Around here:

Vons just started stocking fresh donuts at the gas station. I think I'm doomed...

On Bush's speech: the trench perspective.

Regulatory favoritism: the new minimum wage measure contains a much-criticized exception.

Robert Carrillo just emailed with a bunch of news and needs. If you didn't receive it and can spare 5 minutes for the body, please click here and read it. Let's keep them drenched in prayer.

I just noticed that Blogger has incorporated custom domains into their in-house blog management system. Pretty cool.

Apparently the forecasted cold snap is for real. Here is the OES alert.

The National Weather Service has reported to OES that temperatures will drop into the 20 and 30s Wednesday night into Thursday, followed by daytime temperatures in the mid 40s in most areas. On Friday and into the weekend, temperatures will drop further, reaching the high teens to low 20s in most areas at night, and continued daytime lows in the mid 40s.

The war issue notwithstanding, it's nice to see some positive reinforcement of the President. It's a tough, complicated job, and one that should inspire respect, not resentment.

VOM, India:

On December 30, 2006, the congress party passed the Himachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Bill, where only 8,000 of the more than 6 million people are Christian. Under the anti-conversion bill, any person found forcibly converting another person could be imprisoned for up to two years and/or fined up to 25,000 rupees ($565 US). Meanwhile on January 2, 2007, an evangelist and three Christian brothers were beaten by Hindu radicals after being falsely charged with forced conversion. They all sustained internal injuries. Pray God would give Christians in India boldness to stand for Him in the midst of persecution. Pray for protection and that publicity from these laws will cause Christians worldwide to lift the country of India before God's throne.

More really good writing from Iraq. And the photography is superb.

Steve Jobs introducing the iPhone. Being an innovation buff that loves kinetic convenience and intelligent interfacing, this is pretty exhilarating. Check it out.

Slated to ship in June, on the Cingular network, for $499 for 4 GB. I think I'll need to see the waterproof, shock-resistant, neon orange, construction-grade case.

Popular Mechanics covers the competition. Looks to me like Apple will be first and best: can they hold on to the lead?

Not everyone is that enchanted: and for good reasons. But hey, it's fun to watch the developments.

The 10 most dangerous jobs in America. I'm ranked #10 for fatalities; #5 for injuries.

Don't tell my wife.

Interesting discussion between KP of The Christian Mind and an unnamed scientific materialist about the practical and historical interface between science and theism.

LVMI quoting Revolutionary-era preacher Jonathan Mayhew on sanctified rebellion. Quite reasonable. Not quite Christian.

Some very good journalism from Iraq; thanks to David St. Lawrence for the tip-off.

I plan to spend the entirety of 2007 with our troops at war, until sickness, wounds or worse send me home, or the military tires of my presence and catapults me over the wire. Having spent most of 2005 in Iraq, I know what this means. “Drive-by reporting,” as some commanders call it, is worse than no reporting at all. The only way to approach describing what our troops experience, and what is really happening in Iraq, is to go the distance.

Rumor has it that Israel is planning to lightly nuke Iran. Israel denies any such intentions.

To think that we will launch an atomic attack against Iran, and on top of that that we would reveal it in advance to a foreign newspaper is doubly ridiculous, the official added.

Polling the house church movement: I'm just not sure satisfaction is the goal of church.

At present we are on the outside of the world, the wrong side of the door. We discern the freshness and purity of the morning, but they do not make us fresh and pure. We cannot mingle with the splendours [sic] that we see. But all the leaves of the New Testament are rustling with the rumour [sic] that it will not always be so. Some day, God willing, we shall get in.

LVMI attacks the green agenda of The New York Times. This issue is not as simple as it looks, from either side.

Picasa, besides being the best desktop picture software I have used, also has the cleanest and most intuitive web interface around, with 250 MB of storage. I'm lovin' it.

I'm liking my new Sandisk Sansa m250. Holds all my music with room to spare, and uses an AAA battery, which means I can change it on the job. The coolest part is the nice and SHORT usb cable that it shipped with - it's about time.

UPDATE: Garrett thinks the equivalent player from Creative Zen is a contender. It sports a bigger screen and photo/video capability, but at nearly twice the price, I think I'll pass. Besides, I can't stand proprietary batteries. And who wants to watch movies on a 1.5 inch screen, anyway? Give me a break.

Getting to know Keith Plummer, the blogger behind The Christian Mind.

The Economist examines the 2008 Presidential Race and comments on the lineup of hopefuls. I'm characteristically sympathetic to underdogs like Giuliani or Romney, but it might be fun to have Clinton win just to make Falwell mad.

Wacky warning labels: funny at first, but the situation, in actuality, is deeply depressing. (Instapundit)

The ultimate price for peace: neutral Muslim cleric shot and killed in Gaza Strip. (PM)