Head-to-Head with Einstein's Brain

I wouldn't pit my brain against Albert Einstein's, and I certainly wouldn't bid against the guy who forked over $404,000 in an auction for one of Einstein's letters. Just a guess, but I think he has a higher credit limit on his cards than I do.

Is this undisclosed bidder a show-off, a physics buff, a spend-thrift, or are the contents of this letter really worth that much money? It depends upon how much you value the genius quantum physicist's thoughts about God--and religion (terms that, for some, are mutually exclusive). An article in today's New York Times gives us a peek into this unique missive, at a price that will fit our budgets.

The Answer to Prayer

An article in today's Chicago Tribune has once again stirred my curiosity about the power of prayer. I'm wondering what you think about it.

According to the Trib's story, Artemia Torres, a single mother from Mexico, came to Chicago at the advice of relatives who assured her that she could earn more money to keep her two children in college. The relatives forgot to mention that they lived in a rough part of town. Oops.

When Ms. Torres discovered that she'd landed in a high street crime area, she did what any devout Catholic would do: Every morning before leaving home to sell corn-on-the-cob, mangoes and snow cones from her mobile cart, she prayed for God's protection. For good measure, she traveled on her daily rounds with a rosary and two pictures of Catholic saints.

One day, after going a full morning without a sale, it looked as if her luck was about to change. A customer finally appeared. He asked for corn; what he really wanted was her money. When she didn't have any, he did what any Chicago street thug worth his stripes would do: he shot her. He could have been more ruthless; he aimed for her thigh, not her heart.

Fascinating stuff. What does this incident say to you about the power of prayer?