Economies and Economies of Scale
February 1, 2010
Posted by Dan Edelen in : Miscellany, Work Feedback : 27 comments
A brief thought:
When an economy operates locally, everyone in it enjoys some measure of power. But when an economy operates globally, only a select few ever rise to a level of power.
That seems backward, but when you look at the increasing disparity between the haves and have nots in America 2010, it makes perfect sense.
Tags: Economy, Employment, Jobs, Power, Wealth, WorkRelated posts
Joseph Lacy and Mountain Reign
December 10, 2009
Posted by Dan Edelen in : Miscellany, Writing Feedback : 4 comments
High in the hollers of ’50s-era Kentucky, God’s grace rains down on a team of boys and one determined coach in an Appalachian school destined for destruction. In Mountain Reign, author Joseph Lacy blends the best of sports fiction with a touch of the divine as he follows the hardcourt exploits of roundballers who don’t know when they’re outgunned.
Guard Veacher Phelp’s rude upbringing in a coal mining town beset with poverty and darkened by days in the belly of the earth only spurs him onto hopes of victory in Lexington. But his Hazelwood High School Flyers, in their last year as a school, have little hope of beating the powerhouse suburban Kentucky schools—until a Melungeon outcast joins the team.
Coached by Slade Greyman, a WWII vet with a dark secret, the Flyers begin their unlikely rise to the upper echelons of Kentucky basketball in a series of heart-stopping games. But then a litany of injuries, the antagonism of the the local coal honcho, the lure of the opposite sex, the call of the mines, and the revelation of the Coach’s hidden sin threaten to undo Hazelwood’s last chance at glory.
Author Lacy packs his first novel with court-pounding action, glorious mountain scenery, heartbreak, and hope. He portrays a way of life few people know, weaving elements of Coal Miner’s Daughter and Hoosiers into the quintessential Kentucky basketball novel. And his effortless skill at hill country metaphors can’t be matched. Whoever coined the term “turn of a phrase” surely was thinking of Mountain Reign.
If you want evocative writing that epitomizes what sports fiction has to offer, Mountain Reign is a book you’ll adore.
Joe Lacy is a good buddy of mine, the perfect Kentucky gentleman, and one of the quartet that makes up The Write Brothers, my writers group. I had the privilege of reading Mountain Reign as it took shape, and I was continually amazed at Joe’s scholarship and deft phrasing. I hope soon to post Joe’s thoughts on writing in response to my rant on the state of Christian fiction. An interview here may follow.
If you’ve got a sports fan in your household or you get horse rooting for the underdog, you can pick up Mountain Reign from Amazon (just click the link or the book cover). A fine Christmas present and the perfect read to start a new year.
Tags: Author, Basketball, Book, Christian Fiction, Fiction, High School, Joe Lacy, Joseph Lacy, Kentucky, Mountain Reign, Novel, Sports, WriterRelated posts
Musings, Monday Edition
October 26, 2009
Posted by Dan Edelen in : In the News, Miscellany Feedback : 11 comments
While it’s not H1N1, I do have a bad chest cold, so I was down all day Sunday. I missed church, which meant that happened twice this month. Highly unusual.
So I kick off this Monday morning with a variety of musings, the first being health related…
Think Charlton Heston in The Omega Man: The federal government said they would have 120 million doses of H1N1 flu vaccine on hand. Turns out they only had 11 million. I don’t know about you, but that inspires no confidence at all. I mean, if the feds were publicly traded company that reported sales figures that were only 9 percent of what they claimed, the SEC would shut ‘em down and send the principals to jail.
Where’s the holy water!?: H1N1 pretty much blew through my area like an Ebonite Gyro hurled by Mark Roth, knocking down kids like bowling pins (though it seems to have left adults over 40 largely unscathed). Yet for all its supposed intensity, most every parent I have heard from was startled by how mild this “pandemic to end all pandemic” viruses was. Its virulence was solely in its communicability, not in its punch. Meanwhile, we’re now hearing that the vaccine will not be available in any substantial amount in our area for another few weeks. By then, everyone will have had it. Oh well.
The undead walk among us: Todd Bentley of Lakeland “Revival” fame and his new best friend Rick Joyner held a coming out party for the latest Mrs. Bentley. Bene D posts the extraordinary (and worthy) fisking by Rick Hiebert under “Sorry about the Adultery. Please Send Us Money.” Anyone feeling the 28 Days Later restoration vibe on all this?
Dabbling in the malevolent arts: If anyone out there has had experience using CSS3, the “@font-face” command, OpenType fonts, and converting between OpenType and TrueType, drop me a line or leave a comment. And if you know of any WordPress themes that use CSS3, let me know.
Stake through the heart: Churches that die and the people who pastor them. (HT: Peyton)
Mesmerism: Anyone who actually understand the pluses and minuses of Ohio State Issue 2 and its possible impact on small. organic farms such as mine, please enlighten me. The scares from both sides have gotten out of control and left yours truly utterly confused.
Demonic feline devours deacon: The Toys R Us pre-Christmas catalog arrived in the mail this weekend, generating insatiable lust in the hearts of preteens everywhere. Notable for their excess were the $329 pink Cadillac Escalade and $649 dune buggy kid cars. I’m sorry, but considering the state of the world today, if you’re a Christian and you buy something like that for your kid this Christmas, that roaring lion you’ve been warned about just had you for a snack.
Land of the Giants : Speaking of snacks, wouldn’t it be great to open a packaged foodstuff and exclaim in all honesty, “Wow, they’re making them bigger than they used to”?
Dead, buried, and forgotten already: Saw the commentary of all commentaries at my local Kroger: a cart filled with closeout and heavily discounted Michael Jackson souvenirs. There’s s stark lesson there, folks.
Nature red in tooth and claw: They were hiding the kiddies’ eyes in Paul Brown Stadium yesterday. What brutality! Bengals 45, Bears 10. Cedric Benson had 186 yards rushing against his former team. Even a guy like me who doesn’t follow sports will follow that human interest story.
Tags: Bengals, CSS3, Dying Church, Flu, H1N1, Lakeland Revival, Michael Jackson, NFL, Ohio, OpenType, Rick Joyner, State Issue 2, Todd BentleyRelated posts
Looking for an Overview Book on Christianity
October 21, 2009
Posted by Dan Edelen in : Miscellany Feedback : 9 comments
I’d like to locate a book written to a late elementary or early middle school understanding covering the history of Christianity post-resurrection from a primarily Protestant perspective. Unfortunately, I’m not having much luck.
What the book would feature:
1. A basic look at the expansion of Christianity around the globe
2. Highlights of major events in the Church
3. Short biographies of important Christians from the apostles up to the present day
4. Nice layout with easy readability, quality illustrations, and a good amount of intriguing info to keep a child reading
If anyone has any suggestions, I would appreciate it if you passed them along. I’ve been looking at Christianity, which is a typically high-quality Dorling Kindersley book, but I would like to have other options.
Thanks!
Tags: Book, Books, Children's Book, Christianity
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