Pasadena Star-News: Nonprofit to reveal solar panels: That would be us/Harambee. I’ve got to contact the newspaper with a few corrections. In the story it says that the panels will provide 70% of all our energy needs. The panels will provide 70% of the energy needs for one of our properties (1609 Navarro), but we own 6 properties, and it will not affect the other 5. So to do a very rough calculation (live-blogging style), the panels will provide a little over 10% of all our energy needs. Also, in the version of this story that’s in print, there’s a nice photo of the panels being installed, but in the first page, left side, it actually says that Harambee is the first agency in the area to be completely powered by the sun, and that’s just not the case (see note above). I’ll send these corrections into the paper this morning. Over all, though, it’s great to get some attention to this topic and this event at Harambee.
Brian McLaren’s comments on evangelism at Lambeth 2008 (scroll down): Interesting, I didn’t know Brian would be there. Big, big things are happening at this meeting. You can keep up with the developments at Anglican Mainstream.
John Edwards in National Enquirer: Ok, I don’t usually link to NE stuff. But when you read the Mickey Kaus (Slate blogger) account of Edwards’ alleged love child, then follow his links, you start to wonder if, in fact, the Enquirer hasn’t scooped the entire national press corps. So think about it as reading a respectable blogger - Kaus - and not the Enquirer. Here’s the link to Kaus’s blog. Go there and start scrolling, if you are interested.
Hey Obama-voters: Here’s a fun one for you to shred and deconstruct: “[Obama] Too young for the No. 1 job?“
In 1789, the average life expectancy of a newborn was about 40 years, compared with about 78 today. A lot of this was because of infant mortality, but in 1789, even the average life expectancy of every man who reached age 18 was only about 47. This suggests that at best a 35-year-old age limit in 1789 might have functioned then about the way a 55- or 60-year-old age qualification would function today. On this account Obama may be old enough to drive and buy a glass of white wine, but he has a way to go before he can run for president.
Of course, by the same criteria, Dubya should not have been President, either.
This entry was posted
on Wednesday, July 23rd, 2008 at 8:11 am.
July 24th, 2008 at 7:45 am
This isn’t to defend whether Obama is or isn’t old enough, but to challenge the logic of including the life expectancy in that statement. Average life expectancy may have been significantly lower back then, but life expectancy among wealthier classes has always been significantly higher than the general population throughout history. The founders tended to come from wealthier classes.
Take it with a grain of salt given it’s from Wikipedia, but the entry there on the Founding Fathers has a discussion of their longevity. According the article, the average age of death amongst the founders was 67, or 20 years longer than the general average. I assume that the founders thought the leaders of the country would primarily come from their class rather than the yeomen.
Benjamin Franklin died at the age of 84. Washington was 57 when he entered office and died at 67. Adams was 90 when he died and was 61 when he became President. Jefferson lived to 83 and was 57 when he became President. Alexander Hamilton died at 49, but then again, he was shot.
August 3rd, 2008 at 11:30 pm
I totally agree with that age thing. The wisest and most awesome president we ever had was also the oldest one! Yay Ronnie! I’ve actually heard actual live people this week say that they thought McCain might be too old! This is hilarious. American people thinking at their best. Since when did youth equal wisdom?
August 5th, 2008 at 11:21 am
Well, McCain’s hero was, as he never tires of telling us, Teddy Roosevelt. (And here’s hoping that J-Mac adopts his hero’s pro-conservation, anti-corporate policies!) TR was 42 when he succeeded the assassinated McKinley.