We escaped any serious flooding in our area, but Chicago was drenched with rains and flooding for a week. Many in our area will spend weeks cleaning up and drying out. [For some reason, some of my Chicago Tribune links are not available and I wonder if it is because they are a week or so old, and #2 requires signing in to Google. Sorry.]

The world’s worst airport?
This has got to be the Parable of the Shrewd Manager on Steroids!
The vote is in from New Orleans on the baggy-saggy pants.
The video-enhanced iPod will mean….?
This is what we have to look forward to this month in the Midwest:

1. The vitality of religion among youth.
2. Whatever happened to ESPN? Ask Luke.
3. I hope more seminaries develop spiritual direction programs. North Park’s now has its official graduates.
4. Guess who’s 40? I’m certain I’ve not had a Big Mac since I was 40, and I’m guessing the last one was when I was about 35.

5. Counterfeiting must be big business, but the US Bureau is one step ahead with their new Ben Franklin moving image.
6. Review by Geoff Holsclaw of A Community called Atonement.
7. “The grapes she threw April 4 beaned [“graped”?] at least one board member before police led Hitchcock out of the auditorium.” Activists can sometimes just get out of hand. Graping people might be the new form of nonviolent resistance.
8. Reclaiming your evenings.
9. We’ve got crickets in our basement, and Thursday’s commenters gave me some suggestions. But, this is what I really need …

10. The new Nelson Mandela statue in London.

Sports:
Now they’ve gone and done it. Someone at Zondervan has re-issued my 1 Peter commentary but done so in new colors: green and yellow. I can’t bring myself to linking to it here since it constantly reminds me of the Green Bay Packers and I just can’t get over it. 8)
The Cubs are in first place; I predicted this at the beginning of the year but I have no confidence. I don’t think the Cubs, Cards or Brewers are good enough that we can say “They’ll win.” Any of them can win it, and I hope it is the Cubs. It looks a bit like this: