Generous Justice (Timothy Keller)

The Bible talks about justice a lot- an awful lot.  Micah 6:8, for example, sums up what God requires of us:

He [God] has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Think about that- in the three basic things listed, the first one is justice.  God wants us to be just- to everyone.  In Generous Justice, well-known pastor Timothy Keller discusses this topic in depth.  What does doing justice mean?  What does the Bible say about justice in the Old and New Testaments?  Why and how should we do justice?  He looks at these questions and more in this short (189 pages) volume. 

It would take too long to review every single point in the book, but here are a few:
- justice frequently escapes the disadvantaged in society.  The Bible states that justice should be done to both rich and poor- but Keller (rightly) notes that in most societies, it's generally the poor who are unjustly treated.  Thus, when we talk about justice, we're talking about helping those with less improve their lives in lasting and meaningful ways.
- the importance of justice in the Christian life (it's not just about preaching the gospel; it's about providing true, material (and spiritual) assistance to those in need).  This appears again and again in Scripture, in both Testaments: God cares about the poor, and expects us to as well.  That care should take the form of real assistance- not just lip service.
- the connection between grace (unmerited favor) and justice (receiving what's due).  God shows us grace by enacting justice on His Son; therefore, he expects us to do likewise: to show grace to others by paying the penalty for their behavior.  This was, perhaps, the most eye-opening part of it for me.  My belief is that we should help those who will responsibly respond.  So, I have no problem giving money to someone- if they'll use it for a good cause.  I have a real problem giving to people who would squander it.  Keller's point is not to give foolishly, but to give realizing that yes, your gift may be squandered.  Because let's face it: God gives us everything, and we squander a tremendous amount ourselves.  Why should we expect others to be better?
- the concepts of wealth redistribution (which is in Scripture), personal relocation (deliberately moving your family into a bad neighborhood to help improve it), and providing relief in a way that promotes permanent fixes (and not indefinite dependency)
- the different ways we can do justice: by direct relief, individual development, community development, racial reconciliation, and social reform.  Basically, both short-term and long-term solutions are necessary.

Keller does a fantastic job backing up his statements both with Scripture and real-world examples.  He also does well in making this apolitical- he looks at typical conservative and liberal approaches to justice and finds good (and bad) things in both camps.  Overall, this is a great, convicting, and humbling read, whether you're a Christian or not.  Highly recommended.

Rating: A

Clone Wars: Season 4

It's season 4 of the Clone Wars animated series, and it's more of the same.  More large-scale battles between clones and droids (even a cool underwater battle this time), more Jedi action, and more adventure. It's a bit darker this time around, as some episodes feature slavery, extremist groups, and bounty hunters (Obi-Wan goes undercover as one for a few episodes- among my favorites to date).  The end of the season sees (SPOILER ALERT) the return of Darth Maul.  Yes, that Darth Maul- the dude that got chopped in half at the end of Episode I.  Apparently, he's been hiding out, insane, and half mechanical spider . . . and he's bent on revenge.

Like season 3, this season had ups and downs.  Some episodes were outstanding- among the best of the series so far.  Some were flat-out duds, or super-strange.  Overall, though, I think it was the best season so far.

Rating: B+

Star Wars: The Heart of the Rebellion (Empire Volume 4)

It's Sunday, so it's time for another graphic novel.  Today: the fourth trade paperback in the Empire comic series.  

The Heart of the Rebellion collects issues 5-6 and 20-22 of the Empire series, as well as the "one-shot" Star Wars: A Valentine Story.  All told, there are four stories:

1) Princess . . . Warrior (Story: B, Art: B)
Princess Leia, the Imperial senator and covert Rebellion member, attempts to deliver medical supplies to Rebels on Ralltiir.  Vader's presence and suspicions there lead her to abort her mission and head to Kattada, where she attempts to get them to act as delivery middle men.  The Imperials descend on her there, forcing her (and the natives) into a firefight, where she learns about the price that must be paid if freedom is to be gained.

2) A Little Piece of Home (Story: B-, Art: B)
After the Rebels destroy the Death Star, they search for a new location for their main base. Leia travels to a moon in the Ryloth system, where she reunites with two Alderaanians- the Panteer brothers (one of whom was an old flame).  She begs them, ultimately in vain, to use their private moon as the location for the next base. 

3) Alone Together (Story: B, Art: A-)
Deena Shan, new to the Alliance, ends up on the Falcon with Han, Leia, and Chewbacca for a short time.  Her crush on Solo fizzles after she sees him and his friends in action, and she grudgingly realizes that friends of such caliber- so brave and willing to sacrifice- are destined for bigger things.

4) Breaking the Ice (Story: C, Art: C+)
The Rebels are constructing their new base on Hoth, and Leia and Han are shuttling ships to the surface to aid construction.  They get caught in a snowstorm and crash on the way down, and end up alone for several hours, where Leia learns that there may be more to Han than the gruff, self-absorbed smuggler he makes himself out to be.

Overall, this collection focuses on Leia and love in the early days of the Alliance.  It's okay, but ultimately lacks relevance.  The poorest offering in the series to date.

Rating: B-

Tuck (Stephen Lawhead)

The third and final book in the King Raven series, Tuck concludes the story of Rhi Bran- a Welsh prince attempting to regain his kingdom from the Norman overlords.  For the record, I review the first book (Hood) here, and the second (Scarlet) here.

Setting the stage of Tuck: at the end of Scarlet, Rhi Bran has revealed an attempt on the king's life by ones currently ruling Bran's ancestral holding, and informed the sovereign.  The king was naturally thankful, and told Bran & co. to meet him in a few months' time at his castle.  They do so, where the king, rather than reward them by returning Bran's lands, turns the lands over to a new set of overlords- the Abbot Hugo and Guy of Gisburne.  Scarlet ends with Bran and his company back in the forest, fuming at the decision and wondering what to do next.

The following contains spoilers.

In Tuck, Bran attempts to gather an army to take back his cantref on his own.  He heads to relatives in north Wales, where he first frees their king (held by the baron in Chester), but finds no assistance from the newly liberated cousin.  Meanwhile, Merian heads to her relatives in south Wales, only to be similarly rebuffed.  Disheartened, Bran eventually hits on a way to take back his kingdom by a series of guerrilla-like raids.  He drives Hugo and Gisburne out of Elfael, and reclaims it as his own.  The two dejected overlords send a plea to the king, who decides to put down the Welsh once and for all by raising an army and storming the area.  The defenders receive help from unlikely quarters, and in the end, are allowed to keep their kingdom, if they swear fealty to the king.

This story arc all happens in the 1090s.  The final chapter, set in 1210, has a descendant of the conflict- Thomas a'Dale (descendant of Alan)- singing of Rhi Bran's exploits to King John and the Sheriff of Nottingham just outside Sherwood Forest.  As was typical of the time, Thomas changes the setting and affected parties to match his current location, heightening interest of the listeners.  Thus, Lawhead implies, the "Robin Hood" legend becomes (mistakenly) associated with that area instead of Wales.

This story was okay- better than Scarlet, but not as good as Hood.  The plot itself was fine, but it suffered from the same things that plagued the first two books- parts of the plot were extremely under-developed, racing through unexpected turns of events with insufficient build-up, and (on a similar note) characters would have sudden, somewhat inexplicable changes of heart.  I really liked the last chapter, though, which was completely plausible.

The overall trilogy was . . . okay.  My enthusiasm after the first dimmed after the next two.  It has a good enough story, but isn't nearly as well-executed as, say, Cornwell's Arthur trilogy.  Though I must admit, Lawhead's series might be considered young adult fiction (which I honestly didn't realize through the first two books), in which case some of my problems with it are more understandable.  I think kids would love it.

Rating: B

The Unstoppable Internet

My day was one of surprises- four, to be exact- and all revolving around that powerful thing we call the Internet.

Surprises

"Hey, I saw 'Jack' on the Internet today!"  So began my workday this morning, as my friend informed me that he had seen a picture of my son on reddit, one of the most popular websites in the world (#67 globally, #27 in the USA, according to Alexa).  I was shocked; how did that happen?  I went to the site, found the image, and saw that it was a picture I had posted on facebook last night; it had been re-posted on reddit.  That was the first surprise of the day.

The second was just how popular the photo was.  Over 150,000 people had viewed it.  And it had been up for only a few hours (no more than twelve). It was amusing- which is why I had posted it in the first place- and apparently, thousands of other people agreed.  (As an aside, it's a picture of Jack laying down, legs crossed, reading a book, while waiting for me to change his diaper.  His pose looks like a middle-age man waiting for a bus).  It was popular on facebook, and apparently popular on the "big" Internet.  Okay, two surprises down.  The third was to follow.

The third deals with comments.  After looking at the image, I noticed the comments- 243 of them, to be exact- about the picture.  I expected them to be in the same vein as those it got on facebook ("that's funny," "how cute," "I wish my child would sit so still," etc).  No.  I was taken aback by the variety- and nature- of the comments.  Some direct quotes (profanity warning):
"This kid seems full of shit to me."
"If this kid can read, he can use the toilet."
"he is definitely at least 2yrs old. I was potty trained as soon as I started walking."
"He is, the most interesting toddler in the world. Stay poopy, my friends."
"How old is he, 8?"
"He is displaying symptoms of Gingervitis."
"Tell your aunt/uncle to stop being shitty parents and force that lazy little shit to use the toilet." 
"Wait, the kid knows how to read but doesn't know how to not shit his pants. Your aunt and uncle might want to sort their priorities out a bit."
"kids gotta massive head"
 etc. etc. etc.
Some comments were reasonable, some were intended to be funny, but in general, the comments were along the lines of "this kid is too old for diapers" and "the parents are fools."  The theme was judgment: I was being reviled for my parenting skills . . . which people were basing off a photo to which they had no back-story.  And, as an aside, many assumed my son was 2 or older; he's 18 months.  Fascinating.

The fourth and final surprise deals with propagation.  They call it "going viral" for a reason.  Shortly after we saw the photo, we posted a plea on facebook to have it removed.  We soon determined who did it and that person removed it quickly, but it was too late.  Many other sites had the photo at that point.  Don't believe me?  Google "cousin awaits diaper change" and see for yourself.  Searching google for this exact image yields 95 results.  95 people have re-posted it.  And just think where it will go from there.  It has 2428 "likes" on memeguy.com- how many of those people have sent it along?  Yes, it's gone viral.  My son is more famous than I (or this blog) will ever be.

Reflections

Now, first things first.  The good thing is there was no damage done.  My son's name was not revealed, and our location and other personal information is safe.  That's a blessing, and really the most important thing of all.  The second thing: WOW did we learn some lessons today, and valuable lessons learned at minimal cost are worth sharing.  Here they are:

1) Be careful what you post
Once it's out, it's out.  If you post it on facebook, you may well be posting it to the world.  I confess, I wonder if my son will stumble across his picture 20 years from now, randomly posted on some unknown site.  He well may. 

In the news recently, people have been all spun up about privacy, and their desire for it.  I wonder how many of those same people broadcast their lives themselves all over facebook, twitter, or wherever.  Face it, people: we don't want privacy.  We say we do, but our actions speak differently.  We want people to know, and we want lots of them to know- that's why you probably have facebook friends you don't really know (or even like); you want people to see you.

2) Once it's out, it's totally out
The person who posted the picture did the right thing, and deleted the image right away.  Still, it doesn't really affect much.  It's been posted and re-posted so many times that we'll never track them all down.  The Internet is unstoppable- it's too big, fast, and powerful for any one of us.  It's a virus.  Don't think that snuffing out an initial snafu means that you're out of the woods; you'll never be.  So don't make the mistake in the first place.

3) People are impressively ignorant and judgmental
Okay; I knew this one already.  But it hits home when you see them talking about YOU, and YOUR CHILD, in disparaging ways, without even knowing the situation or background.

I posted the picture on facebook for friends and family.  Here's the background to it: for months, when Jack needs a new diaper, I've put him down on the changing table and given him a book because he likes to look at the pictures- it keeps him from thrashing around while I'm changing him.  In just the last few days, he's started crossing his leg before I change him, assuming "old man" pose, which I just find hilarious.  That's the picture I took, and why.  But here's how people took it- people who don't know me from Adam: they assumed my son got himself up there, picked out a book, was fully literate, and sat there reading for minutes while I did other chores.  Their guesses on his age were mostly off, and in some cases, hilarious.  But that didn't stop them from pronouncing, with certainty, that he was "too old for diapers."  Impressive, the knowledge they can (supposedly) gleam from a picture.  Equally impressive that most people, rather than enjoying it for the humor it was intended to produce, turned it into a judgmental situation.

Our human hearts are extremely dark, and nowhere is that better displayed than the Internet.  We're inherently self-centered, and that often manifests itself in judging others.  "You're stupid; here's why."  "I'm superior, because I don't do ______."   How often do we do this?  How often do I?  I'll definitely think twice in the future . . .

Right.  I'm off to post compromising photos of myself.  Couldn't possibly hurt.

North Wales

Some points of interest in North Wales

Today's area review: Northern Wales.

First Impressions

I've been to northern Wales twice (December 2011 and December 2012).  Both times, I was impressed with the "atmosphere" of the area.  It's difficult to describe, but it just feels different there.  Something almost supernatural, unearthly, ancient . . . yes, it's odd (as am I), but I've felt that way both visits.  I half expected a prehistoric druid to suddenly materialize in front of me.  Part of it may be the weather.  The damp, penetrating chill, combined with a gray mist swirling around ancient castles and graveyards, snaking its way between mountains and over moors, undoubtedly contributes to the tone of the place.

Things to Do

There are really only two things to do in northern Wales:
1) see King Edward's Castles
2) hike/enjoy the scenery

Each is discussed more below.

1) King Edward's Castles
The Normans invaded Britain in 1066, and made quick work of much of (modern) England.  They ran into trouble in Wales, though- and the Welsh would harass them for centuries.  The Norman king Edward I (r. 1272-1307) poured a lot of effort- and resources- into attempting to subjugate the Welsh.  To do this, he had a series of castles built- among them Conwy, Caernarfon, Beaumaris, and Harlech, all of which are in north Wales.  Often, the castles were built along with adjacent towns, and Edward supplanted large numbers of Englishmen to live deep in Welsh territory.  All of the above were built along the coast- which may seem odd, until you realize that such an arrangement allowed them to be supplied from the sea in the event of Welsh attack.

The ruins of King Edward's castles in Wales are some of the most striking castle ruins on Britain.  I've hit 3 of the 4 so far . . . pictures of the 3 follow.  Refer to the above map for location.

Conwy Castle

Note how gray Wales can be.  The above images are identical- except the one on the right had the color removed.  Not much different, is it?

Here you see the view from Conwy Castle (left), and how the original wood floors have long since rotted/been destroyed, leaving multiple floors visible in this tower (right)

Caernarfon Castle

Note the seal above the chair (right); "ich dien" is German for "I serve."

Beamaris Castle
This one was never finished- Edward ran out of money. 

Harlech Castle
This one's not for those who dislike heights.  Situated on a rocky outcrop with a commanding view of the area, Harlech is one cool place- but watch your step.

2) Scenery
The major natural attraction in the north is Snowdonia- a Welsh national park, the highlight of which is Mt. Snowdon- one of the highest peaks in Britain.  The main mountain cannot be accessed by car- just by rail or foot- and both times we visited, we couldn't see the peak due to weather.  We did drive around Snowdonia, though, and enjoyed the scenery; some pictures follow.

Final Thoughts

If you care only for castles, you can do North Wales in a busy day.  If you love the nature, you could spend days- or weeks- hiking around Snowdonia.  Either way, this is a nice area.

Rating: A

The Black Count (Tom Reiss)

Most people know Alexandre Dumas the famous novelist (Count of Monte Cristo, The Three Musketeers, etc).  Not many know, however, that his father (also Alexandre; we'll call him "Alex" here) was a man of no small renown himself.

Alex Dumas was a mulatto- the son of a white Frenchmen and black slave (he grew up in Saint-Domingue- modern Haiti).  After a childhood in the Caribbean, he moved with his father to France, where he eventually rose to the rank of General in the French Revolutionary Army, serving with/under Napoleon himself.  He fought in France, Spain, Belgium, Italy, and Egypt.  Returning from the Nile, his ship was forced to make port in Taranto (modern Italy), where he (and everyone on board) was kept prisoner (without trial) due to that area's anti-French sentiment.  He'd be a prisoner for ~two years, during which France went from revolutionary (and minority-friendly) republic to Napoleonic (and slavery-backing) dictatorship.  Upon his release from jail, he lived the rest of his days at home in France, denied his pension and other rights due to his color.  He was betrayed by the country he had so faithfully served, and died in 1806 at the young age of 43.

This book won the Pulitzer, and it's easy to see why.  It's easy to read, interesting, and informative.  Reiss does a good job providing a lot of back-story on the history of the times- you learn a lot about the French revolution, slavery, sugar production, the French campaigns of the 1790s/1800s, and more.  In fact, there's so much back-story that I was unsure if this was more history or more biography- it's about even.  Reiss did his homework, spending "the better part of a decade" reading through archival material and accessing primary documents never before released.  Overall, an outstanding effort, shedding light on one of the forgotten heroes of the past.  It makes you wonder how many other heroes throughout the ages have been forgotten.  It also shows you where Dumas got some of his material (and inspiration) for The Count of Monte Cristo.

Rating: A

The Lone Ranger

It was universally reviled by critics and panned by audiences, but I went ahead and gave The Lone Ranger a try, anyway.  Turns out, everyone was right: this is a bad movie.

I don't consider myself overly observant, but the first thing I noted upon seeing the trailer was just how similar Tonto looked to Captain Jack Sparrow (of Pirates of the Caribbean fame).  Same actor (Johnny Depp), similar costume, similar personality, similar role . . . not to mention the movie was made by the same company (Disney), director (Gore Verbinski), producer (Jerry Bruckheimer), and composer (Hans Zimmer).  A website even jokingly called The Lone Ranger another name: Pirates of the Caribbean 5- Jack Sparrow Goes West.  It's not inaccurate.

Okay, so there are a lot of similarities between the production of the two movies, but Pirates was great, so maybe The Lone Ranger could deliver, too.  Alas, no.  The action and effects were great- which is to be expected in this day and age- but everything else fell flat.  Plot?  Meandering, not well developed, yet bloated in places.  Some plot devices- fight scenes and the horse, for example- were over-the-top absurd/ridiculous, and I'm generally a fan of that sort of thing.  I haven't seen the original lone ranger TV shows in years, so I don't remember how closely the movie aligns with it- but it doesn't matter.  You can skip this one.

Rating: C-

Edinburgh

Edinburgh Castle, as seen from the north

I'll deviate from my normal and post not a trip review per se, but a city review.  That city would be Edinburgh.  We visited twice- September 2011 and December 2012- and it's easy to see why it's such a popular tourist destination.

Getting Around Edinburgh

One thing I enjoy about this town is just how small it is.  Its population- under 500,000- is well below many other areas in the UK.  It's small, and (I'd argue) can be seen in one (busy) day or two days, tops.  A recommended tourist walking route, with sites of interest called out, is shown below, followed by a brief overview of each of highlighted site.

A possible walking route, showing the highlights of the city

Point A: The view of Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is the obvious highlight of the town, situated at the highest point, and commanding a stellar view in every direction.  If you want the best view of the castle, head to the north side, just outside the park that borders Princes Street.  To boot, the park itself is quite nice, with statues and fountains dotting the landscape.

Point B: The Walter Scott Monument
This won't be for everyone, but if you enjoy one of Scotland's most famous authors, swing by his memorial.  My picture doesn't do it justice.

Point C: Edinburgh Castle
The aforementioned highlight.  Plenty to see and do.  The castle is at the west end of the Royal mile- the mile-long road connecting it with Holyrood Palace.  After the castle, walk down the hill and you'll see plenty of things to occupy you- and cheap tourist shops galore.

Coming out of the castle, you begin the royal mile

Point D: Greyfriars Kirkyard
If you like spooky Victorian cemeteries, swing by Greyfriars.  If you're more tender-hearted, focus on the story of Greyfriars Bobby- a dog who, when his master passed away, lived out the remainder of his days on his master's grave.

Point E: St. Gile's Cathedral
A nice, small cathedral right on the royal mile.  If I recall correctly, you have to pay to take pictures.

Point F: The Real Mary King's Close
Edinburgh is so densely populated that centuries ago, they built "up"- so high that the lower levels became effectively underground.  Interesting.  Nowadays, some of the "underground city" can be toured.  No pictures can be taken during the Mary King's Close tour, if I remember right, so none are posted here.  If interested in the concept, check out a book on the underground town (reviewed here).

Point G: John Knox House
John Knox was a famous person with a really long beard.  He was one of the leaders of the Reformation, and the founder of Presbyterianism (in Scotland).  I've never been to his house, but it's right on the royal mile, so you should check it out.

Point H: Holyroodhouse
The palace of the ill-fated Mary, Queen of Scots, complete with your standard rooms of extravagance, and a nice ruined church/cathedral/abbey attached to it.

Final Thoughts
Edinburgh is worth a day, minimum- but not much more.  It's a nice city with history, scenery, and culture.  Enjoy the sites and sounds of this historic city- and get yourself a kilt if you have the money.

Rating: A