Ed Stoffel

Eating while you work? You may want to think about what you're doing. That phone, keyboard and mouse you're using at work is probably more germ-covered than you'd think, according to recent studies:

Several studies conducted in the past few years at the University of Arizona found that telephones are the most germ-infected objects in our lives, followed by desktops, water fountain handles, microwave door handles, keyboards and mice. Here are the relative germ densities of frequently touched office equipment:

• a. Phone: 25,127 germs per square inch
• b. Desktop surface: 20,961 germs per square inch
• c. Keyboard: 3,295 germs per square inch
• d. Mouse: 1,676 germs per square inch
• e. Fax machine: 301 germs per square inch
• f. Copy machine: 69 germs per square inch
• g. Toilet seat: 49 germs per square inch.

 Continue Reading: Why phones, keyboards and mice make me sick, Computer World

Jar Jar posts a picture of "Greg" online... but he seems confused about everyone's names these days. Must be Jar Jar's old age setting in. Either that or "Greg" is on assignment, and I've just blown his cover. Let me check with Bob Novak on that.

Barron's predicts that the G.O.P. will survive in November:

Jubilant Democrats should reconsider their order for confetti and noisemakers. The Democrats, as widely reported, are expecting GOP-weary voters to flock to the polls in two weeks and hand them control of the House for the first time in 12 years -- and perhaps the Senate, as well. Even some Republicans privately confess that they are anticipating the election-day equivalent of Little Big Horn. Pardon our hubris, but we just don't see it. Our analysis -- based on a race-by-race examination of campaign-finance data -- suggests that the GOP will hang on to both chambers, at least nominally. We expect the Republican majority in the House to fall by eight seats, to 224 of the chamber's 435. At the very worst, our analysis suggests, the party's loss could be as large as 14 seats, leaving a one-seat majority. But that is still a far cry from the 20-seat loss some are predicting. In the Senate, with 100 seats, we see the GOP winding up with 52, down three...

 Continue Reading: Survivor! The GOP Victory, Barrons

Announcements of major changes today as NBC informs employees of layoffs and major changes at the network. The network plans to cut 700 jobs, and reorganize how and where they do many shows. We've recently heard that union contracts are changing, eliminating financial "penalties" for nearly everything but overtime. When changes like this are made at one network, others tend to follow suit... though some networks have already experienced deep cuts.

 Layoffs loom at NBC Uni, Hollywood Reporter

 NBC Says Cost-Cutting Will Include Some Layoffs, NY Times

 NBC Universal to Cut 700 Jobs, Slash Spending, TV Week

Rev. Charles Biggs is writing a study on Galatians dealing with some of the controversial views threatening the doctrine of justification including the New Perspective on Paul, the Federal Vision, modern Roman Catholicism and modern evangelicalism. Biggs is pastor of Ketoctin Covenant Presbyterian Church in Purcellville, VA.

If we ask "What would Jesus do?" before we remind ourselves of the gospel and ask "What has Jesus already done for me?" then we are in danger of substituting a righteousness of our own making with Christ's righteousness!

 Continue Reading: The Gospel According to Galatians, A Place For Truth