It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
- Galatians 5:1
You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
- Romans 6:18
But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.
- Romans 6:22
You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.
- Galatians 5:13
For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
- Romans 6:7
Saturday, July 05, 2008
Whatcha reading right now?
Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon
by Daniel C. Dennett
"Until now few books have tried to investigate [religion] in a scientific manner." (from the cover)
I'm just 27 pages in; more as it develops.
-- -- --
Do you know the laws of the heavens?
Can you set up God's dominion over the earth?
- Job 38:33
by Daniel C. Dennett
"Until now few books have tried to investigate [religion] in a scientific manner." (from the cover)
I'm just 27 pages in; more as it develops.
-- -- --
Do you know the laws of the heavens?
Can you set up God's dominion over the earth?
- Job 38:33
These two come first
One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"
Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment.
And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself."
-Matthew 22:35-39
Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment.
And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself."
-Matthew 22:35-39
Who is your God?
"O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below—you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way."
- 1 Kings 8:23
"And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul"
- Deuteronomy 10:12
"You must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul."
-Deuteronomy 13:3
"Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven and said:
"O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below—you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way."
-1 Kings 8:22-23
"He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God."
- Micah 6:8
"The LORD your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing."
-Zephaniah 3:17
"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him."
- 1 John 3:1
"This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him."
- 1 John 4:9
"Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."
- 1 John 4:8
- 1 Kings 8:23
"And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul"
- Deuteronomy 10:12
"You must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul."
-Deuteronomy 13:3
"Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven and said:
"O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below—you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way."
-1 Kings 8:22-23
"He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God."
- Micah 6:8
"The LORD your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing."
-Zephaniah 3:17
"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him."
- 1 John 3:1
"This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him."
- 1 John 4:9
"Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."
- 1 John 4:8
Friday, July 04, 2008
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Totally Exposed!
-from Tuesday's "Grin and Bear It" Department:
Remember the "men's" magazines that featured glossy centerfold photos? Usually the flip-side included an "About Me" section wherein the model inevitably admitted, "I'll try anything once."
I always wanted to blurt out, "Oh, really? Would ya?"
Would ya try grabbing the wrong bottle from the back of your pickup ... and washing your clothes in motor oil?
(hint: you can skip the Rinse cycle ... forever)
Would ya try buying a frozen pizza because it looks delicious in the grocery freezer, knowing there's No Way it's gonna fit inside your fridge?
Would ya try positioning $50 worth of groceries on your boat, knowing the boat leans mightily to that side soon as you start climbing on board?
Shoot, I'd try all those things ... and did.
Guess you could say I'm also willing to try anything once ... I just don't always know what I'm about to try for the first time ... before it happens.
Be Nice to someone who's "trying something once" today ... life's little aggravations will likely seem outrageously funny once they've passed.
Have an awesome Tuesday!
Remember the "men's" magazines that featured glossy centerfold photos? Usually the flip-side included an "About Me" section wherein the model inevitably admitted, "I'll try anything once."
I always wanted to blurt out, "Oh, really? Would ya?"
Would ya try grabbing the wrong bottle from the back of your pickup ... and washing your clothes in motor oil?
(hint: you can skip the Rinse cycle ... forever)Would ya try buying a frozen pizza because it looks delicious in the grocery freezer, knowing there's No Way it's gonna fit inside your fridge?
Would ya try positioning $50 worth of groceries on your boat, knowing the boat leans mightily to that side soon as you start climbing on board?
Shoot, I'd try all those things ... and did.
Guess you could say I'm also willing to try anything once ... I just don't always know what I'm about to try for the first time ... before it happens.
Be Nice to someone who's "trying something once" today ... life's little aggravations will likely seem outrageously funny once they've passed.
Have an awesome Tuesday!
Monday, June 30, 2008
Standing amazed in the presence of evolution. Not. (updated)
This guy made an appearance this morning just outside my window (hatch).
My little 8-meg digital camera doesn't do the contours and subtle shadings of his/her feathers justice ... he was amazing to watch, even though he wasn't doing anything.
Update: "Bird Family Tree Gets Re-write"
My little 8-meg digital camera doesn't do the contours and subtle shadings of his/her feathers justice ... he was amazing to watch, even though he wasn't doing anything.
Update: "Bird Family Tree Gets Re-write"
June 26, 2008 -- A five-year project has revolutionized scientific thought on the evolution of birds and the results are so surprising that now even the textbooks will have to be rewritten, a study said Thursday.
"With this study, we learned two major things," said Sushma Reddy, lead author and a fellow at The Field Museum in Chicago, Ill.
"First, appearances can be deceiving. Birds that look or act similar are not necessarily related. Second, much of bird classification and conventional wisdom on the evolutionary relationships of birds is wrong."
The results of the largest ever study of bird genetics are so widespread that the names of dozens of birds will now have to be changed, says the study to be published in Science magazine.
"Everything that money can buy and everything that Science knows"
Saw this ancient print ad yesterday and thought its perspective was worth sharing ...
Sunday, June 29, 2008
what's wrong with my life?
It's not just spiraling gas prices or the unbearably hot weather or even the upcoming election that's on folks' minds. Sure seems like there's more than enough malaise to go around ...
I wish gas prices would go down.
I wish I made more money.
I wish I could find my perfect someone.
I wish I knew what to do about school.
I wish I had a nicer house ... a newer car ... a bigger boat.
I wish I had more friends/more people liked me.
I wish I was thinner/more muscular/better-looking.
I wish I was happier.
I wish I could take time out to breath.
I wish I knew where I'd be 5/10/20 years from now.
I wish I knew why I wasn't happy.
But not, I wish I could witness to more people about Christ ?
For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
-2 Corinthians 4:6 (NIV)
I wish gas prices would go down.
I wish I made more money.
I wish I could find my perfect someone.
I wish I knew what to do about school.
I wish I had a nicer house ... a newer car ... a bigger boat.
I wish I had more friends/more people liked me.
I wish I was thinner/more muscular/better-looking.
I wish I was happier.
I wish I could take time out to breath.
I wish I knew where I'd be 5/10/20 years from now.
I wish I knew why I wasn't happy.
But not, I wish I could witness to more people about Christ ?
For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
-2 Corinthians 4:6 (NIV)
Saturday, June 28, 2008
not by might nor by power
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
- 2 Peter 3:9
-- --
So he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty."
- Zechariah 4:6
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
- 1 Corinthians 15:57
- 2 Peter 3:9
-- --
So he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty."
- Zechariah 4:6
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
- 1 Corinthians 15:57
Friday, June 27, 2008
It's always hotter on the other side of the fence
One of the things I've craved & missed enjoying on Calypso was pizza.
Builders didn't install electric ovens on "weekender" boats back in 1985 when my tub first floated, so I made do with frozen "microwaveable pizza" (another oxymoron) whenever the urge struck.
That is, until yesterday ... when I installed this 120-volt Princess (why oh why couldn't it be called a Pirate instead?) range.
But remember what they say about the grass always looking greener ...
All I'm saying is, try running the oven for 45 minutes inside a boat- one that's no larger than a minivan- when it's 95 F degrees outside.
Pizza? Who needs it.
:-)
Have a Great Weekend!
Builders didn't install electric ovens on "weekender" boats back in 1985 when my tub first floated, so I made do with frozen "microwaveable pizza" (another oxymoron) whenever the urge struck.
That is, until yesterday ... when I installed this 120-volt Princess (why oh why couldn't it be called a Pirate instead?) range.
But remember what they say about the grass always looking greener ...
All I'm saying is, try running the oven for 45 minutes inside a boat- one that's no larger than a minivan- when it's 95 F degrees outside.
Pizza? Who needs it.
:-)
Have a Great Weekend!
My Favorite Song
Mighty to Save - Hillsong
Everyone needs compassion
Love that’s never failing
Let mercy fall on me
Everyone needs forgiveness
The kindness of a Saviour
The hope of nations
CHORUS:
Saviour
He can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save
He is mighty to save
Forever
Author of salvation
He rose and conquered the grave
Jesus conquered the grave
VERSE 2:
So take me as You find me
All my fears and failures
Fill my life again
I give my life to follow
Everything I believe in
Now I surrender
BRIDGE:
Shine Your light and let the whole world see
We’re singing
For the glory of the risen King
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
The greatest news ever
"I believe the message of Jesus Christ exchanging places with me and paying for my sin is THE single greatest news on the planet–and I absolutely REFUSE to allow non passionate people to quench the fire God has placed inside of me." - Perry Noble
Monday, June 23, 2008
Ancient Salad Dressing
Shipwreck Yields World's Oldest Salad Dressing
"June 20, 2008 -- Olive oil infused with fragrant herbs has been identified in an ancient Greek ceramic transport jar ..." read more here
Don't tell me ... they're all outta Ranch?!
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Vile
If you're interested, you can read more about Westboro Baptist Church's latest protest here.
-- -- --
When a king sits on his throne to judge,
he winnows out all evil with his eyes.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."
- John 8: 7
How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
- Luke 6: 42
-- -- --
When a king sits on his throne to judge,
he winnows out all evil with his eyes.
Who can say, "I have kept my heart pure;
I am clean and without sin"?
Differing weights and differing measures—
the LORD detests them both.
- Proverbs 20: 8-10
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."
- John 8: 7
How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
- Luke 6: 42
License to Learn
I remember the Saturday morning I completed my oral exam and check ride and proudly showed Rob, the flying instructor, my brand new private pilot's license.
He glanced down at my license and handed it right back to me. "Remember, it says Pilot License - but it's actually a Learner's License."
-- -- --
Having a Pilot's License doesn't mean you've got the experience to have learned all there is to know about flying. A license doesn't keep you from crashing or making mistakes. Having a license doesn't entitle you to sit back in the cockpit and watch the clouds drift by under your wings.
Having a license has little to do with excellence or decision-making skills; only time and experience builds good judgment.
A license merely means you've met the minimum requirements ... and the best way to stay alive in the air is by applying what little you've learned.
And never stop learning.
He glanced down at my license and handed it right back to me. "Remember, it says Pilot License - but it's actually a Learner's License."
-- -- --
Having a Pilot's License doesn't mean you've got the experience to have learned all there is to know about flying. A license doesn't keep you from crashing or making mistakes. Having a license doesn't entitle you to sit back in the cockpit and watch the clouds drift by under your wings.
Having a license has little to do with excellence or decision-making skills; only time and experience builds good judgment.
A license merely means you've met the minimum requirements ... and the best way to stay alive in the air is by applying what little you've learned.
And never stop learning.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Now is NOT the time to give up
Come to think of it, there's never a good time to quit.
Much less let go ... and throw your hands up in the air.
Much less let go ... and throw your hands up in the air.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Oye Como Va
Almost immediately after this morning's post I was walking across the HH parking lot when a minivan pulled up beside me.
The driver, a middle-aged man in his late 30s, opened his door and asked me, "Habla Espanol?" The woman in the passenger seat seemed distracted and paid no attention.
I looked back and shrugged, "Poquito." His face broadened into a smile of relief that hinted Ah, finally!
-- --
They were lost. He knew his destination, but insisted upon driving a specific road neither of us could find on the map.
My Spanish is only what's left over from grade school ... but what if I'd told him, "Mi hermano, pero todos los caminos va a su destino!" My brother, but every road goes to your destination!
He woulda thought I was crazy.
Claro.
The driver, a middle-aged man in his late 30s, opened his door and asked me, "Habla Espanol?" The woman in the passenger seat seemed distracted and paid no attention.
I looked back and shrugged, "Poquito." His face broadened into a smile of relief that hinted Ah, finally!
-- --
They were lost. He knew his destination, but insisted upon driving a specific road neither of us could find on the map.
My Spanish is only what's left over from grade school ... but what if I'd told him, "Mi hermano, pero todos los caminos va a su destino!" My brother, but every road goes to your destination!
He woulda thought I was crazy.
Claro.
You sinners see what I got? Look who I am - and be impressed
"Hey waitress! Don't you know who I are!?"
My heart is not proud, O LORD,
my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters
or things too wonderful for me.
-Psalm 131:1
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
-Romans 12:16
The LORD detests all the proud of heart.
Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.
-Proverbs 16:5
My heart is not proud, O LORD,
my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters
or things too wonderful for me.
-Psalm 131:1
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
-Romans 12:16
The LORD detests all the proud of heart.
Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.
-Proverbs 16:5
Saturday, June 14, 2008
The Georgia Guidestones
Since they are, after all, located in Georgia, the Georgia Guidestones need one more message for future generations:
You Can't Get There From Here.
haw haw, ya'll
Friday, June 13, 2008
Dead Letter Faith: no forwarding address
Dead Letter:
1. A law, ordinance, etc., that has lost its force but has not been formally repealed or abolished.
2. A letter that cannot reach the addressee or be returned to the sender, usually because of incorrect address, and that is sent to and handled in a special division or department (dead-letter office) of a general post office.
1. A law, ordinance, etc., that has lost its force but has not been formally repealed or abolished.
2. A letter that cannot reach the addressee or be returned to the sender, usually because of incorrect address, and that is sent to and handled in a special division or department (dead-letter office) of a general post office.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Snittering (updated)
"The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing." -Archilochus
Maybe, but the ridgeback doesn't know what Archilochus is talking about.
-- ---
What's Snittering? Snittering would be a blog post consisting of news snippets.
Snittering occurs when a blogger lists several topics of relevance or interest, and presents them with a minimum of discussion or further detail.
-- -- Thursday's Snitters:
Oxymorons include Military Intelligence. Jumbo Shrimp. Legally Drunk. Exact Estimate. New York Culture. Rap Music.
Can we finally add "Safe Sex"" to the list, please?
-from today's "Death by Plastic" Department:
"WASHINGTON — The credit crisis triggered by bad home loans is spreading to other areas, forcing banks to tighten credit and probably extending the credit crisis that's dragging down the economy well into next year, and perhaps beyond.
""In fact, we believe that what lies ahead will be worse than what is behind us," Whitney and colleagues at Oppenheimer & Co. wrote in a lengthy report last month about threats faced by big national banks, including Bank of America, Wachovia and others." - source
-from todays "Gas is Still Cheap, I'm tellin' ya!" Department:
Just read this.
I think my CD player has a bug:
No idea what it is, but I found this guy riding one of the speaker grilles in the helm the other morning. Poor thing looks like he evolved from a cotton swab and a toothpick; Darwin said it could happen.
Bless his heart.
Maybe, but the ridgeback doesn't know what Archilochus is talking about.
-- ---
What's Snittering? Snittering would be a blog post consisting of news snippets.
Snittering occurs when a blogger lists several topics of relevance or interest, and presents them with a minimum of discussion or further detail.
-- -- Thursday's Snitters:
Oxymorons include Military Intelligence. Jumbo Shrimp. Legally Drunk. Exact Estimate. New York Culture. Rap Music.
Can we finally add "Safe Sex"" to the list, please?
-from today's "Death by Plastic" Department:
"WASHINGTON — The credit crisis triggered by bad home loans is spreading to other areas, forcing banks to tighten credit and probably extending the credit crisis that's dragging down the economy well into next year, and perhaps beyond.
""In fact, we believe that what lies ahead will be worse than what is behind us," Whitney and colleagues at Oppenheimer & Co. wrote in a lengthy report last month about threats faced by big national banks, including Bank of America, Wachovia and others." - source
-from todays "Gas is Still Cheap, I'm tellin' ya!" Department:
Just read this.
I think my CD player has a bug:
No idea what it is, but I found this guy riding one of the speaker grilles in the helm the other morning. Poor thing looks like he evolved from a cotton swab and a toothpick; Darwin said it could happen.
Bless his heart.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Is it Wednesday already?
Ok, time to smile. Again. It won't hurt, I promise.
"There is not enough time to do all the nothing we want to do." - Bill Watterson "
Uh, like getting up at 4 AM and watching Miami Vice?
"There is not enough time to do all the nothing we want to do." - Bill Watterson "
Uh, like getting up at 4 AM and watching Miami Vice?
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Whatcha watching?
Miami Vice (2006)
The HD-DVD version (not the theatrical release) from NetFlix came last week; I've probably watched the entire movie 8 times in the past 5 days. Here's someone else's review from epinions:
"Despite the snazzy previews and hottie stars Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx, Miami Vice turned out to be heavy-handed, pretentious, and generally no fun. By taking itself too seriously, Miami Vice ruined a perfectly good series of action scenes. Cheesy lines of dialogue abound. Think: “Why do I get the feeling everyone knows we're here 15 blocks out?” “'Cause everyone knows we're here 15 blocks out.” The “love scenes” feel like low-budget porn or bad music videos. Mr_chelledun and I actually laughed out loud several times at the corniness and absurdity of it all."
Maybe the author was expecting either a corny send-off to the 80s TV show, or a fast & furious shoot-'em-up action film, which Miami Vice is definitely not. Unless lack of use has caused your brain to atrophy to the size of a wart, movies should be more than fun and a perfectly good series of action scenes.
So why have I watched so many times?
I had to watch Miami Vice four times just to start getting a handle on what was going on. Seriously. And each time I watched, I saw & learned things I'd totally missed the last time around. Things that, added together, made for a BIGGER picture. Subtleties that leave an impression you can still feel the morning after.
I'm just not a big fan of movies that show like a slap in the face & shout, "Here I am, sport. What you see is all there is ... take it or leave it."
The kind of movie you've forgotten before you leave the theater.
-- -- --
Best lines from Miami Vice, imho:
Isabella: Would you find me?
Det. James 'Sonny' Crockett: Yes, I would.
Det. James 'Sonny' Crockett: Hola, chica.
Isabella: Hola, chico.
The HD-DVD version (not the theatrical release) from NetFlix came last week; I've probably watched the entire movie 8 times in the past 5 days. Here's someone else's review from epinions:
"Despite the snazzy previews and hottie stars Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx, Miami Vice turned out to be heavy-handed, pretentious, and generally no fun. By taking itself too seriously, Miami Vice ruined a perfectly good series of action scenes. Cheesy lines of dialogue abound. Think: “Why do I get the feeling everyone knows we're here 15 blocks out?” “'Cause everyone knows we're here 15 blocks out.” The “love scenes” feel like low-budget porn or bad music videos. Mr_chelledun and I actually laughed out loud several times at the corniness and absurdity of it all."
Maybe the author was expecting either a corny send-off to the 80s TV show, or a fast & furious shoot-'em-up action film, which Miami Vice is definitely not. Unless lack of use has caused your brain to atrophy to the size of a wart, movies should be more than fun and a perfectly good series of action scenes.
So why have I watched so many times?
I had to watch Miami Vice four times just to start getting a handle on what was going on. Seriously. And each time I watched, I saw & learned things I'd totally missed the last time around. Things that, added together, made for a BIGGER picture. Subtleties that leave an impression you can still feel the morning after.
I'm just not a big fan of movies that show like a slap in the face & shout, "Here I am, sport. What you see is all there is ... take it or leave it."
The kind of movie you've forgotten before you leave the theater.
-- -- --
Best lines from Miami Vice, imho:
Isabella: Would you find me?
Det. James 'Sonny' Crockett: Yes, I would.
Det. James 'Sonny' Crockett: Hola, chica.
Isabella: Hola, chico.
Saturday, June 07, 2008
Oh yeah, it's "THEIR GOD" again (updated)
Must be a fad; seems like hardly a week goes by without someone telling me that "Their God" is different. Meaning, "Their God" is better. Or that "Their God" is new and improved.
I think what they're trying to say is that "Their God" is custom-made ... with a new model coming out each fall of every year.
--
See, "Their God" is cooler than the old God because "Their God" approves of and smiles down on everything they (and their friends) do in their lives. Without any promise or hint of consequences.
"Their God" tells them it's OK to lie, cheat, steal, fornicate, lose their temper, get fall-down drunk, consult astrologers, commit adultery, smoke pot, curse, hate, watch porn ... the list of approved behavior is as large as "Their God" has the imagination to make it.
People who worship "Their God" believe "Their God" is all about feeling comfy and having fun, because "Their God" only wants them to be happy. That's why "Their God" exists, after all.
Folks who've discovered "Their God" never tire of explaining that believing in the old God wouldn't let them do all the things they really, really wanted in their lives.
Now, I don't doubt that one for a minute.
-- -- --
One day, maybe, someone will explain to me how they came to know so much about "Their God." Maybe their knowledge about "Their God" came from Oprah, Dr. Phil or the latest book on the New York Times Best Sellers List.
Maybe Uncle Rusty has a talking dog that reveals things to them in their dreams.
But one thing's certain and absolute: "Their God" sure doesn't have much at all to do with how God describes himself in scripture.
I think what they're trying to say is that "Their God" is custom-made ... with a new model coming out each fall of every year.
--
See, "Their God" is cooler than the old God because "Their God" approves of and smiles down on everything they (and their friends) do in their lives. Without any promise or hint of consequences.
"Their God" tells them it's OK to lie, cheat, steal, fornicate, lose their temper, get fall-down drunk, consult astrologers, commit adultery, smoke pot, curse, hate, watch porn ... the list of approved behavior is as large as "Their God" has the imagination to make it.
People who worship "Their God" believe "Their God" is all about feeling comfy and having fun, because "Their God" only wants them to be happy. That's why "Their God" exists, after all.
Folks who've discovered "Their God" never tire of explaining that believing in the old God wouldn't let them do all the things they really, really wanted in their lives.
Now, I don't doubt that one for a minute.
-- -- --
One day, maybe, someone will explain to me how they came to know so much about "Their God." Maybe their knowledge about "Their God" came from Oprah, Dr. Phil or the latest book on the New York Times Best Sellers List.
Maybe Uncle Rusty has a talking dog that reveals things to them in their dreams.
But one thing's certain and absolute: "Their God" sure doesn't have much at all to do with how God describes himself in scripture.
Tom Harpur: blindly falling
You can find out who Tom Harpur is somewhere else.
But I'll paraphrase one of Tom Harpur's critical points; you decide the merits of his argument for yourself.
"Look at all the things recorded in the gospels following Christ's crucifixion that are never mentioned in secular sources from the same period.
"Like, the temple curtain was allegedly ripped open. A solar eclipse took place. There was an earthquake that opened tombs, and dead people were walking around. Those should all be obvious things, yet somehow none of that is recorded or mentioned during those times anywhere outside of the gospels."
Ok, so the Isis/Horace myth allegedly pre-dates Christ's resurrection by 2500 years. That should be an obvious thing, yet somehow none of those well-known 2500-year old "similarities to Christ" were recorded or mentioned during that period by the Romans or the temple leaders, who woulda loved any excuse to discredit the thousands of pesky new Christians running around the countryside proclaiming "HE IS RISEN."
Just saying ... and neither could the Romans or the temple priests produce Christ's body to contradict the gospel accounts.
But I'll paraphrase one of Tom Harpur's critical points; you decide the merits of his argument for yourself.
"Look at all the things recorded in the gospels following Christ's crucifixion that are never mentioned in secular sources from the same period.
"Like, the temple curtain was allegedly ripped open. A solar eclipse took place. There was an earthquake that opened tombs, and dead people were walking around. Those should all be obvious things, yet somehow none of that is recorded or mentioned during those times anywhere outside of the gospels."
Ok, so the Isis/Horace myth allegedly pre-dates Christ's resurrection by 2500 years. That should be an obvious thing, yet somehow none of those well-known 2500-year old "similarities to Christ" were recorded or mentioned during that period by the Romans or the temple leaders, who woulda loved any excuse to discredit the thousands of pesky new Christians running around the countryside proclaiming "HE IS RISEN."
Just saying ... and neither could the Romans or the temple priests produce Christ's body to contradict the gospel accounts.
Too hard to handle
This morning I went shopping for a shirt & started thinking about how the material wealth American believers enjoy compares to what folks living in Third World countries can expect.
A majority of Americans expect a job with a 40-hour work week, a new car every 3 years, the chance to buy and own a house, safe food, prompt health care, a comfortable pension for retirement and a life expectancy approaching almost 80 years.
Third World Citizens work whatever job they can get, have never seen a new car or made a telephone call.
Seems hard to understand why we were born into so much, while believers in the Third World were born into so little.
Maybe we shrug and think, "Wow that's gotta be pretty hard, living with so little."
With so many blessings it's sometimes easy to forget where our wealth came from ... and what about the suggestion that we keep God's commandments and honor him with our offerings?
Naaaah that's just too hard, living with so much.
A majority of Americans expect a job with a 40-hour work week, a new car every 3 years, the chance to buy and own a house, safe food, prompt health care, a comfortable pension for retirement and a life expectancy approaching almost 80 years.
Third World Citizens work whatever job they can get, have never seen a new car or made a telephone call.
Seems hard to understand why we were born into so much, while believers in the Third World were born into so little.
Maybe we shrug and think, "Wow that's gotta be pretty hard, living with so little."
With so many blessings it's sometimes easy to forget where our wealth came from ... and what about the suggestion that we keep God's commandments and honor him with our offerings?
Naaaah that's just too hard, living with so much.
Isn't there one thing we can all agree on?
There are a few things we can all agree are true.
The sun is yellow.
The sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
The sun is directly overhead at noon.
The moon comes out at night.
The North Star is the brightest star in the nighttime sky.
A compass needle points north.
Heavy objects fall faster than light objects.
The shortest distance between two points is always a straight line.
Days get shorter in winter and longer in summer.
There is no gravity in outer space.
But all of those things are FALSE, so we'll have to agree on something else.
The sun is yellow.
The sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
The sun is directly overhead at noon.
The moon comes out at night.
The North Star is the brightest star in the nighttime sky.
A compass needle points north.
Heavy objects fall faster than light objects.
The shortest distance between two points is always a straight line.
Days get shorter in winter and longer in summer.
There is no gravity in outer space.
But all of those things are FALSE, so we'll have to agree on something else.
Friday, June 06, 2008
Blithering
What's Blithering? Blithering means "Blogging on Friday."
I'm still a big Gator fan ...
The SC Department of Natural Resources will issue 1000 alligator hunting permits for this year's Sept 13- Oct 11 season. Hunters will be allowed to kill just one gator, which must be more than 4 feet in length.
www.dnrsc.gov
Wow. Wish that could be incorporated into Fox's new Lake Hartwell reality TV show.
Pitcher this
Analogies are illustrations. Analogies are not postulates, facts or truths. Finding fault with an analogy only dismisses the analogy, not the point:
Let's say you're trying to explain the concept of "water pitcher" to a visitor from another planet. Since you're having trouble communicating in Xkrueg, it seems like a good idea to draw a picture of a water pitcher and suggest, "A water pitcher looks like this."
Then an earthly critic comes along and shrugs, "But YOUR picture doesn't hold water."
Moral: You can't prove (or disprove) a point using analogies. Duh.
Super Bowl Insider
You know the scenario: It's fourth and goal on the One with :06 left on the Super Bowl clock and your team is trailing by 5. So you grab your ball cap because twisting it around backward virtually guarantees victory.
Or you cross and un-cross your legs six times during the final time-out (because your team needs six points to win). Come on, we all do it. Don't we?
In the meantime, ever wondered what the QB is saying in the huddle? Probably something like this:
"OK guys, we trained in the off-season, sacrificed during spring training, played hard during the season and fought our hearts out during the play-offs to finally get to this point.
"Now let's all give 110% ... and just hope our lucky slob sitting in his recliner in Des Moines is watching and remembers to rub his belly counter-clockwise 3 times so we can take this one to the bank. OK on three, break."
I'm quite sure.
Any point asking why?
I woke up around 1:30 AM the other night and couldn't get back to sleep. So I turned on the TV and surfed through the satellite sky until I found a documentary that caught my attention.
In a nutshell, the show's premise was that Christ was a fictional creation and never actually existed: that everything we know about Christ from the gospels was "borrowed" directly from Egyptian myths (some dude named Horace) that have been traced back to 2500 BC.
Is it me, or does it seem like suddenly there's tons of documentaries and "scholarship" coming out to "prove" that either the gospels are fiction, or worse, that Christ himself was a liar.
Wonder why I haven't been seeing as much attention and "scholarship" devoted to Muhammad, Buddha, Confucius, Krishna, Joseph Smith, L. Ron Hubbard or the Dali Lama.
I'm still a big Gator fan ...
The SC Department of Natural Resources will issue 1000 alligator hunting permits for this year's Sept 13- Oct 11 season. Hunters will be allowed to kill just one gator, which must be more than 4 feet in length.
www.dnrsc.gov
Wow. Wish that could be incorporated into Fox's new Lake Hartwell reality TV show.
Pitcher this
Analogies are illustrations. Analogies are not postulates, facts or truths. Finding fault with an analogy only dismisses the analogy, not the point:
Let's say you're trying to explain the concept of "water pitcher" to a visitor from another planet. Since you're having trouble communicating in Xkrueg, it seems like a good idea to draw a picture of a water pitcher and suggest, "A water pitcher looks like this."
Then an earthly critic comes along and shrugs, "But YOUR picture doesn't hold water."
Moral: You can't prove (or disprove) a point using analogies. Duh.
Super Bowl Insider
You know the scenario: It's fourth and goal on the One with :06 left on the Super Bowl clock and your team is trailing by 5. So you grab your ball cap because twisting it around backward virtually guarantees victory.
Or you cross and un-cross your legs six times during the final time-out (because your team needs six points to win). Come on, we all do it. Don't we?
In the meantime, ever wondered what the QB is saying in the huddle? Probably something like this:
"OK guys, we trained in the off-season, sacrificed during spring training, played hard during the season and fought our hearts out during the play-offs to finally get to this point.
"Now let's all give 110% ... and just hope our lucky slob sitting in his recliner in Des Moines is watching and remembers to rub his belly counter-clockwise 3 times so we can take this one to the bank. OK on three, break."
I'm quite sure.
Any point asking why?
I woke up around 1:30 AM the other night and couldn't get back to sleep. So I turned on the TV and surfed through the satellite sky until I found a documentary that caught my attention.
In a nutshell, the show's premise was that Christ was a fictional creation and never actually existed: that everything we know about Christ from the gospels was "borrowed" directly from Egyptian myths (some dude named Horace) that have been traced back to 2500 BC.
Is it me, or does it seem like suddenly there's tons of documentaries and "scholarship" coming out to "prove" that either the gospels are fiction, or worse, that Christ himself was a liar.
Wonder why I haven't been seeing as much attention and "scholarship" devoted to Muhammad, Buddha, Confucius, Krishna, Joseph Smith, L. Ron Hubbard or the Dali Lama.
Thursday, June 05, 2008
the largest number in the universe
-from Wiki:
"Graham's number, named after Ronald Graham, is a large number often described as the largest finite number that has ever been seriously used in a mathematical proof.
"Guinness World Records even listed Graham's number as the World Champion largest number. Graham's number is much larger than other well known large numbers such as a googol and a googolplex, and even larger than Skewes' number and Moser's number, other well-known large numbers.
"Indeed, there is no concise way to write Graham's number, or any reasonable approximation using conventional mathematical operators. Even power towers (of the form
) are useless for this purpose. It can be most easily notated by recursive means using Knuth's up-arrow notation or the Hyper operator.
-- --- --
Hmmm. Thought I'd seen several church covenants that tacked on enough man-made rules and legalisms to make Graham's Number pale in comparison.
"Graham's number, named after Ronald Graham, is a large number often described as the largest finite number that has ever been seriously used in a mathematical proof.
"Guinness World Records even listed Graham's number as the World Champion largest number. Graham's number is much larger than other well known large numbers such as a googol and a googolplex, and even larger than Skewes' number and Moser's number, other well-known large numbers.
"Indeed, there is no concise way to write Graham's number, or any reasonable approximation using conventional mathematical operators. Even power towers (of the form
) are useless for this purpose. It can be most easily notated by recursive means using Knuth's up-arrow notation or the Hyper operator.- G = g64 where
,
-- --- --
Hmmm. Thought I'd seen several church covenants that tacked on enough man-made rules and legalisms to make Graham's Number pale in comparison.
Blittering?
Has anybody already come up with the idea of "Blittering"?
Blittering would be limiting blog posts to 140 words or less. Instead of 140 paragraphs (or pages) per post; guilty.
There, I did it in thirty-six. (104 remaining)
Blittering would be limiting blog posts to 140 words or less. Instead of 140 paragraphs (or pages) per post; guilty.
There, I did it in thirty-six. (104 remaining)
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
"... and Lord, please help all those other people, too."
"Lord, before I forget, please help all the Christians living in those poor other countries. Please help them not to die of diseases or starve to death or be killed in wars.
"Please help them have clothes and be strong in their suffering. And if it's your will, let please let their children be OK but if they get sick, please don't let them suffer too much before they die.
"Lord I know they don't speak English or look like I do, but that's not their fault. That doesn't make any difference to me so if you get a chance, please do what you can. It wouldn't take very much.
"I guess that's all I can think of for now. Amen.
"Oh PS. You already know this but please get our pastor straightened out. Make sure he keeps both feet on the ground and quits getting the church fathers riled up. Maybe it'd help if the deacons knocked him down a peg or two so he can see how we've always done things, I dunno.
"OK, that's it for me. Amen."
"Please help them have clothes and be strong in their suffering. And if it's your will, let please let their children be OK but if they get sick, please don't let them suffer too much before they die.
"Lord I know they don't speak English or look like I do, but that's not their fault. That doesn't make any difference to me so if you get a chance, please do what you can. It wouldn't take very much.
"I guess that's all I can think of for now. Amen.
"Oh PS. You already know this but please get our pastor straightened out. Make sure he keeps both feet on the ground and quits getting the church fathers riled up. Maybe it'd help if the deacons knocked him down a peg or two so he can see how we've always done things, I dunno.
"OK, that's it for me. Amen."
What is an Optimist?
-from today's Take Time to Laugh Department:
An optimist is someone who, regardless of their situation or circumstances, can't help but smile and announce to the world, "So far so good."
:-) Enjoy .....
An optimist is someone who, regardless of their situation or circumstances, can't help but smile and announce to the world, "So far so good."
:-) Enjoy .....
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Are you a Southern Baptist, or what?
My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas"; still another, "I follow Christ."
Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul? - 1 Corinthians 1:11-13
What's wrong with kids now days?
John King was the world's youngest pirate.
According to Wiki, King "joined the crew of Samuel "Black Sam" Bellamy while still a juvenile, and is the youngest known pirate on record.
Remains Identified as a boy pirate - Boston.com
The Littlest Pirate - unmuseum.org
According to Wiki, King "joined the crew of Samuel "Black Sam" Bellamy while still a juvenile, and is the youngest known pirate on record.
"On November 9, 1716, Bellamy and his crew, sailing the sloop Mary Anne (or Marianne), attacked and captured the Antiguan sloop Bonetta, which was then en route from Antigua to Jamaica. John King, then aged between eight and eleven, was a passenger on the Bonetta. According to Abijah Savage, the Bonetta's commander, the pirates looted the ship for 15 days, during which time King demanded to join Bellamy's crew. "(F)ar from being forced or compelled (to join)," Savage wrote in his report, "he declared he would kill himself if he was restrained, and even threatened his Mother, who was then on board as a passenger."
Related:Remains Identified as a boy pirate - Boston.com
The Littlest Pirate - unmuseum.org
Monday, June 02, 2008
On Woooooo! Tube
-from Reuters.com
Underground Drinks Party Ends in Mayhem
Underground Drinks Party Ends in Mayhem
By Paul Majendie
LONDON (Reuters) - Police arrested 17 people and had to close six London Underground stations after a party involving thousands of revelers to mark the last day of drinking alcohol on the tube turned ugly.
Six assaults were reported on underground rail staff and police. Several damaged trains had to be withdrawn from service on a night of mayhem that had been dubbed "Last Round on the Underground" by revelers.
The festivities were at first good-natured with partygoers wearing fancy dress as they swigged beer and wine, dancing and singing in the railway carriages.
But police moved in when the mood turned sour and fighting erupted, spoiling what officers had called "a fun event."
The London transport ban on alcohol is designed to make buses, tubes and trains safer for the public but unions fear staff could be put in greater danger when they have to confront those breaking the ban.
Sunday, June 01, 2008
tvitter
I tried twittering, really I did, but never managed to quite get a "feel" for what the essence of twittering is all about. (But then I felt supremely confident that HD DVD was gonna triumph all over Blu-Ray, and we see how that turned out. So there.)
-- -- --
But ... but when no one's twittering, don't you wonder what all your friends are watching- at that instant- on TV? See that's what we need tvitter for.
Here's my week at a glance:
Keen Eddie Today 2:30PM 307 SLTH
Faces of Earth Mon 6/2 8:00PM 284 SCI
Extreme Marksmen Mon 6/2 9:00PM 269 HIST
Ancient Asteroid Mon 6/2 11:00PM 276 NGC
Manual Tune Wed 6/4 9:00 PM 269 HIST
If tvitter really existed, I'd likely call mine Notes from the Blue Screen.
-- -- --
But ... but when no one's twittering, don't you wonder what all your friends are watching- at that instant- on TV? See that's what we need tvitter for.
Here's my week at a glance:
Keen Eddie Today 2:30PM 307 SLTH
Faces of Earth Mon 6/2 8:00PM 284 SCI
Extreme Marksmen Mon 6/2 9:00PM 269 HIST
Ancient Asteroid Mon 6/2 11:00PM 276 NGC
Manual Tune Wed 6/4 9:00 PM 269 HIST
If tvitter really existed, I'd likely call mine Notes from the Blue Screen.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Why don't we get drunk and Woooooo!?
-Notes from Marina Life, Vol XIV; Saturday Night Edition
I can almost understand why 18 & 19 year old kids are intrigued by the idea of getting inebriated ... it's something new & untried. That's the superficial appeal.
But for Pete's sake. When you're 40+ years old isn't there something better to do with your time, i.e. your life, than stagger around drunk at 11:15PM with beer can in hand, yelling "Wooooooo!"?
I can almost understand why 18 & 19 year old kids are intrigued by the idea of getting inebriated ... it's something new & untried. That's the superficial appeal.
But for Pete's sake. When you're 40+ years old isn't there something better to do with your time, i.e. your life, than stagger around drunk at 11:15PM with beer can in hand, yelling "Wooooooo!"?
Riled-up, or not?
Don't laugh, but I was a big wrestling fan when I was a kid.
With PPV TV wrestling being what it is now this may sound strange, but I remember being ringside on more than a couple of occasions when thousands of screaming folks were on their feet ... and things seemed seriously ready to get out of hand.
Here's an account from Wikipedia:
"After working in Stampede for a while The Fabulous Kangaroos started to travel across the United States, headlining shows wherever they went due to their ability to rile up crowds with their heel (bad guy) tactics.
"On one occasion in August 1958, The Kangaroos, or "Kangaroo Men" as they were billed, nearly caused a riot in Madison Square Garden during a match against Antonino Rocca and Miguel Pérez; the fans began to throw fruit and stones at them. [Remember this happened in New York City, not Belton]
"After the match ended without a decisive winner, the promoters stepped in, turned up the arena lights, and played the National Anthem to stop a potential riot. This was a common tactic used at the time by the New York promoters to prevent riots and help the heels leave the arena unharmed."
Doesn't that seem amazing ... since everybody knows wrestling is "fake"?
Of course, now days crowds are too "sophisticated" & "experienced" to get that excited ... about almost anything.
With PPV TV wrestling being what it is now this may sound strange, but I remember being ringside on more than a couple of occasions when thousands of screaming folks were on their feet ... and things seemed seriously ready to get out of hand.
Here's an account from Wikipedia:
"After working in Stampede for a while The Fabulous Kangaroos started to travel across the United States, headlining shows wherever they went due to their ability to rile up crowds with their heel (bad guy) tactics.
"On one occasion in August 1958, The Kangaroos, or "Kangaroo Men" as they were billed, nearly caused a riot in Madison Square Garden during a match against Antonino Rocca and Miguel Pérez; the fans began to throw fruit and stones at them. [Remember this happened in New York City, not Belton]
"After the match ended without a decisive winner, the promoters stepped in, turned up the arena lights, and played the National Anthem to stop a potential riot. This was a common tactic used at the time by the New York promoters to prevent riots and help the heels leave the arena unharmed."
Doesn't that seem amazing ... since everybody knows wrestling is "fake"?
Of course, now days crowds are too "sophisticated" & "experienced" to get that excited ... about almost anything.
SD zen
-this post began as an email to a friend
Ba'as, what went wrong with SD cards? I mean,
1. Nobody's ever designed a really sex-e looking SD card (i.e. one that's either transparent, or glows neon-disco while operating)
2. Nobody carries SD cards around on their key rings
3. Nobody seems eager to show you their new SD card: 8 GB? Who cares?
4. Nobody offers to lend or share data from their SD card ... not even if it's in plain view
5. The hottest-sounding name for today's LnG* SD card is SDHC
In comparison, USB flash drives get groovy marketing tags like "DataTraveler" and "Crucial Gizmo!"
All told, it just seems like the poor SD card is, I dunno, kinda square.
* Latest and Greatest
Ba'as, what went wrong with SD cards? I mean,
1. Nobody's ever designed a really sex-e looking SD card (i.e. one that's either transparent, or glows neon-disco while operating)
2. Nobody carries SD cards around on their key rings
3. Nobody seems eager to show you their new SD card: 8 GB? Who cares?
4. Nobody offers to lend or share data from their SD card ... not even if it's in plain view
5. The hottest-sounding name for today's LnG* SD card is SDHC
In comparison, USB flash drives get groovy marketing tags like "DataTraveler" and "Crucial Gizmo!"
All told, it just seems like the poor SD card is, I dunno, kinda square.
* Latest and Greatest
Friday, May 30, 2008
Sacks Spiral; Beyond the Infinite
Note: Like a hurried frog trying to traverse a pond by haphazardly leaping from lily pad to lily pad until it finally misjudges the distance and falls short in water far over its head, too much googling can be a bad thing: after jumping around Wikipedia I landed on Sacks Spiral and promptly went Splash! over my head.
-- -- --
-from Wikipedia:
To his surprise, the circled numbers tended to line up along diagonal lines."
-Then I clicked on Wiki's Sack's Spiral link:
"It differs from Ulam's in three ways: it places points on an Archimedean spiral rather than the square spiral used by Ulam, it places zero in the center of the spiral, and it makes a full rotation for each perfect square while the Ulam spiral places two squares per rotation. Certain curves originating from the origin appear to be unusually dense in prime numbers [...] The extent to which the number spiral's curves are predictive of large primes and composites remains unknown."
I don't understand anything of what they're talking about ... it's just that the Stargate effect in the "Beyond the Infinite" segment of Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey kinda resembles Sack's Spiral, doesn't it?
-- -- --
-from Wikipedia:
"The Ulam spiral, or prime spiral (in other languages also called the Ulam cloth) is a simple method of graphing the prime numbers that reveals a pattern which has never been fully explained. It was discovered by the mathematician Stanisław Ulam in 1963, while doodling on scratch paper at a scientific meeting. Ulam, bored that day, wrote down a regular grid of numbers, starting with 1 at the center, and spiraling out:
He then circled all of the prime numbers and he got the following picture:
-Then I clicked on Wiki's Sack's Spiral link:
"It differs from Ulam's in three ways: it places points on an Archimedean spiral rather than the square spiral used by Ulam, it places zero in the center of the spiral, and it makes a full rotation for each perfect square while the Ulam spiral places two squares per rotation. Certain curves originating from the origin appear to be unusually dense in prime numbers [...] The extent to which the number spiral's curves are predictive of large primes and composites remains unknown."
I don't understand anything of what they're talking about ... it's just that the Stargate effect in the "Beyond the Infinite" segment of Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey kinda resembles Sack's Spiral, doesn't it?
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Moral Authority and "Leadership"
Just got back from dieseling up Black Thunder. Grab a seat, and run these numbers along with me:
21.2346 gallons x $4.659 =
The $98.93 Fill-up
Whoa. Still, fuel is cheap compared to what we're facing ahead.
--
Don't blame the oil companies, politicians (and think that an election will lower oil prices) or the speculator gnomes. And don't point fingers at India, China or anybody else.
Since World War II Americans have expected, or demanded, an extravagant standard of consumption that would be ecologically unsustainable if adopted by the rest of the world. Because we're "the greatest nation on earth and deserve it."
Now that Americans are facing the reality of a free market system that allows new players a seat at the pricing table, is it just coincidence that we're the ones hollering the loudest about the need for Conservation?
In other words, now we want the rest of the world (i.e. the developing nations we perceive as ruining our cheap gas holiday) to do what we never could make ourselves do ... stop consuming so much of the planet's resources.
Otherwise, Americans might not have gas at all for their boat and SUVs.
---
What's the best way to do get the world on board with conservation? US politicians argue we can "use our leadership to teach the world how to conserve." Wow. Talk about arrogance and bold-faced hubris.
If you lived in any other country besides the US, what country would you like assuming the self-appointed mantel of conservation Leadership? Brazil, maybe?
Nope; no matter what country you live in, you don't want any other country butting in and interfering with your internal affairs. Seems like we woulda learned that by now, doesn't it?
Doesn't it?
---
That our politicians would have the gall to suggest the US should appoint itself a "Leadership role" in Conservation is indicative that the same self-deluding mentality that's kept our consumption engine firing on all 12 cylinders for the last 50 years is still alive & remains integral to the national character.
Never mind that an election is just around the corner. Get Out and Vote- for cheap gas!
-- --
Americans like thinking of ourselves as Leaders because Leaders are #1. Leaders are smarter, brighter and more perceptive than the rest of the dummies, right? Doesn't everyone except us want to be led by Team America? Wasn't everyone else born to be followers?
So why do the followers seem to have so much trouble following our Leadership? What's wrong with those foreign guys, anyway? Go Team Go!
Just don't go broke going to the gas pump in the meantime.
-- --
Maybe having just a hint of familiarity and experience with the subject, as well as sharing the consequences of our decisions, would put a few more moral gallons of authority in our leadership tank.
In the meantime, we shouldn't be surprised if the rest of the world ignores us ... or just keeps on laughing.
21.2346 gallons x $4.659 =
The $98.93 Fill-up
Whoa. Still, fuel is cheap compared to what we're facing ahead.
--
Don't blame the oil companies, politicians (and think that an election will lower oil prices) or the speculator gnomes. And don't point fingers at India, China or anybody else.
Since World War II Americans have expected, or demanded, an extravagant standard of consumption that would be ecologically unsustainable if adopted by the rest of the world. Because we're "the greatest nation on earth and deserve it."
Now that Americans are facing the reality of a free market system that allows new players a seat at the pricing table, is it just coincidence that we're the ones hollering the loudest about the need for Conservation?
In other words, now we want the rest of the world (i.e. the developing nations we perceive as ruining our cheap gas holiday) to do what we never could make ourselves do ... stop consuming so much of the planet's resources.
Otherwise, Americans might not have gas at all for their boat and SUVs.
---
What's the best way to do get the world on board with conservation? US politicians argue we can "use our leadership to teach the world how to conserve." Wow. Talk about arrogance and bold-faced hubris.
If you lived in any other country besides the US, what country would you like assuming the self-appointed mantel of conservation Leadership? Brazil, maybe?
Nope; no matter what country you live in, you don't want any other country butting in and interfering with your internal affairs. Seems like we woulda learned that by now, doesn't it?
Doesn't it?
---
That our politicians would have the gall to suggest the US should appoint itself a "Leadership role" in Conservation is indicative that the same self-deluding mentality that's kept our consumption engine firing on all 12 cylinders for the last 50 years is still alive & remains integral to the national character.
Never mind that an election is just around the corner. Get Out and Vote- for cheap gas!
-- --
Americans like thinking of ourselves as Leaders because Leaders are #1. Leaders are smarter, brighter and more perceptive than the rest of the dummies, right? Doesn't everyone except us want to be led by Team America? Wasn't everyone else born to be followers?
So why do the followers seem to have so much trouble following our Leadership? What's wrong with those foreign guys, anyway? Go Team Go!
Just don't go broke going to the gas pump in the meantime.
-- --
Maybe having just a hint of familiarity and experience with the subject, as well as sharing the consequences of our decisions, would put a few more moral gallons of authority in our leadership tank.
In the meantime, we shouldn't be surprised if the rest of the world ignores us ... or just keeps on laughing.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Hey, gas is cheap!
Look what it costs in Europe:
Germany $8.55 (regular)
Great Britain $8.25
-source
Now think about this: a little while from now, as gasoline inches close to $7 a gallon, we'll look back fondly on the salad days ... when it seemed dirt cheap at just $3.86 a gallon.
Germany $8.55 (regular)
Great Britain $8.25
-source
Now think about this: a little while from now, as gasoline inches close to $7 a gallon, we'll look back fondly on the salad days ... when it seemed dirt cheap at just $3.86 a gallon.
Stiltsville
"Your cabin in the sea ..."Can you imagine standing on the shore on Lake Hartwell, looking to the middle of a tiny inlet and nodding, "That's where I'm putting my house"?
My, how times have changed ... because in Miami during the 1930s, more than a few people did exactly the incredible, and began building houses on pilings along Biscayne Channel. Without having to consult bothersome building codes, zoning ordinances, or anything of the sort.
(above- Miami Springs Power Boat Club, 1950s)Sadly, in 1992 Hurricane Andrew left just seven of the remaining fourteen houses standing.
Sources
Save Old Stiltsville
Stiltsville
Know Your Dog's (DNA) Pawprint
-from DoggieDNAprint.com
"The public availability of the dog genome has provided the basis for the development of cutting-edge tools and techniques for understanding canine genealogy. We can assess your dog's ancestry population (it's relationship to four ancient ancestral breeds) and display it's characteristics in comparison to a database of existing reference-breed dogs.
"We provide you a fifteen-digit proprietary score that allows you to compare your dog's score to our continually updated database of purebred and mixed breeds allowing increasingly accurate breed identification."
--
Hmmm, wonder how long before a similar service is available for cat owners?
"The public availability of the dog genome has provided the basis for the development of cutting-edge tools and techniques for understanding canine genealogy. We can assess your dog's ancestry population (it's relationship to four ancient ancestral breeds) and display it's characteristics in comparison to a database of existing reference-breed dogs.
"We provide you a fifteen-digit proprietary score that allows you to compare your dog's score to our continually updated database of purebred and mixed breeds allowing increasingly accurate breed identification."
--
Hmmm, wonder how long before a similar service is available for cat owners?
Monday, May 26, 2008
thinking outside the pizza box
I couldn't believe this when I saw it: a 75mm recoilless rifle mounted to an Italian Vespa scooter.
It's for real, too. Roughly 800 AMCA Troupes Aeról Portées Mle. 5s were used by French Airborne Forces in Algeria and Indochina (Viet Nam).
-from Wikipedia
ps. That sure looks like a sub sandwich up front, doesn't it?
It's for real, too. Roughly 800 AMCA Troupes Aeról Portées Mle. 5s were used by French Airborne Forces in Algeria and Indochina (Viet Nam).
-from Wikipediaps. That sure looks like a sub sandwich up front, doesn't it?
Sunday, May 25, 2008
How does 2 million miles per gallon sound?
Today's "Live from Mars" Department
-from cnet.com:
"Come Sunday evening, NASA will have placed some new hardware on Mars. Whether the Phoenix spacecraft lands in one piece or ends up in a number of charred remnants remains to be seen.
"The Phoenix Mars Lander is the latest embodiment of humankind's quest to learn whether life might once have been sustainable on the Red Planet and to prepare for eventual human exploration there.
"In its approach to Mars, Phoenix has been traveling at about 12,750 miles per hour, or about 500 miles in 2 minutes and 22 seconds. Upon landing, it will be about 170 million miles from Earth--after having traveled about 422 million miles through space."Brent Shockley joked in his blog about the spacecraft's energy efficiency. "At a time when gas prices are soaring," he wrote, "Phoenix is getting good fuel economy at about 2 million miles per gallon."
--
Tonight's landing will be broadcast live tonight on the Science Channel 7-9 PM.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
... meanwhile, in New York
(newser) – New York City officials warned people today to avoid a toad venom-based aphrodisiac that recently killed a man, the AP reports. The illegal love drug, often sold as Jamaican Stone or Chinese Rock, is harmful whether ingested or applied to the skin. "There is no definitely safe way to use it,” one official said. Similar drugs have killed at least five New Yorkers since the early 1990s.
Can you imagine what the headline woulda been if this had happened in Iva?
Can you imagine what the headline woulda been if this had happened in Iva?
Psychosoulmatic
"Psychosomatic" doesn't mean the illness you're experiencing is "just all in your head."
Psychosomatic means involving both the mind and the body, or symptoms caused by mental or emotional disturbance. Psychosomatic illnesses are very real ... and often life-threatening as well.
-- --
"Still holding grudges? Check your pulse: research suggests that harboring feelings of betrayal may be linked to high blood pressure which can ultimately lead to stroke, kidney or heart failure, or even death."
That comes from an article, Forgive to Live. Let go of that grudge for your own well-being: The link between forgiveness and longevity in Psychology Today.
"A new study from Duke University Medical Center demonstrates that among people who have chronic back pain, those who have forgiven others experience lower levels of pain and less associated psychological problems like anger and depression than those who have not forgiven.
"Forgiveness in this context is understood as a person's act of deliberately giving up anger and resentment felt toward an offender, and fostering qualities of love, understanding, and compassion in their place." -Medical News Today
-- --
"In your anger do not sin" : Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry"
-Ephesians 4:26
"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice."
-Ephesians 4:31
"Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord." -Romans 12:19
Psychosomatic means involving both the mind and the body, or symptoms caused by mental or emotional disturbance. Psychosomatic illnesses are very real ... and often life-threatening as well.
-- --
"Still holding grudges? Check your pulse: research suggests that harboring feelings of betrayal may be linked to high blood pressure which can ultimately lead to stroke, kidney or heart failure, or even death."
That comes from an article, Forgive to Live. Let go of that grudge for your own well-being: The link between forgiveness and longevity in Psychology Today.
"A new study from Duke University Medical Center demonstrates that among people who have chronic back pain, those who have forgiven others experience lower levels of pain and less associated psychological problems like anger and depression than those who have not forgiven.
"Forgiveness in this context is understood as a person's act of deliberately giving up anger and resentment felt toward an offender, and fostering qualities of love, understanding, and compassion in their place." -Medical News Today
-- --
"In your anger do not sin" : Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry"
-Ephesians 4:26
"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice."
-Ephesians 4:31
"Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord." -Romans 12:19
Friday, May 23, 2008
Who knew this?
-from dictionary.com
aright \uh-RYT\, adverb:
Rightly; correctly; properly; in a right way or manner.
aright \uh-RYT\, adverb:
Rightly; correctly; properly; in a right way or manner.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Manimony
-from CNN.com
(LifeWire) -- When Susan Harris divorced her husband of five and a half years last December, she got the apartment, extra closet space and the covers all to herself.
(LifeWire) -- When Susan Harris divorced her husband of five and a half years last December, she got the apartment, extra closet space and the covers all to herself.
Her ex? He got $37,440.
That money is being doled out in 48 monthly alimony payments. Or, as it's called in some circles, "manimony."
Over the course of the couple's marriage, Harris, 31, who makes more than $100,000 working in ad sales in Alameda, California, brought in more than two-thirds of the household income, while her ex-husband (who declined to comment for this article) worked toward becoming a credentialed teacher.
The couple had no children or joint property other than a rental apartment. When things started getting rocky in the relationship around year two, Harris was loath to end things, partially because she was concerned that she'd be obligated to continue supporting him financially, even though he was employed.
Her concerns were well founded. Legally - under state laws - both women and men are entitled to alimony if there's a large discrepancy in spousal income.
However, that doesn't mean men seek alimony.
"Thirty-three percent of higher-earning spouses are women, but fewer than four percent of alimony payers are women," says Ned Holstein, president of Fathers & Families, a family-court reform organization in Boston, citing U.S. Census Bureau data.
'I'm a man! I can take care of myself'Some husbands have settled for increased custody instead of going to the mat for money, says Holstein.
"I hear a lot of men say, 'She earns way more than I do, but I wasn't going to ask for alimony because I get the kids 40 percent of the time and I don't want to rock the boat.' Then there are a lot of men who are just ashamed to ask for it."
Changing times, changing attitudes
Not all women resent paying money to their exes -- and not all men feel uncomfortable being on the receiving end. As the number of alimony cases increases, attitudes are gradually beginning to change.
Zzzz ... UPDATED with F1 video link
Tried going to sleep too early tonight ... and woke up a little after midnight feeling like I'd just taken a nap.
So instead of counting sheep to fall back asleep, I started trying to decide which kind of athlete I'd rather be:
1. Downhill Skier
The idea of riding two plastic boards down a mountainside at 80mph with no steering wheel always had a certain appeal. But then, the appeal of unbroken bones and skull fracture avoidance is far greater.
2. Jai alai pelotare
Eh, this one deserves an entire post to itself. Maybe another time. (see Joey warming up)
3. Formula 1 Race Car Driver
Driving 160mph through downtown Monte Carlo this coming Sunday must be exhilarating. But surely not so much as this.
So instead of counting sheep to fall back asleep, I started trying to decide which kind of athlete I'd rather be:
1. Downhill Skier
The idea of riding two plastic boards down a mountainside at 80mph with no steering wheel always had a certain appeal. But then, the appeal of unbroken bones and skull fracture avoidance is far greater.2. Jai alai pelotare
Eh, this one deserves an entire post to itself. Maybe another time. (see Joey warming up)3. Formula 1 Race Car Driver
Driving 160mph through downtown Monte Carlo this coming Sunday must be exhilarating. But surely not so much as this.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Religious debate
- from Contagion
"The Boston Smallpox Epidemic, 1721
Despite the promise that inoculation seemed to hold for controlling smallpox, the Boston smallpox epidemic of 1721 is known for the passionate controversy over inoculation that erupted in the city, most visibly between Reverend Cotton Mather and Boston physician William Douglass.
The religious debate was also important. Mather, who had lost his wife and three youngest children in a measles epidemic, argued that inoculation was a gift from God. Those opposed to inoculation argued that epidemic diseases afflicted the people for a divine reason, and that to attempt to prevent them was to oppose God’s will. Others argued that inoculation, with its roots in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, was a heathen practice not suitable for Christians."
"The Boston Smallpox Epidemic, 1721
Despite the promise that inoculation seemed to hold for controlling smallpox, the Boston smallpox epidemic of 1721 is known for the passionate controversy over inoculation that erupted in the city, most visibly between Reverend Cotton Mather and Boston physician William Douglass.
The religious debate was also important. Mather, who had lost his wife and three youngest children in a measles epidemic, argued that inoculation was a gift from God. Those opposed to inoculation argued that epidemic diseases afflicted the people for a divine reason, and that to attempt to prevent them was to oppose God’s will. Others argued that inoculation, with its roots in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, was a heathen practice not suitable for Christians."
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Local News
"Here is Information for Actors
ANDERSON, S.C. -- Fincannon & Associates, the Emmy Award-winning casting company announced Monday that they are on a search to discover talent and extras to be in a new FX Pilot called "Lake Hartwell." An open casting call will be conducted on Thursday, May 22, 2008 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The open call will take place at the Anderson County Arts Center in Anderson, S.C.The tenor of the show is one of a reality/slice of life. They are looking for people with a Southern or Rural quality about them; anything from bikini clad girls to local bass fisherman and everything in between the ages of 18-30 years old. No experience is necessary.If you are interested in being a part of "Lake Hartwell" please call ..."
http://www.foxcarolina.com/news/16332433/detail.html
Bass fishermen? There have to be bass fishermen?
POSTED: 6:03 pm EDT May 19, 2008
UPDATED: 6:37 pm EDT May 19, 2008
ANDERSON, S.C. -- Fincannon & Associates, the Emmy Award-winning casting company announced Monday that they are on a search to discover talent and extras to be in a new FX Pilot called "Lake Hartwell." An open casting call will be conducted on Thursday, May 22, 2008 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The open call will take place at the Anderson County Arts Center in Anderson, S.C.The tenor of the show is one of a reality/slice of life. They are looking for people with a Southern or Rural quality about them; anything from bikini clad girls to local bass fisherman and everything in between the ages of 18-30 years old. No experience is necessary.If you are interested in being a part of "Lake Hartwell" please call ..."
http://www.foxcarolina.com/news/16332433/detail.html
Bass fishermen? There have to be bass fishermen?
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Apply as necessary
a Blue Book re-run from Friday, June 29, 2007 ...
Fatigue is an enemy
"Fatigue makes cowards of us all."
Here's the dig:
"It is not whether you get knocked down. It's whether you get up."
"Dictionary is the only place where success comes before work. Hard work is the price we must pay for success. I think you can accomplish anything if you're willing to pay the price."
"The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will."
Fatigue can turn tiny inconveniences and annoyances into what feels like overwhelming burdens. "I'm too tired," "I'm not excited any more," "I've already done my part," "I'm not sure that's really important" and "What are you telling me for?" are all symptoms.
We might even feel too fatigued to notice it's happening.
"The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender."
So long as we're feeling good and the dice are rolling our way we feel capable of facing and handling impossible challenges.
"Some of us will do our jobs well and some will not, but we will be judged by only one thing- the result."
"Once you learn to quit, it becomes a habit."
We won't be defeated by obstacles or adversaries; we'll be defeated when we accept I Feel Tired as an excuse, and lose track of the most irreplaceable, precious thing we've got: time.
"We didn't lose the game. We just ran out of time."
If that's what we allow to happen, and let fatigue distract us or "modify" our goals toward what's easy, convenient and certain.
"Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection then we can catch excellence."
And isn't that worth working for?
-all quotes from Vince Lombardi, professional football coach
Fatigue is an enemy
"Fatigue makes cowards of us all."
Here's the dig:
"It is not whether you get knocked down. It's whether you get up."
"Dictionary is the only place where success comes before work. Hard work is the price we must pay for success. I think you can accomplish anything if you're willing to pay the price."
"The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will."
Fatigue can turn tiny inconveniences and annoyances into what feels like overwhelming burdens. "I'm too tired," "I'm not excited any more," "I've already done my part," "I'm not sure that's really important" and "What are you telling me for?" are all symptoms.
We might even feel too fatigued to notice it's happening.
"The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender."
So long as we're feeling good and the dice are rolling our way we feel capable of facing and handling impossible challenges.
"Some of us will do our jobs well and some will not, but we will be judged by only one thing- the result."
"Once you learn to quit, it becomes a habit."
We won't be defeated by obstacles or adversaries; we'll be defeated when we accept I Feel Tired as an excuse, and lose track of the most irreplaceable, precious thing we've got: time.
"We didn't lose the game. We just ran out of time."
If that's what we allow to happen, and let fatigue distract us or "modify" our goals toward what's easy, convenient and certain.
"Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection then we can catch excellence."
And isn't that worth working for?
-all quotes from Vince Lombardi, professional football coach
Sunday, May 11, 2008
It's only one bull that fights the lions
National Geographic Channel "Battle at Kruger"
-Moral: Don't just accept what you see
-Moral: Don't just accept what you see
Friday, May 09, 2008
3 great words
Pernicious- causing insidious harm or ruin; ruinous; injurious; hurtful
Perspicacious- having keen mental perception and understanding; discerning
Pervicacious- extremely willful; obstinate; stubborn
Perspicacious- having keen mental perception and understanding; discerning
Pervicacious- extremely willful; obstinate; stubborn
Thursday, May 08, 2008
When shore's safety finally seems in sight ...
"Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves. When our dreams have come true because we dreamed too little. When we arrive safely because we have sailed too close to the shore. Disturb us, Lord." -Craig Groeschel
2 for Thursday
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former." - Matthew 23:23
"To do what is right and just
is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice." - Psalm 21:3
4 would be even better:
"For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him." - Matthew 25:29
"To do what is right and just
is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice." - Psalm 21:3
4 would be even better:
"For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him." - Matthew 25:29
"Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other." - Galatians 5:25-26
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Insomnia Pt. 5
"Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are." - Acts 15:10-11
Sunday, May 04, 2008
More than a Sound Bite
"With God, life is simple: Everything is possible."
-South African game ranger, after surviving simultaneous attack by two lions
-South African game ranger, after surviving simultaneous attack by two lions
Saturday, April 26, 2008
So Who Knows Sumo? (updated)
-video of 580-lb Kanishiki, the largest rikishi ever.
No kidding, I used to be a Sumo afficionado.
But the matches are hard to find on US tv, even with DTV. And let's face it, most Americans think sumo wrestling is no more serious than two fat guys trying to grab each others' underwear.
They'd rather watch NASCAR (or college football) instead.*
Anyway, here's what sumo is all about: "Sumo (相撲 sumō) is a competitive contact sport where two wrestlers (rikishi) attempt to force one another out of a circular ring (dohyo) or to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet."Or paraphrased from a current Yokozuna, the key to to controlling your opponent is "To make his belt float."
---
* Formula 1 racing from Barcelona
Friday, April 25, 2008
More than a closets' worth
I was on the phone the other day with a friend who lives at a marina in another state.
She excitedly informed me that she'd just received an from a nationally-prominent designer announcing "Unprecedented SAVINGS!"
My friend told me she's "save" almost $150 per each pair of shoes she purchased. Then I asked her, "How many shoes would you have to buy to 'save' enough money to have for your retirement?"
Huh?
Well if you're "saving" $150 bucks per pair, and you bought 100 pairs, then you've "saved" $15,000 dollars, right? So call the bank, and ask them to let ya know when your "savings" have been credited to your account.
Moral: ya can't save money by spending money. Just ask Joe.
She excitedly informed me that she'd just received an from a nationally-prominent designer announcing "Unprecedented SAVINGS!"
My friend told me she's "save" almost $150 per each pair of shoes she purchased. Then I asked her, "How many shoes would you have to buy to 'save' enough money to have for your retirement?"
Huh?
Well if you're "saving" $150 bucks per pair, and you bought 100 pairs, then you've "saved" $15,000 dollars, right? So call the bank, and ask them to let ya know when your "savings" have been credited to your account.
Moral: ya can't save money by spending money. Just ask Joe.
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