Problems with State Pension Funds

No surprise here. The New York Times has an article on the problems of state pension funds and the efforts of state governments to cut back benefits. It wouldn't hurt to detach pension funds from Wall Street either.

Plenty of states are talking about extending the retirement age to 67. By the time I'm 67 in 11 years, people will be working till their 70 and I'll be one of them.

Touchdown Jesus Burns--Church Refuses to Take Hint

The famous statue of Jesus along I-75 in Ohio--Touchdown Jesus--burned down as a result of being struck by lightning last evening.

The famous King of Kings statue at the Solid Rock Church in Monroe is no longer after a fire destroyed the popular landmark Monday night.

The 62-foot tall statue of Jesus constructed out of styrofoam, wood and fiberglass resin caught on fire after the right hand of the statue was struck by lightning during the severe thunderstorms around 11:15 p.m.

If I were a member of Solid Rock Church, I would be interpreting the destruction of the statue as a sign of God's disfavor. It's hard not to notice the parallel between Touchdown Jesus and the destruction of Sodom and Gommorah, or the destruction that Jesus forecast for Jerusalem in the Gospel of St. Matthew.

But instead, the church seems intend on rebuilding.

King of Kings was constructed in 2004 at a cost of $250,000. It was designed by a Knoxville, Tennessee, artist, built in Jacksonville, Florida, and transported to Monroe for assembly. Leaders of the 4,000 member congregation said they saw the statute as a way to give people hope, not just impress them.
Church officials say the statue will be rebuilt and they will go forward with their July 4 celebration in a makeshift manner.

Of course, if the Solid Rock Church wants to continue down the road to ruin, they shouldn't just settle for rebuilding the statue. Why not create a multi-piece Jesus installation and add a "Dunking Jesus" in honor of the NBA, "Rapping Eminem Jesus" in honor or popular music, and an "NRA Jesus" wearing camouflage gear and carrying an AR 15.

That would really get the attention of everybody driving down I-75.

It would get God's attention as well.

That is, if there's a God.

Sarah Palin: Hating Feminists, Shooting Mama Grizzlies

The "Sarah Palin wants to own feminism" story doesn't want to go away. Ross Douthat claimed in a Sunday Times column that Sarah Palin and the recent surge of primary victories for Republican women are a "happy consequence" of feminist progress. But the whole idea that Sarah Palin can claim to be a feminist annoys Amanda Marcotte to no end. As Marcotte points out, Palin is part of a long line of wealthy, white conservative women who have vociferously opposed feminism while still taking advantage of progress for women.

In my mind, the problem with Palin goes further than that. Palin gave her "Mama Grizzlies" talk to a group of anti-abortion activists and was emphatic about uncompromising opposition to abortion rights.

Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin told a group of women who oppose abortion rights that they are responsible for an "emerging, conservative, feminist identity" and have the power to shape politics and elections around the issue of life.

Speaking to a breakfast gathering Friday of the Susan B. Anthony List in downtown Washington, Palin urged more than 500 audience members to back only those candidates for public office who are uncompromisingly opposed to abortion.

Palin might also have said that she's opposed to equal pay for equal work, laws against sexual violence, and opposition to the beauty culture and the attendant eating disorders, plastic surgery, and the like. Like most conservatives, Sarah Palin is opposed to almost everything associated with feminism and probably hates most feminists even as she claims to be a feminist.

Of course, Palin wouldn't have any trouble shooting "mama grizzlies" even as she claims to be one.