Rant of the day - Magic, Technology...

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic
- ARTHUR C. CLARKE [ source: CIOL - CyberTimes News Daily ]

Google for magic and IT

see also: my other blog on quotable quotes: Library & Information Science Quotations


And, my review: Harold Billings Magic and Hypersystems: Constructing the Information-Sharing Library American Library Association, 2002.
Information Resources Management Journal, 18(3), 88-91, July-September 2005

Multifaith Stacks: Reading Between the Shelves

People are fond of reading between the lines. And, librarians are not just fond of shelf reading, rather religiously adhere to this as a best practice. A question is how often librarians get an opportunity to read between the shelf reading process? I have no clue. Do you know if any librarians read between the shelves?
The bottome line: In the words of William Faulkner, “Read, read, read.”

Got the new ALA catalog in the mail yesterday, and my 3-year-old son was going through each page yelling: "READ! READ! READ! READ! READ!" through each spread of READ posters. His take: "This is a FUNNY magazine. Why does it say READ so much?" continue reading

I think it is a reminder from to stay current with best practices.

I found one interesting book (thanks to Prof. A Neelameghan):

Reaching Out to Religious Youth: A Guide to Services, Programs, and Collections (Libraries Unlimited Professional Guides for Young Adult Librarians Series) by L. Kay Carman (Editor), Libraries Unlimited (2004) ISBN: 0313320411; Table of Contents @ bn.com

Book Description
Do religious teens in your community think your library has "nothing for me"? Shouldn't your library be actively embracing all of the diverse populations in your community? For many the teen years are times of intense spiritual and religious growth. Public libraries, charged with serving all facets of their communities, must reach out to all people, including religious youth. If that prospect seems daunting, this book can help. It provides you with a vision and a plan for enhancing your library service to religious teens with pertinent information that helps you understand the different belief systems and traditions of various religious groups and practical guidance for developing services and collections to serve their needs. Chapters cover the major religious groups in the United States today: Protestant, Evangelical, Catholic, Latter-day Saints, Orthodox Christianity, Seventh-day Adventist, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, and Hindu. In each chapter, a snapshot summary introduces you to the basic aspects of the religion, such as origins, beliefs, and practices. A discussion of the history and core beliefs and values follows. After describing common misconceptions and stereotypes, the authors detail the formative experiences of teens in these groups, and discuss what types of services they need in the library. Advice on building your collection is accompanied by helpful booklists; and ideas for services and programs supplement the resource. Lists of pertinent publishers and helpful Web sites make this an invaluable guide.

About the Author:
L. KAY CARMAN is Youth Services Librarian at Hillsboro Public Library, Oregon. She also serves the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter-day Saints as a Stake Relief Society Education Counselor.

Reviews:
From School Library Journal
This resource belongs in the office of all librarians who want to understand the religious backgrounds of their patrons and thus serve them better. Many librarians have at least a basic understanding of Christianity and Judaism but lack knowledge of some of the other major religious followings, and thus aren't sure where to obtain appropriate materials. continue reading:

see also:

information seeking behvaior and reading between the shelves

An article “The loneliness of a conservative librarian” by David Durant, in Chronicle of Higher Education – Libraries, [includes author’s reaction to ALA’s position following the 9/11 event.]

Christian Librarianship: Essays on the Integration of Faith and Profession
by Gregory A. Smith (Editor), Donald G. Davis (Foreword by). McFarland & Company, 2002. Table of contents

Working in the Virtual Stacks: The New Library and Information Science, by Laura Townsend Kane

Multifaith Issues From Other Blogs - Update No. 9

This post as usual includes views, news, opinions and comments, from Web Logs, Weblogs, blogs, etc.:

Updated 22 July 2006

CHECK IT OUT: see the comments on a blog post "How vast is our God?"

God - Fact or Fiction? Part One, Life In Many Parts,

Does number eight spell disaster?, Yojana Sharma (HindustanTimes.com), New Delhi, July 18, 2006
Is there a common thread between Indonesian tsunami (July 17, 2006), Kashmir earthquake (October 8, 2005), Mumbai floods (July 26, 2005), Gujarat earthquake (January 26, 2001) and the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami (December 26, 2004)? Indeed, it is number eight - the number of Saturn.

Looking to prevent a fire? Hire a goat. By Allison Hoffman in San Diego (California, US) | Tuesday, 18 July , 2006
When it comes to preventing brush fires, a charming brown-and-cream goat named Tim Buck might give Smokey Bear a run for his money.
With fire season under way, residents of a San Diego neighbourhood devastated by the 2003 Cedar Fire have commissioned Tim and 350 of his friends to eat their way through chaparral encroaching on newly rebuilt homes...
Hiring the goats was the brainchild of Reimus and Jerry Mitchell, a retired Navy pilot who nearly lost his home in the 2003 fires. Mitchell founded the Fire Safe Council — a sort of Neighbourhood Watch program for fires — in the Scripps Ranch area of San Diego, and helped Reimus set up an offshoot group.

7/11 fallout: Blogsites jammed
According to government sources, the decision to ban the sites was taken following intelligence reports that the Internet was being used through these websites to fuel hatred among people.

Great Moments in Religion: 1, by Mitchell Stephens at July 13, 2006
Universe created on October 23, 4004 BCE. This is from A Geological Miscellany by G. Y. Craig and E. J. Jones: continue reading

Carnival Against Islamofascim
My proclivity to find out what everyone is thinking brings us the Carnival Against Islamofascism. While its true that there may be posts and opinions that offend your tastes and prejudices, remember, that interaction and synergy is far more of an effective remedy and method of persuasion than rolling your eyes and putting up a virtual middle finger...
Also, I am working with Aziz to get the Carnival of Brass off the ground. It will be blogistan's most comprehensive Islamic carnival. You know why? Cuz the big boys have signed up. Namely, Aziz and me (that's right, time for some much needed daily self-congratulations -- attaboy Ali E).
Finally, check out Faith Commons Dot Org. A site for all religions. full article More on: blogistan

[PFBC] Roundtable: What Is Progressive Religion?
The evening roundtable featured three fabulous bloggers,teachers, spiritual leaders and mentsches: RabbiArthur Waskow from The Shalom Center, Pastor Dan Schultzfrom Street Prophets, and Reverend Bruce Prescott from Mainstream Baptist. Tags: Aggregated Blogs;  progfaithblogcon

AIDS CareTeam Training at Multifaith Works (Seattle, WA)
Attend a training for Multifaith Works' AIDS CareTeams! CareTeams are groups of 7-14 volunteers who are matched with an individual or household affected by HIV/AIDS (referred to as CarePartner(s)). The teams may be based out of a church/spiritual...

The unbearable contrast of present and past
Here is a monument in the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie that could loosely be described as a "multifaith affirmation of stuff:" Majestic, isn't it? It's not a patch on Sargent's Triumph of Religion, of course; but then, few things are
The religious maelstrom of (Religious blogs) mode...
The religious maelstrom of (Religious blogs) modern Russia THE multifaith gathering which Patriarch Alexi II summoned in Moscow this week as a prelude to President Putins G8 summit reflects the immense diversity of religions in Russia.

More news from Feedster;,   Blog Heaven;   Faith Commons

See also

Multifaith Issues From Other Blogs - Update No. 8 Update No. 7; Update No. 6; Update No. 5; Update No. 4; Update No. 3; Update No. 2; Update No. 1

Technorati Tags: Multifaith; Comparative religions; Religious tolerance

Deep Thoughts - Writing on the White Board

Two things amaze me from a post (given below); viz., first it is about the human desire to learn anyhow, anywhere, anyways; and second, it shows the creative visualization of a blogger to capture the tacit and make it tangible (that it gets traffic, is an interesting observation). Moral of the story: Every information its reader.

Deep Thoughts, posted by m.m.a., The Hospital Librarian, June 16, 2006
Everyday the white board outside of our hospital chapel has a new inspirational, thought-provoking, timely quote for passersby to read. It's a busy hallway and many people make a point of checking it out, including myself. The quotes aren't always of a "religious nature" (whatever that may mean) and they've featured words from Oprah to Moses and everywhere in between.
I was pleasantly surprised today to find this quote from the infamous Jessamyn West. Read the quote

See also my blog on quotations

Technocrati tags: Inspiration; Care givers; Spirituality.

Multifaith Issues From Other Blogs - Update No. 8

This post as usual includes views, news, opinions and comments, from Web Logs, Weblogs, logs, and other logs:


"We're more spiritual than we think. Eighty-four per cent of Canadians identify with a religion or religious group. Sixty-two percent of us believe angels exist."

This week, Maclean's presents the 2006 Canada Day Poll, an exclusive 30- year national survey that paints a startling picture of our lives - and reveals the real legacy of the baby boom. Plus, the 20th Maclean's Honour Roll, a celebration of Canadians doing exceptional and commendable work at home and in the world.
The Maclean's 2006 Canada Day Poll, conducted over a period of three decades by University of Lethbridge sociologist Dr. Reginald Bibby, charts how Canadians have transformed ourselves from a relatively homogenous group into one of the most progressive and pluralistic societies in the world. Based on Bibby's findings, Senior Editor Lianne George examines the change in popular Canadian attitudes since 1975, and the beliefs that make us who we are. Continue reading How Canadian Are You?

Liberating Relationships, Jeannine Caracciolo,

The understanding of this “being with” has recently changed to recognize the need for give and take on both sides. We now call these “mutually liberating relationships.” As Gordon recognized, well-intentioned Christians have often substituted service and good works for a true closeness with others. This service mentality may prevent us from being open to receive a blessing as eagerly as we give a blessing. continue reading Liberating Relationships

Where theology meets life, by Jason S. Evans, 29 Jun 2006

Calvinists and Lutherans have a basic doctrine that I don’t believe is held by any other major world religion. That doctrine is total depravity. The “total” doesn’t mean that humanity is as evil as it can be at all times like some silly comic book villain. It means that we are corrupted from head to toe. Though we can do good deeds for each other, they are generally for our own self-interest. It also means that we are born this way. We aren’t born perfect with a morally clean slate and are turned bad through our environments, instead we are born corrupt with a natural tendancy towards selfishness. Category Tag: Theology & Religion, Culture

Original Blessing, Rev. Debra Haffner, June 29, 2006

I'll be leading a multifaith worship service on Saturday morning, called "Standing on the Side of Love." This is my third worship service at an AASECT annual meeting; several people told me tonight that it's the only religious service they go to each year. That feels like a big responsibility. Continue reading Original Blessing

A Shared Experience: Working Together with Muslims, Christians and Buddhists, wanderer, June 26, 2006

The 24th of June marked a Multifaith Community Event which brought together youth groups from 3 separate religious faiths to build dialogue and cooperation between them.
Building Bridges: A Multi-Faith Community Service Event was organized by the Religious Youth Service, Australian Islamic Council, Carmelite Monastery, the Loreto Sisters, and Fo Guang Shan Temple.

A Muslim Philanthropic Culture 26Jun06

SAFspace draws our attention to an interesting article about Toronto’s Jewish community and their philanthropy. She writes:
A colleague once told me of a hospital that had designed a state-of-the-art multifaith room with funds from donors of the various faith communities in Toronto. The walls of the room were etched with the names of donors, few of whom were Muslims. Category Tag: charity, society

Multicultural Issues:

Concessions vs. compromises with "folk religion" Akram's Razor - Svend White's blog ... June 28, 2006

Was reading about theology when I should be updating some technical specifications for the IT project I'm working on when I came across some intriguing observations about Christian faith and its tensions with popular practice that I think could be fruitfully applied to Islam. Category Tag: Christianity, Religion Continue reading Concessions vs.

Comparing US Muslims to European Muslims A very interesting article in The Economist.

Theological work.. finished? NextReformation Blog, by len, 1 Jul 2006

“Reformed theology is always reforming according to the word of God in order to bear witness to the eternal truth of the gospel in the context of an ever-changing world characterized by a variety of cultural settings: theologia reformata et simper reformanda.”
Karl Barth (Evangelical Theology) argues that we must always begin anew. Barth argues that all our discourse, like language itself, is relativized in view of the overwhelming reality of God. Category Tag: theology, emergence; Continue reading theological work.. finished?

the Bible is (somewhat) culturally conditioned by DJ, 28 Jun 06

a fallen world? Category Tag: community; Continue reading this postmodern theology post ginkworld.net

Does Charity Choke Justice?, David Hilfiker, inward/outward, July 1st, 2006

There are no quick fixes, and the most common reason for quitting is discouragement. But we have little choice. Within an unjust society, there are limitations to our charity; we need to join others in the struggle for justice as well. It is a fundamental requirement of our faith. Continue reading Does Charity Choke Justice?

Message & Medium Issues :

Friend of information, enemy of thought, Andrew Careaga, July 02, 2006
In this essay on ChristianityToday.com's Books and Culture subsite, Alan Jacobs laments the rareity of serious debate and in-depth discussion in the blogosphere and chalks it up to "what Lawrence Lessig calls the 'architecture' of the online work, and more specifically of blogs." Continue reading from FaithCommons.Org

Very Helpful New Bible Reference: The HyperConcordance, emergesque: a faithmaps blog June 16, 2006.

Leadership Formation and the Declining Cost of Information, By Stephen Shields, Next Wave

The Internet brought two innovations to mass communication. It dramatically lowered the cost of platform – today in the West almost anyone can reach millions through blogs or websites. And the new online medium also enabled information purveyors to interact easily with their audience. Furthermore, information collectors and transmitters can interact as peers, synergizing with one another for superior results (this also has profound implications for how the church can now do theology). Category Tag: Continue reading Leadership Formation and the Declining Cost of Information

Five Sins of Email, Seekersdigest.org
(1) Not being clear
(2) Going on and on
(3) Sending huge attachments
(4) Writing poorly or being too curt
(5) Not using clear subject lines. Category Tag: Technology; Continue reading Five Sins

Many Saudis Question Action Against Imam for Laptop Sermon, 29 May 2006.

A number of Saudis has questioned the decision of the Ministry of Islamic Affairs to take action against the imam of a mosque in the Asir province for using his laptop to deliver a sermon.
The Saudis point out that the ministry’s decision to punish the imam is unfair as it implies a break with modern technology and complete reliance on more than a 1,400-year-old traditional approach to the preparation of sermons.

Meera Jasmine sends funds for ‘purification’

With authorities of the Raja Rajeshwara temple near Kannur deciding to carry out purification rituals following a recent visit by Malayalam film star Meera Jasmine, a non-Hindu, the actress on Sunday remitted Rs 10,000 towards the cost of the rites.

Yoga guru in trouble

LOS ANGELES: Indian-origin yoga guru Bikram Choudhury, who has popularised his own version of the ancient practice in the US, has been accused of violating building and fire safety norms at his studio here.

Previous entries:

Multifaith Issues From Other Blogs - Update No. 7; Update No. 6; Update No. 5; Update No. 4; Update No. 3; Update No. 2; Update No. 1

Technorati Tags: Multifaith; Comparative religions; Religious tolerance

East and West, Noah’s Ark Connects + Darren Aronofsky's Noah

This post is updated, March 27, 2014.

• 
  
• What's current: Has Noah's Ark Been Found? Aggregated News reports, Christian Archaeology Team Believes It Has Found the Ark, 06/30/2006
• Darren Aronofsky's Noah: Aronofsky talks interfaith filmmaking, test screenings, etc. How accurate is Hollywood's version of Noah - Patheos; Darren Aronofsky’s Noah faces ban in Muslim countries;  'Noah' Banned in Several Middle Eastern Countries;  How Darren Aronofsky and 'Noah' Got The Ark Wrong, And So Did Just About Everyone Else, forward.com / The Ark Before Noah: Decoding the Story of the Flood By Irving Finkel; 5 Reasons Why Atheists Should Look Forward To Noah - Krank.ie ; The 'Terror' of Noah: How Darren Aronofsky Interprets the Bible  + Google News for much more 

"I can't imagine what it could be if it is not the Ark," said Arch Bonnema of the Bible Archaeology Search and Exploration (B.A.S.E) Institute, a Christian archeology organization dedicated to looking for biblical artifacts. Continue reading from "Has Noah's..."» or from ABC NEWS

The East and West Connection:
Measuring Noah's Ark
Noah's Ark
A Floating City
SURVIVING LEGENDS
Prepared By
Father - Son Team

Throughout history legends regarding the great Flood have abounded and have survived in all regions of this world.

The Mesopotamian region

Chinese tradition

Egyptian traditions

Ancient India tradition

Ancient Greek mythology

Babylon

The Romans

In The Americas

In Persian traditions

Nevertheless, speculation is speculation. The true design criteria, size, and other details will have to wait until Noah's ark is uncovered. Until then, perhaps the landing site might be investigated further. After all, until people recognize the landing site one cannot see the actual remains of Noah's historic ark ... the ship whereon our ancestors survived. [Continue reading from Measuring Noah's Ark]

See also: Enjoy Brian's Annex
Where Yesteryear's Treasures Arise