Don't get your cassock in a bunch... The Catholic Church in Scotland has expressed alarm over the proposed sanction of a goalkeeper of one of their soccer teams for making the sign of the Cross during a game. Clearly this is a goofy sanction, if it comes to pass, but it is merely a sign of the times that folks may be getting increasingly resentful of the feverish, and sometimes vicious promotion of religion. Perhaps the Scots are taking the initiative in heading off the obnoxious and heavy handed Christian fundamentalists and "Dominionists" who pursue civic control in the USA.

Racial fear and loathing...When the producers of the enormously successful "Survivor" series propose a new contest based on ethnic teams, we are witnessing nothing more than the mining of the old racial stereotypes-no better than the slobbering ringside hollering in "professional" wrestling matches--no better, as a matter of fact, than the right-wing race baiting that holds sway in the current American regime. It comes as no surprise either to hear Rush Limbaugh enable the same notions and describe the proposed Asian team as "brainiacs" and determine that the black team would not do well in swimming events. A race to the bottom is the only contest here, lead by those who have never gone broke by underestimating our taste.