The Truth Can Hurt.... This Might Sting A Little

Exclusivity is sometimes a good thing!

2010-02-10T18:02:00.001-06:00

I'm going to try using this Google Buzz thing....

http://www.google.com/buzz/116692413934559418810/TFx4pcJifwZ/Exclusivity-is-sometimes-a-good-thing-These-were

Huck PAC - Team Huck HQ - Parents Should Raise Their Children - Not the Government

2010-02-08T07:16:00.000-06:00

Huck PAC - Team Huck HQ

Freedom of religion or freedom from religion?

2010-02-08T07:02:00.001-06:00

I think I may want to move there as it sounds like they've got a pretty good city. I checked it out, though, and crime is a bit high.... higher than average. But other than that it seems ok, and the crime rate index has been trending downward. Maybe that's why the mayor said what he said, to spur more criminals to leave. It is right next to Edwards Air Force Base, so I don't know why a criminal would want to set up shop near the military, anyway..... too risky. I really don't know. I just think this is going to be blown way out of proportion by some people who get offended waaaay to easily..... that's just my $.02.

click here to read the full article....

Palin attacks Obama in speech at first TEA Party convention in Nashville

2010-02-08T06:21:00.002-06:00

I'm not a Palin supporter, but she does have some good points.... the country is headed in the wrong direction, and the Democrats are currently in charge, and it's not getting better..... I need to hear or read the full speech to see what I really think of it, though.... more on this later.....

click here to read the full article.....

Plans for Tebow pro-life Super Bowl ad may irk QB's critics

2010-01-07T14:33:00.003-06:00

It looks like there is a possibility that there might actually be some good ads in this year's Super Bowl. That would be a welcome change, since the ads in the past few Super Bowls have been mostly terrible, with just a few exceptions. Read the article linked below for more.

http://www.onenewsnow.com/Perspectives/Default.aspx?id=839334

Is Obama trying to ban private health insurance?

2009-07-20T20:13:00.003-05:00

Read the article and decide for yourself.

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2009/07/024073.php

Darwinists' swine flu science

2009-05-12T10:41:00.003-05:00

Click on the title of this entry to read a great article that tears to shreds the idea that the recent emergence of the H1N1 virus (swine flu) support's Darwin's theory of evolution. It's a great read, and everyone can have a laugh at the poor evolutionist's (Britt) expense. I think this quote below from the article says it all:

The only real problem with Britt's conclusion is that it is utterly absurd. For Darwin to be affirmed, the swine flu would have to demonstrate some new genetic information that hadn't been present in the original influenza strain. It doesn't. No new genetic information is present – just mutated forms of pre-existing material.

Don't believe those evolutionists when they tell you that your great-great-great-great-great-great uncle was a monkey or that the earth is billions of years old. They're pushing junk science, and their theories don't hold up to true science, not to mention basic observation and common sense.

Easter

2009-04-08T12:49:00.001-05:00

Murtha Award Sparks Vet Outrage

2009-04-02T14:44:00.006-05:00

John Murtha, the anti-military senator from Pennsylvania, was awarded the Navy's highest civilian honor in early March. Click on the title of this entry to read the full article. This is an outrage, and everyone should hear about it. I'm not in the military and never have been, but I have plenty of relatives, including 2 brothers, who are or have been, and I'm sure they would be outraged to hear of this.

"Murtha has refused to recant his accusations or apologize to the Marines he accused of war crimes", even though the investigation and court proceedings are over and none of the accused Marines have been found guilty.

Here's a link to a petition to have the award rescinded. There are already over 52,000 signatures. Pass it on....

Cap-and-trade - 'Largest tax increase of all time'

2009-03-31T07:56:00.000-05:00

According to this article, the EPA wants to force into effect regulations on carbon dioxide, which it considers a pollutant, despite evidence to the contrary. Aggressive cap-and-trade measures would be used to accomplish this, which would in turn transfer an enourmous amount of wealth from taxpayers to the government, effectively working as a tax increase. See the article and the links in the article for more details. I'll post more about this after I've had time to research it more.

http://www.onenewsnow.com/Politics/Default.aspx?id=468158

This not only sounds like a terrible idea that is made worse when you consider that we're in a recession, but it also sounds like a massive power grab. The government would have more control over the everyday activities of businesses and ordinary citizens, and all that extra money in the treasury would only make it easier for the government to exert it's will over the people. And since people would be poorer because their cost of living went up, they'd be more dependent on the government. Can you say socialism? And it's all in the name of supporting shoddy science. But since it comes during the Obama administration, it doesn't surprise me at all.

If anyone knows why this isn't a terrible idea, I'd like to hear why. Like I said, I'll be posting more information about this when I have time.....

Stop Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac executives from getting $1 million bonuses

2009-03-20T09:11:00.004-05:00

Below is a copy of an email I recently recieved. This sounds like something that might be worth taking a few minutes to do.

-----------------

March 19, 2009

Dear Friend,

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government-controlled companies that started the financial mess we are in, are set to give $1 million bonuses to some of their executives. These two companies were bailed out by our government at the cost of hundreds of billions of dollars. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac plan to do the same thing AIG did with their tax-money bailout - give some executives $1million bonuses.

Don't let it happen!

Please send an e-mail to your senators telling them not to approve these bonuses! The four largest recipients of political donations by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from 1989 through 2008 were Sen. Chris Dodd ($133,900), Sen. John Kerry ($111,000), President Barack Obama ($105,849), and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton ($75,550).

Do it today before it is too late. And please forward this to all your friends and family. Your Senators need to hear from you today!

Take Action!
Send an e-mail to your senators telling them not to approve these bonuses!

Our new home

2009-03-18T15:42:00.002-05:00

This is a picture of the house I bought back in December, just a bit more than a month before my wedding. That's a lot of changes in a fairly short time period!

Pepsi, FOX team up to push sickening trash into America's homes

2009-03-12T17:08:00.003-05:00

In the words of a pastor I know: "DRINK COKE. Your kids and grandkids are depending on it."

This just makes me sick.

http://www.afa.net/pepsifamilyguy.asp

Textbooks 'whitewashing' Islamic extremism

2009-03-12T15:45:00.001-05:00

This is bad news for anyone who loves truth. Read the article I've linked to below.

http://www.onenewsnow.com/Education/Default.aspx?id=446156

As promised, Obama loosens funding on embryonic research

2009-03-10T19:24:00.000-05:00

http://www.onenewsnow.com/Culture/Default.aspx?id=441206

Read the article I linked to. This is not only immoral and ineffective, it's being funded by taxpayers, without our consent! This makes me more than a little upset. And I'm afraid that things will only get worse from here......

Christian bigotry?

2008-01-17T20:58:00.001-06:00

Ok, I know there are people out there who think that Christians are bigots and "intolerant" because they believe what the Bible has to say about homosexuality (Romans 1:24-28), other religions (John 14:6), paganism, and just sin in general. I think it's ironic that some people want to embrace all everyone's views and religions as being equal and valid ("to each his own"), as long as they're not Christians with a belief in the Bible as the Holy Word of God.

So why are these people so intolerant of Christianity when they call for tolerance? WHY? Where are you people? What's your motive? I know you're out there. C'mon, tell me, why?

The John Doe Manifesto

2007-06-12T21:20:00.000-05:00

This is a really good read.... I read this a while ago and am just now getting around to sharing it. I have been on a US Airways flight from Minneapolis to Phoenix twice in the last few months, and will be again at least a couple more times in the next few months, but I'm not sure if it was the same flight # the imams were on.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The John Doe Manifesto
By Michelle Malkin
CNSNews.com Commentary
March 28, 2007

Note: Earlier this month, six publicity-seeking imams filed a federal lawsuit against US Airways and the Metropolitan Airports Commission in Minneapolis/St. Paul. The Muslim clerics were removed from their flight last November and questioned for several hours after their suspicious behavior alarmed both passengers and crew members.

Minneapolis Star Tribune columnist Katherine Kersten reported last week that the imams, advised by the grievance-mongers at the Council on American-Islamic Relations, also plan to sue "John Does" -- innocent bystanders who alerted the authorities about their security concerns.

Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., has introduced legislation to protect John Does who report suspicious behavior from legal liability. The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty; talk show host Michael Reagan; Dr. Zuhdi Jasser, who heads the American Islamic Forum for Democracy; and Minnesota lawyer Gerry Nolting have all stepped forward to offer free representation to the imams' targets

Dear Muslim Terrorist Plotter/Planner/Funder/Enabler/Apologist,

You do not know me. But I am on the lookout for you. You are my enemy. And I am yours.

I am John Doe.

I am traveling on your plane. I am riding on your train. I am at your bus stop. I am on your street. I am in your subway car. I am on your lift.

I am your neighbor. I am your customer. I am your classmate. I am your boss.

I am John Doe.

I will never forget the example of the passengers of United Airlines Flight 93 who refused to sit back on 9/11 and let themselves be murdered in the name of Islam without a fight.

I will never forget the passengers and crew members who tackled al Qaeda shoe-bomber Richard Reid on American Airlines Flight 63 before he had a chance to blow up the plane over the Atlantic Ocean.

I will never forget the alertness of actor James Woods, who notified a stewardess that several Arab men sitting in his first-class cabin on an August 2001 flight were behaving strangely. The men turned out to be 9/11 hijackers on a test run.

I will act when homeland security officials ask me to "report suspicious activity."

I will embrace my local police department's admonition: "If you see something, say something."

I am John Doe.

I will protest your Jew-hating, America-bashing "scholars."

I will petition against your hate-mongering mosque leaders.

I will raise my voice against your subjugation of women and religious minorities.

I will challenge your attempts to indoctrinate my children in our schools.

I will combat your violent propaganda on the Internet.

I am John Doe.

I will support law enforcement initiatives to spy on your operatives, cut off your funding and disrupt your murderous conspiracies.

I will oppose all attempts to undermine our borders and immigration laws.

I will resist the imposition of sharia principles and sharia law in my taxi cab, my restaurant, my community pool, the halls of Congress, our national monuments, the radio and television airwaves, and all public spaces.

I will not be censored in the name of tolerance.

I will not be cowed by your Beltway lobbying groups in moderates' clothing. I will not cringe when you shriek about "profiling" or "Islamophobia."

I will put my family's safety above sensitivity. I will put my country above multiculturalism.

I will not submit to your will. I will not be intimidated.

I am John Doe.

I hate those smug Mac commercials

2007-05-07T22:27:00.000-05:00

UPDATE added May 26, 2007:
If I have offended any Mac users with this post, I apoligize. My intent was to vent my frustrations about those misleading commercials, not to insult Mac users. In case it wasn't clear in my post.... I don't have a problem with most Mac users. I just think that some of them are uninformed or have money to burn or both, but I don't hold that against them. If you think I am the one who is uninformed here, feel free to let me know why....

-------

I thought those Mac commercials couldn't get any more smug and annoying, but they have. I just saw the the new one tonight. Why anyone would buy a Mac is beyond me, especially with all the half-truths and blatant lies in their commercials. And they're so full of themselves... they try to claim that Macs are better than PCs in almost every way, but the facts don't support this. Almost the complete opposite, actually. I don't have time to get into all the details here, but someone already has. WARNING: some of the comments on the blog I've linked to here contain some foul language...

The truth is that most PCs can run circles around Macs, and a Mac with power comparable to a PC will probably cost you more than twice as much. And for what? Something that looks "pretty", but won't even make a good boat anchor when it's obsolete? At least with PCs when they get old you can use them as a web server or something... and you can actually upgrade them... and they have a mouse with more than ONE BUTTON.... I could go on and on. Most Macs users seem to be clueless to the fact they're being duped by a clever hype/marketing campaign. A lot of Mac users probably learned to use Macs in school and have just been unable, or unwilling, to make the switch to a more practical and professional Windows-based computer.

My main problem with Macs is that they emphasize form over function... I'm definitely a function over form kinda guy.... and they're way overpriced.... just like iPods and anything from Bose. Why people are still buying iPods is beyond me.... you can buy cellphones now that do everything an iPod does plus about a gagillion other features... and for a lot less money. That's what I did a few months ago... one of the best purchases I've ever made.

There's a reason why Bill Gates is the richest guy in the world.... oh, and can anyone tell me who invented the Mac OS without looking it up? Yeah, I thought so....

ok, I'm done venting...

-------
"Being full of yourself will leave you empty."
~ John Reuben

meeting Tony Dungy

2007-05-05T01:40:00.000-05:00

Yes, that dork next to Tony Dungy is me. If you don't know who Tony Dungy is, perhaps you should crawl out of the rock you've been under for the last 6 months or longer. He is of course, the head coach of the Super Bowl winning Indianapolis Colts! I had the privilege of meeting him at a fund-raising banquet for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in early April. The company I work for made a sizeable donation to FCA, and there were a couple of passes available for the meet n' greet before the banquet. I got to shake coach Dungy's hand and say hi and I told him he should be coaching the Vikings! He just laughed and said "I'm getting too old for this stuff"... or something like that, I don't remember his exact words.

Going to California!

2007-04-06T17:30:00.001-05:00

Yes, that's right, I'm going to California! I'm not moving, though... I'll be out there for work for a major portion of the next 3-6 months, and possibly longer, depending on how long it takes to hire a new engineer to fill the position that was recently vacated. My company has a facility in southern California - just to the east of L.A. I'll be filling in for an engineer that quit recently, learning a new product line, and probably getting a lot more sun than I'm used to! I was asked to take this assignment because it made more sense for me to go out there than any of the other engineers we have in Mankato, due to the type and number of projects I've been working on.

I would basically be going on a 2 week business trip every 3 or 4 weeks, with my company paying for travel expenses and giving me a laptop to use. :) When I go out there, it will probably be for two weeks at a time, but I would never be out there for two weekends in a row, so I'll still be able to keep in touch with people back in MN... And on the weekends that I am in Cali, I'll probably have time to do some sightseeing, or just get outside and get some sun... I might try to go and see the Grand Canyon or maybe go and visit my aunt and uncle in New Mexico. It will be an adventure... I just hope it doesn't last too long... the travel might get old after a while.... and I definitely want to stay in MN for the long term. But for now I'm looking forward to a new challenge and thanking God for this opportunity and asking Him to help me make the most of it :)

Have a happy Easter everyone!!

Skeptics Call Gore's Movie Science Fiction

2007-03-27T21:25:00.000-05:00

I guess I could go on listing all of the bad words that describe the man-made global warming hoax, but I'll let the article speak for itself....

By Monisha Bansal
CNSNews.com Staff Writer
March 19, 2007

In response to former Vice President Al Gore's Academy Award-winning documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth," climate change skeptics called the film a "sci-fi disaster" movie."

Al Gore put global warming on the map," said Marlo Lewis, senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, at a Capitol Hill press conference on Friday. He called "An Inconvenient Truth" the "most politically influencing documentary."

But Lewis added: "Nearly every significant statement that Vice President Gore makes regarding climate science and climate policy is either one-sided, misleading, exaggerated, speculative or wrong."

click here to read the rest of the article....

"Being full of yourself will leave you empty."
~ John Reuben

New Barnes & Noble Store in Mankato

2007-03-19T20:00:00.000-05:00

I found this article in the local newspaper today and just thought I'd share it... Just because I'm a Christian doesn't mean I consider myself "religious" - it's about a relationship, not a religion - but this still sounds like good news....

New B&N readies to read
New Barnes & Noble to open next week

By Tim Krohn
Free Press Staff Writer

MANKATO —

The local area has a good share of God-fearing, local history buffs.

The new Barnes & Noble bookstore, opening Tuesday night, sports larger religion and regional interest sections than most stores in the chain.

“One of our biggest-selling areas is the regional section, and we have higher religion sales than most stores,” said LaRae Bisel, community relations manager for the new River Hills Mall store.

click here to read the rest of the article....

Snow in MN

2007-03-01T18:37:00.000-06:00

the view from South Central College @ approx. 1 p.m. today

Ok, so I almost got stuck just trying to get my car in the garage after coming home early from work today. First I had to plow through a couple of feet of snow just to get from the street into the lot behind my apartment. Then I had to do a lot of maneuvering, due to all the wet snow and the ice underneath it, just to get lined up for a "running start" into the garage. Then I had to "gun it" to get through a large snowdrift right in front of the garage door, without veering too much to one side and hitting the garage door frame! Thank God I got in though, because by the time I go out again, the lot should be cleared. The roads actually weren't too bad a few hours ago. The snow plows are doing a decent job, but they won't be able to keep up with this one, and it just keeps getting worse out there. At this point I'm not sure if it makes sense to go anywhere tomorrow. A day off work would be nice, but I have so much to do, and I don't want to get any farther behind.

definition of bodacious

2007-02-28T21:11:00.000-06:00

bodacious (adj.): remarkable; outstanding

source: dictionary.com

thank you, TMNT!

One of my favorite dishes:

2007-02-25T09:22:00.000-06:00

let it snow, let it snow, let it snow....

2007-02-24T10:46:00.000-06:00

the Ford Center in New Orleans

2007-02-24T08:02:00.000-06:00

Here's another picture I forgot earlier:

the home of the New Orleans Hornets

ice/snow storm

2007-02-24T07:39:00.000-06:00

This is the view from my living room window this morning... it's covered with ice! I guess I'm not going anywhere for a while. If only I had a snowmobile....

more pictures from New Orleans

2007-02-24T07:18:00.000-06:00

Here's a few more pictures in addition to my previous post. Some of these were taken with my camera phone, so the quality isn't great. If you have any pictures from the Mardi Gras outreach you would like to share, please email them to me.

we're havin' CHURCH!!

praising Jesus!

my brother's core group

ahhhh, lunch.... finger lickin' good :-)

more houses in the French Quarter

the most important truck at the church: the refrigerated food truck

another shot of the Superdome

I didn't want to leave :-( but I had to go back to work so I can afford to go again next year :-)

The Mardi Gras outreach in New Orleans

2007-02-21T23:31:00.000-06:00

A few observations from the Mardi Gras outreach in New Orleans (Feb. 16 - 20):

New Orleans is a pretty nice city overall, but there seemed to be a lot of poor neighborhoods, and not just because of Katrina.... and we weren't even in the worst part of the city.... the church we stayed at was in a southern suburb. The church and the people there were great.... somewhat of a "southern gospel" church, I think..... the worship times were incredible, the few I got to be a part of.... I spent most of my time in or around the kitchen helping with the food.... my feet and back are still sore..... :( We had about 300 people participate, from all over.... most, but not all, were in Master's Commission or were Bible college students.... I'm thinking I may want to bring some pepper spray for personal protection next year for when we go to the French Quarter.... it's that bad (don't go there alone, especially after dark).... a lot of people there are angry toward God.....

Here are just a few of the pictures I took:

a core group meeting

a colonial style house in the French Quarter

the Church we stayed in: God's House in Marrero, LA

the Superdome

this is where it all starts

my myspace page

2007-02-13T06:10:00.000-06:00

Here is a link to my myspace page:

http://www.myspace.com/spartan4jc

There is also a link on my blogger.com profile page.

Climate scientists feeling the heat

2007-01-29T01:46:00.000-06:00

Jan. 22, 2007, 12:34AM
Climate scientists feeling the heat
As public debate deals in absolutes, some experts fear predictions 'have created a monster'

By ERIC BERGER
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle

Scientists long have issued the warnings: The modern world's appetite for cars, air conditioning and cheap, fossil-fuel energy spews billions of tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, unnaturally warming the world.Yet, it took the dramatic images of a hurricane overtaking New Orleans and searing heat last summer to finally trigger widespread public concern on the issue of global warming.Climate scientists might be expected to bask in the spotlight after their decades of toil. The general public now cares about greenhouse gases, and with a new Democratic-led Congress, federal action on climate change may be at hand.Problem is, global warming may not have caused Hurricane Katrina, and last summer's heat waves were equaled and, in many cases, surpassed by heat in the 1930s.In their efforts to capture the public's attention, then, have climate scientists oversold global warming? It's probably not a majority view, but a few climate scientists are beginning to question whether some dire predictions push the science too far."Some of us are wondering if we have created a monster," says Kevin Vranes, a climate scientist at the University of Colorado.Vranes, who is not considered a global warming skeptic by his peers, came to this conclusion after attending an American Geophysical Union meeting last month. Vranes says he detected "tension" among scientists, notably because projections of the future climate carry uncertainties — a point that hasn't been fully communicated to the public.The science of climate change often is expressed publicly in unambiguous terms.For example, last summer, Ralph Cicerone, president of the National Academy of Sciences, told the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce: "I think we understand the mechanisms of CO2 and climate better than we do of what causes lung cancer. ... In fact, it is fair to say that global warming may be the most carefully and fully studied scientific topic in human history."Vranes says, "When I hear things like that, I go crazy."Nearly all climate scientists believe the Earth is warming and that human activity, by increasing the level of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, has contributed significantly to the warming.But within the broad consensus are myriad questions about the details. How much of the recent warming has been caused by humans? Is the upswing in Atlantic hurricane activity due to global warming or natural variability? Are Antarctica's ice sheets at risk for melting in the near future?To the public and policymakers, these details matter. It's one thing to worry about summer temperatures becoming a few degrees warmer.It's quite another if ice melting from Greenland and Antarctica raises the sea level by 3 feet in the next century, enough to cover much of Galveston Island at high tide.Models aren't infallibleScientists have substantial evidence to support the view that humans are warming the planet — as carbon dioxide levels rise, glaciers melt and global temperatures rise. Yet, for predicting the future climate, scientists must rely upon sophisticated — but not perfect — computer models."The public generally underappreciates that climate models are not meant for reducing our uncertainty about future climate, which they really cannot, but rather they are for increasing our confidence that we understand the climate system in general," says Michael Bauer, a climate modeler at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, in New York.Gerald North, professor of atmospheric sciences at Texas A&M University, dismisses the notion of widespread tension among climate scientists on the course of the public debate. But he acknowledges that considerable uncertainty exists with key events such as the melting of Antarctica, which contains enough ice to raise sea levels by 200 feet."We honestly don't know that much about the big ice sheets," North says. "We don't have great equations that cover glacial movements. But let's say there's just a 10 percent chance of significant melting in the next century. That would be catastrophic, and it's worth protecting ourselves from that risk."Much of the public debate, however, has dealt in absolutes. The poster for Al Gore's global warming movie, An Inconvenient Truth, depicts a hurricane blowing out of a smokestack. Katrina's devastation is a major theme in the film.Judith Curry, an atmospheric scientist at the Georgia Institute of Technology, has published several research papers arguing that a link between a warmer climate and hurricane activity exists, but she admits uncertainty remains.Like North, Curry says she doubts there is undue tension among climate scientists but says Vranes could be sensing a scientific community reaction to some of the more alarmist claims in the public debate.For years, Curry says, the public debate on climate change has been dominated by skeptics, such as Richard Lindzen of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and strong advocates such as NASA's James Hansen, who calls global warming a ticking "time bomb" and talks about the potential inundation of all global coastlines within a few centuries.That may be changing, Curry says. As the public has become more aware of global warming, more scientists have been brought into the debate. These scientists are closer to Hansen's side, she says, but reflect a more moderate view."I think the rank-and-file are becoming more outspoken, and you're hearing a broader spectrum of ideas," Curry says.Young and old tensionOther climate scientists, however, say there may be some tension as described by Vranes. One of them, Jeffrey Shaman, an assistant professor of atmospheric sciences at Oregon State University, says that unease exists primarily between younger researchers and older, more established scientists.Shaman says some junior scientists may feel uncomfortable when they see older scientists making claims about the future climate, but he's not sure how widespread that sentiment may be. This kind of tension always has existed in academia, he adds, a system in which senior scientists hold some sway over the grants and research interests of graduate students and junior faculty members.The question, he says, is whether it's any worse in climate science.And if it is worse? Would junior scientists feel compelled to mute their findings, out of concern for their careers, if the research contradicts the climate change consensus?"I can understand how a scientist without tenure can feel the community pressures," says environmental scientist Roger Pielke Jr., a colleague of Vranes' at the University of Colorado.Pielke says he has felt pressure from his peers: A prominent scientist angrily accused him of being a skeptic, and a scientific journal editor asked him to "dampen" the message of a peer-reviewed paper to derail skeptics and business interests."The case for action on climate science, both for energy policy and adaptation, is overwhelming," Pielke says. "But if we oversell the science, our credibility is at stake."

eric.berger@chron.com

giant frogs on the Nibelungen Strasse

2007-01-29T00:30:00.000-06:00

Germany must be a wierd place.... giant frogs on the road?... that can't be good!

my new picture from my new phone

2007-01-28T23:59:00.000-06:00

HERE IT IS.... FINALLY!

What is the definition of "tired"?

2007-01-25T03:13:00.000-06:00

Can anyone help me with the definition of "tired"? I used to work 2nd shift for about 4 months and now that I'm back to 1st shift, I find myself occasionally staying up very late or even pulling an all-nighter. I'm not sure I even know what "tired" really feels like anymore?

--

"There is a slippery slope that is predictable...

and it has happened in denomination after denomination."

~ Wayne Grudem / Creation Moments

Questions About Evolution

2007-01-25T00:57:00.000-06:00

Can anyone answer these questions three for me? If you can, I have a few more for you....

How do you date that rock layer with those fossils in it?

How do you date those fossils in that rock layer?

If you date that rock layer by the age of the fossils in it, and you date those fossils by the age of the rock layer they are in, isn't that circular logic?

Bryan

Wal-Mart OK.... for now

2006-12-04T21:30:00.000-06:00

Hey, if you haven't already heard, Wal-Mart seems to be an ok place to shop at again... if you don't mind the big crowds, long lines, and some low-quality merchandise. Wal-Mart management recently announced that they will no longer "make corporate contributions to support or oppose highly controversial issues (such as homosexuality vs. Christianity)* unless they directly relate to our ability to serve our customers." They also said, and I quote, "Wal-Mart does not have a position on same sex marriage and we do not give preference to gay or lesbian suppliers. Wal-Mart does have a strong commitment to diversity among our associates and against discrimination everywhere." I'm not sure what they mean by that last sentence, but I don't think I have to worry anymore about my money going to support pro-homosexual organizations when I shop at Wal-Mart. Thank God for that. I'm still not sure if I trust them, but they seem to be ok right now.

BTW, God doesn't hate homosexuals... He hates what they do!!!... same for me!

*italics added by me

Demon Hunter - The Triptych

2006-10-07T00:04:00.000-05:00

Hey, if you're into Christian hard rock/metal, there is a CD out there you just have to check out, if you haven't already. The CD is called "The Triptych", by Demon Hunter. I just bought this CD and listened to some of it for the first time, and I actually got chills listening to track 5 (Deteriorate), it's that good! Their music and their message are both solid throughout the CD, as far as I can tell. Demon Hunter is absolutely the best Christian metal band out there, that I know of, anyway.... Underoath and Still Remains aren't bad, either. If you don't already have this CD, I highly recommend checking it out. However, be aware that their music might seem kind of heavy, dark, and depressing, but only if you don't know what they're singing about (a relationship with God, mostly).... you'll see what I mean if you check it out.

Go Twins! Go Vikings!

2006-09-12T23:35:00.000-05:00

After the Minnesota's Twins' 7-5 comeback win over the Oakland A's tonight, I just had to post something about them. They scored 4 runs in the bottom of the 8th inning tonight to deliver the knockout blow to the A's. Then Super Joe Nathan comes in and breezes through the 9th for his 32nd save. The win was fitting, since they have had basically a come-from-behind season. I think it was about a month ago that they were 10 1/2 games behind Detroit in the AL Central; they are now 1 1/2 games behind, and still gaining ground, and a lot of people wouldn't be suprised if they took 1st place away from Detroit in these last few weeks of the regular season. Francisco Liriano is back from injury and pitching tomorrow (Wednesday) night for the Twins, so they may as well get the brooms ready.... :)

In case you haven't been paying attention to baseball this year (and if you haven't, I don't blame you - it's still the most boring of the 4 major sports), the Twins are pretty much the story of the year in baseball. I dare anyone to come up with a better story in baseball this year. The "experts" didn't expect the Twins to do much of anything this year, and they certainly weren't expected to be contenders for the AL Central crown. They were 8 games under .500 on June 7, then they went 21-2 from June 8 through July 3, and they haven't looked back since. They have the leading candidate for MVP (Justin Morneau), the leading candidate for the AL Cy Young award (Johan Santana), the current batting title leader (Joe Mauer), a potential Rookie of the Year (Francisco Liriano), and a starting pitcher (Brad Radke) who has been pitching (and winning) with a stress fracture in his shoulder!! And young players who most people have never heard of are stepping up and playing well beyond expectations.

The Twins have the best home record in baseball (currently the only team with 50 home wins), and (correct me if I'm wrong here) I'm pretty sure they have the best record of any team since the All-Star break. They are keeping pace with the New York Yankees, and actually have a much better record than the Yanks in the second half of the season, despite the fact that the Yankees payroll is more than 3X the Twins payroll. They are proof that you don't need a big payroll (by MLB standards) to have a quality, winning, baseball team. The Twins should have a good shot at going to, and winning the World Series, if they can get all of their starting pitchers healthy and back to form. For more on the Twins, click here.

Go Twins!

Oh yeah, and the Minnesota Vikings won a very tough game last night against a playoff Redskins team (last year) with a Hall of Fame coach on their home field in Washington, D.C.

Go Vikings!

Israel Learns How To Negotiate With Terrorists

2006-07-24T21:51:00.000-05:00

It's good to see that Israel has decided not to give in to Hezbollah demands to release a Lebanese prisoner in exchange for two captured Israeli soldiers. The July 12th assult, in which Hezbollah terrorists crossed over the Israel-Lebanon border, killed eight Israeli soldiers, and abducted two more, was apparantly aimed at securing the release of a Lebanese man who is a convicted child killer, as detailed in this article on CNSNews.com. Hezbollah thinks that this tactic will work because it has worked in the past. This time they're dead wrong.

Israelis have learned from past experience that giving in to terrorist's demands does not help appease the violence. It only emboldens the terrorists to commit more violent acts. Now that Israel has launched a ground offensive to 1) establish a buffer zone in southern Lebanon to prevent future attacks on its people, and 2) try to find and free their two captured soldiers, it seems obvious that any possibility of a prisoner exchange is long gone.

Could this change in Israel's response to terrorists be related to the fact that Ariel Sharon is no longer their leader? Possibly, I don't know. But whatever the reason, at least they are dealing with the Islamofacist terrorists in the most effective way possible: with a lot of firepower.

Free Speech Of Valedictorian To Be Defended

2006-07-02T19:09:00.000-05:00

Check out this post from Stop The ACLU. It's about a high school senior class valedictorian who had her microphone turned off during the middle of her valedictorian speech because she started to talk about her faith in God. Sad but true.

Students Reject Censorship Of Prayer At Graduation

2006-05-25T19:27:00.000-05:00

Who thinks prayer is not allowed in schools? Not the 2006 senior class at Russell County High in southern Kentucky! Check out this story posted on Stop The ACLU. It's about high school seniors who defied a judge's orders to not have prayer be a part of their graduation ceremony. During the principal's opening remarks, about 200 seniors stood and began reciting the Lord's Prayer, prompting a standing ovation! Good for them! We need more people who will stand up to activist judges who issue unconstitutional rulings and the ACLU, who will file lawsuits where they know these tyrranical judges will support them. And if they don't get their way in one courtroom, they'll go on to the next.....

Cartoon Violence

2006-02-04T14:30:00.000-06:00

The reaction of many Mulsims to the cartoons depicting Mohammed only prove what people have been saying for quite some time now: that Islam is a religion of violence. Not all Muslims are demanding executions and/or torching buildings because someone published a cartoon that they find offensive. There are plenty of peaceful Muslims, but there are also way too many "devout" Muslims that need to realize that they live in a world that will not just sit by and tolerate their violent tendencies. Or will they? For more on this, read this commentary by Patrick Goodenough.

The real problem is that Muslims who do react with violence are the Muslims who are obeying the passages in the Koran that tell them to kill the "infidel", and wage war (jihad) against any non-believers. True Christians who base their faith on the Bible as the Word of God do not react with threats of violence when someone portrays God or Jesus in an offensive or blasphemous way. Most Christians realize that there are much better, more constructive ways to punish those who attack their beliefs. Boycotts, for example, send the message that there is a financial price to pay for a company's support of the liberal, ACLU, anti-Christian, anything goes crowd.

If you have any comments on this issue, feel free to post them.

moving to MN

2006-01-11T19:05:00.000-06:00

I finally got moved into my new aparment in Minnesota. I haven't been blogging recently because I've been too busy with moving. I start my new job tomorrow working on hydraulic brake systems. I really like the town I'm in because the people seem to be more friendly and more straightforward than in Illinois. And it's a little slower paced, which I like. I don't mind the cold at all... it makes me appreciate a warm house more. And my family is only an hour away, so that's nice. I'll be posting more in the weeks to come once I get settled and get internet service set up at home.

This is What Happens in Places Without Guns

2005-12-18T20:20:00.000-06:00

This was posted on the Conservative Thinking blog site yesterday. God help us if we ever restrict gun ownership in America any more than we already have.

Palestinians vote for terrorists

2005-12-16T12:25:00.000-06:00

If you want proof that Palestinians support terrorism, here it is. The link goes to a news report about the recent Palestinian elections in Nablus in the West Bank. More than 70% of voters voted for Hamas, a militant Islamic terrorist group in Palestine. This was just a local election, but if Hamas were to gain control of the Palestinian "government", it would probably put an end to any chances for peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

Canadian PM Pledges Ban on Handguns

2005-12-09T21:07:00.000-06:00

Canada's Prime Minister is pledging to ban all handguns if he is re-elected. This is why I'm glad I don't live in Canada. When will they learn that banning guns doesn't reduce crime, it increases crime. Criminals will get guns whether they are illegal or not, and if they know that law abiding people don't have guns, they know they automatically have an advantage to help them commit crimes.

We already have too many restrictions on guns here in the U.S., some of which are unconstitutional. We need to fight any new laws that would try to take away people's right to own firearms.

Pillar

2005-12-05T02:05:00.000-06:00

This post is about Pillar music, ruling, and the ruling of said Pillar music. I just saw Pillar in concert tonight and they rocked the house! I am posting a couple of pictures I took below. Some bands don't sound as good live as they do on a CD, but Pillar sounded every bit as good as one of their CDs, plus the added energy of a live show made it simply incredible!

Pillar was in East Peoria as part of the See Spot Rock tour, along with Falling Up, Day of Fire, The Wedding, and Mainstay. In case you didn't know, Pillar is currently one of the best hardcore Christian rock bands out there. They not only play with an intensity and passion that most "rock" bands don't have, but they also have a message in their lyrics that will make you think.

I was there as a volunteer to help unload and load up the equipment before and after the concert, but unfortunately, I didn't get to see the other bands, since I had other places to be during the concert, and I actually missed the first few songs by Pillar. But I do highly reccomend Day of Fire and The Wedding. I have The Wedding's CD and it's one of my favorites.

If you want to check out Pillar's website, it's www.pillarmusic.com.

Vikings defeat Packers, 20-17

2005-11-22T11:49:00.000-06:00

You could say the Minnesota Vikings celebrated Thanksgiving early with a 20-17 win over their biggest rival, the Green Bay Packers. Paul Edinger kicked a 27-yd field goal as time expired to beat the Packers for the second time this season. Edinger also kicked a game winning, team record 56-yd field goal during the first Vikings-Packers game of the season on Oct. 23rd.

A win for the Vikings is always good, but it is especially sweet when they're playing the Packers. This win puts them at 5-5 and keeps their hopes alive for a playoff spot. This is the 3rd win in a row over the Packers, including last season's 31-17 first round playoff win.

The Vikings were led on offense by Brad Johnson, with 196 passing yards, and Mewelde Moore, with 122 rushing yards. On defense, the Vikings sacked Brett Favre twice and had 2 interceptions, one of them returned 51 yards for a touchdown by Dovonte Edwards.

By the way, if you haven't figured it out already, I am a Vikings fan. Go Vikes!

Bryan

Save Chief Illiniwek

2005-11-12T18:01:00.000-06:00

The NCAA has ruled that Chief Illiniwek, the mascot for the University of Illinois Fighting Illini, is a "hostile and abusive" image of American Indians. This comes after an appeal by the University to lift the ban preventing them from participating in postseason play because they have an Amercian Indian mascot and nickname. Chief Illiniwek normally dresses up in traditional American costumes and performs a cerimonial dance during halftime.

What a load of PC crap. The NCAA has obviously sold out to the politically correct (PC) liberals. What's next? Will the North Dakota State Univeristy Bison, a.k.a. The Thundering Herd, be considered offensive because American Indians once hunted bison? Or will PETA (people eating tasty animals) protest animal mascots because they're worried that animals are somehow being mistreated or shown in a bad light? By the way, North Dakota State is where I went to college.

This is just another example of a few PC idiots in the minority ruining things for the large majority of people who see nothing wrong with a school using Native American images, costumes, etc... as part of their school's identity. I have not heard of one college or high school that uses Native American imagery in a negative way. They all do their best to honor, not mock, Native American culture and tradition. The NCAA got this one completely wrong when they decided to ban from the postseason schools that use Native American logos and mascots. Illinois is not the only school that has lost their appeal: the University of North Dakota also recently lost their appeal. Florida State, Central Michigan, and Utah have already won their appeals, and there are a number of appeals that have not yet been decided, including the one from Bradley University here in my hometown of Peoria. Some schools are just giving in and changing their mascots and nicknames, which is just what the liberal crowd that is behind this wants.

I think that Illinois and any other schools that are disgusted by the NCAA's decision need to simply get out of the NCAA and form their own independent league. Break all ties with the politically correct crowd at the NCAA. They don't need the NCAA and the NCAA obviously doesn't want them. Whatever they do, please, stop mixing politics with sports!

What's a Blog?

2005-11-12T03:15:00.000-06:00

In case you're wondering what a 'blog' is, here's the "official" definition from BloggerBot:

"Blog" is short for Web log, which can be anything from a news site to an online journal. Blogs allow you to instantly publish your thoughts and ideas from anywhere.

People all over the world have blogs. It's a fun and easy way to keep in touch with your friends, post links to interesting webpages, or just record your thoughts.

Consider yourself educated.

Congratulations!

2005-11-12T03:00:00.000-06:00

A friend of mine is getting married! I can't say anything more yet, because they're not officially engaged yet, but I hear they are going to "check ring sizes" tommorrow. So that's what they call it nowadays. Congratulations, you two!.... you know who you are. :)

Dogwood: Do or Die

2005-11-12T02:10:00.000-06:00

If you're interested in some really good Christian hard rock with lyrics that will make you think, check out the song 'Do or Die' by Dogwood, from their CD 'Reverse, Then Forward Again'. I just heard this song on RadioU.com. It's my favorite kind of music: sounds great and rocks hard, but also has lyrics with a good message that will get you thinking beyond your own little world.

"... when it came to do or die, You died for me."

Introduction

2005-11-12T01:47:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone, I just created my very first blog, so look for a bunch of posts in the next couple of days. I'll be posting stuff about me, who I am, what I like, what I think, you know, the usual....

Just to get started, here's a link to one of my favorite websites: an internet radio station, of course!

Also, here's a link to some music from one of my favorite bands. WARNING: they're a little hardcore. They even have a cover of the old Cyndi Lauper song "Time After Time". I've never been a fan of hers, but the song actually sounds good when they play it.

Bryan