AWM Media

AWM Media:

"The Arab News (www.arabnews.com) reports that Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is flooded with pirated copies of The Passion of the Christ.

The film is being sold outside supermarkets and from car trunks for $8.00 or less. One vendor said, "My customers don't like subtitled movies, but they are buying this one."

A colleague in the Arabian Gulf writes:
"in just a few short days, more Arab Muslims have been able to clearly hear (and see) the Gospel in their own language than we would be able to reach in a lifetime of ministry in the Middle East. We are just walking around in our own version of a 'shock and awe campaign.'
In AWM, we are being engulfed by a wide variety of responses from all over the Arab World to Mel Gibson's film, The Passion of the Christ."

Go to the URL above to read more... /cj

Hollywood Jesus Newsletter #70 - The Gospel According to Pinocchio

Hollywood Jesus Newsletter #70 -
The Gospel According to Pinocchio:

Contents
1. What's Going on at Disney?
2. The Gospel According to Pinocchio

- The famous Disney animation studios end operation!
- Is Brother Bear the last of Disney's famous animation classics?
- Disney and Pixar (Finding Nemo) part company!
- Roy Disney walks off the board of directors in protest!
- Comcast offers $66 Billion takeover bid of Disney!

What is becoming of the dream started so long ago by Walt Disney?
In this issue of the Hollywood Jesus Newsletter I thought it would be good to look back at that wonderful dream that Walt Disney had. I proudly present to you a review of Disney's Pinocchio by Ken Priebe. Disney's animation was filled with insights drawn directly from Walt Disney's personal study of the Holy Scriptures."

My thanks to Sharon Williams for pointing me to this "highly unlikely" web site that I'd never have uncovered on my own. Intrigued? Check it out by following the URL above to the Hollywood Jesus Newsletter. (While there, you'll also find links to to the Hollywood Jesus DISNEY SERIES By Ken Priebe...

- It All Started With a Mouse
- Snow White-About Snow White
- Pinocchio

Read on! /cj

BreakPoint | An Everlasting Playground

BreakPoint | An Everlasting Playground:

"Many people worry that Mel Gibson's brutal film about the crucifixion of Christ will bring out the worst in all of us. But New York Times columnist David Brooks is much more worried about Mitch Albom, the author whose sentimental story The Five People You Meet in Heaven has spent months on the bestseller lists. Albom, you may remember, wrote the runaway bestseller Tuesdays with Morrie.

"'While religious dogmatism is always a danger,' Brooks writes, 'it is less of a problem for us today than the soft-core spirituality that is its opposite. . . . We've got more to fear from the easygoing narcissism that is so much part of the atmosphere nobody even thinks to protest or get angry about it.' He's right.

"Perhaps the biggest indication of this religious narcissism, as Albom's book demonstrates, shows up in our ideas about heaven. For the most part, rather than being a place where God is worshiped and glorified, Albom's heaven, according to Brooks, is 'an excellent therapy session' — a place where people from our past chat with us about the significance of our lives.'"

Read more about Heaven by clicking on the BreakPoint URL above... /cj

The Muslim Next Door - Women

The Muslim Next Door - Women:

"Since the terrorist attacks of September 11 and President Bush's declaration of war on Iraq a year ago this March, curiosity and confusion among Americans about the religion of Islam has reached an all-time high.

"Yet for Muslim-turned-Christian brothers Ergun and Emir Caner, this challenging period comes with treasured opportunities. Throughout the past three years, these American-raised Turkish brothers, who teach at separate Baptist seminaries and have coauthored two books on Islam, have spoken at churches, conferences, and universities nationwide about their Muslim upbringing and conversion to Christianity. Their hope is to win Muslims to Christ and to share how Christians can lovingly yet courageously present the gospel to their Muslim coworkers, neighbors, and friends. . . "

Visit Christianity Today (URL above) to read more... /cj

Weblog: Coming Attractions - Hollywood wants you now! (Christianity Today Magazine)

Weblog: Coming Attractions - Christianity Today Magazine:

Hollywood wants you now

A few weeks ago, a Newsweek reporter asked an unnamed film studio head, 'Does the success of [The Passion of The Christ] make you think that — '

The studio head interrupted. 'That I should be developing more Jew-hating material?' he asked.

Antagonism to Gibson's film among Hollywood executives notwithstanding, several news outlets are reporting this week on an upcoming tsunami of religious-themed films. That's not terribly surprising as The Passion's box office numbers continue to climb. Earning another $31.7 million or so over the weekend taking it to $264 million total, the film is now #23 on the list of all-time domestic gross earnings, between Shrek and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Newmarket Films expects the final domestic number to be between $350 million and $400 million, which would put it in the top-ten territory of Jurassic Park, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, and Spider-Man, though far below Titanic's $600 million.

So get ready for disciples and false prophets following in The Christ's footsteps...."

Click the site above to get an idea of what Holywood considers "spiritual", "religious" or "biblical" fare. Not surprisingly, it falls far short of Gibson's standard! /cj

BreakPoint | Citizenship "Under God"

BreakPoint | Citizenship "Under God"
The Pledge and the Court
BreakPoint with Charles Colson
March 24, 2004

"Last year, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a district court holding that under God in the Pledge of Allegiance is unconstitutional. The Supreme Court, absent Justice Scalia, who has recused himself, will hear arguments today as to whether to uphold the ruling or allow children and others to continue to recite those familiar words.

"In yesterday's New York Times, columnist David Brooks made a great suggestion for the justices. He assigned as bedtime reading the book A Stone of Hope by David L. Chappell. . . ."

Read on HERE... /cj

Religious Beliefs Remain Constant But Subgroups Are Quite Different (Barna.org)

In case you don't subscribe to The Barna Group newsletter, take the time to click on the link for "the full story" at the bottom of this posting. The annual report is lengthy, but contains some interesting -- and challenging -- information, such as this statistic: "Slightly more than half of all adults (55%) say that a good person can earn a place in Heaven. Only one-fourth of the population (28%) strongly disagrees with the concept of salvation by good deeds." Satan's favorite tool for diverting the children of God from faith and grace is legalism If we can't be diverted through temptation to sin, then encouraging pride and self-righteousness will do the job nicely. /cj

Barna Research Online Home Page:

"Judging from a dozen belief-oriented measures The Barna Group tracks annually, not much has changed in the past decade. Despite all kinds of faith challenging events — terrorist attacks, economic recessions, war, natural disasters, political and business scandals, fallen religious leaders, deadly diseases, popular religious movies — people's beliefs don't change much. However, there are some important patterns of belief related to different population groups revealed in the latest Barna Update report."

Click Here For The Full Story >>"

Supreme Court to hear Oral Arguments in Pledge of Allegiance case on March 24th

Supreme Court to hear Oral Arguments in Pledge of Allegiance case on March 24th:

"(Washington, DC) - The Supreme Court of the United States will hear oral arguments in the Pledge of Allegiance case on March 24th. The American Center for Law and Justice, an international public interest law firm, represents nearly 70 members of Congress and more than 260,000 Americans in an amicus brief filed with the high court in support of the constitutionality of the Pledge.

'The voluntary recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance is not a coerced religious act, but merely reflects the historical fact that this nation was founded upon a belief in God,' said Jay Sekulow, Chief Counsel of the ACLJ. 'The recitation of the Pledge in public schools does not violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment and is part of an American tapestry of patriotic and historical references that date back to the founding of our nation. We are hopeful the high court will reject the flawed legal reasoning of the appeals court and uphold the constitutionality of the Pledge including the words, 'under God.''
Sekulow debated the issue at the National Press Club in Washington on Friday, March 19th and argued that the Pledge and the phrase 'under God' are part of a long list of patriotic and historical references that are part of our nation's heritage.

"You can read the ACLJ brief which urges the high court to overturn the decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit declaring the Pledge unconstitutional."

Strange how quietly this has progressed throught he justice system...are believers asleeep at the switch? /cj

Outsourcing: It's the 'In' Thing (TechNews.com)

Outsourcing: It's the 'In' Thing (TechNews.com):

"Worried that your job in the technology industry is going overseas and you're not invited? Don't fret. One of the nation's largest high-tech associations says that reports of the outsourcing phenomenon are greatly exaggerated.

In a report released today, the Washington, D.C.-based AeA (formerly known as the American Electronics Association) contends that shipping jobs overseas likely will benefit the United States's competitive interests in the long term. . . ."

ZDNet: Printer Friendly - China pulls plug on two blog sites

ZDNet: Printer Friendly - China pulls plug on two blog sites:

"Chinese officials have closed two Web sites used by tens of thousands of people to post online diaries known as 'blogs,' because they carried content deemed objectionable.

Some Chinese Internet users said the Web log sites were shut because one or more personal Web pages carried opinions on a letter from a well-known doctor to China's senior leadership asking them to reassess the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests.

The 'BlogBus' site, where more than 15,000 Chinese Web surfers post opinions and write about their daily lives, has been shut since March 11." [More on the link... / cj]

Do China's leaders really think they can reap the economic benefits of the Internet while controlling every individual user? It's like trying to plug a hole in a dike with rice paper! /cj

Security Scoring Tool (Center for Internet Security - Standards)

Center for Internet Security - Standards

Security Scoring Tool along with the Windows XP Benchmark for Secure Configuration. The XP scoring capability has four levels that correspond with Microsoft's security levels. You can test your system to see how safely configured it is, get a numerical score, and then see what needs to be done to raise the score. (A more complete announcement is at the end of this issue of NewsBites.) Download it free from http://www.cisecurity.org

(But use it to test only your own personal machine unless your employer is a CIS member. Member organizations can distribute it and use it on all the systems they own.)

Enticing Attachments Spell Trouble (TechNews.com)

Enticing Attachments Spell Trouble (TechNews.com):
By Mike Musgrove
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, March 21, 2004; Page F07

"Surely most people have gotten the news by now. E-mail attachments can be bad stuff. Click on the wrong file and you could be installing a bug that crashes your system, makes your financial information available to some guy in Russia or commandeers your computer for an attack on some company's Web site.

"Still, people sometimes have a hard time resisting the urge to click when that strange or unexpected file-bearing e-mail arrives -- even the folks who should know better."

Later in the article, the author, Mike Musgrove, states emphatically that there are NO "safe" e-mail attachments...when will we ever learn? :-( /cj

Post-election "blues" in Taiwan...

Things got pretty exciting around here on election night. President Chen delivered a conciliatory victory speech shortly after the electoral officials announced that he had won the election by a small margin (50.1% to 49.9%). Immediately thereafter, the "Pan-Blue" alliance announced that they were disputing the results of the election and organized sit-in protests outside government offices around the island.

Needless to say, scuffles broke out, and there has been some pushing and shoving going on between supporters of the DPP (Democratic Progressive Party) and the "Pan Blues". Most of that seems to be subsiding as folks settle down to wait for a recount (or two or three recounts?) and for a decision to be made concerning a record 300,000 "spoiled" ballots. (Up from about 100,00 during the last presidential election.) this process could take days, weeks...or months. (Sound familiar to our US friends and family?) the good news is that the Taiwanese electorate really engaged themselves in this process: more than 80% of qualified voters (20 years and older) turned out for the election. Compare that with the turnout in most "Mature" democracies!

Current dissatisfaction among the electorate centers on four areas:
The closeness of the vote (just like last time around);
The possibility of illegalities in the balloting;
The large number of "spoiled" ballots (roughly equal to "chads?")
Theories concerning the shooting of the President and VP and the influence it MAY have had on the election.

"Interesting' times, indeed! However, as Molly and I got out and about on the streets, public places and freeways yesterday, it looks a lot like "business as usual" around Taiwan — except for those who are highly invested in the outcome of this election. /cj

Taiwan's President Chen and VP LU shot during campaigning...

[From an e-mail I sent out shortly after I heard of the shooting]

It's about 4 pm in Taiwan, and Molly and I have just become aware of an event which took place at 1:45 pm in the southern city of Tainan. During this last day of campaigning for the presidency, President Chen and VP Lu were in a motorcade moving down a narrow, crowded street [in his hometown] when the President and VP were shot — President Chen in the abdomen, and VP Lu in the leg. The noise of the fireworks concealed the shots, and the would-be assassin escaped.

The President was not even aware that he had been shot until he noticed the blood on his abdomen. Both the President and VP were rushed to the hospital, and government sources report that both are in good condition, and the president is awake and alert. Government sources also say that tomorrow's voting will proceed as scheduled. [They are.]

I'm writing this before you all see it on the international news and wonder what's going on. We are safe and sound, and, as far as I can see on the local Chinese TV, other than strong shock and disbelief, there does not appear to be any sort of disturbance or violence taking place anywhere on the island. I just spoke with a Taiwanese brother in Christ who attends CCT, and he did not seem unduly alarmed or indicate that he was afraid that wide-spread social unrest would result form this act.

Personally, I can not quite take it in. In the early days of democratic reform in Taiwan, back in the 70's and 80's, there were large and often chaotic demonstrations demanding political reform and the institution a multi-party system. Occasionally, there was property damage -- as when the fire station and police station were burned down in Chungli when we lived there. (That violence, however, was concerned with local election fraud in a closely contested race, and was the result of poor crowd control and overheated emotions.) By and large, the people people of Taiwan showed amazing patience and endurance as political reform became a reality without the need for "revolution."

This assassination attempt simply does not jibe with my understanding or experience of Taiwan as we have come to know it during 34 years of dramatic social and political change. I am sure that it is abhorred by our Taiwanese friends of BOTH parties. I hope, and believe, that this was a random act of violence on the part of a unbalanced individual — at least I hope and pray that this is the case! I certainly shy away from the idea that a foreign power or a political agenda was involved. Perhaps I am hiding my head in the sand, but that's my "read."

Please pray with us for speedy recovery for President Chen and VP Lu. Pray for Taiwan and for our Taiwanese friends and neighbors who must surely be having a difficult time coping with this bizarre incident. And ask the Lord of all nations to bless this country with a spirit of calm and reflection as it's citizens go to the polls tomorrow (Saturday).

Hoping in the King of Kings,
Chuck

PS/ Here is a link to a write-up on the incident from the Washington Post...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A6817-2004Mar19.html

Welcome to US-CERT

Welcome to US-CERT:

"Home Computer Security"

This site, and this page on it in particular, provides excellent guidelines for setting up and maintaining home computer security and ensuring that you are becoming part of the solution to malicious hackers and code writers, and not part of the problem. /cj

Taiwanese President, Vice President Shot (washingtonpost.com)

Taiwanese President, Vice President Shot (washingtonpost.com):
By William Foreman
Associated Press Writer
Friday, March 19, 2004; 3:05 AM


TAIPEI, Taiwan, March 19 -- Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian and Vice President Annette Lu were shot Friday while campaigning for this weekend's presidential election, but their injuries were not life-threatening, a senior official said.

Chiou I-jen, secretary-general in the Presidential Office, said the president was shot in the stomach and the vice president was hit in the right knee while their motorcade was cruising the streets in the southern city of Tainan.

'They did not suffer life-threatening injuries. They urge the public to cool down,' Chiou said at a news conference."

"Petition 2493": Still a Fake

About.com : https://www.family.org/fofmag/cl/a0026166.cfm:
"Petition 2493: Still a Fake

The furor about a fictional petition to stop all religious broadcasting is still going strong -- and now Dr. James Dobson is being pulled into the fray.
by Greg Hartman

You've heard about the boy who died after being pricked with a used needle hidden in a playground's ball pit, haven't you? How about that e-mail from Dr. James Dobson about the petition to outlaw all religious broadcasting? Or the one about NASA scientists who, with a ballistics computer, accidentally discovered Joshua's 'missing day' (Joshua 10:12-14)?
None of these is true: They are urban legends, along with countless other snippets of American folklore. Urban legends are alive and well in the information age. Spreading rumors has always been easy, but now, with e-mail and the click of a mouse, it's possible to forward unsubstantiated information to hundreds of people at a time.
Sadly, some Christians have embraced urban legends, developing a whole catalog of fables that are often used as affirmation of our faith in the Bible or to warn of a threat against religious liberties. The problem is that by uncritically forwarding some of these e-mails, we often violate the command against bearing false witness, and we hurt the church's credibility when we then try to preach a gospel of truth.
Here are a few examples of Christian urban legends:
The petition to outlaw religious broadcasting. Every Christian in America with e-mail has probably received warnings that Madalyn Murray O'Hair, the atheist who took credit for the 1962 Supreme Court case that removed prayer from public schools, has filed a petition with the Federal Communications Commission to outlaw . . . [More at link above]

Let's double check what we forward! /cj

SecurityFocus HOME Columnists: A Home User's Security Checklist for Windows

SecurityFocus HOME Columnists: A Home User's Security Checklist for Windows: "A Home User's Security Checklist for Windows

Most people don't secure their computers or act in a secure manner, and the main reason is that the average user just doesn't know what to do. Here is a checklist on security for home computer users that you can share with your friends, family, churches and clubs.
By Scott Granneman Feb 13 2004 01:33PM PT "

A very useful and, sometimes, revealing read...even if you don't need ALL of it.. /cj

AIM add-on prompts spyware concerns - ZDNet UK News

AIM add-on prompts spyware concerns - ZDNet UK News:

"A game distributed with new versions of AOL Instant Messenger does not respect users' privacy, critics say

"America Online began offering games along with the latest version of its instant messenger, and now some customers are worried that the company is playing with them, too.
People who use AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) have started complaining on AOL message boards and publications such as BroadbandReports.com after software bundled with AIM 5.5 began showing up in 'spyware' scans. The popular chat application includes games from WildTangent, which has a tool that reports back to the company every time someone uses its products."

A good reason to be sure to use a pest/spyware scanner like Ad-aware, PestPatrol or SpyBot to scan your system from time to time! Read on by clicking the link... /cj

For Slain Missionaries, Iraq Was Just Another Place to Help (washingtonpost.com)

For Slain Missionaries, Iraq Was Just Another Place to Help (washingtonpost.com): CARY, N.C., March 16 --

"Friends worried about Larry and Jean Elliott, but they simply would not hear of it.

"The missionary couple had pieced together the remnants of hurricane-splattered shacks in Honduras and filled pitchers with pure water in mountain towns where the pipes ran brown.
Iraq was just another broken place that needed fixing. "

Pictures and more about the Elliots at the link above... /cj

They Died 'Determined to Make a Difference' (washingtonpost.com)

They Died 'Determined to Make a Difference' (washingtonpost.com):

By Karl Vick
Washington Post Foreign Service
Wednesday, March 17, 2004; Page A01
MOSUL, Iraq, March 16 --

"A few hours before being cut down in a city they had come to help, five American aid workers paid a call on the U.S. military base at the edge of Mosul.


"'The ironic thing about the visit,' said Maj. Jerry Heck, 'is they had come to learn security.'
For more than an hour Monday, the Southern Baptist relief workers talked with Army officers about escape routes, emergency communications and the rapidly shifting dangers that have kept most foreign aid agencies either out of Iraq or so far underground that they remain all but invisible.

Then the five visitors -- an older couple whom one officer described as 'big old lovable bears,' an idealistic married pair in their twenties and a 38-year-old veteran of Iraqi relief work -- squeezed into their double-cab pickup truck and drove off. Hours later, three were dead and a fourth was mortally wounded from a barrage of the automatic-weapons fire that defined a fresh area in Iraq's danger zone. "

Read on about these gentle Kingdom Servants by clicking on the link above... /cj

News: What's Up With the Ugly Baby? - Christianity Today Movies

News: What's Up With the Ugly Baby? - Christianity Today Movies:

"'Please explain the symbolism in the scene showing Satan holding a bald baby. Thank you.'

Rosalinda Celentano as Satan
passion-1.jpeg

"That's just one of dozens of e-mails we've received in the last few days, asking about a surreal scene in The Passion of The Christ where Satan is shown cradling a hideous baby who looks like he's about 40 years old."

Read on by visiting the link above... /cj

Different perspectives on the Spanish terror attacks and election results...

A friend e-mailed me the two perspectives (reproduced below) concerning the terrorist bombing and the elections in Spain. It seems to me that, even if they are right in their assessment of the significance and consequences of these two related events for Spain and the rest of "Old Europe," they still seem to ignore one very obvious implication: For the first time, Al Qaeda (or whomever) can point to a concrete instance in which they were able to swing an election dramatically through terrorism.

And it doesn't really matter whether or not one was actually a consequence of the other, though it seems undeniable. Does anyone really believe that these events will fail to cause such groups worldwide to step up the planning and execution of terrorist acts to influence public opinion around election times? Whether or not the surprise defeat of Jose Maria Aznar can be directly attributed to the terrorist attacks, it certainly will be seen that way by terrorist organizations worldwide, and they will certainly seek out opportunities around the world to "test" their malicious hypothesis! /cj


-----Original Message-----
From: Rees, Benjamin
Sent: Wednesday, March 17, 2004 9:00 AM
To: Johnston, Chuck
Subject: From a different perspective

Was the Spanish voters' choice really a capitulation, or just a decision to try a different approach? -- perhaps a more Christ-like approach? It's worth thinking about. Here are two articles that present a view different from Colson's.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Saturday, March 13, 2004
Why Europe will not panic

GWYNNE DYER
Taking the relative size of Spain and the United States into account, Thursday's terrorist atrocities in Madrid amounted to about half a 9/11 : almost 200 dead and more than 1,400 injured in a population of fewer than 40 million. Spain's people and government are very angry, and they want to see the terrorists punished. They also want to be safe - but not at any cost.

There are claims that the attacks were the work of al Qaeda, although at the time of writing the Spanish government still believes that the bombs were planted by the Basque separatist group ETA. Let us assume for the moment that it really was ETA's doing. Here are three things that the Spanish government will not do, no matter who is running it after tomorrow's election.

First, it will not declare "war" on the ETA terrorists and send the Spanish army in to occupy the Basque provinces of northern Spain. Dealing with terrorists will remain a job for the police and intelligence services, operating within the normal confines of Spanish law.

Second, it will not arrest thousands of Basques suspected of supporting ETA and whisk them away to a prison camp in some out-of-the-way place where they will be beyond the reach of the Spanish courts, and can be held indefinitely without any proof of wrongdoing.

Third, it will not invade and occupy the neighbouring Basque-speaking provinces of France, just across the Pyrenees, even though Basque militants over the years have made much use of that sanctuary to rest, re-arm and plan new attacks.

In other words, the Spanish government will not lose its balance. A terrible thing has happened, but it knows that responding with illegal violence and repression would just drive lots of innocent and law-abiding Basques into the terrorists' camp. It also knows that while Thursday's attacks killed about one in 200,000 of the Spanish population - compared to one in 100,000 Americans who died in 9/11 - that is still not a tragedy big enough to justify turning the whole country upside down.

Why does the entire Spanish political class, right and left alike, think like this? Because in 36 years of dealing with relentless ETA terrorist attacks, they have learned a good deal about fighting terrorism. There were serious abuses of civil rights by governments in Madrid at times, and at one point there was even a dirty war of targeted assassinations against ETA leaders. But as time passed, almost everybody in Spanish public life realised that the important thing in fighting terrorists is to keep life as normal as possible. Do not overreact, do not break your own laws, and never, never let the terrorists seem more important or dangerous than they really are.

Right now, the rest of Europe is hoping that the attack in Madrid really was carried out by ETA and not by al Qaeda, because in that case it is a purely Spanish problem. If it should turn out to be al Qaeda, however, they will not turn their countries upside down in a vain attempt to make them safe. They will tighten security where it can be done without disrupting daily life. But they understand that you cannot prevent every terrorist attack, and should not make that the standard by which you measure a policy's success.

They will respond this way because they have learned that you can live with terrorism. Indeed, you may have to live with it for long periods from time to time, and get on with the rest of your life regardless, because terrorism is the natural weapon of weak but fanatically determined groups. There will always be some of those around, and some of their attacks are bound to get through. Terrorism is a technique, not an ideology. It is equally available to the extreme left and the extreme right, to religious and to secular fanatics, to national minorities of every kind - and Europe has seen them all. Britain had the IRA, Germany had the Baader-Meinhof gang and their friends, Italy had the Red Brigades and the right-wing counter-terror, and France has had various waves of terrorism going all the way back to the Algerian war. But terrorism is not a very effective technique: none of those groups succeeded.

What the target countries have learned from this long and miserable experience is patience. They have realised that if you just ride it out and do not panic, the terrorist campaign will eventually peter out as circumstances and intellectual fashions change, or at worst as a new generation rebels against the ideological obsessions of their parents. Meanwhile, do what you sensibly can to stop the attacks, and for the rest, endure. The statistics are on your side: you are dozens of times likelier to die in a car crash than to be killed by terrorists.

European governments don't ever put it this bluntly to their citizens, but in fact the citizens know it anyway. That is why most ordinary Europeans see al Qaeda and its Islamist allies as just another wave of terrorist fanatics, less familiar ideologically but no different in essence. So Europeans are not going to panic.

Gwynne Dyer is a London-based independent journalist.



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Tuesday, March 16, 2004
Bombing fallout will spread far beyond Spain

MARY ANN BENITEZ
Some European observers have portrayed Spain's election result as the beginning of a new isolationism - and a delusional one at that - because it will not necessarily make the continent any safer. Yet there is another way of looking at the resounding turnaround in fortunes for Jose Maria Aznar's defeated government.

The victory for the Socialist party led by Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero is a surprise. Before this week, Mr Aznar had been presiding over one of Europe's fastest growing and most confident countries. He was also a stalwart supporter of the United States' decision to invade Iraq a year ago. The only question seemed to be the margin by which the prime minister's handpicked successor would be voted into office.

But that was before last week's bombings in Madrid. Mr Zapatero's party was voted in on the back of promises to withdraw Spanish troops from Iraq and, by implication, to move away from an alliance with the US in favour of closer ties with "old Europe", as represented by France and Germany.

These events do not have to result in European isolationism or put security at stake. On the contrary, there have already been calls for European ministers to meet and co-ordinate a response to the bombings and terrorist threats. The Socialists' intention to withdraw troops from Iraq should the United Nations not take over by July does leave those countries closely allied with the US in its war on terrorism more isolated. And it will shift the centre of gravity within a European Union that is divided over whether to take that American leadership for granted. All the indications are that Spain will now cast its lot with France and Germany, both of which objected to the misguided American idea of going into Iraq without a United Nations mandate.

This does not mean that the EU must now turn inward and away from the world. This choice does not really exist, and the Madrid bombings, now being attributed to members of the al-Qaeda network, are proof of this. It is entirely possible, however, that the new European balance opens the way for EU members to articulate their own response to the terrorism threat, one that provides security for its citizens but does not blindly follow all of the US policies in the name of fighting extremism.

These events are unfolding as the UN Commission on Human Rights is about to meet. Among the proposals to be discussed will be a mechanism for monitoring how countries treat terror suspects. European representatives may argue forcefully in favour of these measures.

There are also implications beyond the fight against terrorism: Mr Zapatero has already indicated a willingness to move ahead more quickly on writing an EU constitution. The project has been stalled for months, in part because of Spanish opposition over voting rules.

The Madrid bombings and the election results could also have ripple effects far beyond Spain and beyond Europe. Britain's Tony Blair, facing an election early next year, may have to face a public grown weary of the occupation of Iraq and continuing questions over the original justifications for the war. Allies in Asia, namely the Philippines and Australia, are unlikely to waver, despite last week's events. But at least in Australia there is renewed debate over the risks inherent in being seen as a close ally of the US.

For democratic governments in Italy, Poland and Australia, as in Britain, there is no ruling out the possibility this will become an election issue. Opposition parties hoping to win should be prepared to say how the war on terror can be won without exacting a high cost at home. Rejection of American policies alone will not be enough.


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BreakPoint | An Ill Wind from Spain

BreakPoint | An Ill Wind from Spain:

"There is a white flag blowing in the breeze over the beautiful city of Madrid. Muslims, who once fought a bloody war to occupy much of Spain -- which they did for centuries, have now done it with a few bombs, an ominous portent indeed."

The tragic and evil event of last week in Spain has been compounded by the capulation of the Spanish people to the will of Islamic extremists. Read Chuck Colson's article for more... /cj

TIME - Charles Krauthammer - Why 9/11 Belongs in the Campaign

TIME - Charles Krauthammer - Why 9/11 Belongs in the Campaign: "Sunday, Mar. 07, 2004

"The Bush re-election campaign apparently thought it was going 'positive' with its first advertisement, highlighting the President's post-9/11 leadership. But the reaction from some families of 9/11 victims has been decidedly negative and very public. 'The idea that President Bush would rally support around his campaign using our loved ones in a way that is so shameful is hard for me to believe,' Rita Lasar, who lost a brother, told the Washington Post. 'For the most part,' said another relative, Kelly Campbell, '9/11 families are very sensitive to someone using the images of our loved one's death for their own ends.'

"Let us be clear about the commercials. There is nothing graphic. No bodies. No blood. No names. This is not the Passion of 9/11, just iconographic images that we all remember, including the solemn bearing of a coffin and views of the devastation.

"Is this off-limits? Beyond the bounds of decency?"

Read on...and judge for yourselves... /cj

Water in a microwave can be dangerous-Truth!

Water in a microwave can be dangerous-Truth!:

"The writer of the email says his or her 26 year old son was scalded by water that erupted from a container after being heated in a microwave. The son experienced severe burns. The writer warns that water should never be heated by itself in a microwave and quotes a science teacher who says the eruption was because the water was heated in a new container that lacked scratches on the sides to allow bubbles to accumulate and be released. The email also quotes a doctor who treated the injured son as saying that theses incidents are fairly common."

Common sense and a few precautions lessen the danger. Read on by clicking on the link... /cj

Anger Management - Women

Anger Management - Women: "Anger Management
3 questions to ask before you respond in wrath.
by Mayo Mathers


"The frosty night held only a hint of moonlight as I wound up the dark mountain road with my teenage sons, Tyler and Landon. We'd been visiting my mother who lived several hours away. As we crested the summit, I smelled something burning. I pulled over and Tyler jumped out to take a look.
'Uh, oh!' he groaned, peering under the car. 'This doesn't look good.'"

Read on at the URL above... /cj

LangaList Std Edition 2004-03-08

LangaList Std Edition 2004-03-08: "2) A Virus Warning from the Langa List (Fred Langa)

"There's a malicious worm that's been around for a while, but that exploded last week; it masquerades as a message from an ISP or web site--- Verizon, AOL, and others; even from me ('Dear user of Langa.com e-mail...' or something similar). The email usually arrives with a password-protected Zip file attachment that contains executable files. The email text tells you how to open it to 'protect yourself from spam' or to 'reset your email account' or some such.

"DO NOT OPEN THE FILE! It's not really from me--- or Verizon, or AOL, or whomever. No responsible party will *ever* send you an executable file, unasked for, out of the blue. I certainly will never, ever do so.

"In this case, the file is a trojan designed to infect your system. The worm-writers placed the payload in a password-protected file to try to hide from some anti-virus tools. They also crafted the worm to do an unusually good job of spoofing the formats and headers--- it can look quite legitimate, at first glance.

"At first, I was amused when I got emails addressed to me from 'The Langa.Com team.' Well, the 'Langa.Com team' is just me, and I knew I didn't send the message, so I knew it was a fake and deleted it. (My systems here never were infected by this worm; no infected mails originated from me.)

But I then got hundreds more copies of the worm--- and many of you did, too--- and it was no longer funny.

This particular attack seems to have started from a user at Centurytel.net, but it's hard to say for sure. In any case, don't be fooled: JUST DELETE THE FILE AND THE EMAIL. In fact, that's a sensible precaution for any unasked for attachment that shows up in your mail: When in doubt--- any doubt at all--- toss it out."

More information (from the Symantec/Norton Antivirus people): http://langa.com/u/3j.htm

If you think you've been infected, a free removal tool is available from Symantec at
http://langa.com/u/3k.htm

I have heard of this kind of attack, but, until now, have not been the object of it. I'm forwarding this to all of you so that you can be forewarned. DO NOT OPEN ANY SORT OF EXECUTABLE FILE OR ZIP FILE ATTACHMENT THAT you DID NOT SPECIFICALLY REQUEST. SUCH ATTACHMENTS OFTEN INCLUDE VIRUSES OR TROJANS THAT CAN DO DAMAGE TO YOUR COMPUTER OR TURN IT INTO A SLAVE FOR VIRUS DELIVERY. Your antivirus application may not catch the virus in it because it has been "zipped." (My anti-virus, for example, found the e-mail to be "virus free". At the very *minimum*, check with the sender before you even think about opening such a file. If that's too much trouble, delete it.


I received the message which follows in an e-mail asking me to open and run a "security" file. Fortunately for me, the sender was a dead giveaway: "support@johnstonz.net". You see, "johnstonz.net" is MY personal domain, and I am the ONLY "support team" for it and the only administrator.


You, on the other hand, could possibly receive the same sort of message from "support@hotmail.com" or "support@yahoo.com" or "support@hinet.net", etc. and believe that it really came from your Internet Service or E-mail Provider. IT DIDN'T!


How do I know? SUPPORT OR SECURITY E-MAIL E-MAIL FROM A REAL ISP OR LEGITIMATE SOFTWARE COMPANY WILL *NEVER* CONTAIN AN ATTACHED EXECUTABLE OR ZIP FILE UNREQUESTED! They will ALWAYS refer you to a web site for a download if there is a security update. Even then, you should double check before going to a web site and downloading a file....LEGITIMATE URL's CAN BE "SPOOFED".


So, if you receive a message like the one that follows, ignore it or check with your ISP. The fact that I received this at all means that someone out there with my e-mail address in their address book is infected already. Better update your antivirus software run a virus scan! :-(

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----Original Message-----
From: _support@johnstonz.net_
Sent: Friday, March 12, 2004 8:07 AM
To: chuckmolly@johnstonz.net
Subject: E-mail account security warning.


Dear user of Johnstonz.net,

We warn you about some attacks on your e-mail account. Your computer may
contain viruses, in order to keep your computer and e-mail account safe,
please, follow the instructions.

For details see the attach.

For security reasons attached file is password protected. The password is "51582".

Kind regards,
The Johnstonz.net team http://www.johnstonz.net

[NOTE THIS!!! MY ANTIVIRUS DIDN'T CATCH IT!!!]---

Incoming mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by ........................................................................
Version: / Virus Database: 393 - Release Date: 3/5/2004


Here's another faked security warning the Paul Moreland recevied ...........
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here's another one for your collection.... same situation as yours, I'm the administrator. I can't believe the idiotic stories they come up with.... and that folks will actually believe them. :-(


Dear user of "Sacm.net" mailing system,

Our main mailing server will be temporary unavaible for next two days,
to continue receiving mail in these days you have to configure our free
auto-forwarding service.

Please, read the attach for further details.

In order to read the attach you have to use the following password: 51582.

Have a good day,
The Sacm.net team

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AND ANOTHER ONE!

Dear user of Co.za,

Your e-mail account will be disabled because of improper using in next
three days, if you are still wishing to use it, please, resign your
account information.

Please, read the attach for further details.

For security purposes the attached file is password protected. Password is "78075".

Have a good day,
The Co.za team http://www.co.za

Hollywoodreporter.com

Hollywoodreporter.com:

"'Passion' power: Before Newmarket Films' mega-blockbuster launch of Mel Gibson's 'The Passion of the Christ,' insiders were speculating that the controversial film might hurt Gibson's acting career.

Although some wondered if he'd ever work again, as it turns out the real question is whether Gibson will ever need to work again given 'Passion's' divine profits. Not only has 'Passion' managed to turn around what was a decidedly lackluster year at the boxoffice, it's also impacted on Hollywood in ways that are likely to alter how the film industry does business for years to come. "

washingtonpost.com: Firms Look to Limit Liability for Online Security Breaches

washingtonpost.com: Firms Look to Limit Liability for Online Security Breaches:

"In the face of ongoing attacks by computer hackers, some companies that store their customers' personal data are adopting a new defensive tactic: If your information is stolen, they're not legally responsible.
Across the Internet, retailers and other service providers that handle consumer transactions are requiring customers to agree to waive any right to sue the companies if the businesses are hacked, regardless of how secure their systems are.
The waivers are contained in lengthy terms-of-use agreements that consumers often click to accept without reading closely."

Truth Or Fiction - email reality check - verify rumors

Truth Or Fiction - email reality check - verify rumors:
"TruthOrFiction.com...your Email Reality Check!

Check out rumors, inspirational stories, virus warnings, humorous tales, pleas for help, urban legends, prayer requests and calls to action to see if they are TRUTH! or FICTION! "

Just a Closer Walk ? with the Historical Jesus - Christian History & Biography

Just a Closer Walk ? with the Historical Jesus - Christian History & Biography: "Just a Closer Walk ... with the Historical Jesus

"Mel Gibson's movie raises again the question: How much can we know historically about Jesus' life and times?" By Chris Armstrong

"The Passion of the Christ looks to have secured its place financially among the movies that have grossed the most during their opening week. Its $23.5 million first day's take puts it in the company of Peter Jackson's 'Lord of the Rings' series and the latest 'Star Wars' movies.

"While it is a good bet that many of those attending the movie this week are Christians, it is also a good bet that many do not share Gibson's conservative Catholic piety or evangelical Protestants' theological commitment to seeing Jesus' act as one of substitutionary atonement.

"This is just another reminder that the American fascination with Jesus --which begins with his Passion but radiates out to every aspect of his life and times -- transcends theological camps."

Click on the link above to read the entire article. /cj

"Burn, flip, burn" disc labeling

COOL! /cj

"Burn, flip, burn" disc labeling: "HP's January launch of LightScribe at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas may do to Sharpie pens what PowerPoint did to overhead projectors. LightScribe Direct Disc Labeling is a technology portfolio that will allow consumers to inscribe professional-quality labels directly onto optical media, such as CDs and DVDs, during the burning process."

STLtoday - "Southern Commercial Bank may have compromised the privacy of more than 40,000 customers

I thought that some of our friends in Missouri would be interested in what happened at Southern commercial Bank... /cj

STLtoday - Business - Story

"Southern Commercial Bank may have compromised the privacy of more than 40,000 customers - and may have violated state and federal guidelines - by e-mailing unsecured personal data to an independent computer programmer.

The information included bank account and Social Security numbers as well as addresses for the customers, who have demand deposits and loans. Demand deposits include checking, savings and money market accounts..... "

"A list of common infected applications and clean alternatives"

Articles - The home of Spybot-S&D!

"I've just started this list to answer all those questions about alternatives to spyware-infected applications. I will update this list from time to time as I come across other examples...."

Barna Research Online - "some significant shifts in religious behavior"

Barna Research Online:

"(Ventura, CA)From year to year it is difficult to notice much change in people's religious behavior. But a new nationwide survey completed by The Barna Group, a research firm in Ventura, California, indicates that there have been some significant shifts in religious behavior during the past decade -- and especially in the western states."

The T.W.I.N.K.I.E.S. Project

Strictly speaking, this should have been posted to my "Hammerz Humor" list, but...in a moment of weakness, I guess...I just HAD to "share" it on my, weblog as well. (Thanks to Marlys M. for calling this "useful" site to my attention!)

The T.W.I.N.K.I.E.S. Project: "T.W.I.N.K.I.E.S. stands for Tests With Inorganic Noxious Kakes In Extreme Situations. T.W.I.N.K.I.E.S. is a series of experiments conducted during finals week, 1995, at Rice University. The tests were designed to determine the properties of that incredible food, the Twinkie. "

Gary Hogan / Cindy Hogan Prayer Request - Netlore Archive

The following bit of "net-lore" that just entered my Inbox is an EXCELLENT example of why we all need to take the time to verify EVERY request for help or prayer that originates with someone not known to us personally. When I need to "vet" an e-mail, I copy a key or relevant phrase from the e-mail into Google's search window and usually find out quickly how accurate and timely it is. Of course, NOT showing up in a list of net-lore or urban legends, doesn't guarantee that it the appeal is "for real." So, whenever possible, I attempt to contact the subject of the e-mail; when I can't verify by either method, I don't send it on. Read on...

"Do prayers still work when they're made on behalf of the wrong person in the wrong place at the wrong time? I don't know. Perhaps it's a question only a theologian can answer. What I do know is that an awful lot of prayer time and energy has been expended in the name of cancer victim 'Cindy Hogan,' wife of 'Gary Hogan,' neither of whom, strictly speaking, exist. "

Read the full story here... Gary Hogan / Cindy Hogan Prayer Request - Netlore Archive

Morrison Academy Personnel needs (Fall, 2004 and beyond)

Thought that this might be of interest to those of you with teaching degrees who would enjoy ministering through teaching outside the USA. /cj

-- The note below is from Morrison Academy's Superintendent:

The Lord is providing teachers for next year as 18 of our 24 open positions have been filled or have candidates who we believe will come. The remaining positions are the following:

middle school math (MAK)
high school Spanish
high school math (2)
high school PE
biology including AP biology

Although we have initial possibilities for these among the 172 preliminary applications in our database, we are requesting that you let Jeff Sheppard know if you have contacts in your home country that would be good prospects. You could be the key to getting the right person to join in the ministry of Morrison.

Jim Hawthorne

Note: Contact MA's director of Human Resources, Jeff Sheppard, at sheppard@mca.org.tw if interested. /cj

-- on a strange reluctance to view "The Passion" (from our #3 daughter)

Dear Dad,

I can relate to not wanting to see The Passion of Christ…maybe not wanting to be deeply moved and convicted like I suspect I will be. I also don’t want my Christ to be just a spectacle (that is not a commentary on the quality of the film…just the hubbub of its coming out). Well, I guess that when Christ was crucified it was a spectacle, our shame on Him, public humiliation, quite a hubbub!

I believe God will use this film for evangelism, however, some who do not already know Christ may simply not “get it”. I think perhaps that if unbelievers are brought to Christ by this film, it may be because of the part this film could play in returning believers to our First Love. Again, I think perhaps that if unbelievers are brought to Christ by this film, it may be because of believers examining our hearts, denying ourselves, taking up our cross daily, and following Christ, in his passion.

On the other hand, it is being salt and light that causes a hubbub against “little Christs” in the world. I hope we become more and more controversial (in a Christ like way), and that we will count suffering as nothing compared to God’s glory, and to the excellence of knowing Christ as our Lord and Savior.

Jenette

Remote Insecurity:
How business travelers risk exposing their companies when remotely accessing company networks

"In this study we examine the risk of unauthorized access to corporate networks due to password theft and related network security incidents that can occur when a business user is traveling and using the Internet from public access points.We constructed a scenario described to represent a typical business user traveling to a conference.In this scenario we examine several situations where the traveler uses the Internet to access various forms of information through typical password-based authentication mechanisms.We examine this scenario for the security implications,specifically looking for conditions where passwords could be stolen and used for unauthorized access by an attacker."