Category Archives: Cultural Observations

Observations on the Casey Anthony Case—Part 2

Posted on July 15, 2011 by Amy Spiegel

Here are my responses to Jim’s three points in the previous post: 1. A Point About Logic — While I’m not sure I understand Jim’s first point, here’s my point of logic: Though I am willing to concede that it … Continue reading →

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Augustine, the Roman Empire, and an American Cultural Deity

Posted on July 5, 2011 by Jim Spiegel

This summer I have been reading through Augustine’s City of God (unabridged version—nearly 900 pages).  It has been fascinating to see how deftly he moves from history to theology to philosophy to cultural analysis.  And his insights and wisdom in … Continue reading →

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The Greatest Undercover Boss

Posted on April 5, 2011 by Jim Spiegel

Have you ever seen the television show Undercover Boss?  Since we don’t get TV broadcasts and have to access shows via Netflix, I was late to the party on this one.  But I’ve taken the time to watch a few … Continue reading →

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Dollywood Rules!

Posted on March 25, 2011 by Jim Spiegel

This week was Spring break at Taylor University, and our family has been vacationing down in the Smoky Mountains.  Today we spent the day at Dollywood, a theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, where we have been regular patrons for … Continue reading →

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Spiegel’s Self-Help ABCs

Posted on February 20, 2011 by Jim Spiegel

Ah, ya gotta love inspirational self-help websites.  Here’s a doozy I stumbled upon recently.  It features one helpful life tip for each letter of the alphabet, including the maxims to “Love yourself first and most” and “Just do it,” which … Continue reading →

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We’re All Missionaries Now, Baby

Posted on January 4, 2011 by Amy Spiegel

We’re back from our Christmas Break trip, and I am feeling like my soul could use a morality shower. Not having TV at home, it is always a bit of a shock to the system to see what is pouring … Continue reading →

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The Best and Worst of 2010

Posted on December 29, 2010 by Jim Spiegel

It’s been another exciting year, and we want to thank you all for reading and, if applicable, posting comments on our blog.  Once again, we would like to close out the year with some summary remarks about good and bad … Continue reading →

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Santa, Jesus, and the “Reason for the Season”

Posted on December 16, 2010 by Amy Spiegel

I love the Christmas Season with a fanatical zest that sometimes borders on the ridiculous. My house is currently decked out with more lights than Santa’s Workshop. (I must confess, however, that my devotion is counter-acted with my loathing of … Continue reading →

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Tyranny of the Friendly Skies

Posted on November 24, 2010 by Amy Spiegel

This past week, Jim and I attended a conference in Atlanta, Georgia. If you know anything about me, you know that I began researching our travel arrangements six months ago. Where to stay? Where to eat? I love traveling and … Continue reading →

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Hodgepodge

Posted on October 19, 2010 by Jim Spiegel

Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar walked off the set of The View the other day because of their outrage over something Bill O’Reilly said on the show.  His incendiary remarks?  That the 9-11 terrorists were Muslims.  (O’Reilly initially failed to … Continue reading →

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