Spudlets
February 27, 2004
post passion
Saw it. It's not something you go to enjoy or be entertained, just experience. I had hoped that by going with my church group that we could have a corporate worship experience, but the movie does not lend itself to that (I'm not so sure that it is a very good evangelistic tool either). I might as well have been in a theater full of druids, since the movie takes you in and you forget about what is around you except for the occasional sniffle.
I'm glad it's over, and after 6+ months of anticipation part of me feels a little down and disappointed. I doubt there's any movie that could stand that much build-up and deliver the goods. Maybe I'll post more on it later. Rather than give in to a critical spirit, I will say that Mel Gibson did get his question across: Is Jesus the Messiah?
Yeshua ha-Mashiach
Yeshua ha-Mashiach
Posted by MarcV, 10:21 AM link
Got into work an hour late. Eight inches of snow will tend to slow things down. Came in and found out that I'm the only one from my department to make it in (arrrrgh!). The roads were not that bad either, especially once you hit the main ones. It would have been nice to kick back at home, enjoy the scenery, eat raisin bread toast and flip through the cable channels. Guess I'll just keep plugging away here and put in my time. Maybe I'll leave early ...
Posted by MarcV, 10:19 AM link
February 26, 2004
Did the taxes last night, and thank God for the tax cut President Bush got through! Without the child tax credit, I would have paid about $200 in federal, but instead Uncle Sammy will cut a check for $400. Sweeeeeeeet. At first I missed that "bonus" on my first go around filling out my 1040 (by hand). Closer inspection and a desperate desire to avoid paying yielded this find.
I would not have had to pay even without it except that Lady Spud makes a few thousand babysitting on the side. Many folks would not even bother reporting that income. It's the right thing to do, and fortunately it's low enough so that I don't have to worry about quarterly payments and FICA (that's the Social Security bite that takes two chunks of flesh out of your hide when you are self-employed).
I do come very close to civil disobedience on my state form when they make you pay sales tax on anything that you purchase out of state (especially off of the tax-free Internet). It is the sickest and worst money grab, and makes me angry just thinking about it. If a governor ran for election on the promise to do away with that money grab, I would be sorely tempted to vote for him regardless of his position on other issues. Based on my income, they have a "convenient" method of calculating a "standard" tax of $24. Yeah, it's not that much, but it's the principle of the matter. As Howard Dean would yell - Yeeeaaaaarggggh!
Posted by MarcV, 10:19 AM link
passion
Today is finally the day, tonight is the night that I will, by the grace of God, get to see the movie. As luck would have it, a winter storm warning has been issued for most of central NC starting this afternoon (one forecast predicted 5 inches). If the Lord wants me to see it tonight, He will make a way through the drifts. Otherwise I will wait and praise His name. It will be difficult to wait until tomorrow to read comments/criticisms at other sites.
I'm concerned that with all that I have read I could lose a sense of surprise or wonder. I have a discerning personality, where I tend to analyze processes and situations. It's why I love shows like "Unwrapped" on FoodChannel, when they show how food is processed and the equipment involved. It may also be why I come up short for a Holy Spirit baptism, being more concerned with the mechanics of glossalalia rather than the blessing. Someone left this as a comment yesterday at WorldMag blog:
A huge disadvantage to all the hype and controversey for me was a certain detachment I felt when finally seeing the film. I got so caught up in analyzing what I was seeing and comparing it to what I had read that made it hard to "enter in" to the movie.
I have been following this for months eagerly anticipating The Passion of the Christ, and now I'm having second thoughts about it. It's just a movie - have people gone overboard on this? Do we need to see His explicit and graphic suffering on a larger-than-life theater screen? Our faith is predicated on His Word, as we read His Word and the Holy Spirit interprets His Word for us. For nearly two thousand years people have used their imagination to visualize His suffering on the cross.
I keep going back to what Jesus said: Blessed are those who have not seen and still believe. I have my ticket and I still plan to go, but I continue to caution myself that one movie, one event should not have such a dramatic impact on my life and my faith. I thank God for when I accepted Jesus in my heart, and I try (and sometimes fail) each day to draw closer to Him. I don't see how a movie should change things all that much, and yet we have this:
He echoes one of the prevalent questions: "Is there too much gore and violence in The Passion? Probably. It made me turn my head. I just kept whispering, 'Dear Jesus,' to myself throughout many of the scenes. It is the most sadistic and simultaneously holy thing I have seen."
That touches on my biggest concern: Jesus crucifixion/sacrifice is a holy act - do we cheapen it by watching it recreated on a movie screen? Will there be a spirit of holiness in the theater, and is it the proper place for that? Seeing it with a church group will help. Part of the "sell" for this movie is as an evangelical tool, taking unsaved friends/loved ones to see it and talking things over afterwards.
Watching it as a movie, most people who are not saved will probably see this as a historical anecdote. Only those who are close to the edge will make a commitment to Christ. That's OK. I praise God that through all of this the name of Jesus is glorified. People are discussing Him not as some historical figure but as God. A movie that could be considered a better evangelical tool is The Gospel of John - The Movie that came out a few months ago. You get the whole gospel with that, though it is "Lord of the Rings" long at over 3 hours.
Any way it happens, as long as the door can get opened even if just a crack, by the power of the Holy Spirit we can tell others the good news of Jesus' love and what a difference maker He can be. That should be our "passion".
Posted by MarcV, 9:55 AM link
American Idol Week 3 Wrap-Up
Looks like I picked both winners - even better considering that the three "wise" judges had all picked Leah. Poor Leah was let down - boo hoo!. Maybe Charly will get picked as a wildcard, since she seems to have a good personality and sense of humor (and she "sangs" good too!). Jason asked in the comments from yesterday's post where all the good guy performers were. Apparently they used them up last year, although you still have William "She Bangs" coming up Monday night. He still has a chance at one of the wild card slots (yeah right).
My prediction for the final 12 will be 8 females, 4 males, with that 2-bit crooner Matt one of the first ones voted off. I still can't believe he made it. Next week will be the final round before the wildcard picks. They showed the red-headed Sinatra/Connick Jr. wanna-be, as well as the curvy model (she reminds me of a puffed-out Julia Roberts) for Round 4. I don't think the crooner will make it, while curvy model almost certainly will not. Both were just average singers.
I have a hunch that the producers made a deal with curvy model, letting her get into the round of 32 if she would do some swimsuit/pool scenes for them during the try-outs. After that she would have to make it on her own talent. Did somebody more deserving get bumped out of a spot? Yes, but that's show business. There may be some guys out there next week who vote just on appearance rather than singing/performance, so who knows. It's all part of the American Idol extravaganza.
Posted by MarcV, 9:52 AM link
February 25, 2004
American Idol Week 3
Executives at Fox are probably still high-fiving each other over last night's show, considering how things went last week. All of the contestants did well. The first gal (blonde) and three guys will probably not advance. Of the 4 left, the one at the end (Latoya?) that everybody GUSHED over will probably go on. She sang OK, but I just didn't care for her style or performance. My pre-show pick Amy (pink-hair zany makeup artist) did very well and I would vote her through to the next round. It's difficult to predict how the voting will go.
The other two, my homey from NC (Charly) and the 17 year old (Leah) had very good performances as well, and it's a shame that two out of the three will not be voted in. The 12 finalists will probably have much more female than male competitors. I have a hunch that the producers will lean on the three judges to bring in more guys as wildcards, though they may not be as talented as some of the gals left behind.
And in the most anticipated TiVo/DVR event of the season, William Hung/Hong will be back Monday night live to whip up the country into a frenzy by "She Bang"ing once again! I'm still amazed at the buzz he generates. You could sense the studio audience getting excited as his name was announced. He seems to be a karoake experiment gone horribly wrong. Part of me feels that I'm wasting keystrokes by writing about him, but he is this year's phenomenon, transcending his 15 minutes of fame.
Posted by MarcV, 11:00 AM link
Vice Fund
Interesting investment strategy over at OpinionJournal from a book review: investing in companies that produce alchohol, cigarettes, bombs(aerospace/defense) and gambling. It's called the Vice Fund, though I would not lump defense firms in with the others.
As to the pious shunning of defense stocks, evidently virtue-investors prefer to enjoy the security of American power without sullying themselves by financing it.
Mr. Ahrens decided to look at the stocks they ("socially responsible" mutual funds) ignore and found some great performers, many of which he has held in his roughly 18-month-old, no-load Vice Fund. His favorites include Anheuser Busch, Altria (formerly Philip Morris), Harrah's Entertainment and Northrop Grumman Corp. He reports that, over the past five years, alcohol, gaming, tobacco and aerospace/defense have sharply outperformed the S&P 500.
Put your money where your mouth is. The explanation given for investing in these "questionable" companies is that you should invest in things you know. Evidently there are many people that have extensive knowledge of drinking, smoking and gambling, and support these companies. I personally do not have that experience so I would not be able to apply personal knowledge to investing in them. People who invest in some index funds indirectly do support them.
Perhaps the book's most glaring omission is its failure to address what some economists consider the biggest investing vice of all, which is putting your money into an actively managed mutual fund in the first place. If you simply buy a Wilshire 5000 index fund, for example, you'll own alcohol, tobacco and defense firms right along with everything else. Your costs will be minimal, and you won't have to worry about whether you've picked the right stocks--or the right fund manager. Instead you can spend your time knocking back a few brewskis at the local bar--and driving Mr. Ahrens's portfolio up further
That's something to consider when you buy into an index fund. Christians have a desire for responsible investing, yet many profit from index funds that include those companies in the vice category. I have my IRA (tiny!) invested in a mutual (growth) fund, and I am having second thoughts now on what companies I may be indirectly supporting. Perhaps we could look at this as another reason to invest in "heavenly" pursuits.
Matthew 6:19-21
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Posted by MarcV, 10:58 AM link
Lifted
from the pages of Time magazine. Yes, I thumb through it during my morning "rituals" since we get it for free (frequent flyer mile thingy). The pictures are easy to read at 6 am anyhow.
- They showed a picture of Lisa Marie Presley with her 14 year old daughter, and the daughter looks better than her mama. She still has Elvis' features but without the harshness that Lisa Marie has. Her daughter is scheduled for her modeling "debut" in Milan.
- Over in Britain they are staging a play based on the movie When Harry Met Sally. In return, next spring an American production of a musical version of Monty Python and the Holy Grail is set to open on Broadway with the title Spamalot. Say no more. [I wonder how many people will show up expecting a show about e-mail?]
- I had posted last year about palm computers (don't make me get the links!) like the OQO that we are still waiting to see come to market. Paul Allen of Microsoft fame is behind a company (Vulcan Inc.) making another one, the FlipStart PC that is supposed to be available later this year: 6"x4"x1" with a HDTV-quality display, 30 GB hard drive, 1 GHz processor, 256 MB memory. Even with a mini-keyboard, it still looks difficult to work with the computer. Until they can come up with a superior voice-recognition system, these will be expensive toys. Once a good system is in place you can expect people to carry them like tri-corders in Star Trek.
- They have their review of The Passion of the Christ. I didn't read it since I'll be going Thursday, but the headline stated: the goriest story ever told. I don't think they liked it too much (surprise).
Posted by MarcV, 6:57 AM link
February 24, 2004
Fallen Nature Monitor
Curt Jester has announced the availability of a "special device", the Fallen Nature Monitor for only $29.95 ($9.95/month fee), for those of us who slip and need some prayer assistance to get back on the good path.
This amazing monitor can provide you with emergency prayer support 24/7. Simply by selecting the class of sin and pressing the red button your prayer request will be answered within five minutes by our professional and prayerful staff.
... Our staff of prayer warriors is supervised at all times by Carmelite nuns professionally certified in the Teresian system at Mansion Seven. All of our employees have been state certified as "righteous" so that their prayers will avail much.
... Don't go with those other cheap monitoring systems since they cut corners by hiring atheists and apostates.
What high-tech gadget will they come up with next? Of course, you can just pocket the money and pray on your own ...
Posted by MarcV, 2:22 PM link
Trade Deficit
Check out a good article on fact vs. myth about trade deficits over at NRO. The explanation is in semi-layman terms for you non-econs (like me). Trade deficits are not necessarily a bad thing. What the article did not go into is the long-term potential of trade deficits weakening the dollar, when it takes more dollars to buy the same foreign-made unit. You then can get into the benefits of the strong vs. weak dollar, if you like. You will also get the protectionists hollering about a big trade deficit hurting US jobs. Rather than open up that can of job-worms, I'll save that for another day.
When the consumer borrows to buy the car rather than using cash in his bank account (a more likely option), the bank makes a loan to the consumer, creating a loan on the asset side of the bank's balance sheet and a new deposit on the liability side. (Loans create deposits.) After the car is paid for, the German car company has the new bank deposit. Note that consumer borrowing increased total bank deposits and funded foreign deposits (savings) of U.S. dollars. The widely held causal myth is that foreigners are funding U.S. consumers.
That's what the trade gap is all about-the desire of foreigners to net save U.S. dollars and to sell goods and services to the U.S. to obtain those assets. If foreigners did not desire to save U.S. dollars, they would instead buy goods and services from the U.S. and there would be no trade deficit.
Posted by MarcV, 2:21 PM link
February 23, 2004
Just heard about the "unwise" remarks from Andy Rooney on last night's 60 Minutes. It has been many years since I watched the show, and it turns my stomach just to think about his whiny voice. I did read the transcript. I don't know what "god" he is referring to, since it is not the God of the Holy Bible. That was obvious when Rooney alluded to hearing god tell him that he made a mistake when he made Mel Gibson. I'm tempted to use strong language to describe Rooney's stupidity. Maybe some good will come out of this as he is forced to retire, although liberals and the big media will do their best to protect him.
Posted by MarcV, 12:06 PM link
Weekend Ramblings
- Playing with the extended cable package and DVR this weekend has been interesting, but I find myself still looking for anything worth watching. Sunday night ACC basketball is nice and recording some movies has been a bonus. I have been accustomed to the "edited-for TV" versions, and something like Teen Wolf which seemed "tame" enough for my youngster to watch really was not. Otherwise it looks like the rest of the thirty day trial will involve the classic struggle [and only one remote!]: Spud=sports (and VH-1 Classic, very addictive), Lady Spud=HGTV, Li'l Tater=cartoons.
As I feared, a steady dose of home decorating shows has given Lady Spud the remodeling bug (again), but for now the household budget is so tight that she has been resigned to just making lists. Li'l Tater will have a difficult time accepting the loss of cartoon choice in three weeks - easy come, easy go. It looks like I will be losing cable just as the NCAA tournament starts. Whilst channel surfing we caught a few minutes of the film version of Evita (with Madonna), and had forgotten how weak the singing was. We ended up listening to the '78 Broadway recording to help soothe our ears.
- From the popular "Are you Dixie or Yankee" quiz linked by Jordana, and then PossumPapa, Lady Spud scored a respectable 73 (to my struggling 47). She passed it along to some of her friends, and she found that one scored a 97 while another went a perfect 100. Don't know if they were cheating or not, but fairly impressive nonetheless. I was surprised to get a 47 considering that most of my answers showed up as Great Lakes region.
- Every once in a while you get those "forever" memories as a parent during what seems to be a normal moment. Mine happened Friday night, close to the youngster's bedtime. I happened to turn from the computer screen to see Li'l Tater talking to his mom about something "exciting" on TV. He was wearing his Superman pajamas (with cape!), walking/skipping with his heels raised like kids do when they're feeling "bouncy".
My Superboy and his perfect little body with the smile that lights each day for me.
I still sometimes wonder what I ever did to deserve this, and then remember it is only by God's grace. There are times when love hurts and other times of joy. I wouldn't miss it for the world.
Posted by MarcV, 10:30 AM link
February 20, 2004
Keep it Down
If you happened to hear a "hallelujah chorus" coming out of North Carolina yesterday afternoon, that'd be me. Since Sunday afternoon we had been caring for three additional children while their parents went on a honeymoon (a boy Li'l Tater's age and two girls around 10 years old). Both the man and woman had lost spouses to cancer, and both came with kids.
This brought back some memories of when we were foster parents in the late '90's, only this time without the extra $$. If you know anyone who is thinking about adopting, encourage them to try foster care first, as it can give you a taste of parenting without the commitment. The ones we watched this week were good kids, but are at risk of developing some troubling habits. Both the mom and dad do not cook, so they typically go out to eat.
Besides the wasteful spending and the occasional lack of nutritious food (kids do not survive on french fries alone), it is very difficult to impart life lessons and discipline in a public restaurant. In particular, the youngest boy will not eat vegetables. Last Monday night Lady Spud served home-made pizza and a salad. Young boy had a choice between a small chunk of cucumber, baby corn or piece of lettuce. He chose none of the above with a dose of tears, and after several attempts at coaxing he wound up in the bedroom in "time out". After coming back out we tried to "tuck" a half-inch square piece of lettuce in a glob of cheese on the pizza.
He came close to gagging it out, but finally succeeded at swallowing it down. On Wednesday night we had spaghetti, and he at first did not want any sauce, but then ate some with sauce and decided he liked it enough for seconds. Afterwards Lady Spud mentioned to him that the sauce had tomatoes in it - a vegetable. He thought he had been tricked, but managed to keep it down.
By going out to eat all of the time, the young boy does not have to confront vegetables, since all he has to do is make a scene and the parents fold under the pressure. Maybe it will be just a phase, and he'll enjoy vegetables in the future, but for now it's a bad situation that could seriously impact his long-term health and development. As "foster" parents all we can do is let them go and pray for them.
I did get to hold my youngster for longer than 3 seconds last night, since he had been busy playing the rest of the week. That was a good thing. Tonight we will get another youngster spending an overnight, so once again more mayhem and lack of hug-time. It's heart-rendering, but it comes with the parent package.
Posted by MarcV, 3:06 PM link
Praise Power
One short verse from Matthew is receiving a great deal of attention (25:27), after Pilate said that he wanted to be innocent of Jesus' blood, and the crowd cried out: "Let his blood be on us and on our children!" Jesus' blood is on the Jews as well as on the rest of us, but that does not give us any reason to seek revenge for His death. He went willingly and made a way towards Heaven. His pain, our gain, hallelujah!
There's still a blood problem, particularly as it relates to how we respond to the Gospel message.
Acts 18:5-8
When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. But when the Jews opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, "Your blood be on your own heads! I am clear of my responsibility. From now on I will go to the Gentiles."
Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. Crispus, the synagogue ruler, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard him believed and were baptized.
When we reject the Gospel message, our blood is on our own heads, dead for eternity. This is a turning point in the history of the church, where the Apostle Paul, whose heart aches for his Jewish brothers, decides to witness to Gentiles. Praise God that He has compassion on people other than the Israelites, from the family of Jacob. He love us all and invites us to an eternity in heaven, by the blood of Jesus. Glory to God.
[The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power - Andrae Crouch (written 37 years ago)]
It reaches to the highest mountain,
And it flows to the lowest valley,
The blood that gives me strength from day to day,
It will never lose its power.
Posted by MarcV, 2:48 PM link
If you love to love, check out John Derbyshire's article at NRO. Don't save a loving message for just Valentine's Day to that someone special!
Posted by MarcV, 2:45 PM link
Ding and Dent Vehicle
For those of you who take pride and joy in driving a "well broke-in" vehicle, this article at OpinionJournal is a great read (especially for the guy who might be selling an '82 Ford pickup).
This predilection for the preowned was partly owing to financial necessity. But some was doubtless the male affection for machinery, the older the better. You might think that women would applaud this fidelity to the tried and true over the new and flashy. Yet at least in my household, the females cannot see past the rust and missing hubcap. Consequently they emit the most un-Christian noises when I announce each Sunday morning we are taking daddy's car to church.
But there are those who do understand. In the same March issue of Car and Driver, columnist Patrick Bedard notes that "for all that's said about the promiscuity of men," it's just not so with cars. Even new-car previews, he notes, often "amount to eulogies for the old model."
Posted by MarcV, 9:23 AM link
Hey, that GOYL (Grouchy Old Yorkie Lady) is back from some troubling trials, and is making another go of blogging. Go send some love her way, and tell her Spud sez hey!
I have also shuffled the links and added the former-Alaskan and now Rocky Topper Jordana to the list. I can remember when Curmudgeonly first started out and it made the "Blogs of Note" listing on Blogger. At the time I had been at blogging a little while and was slightly jealous of her quick ascension into blogging select circles. I now know better, that it ain't the hits, it's the folks you get to know as well as developing blogosphere friendships.
Posted by MarcV, 9:22 AM link
February 19, 2004
2nd Round Idol Wrap-up
I've tried to come up with some way to describe how I felt when that ex-jock and 2-bit crooner Matt was chosen over lovely lady Lisa L., and all I could come up with was: gabberflasted.
I don't know how he pulled it off, or if the producers decided to stop the girl parade of contestants and bring in a male for some balance, but there is no way that 2-bit beats the redheaded lass. Ah well, such is the stuff that "American Idol" is made of - controversy! We'll see what happens next week. One of my picks to win will be on, the gal with short hair/spiked red tips, battling her nerves to make a good impression.
On a related "Idol" note, 13 out of my last 20 search engine referrals here have been to my one mention about William Hong, the "She Bangs" mover and shaker. The Junkyard Blogger was kind enough yesterday to give a link for a site featuring Mr. Hung (it's a "u" and not an "o"). The site has a petition to get him on the show as one of the four wildcard contestants. He apparently has also been a guest on the Ellen Degen. show, and has signed a +$25k contract with a record company. Remember who first mentioned that he could cash in on this 15 seconds of fame? (Yes, it was me, your humble blogger Spud.) The site also has video and sound clips of this overnight sensation, if you're interested.
Posted by MarcV, 4:15 PM link
February 18, 2004
2nd Round Idol
As good as the singers were last week, they were that bad last night. The top three girls were pretty good, but the failed five were disappointing. The five were OK singers (except for those Roman twins), but not great. Of the top three, the two to move on should be Camille (from Hawaii) and Lisa L. The dark-haired crouching girl at the end was OK, but she would have finished behind the other 6 who did not make it last week.
I was glad to see Camille get over her nerves sufficiently to put in a good performance. For those of you who have never had to go up in front of a large audience (let alone millions) it is very nerve-wracking and will test your confidence. I think she won alot of hearts last night in spite of her mistakes in the beginning of her performance.
What can I say about Lisa L.? You could see the difference that professional makeup/hairdresser made for her. As the competition goes on, like Kimberly L. from last year, you will see her choose better outfits that tastefully compliment her "form".
.
.
Oh yeah, she sings pretty good too. Besides being an attractive redhead (some of my AoW brothers would approve!) with a great smile, she seems to be someone who is intelligent and fun to be with (based on what little of the interview with her that they showed). I also appreciate that she is comfortable with her weight and willing to say that, since it will be a hot topic for her in the next month or two.
They have already selected one heavy "Idol", and it could happen again. Society, though, views men and women differently when it comes to weight. Making it to the final two or three will be an uphill battle for her. Most if not all of the 12 finalists will be excellent singers (not like last year), so it will be the intangibles (i.e. stage presence, appearance, charisma) that will probably decide it.
Posted by MarcV, 8:45 AM link
Jesus Picked You
FoxNews continues it's daily leadup to The Passion of The Christ Wednesday (one week - can you believe it). It's more hand-wringing on "secular America's perception of Jesus and faith". It mentions one person's hope that this will be an evangelical tool (amen), but then it starts the slide into tsk-tsking:
But some historians are wary of all the God talk, saying lay people may take away only what they want from popular culture versions of scripture.
“Different Jesuses appeal to different people. [These interpretations] are carving apart the Gospels," said George Parsenios, a New Testament professor at Princeton Theological Seminary who points out that "The Da Vinci Code" and "The Passion of the Christ" represent two extremes of Jesus' story.
Ummmm, I think lay people have been doing that for a couple of thousand years already.
In truth, neither version is likely to appease scholars. "All scholars would say the Gospels represent an interpretation of Jesus anyway," said Parsenios. "They are not just giving the facts, ma'am. Events in one are transposed in another to draw out new meaning from them."[Can any "scholar" be taken seriously if they claim that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God?]
Parsenios is also wary about having pop culture educate people about religion. "Most college students get their news from Letterman. It’s similar to that," he said.
And then they get a little more serious and find reliable news sources as they mature. If this movie can create a stirring, or even a curiousity, for people who (before) want nothing to do with church, then the church can fill in the gap and the Gospel story for these new seekers. That's why evangelicals are so excited about this film.
As for whether "The Passion" will inspire more religious curiosity among people who are not already churchgoers, (Greek Orthodox Bishop Savas) Zembillas is skeptical. "I don't think a lot of people do homework after a movie," he said. "If it does that, more power to Mr. Gibson."
Zembillas added that Americans who aren't already faithful to a particular religious sect have probably only marginally been influenced by shows like "Touched by an Angel" and "Joan of Arcadia," as well the surge of mainstream Christian rock bands. "You have to almost listen for the message to know there is a message," he said.
Ultimately in America, faith, as it's portrayed on television, in films and in popular books, presents so many versions of Jesus that most Americans take what they want from these interpretations of his story, said Parsenios. "With all these Jesuses floating around for sale," he said, "you can just pick the one you like."
If any message could be "floated" out of this movie, it is that Jesus picked us and willingly went to the cross for us to be our final sacrifice, so that we could spend eternity with Him in heaven. He that was without sin bore our sins for our salvation. May this movie starting next week soften hearts for Him.
Posted by MarcV, 8:44 AM link
February 17, 2004
I saw the Mel Gibson interview last night on ABC after being prompted by Lady Spud. I might not have seen it on my own (even knowing that it was on) since those network news "magazines" are typically horrible, run by the same yohos that put out the nightly news. I can understand Gibson's reluctance for interviews. Besides having to put up with the attack mode that the liberal interviewers engage in, Gibson has a hard time sitting still and giving non-"wisecrack" answers.
He probably would have been a candidate for Ritalin in his youth if it had been available. He was difficult to understand a few times last night as well, since he would sometimes talk fast or mumble. He pretty much kept on track for his answers, staying consistent from comments made in other interviews. I could sense (and understand) his unease at having to answer faith questions and explain theology to a non-believer, particularly when they are trying to twist your answers for something "juicy".
Posted by MarcV, 3:56 PM link
Cable Avalanche
I have mentioned before that the couch potatoes in the TaterBed get basic-basic cable, where for $9/month the networks and a handful of cable channels are beamed in. Yesterday they decided to up the ante on us, and are letting us in on a premium package for a thirty day trial. Besides the usual 150+ cable channels, we will get some extra sports channels, the various music channels, and HBO/Cinemax. The Apostle Paul's writing to the church in Corinth has been in the back of my mind:
1 Cor. 6:12 - "Everything is permissible for me"--but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"--but I will not be mastered by anything.
Lady Spud had mentioned something last week about the cable upgrade. When I got home yesterday, before checking it out, I mentioned that we should have bought some blank VHS tapes. After looking over what the cableguy had installed, I found out that we have been given a cable box that includes a DVR. They are slick! After watching some of the instructional videos for it and for the remote, I can set it up to record a show while watching another show with just a few presses of the button.
It's a little different than the old VCR days, where you had to input the channel, start/end times, and tape speed for each show, as well as remembering to put in a tape. For the DVR you just skim through the program guide, select the show for record and confirm. Now all I have to do is find something worth watching and have the time to watch it. We were in the habit of either catching an occasional Star Trek TNG or the Food Channel (no Emeril!) the last few weeks, usually as background for reading. Now we will have to make prudent decisions on how we spend our "leisure" time.
The DVR with remote runs about $13 per month. Considering what it costs for a TiVo or the gyrations you go through to hook up a computer to the home-entertainment complex, that is not a bad price. With technology changing so much, $150 a year for easy digital recording is a decent price if you want that kind of thing. I don't think that I want to pay for it right now. The cableguy told Lady Spud that TimeWarner will be coming out with a home-phone package that you can get through the cable company. (another $30/month? using IP telephony?)
I would not be surprised in another year or two if the cable company gives you a box the size of a decent VCR that would combine cable TV-telephone-Internet/computer. You would use different wireless controllers (TV remote, keyboard, mouse, earpiece/microphone) where one person could be talking on the phone, another is watching a movie on TV on one part of the screen, while a third is looking up info about the movie off of the Internet, with everything being able to be stored on the hard drive. If you build it, they will plug it in.
Posted by MarcV, 3:47 PM link
Tech Tues
Got $200 just burning a hole in your pocket, itching to be spent on a toy? Here's two interesting choices mentioned in Wired magazine:
- The Meade CaptureView combines 8x binoculars with a 2 MP camera. It also has a 1.5" LCD screen to review the pictures, and 16MB memory (expandable with SD card) can hold up to 40 pictures. It's a great gift for any bird watcher!
- If you plan on traveling to a different country and don't want to spend two weeks in a crash-course language school, buy this Lingo Talking Translator. It speaks 200,000 words and 23,000 phrases and translates among 10 languages (between and among English, Spanish, German, Italian, French, Portuguese, Russian, Korean, Japanese and Chinese). Now you can ask "Where is the American embassy" without resorting to awkward hand signals!
If you want to get what the Army is using in Iraq for translating, check this out, but be prepared to spend ten times as much.
Posted by MarcV, 3:46 PM link
February 16, 2004
Congrats to the Wolfpack of NC State (Lady Spud's alma mater) as they downed the Dukies last night. Some notables:
The nation's top free throw shooting team made 12 straight from the line over the final 1:10 to help seal the program's first win over a top-ranked team since beating North Carolina in February 1998.
Surging NC State has won five straight ACC regular season games for the first time in 30 years.
NC State coach Herb Sendek had a difficult time making his way to the media room after countless hugs from Wolfpack supporters. When asked the last time he hugged that many people, Sendek said: "At my wedding."
Posted by MarcV, 4:16 PM link
The Curt Jester was kind enough to give a link for the Top Ten Orthodox Catholic Pickup Lines, and he added a few himself that were good for a few chuckles (My Sacred Heart statue started beating faster when I saw you). A little religious humor if you're interested.
Posted by MarcV, 4:15 PM link
Passionate Pastor
About 20 hours ago I first heard how my church is "approaching" the movie The Passion of The Christ, and I'm still overwhelmed. My church has blocked out the local theater for Thursday night, so in 10 days I will be joining my church family and sharing the experience with them first. Lady Spud and I have wrestled with seeing it, due to money being tight and not knowing what to do about a "big boy" sitter for Li'l Tater. After the announcement, I had the exact amount in my wallet for two regularly priced tickets ($11.50), praise God, not knowing that they would be selling them after the service.
My pastor met with about 20 other pastors last week, almost all Baptist, to discuss this movie and being ready for the potential impact on the community. I imagine most of the other Pentecostal churches in this area are not bothering with this movie since it is a "Hollywood" product or possibly taking a wait-and-see approach (which is what I thought my church would do, and that would have been OK with me). My pastor does not want to be on the sidelines for this one (neither do I) and is encouraging us to see it first before asking people who are not saved to see it. He said that we are a "visual generation", and he understands the power that a movie can have.
He will not, though, be there on Thursday night. About twenty years ago, due to some strange circumstances, he was in a theater with a bunch of other guys and found himself laughing at some vulgarities on the screen. He made a vow to the Lord that if He could get him out of the theater that he would never go into a theater again. He has been pastoring for about ten years, and prior to that was a football coach/teacher, and in all of that time he has kept that vow.
When his daughters ask him to go see a movie like Finding Nemo he has to turn them down. As a dad, I can't imagine not being able to enjoy a movie with my youngster, helping him learn about the world around him. My pastor is the first (and maybe only) apostle that I have interacted with. I'm also amazed that he knows my name, since I have only been going there for about a year and a half, it's a large church (+700 Sunday morning) and we have not spent any one-on-one time together. Because of his talents I'm afraid that he might go on to work in another "field" where the Lord sends him.
I thank God for the time that He has blessed me with my pastor and will trust Him for whatever comes in the future. May He find me ready and able to work the harvest.
A Little More Movie Misconceptions
That yoho from Foxnews that I posted on Friday is at it again today, still on the rant about The Passion of The Christ not being shown in some Jewish/urban areas.
They seem to be gambling on a wider, commercial audience and not an upscale, more discerning one.
As for Manhattan, any film booker will tell you that the multiplex at 84th Street and Broadway is considered to have an "urban" and lower-income demographic than the prestigious Sony complex at 68th Street and Broadway. They have booked "The Passion of the Christ" at the Metro on Broadway and West 100th Street — a grimy two-screen house used for second runs and considered a throwaway by distributors. Ironically, it stares at two Orthodox synagogues that reside within a block. It will be interesting to see how the movie plays in that neighborhood.
Is it must me or does he seem a tad "condescending"? Now that I think about it, I like the idea of having the "discerning ones" travel a little, make a little more effort and get out of their "comfort zone" to see the film. Since Jesus was born in a stable, then a movie about his last hours should be shown in a "grimy" house.
He does reveal that Mel Gibson not only put up $25M to produce the movie but he also put up about the same amount for marketing and distribution costs, since the distributor is not a "big player" and could not cover the costs. This supposedly makes it the biggest "vanity" production ever. At first I was upset to see the word vanity, but it fits in a strict sense, that without Gibson financing it on his own this movie may not have been made at this time. The only advertising so far has been the website and posters sent to churches, as well as advance screenings for a few influential people.
The media coverage has been extensive, even if typically negative or just flat-out wrong. This has to be one of the most hyped movies that I can remember. I'm optimistic that Mr. Gibson will be able to cover his costs. I pray that this Lord of the Kings will beat out "Lord of the Rings", take "Star Wars" far far away, and bend the knee of "Harry Potter". Most of all I pray that The Passion of The Christ will help people to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
Posted by MarcV, 9:23 AM link
February 13, 2004
Rough day today - visitors, stuff breaking down (including my ankle), both bosses around - all the makings of a fine Friday 13th. I started the post below early in the morning and am just now getting around to finishing it. I wanted to post more on the Star Trek episode from last night since it was better than I remembered, especially seeing it through the eyes of a father, but no time. Alas, no time for Praise Power now, but maybe later tonight.
Happy Valentines Day to all of my beloved blog buddies!
Posted by MarcV, 4:34 PM link
Movie Misconceptions
Part of me is weary over this and feeling that it should not even be dignified with a response, but what else am I going to do on subtlety? The "entertainment" correspondent for foxnews.com has decided to slam the Mel Gibson movie "The Passion of Jesus Christ" over the "distribution decisions" made for the movie.
If you live on the west side of Manhattan, on most of western Long Island, or in Beverly Hills and you want to see Mel Gibson's controversial new movie "The Passion of the Christ," you will be out of luck. When the film — which some critics are calling anti-Semitic and inflammatory — opens on February 25, it will be in very select theatres only.
...
Gibson obviously thinks there's a potential problem in Chicago, where "Passion" will be on only two screens. Otherwise, Chicagoans will have to go to the suburbs.
The same goes for the wealthier and trendier parts of Los Angeles such as Beverly Hills and Century City. Those who are curious will have to seek their "Passion" in odd places, in out-of-the-way cineplexes. You won't be able to see it at the Beverly Center, for example. But four theatres in economically less desirable San Jose, California will show the film.
All of this seems designed to keep "The Passion of the Christ" out of neighborhoods that are considered Jewish, upscale, or liberal.
Hmmm, let's see, a movie centered on Jesus, a story most precious to Christians taken from the Bible, a controversial independent film that had no distributor a few months ago - where do you think the movie should play? Theater owners have made a special request for this movie based on people calling them and asking for it. If anything, the places where this movie is not screened will help to highlight some potentially ripe fields for missionary/outreach work.
If someone made an independent film about NASCAR, would that have a better chance to be shown and people actually attend in Harlem or the suburbs of Charlotte, NC? There are plenty of independent films about "urban" issues shown in NY and LA that never make it to the screens in flyover country - where's the outrage on that? It seems like non-Christians are scared over a movie to be putting up this much fuss. Are they afraid of the decisions they may have to face, or that "marginal" Christians will rededicate their lives to Jesus and help change society? We could be in for some interesting times (I hope).
Posted by MarcV, 4:31 PM link
February 12, 2004
Jean Luc Stewart
Part 3 of my favorite "Star Trek The Next Generation" trilogy will be on tonight at 7 pm on SpikeTV. This is the trilogy where the Borg come close to wiping out Earth and the Federation, but some last minute heroics defeat the Borg. Parts 1-2 were televised a few weeks ago. Part 3 (Episode 76 - Family) is where Capt. Picard goes back home, physically healed but hurting mentally/emotionally. Nobody on the Enterprise can help him, so he visits the only one who could, his brother.
This is the episode to watch for someone who does not like the "sci-fi" junk, since it is a story that could have been written as long as 2500 years ago: how does a POW deal with the effects of torture and get back to a "regular" life? Jean Luc goes back to his family farm in France, so there is no replicator, or transporter, or stupid time-travel, just the Captain and his problem. A subplot deals with the "jealous" brother, who finally gets to lord it over the brother who was always the favorite son and the hero in space, while he performed the grunt work back home.
Last week Patrick Stewart (Picard) created a minor disturbance in the blogosphere (from the BBC):
Interviewed by the World Update programme, he added: "Humankind has just not simply become sufficiently evolved to now leave this planet, take itself out to space and began establishing more of us out there.
"I would like to see us get this place right first before we have the arrogance to put significantly flawed civilisations out on to other planets - even though they may be utterly uninhabited."
If I had been there when he discussed this, I would have asked him about episode 76. Men will always be flawed, yet mankind does best when exploring and testing their limits. The spirit of exploration and desire to improve has gotten us to this point in history and will take us further. This spirit was portrayed in episode 76 by Picard's nephew.
The brother has one son, and he's concerned that the son has his head in the clouds/stars and will not carry on the family farm/winery. The youngster does not seem to want to farm but follow in his uncle's footsteps, but his dad has other plans for him. I like how this is resolved in the end of the episode. See it if you can.
[And after Star Trek at 8 pm EST, if you're still in the couch potato/spud mood, Disney is showing a movie I recommended, Full Court Miracle, a goodie for the whole family.]
Posted by MarcV, 11:17 AM link
I've got great news, and it's not about saving a bundle on my car insurance. My old Nigerian buddies have contacted me on a MOST URGENT MATTER again. Yeah, it's the same old banking problems (you'd think that they could get this fixed by now), but they seem to have most everything arranged to "smooth" the way for my assistance:
BE INFORMED THAT WE HAVE WORKED OUT ALL MODALITIES FOR THE PERSECUTION OF THIS TRANSACTION,WHICH HAS MEET ALL NECESSARY REQUIREMENT IN OUR
COUNTRY AND THOISE OF INTERNATIONAL ARBITRACTION.
IF YOU CAN PROVE YOURSELF TO BE TRUSTED AND INTERESTED,THEN WE ARE READY TO DO BUSINESS WITH YOU AND YOU SHOULD FORWARD THE FOLLOWING: YOUR FULL NAME,ADDRESS,PHONE AND FAX NUMBERS AND BANK ACCOUNT,WHERE YOU
KNOW THAT TAX WILL NOT CLAIM MUCH FROM THE WHOLE MONEY.
Arbitraction: what you negotiate with a chiropractor to help your mobility. They're offering 20% of $45M, and with the low tax "claim", that should make for a tidy retirement nest egg. Now all I have to do is ask Lady Spud if it would be OK to give him my bank account, since she is the "administrator".
Posted by MarcV, 11:15 AM link
One of my predictions turned out well for "American Idol", where my homey from High Point, NC, was one of the two selected. My other did not, but the one selected, 16 year old (Dianna?) is an excellent singer and could go far. Out of the six not taken I would be surprised if at least 2 were not chosen as "wild cards" after the first 8 out of 12 are selected.
Posted by MarcV, 11:14 AM link
February 11, 2004
Jay Nordlinger over at NRO has this tidbit from that wacky candidate Kucinich:
You heard the latest from my boy Dennis Kucinich? "My entourage consists of the solitude of my conscience and the sanctity of my integrity. . . . I'm not out to impress anybody."
Oh, but he impresses me, with his extraordinary self-love. He reminds me of an expression I learned from my uncle: He'll die in his own arms.
He's running for President but he does not want to impress anybody? He figures we'll naturally recognize his "goodness" just by the presence that he radiates and the "sound" programs he advocates (without trying to impress anyone). I'll need a little more time with "sanctity of integrity". And don't even think about going into the "solitude of my conscience"!
Posted by MarcV, 10:40 AM link
February 10, 2004
Idol Talk
Show #1 for "American Idol" is in the books, and all 8 were very good. I can't imagine the other 24 contestants coming close to them, although the one gal with the short spiked red-tipped hair can keep up with those other singers. The show was partly ruined for me since I spent most of the show trying to figure out how William Hong (She Bang?) could make big $$ on his 5+ minutes of fame.
I knew he made an impression on the country, but it's much bigger than I anticipated. My brother, the too-cool for the common guy, even commented about him and copied his performance for someone he knew at work. Ryan Seacrest made it a point to talk about him and do his "dance' as well, then Randy Jackson mentioned him a few minutes later. How can Mr. Hong cash in?
I think he could pull in $5000/night, at least. If Rickey Martin is touring he could come on for a little comic relief. Otherwise he could tour some casinos that had discos and dance floors, and maybe even some private parties. This may not be as big as the "Macarena", but if he strikes while the iron is hot he could make a tidy sum.
[UPDATE (2/11 10:30 am): I did not phone-vote last night, but my two choices would have been #4 (blonde jazz singer) and #8 (my homey from High Point, NC). I think they will at least bring back Marque from NY (now isn't that a funny way to spell Marc?) and the guy towards the end (#7?) with the big sideburns. I mentioned to Lady Spud (sarcastically) that it was a shame to have all of those "homely" looking women at the beginning! Mmmph, tough competition, and there's still three more groups of 8 to go.]
Posted by MarcV, 9:15 PM link
President Senator?
For those of you worried (or maybe even hopeful?) about a Kerry run for President, lets first review some history. In recent history, who were the last two contenders to lose the election? Three years ago AlGore, riding and shunning Clinton's coattails (tough to do at the same time), a former Senator from Tennessee and 8 year Vice President came close but lost in the electoral college. In the election before that, Bob Dole, Senator from Kansas, could not derail the Clinton train in spite of the personal and administrative scandals that plagued him.
Do Senators actually have a chance to be elected President? Not really. Richard Nixon was a former Senator, but had gained national prominence as a Vice President (and had to wait for JFK/LBJ). The same could also be said for Harry Truman, who happened to be in the right place-right time to be selected Vice President before FDR died.
Since the beginning of the 20th century, only two men have gone from the Senate to the Oval Office: John F. Kennedy and Warren G. Harding. JFK's margin of victory against another former Senator was probably narrower than President GW Bush (thank you Mayor Daley of Chicago!), and on the charisma scale he would probably place opposite of John Kerry. His presidency came to a tragic end, and historians are still sorting out his accomplishments.
Harding was selected at a time when conventions would often choose someone out of the blue, not campaigning in the primaries, as a compromise candidate. He only lasted two years, and after the stress of scandals in his administration he died of a heart attack. It's somewhat sad that both former Senators saw their service to their country cut short.
While John Kerry may be hoping for people's good memories of Kennedy to transfer to him (they do both have the same initials and are from Massachusetts), I have seen John Kennedy and somewhat know him, and Kerry is no Kennedy! It will be interesting to see how the media plays the Kennedy/Kerry card. Don't expect the media to make much hay out of the fact that Kerry has voted farther to the left than JFK's brother Teddy.
And as far as his potential Vice President pick, I don't see where Edwards will help him, even in the South (he's beating Edwards by +20 points in both TN and VA). How embarrassing is it for Edwards to finish behind Kucinich in a couple of primaries last week? Yikes! Otherwise Clark and Dean would be of no use, so who else could it be? If he doesn't go for a relatively unknown Governor (like Vilsack from Iowa), I predict he'll go with Gephardt and form a true one-two inside-the-beltway punch. What, me worry?!?
Posted by MarcV, 5:12 PM link
February 09, 2004
This just in from Scott Ott on the "aloofness" of John Kerry:
"Just because I was born into wealth, attended an Ivy League school, married two wealthy women and live in a multimillion dollar home in Boston's finest neighborhood, doesn't mean that I can't identify with the common man," said Mr. Kerry. "I can relate to the average Joe Sixpack. He loves to hear about my service in Vietnam and I enjoy talking about it. So we have something in common."
I don't get to see Joe Sixpack much since I live in a dry county. If Kerry keeps bringing up junk about Vietnam, he may end up seeing it blow up in his face. I'll have more later (tomorrow?) about this wacky Democratic nominee race.
Posted by MarcV, 4:15 PM link
Movie Meanderings
- We watched Secondhand Lions on Saturday, since the boys seemed to be playing well Friday night. As I suspected, my youngster enjoyed the action scenes but was not interested in the talking scenes. The review at the Focus on the Family site Plugged In had an interesting review on it, including this:
It’s that need to cling to noble values apart from their pragmatism that, to this day, leads parents to teach their children that honesty is the best policy, even when a quick scan of the culture might suggest otherwise. Duvall boils Hub’s sermonizing down to this: “Don’t mimic the actions of others, but hold yourself to a higher standard.” That’s exactly what these filmmakers have done by creating a movie that eschews gaudy special effects, wild action and gratuitous eroticism in favor of character and virtue. Secondhand Lions may not have a deafening roar at the box-office, but it is without a doubt the pride of the fall movie season.
So don't take just my word for it, but go see it or buy it. The article also has "questions to jump-start family dialogue" at the end.
- Two other films that I can watch more than once (not too many I can say that about) are Groundhog Day and You've Got Mail. Both are pretty good Valentine's Day movies to see with your "honey", because they both touch on the concept of finding that one special person you can love for the rest of your life. The movies go about it in different ways, though. This weekend I saw only the first half for both, yet for both I'd rather see the second halves. Maybe some other time.
You've Got Mail is the movie that comes closest to the blog experience. We write posts and after awhile get to know folks and even consider some friends, yet we usually don't physically meet. I'm fascinated to hear when bloggers walk away from their keyboards and decide to actually meet. I might even consider it myself someday if I wasn't so painfully shy.
YGM is the third Tom Hanks - Meg Ryan movie, and better than the first two. Joe and the Volcano was OK but a little strange (intentionally), with Ryan overacting in some scenes. Many people think that YGM is just a rehash of Sleepless in Seattle, but Sleepless is more of a self-discovery film, while YGM turns the table on a typical courtship (as well as Hanks-Ryan gea lotg alot more scenes together in YGM, where in Sleepless they don't share the screen until the end). Typically, girl-boy relationships start with a physical attraction, followed by a slow getting-to-know-each-other phase before emotional intimacy.
I suppose with the popularity of chat rooms more people are meeting and getting to know other on-line, but it still seems strange to me (someone who dated before the computer boom). What I like most about YGM is that Hanks knows the real person behind Ryan's anger on the surface. She finds herself falling in love with him yet torn between her on-line "love". The film moves at the right pace so that you can appreciate her happiness at the end. The IMDb comments ran hot and cold: either folks really liked the film or they though it was boring sentimental pap. I chose the former.
Bill Murray found the right script and right director and made a great performance in Groundhog Day. It takes a question, "What would you do differently if you had the day to live over again", that most people wrestle with on a regular basis. How many of us relive "battles", or wish that we had said or done something differently after the fact? Once Murray finds out that he is "stuck" reliving Groundhog Day, he goes through what many other people would try knowing that there were no consequences: robbing a bank, stuffing yourself with pastry (mmmm donuts), chased by police, having indiscriminate sex. I'd like to think that I would pursue "nobler" interests and deepen my faith, but I wonder.
Finally Murray decides to pursue love when he sets his sights on Andie McDowell (not a bad choice!). He finds that by making himself a better person and being interested in other people rather than himself, he can finally win the fair maiden. I can still remember the self-doubt I would have, lo those many years ago before Lady Spud, when I met someone I was interested in but things would not work. As a Dad I hope I can communicate to my son about true love waiting, that when you do find the right woman that you will know it and things just work out. And not to look back at your shadow but look ahead and make each day special for that special someone.
Posted by MarcV, 4:14 PM link
February 06, 2004
Praise Power
How can we pay back the Lord for all He has given us? We walk by faith, and our salvation is by grace and not works. The result of our faith needs to be works, our actions when He calls us. As loyal servants, may we be ready to serve as He requests. David in Psalm 116:12-19 puzzled about this as well:
How can I repay the LORD
for all his goodness to me?
I will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the LORD.
I will fulfill my vows to the LORD
in the presence of all his people.
Precious in the sight of the LORD
is the death of his saints.
O LORD, truly I am your servant;
I am your servant, the son of your maidservant;
you have freed me from my chains.
I will sacrifice a thank offering to you
and call on the name of the LORD.
I will fulfill my vows to the LORD
in the presence of all his people,
in the courts of the house of the LORD--
in your midst, O Jerusalem.
Have you made vows to the Lord, and if not do you need to? Jesus gave us two simple yet sometimes difficult commandments: love the Lord your God with all of your heart/mind/soul, love your neighbor as yourself. Praise God that He sets the love example for us. Glory to God that He loved us first, that He loves us so much He intervenes in our life and blesses us far beyond what we deserve. Praise His holy name. Hallelujah!
We serve the Lord and fulfill our vows when we love Him and love others. Turn your love into action this weekend, and you will be truly blessed.
I love you Lord, and I lift my voice,
To worship you Oh my soul rejoice.
Take joy my King, in what you hear,
May it be a sweet, sweet sound in your ear.
Posted by MarcV, 3:33 PM link
My youngster, Li'l Tater, seems to be in the clear sickness-wise and we were blessed with an uninterrupted night of sleep. He has a friend sleeping over tonight. I anticipate a late night of giggling and squirming (kids will be kids). I did buy the Secondhand Lions DVD, so we'll try watching that tonight. There are some parts they will enjoy, but it will be difficult to keep their attention through the talking and slow-action parts.
I will also be dealing with another sleep-over situation next weekend, though this is a more difficult and sensitive problem. Someone we know had to get married in a hurry (no, not for that reason but it's too complicated to explain in a short post) and had talked to Lady Spud about watching their kids while they honeymooned [2 are his: boy is Li'l Tater's good friend with older sister (10 years old), 1 is hers about same age as sister]. When last we broached the subject, I came away with an understanding of maybe watching them for a long weekend.
They have since changed their plans and called her last night. She agreed to five nights telling them that it would not be a problem, without asking me about it. Lady Spud does not think it's a big deal, although I'm having a difficult time with 5 nights. I came close to putting the dreaded "foot down", reluctant as I am to employ that drastic measure. I'm not happy with the situation, but primarily disappointed that she would not check with me first. Perhaps I can at the very least prevent this situation from happening again and get through this mess. It's the "correcting her in love" approach that will be difficult.
Posted by MarcV, 10:49 AM link
Cheap Lunches
I have been meaning to post on this for some time, and PossumPapa once again jogged my memory. He related his gastronomic journey to a place called "Sneaky Pete's", since he had a hankering for lunch but only four singles in his wallet. Decorum prevents me from repeating his choice from Pete's menu, but he made it sound better than it probably tasted. When someone has $4 clenched in their fist, shouldn't they be able to get a decent lunch?
I can understand paying more for a sitdown waiter-served meal. For get-up-and-go get-it-from-the-counter most places should be able to supply something edible and filling for $4 or less. A few years ago you did not have to worry about that, but nowadays if you're not careful you end up handing over a five dollar bill plus another single or pocketful of change.
About ten years ago in the small NC town I lived in, there was a Texaco station that provided self-serve hotdogs. I fondly remenber my $2 lunch (yes, $2) from there: two-for-a-dollar dogs with chili and slaw, small bag of chips, generic can of soda and Little Debbie.
(pause while I wipe slobber from chin - mmmmmm, chili dogs)
If I was feeling wealthy I would get another dog for about fifty cents more. Those were the days my friends. Nowadays the best I can do for that type of lunch is about $3.50 or so.
Wendy's is still hanging in there with the 99 cent menu. I wonder how much longer they can offer that loss leader and get enough people to order their other sandwiches and salads. They have recently advertised my favorite cheap combo as one of those "Atkins-friendly" lunches, but I've been getting it for years: chili, plain baked potato, side salad and water for a little over $3 (with tax). I spoon the chili over the potato, where the combination is a little easier to force down than eating them separately.
As long as you don't get a drink from most fast-food joints then you can usually keep the tab under $4. Even with letting people get refills the soft drink dispensers are a huge profit center. I would estimate that for a $1.29 cold drink you are looking at, oh, 32 cents cost. They took away most of the labor cost by having you get it yourself. How many times have you clenched your teeth when you find only one type of soda worth putting in your mouth, and then find out that the dispenser is not working properly?
One more rant: as a citizen of the South, I would like to think that we could hang onto at least one genteel tradition - serving decent iced tea. I'm not insisting on lemon wedges (although those are nice!) but could they at least make sure the tea is appropriately sweetened and not stale!!?! They should have one of those "Candid Camera" segments with a hidden camera in front of the tea dispenser, showing the faces people make as they decide whether or not to get the tea, whether or not to try a little before filling their cup, and whether some keep the tea rather than dumping it out and getting something else. And a pox on those establishments which use cheap corn syrup to sweeten tea and end up making it taste like cough syrup. Yuk.
Posted by MarcV, 9:07 AM link
February 05, 2004
Idol Wait
I can't seem to shake this "heavy feeling" (and I ain't talkin' about my personal pounds!) for tonight, and it just dawned on me - no American Idol tonight. Boo hoo. The last three nights in a row watching those rascally judges, sitting in their judgment seats, waiting to be impressed (just like us at home) and ready to grade. Watching those young hopefuls having their dreams crushed, stamped on and trampled, and all in front of the camera for our vicarious pleasure - I don't know if I can wait 'til next week.
The big stunner this week was the appalling lack of talent for remembering song lyrics. While the contestants were only given one night to practice, it was shocking to see many of them literally choke. It was also funny to hear the "yeah's" and "mm-hmm's" to cover for missed words. This was their big opportunity and many blew it. So many messed up that even a bad performance of missing the lyrics did not hurt some of them, since several of the chokers made the cut of 32.
During the competition they also had to work in small groups, and it was amazing to hear some of them blame their performances on their partners. If anything, a partner's poor performance should make you look better. The old adage of being able to control only your own performance also applies, but I should not be surprised that "yutes" will look for excuses rather than take responsibility.
I don't know if this whole American Idol thing is typical show biz, but they have come up with an entertaining program. I wonder how long it will be before we see seasons 1 and 2 available on DVD?
Posted by MarcV, 4:08 PM link
My youngster seems to be doing better today, so hopefully it was just one of those minor bugs. He did get up at 1:30 am and walked into our bedroom to let us know that he was feeling better. Lady Spud vetoed his attempt at climbing in bed with us. It might be an early night for Lady Spud, as she has had her beauty rest interrupted for two nights in a row (he also got up at 5:30 to tell us he couldn't sleep) and she ended up washing 10 loads of laundry (ROLL Tide!) yesterday. It's nice having a full-time homemaker, in spite of the relative poverty.
Posted by MarcV, 12:01 PM link
February 04, 2004
Just read PossumPapa's good report on his daughter's ear (forgot to copy a link - drat!) and it reminded me of my own youngster. It seems that he threw-up in bed last night (also vomited this morning, but no high temperature so it is hopefully just a minor bug) and Lady Spud got up to take care of the sheets. I felt her get up but did not know what was going on at the time so I went back to sleep. Mrs. Spud does not like the smell of vomit, none, and told me she was gagging most of the time when she was cleaning it up.
She wondered how it didn't wake me up, but I apparently went back to sleep and missed all of the "fun". I've got a "funny" feeling that if it happens again tonight I'll get an elbow in the ribs and kicked out from under those warm sheets!
Posted by MarcV, 10:39 AM link
Rant on MT
Mike at 1-Man IT Dept. linked to this rant on Kuro5hin about MT blogs. It has some things about the code in MT I did not know, as well as a general rant against blogs. Yes, it's more debating about the merits of blogging with a long list of comments, but if you like to see other people's opinions on the "blog thing", check it out. [WARNING: Use of strong language and potty mouths]
Posted by MarcV, 9:49 AM link
Halftime Hammer Hits
I know the Superbowl halftime show has been beaten nearly to death. Nearly. Michael Novak at NRO makes a few more hammer hits:
If the moral morons the NFL hires to produce these shows set out to dramatize the last days of the Roman empire in all its legendary sickness, what would they do differently? Who are these seemingly drugged, indifferent, writhing pagan figures they now throw around the platform? These are not living human beings in action, these are sacks of flesh, writhing, grinding, pawing, acting out no higher appeal than bodily functions. They evoke no virtues of the human spirit. It is as if they wish to suffocate any spark of Jewish or Christian womanhood and manhood. It is as if they mean to corrupt, seduce, degrade. A more radically anti-Jewish and anti-Christian assault, embodying the sort of Wagnerian images of pagan disgust and decay that enraptured Hitlerian audiences, would be hard for them to produce.
... Why does the NFL put our families through the sludge of an exhausted, desperate pagan culture that is going nowhere, and celebrates losers and freaks? Our families have enough enemies to fight through. Must they also fight the NFL?
On a deeper level, why does the NFL go against its own nature, beliefs, and strengths? Why does it embarrass and demean itself?
And in turn outrage its core constituency? I previously thought that they wanted to do something extravagant for the people in the stands, since they paid hundreds of dollars for a seat. Those attending probably jam the restrooms and concession stands, knowing that they have extra time to get back to their seats. Plus, only a few will actually be close enough to see the performers on stage, since the rest of the fans would be too far away to catch the entertainer's movements (or disrobing).
Mr. Novak thinks that "An NFL halftime should feed our minds and souls, and our sense of nobility and beauty, and remain forever a memory cherished by children and families alike." Don't think you'll find that from MTV! The networks have a difficult time coming close to that nowadays as well. Let's see what happens in a year. [Prediction: Hank Williams Jr. singing about football and patriotism, with a bunch of cheerleaders wiggling around in tight skimpy outfits.]
Posted by MarcV, 9:48 AM link
February 03, 2004
More Kissin' Cousins
From my post on cousin marriages last week, Christie Smith was kind enough to leave some comments. From her last one, after discussing the "ick" factor of cousin couples:
Unlike the gay rights movement, we're not here to shove our choice down anyone's throat, or to encourage a trend in dating cousins. Our goal is very simple... to restore our constitutional right to marriage, and to educate individuals so that they have a clearer understanding of the issues... Do you know there are still a few outdated textbooks in schools that teach specifically that cousin marriage produces inferior offspring, and that hemophilia, the curse of the royal family, was a result of inbreeding? Those erroneous facts must be challenged. Not just for the sake of cousins, but for the sake of everyone who deserves to be taught facts, instead of being fed myths, in our classrooms.
I have a hunch that many gay couples would dispute that and say that they are not there to "shove our choice down anyone's throat, or to encourage a trend", that they just want a legal marriage. Where I will disagree is that marriage is a constitutional right. Marriage between a man and woman is a social institution, refined through the centuries as a vital factor for the perpetuation of and benefit to man. The federal government comes into play since marriages need to be recognized across state borders. I am not familiar with any federal constitutional provision for someone having a right to marry someone else.
I will agree with the remainder, that education is needed to dispel myths and whatever personal prejudices one might have to overcome. The laws against cousin marriages are local laws (I'm guessing primarily individual states), so the effort should be made in state legislatures, and not through a federal amendment or Supreme Court ruling. Married people who move to a different state should not have to hide the fact that they are cousins if the state they are moving in has laws against cousin marriage.
Posted by MarcV, 3:42 PM link
Movie Meanderings
- Only saw one over the weekend on TV. The Disney Channel showed Full-Court Miracle - "Jewish schoolboys convince a former college-basketball player to coach their winless team. Based on a true story." While it may have not been an Emmy or Oscar winner, it was very enjoyable and a good family movie. They portrayed Jews as people with problems like everybody else, yet follow different religious practices. If you watch it with your children then it may give you a chance to discuss things about faith and how to treat people who may be different.
- Don't forget, Secondhand Lions is on sale now, so go and get it! It's rated PG for some cartoon-type violence, and maybe some mild cussing. Out of 50 reviews on Amazon, only three gave it below four stars, and over half had the full five stars.
Posted by MarcV, 1:29 PM link
February 02, 2004
More tomorrow, I hope.
Too much work busyness. I will say that after reviewing posts by other bloggers, that perhaps one of my top choices for commercials should be taken back (one where dog bites other owner). I suppose I could give the excuse of becoming numb to excess in commercials, but I will be responsible rather than whiny! I probably should not have watched the whole halftime show either, but sometimes you get this feeling of having to see things for yourself as well as that sense of slowing down in front of a car wreck. It's a shame that we have to guard against the garbage in-garbage out for a halftime show. They should just put a marching band on and let the players get back on the field.
I missed the Janet Jackson exposure. With all of the "apologies" afterwards, it may seem difficult to fine them or whoever was in charge, but maybe fines are needed to send a message. There are FCC rules that they broke, and someone should be held accountable.
Posted by MarcV, 5:19 PM link
February 01, 2004
Stupendous Bowl
At least it was an entertaining game, though the Panthers fell a little short. Their main downfall was their defense not being able to stop the Patsies when they should have, but I'll detail three "problem" areas.
1. The announcers harped on the fact that they should not have gone for two point conversion with about 12 minutes left, and while obvious it turned out to be important. If they had gone for the regular kicks after scoring, New England would have been looking at a field goal to tie rather than win.
2. The Panther's biggest mistake was calling a time out with about a minute and a half left. They could have huddled, called a play and completed it or thrown incomplete, still leaving over a minute left on the clock with three time outs left. They just gave the Patsies too much time.
3. Their insistence on trying to establish the run with their (at least) first five possesions when even my wife and sister could tell it was not working. They needed to establish the pass to keep the NE defense honest, keep the Carolina defense off the field and better rested, instead of running out of steam at the end of the game.
Penalties seemed to have hurt the Panthers more, and Delhomme's turnover looked like it was going to be a back-breaker. I will have to hand it to NE's defense which turned out to be much tougher than I anticipated. I'll also have to hand it to the Carolina offense to hang in there and give Delhomme enough time to throw a few bombs.
Before I nominate my top commercials, I need to rant about the half-time show. When will we get to the point that we take back the entertainment from the kids? Is it possible to get an entertaining halftime show that the whole family can watch? Fortunately my 5 year old was off doing something else, or I would have had to change it. As it was I turned the sound down after a few minutes of crap from Nelly and Kid Rock. The vulgarity and lack of originality was sickening to watch. I don't know what it would take to change the show, but after this and Brittany Spear's junk from two years ago, something needs to be done.
TOP COMMERCIALS
1. Bud Light - two dogs "competing' for training, second dog applies a "bite" to other owner.
2. Dodge Magnum - man puts up with monkey on back (I love monkeys in commercials!).
[Anybody else tell how ugly the new Magnum was? It went by too fast to get a fix on it.]
3. Budweiser - donkey tries out for Clydesdale team (all he needed was a red nose).
Honorable Mention - Monster ad showing a jobseeker and his potential employer performing the same morning routine prior to the interview, even though there was at least a 30 year age difference. Very well done. Sierra Mist had a few good ones too.
The overall quality of the ads were not as good as previous years. It's also difficult to rank their worth when they only play them once as well as possibly missing some due to leaving the room or someone talking.
And now for the dreaded off-season, where other sports try but fail miserably to take the place of football. August seems to come so slowly ...
Posted by MarcV, 11:09 PM link
