A leading scholar of Jerusalem University has ruled out decisively that one of the ossuaries found in the so-called Jesus family tomb could be that of Mary Magdalene.

Update: Jodi Magness is the Kenan Distinguished Professor for Teaching Excellence in Early Judaism in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She offers a highly readable and pretty devastating rebuttal of the “Jesus family tomb” hypothesis on the website of the Society of Biblical Literature, the primary professional association of biblical scholars.

By now I think everyone must have heard that the new McDonald’s brew won a taste test over Starbucks somewhere. Now Megan McArdle has more to say about Starbucks: if only they roasted it less. Well, I said long ago that ‘Starbucks emphasizes the “bucks” part of its name. Their coffee is terrible.” It’s not really that SB roasts the coffee too much, it’s that they roast it too fast. That makes it bitter and more acidic. If you do as I do and roast your own coffee - which I explained in detail here - then you’d be spared Starbuck’s agonies.

Anyway, more on the topic: “The complications of life caused by yuppee scum”

Jeff Jarvis hilariously tells why Starbucks is a major pain in the keester. It’s almost as if John Belushi should be running the joint: “No tea! Coffee!”

I’ve been under the weather for a few days and so no posts since 3/8. A little better now, some stuff coming up.