General

Some More Thoughts on Gnosticism

By Camilo on May 21, 2015 0 Comments

I see that in my earlier post on Gnosticism, both problems I suggested were manifestations of Gnosticism in the church today – elevation of the immaterial over against the material, especially the human body, and an extreme fixation on the visible/invisible church distinction – will be solved at the last day (when Christians receive their … Continue Reading

Theology

Some Thoughts on Gnosticism

By Camilo on May 20, 2015 0 Comments

I think that creeping Gnosticism (unintentionally) infects some Christian thinking today. This is a danger. I keep wanting to use this word in my posts, as opposition to Gnosticism is important to me. However, properly defining the term has to come first. Here are four approaches. 1. Google.com definition: 2. Dictionary.com definition: 3. Dr. Benjamin … Continue Reading

Aviation, Germanwings, Pilot Trustworthiness

Lufthansa Ab Initio Training Part II

By Camilo on May 19, 2015 0 Comments

In this blog post I discussed the amazingly low attrition rate of Lufthansa’s ab initio (from the beginning) pilot training program. Today, something a little different: the change that has ensued in the actual flying portion of pilot training. In 2006, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) created a new qualification, the Multi-Crew Pilot License (MPL). … Continue Reading

Aviation, Germanwings, Pilot Trustworthiness

Lufthansa Ab Initio Training, Part I

By Camilo on May 19, 2015 0 Comments

Here’s a presentation by Lufthansa to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on their ab initio (from the beginning) pilot training syllabus. Some thoughts on this: Slide 6 depicts the Lufthansa pilot selection process. What is striking about this graphic is the 95-98% success rate in step 3, “pilot school,” (aka flight school.) This is … Continue Reading

General

Great Crosswing Landings Video – Terrible Video Title

By Camilo on May 18, 2015 0 Comments

The first landing shows a good example of the wing-down, top rudder technique, even though the downwind gear touches first. The last landing looks like a fully crabbed landing without any of the crosswind heading taken out at touchdown, which is hard on the landing gear. Some of these pilots go around, probably because they … Continue Reading

Sycamore Presbyterian Church Friday Men's Bible Study, Theology

Psalm 3 Study

By Camilo on May 9, 2015 0 Comments

Sycamore Presbyterian Church Friday Men’s Bible Study Psalm 3 (see notes) Question 1. Give a name to each of the following sermon sections: verses 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8. What progression do you see through each section? How does the last section give us “tests” by which we can tell we have “triumphed” over suffering,

Politics

The Republican Establishment Hates Liberty

By Camilo on May 5, 2015 0 Comments

It’s hard to get more “establishment” than the highest ranking Republican officeholder in the U.S., Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. He and Sen. Richard Burr (also, of course, a Republican) are attempting to reauthorize the section of the Patriot Act that the government uses as a legal fiction to unconstitutionally spy on the phone calls … Continue Reading