guest pieces are unique among the Apologia's offerings because they are the only articles not routinely edited for content.) Professor Johnson puts forth an interesting examination of contemporary "schools" of Biblical hermeneutics as compared to historical examples of the same, holding up Origen of Alexandria as an example of someone who really "got it" when it came to how to read and engage with the Bible. The writing style is a little on the polemical side for my taste, and Origen struck me as an odd choice for a protagonist (he was anathematized by the Fifth Ecumenical Council for believing in a hierarchical Trinity, among other things), but Professor Johnson's point about the importance of not skimming but deeply engaging with the Bible is nevertheless well taken.
"Science and Orthodoxy" by Grace Nauman '11 bears the subtitle, "The Faith of Galileo and Kepler." This piece takes on author Nancy Frankenberry's assertion that many of the giants of the Scientific Revolution may have been Christians, but they adhered to an, "Eccentric ... unconventional" theology. Through careful research and exposition, Nauman shows that the two titular scientists were not only not unorthodox but supremely mainstream. She includes an illustrative episode from Kepler's life in which he suffered a minor falling out with the Lutheran church over the doctrine of ubiquity. As it turned out, Kepler was right and later Lutheran theologians overturned the erroneous doctrine. Admittedly, my natural bent runs more toward history than philosophy, but all the same, this was one of my favorite articles in the issue, and I would encourage anyone picking up the journal not to miss it.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Dartmouth Apologia review, Part I
As I mentioned yesterday, The Dartmouth Apologia published its winter issue on Friday. I've been involved in the production of this issue in the capacity of editorial consultant, but I was handed a copy of the final product for the first time on Sunday. It is beautifully designed and laid-out; from front to back it is nothing short of visually stunning.
As I embark on a review of the content of the journal, I offer two provisos: First, as previously mentioned, I have seen a number of iterations of all of these articles. I will do my best to comment only on what appeared in the final version; please bear with me if I slip. Should I refer to a passage that seems nonexistent, that's probably because it is. Second, and more importantly, I strongly encourage you to read the articles for yourself and form your own opinions first. As of this morning, the new issue had not been placed online, but check back frequently ( www.dartmouthapologia.org is the official website). If you're on campus, pick up a hard copy of the journal. If past years' distribution efforts are any guide, you shouldn't have to look too hard.
I'd like to begin with some broad comments on the issue as a whole before delving into the individual articles. This edition consists of six student articles, one guest article and an interview. The "Final Thoughts" segment that was a mainstay during my undergrad years is again missing (the last issue didn't have it either). I suspect the editorial board has opted to discontinue this feature, which is too bad. I always appreciated its brief, uniquely personal look at an item of faith. Hopefully it will be revived in future years.
The articles are of their usual high quality. Technical writing proficiency combined with intellectually rigorous scholarship and discourse has always been the hallmark of the Apologia, and I'm pleased to see that this tradition is alive and well. The two seniors, three juniors and one sophomore who comprised this edition's writing staff are articulate, thoughtful and lucid writers and thinkers who have clearly poured countless hours of work into this endeavor.
The most notable omission in the Winter 2011 edition is a clear presentation of the Gospel. There is nothing wrong with using logic to show that a supernatural being must exist (as Blair and to a lesser extent Woods and DeBaun do), but this seems to me of little use if you stop short of considering--somewhere in the issue--whether or not Jesus of Nazareth is that God, incarnate and resurrected. There are a lot of religions with a lot of gods out there, and it is vital to take that last step and show that the one true God is in fact the triune God of the Bible. (My good friend and Apologia co-founder Charlie Dunn '10 used to insist on including such a piece in every issue.)
As I embark on a review of the content of the journal, I offer two provisos: First, as previously mentioned, I have seen a number of iterations of all of these articles. I will do my best to comment only on what appeared in the final version; please bear with me if I slip. Should I refer to a passage that seems nonexistent, that's probably because it is. Second, and more importantly, I strongly encourage you to read the articles for yourself and form your own opinions first. As of this morning, the new issue had not been placed online, but check back frequently ( www.dartmouthapologia.org is the official website). If you're on campus, pick up a hard copy of the journal. If past years' distribution efforts are any guide, you shouldn't have to look too hard.
I'd like to begin with some broad comments on the issue as a whole before delving into the individual articles. This edition consists of six student articles, one guest article and an interview. The "Final Thoughts" segment that was a mainstay during my undergrad years is again missing (the last issue didn't have it either). I suspect the editorial board has opted to discontinue this feature, which is too bad. I always appreciated its brief, uniquely personal look at an item of faith. Hopefully it will be revived in future years.
The articles are of their usual high quality. Technical writing proficiency combined with intellectually rigorous scholarship and discourse has always been the hallmark of the Apologia, and I'm pleased to see that this tradition is alive and well. The two seniors, three juniors and one sophomore who comprised this edition's writing staff are articulate, thoughtful and lucid writers and thinkers who have clearly poured countless hours of work into this endeavor.
The most notable omission in the Winter 2011 edition is a clear presentation of the Gospel. There is nothing wrong with using logic to show that a supernatural being must exist (as Blair and to a lesser extent Woods and DeBaun do), but this seems to me of little use if you stop short of considering--somewhere in the issue--whether or not Jesus of Nazareth is that God, incarnate and resurrected. There are a lot of religions with a lot of gods out there, and it is vital to take that last step and show that the one true God is in fact the triune God of the Bible. (My good friend and Apologia co-founder Charlie Dunn '10 used to insist on including such a piece in every issue.)
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