Fingers that are picking turn to dust

• Science-denying U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz says his “music taste changed on 9/11” because he “didn’t like how rock music responded.” Cruz said this in a clumsy bid for the Toby Keith voting bloc, apparently, but it’s worth pointing out, specifically, what it is that Sen. Cruz doesn’t like.

Ted Cruz doesn’t approve of this:

Sen. Cruz does not want to come on up for the Rising. Nor does he wish to meet you at Mary’s place. And he is decidedly opposed (with these hands) to the idea that (with these hands) we should (come on) join together and (come on) rise up.

Good to know that about him.

• “Before I answer that question, I would like to say a few words: cattywampus, onomatopoeia, and antidisestablishmentarianism.”

• J.I. Packer is a theology professor at Regent College in Vancouver and he’s been a senior editor at Christianity Today since before I was born. If there is any such thing as an unassailable member in good standing of the white evangelical tribe, he would be it. He’s also an Anglican.

Just another data point to keep in mind when you see all those foolish hit-jobs attacking Rachel Held Evans for joining an Episcopal congregation.

• While contemplating the potential legal advantages that might accrue from proclaiming myself to be Pope Fred I of Fred’s Church, I stumbled across the book pictured here. OK, then. Here’s a taste of Mark Sanborn’s The Fred Factor: How Passion in Your Work and Life Can Turn the Ordinary Into the Extraordinary: “I want to be someone else’s Fred. Why? Because it’s the true measure of greatness. … It’s doing more than what’s expected. The Bible calls being a Fred a servant.”

As a general rule, I think you’re better off reading fortune cookies or horoscopes than you would be reading most self-help titles. But I may make an exception here.

• “Sometimes life just plays horrible, cruel jokes on decent people.”

• Target has joined Walmart and TJMaxx/Marshalls in raising its minimum wage to $9 an hour. This means people who work at Target and Walmart can now almost afford to shop at Target and Walmart.

The Big Box where I work hasn’t yet gotten on board this train. It needs to. Spring is a big deal at the Box — a time when they have to bring on a bunch of additional seasonal workers. But so far this year our branch of the chain has had four applicants. Two failed the drug test, one left abruptly when informed of it, the fourth was hired, but never showed up. Seems like the labor market is trying to tell them something.

• Mark Evanier considers “The Rainbow Connection,” deciding that despite the song’s dubious claims about dreams coming true, “It’s Kermit singing,” so don’t complain.

The key to “Rainbow Connection” is that Kermit is the Anti-Prufrock. Like Evanier, he knows that “When you wish upon a star, your dreams come true” is a lie, but he still dares to eat a peach and to disturb the universe.

This is explicit in the final verse. “I have heard the mermaids singing,” Eliot’s sad anti-hero said, “I do not think that they will sing to me.” But Kermit says different. “I’ve heard it too many times to ignore it,” he sings. Poor J. Alfred was asleep and dreaming “Till human voices wake us, and we drown.” But Kermit was only half asleep. And frogs can swim.