Merry Christmas!

I thank all of those who read my blog! Merry Christmas! And my Christmas gift to thee? No drivel to read! :) err.. something like that... May the reason for the season bestow grace and mercy upon you and yours during this joyous occasion!

Creator of Linux defends its originality

Linus Torvalds, creator of the popular Linux computer operating system, defended his work Monday as not always lovely but original--and certainly not copied, as a Utah company has contended. ... SCO has for months made the broad claim that Linux included large chunks of copied Unix code. But the letters being sent out--urging companies to stop using Linux or to pay SCO license fees--listed for the first time more than 65 software files that "have been copied verbatim from our copyrighted Unix code and contributed to Linux." ... ... The files listed in SCO's letter are written in the C programming language. Citing two files, "include/linux/ctype.h" and "lib/ctype.h," Torvalds said "some trivial digging shows that those files are actually there in the original 0.01 distribution of Linux" in September 1991. "I wrote them," Torvalds noted, "and looking at the original ones, I'm a bit ashamed." ... ... He observed that some of the macros, or programming shortcuts, are "so horribly ugly that I wouldn't admit to writing them if it wasn't because somebody else claimed to have done so ;)"--ending his comment with the e-mail symbol for winking and smiling. ... ____________________ Generally, in a copyright ownership dispute, if you can prove the 'process' by which the work was created, you've pretty much won the dispute. "Here is my original work, and here is revision B,C,D, & E along with this final revision." I think Linus has the documentation to 'prove' he's the originator of the Linux kernel. Along the same lines, Novell Inc. is reasserting the claim that it, and not The SCO Group Inc., owns the copyright to the Unix System V source code that has been at the heart of a protracted dispute between SCO and the Linux community. ... ... Novell purchased rights to the Unix System V code for $150 million from AT&T Corp. in 1992, but later sold the Unix rights, which were eventually acquired by SCO. In May, Novell said that it had retained copyright over the Unix source code, but seemed to back off this claim after SCO produced a 1996 contract amendment that appeared to grant it the Unix copyright. The amendment "appears to support SCO's claim that ownership of certain copyrights for Unix did transfer to SCO in 1996," Novell said at the time. ... ... But Novell clearly hasn't given up the fight over copyright ownership. In addition to the media statement, the company also provided copies of correspondence between Joseph A. LaSala Jr., Novell's vice president, general counsel and secretary, and SCO, which argued that the amendment provided for a copyright transfer only under certain conditions and that SCO had failed to meet those conditions ... ... McBride (SCO Group's CEO) accused Novell of registering the Unix copyright in order to help IBM with an ongoing legal dispute between SCO and IBM. "Very clearly, they're getting money funded to them by IBM right now," he said, referring to a recent $50 million IBM investment in Novell. "We get a lot of communications that come from Novell where they CC IBM." ... ... Whatever Novell's motivation, its latest moves help IBM with its court case, Byer said. "IBM can now wave around SCO's registration and say, 'They don't own this at all,' and that means that SCO will have to put up more proof," he said. "It's an effective trial prop for IBM." ... ____________________ Well... duh? Yes, that was a smart move, especially if Novell can 'prove' they own it (the jury is still out on that one :)). They can finally put this issue to rest. It's the SCO's fault for not enforcing the copyright from the very start. We need to have the copyright law state (in one form or fashion) that if you don't enforce your copyright, you lose it - period. This is the same issue with the .jpg & .mp3 file formats. No one tried enforcing copyrights until those file types were so widely used. It basically rendered those file types as public domain. Ok, SCO - get over it. You were/are a dying company. Be dead, already! Look at Disney. The time was coming (and passed) that their precious copyrighted characters were about to step into the public domain - so Disney bought a Senator or two and received 25 extra years on their copyright. Umm.... so what's gonna happen when those copyrights are up? Buy another Senator? That's ludicrous. I think the SCO needs to pay me for having to read and hear (on the news) about their last, sorry efforts to make money. I think the time has come and gone to enforce the Unix copyright. At best, they could (if they really are the owners - still out for debate - albeit, not much of a debate...) start charging for any new usage of "their" code.... But what happens when its proven they are not the owners??? It's a waiting game.... gak.

Freedom Tower to rise 1,776 feet from ashes

Antenna raises structure's height to more than 2,000 feet NEW YORK (CNN) -- The Freedom Tower to be built at the site of the devastated World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan is still planned as the world's tallest building, according to a revised model unveiled Friday by the architects collaborating on its design.

Welcome to Narnia

Tolkein's good friend, CS Lewis, also wrote a good series of books entitled The Chronicles of Narnia. This too will be made into 5 movies (yes there are 7 books - not sure why 5 movies offhand). I am looking forward to them. Of course, I will be more strict in how I would like the movies to be made (hehe - as if I had input...) The Chronicles of Narnia is a series that is Biblical Allegory. The basic things they should not change is the allegorical meanings.... We shall see....

Emails of the YEAR!

Reversed for easy reading "-----Original Message----- From: Mr. A Sent: Thursday, December 18, 2003 10:59 AM To: Mr. J Cc: Mr. C Subject: Mr J Hey man, I just want to let you know that we here in tech support believe Nancy Z, from < Customer Company Name >, acct. # < Customer Account Number > has become a resource hog. Furthermore, we think she is either 1, using us for presales advice and then buying from another source, or 2, has purchased product from another < company >, and is calling our support team for trouble shooting guidance. Her last invoice is dated 11/11/03 yet she has called in 8 times since then looking for support on other items. We generally don't complain about that but it seems this woman is quite rude at times. We always act professional yet she seems to be on the war path. If she continues, we may begin to play hardball ourselves. I mean their company has done 17k worth of business since Jan 1. Not a big customer on your end, but a frequent flier on ours, with a tude. Just giving you a heads up that's all. I you want to call her on this we certainly have the documentation to back it up. See ya, tough guy. A- Mr. A < Company Name > Technical Support Mgr. < Phone Number > -----Original Message----- From: Mr. J Sent: Thursday, December 18, 2003 11:34 AM To: Mr. D Subject: FW: Mr J Mr D, Nancy strikes again. Can we tell a customer that we don't want to do business with them. or can we start charging for her tech support calls? Mr. J < Company Name > Sales < Phone Number > < Fax Number > < email > -----Original Message----- From: Mr. D Sent: Thursday, December 18, 2003 4:52 PM To: Mr. M Cc: Mr J Subject: #< Customer Account Number > < Customer Company Name > Mr. M, Is it OK to stop doing business with this customer? Based on their revenue vs. required support, I do not see where we turn a profit on them. If you approve this, I will make sure everything is clean in Credit before we do so. Thanks! From: Mr. M Sent: Friday, December 19, 2003 8:29 AM To: Mr. D Cc: Mr. J; Mr A Subject: RE: #< Customer Account Number > < Customer Company Name > We should probably fire this customer in the same way that we fired < Customer R >........ Tell her that moving forward all support calls will be invoiced at a rate of $30 per call. For every $5K of business she does with us she can have one call -- bitching not included, for every $20K she gets one call --- limited bitching included.. And if she does $1MM or more, she can bitch all she wants.. " The names were changed to protect me and my job. :) Please forgive some of the wording. I left all the words (except proper names and information) in their original form. Wouldn't you love to do this with your worst customer? hehe Tech Support Call: $30 Smacking down your customer when they cross the line: $50 Firing your customer: Priceless

The Towers Are The Players

Albino Black Sheep presents: The Towers Are The Players. Very funny!

Newseum Front Page Headlines From Around The World

Pretty cool site. You can view headlines from newspapers from all around the world in different languages. Check out the PDF of today's Wall Street Journal headlines: http://www.newseum.org/media/dfp/pdf17/WSJE.pdf Coo...

12 Days of Christmas Cost Index

PITTSBURGH, Dec. 8, 2003 – While stiff import competition is driving deeper discounts on merchandise sold in the United States, skilled labor cost is on the rise, resulting in a 16 percent increase in this year’s PNC Advisors Christmas Price Index – the biggest jump the Index has seen in its 19-year history. Each year since 1984, PNC Advisors has provided a tongue-in-cheek economic analysis, based on the cost of the goods and services purchased by the True Love in the holiday classic, “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” Indeed, the cost of the five gold rings dropped by 5.6 percent, and the pear tree is down a full 28.6 percent from last year. However, these discounts were offset by the dancers, pipers and drummers who have seen significant increases in the cost of their services over 2002. If you want to read more, click here.

Old Family Picture

Below is a picture of my Dad's family. My Grandfather (pictured on the left) set the camera for delay then rushed to sit down. My dad is the boy sitting on the right. It's quite the unique picture. It think it's just a cool pic!

Call centres 'bad for India'

The mass transfer of call centre jobs from Europe and North America to India is bad for the subcontinent, a leading Indian newspaper writer has warned. The huge growth in India's call centre industry was highlighted again last week, as British company Norwich Union announced they would be cutting 2,350 UK jobs and relocating them. "They work extremely long hours badly paid, in extremely stressful conditions, and most have absolutely no opportunities for any kind of advancement in their careers," Mr Bidwai told BBC World Service's One Planet programme. "It's a dead end, it's a complete cul-de-sac. It's a perfect sweatshop scenario, except that you're working with computers and electronic equipment rather than looms or whatever." hmm... sounds like... err.. if you know me, you'd know what I was about to say :) hehe j/k

Wireless Doc

I found a neat blog regarding technology & the medical industry. "My source of greatest satisfaction has been my involvement with implementing new systems and technology." Bill Koslosky, M.D. This is an interesting read. His bio page is umm... deep, but somewhat broad. He sounds like a smart fellow....

Left Behind: Review....sorta....

Wow! Have I found a live one! I found a blog in which an extreme critique of the Left Behind series takes place. The critique(r) is on Left Behind, pp. 25-27. There are some good/valid points throughout his critique. For instance, he mentions our hero's (Rayford Steele) plane loses 50 passengers, and they do not know what happened to them. RS radio's to another plane (coming from another direction) who knows exactly what is going on while RS never heard a thing on the radio until he initiates a call. The critique(r) also points out "LaHaye and Jenkins would have us believe that nearly 50 born-again, evangelical Christian millionaires were visiting Paris and were willing and able to spare no expense to return to New York City as fast, and in as much luxury, as humanly possible. This seems unlikely." I see his point. He moves on to say "The Concorde pilot is at least thinking straight. He compares the disappearances to: ... the old Star Trek shows where people got dematerialized and rematerialized, beamed all over the place. It was about time somebody mentioned this. Even if you're not Jim Trafficant or a fluent-in-Klingon obsessive, if you see people everywhere suddenly beam up and disappear, one of your first mental reference points is going to be remembering those transporter scenes from Star Trek. Your next logical thought should be that this would seem to imply someone, somewhere, doing the actual transporting and you might start scanning the sky for the mothership. No one in LB does this, however, because as already noted, all the characters in this story have read the book jacket and they know they're in a story about the rapture." It is obvious the critique(r) is not a believer. "Rapture enthusiasts stake their hopes on being whisked off to heaven like Enoch or Elijah. Technically, I suppose, that patriarch and prophet didn't "die," but this seems a rather fine distinction. L&J's raptured saints have taken their mortal coils with them, but they have still shuffled off; they have met their maker; they have joined the choir invisible; their earthly life has ended and they rest in peace. L&J cling to the hope that there is a shortcut from life to resurrection without that messy step in between." He needs to study the Bible. But when you study the Bible, remember 3 things: context, context, context The reason so many views about the Bible are skewed is too many people super-impose their own presupposition or pre-existing philosophy and apply it to the Bible - instead of allowing the Bible tell you exactly what it means. In regards to "People everywhere have disappeared. Orly lost air-traffic controllers and ground controllers. Some planes have lost flight crews. Where it's daylight there are car pileups, chaos everywhere. Planes down all over and at every major airport. ..." Someone makes this comment: "On the rapturing of air traffic controllers and flight crews...do the people who disappear believe/know their rapturing is imminent? It just seems to me that, if they did believe/know it, they shouldn't have been working in jobs where their disappearance would endanger others. Planes are crashing because bozos like this are being assumed into heaven? Knowingly putting other people in danger ought to automatically disqualify one from being raptured." Interesting statement. In some ways it's a good point, but others it's misworded at best. The commentor should have phrased it as "Knowingly putting other people in danger ought to automatically disqualify one from being a controller." But anyway, their points are hit or miss. Remember nonbelievers are going to think the 'Rapture' (and the like) is ludicrous and 'way out there'. But I say, does anyone believe in the 'Big Bang' theory? :) Anyway, take it or leave it, folks. The critique(r) seems not to have much to do during the day except being nit-picky about a ficticious book (even though the basis of the book is suppose to be biblical) - nonetheless it is fiction - nothing more than a good read.

Saddam's Capture

Dec. 14: Captured former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein pauses while talking in Baghdad Dec. 14: Captured former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein undergoes medical examinations in Baghdad. Dec. 14: Saddam Hussein is pictured in coalition custody. Want to see more pics? Click here. BTW - Please correct me if I'm wrong, but the reason President Bush Sr always called Saddam (sadd-em) was Saddam (Sadahm) means 'high and exalted one' within his own language and Saddam (sadd-em) means 'dirty feet' hehe - doh!

Flaw That Could Help Fraudsters Create Fake Web Sites

"Danish information security consulting firm Secunia ... says it has found an "input validation" error in Internet Explorer. By exploiting this vulnerability, known as a URL-spoofing vulnerability, attackers can display any URL name they wish in the address and status bars of IE." Microsoft Internet Explorer Multiple Basically, be careful when you end up at a site that it is the right site. Otherwise, you might as well give your account numbers and passwords to people so they can take your money and whatever else.... The point? Just be Cautious. Careful. blah, blah, blah.

Study: Windows 98 prevalent as end of support looms

Microsoft will end support for Windows 98 and Windows 98 Second Edition on Jan. 16 "AssetMetrix Inc., an Ottawa-based IT asset analysis tool vendor, collected data on more than 370,000 PCs from 670 businesses in the U.S. and Canada. It found that 80% of those companies have at least one PC running either Windows 95 or Windows 98. The older operating systems accounted for about 27% of operating systems found." Basically, any form of support for Win98 is gone Jan. 16. FREEWARE!! ok. Maybe not.

Part Three: Lord of the Rings by Douglas Wilson

I wanted to express the two previous posts before I shared this one. We need to understand Tolkein's biography. We need to understand what motivated him from which his writings came. "J.R.R. Tolkien had an objection, which he shared with C.S. Lewis, to those people who tried to understand works of literature as mere extension of the author's biography. While this is reasonable, we cannot simply dismiss the outline of someone's life as irrelevant to the work they do. ... ... in Africa, when he was first beginning to walk, he was bitten by a tarantula and ran terrified to a nurse who sucked out the poison. He said this left him with no particular fear of spiders, but perhaps it left him with a peculiar awareness of them. It ought to have ... Tolkien and his brother were once chased out of a field by a farmer they called the "Black Ogre," who was displeased at their picking of his mushrooms. A nearby inventor of cotton-wool dressing was named Dr. Gamgee, and so cotton wool was called gamgee. ... ... Tolkien grew up without a father, but under the influence of a gracious, cultivated mother. The small family was not wealthy, but his mother knew Latin, French, and German, and was artistic in her gifts. Tolkien, as we all know by now, was brilliant, and had the kind of upbringing which could frequently leave him alone with his own thoughts—including in his case, invented languages. He loved the sounds of words. ... ... Tolkien made his acquaintance with Anglo-Saxon—a language which combines in a strange way the familial and the remote, both characteristics of Tolkien's writing. ... ... 'There was a custom at King Edward's of holding a debate entirely in Latin, but that was almost too easy for Tolkien, and in one debate when taking the role of Greek Ambassador to the Senate he spoke entirely in Greek. On another occasion he astonished his schoolfellows when, in the character of a barbarian envoy, he broke into fluent Gothic; and on a third occasion he spoke in Anglo-Saxon.' ... ... in the First World War ... Tolkien saw ... the Mordor of modernity. ... Tolkien never forgot what he called the 'animal horror' of trench warfare. The modern age clanks, grinds, and devours. ... ... It was at Oxford that he met C.S. Lewis. The two men were wary of one another at first. Lewis wrote in his journal, 'No harm in him: only needs a smack or so.' ... ... England had no mythology, unlike the Scandinavian nations, and unlike the Mediterranean nations. Tolkien's avowed aim was to write one. But 'inventing' for him was more a matter of 'finding out.' 'Is all this true?' he was once asked. 'One hopes,' he replied. According to Tolkien, the writer does not bring things into existence; he finds. When he finds, he assembles. But as a sub-creator, under God, he never creates ex nihilo.' ..." But now, as we focus on the epic Lord of the Rings.... "... The whole point of magic is the manipulation of matter in order to acquire power, which is the lust that makes magicians and other assorted alchemists do what they do. But the world of The Lord of the Rings is the reverse of this—if anything, the good guys represent a photo-negative of this kind of magic. The ring of power is the ultimate symbol of magic in the traditional sense, and the whole point of the book is to destroy it, resisting all temptations to use it. ... ... Some Christians are troubled by the apparent absence of God. Part of the problem that Tolkien had with the Arthurian stories is that they were explicitly set within the Christian era, and this made the "remoteness" which he wanted for dramatic reasons impossible. The long-ago-ness and far-away-ness would not have been long enough ago, or far enough away. But God was not excluded because of any embarrassment. At the ultimate level in the mythology (in the Silmarillion), God necessarily fills the place that only He can fill—and His name is Illuvatar. He is the only Creator. And this is why, as one said, that God is nowhere mentioned in The Lord of the Rings, but everywhere present—although Faramir does say grace once. ... ... Mankind is represented in a realistic and complex way, and clearly bears the imago Dei. Recall that Elves "represent really Men with greatly enhanced aesthetic and creative faculties, great beauty and longer life, and nobility—the Elder Children" (Letters, p. 176.). They are biologically one with men, which is why they can and do intermarry with men. And this means that Orcs are corruptions of Elves (Letters, pp. 178, 191, 287), representations of man's potential for sin. Tolkien goes so far as to say that many men "to be met today" are as horribly corrupted as the Orcs are (p. 190). The hobbits are also men. "The Hobbits are, of course, really meant to be a branch of the specifically human race" (Letters, p. 158). This is why they can dwell with the Big Folk at Bree. For Tolkien, they represent the sturdy heroism of ordinary men. The only "children" of middle earth who are not men in some way are the dwarves. ... ... No virtue (or fault) is ever found in a transitive verb. We do not know if someone is virtuous simply because they "love." What do they love? Or that they are wicked if they "hate." What do they hate? When literature like The Lord of the Rings is criticized, it is often attacked for being "escapist." This means we should ask a question. What is being escaped from? As Tolkien once put it, the people who are so concerned about escapism do have a name—we call them jailers. "

Part Two: The Meaning Of Magic by Jared Miller

To follow up on my last post (Part One: Potter's Magic by Ben Merkle), I wanted to express my viewpoint on "Magic". I am using the articles to express what I think because the authors of the articles articulate it better. "The practice and description of magic does not alarm me; more alarming is the fact that we possess a category for "magic" in our heads and don't have the foggiest idea of what it means. If the use of magic in literature is to become a bone of contention in Christian circles, we at least had better know what we are talking about. ... ... Perhaps we could think of it as any means of control or knowledge which makes use of "supernatural" beings or forces. ... Such an idea is as problematic as the idea of "supernatural" itself--we so often assume that nature is an inflexible, frictionless atom billiard-table, cheerfully banging away until some observing spirit (possibly a human spirit) doesn't like what he sees and intervenes, causing a brief jumble until the machinery takes over once more. If this is the case, as Lewis once pointed out, you would be performing magic every time you move your hand or think a thought. The Christian, who believes in concurrent Providence, must also admit on this definition that everything is magical, because all events and causes are a direct exertion of the power and will of a supernatural God—but what good is a term that denotes "everything"? Furthermore, how can this view distinguish "magic" from "miracle"? ... ... As one might expect, much of the magical phenomenon in literature is merely a reflection of the culture's perception of magic in the historical sense: thus Faust and the clichéd Shakespearean witch. But we also find misfits: fairies, elves, Merlin, Galadriel—representatives of an earthy, personal sort of power over matter and spirit, proceeding from both something good in itself but capable of corruption, something intuitive, creative, and artistic, which is neither a supernatural intrusion nor a mechanical lever-pull. It is something like a creaturely imitation of God's creation, providence, incarnation, and efficacious grace. Tolkien and Lewis took great care to distinguish it from "magic," and we should pay them the complement of believing them. ... ... They are not describing heterodox sources or means of power; they are translating orthodoxy into another realm, consistent within itself, so that we might experience it afresh. ..."

Part One: Potter's Magic by Ben Merkle

A good discussion has risen about Harry Potter and LOTR (and even D&D has been thrown in) here at work. I thought I'd pass the discussion on. I am highlighting quite a bit of the article to which I linked. I think it explains our discussion. To give background to the discussion, we have two viewpoints - mine is the same the article points out and the other viewpoint is "Magic is bad. Period." To sum up my viewpoint: Basically, there are stories of "magic" in both the OT and NT. Saul sought help from a witch of Endor (1 Sam 28:7). Paul faced a couple in the book of Acts. There are witches in Scripture who did "magic." But one can look at some OT prophets and NT apostles and say that they did "magic." So the point is not that they do magic. The point is from whom their "magic" comes. In LOTR, those who get their magic from Sauron are shown to be evil. they are NOT shown to be good. Gandalf and the elvish "magic" are from the creator which is what you learn if you read The Silmarillion. So Tolkein was not making black magic look good and good magic look evil. he was handling it biblically. That's the short of it. Read on for the deeper length of it. "An amused DJ on a local classic rock station reported on a pastor in New Mexico who had organized a Harry Potter book burning. Apparently the pastor had claimed that the books taught children to do magic. How accurate the DJ was being in his representation of the event is probably questionable, but the existence of the event points out how typical it is for evangelicals to grab the entirely wrong end of the stick. ... ... Most of the defenders of the Potter books attempt to defend them by arguing that they are more or less "harmless." And this is where the real problem with the book comes in. For the most part, the book is harmless. Not only that, but, for the most part, the magic is harmless. The magic of Potter is frequently a cheap mimicry of modern technology. Little magicians covet the latest model of flying broom (the Nimbus 2000), eat Jelly Beans that taste like ear wax, and agonize over their homework for courses like Levitation 101. In the Potter books, an encounter with magic is not an encounter with the transcendent, but merely a mimicry of the pedantic. ... ... This is where the book becomes dangerous. Magic is anything but pedantic. ... ... Potter's magic is a magic for materialists. It is a magic that comes from nowhere and leads to nowhere. It attempts to make magic a neutral category that can be approached however one wishes. Everyone gets a degree from the same school and does with it whatever he or she deems fit. But the magic itself is impersonal. Sure there is a hero and an arch-villain. But they both draw from the same neutral force. And it would seem that this impersonal force could probably care less whether either of them existed, let alone which one of them was to win. ... ... This is one of the things that Tolkien did well. His magic is always personal. The Forest of Lothlorien feels the way it does, because it is under the power of Lady Galadriel. Mordor feels the way it does because it is under the power of Sauron. One can't use magic in Middle Earth without immediately orienting oneself to cosmic powers. Every spell is biased. It comes from somewhere and leads to some ultimate purpose. ... ... Consequently, Harry Potter doesn't need to be burned, unless of course we are going to burn the bulk of our literature collections. He's a fine read for a Christian, so long as we pity all the things that the book is missing."

How Stuff Works

Have you ever used something and wondered, "How does this thing work? Well, there is a place you can visit (virtually) that explains how your cable modem works, or how microwaves work or even radios work. The topics include: ComputerStuff AutoStuff ElectronicsStuff ScienceStuff HomeStuff EntertainmentStuff HealthStuff MoneyStuff TravelStuff PeopleStuff Enjoy!

Strange Homes

Thanks to Boing Boing, I found this interesting site about The Mushroom House. There are two versions of the site - FLASH or HTML. The FLASH site is pretty cool. That's pretty wild it took 22 years to make this house. I wonder if they made The Shire too? :)

Peter Jackson

I was checking out Peter Jackson, the director of the LOTR trilogy. He has done some pretty strange/weird movies - mostly horror types. His next big project? King Kong. Then when KK is done he's considering the prequel to LOTR, The Hobbit.

The Case for OSS (in other countries)

Check out the case for OSS. Windows isn't for everyone, especially at the current price point M$ has slated. Whether you agree or not, it's an interesting viewpoint....

DVD Aficionado!

ok - Here's My DVD List at DVD Aficionado. Now to start cataloguing my PS2 games....

DVD Collections

Just recently I began to look at my ever expanding collection of DVDs. I remember when Digital Video Discs were being invented. I heard all the hype and wondered if they would ever catch on. They did. And 47 DVD sets later, I am still going strong. Let me see.... I don't have the collection in front of me, but I'll give a whirl in trying to think of the titles.... Anna and the King - Excellent remake of The King and I Annie - Good remake of a classic Bed of Roses - gak!! suppose to be a chick flick, but we're planning to get rid of it - so my collection? 47-1 Bugs Life - Funny, funny Chicken Run - Funny Clear and Present Danger - Good suspence Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) 2nd Season - One of my fav programs Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon Drunken Master - I love Kung-Fu Fighting! Family Man - Ho Hum... It's ok (Chick Flick) hehe Frequency - Intriguing story about life choices Gladiator - Great story - incredible graphics Ice Age - Cute, sorta funny movie Jonah - Veggie Tales - Trying to get our 'kid friendly' DVD collection going Jurassic Park - Loved it Jurassic Park 3 - Can we say 'smackendy-doich?' Knight's Tale - If you're a history purist - it's not for you Little Princess - Shirley Temple - Old classic LOTR - Need I say more? LOTR: Two Towers - wow. Matrix - Great action flick - awesome effects Matrix: Reloaded - ditto Michael Jordan: To the Max - I like b-ball & MJ Mission Impossible - Decent remake, it turned out to be 'Hi~ I'm Tom Cruise' kinda flick - although it was good... Monsters Inc - Funny movie Mummy - Good stuff Mummy 2 - Even better National Geographic: LOTR - Interesting history on LOTR & Tolkein Patriot - Great action flick - Classic Mel Gibson Pearl Harbor - Good story - too long - shoulda cut the 'love story' which made it too cheesy Peter Pan - Disney Quigley: Down Under - Very funny Tom Selleck movie - "Wow. That's good shootin', Tex." Recruit - Great action - good twists Reign of Fire - Not my first choice in movies, but it's ok Road to Perdition - Good/Sad drama movie - I loved it Sabrina - Good/Funny remake of a classic Shrek - hehe Signs - It's amazing what you'll find at yard sales.... Sixth Sense - Good suspense Snow White - Disney Spiderman - Another good adaptation of the comic book Superman - Great classic Swiss Family Robinson - Great adventure of a family Time Machine - Different, but good adaptation of the classic Toy Story - Funny, funny - great animation TS 2 - ditto Unbreakable - Another good suspense Xmen - Great adaptation of the comic book Hmm... I still have 1 or 2 that my bro borrowed. I forget which ones. I still have some more I want to get to add to my collection So roughly, that's 48 DVD sets and 70+ Discs

Yahoo! Sets Up Christmas Tree With Internet Receiver

Yahoo.com has set up a Christmas tree in Herald Square with a wireless Internet receiver on top. "And every shopper who logs on to the wireless tree gets an ornament with his or her name on it. Yahoo! will donate $5 to the Salvation Army on behalf of each user." Neat idea....

Blogshares Down.... Permanently!

Blogshares Down Bummer. That was a fun service. Oh well. Such is the life of technology....

As date with Supreme Court nears, man seeking pledge ban is relentless - Part 2

Mr. Michael Newdow says "I'm for the country as much as anybody,'' said Newdow, 50. ``But I'm for the Constitution." Wait a moment. Take a look at my first comment in my last post: "When it comes interpreting The Bill of Rights (and other such documents), you must interpret them by the language (and the use thereof) during the time period written. In other words - stop trying to place our particular modern meaning of a word to a word that does not mean that specific meaning b/c of the time period it was originally used (the word meant something different than it does today)." When you look at old documents (such as the Constitution or the Bill of Rights or anything else), you need to read the document in the vernacular the authors wrote. When the authors penned the Constitution (and the Bill of Rights), they meant that the government has no jurisdiction dictating what the religious realm can or can not do. They did not mean that the religious realm can not have an influence on government. Think for a moment about our laws. From where do laws come? Opinions? I say, 'no.' From where does moral conduct come? Opinions? I say, 'no.' If that were true, then how do we know which 'opinion' is right? How would we know what is right and what is not right? (See previous post). If our laws are based on opinions and not absolutes, then what validates them? Or what legitimizes them? My point? Religion must have an influence. Whether you want to admit it or not, your philosophical/theological standpoint influences everything you do. Whether you believe in God or whether you are an atheist. Atheism is a religion. Just as any Theism is a religion. The basic idea of religion is a belief in "powers that control human destiny." Most Atheists still believe they are in control of their own destiny or fate - of which they place themselves as a god - thereby they can not be an atheist, but an agnostic theist. err.. something like that. You could look at Mr. Michael Newdow (and others like him) as an oxymoron. He's trying to take out the very thing he (indirectly) claims to be - god. Why is 'In God We Trust' so disturbing to him? Can't he just say, 'I trust in myself' ? Just another course in food for thought.... (I may say something more later)

As date with Supreme Court nears, man seeking pledge ban is relentless

DRIVE AGAINST `UNDER GOD' ONE FACET OF HIS LEGAL EFFORTS. Wow. What a crock. What is this guy smoking? When it comes interpreting The Bill of Rights (and other such documents), you must interpret them by the language (and the use thereof) during the time period written. In other words - stop trying to place our particular modern meaning of a word to a word that does not mean that specific meaning b/c of the time period it was originally used (the word meant something different than it does today). I have decided to change the topic from what I've just said to what I'm about to say It is typical for people to say, I'll believe in God if you can 'prove' that he exists using reason and science. But God is a foundational concept, an ultimate criterion--for believers he is the way we explain and understand everything. Therefore, he cannot be proven any more than skeptics (ie - our dear Mr. Michael Newdow) can 'prove' their foundation, their 'ultimate criterion'--namely that through reason and science we must explain and understand everything. No one can 'prove' an ultimate criterion for truth without using it (or using another one). For example, if you say, "we can only be sure of what scientific observation proves" we can ask, "how do you know that, how can you 'prove' that?" You can't. Foundational concepts are assumed, and used to understand the world we see. Therefore, the way we test one foundation over another is by asking: "which view of the universe explains rationally what we see?" That is how we test scientific theories about entities that are not observable (such as quarks)--that is also how we test faith-based worldviews, which we all have (including our dear Mr. Michael Newdow - he has faith that God does not exist). When we put the theistic (believing in God) world view up against the non-theistic world view, we see that it makes much more sense of four things we see: matter, morals, mind, music. Let's take a quick look at morals. What do we see? That we recognize some behavior as wrong absolutely, not just as a matter of opinion or taste or culture. If there is a God, the universal experience of a moral obligation, of moral outrage would be perfectly rational and expected. If there is not a God, we would not expect them at all. These things are (in a non-theistic world view) difficult to account for yet impossible to live without. When the secularist says, "well, though there's no God, some things are definitely wrong!" that means that though the Christian world view DOES lead to expect this experience and conviction, and your world view leads you to expect the opposite, you are simply going to hold to your theory anyway. But if your premise/theory--that there is no God--does not lead you to expect what we know (that some things are wrong, that some laws are unjust despite what the populace says)--why not change the premise? If God does exist, we can see that there is a true basis for morals. But if God does not exist, then what makes our morals (and thereby laws - laws are based on morals) legit? If morals are not based on absolutes (ie - God exists), then what makes one opinion more right than another? How do we know what is right? The funny thing is a person who says there is no God is asserting himself to know more than anyone else (General public assumption is 'God exists'). You also assert that without any question everyone who believes there is a God is wrong. Since you can't prove there is no God, you are at best an Agnostic b/c you can only ask 'is there a God?' The Bible says, "The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork." The Bible does not try to prove there is a God. It simply assumes He exists. The Bible then explains what and how He does the things He does. Just food for thought...

Disneyland Ride Kills Rider...

"Poor maintenance blamed for coaster crash" at Disneyland. "'Our own analysis found that the accident was caused by incorrectly performed maintenance tasks required by Disneyland policy and procedures that resulted in a mechanical failure...' ... Less than an hour before the accident a third train was added to the ride. The train had not been in use since it underwent routine maintenance three days earlier. The report found that workers had erroneously failed to tighten two screws properly." uhh.... I can understand cutting costs, folks, but "Don't tighten that screw" is a little, uhh... let me see.... stupid!!!

Cases of 'living dead' growing .... in India

"As far as the government is concerned, they're dead ... Calling themselves ``the Living Dead,' ... All say unscrupulous relatives fraudulently had them declared dead in order to steal their property ..." What a conundrum! hehe - doh!

ho Ho HO! Santa's Dead!

hehe - doh!

Points of View

As you may have already figured out, I'm still trying to figure out what to think on some subjects. I'll be the first to tell you I don't know everything, and my viewpoint may not be right (all the time - duh - besides people who say they're always right are either good liars, or they're trying to sell you something), but as people bring up different sides of an issue, I'll consider that along with what I already know. But I'm a hard sell. You need to have compelling arguments for me to change - arguments that have a substantial impact on my viewpoint in order for me to really change what I'm thinking. Some of my posts are just me working through my thinking process on the various subjects, but the rest are my solid viewpoint on the issue - or me joking. :) Anyway, I thought I'd bring that up.

Perfect Magic Cube of Order 5 Discovered

Wow. Neat. Well, I guess this is cool. I was never good at Algebra or the like.... Check out the Magic Cube. The Magic cube is expressed as:

President Bush Discusses Iraq Policy at Whitehall Palace in London

"Americans traveling to England always observe more similarities to our country than differences. I've been here only a short time, but I've noticed that the tradition of free speech -- exercised with enthusiasm -- (laughter) -- is alive and well here in London. We have that at home, too. They now have that right in Baghdad, as well. ... ... It's rightly said that Americans are a religious people. That's, in part, because the "Good News" was translated by Tyndale, preached by Wesley, lived out in the example of William Booth. At times, Americans are even said to have a puritan streak -- where might that have come from? ... Well, we can start with the Puritans. ... ... More than an alliance of security and commerce, the British and American peoples have an alliance of values. And, today, this old and tested alliance is very strong. ... ... The deepest beliefs of our nations set the direction of our foreign policy. We value our own civil rights, so we stand for the human rights of others. ... ... President Wilson had come to Europe with his 14 Points for Peace. Many complimented him on his vision; yet some were dubious. Take, for example, the Prime Minister of France. He complained that God, himself, had only 10 commandments. ... Sounds familiar. ... ... Through world war and cold war, we learned that idealism, if it is to do any good in this world, requires common purpose and national strength, moral courage and patience in difficult tasks. And now our generation has need of these qualities. ... ... On September the 11th, 2001, terrorists left their mark of murder on my country, and took the lives of 67 British citizens. With the passing of months and years, it is the natural human desire to resume a quiet life and to put that day behind us, as if waking from a dark dream. The hope that danger has passed is comforting, is understanding, and it is false. The attacks that followed -- on Bali, Jakarta, Casablanca, Bombay, Mombassa, Najaf, Jerusalem, Riyadh, Baghdad, and Istanbul -- were not dreams. They're part of the global campaign by terrorist networks to intimidate and demoralize all who oppose them. ... ... The peace and security of free nations now rests on three pillars: First, international organizations must be equal to the challenges facing our world, from lifting up failing states to opposing proliferation. ... ... The second pillar of peace and security in our world is the willingness of free nations, when the last resort arrives, to retain* {sic} aggression and evil by force. There are principled objections to the use of force in every generation, and I credit the good motives behind these views. ... ... The third pillar of security is our commitment to the global expansion of democracy, and the hope and progress it brings, as the alternative to instability and to hatred and terror. We cannot rely exclusively on military power to assure our long-term security. Lasting peace is gained as justice and democracy advance. ..." IMO this was a good speech. Even if you don't agree with the choice of 'correcting' what was wrong in Iraq, you still have a moral/ethical obligation to stand behind the 'complete process' we (and other nations) are partaking within Iraq. You may not have voted for GW Bush, and that's fine. But you also voted for (and those who were voted into other offices appointed) the people who did the recount and thereby ruled GW Bush as President. So, indirectly, you also voted for GW Bush. (That's just how the Democratic process works...). My point? You can express your opinion that you don't agree with the President's decisions. You can solicite the White House and your Congressman and make your position well known, but when the President makes a decision, back him. You have a moral, ethical, and national obligation to back him. If he did not make a decision you agree with this time, make your position/opinion even more well-known (within the confines of established legalities.... :)) to your Congressman/White House/Political Leaders. Let me bring up a previous point from an earlier post. If we withdrew our troops from Iraq (and other dangerous areas) and brought them back to the States, think about where the attacks will end up - in the States - on our soil. The military troops are more important than you realize or even choose to admit. The choice is either attacks on military troops (who are trained to handle the 'conflict') or allow our innocent people (in our own country) to be senselessly killed/murdered. The attacks in Iraq have been toward the US (and our allies), but the attacks have also been upon the attackers' own people (the Iraqis). What makes you think they will not attack us on our soil when they don't hold their own people's lives at high value? Two words: September 11. That should be proof enough. If you think they won't do something like 9/11 again, you are most mistaken and the wool has been self-pulled over your very own eyes. How many years do you think it took to set up 9/11? How many years has it been since 9/11? Do you get my point? The amount of time that has past so far (since 9/11) is about the time frame it took the enemy to prepare for 9/11. Having the troops in Iraq is keeping the attacks away from our soil. We need to keep them busy in their backyard so they don't move into ours. Regardless of what you think, the enemy has an agenda. You can not reason with this enemy. They believe their agenda so blindly, they sacrifice themselves for it. Whether you want to play along or not, you will be involved. They will hunt all Freedom-loving people, until we are all dead. We need our troops over there. Our very livelihood demands our troops to be over there. Your children depend upon our troops being over there. For if they were not there but over here, the attacks would be more fierce and more frequent. How do I know this? Common sense tells me. You dont' believe me? Then demand our troops to return.

Seasonal Soda

Jones' Soda has come up with a new flavor for the holiday season: Turkey & Gravy flavored beverage. Ugh... That doesn't sound good. Could this be a hoax???

BRAIN TEASERS! Answers...

Below are the answers to these questions 1. Lions - They would be dead after not eating for 3 years 2. The lady shoots her husband with a camera, develops the film, and hangs the picture to dry... 3. Add color dye to the water and freeze the water. Take the ice out and put it in the barrel. (Ice is still water). 4. charcoal 5. yesterday, today, tomorrow. 6. There is no letter 'e' at all in the sentence.

Animosity in the WorkPlace

< rant > One of the big discussions in my department at work has really been brewing for the past couple weeks. You see, we are split up into multiple departments (duh) like Sales (duh), Marketing (duh), Customer Service (duh), Technical Support and MIS (huh??). Here's the difference between MIS & TS. TS focusses on the core technologies we sell. MIS focusses on the internal IT equipment (PC's, servers, software, etc...) the company uses. This brings me to the current discussion. Everyone in TS feels as if MIS has an axe to grind against TS. There's a rivalry there - whether you want to admit it or not. Here's some background: When TS finally got w2k on our machines we were told 'you will have admin rights for 2 weeks, then we'll set you as normal users'. Well, we still have admin rights (b/c MIS forgot to change the rights), except 2 people. One of these people has been trying to get admin rights back on his machine. MIS won't give the admin rights to either of them. For some weird reason - probably stemming from K.C. (a person who used to work in MIS) reign of terror (even the initials were changed to protect the writer :)). Instead MIS is trying to set up VMWare (or similar product) on our machines. ok. This doesn't make sense. Why spend $300+ for each PC for the VMWare software AND most likely have to spend even more $$ to boost processor speed, amount of RAM, multiple OS'es, etc..., when they could do two clicks and give those two people admin rights and be done with it? If there's not a rivalry or any animosity between the two departments, please explain how that could be when asking for something simple is blown out of proportion? Why can't MIS look at TS as an equal? In many ways TS & MIS are equals. If they don't trust us with admin rights, then what's the reason? Those of us who do have admin rights haven't blown up anything, taken anything down, nor disrupted anything, etc... (and we're not going to). The funny thing is when people say the TS people think they know computer stuff don't know what we TS people do. We have to deal with networking including cabled & wireless networks, terminals, handhelds, printers, software (stand alone, network packages, along with internet software), etc.... (Sounds like normal MIS support, eh?) Who says we don't know what we're doing? MIS should not put the same stigma they put on Merchandising or Sales onto TS. We know what we're doing. I can understand giving regular user rights on Merchandising machines, but not giving admin rights for TS? bah! If TS doesn't know what we're doing, then why was I a big contender for a job position IN MIS? gak. (btw - they hired externally instead of picking me - it was either me or an external person)... We in TS are not saying MIS can't do their jobs. We're saying MIS is not letting us do our jobs. We in TS are not saying we're better than MIS and can do the job better than they. On the contrary, we are saying we can't do ours the way it needs to be done b/c MIS won't give us the rights to do so. ok - Why not give us our own 'domain' where we can set up the servers as we need them and let us control our area. The reason we need admin rights is the software we use requires it for installation. Now whether the software actually needs admin rights is a different story. It's just that the software 'requires' it. We are installing and uninstalling software all the time b/c our job requires it. At any rate, I'll tell you this, if they take our admin rights away, the MIS Help Desk call volume will explode. :) < /rant >

Handheld Nintendo 64 Debut!

Ninendo has debuted its new iQue which 'is effectively a Nintendo 64 contained in a single control pad-sized unit.' Pretty cool. 'Bout time. View: The Full Story

XML & RSS

ok - folks. I've never dealt much with XML or RSS feeds. I want to pull some into my blog, but I am missing something. I am not sure how to pull it in. For some reason I can't find info on it that helps. I guess the first question is 'Can Blogger handle RSS/XML feeds?' If not, then that's my answer. But if so, what am I missing to implement it? Please help!

Cheaper by the Dozen

Ah yes. One of my fav books. Very hilarious. A book that became a movie many years ago and now a remake. Cheaper By The Dozen is the story of a family of 14 (The parents Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt) with 12 children: Tom Welling, Piper Perabo, Hilary Duff, Jacob Smith, Ashton Kutcher, Alyson Stoner, Kevin Schmidt, Morgan York, Forrest Landia, Liliana Mumy, Blake Woodruff, and Blake & Shane Kinsman.

I'm looking forward to this one.

Racism & The New Perspective

I was doing some browsing for different blogs. Blogs are a great resource for all kinds of information. Although not every blog is a good resource, there are some that seem to be gems. Christ and the Nations seems to be a gem. At least they had a good post when I read it. :) The specific article I was looking at was entitled Racism & The New Perspective. The big question this post addresses is: "Are we collectively self-righteous, even though we condemn individual self-righteousness?" Wow. Good question. I hadn't thought about it in those terms even though I have thought about that concept. I suggest you read the article. It's very good.

Google DeskBar!

Search using Google without opening your browser. Download it here Very cool. Works great!

Need $$ for college?

U-Promise: "The Way To Save For College". No catch. Very cool. "We believe that every child should have the chance to go to college. Upromise was established to give families an easy way to save - every day - and encourage them to start early by investing their own money for college on a regular basis. Our Rewards service offers money for college from America's leading companies such as General Motors, AT&T, Citi®, McDonald's and hundreds of others. And our relationships with top investment companies, including The Vanguard Group®, Strong Capital Management®, and Citigroup Asset Management, make it easy to get started and adopt a long-term savings strategy with great tax advantages." Check out their Informational FLASH video. Props to Allen for da link!

You can't believe your eyes

Just this week I have seen this exact picture multiple times.

The issue here is the sign itself is the same, but each version of the sign says something different. Another example:

Then I found out why there was a multitude of these signs. It's called a Sign Generator. Here's the one I've seen before (and recreated it for this post) Funny stuff.

Why don't people think???

Don't get me wrong. I understand that people need to express their ideas, thoughts, and opinions. That's a given. I don't dispute that. My beef is why don't people think a little deeper than they do? One of the big issues is our occupation in Iraq. People say, "We shouldn't be there! We should transport our troops back to the states and let Iraq deal with itself!" Wow. People who say things like that don't think about what they are saying. On the surface I would have to agree that I would love for our troops to come back to the States and be back with their families. That would be wonderful! What is not wonderful is the uncontrollable affect that would manifest upon our own soil. Think about this: Our (combat-trained) troops are taking the brunt of these attacks. If we brought our troops back to the States, where do you think the attacks will end up??? Do you realize that their presence in Iraq protects us in the US from these attacks? I would also like to project that if this scenario was acted upon, the death toll would rise dramatically (on our soil). At the present time, the US military contends with a dozen terrorist attacks a day. Just think if the troops were back home I believe the number of terrorist attacks would go up (along with the death toll) and it would be in our own country. The only reason why we don't have any attacks now is the enemy is too busy fighting 'their war' in the backyard and can't deploy their 'fighting frenzies' anywhere else. With that in mind, I am very thankful they are where they are. I don't want any of them to lose their life, but they have placed themselves in that position, and for that I am thankful. Their presence in Iraq detours the attacks on us! On our soil. Yesterday was Veterans Day. Who celebrated it? I did in my own small way. I wore a blue shirt with American flags and white stars all over it. I will celebrate when our troops can finally come home again! They are keeping and protecting us from terrorist attacks. If you don't agree with our troops occupying Iraq, then you won't have any objection in giving your life in the multitude of attacks on our own soil. I'll even give the enemy your address..... Remember peace is not just the absence of war or conflict.

Using Cell Phones as Undercover Video Phones

"...the BBC is using the technology for undercover reporting. ..." View: My Source/Summary View: The Full Story

Schools get ca$h!!

You read it right. Yes. Schools can get cas$h! Check out School Cash. The list of participating merchants is fairly long. Participating merchants include: JC Penny, e-Toys, 1800Flowers.com, Delta Airlines, Gamestop.com, IBM, Walmart, and many many more! Basically, you shop via School Cash and a certain percentage of your purchase goes to the school of your choice. The percentage can be 1-30% of purchase - no extra cost to you!!! Cool, eh?

For those of you in the Greenville, SC area...

I know some of you have never really thought about chiropractic care. My wife works at a chiropracter office where E. North St. meets Haywood - Auger Family Chiropractic. Check out the video about subluxations. 'The word "subluxation" comes from the Latin words meaning "to dislocate" (luxate) and "somewhat or slightly" (sub). A subluxation means a slight dislocation (misalignment) or biomechanical malfunctioning of the vertebrae (bones of the spine). These disturbances may irritate nerve roots and blood vessels which branch off from the spinal cord between each of the vertebrae. This irritation may cause pain and dysfunction in muscle, lymphatic and organ tissue as well as imbalance in the normal body processes.' At any rate, check out Dr Auger's website. It has a lot of good info. Also, during the week of November 17 thru 20, Auger Family Chiropractic is having their annual food drive for the needy donation centers throughout the Greenville area. We all know that this time of year, soup kitchens and shelters can get pretty sparce and we need to support them and help everyone have a good holiday. All is asked is that you bring a donation of non-perishable food by the office during this week so it canb e distributed in time for Thanksgiving! An incentive for new patients - bring a donation of 10 non-perishable items and receive your exam, consultation, and x-rays (including a digital posture check), at no charge!!

BRAIN TEASERS!

1. A murderer is condemned to death. He has to choose between three rooms. The first is full of raging fires, the second is full of assassins with loaded guns, and the third is full of lions that haven't eaten in 3 years. Which room is safest for him? 2. A woman shoots her husband. Then she holds him under water for over 5 minutes. Finally, she hangs him. But 5 minutes later they both go out together and enjoy a wonderful dinner together. How can this be? 3. There are two plastic jugs filled with water. How could you put all of this water into a barrel, without using the jugs or any dividers, and still tell which water came from which jug? 4. What is black when you buy it, red when you use it, and gray when you throw it away? 5. Can you name three consecutive days without using the words Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday? 6. This is an unusual paragraph. I'm curious how quickly you can find out what is so unusual about it? It looks so plain you would think nothing was wrong with it! In fact, nothing is wrong with it! It is unusual though. Study it, and think about it, but you still may not find anything odd. But if you work at it a bit, you might find out! Try to do so without any coaching! The answers? I'll post those in a few days. Put your answers in for comments.

New! StrongBad Email

Check out StrongBad's newest email: Couch Patch. Do you want a $1 million bill? Too funny.

The Dog Got pwn3d!!

hehe - doh!

Moscow considers kissing ban

"Moscovites caught kissing in public places could be fined if city authorities pass a new law currently under consideration, according to a Russian newspaper. The kissing ban could even extend to lawfully wedded spouses..." ooookaaaaaaay! What are they thinking? That's a little extreme IMO. I understand the reasons behind it, though, but there should be a better way to raise the bar of morality in the city. View: My Source View: The Original Source

Innovation: The Fine Print

A British company has stumbled on a way to print copper antennas with a digital inkjet printer. "Motorola ... wanted to see if the digital printing technique could apply a photo - and the company's logo - to one of its phones. ... There was only one small problem. 'Motorola's logo happens to be in a silver metallic ink...'" View: The Full Story View: The Original Source Very cool.

The "Do Not Call" list offender

Yes. That's right. The first offender to 'disobey' the "Do Not Call" list. The offender? ATT&T. Ouchy. That's a $780k hit to the pocket book - $10k per call.

US downloads beat CD sales

"Music fans in the US are buying almost twice as many singles in digital form over the internet as they are on CDs from stores..." Legal (purchased) downloads outweigh CD single buying (from the store) 2 to 1 since late June. The (legal) revolution has begun.... View: The Full Story View: The Original Source

Microsoft offers bounty on Crackers....

Just a side note before I move on to the point of the post - Hackers are good. Crackers are the bad people, mmm-k? gak. Microsoft has posted a $250k bounty for information that leads to the arrest of the people who released the MSBlast worm and the SoBig virus... View: The Full Story View: The Original Source

The Matrix: Revolutions - Review

Slashdot has an article about the 3rd Matrix movie. Wow. The negative feedback is strong. Basically, people say the movie was weak - regarding plot & action sequences. People also say the ending left you out to dry - in other words, it gave no satisfaction. I haven't seen the 3rd yet, but I will. My review will come shortly - I hope.

Halloween prank results in shooting of off-duty cop

An off-duty police officer dressed as an ax-wielding man in what he intended to be a Halloween prank was shot and wounded by a man who believed he posed a threat. doh! That's gonna leave a mark. View: The Full Story View: The Original Source

I'm an Uncle!

Yes. You read it right. I am to be another new uncle! Last night at 950p my brother gets a call about new baby boy who was born on 11/03/03. So as of right now, he is 1.5 days old! His name will be Manoah Daniel. Manoah means "God is my Rest". Dan & Melissa have to travel 3 hours away to pick him up. They should be back in town by tonight. We can't wait to see him!

I Applaud

Check out Allen's article on Net Accountability. This is great. What a great example of allowing (even technology) to be a Paul to yourself. Hmm... I don't think I've explained that concept, yet. I think that will be the next major post. I applaud these efforts. To go deeper into reasons as to why you should protect yourself, your family, and your peace of mind - Be careful everyone - 1 Corinthians 10:12 - "...let any one who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall." Accountability is important - sometimes life saving. What I mean by life saving is... If you have been struggling with pornography (for instance) then an accountability measure such as Net Accountability is a very good thing. Pornogaphy is a vice that can destroy lives, and I've talked to many people whose lives it has devastated and shaken down to their core being. If you can keep yourself from ever being tempted by such a horrible and terrifying vice, your life has been saved. Remember this: "Keep your heart with all diligence/vigilence; for out of it are the issues of life." When the Gospel is a part of our lives, it does not allow us to sin. And in the same right, it frees us to protect ourselves from sin. Protect yourself. Your life depends upon it.

Security. Why Don't We Get It? - A Summary

"I know this statement seems unbelievable to anyone who spent hours cleaning up after these worms. But the cold truth is that these worms barked more loudly than they bit. If their malicious payloads had been as effective as their propagation techniques, the computing infrastructure upon which we all rely could easily have been devastated. Devastation didn't happen. But a wake-up call sounded for those willing to hear it: Our defenses failed because our legacy security model is reactive. ..." Gregor Freund goes on to say that we need to become proactive more than reactive. He points out our focus is flawed to the core because we react to what already happened (or is happening) instead of preventing the situation altogether. "No single product protects against all threats. Today's multifaceted malware necessitates multiple layers of defense. And the most critical component for your first line of defense is proactive security." View: The Full Story View: The Original Source

RedHat Ditches Consumer Linux Distro

Red Hat has made a quick & dirty decision. They're pulling the plug on Linux Consumer Distro. Red Hat is all about the Enterprise. View: Extended Summary View: The Full Story View: The Original Source

MT Blacklist - Update!

Do you use Movable Type? You may need to black list some spammers... You need MT Black List. Check out the link if you want more info...

Here's the Data...

Salary Tool comparison results for:

Title: Help desk/technical support specialist Industry: IT/computer-related services/consulting Region: South Atlantic National Base: 615 Profile Base: 15 * In 2003, a typical person employed as a Help desk/technical support specialist in the IT/computer-related services/consulting industry in the South Atlantic Region could expect to earn an average compensation of $40,615. That compensation figure includes salary and bonus. Here are the highlights - Sorry it's not formatted, but you should've read it before I posted it... :) Middle Atlantic South Atlantic Director of IT/IS $114,021 $107,176 Help desk/technical support manager $68,051 $66,924 IT/IS manager $81,000 $78,328 Network manager $74,319 $75,374 Programming/application development manager $94,896 $93,117 Project manager $102,892 $97,528 Database administrator $84,057 $76,958 Help desk/technical support specialist $44,510 $50,047 IT/IS technology business systems analyst $76,047 $68,609 Network administrator $55,763 $51,621 Network engineer $71,439 $72,722 Programmer analyst $69,551 $68,087 Project leader $78,841 $82,592 Software engineer $79,309 $79,005 Systems administrator $65,060 $66,494 Systems architect $100,837 $98,452 Senior systems analyst $84,688 $85,209

Work Compensation - a Crisis

Southeast: Help desk/technical support specialist This isn't good. To be frank, my pay is below the average! Check out Computer World's Total Compensation by Region" I'll tell you this much, the person who 'blows the whistle' on this issue at my company is the person who most likely will lose their job b/c of it.... It's happened before and I'm sure it will happen again. It's a catch-22. gak.

Makes you go 'hmmm....'

Today is Halloween, or as I like to put it, 'Hollow-een'. The idea of Halloween has been a controversial subject for centuries. All I have to say is, you better have some time to read this post (and the links in it). It's time to challenge your paradigm. Before we begin this discourse on Hollow-een, let's look at another popular holiday. But let me precede the following with this little advice: Let's make sure we are consistent in our approach to any holiday. First, I think you should read Christmas Superstitions. Next, move on to read Christmas Day. Do you see that just about every part of our Christmas celebrations are rooted in pagan superstition? Most people also think that the Three Wisemen visited Jesus as He lay in the manger. Not so. Now, why do I bring up Christmas when today is Hollow-een? I bring it up because people (in general) are more critical about Hollow-een than Christmas - not necessarily rightfully so, but ignorantly - to put it bluntly. The very nature of our Christmas traditions is just as mixed into pagan rituals as Hollow-een - the only difference is the overall tone. Christmas has a 'Christian' overtone while Hollow-een has a 'pagan/satanic' overtone. Ok. We've done some reading on Christmas; let's read about the History and Customs of Halloween. Do you see a parallel in how these two holidays came to be? I think the last sentence says it all. "After all, the day itself is only as evil as one cares to make it." What's my point? Don't look down at people celebrating Hallow-een when you yourself go through the 'Christian' rituals of Christmas - unthinking. Why not take back the 'evil' of Halloween and do something for Christ? It's ok to dress up. It's ok to hand out candy. But have you ever thought about handing out tracts? Take advantage of the holiday! This is a great time to share the Gospel! Remember, Holloween (and Christmas) is just another day of the 365 (366 in leap-year) days of the year. It's the meaning(s) you place upon it. Doesn't the Bible teach us that doing something or participating in something does not draw us to God or keep us from God? What (or better asked 'Who') gives us the proper/right standing before God we so desire? In a word, Christ. There is nothing innately wrong in participating. Now if the events cross Biblical morality - then you shouldn't participate. I'm leaving that statement open. :) Besides if you are so wrapped up into 'Holloween is bad' then stop participating in the unthinking rituals of Christmas. Let me put it this way, if you celebrate Christmas with all of the 'pagan' rituals it holds, you are a hypocrite - plain and simple when you balk at participating in Holloween. Why apply your 'paradigm' to one holiday and exclude another? The big question you must answer now is "Do the positive (Christian) or negative (satanic) religious overtones really make a difference?" I know what you're thinking. Christmas is about Christ! Then why not take a different 'holiday' and celebrate Christ? - including Holloween. Remember to redeem the time! That doesn't only pertain to time management. :) Also remember, if you participate in full faith, then it is right for you to participate. If you can't do it in full faith, to you it is sin. ok - I'm done with the discourse, but I want to explain 'participate'. Halloween - Bobbing for apples Christmas - Decorating a tree Halloween - Dressing up in a costume Christmas - Exchanging gifts Halloween - Carving out a pumpkin and putting a light in it Christmas - Mistletoe When it comes to participating in Halloween, I don't mean the ritual murders (against Biblical morality), or sexual connotations of certain acts (against Biblical morality), etc... I hope you get what I'm saying.

Michael Hanscom Fired from M$

Michael Hanscom fired from M$ for posting a pic. ok. That's dumb. The funny thing is everyone knows M$ would be getting MACs for testing. Every company buys their competitors units. I bet even Apple gets Windoze machines.... gak....

Northland Baptist Bible College Promo Video

My alma mater is Northland Baptist Bible College. Great school. I would never change that I went there. You can download their latest promo video here. It's a fairly big file. Check it out....

Stupid is as Stupid does...... and The Big 'T' is STUPID!

Don't make me elaborate. Wow. What in the world??!! Only one word for ya... "Why?" Do you know that burning sensation when you sniff powder up your nose? Yeah. Me either. One of my co-workers (we'll call him 'The Big 'T') just snorted Goody's Headache Powder. What on earth! He began complaining his nose hurt. Duh? He said it burned. Duh? I turned around and told him there are two things that should go through the nose. Air (breathing in) and Carbon Dioxide (breathing out) - oh and the occasional finger to clean out any possible projectiles/nasal passage blockers. I then proceeded to tell him 'you get what you deserve.' Need I say more? I hope not.

OPT OUT!

The Problem Recently I have received quite a few credit card forms to receive a credit card with a credit line up to $5000! If you are like me, you don't like getting all of those dumb credit card apps. Besides the more companies look at your credit report, the worse you're off when it comes to important things - like trying to buy a house. The solution 888-5-OPT-OUT (888-567-8688) When you call, you will give your name, address, and maybe some other info. You will also need to spell the info along with saying it over the phone. You will be opted out for 2 years. Good stuff.

Being a 'Paul' to myself...

God is testing me quite a bit this week. I am failing in one specific area, but that specific area touches everything else I do. What is that area? The Gospel Let me clarify. I am not allowing the Gospel to control my life. The Gospel has nothing wrong with it that makes me fail. So this leads to the big question. How do I allow the Gospel to penetrate and overtake my life? The answer is, simply, be a 'Paul' to myself (and others).

Kevin Sites blog - Raid Saturday morning near Baji.

These men were all arrested in a raid following an attack on Combat Engineer Battallion--Charlie Company. The three men captured immediately after the attack indicated they had accomplices in a nearby house. Three more men were arrested there and bound and blindfolded with their own headscarves. They were taken to Tikrit for questioning.

To Tell You The Truth Blogshares!

This is the time to buy To Tell You The Truth Blogshares! Things are happening. I've made $80k+ so far. The stock is at $6.13 at the moment. Buy now b/c I have a feeling it can only get better. :) I was reading that to build up the stock price, it helps to be controversial on the blog. Hmm... I think I can handle that. :) hehe As far as news goes... Researchers' advance may dwarf silicon chip "A team of university researchers has constructed an electronic memory circuit from disordered arrays of electronic clumps of gold atoms, according to a report to be published today in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. The advance, made by researchers at Rice University, North Carolina State University and Pennsylvania State University, is based on one of several approaches that are being pursued to create a microelectronic technology on a much smaller scale than today's silicon chips." Kinda neat. You never know where this will lead... that is, if it will become a leader.

Blogshares!

Wow. I was checking out my TTYTT (hmm.. I need to figure out a different abreviation...) stocks. The TTYTT shares went up to $26.68 today! Wow. I would've sold if I was looking at it about then. Then I would have bought it again when it went back down. Hmm... Day Trading is fun! Blogshares - Go. Have fun. Invest in TTYTT!

Part Three: Something's not right....

This should be the last part of a Part Two series. :) (at least it was suppose to be only a Two Part-er) :) I want to clarify one main point. Man's duty. I believe I minimized "Man's Duty" a little too much. You see the Gospel doesn't let us push aside man's duty. Here's the thing. When we keep focusing on what we need to do, do, do, we begin to think "I didn't do that quite right" or "I need to do better next time" or "I'm a failure because I can't do it right/completely/etc..." That is a wrong mind set to be in. It's a downward spiral. Let me explain. When we focus on Christ and what He has done (in our place - Living a perfect life, fulfilling the law completely/fully/perfectly in every point, dying, being separated from the Father, etc...) then our duty has already been fulfilled. Right? I know what you're thinking, but please read on before you pass on your sentence of condemnation on me :) Since Christ has already fulfilled what our duty should be, what is left for us? What is left is us "feeding on the Gospel", "feeding on what Christ has done in our stead" What does Philippians 4 say? "Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved." Feed on the Gospel. Stand fast in the Lord. Does it say "do your duty" ? no Phil. 4 goes on to say: "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice." It does not say "rejoice in your good works alway: and again I say, rejoice." Where should our focus be? on God! Which is why Phil. 4 also says, "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." ok - now how does Duty come into play? "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you." When we focus on Christ and what He did for us (in our place), our duty will be a joyful action of worship to our God. Look at the "whatsoever things are..." and think of what that is talking about. Or better stated, "Who is it talking about? Christ is the Only One Who is "true", Christ is the Only One Who is "honest", Christ is the Only One Who is "just", Christ is the Only One Who is "pure", Christ is the Only One Who is "lovely", Christ is the Only One Who is "of good report", Christ is the Only One Who is "virture", and if there be any praise (b/c Christ is all of these things - and more - in our place, "think on these things." Think on Christ! Now what does I Cor. 10:31 say? "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." In other words, make all you do as worship to God! What is worship? Worship is the outpouring of our gratitude to God for what He has done. Our songs are a way to worship God. Our actions are a way to worship God. Our words are a way to worship God. Does that make sense? Our "duty" is the "caboose" - not our worship of God. We normally think - "I need to do, do, do" and the thing is we don't need to "do, do, do". We need to focus on Christ and our "do, do, do" will be an outpouring (caboose) of our gratitude for what Christ has done. The command to do is not just a duty, but a joy! ok - let me be up front, frank, abrupt, etc... If we are focusing on our "do, do, do" for God, we have a shallow faith. We have a "new born" faith. We don't understand that when our "do, do, do" is the caboose (our doing is as the outpouring of worship), it does not matter how well we do it because we already have the affection and full acceptance of the Father. Otherwise, if our "do, do, do" is the focus, we think our doing is worthless, but in actuality, when we "do, do, do" as worship we realize God accepts us regardless of how or how well we "do". Why would you focus on your "do, do, do"? To gain acceptance of people? of our peers? of our church leaders? of our children? To make you feel good? To make yourself look spiritual? What motivated you to "do, do, do"? You see, when our "do, do, do" is an outpouring worship to our God, we have joy in doing whatever it is we are to do. Otherwise, when it's only based on duty, we fall into the trap that "I'm not doing it right." Don't get me wrong, we should do our best and do it as complete as possible, but don't let the lack of completeness or lack of a superb job (instead of a good job) stop us. Because we have the full acceptance of the Father - what other acceptance do we need? I hope this clarifies/clears up things. I think I might tackle "Far" and "Near" idols next. Stay tuned.

Part Two: Something's not right....

In college I heard hundreds of sermons. Most of them were good.... err.. for the most part. Most people would say, "At least the sermons came from the Bible, and we can be ok with that." Be ok with that? Folks! Just because someone is preaching from the Bible doesn't mean it's good preaching! Or proper preaching! Or biblical preaching! Ask yourself a question. Does the preaching you hear present Christ as the focal point of the subject or is He 'tacked' onto the end like the caboose of a train? Let me give you some stark examples. Ezekiel 22:30 says, "So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one." God is looking for someone to stand in the gap! He's looking for people to stand up for what is right! He's looking for someone to stand before Him on behalf of the land. Do you know how we can be that gap man? Check out: Romans 12:1-2 "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." If we present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God and being transformed by the renewing of our minds, we can do what is that Good and Acceptable and Perfect will of God! Yes. This sounds good. This sounds right. After all it's out of the Bible! ok - wait a moment. Who says we (Christians) stand in the gap?? I tell you - this is not right! Look at it; we're talking in 'moral' terms and 'tacking' Christ on the caboose - if at all! Earlier in chapter 22 God says that the people were defilers - basically. God then proceeds to say that He is looking for someone that can bridge the gap between Himself and man ("So I sought for a man 'among them' who would ... stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land"). Now tell me, what Christian can do that??? No one! Except Christ! If you look at verse 31, God says, "... I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; and I have compensed their deeds on their own heads..." ok - Ask yourself this question: Did God pour out his wrath on anyone? yes He did, but not on the people. He poured it out on Christ! Christ is the one who stands in the GAP before God on behalf of the people! Now look at Romans 12:1-2 - How can we prove what is that Good and Acceptable and Perfect will of God? We can't. Christ did it for us, in our place, whereby, when we feed on the Gospel! When we feed on what Christ did in our stead, we become transformed and Christ perfects us and through Him (Christ) we are proven to do what is Good, Acceptable, and Perfect. (God looks at us through Christ) Look at the end of chapter 11 - "For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things..." We can't be the GAP man! Christ is the GAP Man! God poured out His wrath on Christ! God's righteous indignation was placed on Christ! in our place. Now. Do you see the difference between the 'moral' teachings and Christ centeredness? Wow. Big difference, right? When we recognize what Christ did in our place, obeying the commands of Scripture is a JOY! Not a drudgery. For when you do something out of duty, it's only that - how can it be joyful service? We do things out of gratitude! How about another example? Remember David and Goliath? I've heard many, many, many sermons on how we can overcome our "giants". ok whatever. Think about this. In this instance, David represents Christ. Yes, David overcame a real giant, but Christ also overcame a very real giant. Christ overcame the biggest giant of them all - DEATH! And since Christ overcame death, there is nothing that can overcome us! Only by Christ can this happen. We can't overcome our little giants. It's only by Christ! I can preach "we can overcome our giants - just like David did" from any book besides the Bible. Those thoughts are very moral; very encouraging. We say "by God's strength we can overcome our giants" - who says so? Can't it be possible that the 'giants' we do have in our lives are there for to live with? (hence, Paul's thorn in the flesh...) and not to overcome? It's not - "God helped me to overcome my giants" - that's an ok statement, right? It should be - "God Himself (Christ) overcame the biggest giant of them all - DEATH - and because He did that, all of our little 'giants' are as nothing. They have no effect on us. They are like a 'shadow'! For what is death? A Shadow! (read Psalm 23) - If Death is a shadow, then what does that make all of our little 'giants'? I'll give you a hint. It begins with an 'S' and ends with a 'w' and has 'hado' in the middle. Do you get my point? Think Christ. He is the right paradigm. Anything else is man centered and blasphemous! This is where the command "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" comes into play. When we focus on what man's duty is, we violate that command. When we tack Christ on our subject as the caboose, we violate this command. Christ. Christ. Only Christ is the answer. If we don't preach Christ, we preach another Gospel. The other Gospel Paul refers to in the NT is adding duties and other things on top of Christ. Yes people said, "Christ is the answer", but they also said, "you need to be circumcised to be fully accepted by the Father". That's blasphemous! Our faith in Christ is the only means by which we gain acceptance with the Father! So when we say we can be the Gap man or that we can overcome our giants in life by Christ, we tack on "circumcision" to Christ. Thereby, we attach Christ as the caboose of our topic. 'nough said.

Part One: Something's not right....

I have added to my Pet Peeve collection. In fact, this pet peeve has been growing over the past year. What is this pet peeve of which I speak? "Christ being taken out of our preaching." I know what you're thinking... "How can Christ be taken out of our preaching when the preaching is from the Bible?" Now the big question of the day is, "Is Christ the central theme in what is being preached, or is man's duty the primary focus - while Christ is tacked on to make your point more legitimate?" What do I mean by that question? Let me answer it for you. First, I want give some background and explanation of what I'm about to present. I won't be starting my answer to the question until "Part Two: Something's not right...." I want to explain some key terms.

Word Definitions

Paradigm - the generally accepted perspective of a particular discipline at a given time Gospel - Christ lives in me. Christ remains. The great and awesome mystery of the gospel is "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Col. 1:27). Christ is the Gospel - The Gospel is Christ

Word Descriptions

Paradigm - Scientifically speaking, in times past, a general viewpoint of the Solar System was that the Earth was the center of the Solar System. That was a paradigm. Everyone subscribed to this viewpoint. Check out A Brief History from the University of Wisconsin to get more detail on this paradigm. I don't subscribe to the 'Big Bang' theory, at all. Please disregard that. I am mainly pointing you to the descriptions of geocentric and heliocentric viewpoints of the universe. Gospel - To spread the gospel, first through ourselves and then through the city by word, deed, and community; To bring about personal changes, social healing, and cultural renewal through a movement of churches and ministries that change [local cities] and through [them], the world. Romans 1:16 states - "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." Corinthians 4:4 says specifically that the Gospel is Christ - "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." Mere words or actions can not change people (if that were true, then the AA would have incredible affect - also, Christ would have died in vain), only Christ/the Gospel changes people.

Background

I am challenging our current paradigm. Of which paradigm am I speaking? Generally, we believe when we preach from the Bible, we are preaching truth. Correct? Naturally, we would all agree on that point. For instance, if I were to 'preach' "Love one another" you would automatically think about the book of I John or think about Christ saying 'Love your neighbor as yourself', right? Or maybe, if I mention to you about conquering the giants in our lives. What do you think of first? David & Goliath, right? All these things are all well and good, but what is the emphasis? Man's duty, right? A key question to ask yourself now is, How does man's duty make a difference before God? Does it make a difference? Why is it that if David can kill Goliath that we think we can conquer our 'giants'? That doesn't make sense. God gave him the ability to do so, right? But does that automatically mean we will conquer our giants? No - not necessarily. God may want those giants in our lives to teach us something greater. To bring this part into full circle, let's consider a quote from the link of UW above: "As we discover more and more about the origins of our early universe, we should realize that our present theories must be continually tested and modified because new theories frequently arise as we learn more through our observations." Remember scientific actions/testings can be universal to any discipline (Theology, Bible, Math, Technology, etc...) - by this I mean the testing of a theory (repeatedly) to verify its validity or authenticity based in truth. So why is it that we do not come with that approach to our understanding of Scripture (and thereby the preaching of Scripture)? My point? Test your biblical paradigm. Make sure it allows you to fit your 'new revelation' (not meaning a brand new revelation but a pre-exising revelation to which you have been enlightened - or made to understand). Test your paradigm. To be continued...

The list is growing!

I am hoping that the list keeps growing. I'm also hoping that the email feature becomes more stable/fast/consistent. Let's just hope we don't have to go with something else. If it becomes too much of a problem, I'll drop it and we'll go with the normal means of accessing new posts. :) I'm hoping to post more entries soon. I've been doing a lot of thinking on different subjects. Stay tuned!