Here's a story you won't see on the news -- GetReligion: "Kill the Nazi!" and other examples of offensive free speech. Many on the Left think that "they" are "tolerant" and the Right is not, but they are no better.

Fr. Rob Johansen gives an excellent analysis of the Church's teaching on persistent vegetative state (PVS) in a response to Commonweal magazine.

The woes continue --Sex-abuse lawsuits vs. diocese rise to 20. I don't see the diocese avoiding bankruptcy now.

Please pray for the repose of the soul of Norma Shea, Mark Shea's sister-in-law, who passed away last week.

Cheers for yet another bishop speaking out. Check out this column by Bishop Galeone of St. Augustine, Florida:

“Can an avid proponent of abortion-on-demand be at the same time a Catholic in good standing with the church?” I answer that question by asking another: Can an avowed racist be a member in good standing of the NAACP? For similar reasons, there are some positions so extreme that they would bar one from being considered a good Catholic, not because a specifically Catholic teaching is being denied, but because a basic tenet of the natural law is being trashed. As members of the human family, we must obey the natural law, written on our hearts: “You shall not take an innocent life.”

God bless 'im! Thanks to Fr. Rob Johansen for the link.

Yay! The Star is reporting that In-N-Out Burger will be opening a location in the Tucson area next year. This could be dangerous to my waistline!

Okay, maybe only geeks like me are interested in this stuff. Today's Star has a neat article on wastewater treatment: Going with the flow.

35 years ago today ... "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." It was probably the first "news" event that I can remember well. CNN says 'Giant leap' opens world of possibility.

Over on Slashdot there's a good discussion on a $1,000,000 coding error and its effects. Since I work in the software biz and manage a QA group, such issues are of great interest to me. The Slashdot discussion is perhaps more telling than the news story. Generally when problems like this come up, there's no one person to blame -- so having the development lead, or the QA lead, or whoever "fall on his sword" (as some in the Slashdot discussion suggest) doesn't really accomplish much except make the customer and/or upper management feel better. Usually these things are the result of multiple failures -- process failures and the failures of individuals. Fixing those is difficult but it can be done.

Music for Mass
SSPP Latin Schola 
Sixteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year C

Prelude: Tu Es Petrus (Palestrina)
Gathering Song: I Heard the Voice of Jesus (KINGSFOLD)
Penitential Rite: Kyrie (Chant Mass)
Gloria: (Chant Mass)
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 15 (Dominican tones)
Gospel Acclamation: Chant (Dominican tones)
Preparation of the Gifts: Sicut Cervus (Palestrina)
I Have Longed for Thy Saving Health (Byrd)
Holy,Holy: Sanctus (Chant Mass)
Memorial Acclamation: (Chant Mass)
Great Amen: (Chant Mass)
Our Father: (Traditional Chant)
Lamb of God: Agnus Dei (Chant Mass)
Communion: Ave Verum Corpus (Chant, St. Pius X Hymnal #38)
Meditation: Ave Verum Corpus (Byrd)
Recessional: I Sing the Mighty Power of God (ELLACOMBE)
 

Another Episcopal Spine Alert -- Denver Archbishop says those who Support Abortion "Rights" Cannot be Catholic: "He then became more blunt. 'It's not a religious principle; we're not against abortion for religious reasons. We're against it because it kills babies. No one should tell us to be quiet about that any more than we were quiet about segregation. It's very important that we're active; we encourage our people to vote their conscience. That's not interfering with the government.' "

Thanks to Mark Shea for the link.

I came across an interesting blog today, Deus Volent. Check it out. The author is going to be a freshman at Thomas Aquinas College, one of the best Catholic schools in the country (if not the world).

An interesting article -- The Empy Cradle Will Rock. The author claims that the Democratic Party's support of abortion (and, more importantly, abortions by Democrats) cost the party the 2000 election and will cost more in the future. It's an interesting analysis.

Thanks to Fr. Johansen for the link (he thanks Mark Shea).

Another instance of what Mark Shea calls Episcopal Spine Alert -- New bishop conforms to strict Catholic law. The new bishop of Richmond is cleaning house, God bless him.

Thanks to the lovely Jeanetta for the link.

Today is the 20th anniversary of my mother's death (July 13, 1984). Rest in peace, Mom. I love you & miss you.

There's a big article in today's newspaper on the Diocese of Tucson's potential bankruptcy. The diocese claims that the parishes' assets don't count as diocesan assets, but of course the abuse attorneys think they are. If they are counted as diocesan assets we are all in a world of hurt, as the Church in Tucson may wind up grinding to a halt. It's scary.

This is interesting -- there's an uproar from some lay ministers in the Diocese of Baker, Oregon concerning this document from Bishop Vasa. Not surprisingly the dissenters are mouthing the usual platitudes that it's a "litmus test" and "unpastoral", blah blah blah. It makes perfect sense to me that those who are catechists should accept the Church's teaching! There's an article here on the dissenting reaction.

An interesting discussion on Slashdot -- VAX Users See the Writing on the Wall. It's in reference to this Computerworld article on how VAXen are slowly being phased out. I have been using VAXen since 1982 or so, and still own several of them. The hardware (and OpenVMS, the OS) are terrific. VMS is a very powerful, elegant, well-designed system. It's one of those examples of how to Do Things Right.

On Thursday my coworker Frank Riley set off on his bicycle. Destination: Iowa, and the annual RAGBRAI. Now my company's website is documenting the Life of Riley.

Short stuff..

I paid off my car yesterday. YAY! It's a good feeling. I have lots of other things I'd rather do with the money..

I have to catch up posting music from 6/13, 6/26, and 7/04. I'll back-post it and post a pointer for those interested.

When you thought you'd seen it all -- check out theamazing bar code clock. Something only a geek could love!