Carfax - the limits of

It’s the Truth, but Not the Whole Truth

Excerpt:

Carfax agreed to the settlement, but has denied wrongdoing.

"Nowhere do we claim we have every accident," said Larry Gamache, a Carfax spokesman. "We can't even get our heads around how many accidents happen in the United States. There are a significant portion that go unreported."

Comments:

1. The best used car is from someone you know who bought it new! (In my own opinion)
   
2. We've used the Carfax service the last time we bought a used car (from a dealer). I would use it again and recommend it.
   
3. From the article: "the lawyers representing them [received] $566,000."
   

the "Social Gospel"--100 years later

Christianity Without Salvation: The legacy of the "Social Gospel"--100 years later

Excerpts:

Distorted ideas about heaven and hell have spawned great mischief in the name of Christianity, of course. Rauschenbusch must have seen plenty of it during a decade of ministry in New York City's "Hell's Kitchen" neighborhood. Indeed, the Christianity of his youth looked unfit to cope with the "industrial crises" of his day. Nevertheless, he seemed blithely unaware of others provoked by the very conceptions of sin and salvation he so despised--men such as William Wilberforce, John Wesley, John Jay, Lyman Beecher and William Booth--to champion reform efforts of all kinds.

....

It is hard to see, though, how Rauschenbusch's theology could be called Christian in any meaningful sense of the term. It required no repentance or atonement and carried no fear of judgment or bracing hope of eternal life. He famously denied the doctrine of Christ's Second Coming--with its promise of perfect justice and enduring mercy.

Wiki: Walter Rauschenbusch

Excerpt:

Walter Rauschenbusch (October 4, 1861 - July 25, 1918) was a Christian Theologian and Baptist Minister. He was a key figure in the Social Gospel movement in the USA.

Comment: A "gospel" that does not redeem and transform the human soul is no Gospel at all!

1 Corinthians 15:1-3 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures ...

Graduation & Mother's Day

1. I left the office with ZERO emails in my in box! Kathee and I are taking tomorrow and Monday off, so it is a 4 day weekend. Just minutes after I got home, my cell phone rang - WORK related. I handled deftly and passed it onto someone else like a shameless slacker!
   
2. Kathee is at a women's fellowship group (4th Baptist tonight)
   
3. My Mother flies in tomorrow from Dallas. Kathee is going to try to get a gate pass from A/A (American Airlines) and go all the way out to the gate to meet my 87 year old Mom.
   
4. Saturday is Rachel's graduation. (Today was her last day at Caribou Coffee, where she has worked for 6 1/2 years! She will miss it (HA!))
   
5. Sunday, of course is Mother's Day. It will be special because my Mother will be here.
   

"Mistakes were made" and other nonapologies

The Blame Game Revisited

Excerpt:

When Don Imus got caught out using offensive language on his radio show last month, he issued an apology, actually employing the word "sorry" in his official statement (not to mention "thoughtless and stupid"). Soon after, he was fired.

He might have been better off attempting one of those "non-apology apologies" that are a ubiquitous part of our culture, not least in the realm of business. McDonald's, in 2002, having neglected to mention that its french fries contain beef by-products, shied away from forthrightly saying to its angry vegetarian customers: "We made a mistake." Instead it used the passive voice--the infamous "mistakes were made" formulation--thereby avoiding a direct admission of wrongdoing. The same phrasing appeared not long ago in a statement by Cardinal Edward Egan of New York. Referring to clergymen who may have failed to deal properly with charges of child molestation, Cardinal Egan said: "If, in hindsight, we . . . discover that mistakes may have been made . . . I am deeply sorry." The mangled grammar--shifting from active to passive to active voice, from a conditional "if"-clause to a main clause with the wrong verb form (it should be "I will be deeply sorry")--suggests a confused point of view at best.

Matthew 5:22-24, But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Matthew 18:15, Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.

Early Dell in Smithsonian

Excerpt:

Above: Brent Glass, left, Director of the Natural Museum of American History, talks with Dell Chairman and CEO Michael Dell following the ceremony where Dell donated a collection of materials relating to his company¹s history to the museum on Wednesday in Washington, D.C. The donation included a Dell (then 'PC's Limited') computer from 1985, right, Michael Dell¹s employee badge, and a Dell computer built in 2005, left, at the company's newest manufacturing facility in Winston Salem, N.C.

Dell Donates Computer to Smithsonian

Beloved Pastor Yarworth with the Lord

Pastor John Yarworth was our Pastor while I was in seminary school. Kathee saw his obituary in the Baptist Bulletin today.

I searched on legacy.com and found his obit from 2 newspapers:

YARWORTH, John Roberts, 83, retired minister, of Austin died Wednesday. Survived by wife Dot. Services 2 p.m. Sunday, Bannockburn Baptist Church. Arrangements by Austin-Peel & Son.

Published in the Austin American-Statesman on 2/10/2007


Rev. John R. Yarworth, age 83, went to be with his Lord and Savior, February 7, 2007. Surviving are his beloved wife, Dottie; four children; six grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. He served his Lord faithfully for 35 years in the pastorate, and was loved by all who knew him. On behalf of the family, we would ask all our readers to remember us in prayer at this time.

Published in the Grand Rapids Press on 2/25/2007

Rev. John Yarworth, who served as a Director of Galilean Baptist Mission, went home to be with the Lord on Wednesday, February 7, while residing in Austin, Texas. A memorial service was held on February 10 in Austin. Brother Yarworth also served as the pastor of Green Corners Baptist Church of Bel ding, Faith Baptist Church of Grand Rapids, Ensley Baptist Church of Sand Lake, Good News Baptist Church of Grand Rapids, and First Baptist Church of Newberry. He retired from full-time ministry while pastoring in Newberry following a serious heart attack. His wife, Dottie, survives him.

Michigan Association of Regular Baptist Churches

Comment: He was our Pastor (Good News Baptist, Grand Rapids, MI) for 2 years while we were at Grand Rapids Baptist Seminary. At one low time in our ministry when we were desparate for money, he and Dottie sent us a check for $ 100. He was a very good man!

Where to host your email

Where to Host Your E-mail: For small business owners, the newly enhanced Google Apps could be the solution

Excerpt:

Could your business survive without e-mail? Even for one day? Probably not, which is why it's important to keep your e-mail functioning. So as an entrepreneur, is it better to host your e-mail externally or internally? Well, that depends on your size and needs.

Many studies are coming out about how expensive it is to maintain your e-mail in-house.

On the other hand, hosting e-mail or applications externally allows you to offload many of these costs and maintenance problems to a hosting vendor.

Comment: See earlier post

Sleazy Lawyers!

'Life's Short. Get a Divorce.' -- Chicago Billboard Turns Heads

Excerpt:

An all-female law firm is turning heads in Chicago with a new billboard and a blunt message:

"Life's Short. Get a Divorce.''

The billboard, sponsored by Fetman, Garland & Associates, Ltd., a firm that specializes in divorce cases, features the six-pack abs of a headless male torso and tanned female cleavage heaving forth from a black lace bra.

The ad is the brainchild of Corri Fetman, who told ABC News' Law & Justice Unit, "Law firm advertising is boring…Everything's always the same. It's lawyers in libraries with a suit on and the law books behind them. They don't say anything. What, I should hire you because you have a law degree? C'mon. So we wanted to try something different."

Reaction from those who work in and around Chicago's divorce courts has been less than enthusiastic.

"It's grotesque,'' said John Ducanto, past president of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. "It's totally undignified and offensive."

"It trivializes divorce and I think it's absolutely disgusting," Rick Tivers, a clinical social worker at the Center for Divorce Recovery in Chicago, told ABC News.


'Life's short. Get a divorce' billboard removed after just a week in Chicago

A racy billboard proclaiming "Life's short. Get a divorce'' caused enough of an uproar that city workers stripped it from its downtown perch after a week.
It wasn't so much about the partially clothed man and woman on the law firm's ad. It was the phrase that lawyers Corri Fetman and Kelly Garland chose that drew scores of complaints from neighbors and from other attorneys who said it reflected poorly on their profession.

A city alderman who lives nearby found a technical reason to jettison the sign.

Comment:

1. To all who have experienced divorce - There is life after divorce.
   
2. To all who think divorce is the answer - Consider God's Word.
   
3. To these lawyers - shame on you! You are so driven for business that you have trivialized divorce.
   
4. To all - life is short!
   

Gideon: Success and Failure

Tonight's reading Judges 7 & 8: Some important verses:

Success: God grants a great victory over a massive army with just 300 men!

7:2, And the LORD said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’

7:6-7, And the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was three hundred men; but all the rest of the people got down on their knees to drink water. Then the LORD said to Gideon, “By the three hundred men who lapped I will save you, and deliver the Midianites into your hand. Let all the other people go, every man to his place.”

7:10, ...one hundred and twenty thousand men who drew the sword had fallen.

Failure: Gideon creates a gold idol

8:27, Then Gideon made it into an ephod and set it up in his city, Ophrah. And all Israel played the harlot with it there. It became a snare to Gideon and to his house.

Comment:

1. While Gideon is considered a great man of God: Hebrews 11:32-33, And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises ...
   
2. Gideon had a flawed, sinful human nature and engaged in idolatry!
   

---

1. Home: there was a tremendous electrical "pop" that temporarily knocked our lights out at approximately 9:00 p.m. Everything reset itself alright except for the cable modem (Kathee reset). I called Marilyn across the street and the experienced the same thing. I thought it was a lightning strike but Kathee and Roger don't think so.
   
2. Work: Our WIFI2 version 2 utility finally passed UAT and we will incorporate as a base application in our current Windows XP release
   
3. Work: I once again demo'd my contacts database for another person and set her up with update authority. This needs to catch on!
   
4. Life: Roger's AT (annual training) with the Marines possibly will shift a week.
   
5. Life: Westurn Roofing dropped off a Westurn Roofing cap for me. Kathee not impressed. I will wear when I mow.
   

---

"Disappointed with God"? I'm not a great evangelist but I know I need to seize opportunities to witness. Many times I provide a "Gospel of John" when I chat with people. This week, I witnessed to a man whom I know. He said, "I'm not that interested because I'm disappointed with God". He said that his Mother lived into her 80's but his Father's life was cut short in his early 50's with cancer. Because of this he is "disappointed with God". My view: it's not to man to judge God! God is perfectly just and good and holy.

Confessions of a Dieter!

Since most of my readers are friends (or at least not enemies), I thought it was time for a little transparency. I've been dieting since January 1st.

1. This is not the first time I've dieted but it is one of the hardest.
   
   
   
   1. Back in the early 80's I was over 280. I was pastoring at Moorestown Bible Church.
      
   2. That year I started in January and lost 100 lbs.
      
   3. I kept a daily food diary.
      
   4. I walked probably 3 miles a day.
      
   5. And after I had lost some weight, I bought a new bicycle (a single speeder!) and would ride my bike almost every day.
      
   6. That year I lost on average 3 lbs a week.
      
   
   
2. Thing are different now. I am 23 years older. I am handicapped. No more bike riding or three mile hikes. I was not as heavy when I started (275 this time)
   

What am I doing and how is it going and what have I learned:

1. I keep a daily diet diary (a private blog really!). I score each day as success, neutral or failure.
   
2. I have a plan that sounds austere but works for me. It is mostly vegetarian except for: a thin slice of ham or turkey on a sandwich every weekday. A hamburger every Sunday after church, and meat with a meal ever Saturday night (last Sunday was a 6 oz steak). Every Friday we go out to eat at Subway. It's not fancy but it is satisfying and low calorie.
   
3. Today is day 128. I started at 275. Today I am 245. So I have lost 30 lbs in 127 days (.23 ls a day / 1.65 lbs a week / 7 lbs a month)
   
4. The rate is not the super-successful 3 lbs a month 20 years ago, but I am not doing any exercise except normal walking.
   
5. I am targeting 200 lbs. That's another 45 lbs. I hope to have this accomplished by the end of the year.
   
6. Hard times: I was stuck at 255 for almost 2 weeks. Now I am stuck at 245 for the last three weeks. So the .23 lbs per day / 1.65 lbs per week / 7 lbs a month is not a steady rate. One recent week (in March) I lost 3 lbs.
   
7. So far, I have not felt hungry or deprived. I have a couple of tricks. Every night for 'dessert' I have 2 dates and a piece of dried apricot. It is really yummy and satisfying with a cup of coffee.
   
8. I had 2 days that were out and out failures: Superbowl Sunday ... and the recent BCP event.
   
9. We have turned down (don't be offended) invites to go to Perkins after church on Sunday nights. I just can't do it. I just cannot have a meal after church and blow that day off as neutral or a failure. So after church, I come home and have a bowl of grape nuts.
   
10. Eating out does not work. The portion sizes are too large, there are few diet options, the restaurant food must be laden with salt, etc. The couple of times that we have eaten out have either slowed the loss for a week or resulted in a weight loss plateau. (Eating out cannot be totalling avoided -this Saturday we are taking the family out to celebrate Rachel's graduation - but to lose weight eating out has to be minimized.
    

Why am I going public? Most people who know me at church and work know so it is not a big deal. Well I hope that you would pray for me ... and invite me out to Perkins for a little Christian fellowship!

This is something I pray about every day. I cannot blame God for being obese, but I will praise Him for the successes he empowers me to exerience as I discipline myself and yield to Him.

Philippians 1:20,21: "According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain"

1 Corinthians 9:27: "But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified"

Will your career pay for your student loan?

‘Top Chef’ Dreams Crushed by Student Loan Debt

Excerpt:

But would-be top chefs face a challenge that most lawyers, engineers or nurses do not: few jobs in their chosen field pay enough for them to retire their student loans. As a result, as many as 11 percent of graduates at some culinary schools are defaulting on federal student loans. The national average for all students last year was roughly half that, at 5.1 percent.

Although the restaurant industry is expected to create two million new jobs in the next decade, the Department of Labor reports that in 2005, the latest year for which data were available, the average hourly wage for a restaurant cook was $9.86.

Comment: The article is really about "Chefs' Schools". Of interest to me because: we have visited such a school with one of our children, one of Kathee's co-workers went to Chef school (and now works in Information Technology), and a friend of one of our kids is a Chef. But the article highlights one of the dangers of student loans: will one's career enable the retirement of the student loan debt? So I file this under Economics.

Demographic trends

The Realignment of America: The native-born are leaving "hip" cities for the heartland

Excerpt:

In 1950, when I was in kindergarten in Detroit, the city had a population of (rounded off) 1,850,000. Today the latest census estimate for Detroit is 886,000, less than half as many. In 1950, the population of the U.S. was 150 million. Today the latest census estimate for the nation is 301 million, more than twice as many. People in America move around. But not just randomly.

The nation's center of gravity is shifting: Dallas is now larger than San Francisco, Houston is now larger than Detroit, Atlanta is now larger than Boston, Charlotte is now larger than Milwaukee. State capitals that were just medium-sized cities dominated by government employees in the 1950s--Sacramento, Austin, Raleigh, Nashville, Richmond--are now booming centers of high-tech and other growing private-sector businesses. San Antonio has more domestic than immigrant inflow even though the border is only three hours' drive away. The Interior Boomtowns generated 38% of the nation's population growth in 2000-06.

Population Change and Distribution: 1990 to 2000

Excerpt:

Census 2000 counted 281.4 million people in the United States, a 13.2 percent increase from the 1990 Census population of 248.7 million. Population growth from 1990 to 2000 varied geographically, with large population increases in some areas and little growth or decline in others.

Comment: Fascinating.

King Herod's tomb found?

King Herod's tomb unearthed, Israeli university claims

Excerpt:

An Israeli archaeologist has found the tomb of King Herod, the legendary builder of ancient Jerusalem and the Holy Land, Hebrew University said late Monday.

The tomb is at a site called Herodium, a flattened hilltop in the Judean Desert, clearly visible from southern Jerusalem. Herod built a palace on the hill, and researchers discovered his burial site there, the university said.

The university had hoped to keep the find a secret until Tuesday, when it planned a news conference to disclose the find in detail, but the Haaretz newspaper found out about the discovery and published an article on its Web site.

Herod became the ruler of the Holy Land under the Romans around 74 B.C. The wall he built around the Old City of Jerusalem still stands, and he also ordered big construction projects in Caesaria, Jericho, the hilltop fortress of Massada and other sites.

Comments: Wiki: Herod the Great

Exciting week ahead

1. We signed the contract with Westurn Roofing & Supply tonight. Weather permitting, the work will commence next Monday and should be done in 2 or three days.
   
2. My Mother's 87th birthday is Wednesday.
   
3. Mom is flying up from Dallas on Friday (Kathee and I have that day off)
   
4. Saturday is Rachel's college graduation from Minnesota State University, Mankato
   
5. We are driving to Mankato Saturday morning to get there early for the graduation ceremonies
   
6. Saturday night, I am taking the family out to dinner at the Kaiserhoff in New Ulm
   
7. Sunday is Mother's Day and we will be at 4th Baptist. Mom has never been there with us and we are looking forward to introducing her to our church family and Pastors.
   
8. Kathee is planning a large family gathering (and ham dinner) for Mother's Day
   
9. A week from today the roofing work commences. Mom is scheduled to fly back to Dallas next Monday.
   
10. A week from tomorrow Rachel leaves on her European trip.
    

More on the roof:

We don't have all the details worked out with Allstate. Allstate quoted a 20 year shingle and we upgraded to a 40 year roof. I am appealing the Allstate claim amount but doubt I win it. This is the 2nd time I've had a roof replaced. The house we owned in Grand Rapids when we were in Seminary desperately needed a roof but I left it alone. We had our roof replaced in Littleton Colorado back in the early 90's. Hopefully this is the last time I have to replace a roof! Asphalt shingles come in basic, good, better and best. We decided on the GAF "Timberline 40 Shadow Accent shingles". I also priced steel shingles but they are extremely expensive.

Wisdom from the Bench

Judge orders shoplifters to wear 'I'm a thief' signs

Excerpt:

Shoppers entering a Wal-Mart Supercenter in Alabama got a reminder not to try anything funny: Two shoplifters stood outside with signs reading "I am a thief, I stole from Wal-Mart."

Attalla City Judge Kenneth Robertson Jr. ordered the two people to wear the signs for four hours each during two successive Saturdays.


"The only comments we've heard so far have been positive," said store manager Neil Hawkins. "Most of them thought it was a good thing."


One of the shoplifters, Lisa King Fithian, 46, wore the sign from 11am to 3pm to avoid a 60-day jail sentence. Another convicted shoplifter was at the store from 3pm to 7pm.



'Stocks' are from Colonial Williamsburg

Comment: It makes more sense to use 'shame' for petty theft than to waste taxpayers money to lock them up!

Have Newspapers 'shot themselves in the foot'?

How to Sink a Newspaper - Free news for online customers is a disastrous business plan

Excerpt:

Collectively, the American newspaper industry spends $7 billion on news and editorial operations. This includes everything from copy editor salaries to sports travel expenses. In addition, the Associated Press spent about $600 million world-wide in editing and creating news. By offering this news for free, and selling it to aggregators like Google, Yahoo and MSN for a small fraction of what it costs to create it, newspaper readership and circulation have declined.

These declines are accelerating. In 2004 and prior years, industry circulation declines were usually less than 1%. Since March 2005, these declines have been 2%-3% per year. With declining readership comes declining ad revenues, which are followed by layoffs.

The newsroom layoffs are most troubling, as less news with less quality, context and details results in more declines in readership and later, declines in advertising. If the $7 billion spent covering news becomes $6 billion, and later $5 billion, it is not just the newspaper industry that gets hurt. Journalism will be diminished in America with less investigative and enterprise reporting; indeed, less reporting of state houses, city halls, school boards, business and sports. Clearly a lot is at stake.

It is time for newspapers to reconsider the ultimate costs and consequences of free news.

Comment: We have the USA Today and the Star Tribune delivered. I find the Sunday Star Tribune a complete waste of time and never read it (but Kathee and Roger do).

Sunday at Fourth

We are down (sadly) to our last three Sundays with Pastor McLachlan as our Pastor. Every Sunday and every service seems special. Pastor's last Sunday will be May 20th. While we have a very capable Pastoral staff - Dave Levy, Jason Stamper, Gil Sedden, and Roger Kilian - a Pastoral search committee has been organized with the purpose of replacing our Senior Pastor.

Today's highlights:

1. Pastor McLachlan's message was from 1 Timothy 3:15: "but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth."
   
2. David Charpie lead the choir and the congregation sung his composition Reconciled.
   

Kathee has to make a Home Depot run. We have some nasty caterpillars on two of our short evergreens. I think this is the third consecutive year we've had then. They are voracious destroyers and we need to wipe them out first. We had quite a bit of wind overnight. Kathee is out picking up blown down willow limbs. I will be mowing as soon as she is done.

Tonight: Back to Fourth for our communion service. Roger should be back from USMC reserves after church.

Will the Supremes consider the 2nd Amendment?

A Liberal Case for Gun Rights Helps Sway Judiciary

National
A Liberal Case for Gun Rights Helps Sway Judiciary
By ADAM LIPTAK
Published: May 6, 2007
Top liberal law professors, embracing an individual right to own guns, have helped reshape the debate.

Excerpt:

The Supreme Court has not decided a Second Amendment case since 1939. That ruling was, as Judge Stephen Reinhardt, a liberal judge on the federal appeals court in San Francisco acknowledged in 2002, “somewhat cryptic,” again allowing both sides to argue that Supreme Court precedent aided their interpretation of the amendment.

Still, nine federal appeals courts around the nation have adopted the collective rights view, opposing the notion that the amendment protects individual gun rights. The only exceptions are the Fifth Circuit, in New Orleans, and the District of Columbia Circuit. The Second Circuit, in New York, has not addressed the question.

Linda Singer, the District of Columbia’s attorney general, said the debate over the meaning of the amendment was not only an academic one.

“It’s truly a life-or-death question for us,” she said. “It’s not theoretical. We all remember very well when D.C. had the highest murder rate in the country, and we won’t go back there.”

The decision in Parker has been stayed while the full appeals court decides whether to rehear the case.

Should the case reach the Supreme Court, Professor Tribe said, “there’s a really quite decent chance that it will be affirmed.”

Comment: I hope the D.C. case goes to the Supreme Court.

The Hindenburg tragedy still resonates

The 70 year anniversary of the Hindenburg disaster

Excerpt:

At 87, Robert Buchanan says he sometimes has trouble remembering what he did 10 minutes ago. But he can recall in vivid detail the day 70 years ago when he watched the luxurious airship Hindenburg erupt into a fireball.

Flames roared across the surface of the mighty German dirigible only 100 or so feet above him, singing his hair as he ran for his life.

“It was a piff-puff, just like someone would leave the gas on and not get the flame to it,” said Buchanan, one of the last living members of the ground crew waiting to help the Hindenburg land.

Comment: Kathee and I visited this site, years ago. Frankly there is nothing to see!

Ellis Murphree: Why I stayed in Fundamentalism.

As For Me and My House...: Why I stayed in Fundamentalism.

A worthwhile read.

“teh nritish are cming.”

Dave Barry: You’ve Got Trouble

Books / Sunday Book Review
You’ve Got Trouble
By DAVE BARRY
Published: May 6, 2007
There are a lot of ways you can go very, very wrong with your e-mail.

Excerpt:

A few years back, when my son was in college, he had to mail a letter. I don’t remember the specific reason, but I do remember having a conversation with him in which he complained bitterly about the amount of work involved — finding a place where he could purchase a stamp, figuring out what kind of stamp he needed, actually writing the letter, locating an envelope, putting the letter into the envelope, having to physically leave his dormitory room to mail the envelope and so on. I grew exhausted just listening to him describe this series of arduous tasks, one coming right after another. I was glad, for my son’s sake, that he never had to live in a world — as I once did — where the only way to change channels was to walk all the way to the TV set and manually turn a knob.

Comment: Humorous thoughts on email!

Laid-back day

Nice laid-back day. My back is really bothering me. I am not panicking about this because I've been here before. Walking without crutches (around the house) is painful and I feel like my left leg wants to collapse. It does not hurt sitting or laying down. It does not hurt walking with crutches but with crutches I have a hard time standing straight up. Over the last 5 years I have had many weeks like this (months). In 2002, I had back pain for months and then it went away. In December 2004, I had back surgery and have felt well since. I'm trying to sort out my options: wait, go back to the back surgeon, etc. I have to see my regular Dr. in June but last time I saw him he was unsympathetic. So pray for me.

Kathee completely cleaned the house today. I sorted through mail and reviewed the owner's manual for the alarm system. I went grocery shopping with Kathee but only made it half way (to the back of the store), then I rested in the car.

Kathee made an excellent dinner for us: 12 oz steak split 2 ways w. picante sauce and veggie sides.

Bible time was Judges 5 & 6. Highlights:

Judges 5:2 "“When leaders lead in Israel, When the people willingly offer themselves, Bless the LORD!"

Judges 6:16 "And the LORD said to [Gideon], “Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man.”"

Email Marketing

I'm researching Email marketing systems. These two interest me.

ConstantContact

MyMail

If anyone has any experience with either of these two services, please leave a comment. Thanks

Really want to 'get away' ... REALLY GET AWAY

Colorado has 'most remote' area in U.S.

Then here's the place: Hinsdale County, Colorado

Excerpt from the Denver Post article:

The southwest Colorado county, the U.S. Geological Survey says, has more wild and roadless land per capita than anywhere else in the contiguous U.S.

Kings County, N.Y. - better known as Brooklyn - has the least roadless land per capita.

Hinsdale also is one of the few places a person can wander more than 10 miles from a road, according to the study in today's edition of the journal Science.

Google Map: Hinsdale County, CO

Comment: I would prefer to live there than Brooklyn! Large image of above map (Denver metro: 1937 vs. 1997)

Zygi's 10% solution

We'll put up $250 million for stadium

Excerpt:

The Vikings owner says his overall plans for Downtown East will cost $2 billion, and if the state wants a roof, the state should pay.

Hoping to seize an "opportunity" that he says "will create a new neighborhood, a new community and a new attitude," Minnesota Vikings owner Zygi Wilf on Friday put a $2 billion price tag on his vision to revitalize Minneapolis' Downtown East district: $954 million for a new Vikings stadium on the site of the Metrodome and an additional $1 billion to refurbish the surrounding area.

Comment:

A little history is in order. The previous plan was for a $ 670 million stadium in Blaine and the Vikings would pay $ 280 million. The lastest is a $ 2,000 million plan and the Vikings will pay $ 250 million. And the roof is extra (pd by the state)! Every time Zygi discloses a new plan, the costs go up and his contribution goes down! By the way, the Blaine plan included a roof! Both on the front page of the Star Tribune today: the juxtaposition of Foreclosures take a toll on North Minneapolis (here's a neighborhood in need!) with Zygi's proposal is sickening!

Life cut short

Cardinals Pitcher Killed in Crash Was Drunk

Sports / Baseball
Cardinals Pitcher Killed in Crash Was Drunk
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: May 5, 2007
St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Josh Hancock was drunk at the time of his fatal accident, and marijuana was found in the sport utility vehicle he was driving, according to police.

Comment: Obviously this is a high profile case, but the tragedy of drunken driving vehicle fatalities repeats itself daily.

How to ruin Yahoo

Microsoft seeks possible buyout talks with Yahoo, reports say

Excerpt:

Microsoft Corp. is resuming its pursuit of search engine operator Yahoo Inc. that could help it better compete with Web search leader Google Inc., published reports said Friday.

Comments (how I really feel):

1. I will soon be completely Microsoft free! My next PC will be a Mac! I have a Linux desktop that I use for web development (HTML), FTP, and personal finances
   
2. I'm tired of Windows, Office, service packs, bloatware, and viruses
   
3. Google is where it's at: email, office apps, calendaring, etc
   

---

1. Kathee and I read Judges 3 & 4 tonight.
   
2. I worked from home / Kathee brought Subways home
   
3. We upgrade out alarm system today. Now has cellular call out instead of hard wired dial out. Next week we upgrade to digital phone and upgrade our Internet service.
   
4. Roger is at USMC reserves this weekend.
   
5. I'm glad weekend is here!
   

Displeasing the Lord (Judges 3:5-8)

"Thus the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons; and they served their gods. So the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD. They forgot the LORD their God, and served the Baals and Asherahs. Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and He sold them into the hand of Cushan-Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia; and the children of Israel served Cushan-Rishathaim eight years."

WFC acquires GBBK

Wells Fargo to buy Greater Bay Bancorp

Excerpt:

Greater Bay Bancorp (NASDAQ: GBBK) is based in East Palo Alto and is the parent of Mid-Peninsula Bank, Bank of Petaluma, Golden Gate Bank, Coast Commercial Bank, Peninsula Bank of Commerce, Mount Diablo National Bank and Santa Clara Valley National Bank. It also owns ABD Insurance and Financial Services.

Comment: More desktops to manage!

Murder in Alley near our drive home

We left work at about 5 and drove home to Plymouth out Olson Memorial Highway. Sometimes we come home on I-394 and sometimes on Hwy 55. We were stopped for a light near I-94 and Hwy 55 and Kathee could hear helicopters hovering. A quick scan revealed that they were just N.W. of where were were stopped.

Here's the news item that explains: One man shot and killed in Minneapolis alley. The location is Humboldt and 11th Avenue N.

---

1. I did some native HTML coding at work today ... just routine maintenance.
   
2. I had the Metro Womens Center board meeting tonight and was out from 6:20 until 9:20.
   
3. Three sad stories (all in 2 days!):
   
   
   
   1. A Pastor I know of lost his 26 year old son to a drowning accident this weekend.
      
   2. A the wife Pastor whom I know miscarried.
      
   3. News that a Pastor / College Professor's wife has cancer.
      
   
   
4. Today was Rachel's last college class. She has 2 finals next week (Monday and Friday) and then graduates on Saturday the 12th.
   
5. This Sunday is my Sister and Brother in Law's 40th anniversary. They were married on May 6th, 1967. I was a Senior in H.S. I had forgotten about this important date until reminded yesterday. I sent a gift via Amazon today.
   
6. My Mom turns 87 next Wednesday. She is flying up a week from tomorrow (from Dallas).
   
7. I am working from home tomorrow as we are having our alarm system upgraded and I need to be here.
   

2 years of litigation x 1 pair of trousers = headaches for family business

Suit over lost pants seeks $65 million

A customer got so steamed when a dry cleaner lost his trousers that he sued for $65 million. Two years later, he is still pressing his suit.

The case has demoralized the South Korean immigrant owners of the mom-and-pop business and brought demands that the customer — an administrative law judge in Washington — be disbarred and removed from office for pursuing a frivolous and abusive claim.

Comment: Can you say "frivolous lawsuit"!

Should 'Hate Crimes' Bill be vetoed?

These heinousness of these stories shock us:

1. Gay man savagely beaten and left for dead (Matthew Shepard)
   
2. Black man dragged to death behind a pickup truck (James Byrd Jr.)
   
3. Hindu temple vandalized (Hindu Temple Vandalized)
   
4. Neo-Nazi graffiti sprayed on Muslim graves
   

Are these "hate crimes" or just "crimes"? And why would our President threaten to veto a "hate crimes" bill? Bush Pledges to Veto 'Hate Crimes' Bill if Congress Passes It

Before I comment, I will let the White House speak for itself:

"The administration favors strong criminal penalties for violent crime, including crime based on personal characteristics, such as race, color, religion or national origin," according to a statement released Wednesday by the White House.

"However, the administration believes that H.R. 1592 is unnecessary and constitutionally questionable," the release stated. "If H.R. 1592 were presented to the president, his senior advisors would recommend that he veto the bill.

"State and local criminal laws already provide criminal penalties for the violence addressed by the new federal crime defined in section 7 of H.R. 1592, and many of these laws carry stricter penalties (including mandatory minimums and the death penalty) than the proposed language in H.R. 1592," the statement said.

In addition, "state and local law enforcement agencies and courts have the capability to enforce those penalties and are doing so effectively."

"There has been no persuasive demonstration of any need to federalize such a potentially large range of violent crime enforcement, and doing so is inconsistent with the proper allocation of criminal enforcement responsibilities between the different levels of government," the office said.

Comments:

My gut reaction to the murders of Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. was that we needed "hate crimes" legislation. My Brother prodded me one day with this question, "are there 'love crimes'?". Crime is crime! To categorize some crimes as "hate" is to commonize other crime. James Dobson's comments reflect this fact:

"We applaud the president's courage in standing up for the constitution and the principle of equal protection under the law," he said in a statement. "The American justice system should never create second-class victims and it is a first-class act of wisdom and fairness for the president to pledge to veto this unnecessary bill."

Additionally "hate crime" legislation would result disproportionate justice for victims of certain crimes. Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) comments reflect this:

"All violent crimes must be vigorously prosecuted. However this bill, no matter how well intended, undermines basic principles of our criminal justice system. Under this bill justice will no longer be equal but depend on the race, sex, sexual orientation, disability or status of the victim,"


If I am beaten and robbed, would be because I am a minority (a handicapped person) or because someone wanted my wallet? I oppose "hate crime" legislation. An excellent list reasoning against hate crimes legislation.

Do the Episcopalians a favor - DON'T

Gay ex-governor to attend Episcopalian seminary

Excerpt:

The nation's first openly gay governor has become an Episcopalian and been accepted into a seminary, according to a published report.

Former Gov. James E. McGreevey, who was raised as a Roman Catholic, was officially received into the Episcopal religion on Sunday at St. Bartholomew's Church in New York, said the Rev. Kevin Bean, vicar at the church.

US governor resigns, admits gay affair

In a stunning declaration, Gov. James E. McGreevey announced his resignation Thursday and acknowledged that he had an affair with another man. "My truth is that I am a gay American," he said with his wife by his side at a nationally televised news conference.

"Shamefully, I engaged in adult consensual affairs with another man, which violates my bonds of matrimony," the twice-married father of two said. "It was wrong, it was foolish, it was inexcusable."

Judges: a downward trend commences

The Gutenberg Bible at the Ransom Center

Volume 1, Old Testament, Book of Judges, pages 114 verso and 115 recto

Kathee and I have (generally) been reading 2 chapters a day of the Scriptures. I say generally because we do follow this routine on Sunday nights (when we are in Church) and then there are some other nights that it does not work out for us (eg. I worked last Saturday afternoon and evening, tomorrow night I have a Metro Womens Center board meeting).

We find it valuable to not pick and choose books or chapters, but just read it right through. Some books are more difficult than others (Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel are difficult books in my opinion). But the Scripture is true when it states "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

After we finished Revelation we turned back to the beginning and restarted with Genesis. Both Kathee and I have NASB versions for personal study. I have the NASB MacArthur Study Bible that has helpful book introductions & outlines, charts, maps, and notes. (By my chair I also have a KJV, Greek interlinear, and old NASB (Ryrie study Bible), and the New King James version. I'm prepared!).

Our routine works as follows: We have dinner, Kathee makes coffee, Blue our cat comes beside Kathee on the couch for loving, and we read the Scriptures over coffee followed by prayer. Our routine takes about 15 minutes. It seems right and it works for us.

So we started back with Genesis and and just finished Joshua. The first six books of the Bible are relatively easy reading (you do have some difficult place and personage names which when reading aloud are easy to stumble over!).

Tonight we started Judges and read the first two chapters. I observed to Kathee that it seems that everything begins to go downhill for Israel beginning with Judges.

Examples:

Judges 2:1,4 "Then the Angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said: “I led you up from Egypt and brought you to the land of which I swore to your fathers; and I said, ‘I will never break My covenant with you. And you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed My voice. Why have you done this? Therefore I also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you; but they shall be thorns in your side, and their gods shall be a snare to you.’” So it was, when the Angel of the LORD spoke these words to all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voices and wept.

Note the above bolded text, "but you have not obeyed My voice". That is where Israel's downward trend commenced.

Here is a key phrase in Judges: "everyone did what was right in his own eyes"

Found here:

Judges 17:6, "In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes."

Judges 21:25, "In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes."

Not to sermonize, but it is incumbent for the disciple of Christ to endevor to obey Him as Lord! One will never do this perfectly (trust me if you knew all the details of my life you would know how imperfectly I follow Him!). But nevertheless one ought to "walk to please God" (I Thessalonians 4:1).

God has not promised health or wealth but He has promised to be with His children, to give them joy, and to bless them. The degree of one's joy and the experience of God's blessing is a function of how closely one walks with Christ.

I think that this is one of the important lessons from Judges. We are not to live a life that is "right in [our] own eyes". We are to live lives that are submissive to the revealed will of God (the Scriptures) asking the question "how [might I] please the Lord" (1 Corinthians 7:32)

Plymouth rethinks "City Center"

Plymouth hoping to increase the foot factor

Excerpt:

Last week, the City Council approved a moratorium on development in the city center -- bounded in part by Hwy. 55, Vicksburg Lane and Plymouth Boulevard. While development is paused, the city will decide how to make the area more walkable.

"For all that the city center is," said Steve Juetten, economic development director, "one thing it's not is walkable."

The council is interested in building new roads through the area. More roads could divide large stretches of land and attract new businesses -- some are hoping clothing shops -- that want street-side storefronts.

The city also is considering improving crosswalks; building pedestrian trails through parking lots; eliminating multiple accesses to Hwy. 55; and encouraging mixed-use development in spots.

Comment: My city and I am glad to live here, but City Center needs some new thinking! I like Maple Grove's City Center.

Immigration Protests - May 1st.

Dobbs: A peculiar day for immigration rallies

Excerpt:

What a spectacle, what a mess. What a day for thousands and thousands of illegal aliens and their supporters to march through the streets of many of our biggest cities demanding amnesty for illegally entering the country.

Tuesday was given over to illegal aliens and their supporters to demand forgiveness for using fraudulent documents and assisting others in entering this country illegally. What a day for illegal aliens and their supporters to demand not only amnesty but also the end to immigration raids and an end to deportations.

May Day was a peculiar choice for those demonstrations, a day in many countries in which international socialism is celebrated and a reminder of those old Soviet Union military parades.

It was also an unfortunate and ironic choice on the part of the organizers of the demonstrations. May 1 in the United States is actually Law Day, a day first established by President Eisenhower in 1958 and ultimately codified into law in 1961 at the beginning of John F. Kennedy's administration. The purpose of Law Day is to give all Americans an opportunity to reflect on our legal heritage, and by statute, encourages "the cultivation of the respect for law that is so vital to the democratic way of life."

Comments:

I am sympathetic with immigration protesters to a point. The point is this: I support legal immigration. I do not support immigration rights for those who broke United States laws to enter this country illegally!

Law Day, U.S.A.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower's 1958 Proclamation Establishing Law Day

WHEREAS it is fitting that the people of this Nation should remember with pride and vigilantly guard the great heritage of liberty, justice and equality under law which our forefathers bequeathed to us; and

WHEREAS it is our moral and civic obligation as free men and as Americans to preserve and strengthen that great heritage; and

WHEREAS the principle of guaranteed fundamental rights of individuals under the law is the heart and sinew of our Nation, and distinguishes our governmental system from the type of government that rules by might alone; and

WHEREAS our government has served as an inspiration and a beacon light for oppressed peoples of the World seeking freedom, justice and equality of the individual under law; and

WHEREAS universal application of the principles of the rule of law in the settlement of international disputes would greatly enhance the cause of a just and enduring peace; and

WHEREAS a day of national dedication to the principle of government under law would afford us an opportunity better to understand and appreciate the manifold virtues of such a government and to focus the attention of the World upon them;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER, President of the United States of America, do hereby designate Thursday, May 1, 1958 as Law Day - USA. I urge the people of the United States to observe the designated day with appropriate ceremonies and activities, and I especially urge the legal profession, the press, and the radio, television and motion picture industries to promote and to participate in the observance of that date.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the Seal of the United States of America to be affixed.

DONE at the City of Washington this Third Day of February in the Year of our Lord Nineteen Hundred and Fifty-eight, and of the Independence of the United States of America the One Hundred and Eighty-second.

(Signed) DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER By the President

Haboob

Pic above is a Haboob in Arizona
Credit: Stan Celestian, Glendale Community College

"Haboob" - gathered over Khartoum

Comment: I saw (and experienced) one of these in Arizona once when I was in Phoenix on business. I was driving a rental Mustang and the car was pelted with dust. I had to slow to a crawl and sometimes completely stop.

Here's a WIKI on Haboob. Pronounciation here: Haboob

Who is Jeremiah Wright? Should you care?

Jeremiah Wright is Barak Obama's Pastor and spiritual adviser. One wonders if Obama agrees with him!

A Candidate, His Minister and the Search for Faith

Legendary pastor mentors thousands, including U.S. Senator Barack Obama


Who Is Jeremiah Wright?

On the Sunday after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, Mr. Wright said the attacks were a consequence of violent American policies. Four years later he wrote that the attacks had proved that "people of color had not gone away, faded into the woodwork or just 'disappeared' as the Great White West went on its merry way of ignoring Black concerns."

Finishing Joshua

Kathee and I completed Joshua tonight (chapters 23 & 24). Here are some key verses:

23:6-8, "Therefore be very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, lest you turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left, and lest you go among these nations, these who remain among you. You shall not make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause anyone to swear by them; you shall not serve them nor bow down to them, but you shall hold fast to the LORD your God, as you have done to this day"

23:14-15, “Now therefore, fear the LORD, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD! And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

24:19-20, 'But Joshua said to the people, “You cannot serve the LORD, for He is a holy God. He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then He will turn and do you harm and consume you, after He has done you good.”"

How they feel about us

Sheik Ahmad Bahr

Top Hamas official: Kill all Americans

Comments: I am not suggesting that all Muslims wish to kill Jews and Americans!

Full Quote:

Sheik Ahmad Bahr, acting Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, declared during a Friday sermon at a Sudan mosque that America and Israel will be annihilated and called upon Allah to kill Jews and Americans "to the very Last One". Following are excerpts from the sermon that took place last month, courtesy of MEMRI.

Ahmad Bahr began: "You will be victorious" on the face of this planet. You are the masters of the world on the face of this planet. Yes, [the Koran says that] "you will be victorious," but only "if you are believers." Allah willing, "you will be victorious," while America and Israel will be annihilated. I guarantee you that the power of belief and faith is greater than the power of America and Israel. They are cowards, who are eager for life, while we are eager for death for the sake of Allah. That is why America's nose was rubbed in the mud in Iraq, in Afghanistan, in Somalia, and everywhere.

Bahr continued and said that America will be annihilated, while Islam will remain. The Muslims "will be victorious, if you are believers." Oh Muslims, I guarantee you that the power of Allah is greater than America, by whom many are blinded today. Some people are blinded by the power of America. We say to them that with the might of Allah, with the might of His Messenger, and with the power of Allah, we are stronger than America and Israel.

The Hamas spokesperson concluded with a prayer, saying: "Oh Allah, vanquish the Jews and their supporters. Oh Allah, count their numbers, and kill them all, down to the very last one. Oh Allah, show them a day of darkness. Oh Allah, who sent down His Book, the mover of the clouds, who defeated the enemies of the Prophet defeat the Jews and the Americans, and bring us victory over them."

Comment: The Middle East Media Research Institute is an excellent source of "providing timely translations of Arabic, Persian, and Turkish media" (quoting their "About Us" page)

If those Bible stories bore you ... try this

Spiderman 3 "Bible Study"?!

Excerpt:

Those pesky Bible stories sure can be dry, boring and irrelevant. Unbelievers now-a-days prefer the stories in popular movies over the dusty tales of Holy Writ. Isn’t there some way that we can teach 'spirituality' without having to bore people by actually opening the Bible?

Answer: Absolutely! From one of America’s most liberal seminaries, the one that has been teaching its students to ‘de-mythologize the Bible using ‘higher criticism’ for the last 4 decades, comes a “Bible Study” guide that will allow progressive and hip pastors to teach about God’s Word without actually having to open the Bible. This new ‘Bible Study’ is sooooo kewl that it allows pastors to plumb the spiritual depths of that new fountain of spiritual truth, Spiderman 3. (We bet you didn’t even know that Spiderman 3 was a Christian allegory. That’s okay. Neither did we.)

Comment: In striving to be "relevant", it seems that the modern church embraces worldly banality. In my childhood (not sure of my age but guessing about 8 or 9), I told my Sunday School teacher that I did not read the Bible because it was "boring". He asked me if I had ever read it? Sheepishly I said "no".

Readers: Spidey can't save you! (But Jesus can! (Romans 10:8-13))

Metabolic testing

Metabolic testing

Just before I got out of bed this morning, I was watching WCCO and saw that the Woodwinds hospital has a metabolic testing program. I checked it out today and signed up for May 25th. It sounded interesting to me and I will report on how it turns out.

Pawlenty's solid approval rating

56% in poll approve of Pawlenty's job

Excerpt:

Despite his often contentious relations with the Legislature, Gov. Tim Pawlenty is cruising along with a comfortable 56 percent job approval rating in the latest SurveyUSA monthly tracking poll.

Comment: I'm surprised it is not 100% (smile - not in this DFL stronghold!).

What's to like about him:

1. Backbone
   
2. Ethics
   
3. Vision for the State
   
4. Solves problems
   

Tidbits from the Fortune 500 list

Tales of the Fortune 500: The latest version of the legendary list has plenty of eye-openers

Excerpts:

Not only do we get the granddaddy of all listings of America's biggest companies, measured by revenues, but we also get them sliced and diced in all manner of ways. To name a few: There are also the broader lists of the most profitable corporations, the additions to and subtractions from the 500 in the past year and the richest money makers as well as the biggest losers.

The list that I find the most fascinating is the 500 ranked within states. Did you know that 52 of the 500 biggest companies in the land are based in California?

When it comes to rank by city, the concentration of the largest corporations is far greater. Chamber of Commerce boosters outside of Gotham will be disappointed to learn that a dominant 45 of the 500 corporations are headquartered in the Very Big Apple. In second place is Houston, way down there with 22, followed by Atlanta with 12, Chicago and Dallas with 11 each, Minneapolis and Philadelphia with eight each, and Charlotte, N.C., Pittsburgh and St. Louis all with seven each. Los Angeles and San Francisco have a surprisingly slender five each.

Quiz: Which Fortune 500 companies are HQ'd in Minneapolis?

Think about it first ... Fortune 500 List in Minnesota