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May 31, 2007

Big Bad eHarmony.

The latest group under fire from the tolerance police -- eHarmony. Today in California a lawsuit was filed which claims the online dating service practices discrimination based on sexual orientation. How? They don't offer 'men seeking men' and 'women seeking women' options.

As we all know, eHarmony is the only way for an individual to meet a suitable partner. There's not a single other avenue to find love in this whole wide world without using their services, so really, what's an available homosexual supposed to do if they want to find the love of their life?

Oh wait.

Excuse the sarcasm, but I'm sick to death of these kinds of lawsuits. eHarmony is a privately-owned company. They're not a monopoly. They're not funded by the government. They've simply chosen to provide a specific service tailored to a specific target audience.

I've got an idea. I'd like to see a Christian high school student apply for a scholarship from the Point Foundation, which gives money to "meritorious students who are marginalized due to sexual orientation, gender expression or gender identity." I don't know about you, but personally I find that mission statement discriminatory against meritorious students marginalized due to religious orientation, Biblical expression and Christian identity.

I don't really want to see a lawsuit like that, I just wish...I don't know. I guess it's hard to think of the most effective way to love your neighbor when he keeps coming into your house and poking you in the eyeball. A couple days ago I was on a talk radio program and a caller told me Christians were the most in your face group, wanting to be affirmed by the public, etc. I wish I'd had this news story to tell him about.

Bad Gas, Bad Jokes & Southern Comfort.

I feel somewhat surreal. That's probably grammatically incorrect, but I imagine you seasoned readers are used to that by now. ;) Maybe I should say my surroundings feel somewhat surreal. I'm sitting in a swing on the wrap-around porch of a truly Southern home. The birds are chirping and I can hear children playing somewhere in the distance. It's pretty warm but the shade and the breeze take the edge off.

Other than the cars driving by occasionally, it's not too much of a stretch for me to imagine I'm sinking back through time. Although, aside from the cars, my imagination is also hampered by the fact that I'm sitting here in shorts and a t-shirt instead of a girdle and 12 layers of material. :p  

Obviously Bertha decided to suck it up yesterday and not leave me stranded. My first stop was a truck repair shop where I tried desperately not to worry about getting taken advantage of -- and after waiting an hour and a half for the head mechanic to return I was informed that they don't work on motorhomes. Argh.

I decided to try to limp my way to my next destination, a small town about 100 miles away called Lafayette. Now say that in your head. Have you got the pronunciation right? Because I was calling it Lah-fay-yet. I should have been pronouncing it lu-FAY-it, or if I was a true native: lu-Fet.

Anyway, I aimed in the direction of lu-Fet and started off. No huge clonking sounds, but the occassional weirdness was heard. My dad called several times posing as AAA, his final suggestion that perhaps I'd gotten bad gas. I stopped at a W/M and purchased the required fixative, then stopped at the gas station and tried not to flinch as I pumped in the required premium gasoline. I only drove about a half hour after that remedy, so I'm not sure whether things are resolved yet -- I'll take Bertha in for a check-up here in the next couple days.

I'm in lu-Fet to visit some friends of my parents. They pastored the church in Germany that my parents <and I guess I as well> attended for a couple years. Although they haven't seen me since I was about three, they welcomed me with open arms and have already overwhelmed me with southern hospitality, though I've only been here about 24 hours.

Last night I attended the prayer meeting at the church where they pastor. The building is on the National Registry, built sometime in the 1800's though I can't remember the specific info. It was another example of something that I've been enjoying throughout my visit to the south -- beautiful houses of worship. I guess I feel I've suffered a bit being raised in the practicality of the northwest with its neverending heritage of churches meeting in gyms. :p

I always thought if I could find a church that met outdoors in a forest, I'd attend it in a heartbeat, but I'm finding these southern churches to be a pretty good alternative. At County Line last night they even had the original benches -- straight-backed hard wood to make good and sure you don't nod off. ;)

Maybe it was because I just finished that Lincoln book, but when someone last night mentioned the War Between the States I was a little jarred. I know from exhaustive, in-depth research into southern culture <repeat viewings of Steel Magnolias and Sweet Home Alabama> that the Civil War means something different in this part of the country, but it was a unique experience hearing someone reference the war that way so off-handedly.

Besides the Civil War, we also talked about pronunciation a bit and I heard a marvelous joke. The person telling it said it happened around here, but whether that was a set-up to the joke or it really is a true story I don't know. A guy walked into the bank and asked for Mr. Frizzle. The clerk said we don't have a Mr. Frizzle, but we have a Mr. Fri-zell. The man said go tell Mr. Fri-zell that his father Mr. Frizzle is waiting for him.

Ba dum bum. Remember that the subject line said bad jokes so you were warned. ;)

This morning as I sat eating grits, my host placed a call to see whether I could get on the local radio or tv stations. A few minutes and a few assurances that I was 'good people' later, I had my first tv interview scheduled. I'll be on a local station about 8:15 Sunday morning, eastern time. It seems I've stumbled across that unfortunate area I read about a few months ago -- the one the federal government chose to rather haphazardly split into different time zones -- so they have to clarify which time zone they're referring to.

Anyhow, I'll make my television debut, then pop over to the radio station for an interview, then hopefully buzz back and make it to church at County Line to hear the southern gospel choir rock out.

May 30, 2007

The Stuff.

Yesterday I did three interviews on three different stations, which was quite fun -- today I'm immersed in the stuff of daily life. What a letdown! :p

I'm thinking there's got to be some sort of spiritual lesson in the stuff. You know what I mean: the laundry, the dishes, paying bills, mowing the lawn. All the stuff that it takes to keep life churning along. All the stuff that you'd rather hire a personal assistant to do so that you can be involved in the exciting endeavors! But like I said, I imagine there's a spiritual lesson there...

My stuff today is finding a repair shop who can do an oil change and check out Bertha's mysterious knocking. I've got plenty of other things on my to do list, but this mission takes precedence as I'm not too keen on dropping my engine by the side of the road. ;) I've already had a time in prayer asking that I don't 'get took' by some good old boy -- mechanics are not my favorite species.

May 29, 2007

Feedback.

Ok, I just have to share something about the 'business' of blogging. I don't know if anyone but other bloggers will find it as funny as I do...but in the last couple weeks I've noticed a significant drop in comments. Granted, I don't get many comments anyway, but lately I've been going days at a time without hearing a pin drop from anyone. This, I'm ashamed to admit, I found increasingly depressing. 

Yes, it pains me to say this, but I have a writer's temperament <up-down-up-down>. This temperament is magnified by blogging because I publish, as it were, every day instead of working on something, like my novel, for five years, then giving it to my mom and having stomach pains until she gets back to me. ;)

It occurs to me just now that it's almost like being a dog. Waiting around all day for someone to notice you, getting increasingly depressed by lack of attention, then running around like a mad-thing when someone pats you on the head as they walk by. Ok, on second thought that's probably not the greatest analogy... :p

Anyway, it turns out I changed my feedback settings a couple weeks ago because I was getting spammed to within an inch of my life with junk comments. Lo and behold, I thought to check today and loads of comments <or at least five> were mis-filed as junk. Issue resolved, anxiety abated. ;)

Team of Rivals.

I spent most of yesterday morning finishing up Team of Rivals, a fascinating biography focusing on the political acumen of Abraham Lincoln. I can't recommend this book highly enough, although I realize the 750+ pages might scare some people off. ;) It's exceedingly well written and does a great job of reminding us of our roots, as well as being absolutely pertinent to our current political landscape. 
As I think I mentioned in an earlier entry, I was blown away by Lincoln's ability to rise above personal affronts to do what was best for the country. Salmon Chase, the Secretary of the Treasury, was constantly scheming against Lincoln, up to and including keeping his seat on the Cabinet while trying to swipe the Presidential nomination away from Abe for a second term. He frequently excoriated Lincoln in speeches and letters to both private citizens and public newspapers. And yet, Lincoln let Chase stay on because he was doing a brilliant job at the Treasury. Only when his poisonous ambition and pettiness finally outweighed the public good did Lincoln accept his resignation. It was Chase's fourth offer in five years, each resignation letter submitted when he felt Lincoln needed to be reminded of who was in charge, each one increasingly arrogant.

I have to admit, I actually shed a few tears toward the end when Ms. Kearns was describing Lincoln's assassination and the reaction around the country. Other than the school textbook version, I'd never really studied much about Lincoln. One thing I'm sure I never heard -- that his assassination was one of three planned for the day. Secretary of State Seward was attacked and nearly killed and the plotter assigned to assassinate the Vice President only changed his mind at the last second. On a side note, the VP gave such an incomprehensible speech at Lincoln's second inauguration that it was reported he was inebriated.

Lincoln was the man for his time, that's for sure. I have no doubt in my mind that God arranged the timing, along with the unusual <and improbable> circumstances surrounding his election. It was a good reminder to me that God is not silent, nor impotent, regarding the political machinations of our leaders and the spiraling moral decay in our culture. He acts in His perfect timing...and not a moment sooner.

Tuesday Morning Musings.

Just got done with the morning's radio interview and I have to say, I've pretty much gotten over the normal jitters...but hearing I was going to take calls brought them back! ;)

The first caller inauspiciously began with 'I don't read fiction, but' and proceeded to give me a book title he thought I should read that talked about how the Puritans used to have folks assigned to go into homes and make sure the parents were teaching correct things. Sounds interesting to me so I plan on adding it to my amazon wishlist.
The host warned me that the second caller was a 'skeptic' so I should prepare myself. Gulp. However, he just said he thought Christians were the worst tolerance offenders, wanting people to affirm their beliefs, being in your face, etc. That's a pretty common complaint, which I happen to disagree with. The host jumped in with a great analogy -- if you throw a tract back in a Christian's face they probably won't get out a machete...

So now I'm back to sitting in the orange/cream room where I spent all day Friday. I've got one more interview to tape and I may or may not get a short live spot on one of the afternoon music shows. Meanwhile I'm plotting out next steps.

I have to visit a mechanic tomorrow to have an ominous sound checked out. Bertha was not sounding happy on Thursday when I was following my hosts home through bad Birmingham traffic. Maybe it was all the starting and stopping and slamming of the gas pedal, but four or five times there was a real loud grating sound -- almost exactly like the sound when you start running off the side of the road and your tires going over the little hash marks startles you out of your stupor. My dad has diagnosed it over the phone as 'bad gas' so I'm quite hopeful that's all it is. To me, it sounded like the engine was going to fall out. :p

Couple interesting news articles this morning:
- A woman who was so drunk she fell out of a rickshaw in Denver has filed suit because the emergency room doctor allegedly prescribed "Do not abuse alcohol. Do not get drunk and fall causing harm to your head or body. Apologize to your family, friends and [emergency department] faculty for your extremely inappropriate behavior and rudeness while intoxicated. Be a great mother to your kids." Too bad this doctor isn't familiar with a key component of our culture -- it's not my fault!
- China's top drug regulator has been sentenced to death for taking bribes to let untested drugs on the market. The most disturbing quotes listed in the article I read: "a third of China's 450,000 food production companies had no licenses" and "60% of the total <food production companies> did not conduct safety tests or have the capability to do so." Is anyone else checking the label to see where your food was grown?
- A man in Nepal who expressed faith in Jesus Christ has been undergoing severe persecution. Villagers dug up his crop, causing him to lose his year's income. Water run-off from his field to a neighbor's brought officials running. "Normally, we wouldn't fine you, but because you changed your religion and became a Christian, you need to pay 6,000 rupees." The man's wife and children were turned against him and he was forced to leave his village. Next time I get a call saying Christians are intolerant, I can add this story of Hindu benevolence to my repertoire.

May 28, 2007

Couple Interviews Tomorrow.

I'll be on the Lee Davis Show at 8:30 tomorrow morning that, I think, will be rebroadcast at 2:30p and 9:30p as well. If you'd like, you can click here to listen.

I'm also recording an interview with another host to be broadcast at a later date. I'm going to try to get a copy so I can post it, but I'll have to let you know tomorrow whether that happens or not.

May 27, 2007

A Rose By Any Other Name.

I visited the Birmingham Botanical Gardens yesterday and saw some magnificent roses. Sorry to be redundant, but I had to post both of my favorite pictures because I couldn't decide between the two. 

 

rose-2.jpg

May 26, 2007

Christian = Criminal in Saudi?

A Christian was arrested in Mecca...for being a Christian in Mecca. Apparently it's against the law and the Saudi government was able to track him down by using a new fingerprinting system. The system is being utilized by the Expatriates Monitoring Committee and is "very helpful and will help us a lot to discover the identity of a lot of criminals and overstayers."

Saudi Arabia has been a touchy subject for a number of years -- supposedly our friendly ally, yet holding one of the worst records regarding religious freedoms. To me, the most troubling quotes in the article:

"In the U.S., an estimated 80 percent of mosques are supported largely with funds and imams from Saudi Arabia." and "...the government of Saudi Arabia is disseminating propaganda through American mosques that teaches hatred of Jews and Christians and instructs Muslims that they are on a mission behind enemy lines in a land of unbelievers."

<HT: Hal

Life's Short. Get a Divorce.

This morning's news round-up is full of all the odd news you can handle:

A billboard in Chicago containing a 'partially clothed man and woman' with the phrase 'Life's Short. Get a Divorce' was advertising...you guessed it...a law firm. So many complaints were raised that the billboard was torn down on a technicality. Read more

I'm sorry to hear that the Japanese are beginning to fight the battle of the bulge, but, in keeping with their usual technological savvy, they've come up with a new approach. They can take a picture of everything they eat with their cell phone camera, then e-mail it to a nutritionist to get a detailed report. Read more.

Another reason to think of safety first: last week a delivery truck ran over a man's head but the bicycle helmet he was wearing managed to leave him with only a concussion and lingering headaches. Read more.

Finally, customers in rural Alaska are doing a lot of mail order shopping. They send in an order to Wal-Mart or Fred Meyer and the like, who package it up in a big box and then it's either mailed or flown hundreds of miles back to the teeny tiny town where the person lives. I thought it was a pretty innovative way for folks to avoid paying $5.35 for 18 eggs locally, but the reporter managed to point out that, as in every other town in America, the mom and pop stores can't compete with big bad Wal-Mart. Read more.

May 25, 2007

Faithfulness.

“God has brought me to this place, and He alone will let me go to my home. You cannot do anything against God.”

So said Bahaa el-Akkad, a 58-year old Egyptian convert to Christianity, responding to officers of the State Security Investigation. On April 28th of this year they told el-Akkad that he would stay in prison for 10 years if he didn't renounce his new faith <he had 'insulted Islam' by converting>. Inexplicably, only a few hours later he was released to rejoin his family. If you'd like to read more about this wonderful act of courage, click here.

Quote of the Day.

I was just reading an article about Senator turned actor turned possible Presidential candidate Fred Thompson. Speaking about why he left politics for acting, he said:

"After eight years in Washington, I long for the realism and sincerity of Hollywood. That's no joke, my friends."

I know it's completely irresponsible to vote for someone on the basis of a single quote, but Mr. Thompson just leaped above several other hopefuls in my book. ;)

Live Blogging from the Green Room.

Which, oddly enough, is painted burnt orange on one wall and light grey on the other. The feature which is my personal favorite at the moment is the incredibly soft leather couch I'm perched on while I wait for my interview. The only problem being, of course, that instead of preparing to speak coherently I might possibly start snoring. ;)

For those of you not in the biz, about 15 minutes ago I discovered what I feel might be the key secret to successful morning radio. I peeked in on one of the studios and saw a host working his way through a 2-liter bottle of Mountain Dew. As I've already downed one can of said nectar and am contemplating another, I feel assured of success. Well, either the Mountain Dew or the prayers...one of those strategies should prove effective. :p

May 24, 2007

SB 777.

What I wrote last night about leaving LA too soon -- I take that back. According to worldnetdaily, today the California Senate passed SB 777 which redefines sex from it's current definition:

"Sex means the biological condition or quality of being a male or female human being."

...to a new, more tolerant gender-based definition:

"A person's gender identity and gender related appearance and behavior whether or not stereotypically associated with the person's assigned sex at birth."

In other words, if a boy feels like he's really a girl at heart, he should be allowed to use the girl's bathroom, go into the girl's locker room and be elected prom queen. 

The bill also bans any references that are deemed derogatory to those in the LGBT lifestyle in textbooks, school handouts, posters, etc. What might be an example of a derogatory statement?

"References to a 'mother' and 'father' in any school text appear to be threatened because they could be interpreted as 'reflecting' a bias against the 'Partner 1' and 'Partner 2' of same-sex lifestyle."

Also derogatory would be a presentation in health class that broke down AIDS statistics into various categories, like infection rates among the homosexual population as compared to the heterosexual population that might lead one to believe there might be a different risk associated with each lifestyle.

The last quote I found interesting was a summary of a similar bill vetoed by the Govenator last year. It sounds oddly familiar...like maybe they took it from my novel. ;)

A second <bill> would have "integrated tolerance training" into history and social science curriculum and started a pilot program that would have forced students to learn a "new definition" of tolerance, one that would require them to not only accept but advocate for homosexuality, bisexuality and transgenderism.

The North American Union.

You want to read something interesting, head on over to worldnetdaily and take a look at their article about a new Center for Strategic & International Studies report. I've heard rumors, but this is the first black and white confirmation I've seen. The article details a report which boldly announces the intentions of powerful and influential figures to subvert the sovereignty of America by making us merely one part of a continental conglomerate.

Crawford Broadcasting.

One whirl around the station with my advocate netted three pretty solid commitments for interviews. Tomorrow I'll be on 101.1 The Source for the Burt & Kurt Live show. They said to come at 9:30, so if you want to listen you can click here and then click on the 'listen online' button in the upper lefthand corner. There's another gentleman on that station who doesn't do novels, but I'm trying to figure out a way to draw him in. :p

The Ronnie Bruce interview on 93.7 WDJC isn't scheduled yet. He said he wants to finish the book first and, in fact, was almost late to work this morning because he started reading and was drawn right in. I decided to take him at his word, even though I've come to realize radio people are all a bunch of schmoozers. ;) 

Anyway, one for sure tomorrow, and a couple others look like strong possibilities for next week. Consequently, I'll be hanging out in Birmingham for the holiday weekend. Have to say...it's a bit warmer and more humid than Mississippi was so I'll have to keep the AC cranked.

May 23, 2007

Bad Timing.

I fled Southern California too soon! I could have been in on the six-movie, 17-hour Star Wars marathon at the Los Angeles Convention Center. And let me tell you, I totally would have gone. I wouldn't have dressed up, but I would have gone. I've been in on a few marathons over the years -- although none that extreme -- and there's nothing like watching something you love with others who feel the same way, whether it be just a couple of you or a couple thousand.

Asked about the folks who dressed up, the event spokesman said:

"You get the usual assortment of Storm Troopers running around. I imagine it's pretty uncomfortable to sit for 17 hours encased in plastic."

Tolerance Schmolerance.

Once again, the tolerance police have decreed that we should be tolerant of everyone except those who express a belief in Biblical truths. In opposition to their school's participation in the National Day of Silence, 100+ students at San Juan High School in California wore t-shirts with "Biblical quotations against sodomy and homosexuality." One t-shirt proclaimed "Don't touch God's rainbow."

Now you may or may not agree with student activism -- peaceful or otherwise -- in public high schools. Honestly, I'm not certain myself where I stand on that issue. However, let me tell you a little bit about what these students were protesting when they decided to put on those t-shirts.

The National Day of Silence, according to their website, began in 1996 at the University of Virginia. The following year 100 colleges and universities participated. The year after that they expanded their message to high schools and 100 joined in. The "Organizing Manual" I downloaded from their website contained information through 2005, when almost 4,000 high schools participated.

What is the National Day of Silence? Again, from the manual:

Participants take a day long vow of silence and distribute or wear speaking cards with information about anti-LGBT bias and ways for students and others to "end the silence." Through Breaking the Silence events, students can speak out against harassment and demand change for their schools and communities.

Further on in the manual, students are given examples of how the day might look:

Many students make t-shirts with slogans supporting LGBT students and their allies. Students pass out “speaking cards” that state the intention of the day and ask for understanding and consideration from their peers, faculty and administrations.

Here's where I start to get confused. The school is not just allowing, but promoting this event, and they've got students wandering the halls wearing ideological statements on t-shirts who refuse to speak for the entire day. Again, let's set aside the argument of whether or not activism should be present in public schools, and whether or not an army of students not answering their teachers might have an impact on the learning outcome for that day.

In a school of over 1,000, 10% of the students decide to fight back. For the majority of their public school careers they've had the homosexual agenda crammed down their throats and they finally say enough is enough. On the day when their school is publicly endorsing the LGBT lifestyle, 100 or so students get up, put on t-shirts with simple Biblical messages and go to school.

What's the result of their peaceful protest? Are they given "understanding and consideration from their peers, faculty and administrations"? I think you might guess the answer to those questions. The students are "harassed by peers and teachers because of their message," and over 100 of them are suspended.

Other than the fact that they actually spoke when spoken to, how is what they did different from the Day of Silence participants? Everybody's wearing their own ideological message t-shirts, but it's only the Christians who get suspended. I'll tell you what, I applaud those students for their courage in standing up to the steamroller. They got squished this time, but they stood for the truth.

whereisjodi Contest Winner.

necklace.jpgLA Reader finally identified herself, so today I'm popping in the mail this lovely silver necklace, handmade in Jordan. Just wanted my illustrious readers to know I was following through so that next time I run a contest you might be persuaded to enter. ;)

Birmingham, Here I Come.

I just got off the phone with a gentleman in Birmingham, Alabama. I've got a commitment to be on the Ronnie Bruce Show and he thinks there might be an opportunity to get on a few other programs in their five station network. I'll post more details when I get them, including where and when you can listen live if you're so inclined.

Can I just give a shout out to the One who made this possible? Seriously! Did I not just write a post last night about my sad lack of marketing skills? I know exactly to Whom I am beholden.

May 22, 2007

A Writer.

I was just talking to someone on the phone and was reminded that, on my recent Middle East excursion, I was able to put 'writer' as my profession on all the immigration forms. Can I just tell you how thrilling that was for me? They didn't need to know that I was basically unemployed and living from moment to moment. :p 

Whether this tour peters out in book-sales-stagnancy over the next couple months or whether a sales revolution takes place and I continue on...one thing I'll take with me is that, for almost a year, I was a writer. An honest to goodness starving artist -- although technically the closest I got to starving was not having my old corporate job funded disposable income. ;)

Seriously though, God led me to do something really, really odd. With much trepidation I took one step forward and I've spent the past six months roaming around the country, one step at a time. It's been so much more challenging than I ever imagined, but I feel like I've grown in maturity and in faith...and what better use of a year is there than that?

I feel like I've almost stepped outside of my own rush-rush culture, giving me an opportunity to really listen to God. I've learned that I can't do squat about marketing. I know I've always said that, but I gave it the old college try over the months and found out that I was correct with my initial assumptions. And yet, behold, if God wants to do something He will!

I've also learned that sitting on my duff and waiting for God to cause someone to ring the phone isn't exactly doing my part either. Of course, to be honest I should say I'm learning that, not that it's learned already.  

So far I'd say the biggest lesson is that it's important to do what God asks you to do, no matter how ludicrous...but just because it's important doesn't mean it's easy. Trying to live day by day with your ears inclined to God's voice, amidst the incredible cacophany around us -- that's the hard part. And trying to understand why He answers some prayers, fulfills some desires so magnificently, while leaving others so desperately unfulfilled...that's hard too.

I know we'll never understand God, that's why He's God. If only I could learn to rest in that truth for more than ten minutes at a time!

Public School Strikes Again.

"I am going to encourage you to have sex and encourage you to use drugs appropriately."

So says Joel Becker, associate clinical professor of psychology at UCLA. Why?

"Why I am going to take that position is because you are going to do it anyway...I want to encourage you to all have healthy, sexual behavior."

If this was Joel Becker's psychology class at UCLA, that'd be one thing, but he made these remarks to a Boulder High School assembly that students were required to attend. Interestingly enough, when a mother went before a school review to complain, as she read excerpts from Becker's presentation she was asked to stop "because the language was inappropriate." Inappropriate for an adult review board, but not inappropriate for teens as young as 14?

My favorite quote: "Teenage abstinence was dismissed as an unwise choice and indicative of religious hang-ups."

The final quote is so bad I'm going to put it on the next page so you have the opportunity to skip it if you want. However, instead of keeping our collective heads in the sand, I think we need to be aware of what's going on out there.

"We all experiment. It's very natural for young people to experiment with same sex relationships. When you are 13, 12, 13, 14 certainly probably one of the most appropriate sexual behaviors would be masturbation. Even today, there are psychiatrists who will do sessions under the influence of ecstacy. If I had some maybe I'd do it with someone, but you know."

How did a person like this even get asked to speak in front of teenagers? It's appalling. 

May 21, 2007

Clean Comedy.

I've been scoping out entertainment alternatives lately -- funny what happens when you type something like "clean Christian comedy" into youtube. Yet another reminder that any technology can be used for good as well as evil. If you're in need of a good laugh and you've got seven minutes, I suggest you watch this video of comedienne Kerri Pomarolli. Enjoy!

Viva le France!

Well I'll be a horn-swaggled magpie! Ok, so I've been in the South too long... ;)

But seriously, I'm impressed with something a Frenchman said and that hasn't happened in as long as I can remember. Brice Hortefeux, head of the newly created Ministry of Immigration and National Identity, has made a statement regarding illegal immigrants that our politicians would do well to pay attention to:

"We have to put aside massive legalization. It doesn't work and it penalizes, even immigrants."

Newly elected President Nicolas Sarkozy created the Ministry "to manage the inflow of immigrants and protect French values and cohesion." I'm glad to see someone's taking action -- from the toleration of the riots over the past couple years I'd begun to wonder whether the French had any values and cohesion left.

Global Warming.

I've never been a believer in global warming caused by man. The issue seemed to me too politicized, the science too debatable, to blame everything solely and completely on our piddly little influence. My opinions became more entrenched when I read of the measures believers were willing to go to to reverse this so-called man-made rush to destroy the planet. Measures like keeping third-world countries in their natural state of poverty and despair, rather than letting them better their lives with industrialization. Measures like setting our own standard of living back hundreds of years.

And if the conflicting reports I read from various scientists weren't enough to keep me from committing fully to the idea, something else led me to regard the whole topic with suspicion. Any time the bulk of Hollywood throws their weight behind an issue my nonsense radar starts beeping incessantly. I'll be honest -- because of this radar, Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth didn't get a fair shake with me from the beginning. Regardless of what I think of the man, the idea of the movie -- excuse me, documentary -- was too political in nature. It reeked of propoganda.

Over the weekend I discovered that my thoughts weren't too far off the mark. A high school student in Northern Ontario finally complained after he was shown the documentary in his world history class...then his economics class...then his world issues class...then his environment class. Each time it was shown as basic fact, with no opposing viewpoints. And it's not just Canada, apparently individuals and groups are donating copies to schools all over the world. Governments are also buying in:

In England, the government has made the movie part of the public curriculum.

In Spain, the government is buying copies of the movie for all of its schools. In Australia, private donors are buying copies for schools.

If schools want to show this documentary, I have absolutely no problem -- as long as they show the other side. The issue of global warming is not a settled matter that everyone agrees on and presenting only one side is not education, it's propaganda. I've written my opinions about this values-based teaching style before. When educators cram homosexuality down the throats of young, impressionable kids they're employing the same tactic.

Here's one reason An Inconvenient Truth should be shown within the context of a two-sided debate:

Among other things, since the film's release last year, scientists have rejected Mr. Gore's claims that 2005 was the warmest year on record (temperatures have been receding since 1998), that polar bears are heading for extinction (their numbers are growing), that Antarctica is warming (interior temperature readings show cooling) and that sea levels will "rise 18 to 20 feet," swamping coastal cities (the International Panel on Climate Change predicts a few inches).

There's also interesting news coming from the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works. Hal recently linked to an article published on their site which discusses:

...the recent and quite remarkable momentum shift taking place in climate science. Many former believers in catastrophic man-made global warming have recently reversed themselves and are now climate skeptics.

The page goes on to list a number <not just two or three> of reputable scientists who were firmly in the man-made global warming camp and have recently been persuaded by the science to change their theories.

I am in no way saying the issue is settled, I just think there's still room for debate. Not surprisingly, my opinion is at odds with famed scientist expert actor Leonardo DiCaprio, who recently commented about his new 'eco-documentary:'

it was about giving them <the scientists> a platform where they didn't have to argue about the science. Because, and I keep stressing this, this is the overwhelming majority of the scientific community that believes in this. Not to have to be challenged about the science, about if their opinions were correct or if their opinions were valid. It was about them being able to express ideas and being able to give us, the public.

Thanks for the thoughtful consideration of what I, as a member of the public, am looking for. Not a thoughtful, reasoned presentation about why certain theories are correct. Rather, I'd like to listen to scientists talking about the looming end of the world while I see "apocalyptic visions of gurgling volcanoes, massive mudslides and clubbed baby seals -- all set against images of America's insatiable consumerism."

May 19, 2007

Irresponsible Remarks.

"I think as far as the adverse impact on the nation around the world, this administration has been the worst in history."

Has there ever been an ex-President as critical and irresponsible with their remarks as Jimmy Carter? Does he not understand the adverse impact on the nation around the world that his continually critical and highly inflammatory statements have made? What if we'd listened to his opinion on Reagan's handling of the Cold War? We'd still be sitting in a world where all nuclear weapons pointed at us or them. I won't even get into his deluded opinions about why Israel should leave the front door unlocked so the suicide bombers won't have any trouble getting in.

That the man won a Nobel Peace Prize has mystified me almost as much as Yasar Arafat being awarded the same. That he shares my faith tradition is even harder for me to understand. And the final straw, that he made this statement while promoting his most recent product -- Bible studies.

UPDATE: Former President Carter appeared on the Today Show this morning and said Saturday's remarks were misinterpreted. He said he was comparing Bush's administration to Nixon's when he made the "worst in history" remark.

"And I think Richard Nixon had a very good and productive foreign policy and my remarks were maybe careless or misinterpreted. But I wasn't comparing the overall administration, and I was certainly not talking personally about any president," Carter said.

"I think this administration's foreign policy compared to president Nixon's was much worse," he said, but he said he did not mean to call it the worst in history.

Make of that what you will. 

My Writing Partner.

cali.jpg

I'm having a writing day today, working on book two. As you can see, my writing partner is quite supportive, although she does sleep through a majority of the work. ;) 

I have to tell you -- without being too specific -- that I'm finding it appalling how easy it would be to truly cripple a key component of our infrastructure. I did a little creative brainstorming, researched a small amount, talked to a few people in the know, and voila...a pretty good plan for a catastrophic. long-term disaster with a decent chance of successfully pulling it off. If I can so easily formulate a workable plot for my FICTION book, how many of the folks who truly hate us are already scheming something similar?

Muzak.

Thought I'd share my sort of theme song for this trip. It's a song called Devotion by the Newsboys:

all my world
all i've lost
the wrecks i've made here
the lives it cost
Your hand restores
Your words make whole
with all my soul
i thank You
i owe You

all my devotion
all that i have to give
here's my devotion
You're all that it means to live

all my past
my tainted name
You stole its legacy
of pride and shame
You're all i love
You're all i fear
i'm drawing near
to face You
to know You
to show You

devotion
all that i have to give
here's my devotion
You're all that it means to live

You found me
in a shallow grave
You dragged me
out from beneath it all
You healed me
saved me
in the nick of time
Your perfect time

You found me
in a shallow grave
You called me
out from beneath it all
You touched me
saved me
in the nick of time
Your perfect time

i devote all i have to You
i devote all that You made knew
all You restored the day You bled
all that You brought back from the dead

devotion
all that i have to give
You're all that it means to live
here's my devotion
my Lord
my devotion

May 18, 2007

chemistry.com

See anything wrong with this commercial?

Bad News, Good News.

Movie Guide, my newest bookmarked site, has two articles today that I found interesting. First, the bad news. According to a government study, some schools in England have stopped teaching about the Holocaust and the Crusades, for fear of offending their Muslim students.

The report added that, in dropping the Holocaust, teachers feared “anti-Semitic sentiment and Holocaust denial among some Muslim pupils.”

Schools dropped the Crusades, including the reasons Christians wanted to take back the Holy Land, the report said, because a more truthful description of the Crusades “would have challenged what was taught in some local mosques.”

The good news is in the next article, which says that abstinence education has had a positive effect and the sexual activity statistics are not as horrific as we've been led to believe. There are a lot of encouraging statistics listed, but my favorite is:

The drop among teenagers under 17 has been even greater, from 38% in 1995 to 30% percent in 2003 among girls and 43% to 31% among boys. Thus, in fact, 70% of American teenagers under age 17 have NEVER been sexually active, despite the mass media of entertainment's corrupt culture of sex and violence.

The only question I would have is how this study defines sex. I know, in the wake of our great moral leader Mr. Clinton, that many teens don't consider other ... forms ... as sex.

Movie Reviews.

Someone sent me a great resource after reading my big media manifesto earlier in the week. Check out Movie Guide when you're looking for Christian-based movie reviews and suggestions. Here are their "Ten Best 2005 Films for Mature Audiences" with a couple comments from yours truly about ones I've seen.

1. PRIDE & PREJUDICE: I have to confess that I'm a HUGE fan of the BBC 5-hour version with Colin Firth, so I'm not the most unbiased commenter. I did see this newest version and it was pretty good.


2. BATMAN BEGINS: I thought this was an excellent superhero movie. Lots of probing about good and evil and what one man can do.

3. MILLIONS: didn't see it.

4. THE INTERPRETER: I didn't choose to see this movie as I can't stomach Sean Penn after the last couple years, but I saw it at the request of a friend and wasn't too impressed. Again, I'm not the most unbiased on this one, but I thought the whole thing was basically a sermon about how the United Nations, and only the United Nations, can save our souls.

5. THE GREAT RAID: didn't see it.

6. THE ISLAND: This was a really good movie in my opinion. Well done and entertaining, but also great for spurring conversation. Deals with some none-too-futuristic health issues, as well as pre-Fall man.

7. THE NINTH DAY: didn't see it.


8. CINDERELLA MAN: As long as you can stomach fairly graphic boxing scenes, this is an excellent movie about the Depression and the power of hope.


9. HITCH: Some friends of mine found this funnier than I did. I thought it was pretty funny, don't get me wrong, but I disliked the main character and his love interest so that goes along way toward knocking it down a few notches. However, it's also a good conversational piece about how we should or should not package ourselves in our quest for a mate.

10.DOWNFALL: didn't see it

Amnesty.

I don't talk much about the immigration nightmare we're currently in because it's beyond frustrating to me. I read an article this morning where a gentleman is quoted who perfectly expressed my feelings:

"What part of illegal does the Senate not understand? Any plan that rewards illegal behavior is amnesty," said Rep. Brian Billbray, R-Calif., chairman of the Immigration Reform Caucus.

Illegal. Plain and simple. Setting that whole issue aside, what about our security? What about the fact that terrorists are sneaking over the border in the midst of all the illegal workers? And my final question...what in the world were they thinking when they put Ted Kennedy in charge?

May 17, 2007

Excellence in Christian Media.

I found this exceedingly funny and a much better rendition than the original wording.

Who Needs a Father?

I read an article this morning about a change to England's laws regarding fertility treatment. Previously, fertility clinics had to "consider the baby's need for a father before providing treatment." Now they don't need to bother with that and can offer "equal rights" to same sex couples.

This reminds me of a story I meant to write about -- last month when I was in North Africa I saw a very disturbing story on CNN <it was a Muslim country, of course they didn't have FOX!>. The health reporter talked about a research team that was close to announcing they could make sperm by jerry-rigging female tissue. She spoke in giddy terms that soon it would no longer be necessary for men to be involved in the reproductive process.

England's new standards also provide for "Frankstein" embryos -- part human, part animal.

Sir David King, the Government's chief scientific adviser, said he welcomed the move: "I believe that the approach to the creation of embryos containing human and animal material is the right one."

In other news, Hillary Rodham Clinton receives a strong endorsement from "the world's most famous porn star" Jenna Jameson. Well that oughta give her the edge she needs!

May 16, 2007

News Roundup.

Greenpeace is building a replica of the Ark on the side of Mt. Ararat to protest global warming. What I'd like to know is how they got permission to go up there? It was my understanding that the Turkish government didn't let people go up there because the real ark might be found... Of course that could just be ye olde conspiracy theory talking. :p

ILLEGAL workers are