Latest news with #Psalms
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Dear James: I'm Not Very Punk Rock
Is anything ailing, torturing, or nagging at you? Are you beset by existential worries? Every Tuesday, James Parker tackles readers' questions. Tell him about your lifelong or in-the-moment problems at dearjames@ Don't want to miss a single column? Sign up to get 'Dear James' in your inbox. Dear James, I'm not very punk rock. Not even a little. I'm well into middle age and experiencing my first taste of the many small indignities sure to come. I wear sensible shoes with gel insoles scientifically designed to relieve the pain and discomfort of plantar fasciitis. I have long and detailed conversations about insurance. And yet, in my heart, I believe that all is mendacity. That virtue is impossible. That the system crushes us all beneath its relentless wheel. I tell hilarious jokes about the cruel pointlessness of existence and receive only blank stares in return. If the world were to perish in flames, I'm pretty sure it would be no more than it deserved. So my question to you is simple: Is this any way to live? Also: Can you recommend any good bands? Dear Reader, You are punk rock to the tips of your gel-cushioned toes, my friend. Don't worry about that. I'm sorry that nobody's digging your nihilistic humor. Maybe work on your material a bit, soften the edges, angle it a touch toward the mainstream? Day-to-day discourse, in my experience, can absorb a remarkable amount of savage absurdism, gags about doom, and so on (this stuff is highly relatable!)—as long as you don't come off as aggressive or out of your mind. As long as you don't come off too punk rock. To your larger point: How are we to live, make our way, proceed in the world when so much of said world is clearly an evil farce? (Huge pause while advice columnist slurps his coffee, stares out the window, and considers the question.) The punk rockers were not the first to have this insight, of course: The poets and the prophets have always known it. No one is more punk rock than the unknown author of Ecclesiastes. Or John Donne. Or Sylvia Plath. Or the author(s) of the Psalms, in certain moods. The trick, I think, is to use this world-withering vision as a stimulant rather than as a philosophical end point. Don't let it shut you down; let it wake you up. Use it to sharpen your senses and file your encounters to a keen edge. As in: It's all bollocks and everyone dies, but wow, this bag of Dunkin' Donuts Snackin' Bacon tastes amazing. Or: It's all bollocks and everyone dies, so why don't I help this elderly person with her shopping? Use it, this flame of disgust, to refine your language! Regarding bands, I have one word for you: Godflesh. (Cue sound of Godflesh fans across America falling to their knees in grateful assent.) It's all there. The beauty, the horror, the low end that purges your bowels, the guitar tone that scrapes the plaque from your heart. Start with Hymns. Wanting to be sedated, James Dear James, What are some great movies that have come out this year? Dear Reader, The last great movie I saw was Friendship. Profoundly awkward person (Tim Robinson) is absorbed at dizzying speed into charmed friend circle of smooth bro (Paul Rudd) and then—even more abruptly—rejected. At which point he shouts, in despair, 'You made me feel too free! You accepted me too quickly!' Genius. Feet up in the back row, James By submitting a letter, you are agreeing to let The Atlantic use it in part or in full, and we may edit it for length and/or clarity. Article originally published at The Atlantic
Atlantic
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Atlantic
Dear James: I'm Not Very Punk Rock
Editor's Note: Is anything ailing, torturing, or nagging at you? Are you beset by existential worries? Every Tuesday, James Parker tackles readers' questions. Tell him about your lifelong or in-the-moment problems at dearjames@ Don't want to miss a single column? Sign up to get 'Dear James' in your inbox. Dear James, I'm not very punk rock. Not even a little. I'm well into middle age and experiencing my first taste of the many small indignities sure to come. I wear sensible shoes with gel insoles scientifically designed to relieve the pain and discomfort of plantar fasciitis. I have long and detailed conversations about insurance. And yet, in my heart, I believe that all is mendacity. That virtue is impossible. That the system crushes us all beneath its relentless wheel. I tell hilarious jokes about the cruel pointlessness of existence and receive only blank stares in return. If the world were to perish in flames, I'm pretty sure it would be no more than it deserved. So my question to you is simple: Is this any way to live? Dear Reader, You are punk rock to the tips of your gel-cushioned toes, my friend. Don't worry about that. I'm sorry that nobody's digging your nihilistic humor. Maybe work on your material a bit, soften the edges, angle it a touch toward the mainstream? Day-to-day discourse, in my experience, can absorb a remarkable amount of savage absurdism, gags about doom, and so on (this stuff is highly relatable!)—as long as you don't come off as aggressive or out of your mind. As long as you don't come off too punk rock. To your larger point: How are we to live, make our way, proceed in the world when so much of said world is clearly an evil farce? (Huge pause while advice columnist slurps his coffee, stares out the window, and considers the question.) The punk rockers were not the first to have this insight, of course: The poets and the prophets have always known it. No one is more punk rock than the unknown author of Ecclesiastes. Or John Donne. Or Sylvia Plath. Or the author(s) of the Psalms, in certain moods. The trick, I think, is to use this world-withering vision as a stimulant rather than as a philosophical end point. Don't let it shut you down; let it wake you up. Use it to sharpen your senses and file your encounters to a keen edge. As in: It's all bollocks and everyone dies, but wow, this bag of Dunkin' Donuts Snackin' Bacon tastes amazing. Or: It's all bollocks and everyone dies, so why don't I help this elderly person with her shopping? Use it, this flame of disgust, to refine your language! Regarding bands, I have one word for you: Godflesh. (Cue sound of Godflesh fans across America falling to their knees in grateful assent.) It's all there. The beauty, the horror, the low end that purges your bowels, the guitar tone that scrapes the plaque from your heart. Start with Hymns. James Dear James, Dear Reader, The last great movie I saw was Friendship. Profoundly awkward person (Tim Robinson) is absorbed at dizzying speed into charmed friend circle of smooth bro (Paul Rudd) and then—even more abruptly—rejected. At which point he shouts, in despair, 'You made me feel too free! You accepted me too quickly!' Genius. Feet up in the back row, James
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Jacksonville Rabbi, wife speak in wake of attack at DC Jewish Museum
JACKSONVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) — Two Israeli Embassy employees were shot and killed Wednesday night, May 21, 2025 as they left the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington DC. One local Rabbi in Jacksonville, Rabbi Yerachmiel Altman of Congregation Anshe Toras Chesed, said while many people may be afraid in the midst of the attack, he's staying brave. 'We have to find ways that we can all work together towards peace, towards living together,' Rabbi Altman said. Rabbi Altman said connection with others is important. He and his wife, Sara, said when people are divided by something like religion or race, or anything, that's when it can lead to tragedy. 'I feel that there are a lot of people that are actually encouraging anti-Semitism today,' Sara Channa Altman said. 'We need to stop it before someone really gets hurt. We have had two people that were gunned down and more people could have been impacted when the gunman went into the Jewish museum.' After the attack, Rabbi Altman said many people may be afraid but he invites them to join him. 'We're, we're here. We're here 24/7. We actually have a group every night that says Psalms,' he said. 'And I would say about two-thirds of them are people local and a third of them are all over the country, in fact, all over the world.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pollution can't kill Iowa fish if the fish are already dead
Every time I read about a manure spill, oil spill, or chemical spill somewhere in Iowa I see the sentence: 'No dead fish have been observed.' Of course not. There were no live fish in Iowa prior to the spill because Iowa creeks and rivers are full of manure, oil, and chemicals. Marty Ryan, Des Moines Why vote for a hypocrite? Merriam Webster defines 'hypocrite' as 1. a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion; (and) 2. a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings.' State Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott meets both definitions. In her campaigns for state Legislature, and now for Congress, Trone Garriott features her role as a Lutheran pastor. As such, she would be expected to uphold the biblical teachings that God 'didst form my inward parts, thou didst knit me together in my mother's womb (Psalms 139:13), and knew us even "before I formed you in the womb' (Jeremiah 1:5); that 'thou shalt not kill'; and 'It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.' Luke 17:2. Yet, she sees the killing of an unborn child as merely a 'deeply personal, private health care decision.' She has claimed that 'The near-total abortion ban is devastating reproductive care in our state, putting lives at risk.' If she is actually concerned about 'lives at risk,' why zero concern for the unborn child threatened with abortion? To use one's position as a Lutheran pastor and to claim a concern about 'lives at risk' while supporting abortion are the actions of a hypocrite. Her positions are consistent with her designation as a 'Planned Parenthood champion' but wholly inconsistent with being a Christian pastor. Donald W. Bohlken, Indianola I have questions about the headline 'Auditor questioned over his role in $27M judicial branch misallocation' in the May 2 Metro & Iowa section. The headline clearly implies Auditor Rob Sand is a party to, if not complicit in, mismanagement of funds under the judicial branch's control. But the story explains exactly the opposite. It states that Sand wasn't informed of the misallocation, wasn't asked by the judicial branch to investigate the problem, and didn't have the necessary computer coding personnel in the auditor's office to solve it. Meanwhile, a few Republican legislators, with an assist from the Register, are attempting to connect Sand to this mess. Could it be the legislators are better served by stirring up a deceptive story backed by a colorful headline because it provides such a juicy, and misleading opportunity to diminish Sand as the jockeying begins for the 2026 state election cycle? Frank McDowell, Spirit Lake This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Real Christian pastors don't support abortion rights | Letters
Irish Daily Star
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Daily Star
13 of the most expensive, over-the-top foreign gifts Trump has received from world leaders
President Donald Trump has received some serious criticism over the last few days for allegedly accepting a $400 million plane from Qatar. President Donald Trump has received some serious criticism over the last few days for allegedly accepting a $400 million plane from Qatar. The alleged "gift" comes after the president expressed his annoyance that Boeing has failed to deliver a brand new Air Force One after several delays. Trump, who once bashed the nation in 2017 for allegedly "funding terrorists," is set to take possession of the plane during his trip to the Middle East this coming week. Previous reports indicate that Trump also allegedly toured a Boeing 748 owned by the Qatar Royal Family earlier this year at Miami International Airport. The plane was a 12-year-old model that had previously served the Qatar royal family and then was operated by a company in the Isle of Man, according to two aviation websites. However, this is not the first incredibly expensive gift that Trump has received from other world leaders. 85-Piece Mar-a-Lago Porcelain Dinnerware Set President Xi Jinping of China reportedly gifted the Trump family a porcelain dinner set during a 2017 visit to Mar-a-Lago in Florida. It was reported that the 85-piece dinner set is valued at a whopping $16.250. It was reported that the gift also featured images of Mar-a-Lago's pink exterior. Ruby and Emerald Pendant Necklace Diamonds might be a girl's best friend, but this ruby and emerald pendant, which was gifted to the U.S. president by Saudi Arabia's King Salman, is surely considered to be beyond a normal gift. Priced at an eyewatering $6,400, the pendant was given to Trump in 2017. It was reported that the pendant now resides in the National Archives. Gold-Plated Fighter Jet Model While Pendants and dinnerware might be a nice touch to show off, nothing screams "America" quite like having a gold-plated fighter jet to show off. As you may have guessed, Trump received one such model from Bahrain's Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa. The model, priced at $4,850, comes with fully loaded missiles and rockets. Trump received the gift to celebrate Bahrain's close military ties with the United States, especially its role in hosting the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet. Bronze Oryx Statue Crown Prince Mohamed bin Zayed of Abu Dhabi reportedly gifted Trump a bronze sculpture featuring three oryx, valued at $3,700 and made by William & Son of London. The animal, which is native to Africa and the Middle East, has long been associated with the region and is often used in art and official symbolism. It is unknown why the crown prince gave Trump the statute. However, it joins the long list of expensive gifts given to Trump. Personalized Book of Psalms While Trump has always touted his religious beliefs, the president was reportedly given his own book of Psalms by Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz when he visited the Western Wall in Jerusalem. The book is reportedly valued at $4,500. Produced by The Jerusalem Art Binder, the book was made for Trump as he was the first sitting president to make the journey. So the gift served both as a formal gesture and a record of that moment. Gold and Diamond Necklace In addition to the personalized book of Psalms, Trump also received a $5,800 gold and diamond necklace from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The gorgeous piece of jewelry, which now also resides at the National Archives, was presented in a cream box marked with gold symbols. Mother-of-Pearl Nativity Scene During his time as president, Trump received numerous religious gifts, including an incredible mother-of-pearl set depicting the birth of Jesus Christ. The set was reportedly a gift from the Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III. Each of the pieces measures about 24.5 inches and features carved figures gathered under a shooting star. Neo-Byzantine Nativity Scene and Mother-of-Pearl Portrait Perhaps one of the greatest religious gifts Trump has received was theNeo-Byzantine Nativity Scene and Mother-of-Pearl Portrait from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. The portrait was presented to Trump when he and his wife, Melania, visited the country. The painting was crafted on wood and framed in gilt silver with deep green and cream accents. In addition, the world leader also gave the Trumps a portrait of Melania printed on mother-of-pearl panels and framed with colorful inlays. Mont Blanc Writing Set While a picture might be worth a thousand words, why not try to write a thousand with the Mont Blanc writing set that was gifted to the U.S. president by former German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Valued at $5,264, the set came with a 149 fountain pen, an augmented paper and screenwriter pen, and sharp, polished stationery. Gemstone Portrait Gifted to Trump by Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, the $1,880 gemstone portrait of the U.S. President is reportedly set against a bold American flag, and Trump's beaming face was brought to life in shimmering stone. Louis Vuitton Golf Bag and Photographs It's a well-known fact that the U.S. president likes to golf. Trump's love for the sport was probably increased when French President Emmanuel Macron gifted Trump the $8,275 gold back in August 2018. In addition to the bag, Macron also gave Trump a set of striking black-and-white photographs featuring soldiers in front of the U.S. flag, which offered a powerful tribute to their shared military past. Bronze Arabian Horse Sculpture The Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa of Bahrain once again seemed to ply the U.S. president with expensive gifts. This time, Al-Khalifa gave Trump a $7,200 bronze sculpture of an Arabian horse. Given to Trump in 2019, the horses reportedly symbolized the heart of Middle Eastern tradition, and the gift celebrates Bahrain's equestrian heritage. Black Stone Double Frame Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi reportedly presented Trump with a striking gift of an intricately carved double frame made of black stone. Priced at $4,450, one side of the frame showed Trump's image while the other displayed Egypt's coat of arms.
