New Feature Alert...an update

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Shawn

New Feature Alert

Tired of wondering, "When is Shawn going to update his blog? I'm tired of checking his blog to see if he has a new post..." Well, wonder no more my little nefarious commenters. I have added my blog to a publishing service prodvided by BlogSpot and now you can subscribe to my blog and you will be notified when a new post has occured much like an email - only better (better than email? are you joking?). Yes, hard to believe, but true.

I'm not sure what other RSS readers are out there, but I run mine through Google because (1) I have a Google Gmail account (which I love - much better than sliced bread because it never goes stale) and (2) BlogSpot is owned by Google (I think - so I've got to represent and support the homie). So, with Google, you can login to your Google Reader (do a search on Google) if you already have a Gmail account (if you don't and you want one - let me know, I got the hook up for you - they are free, tasty and stay crunchy in milk) and do a search for Username: "mereblogging" and subscribe. My last 10 posts will magically appear in your Readers In-Box.

Give a shout-out if you need/want help. And some of you *cough*Josh*cough* ought to sign up for this too since it would be nice to get the alert when you've updated. Think of it like "bling" for your blog - dont' be a hater...

Shawn

Men's Retreat

Wow - I haven't been to one of these types of events in a long, long, long, long, long time...So long ago, in fact, I probably could have started this post with the famous "In a galaxy far, far away...", but I wasn't sure how to get the cool scroll on the text on a space background.

It's only for the night but I'm looking forward to it anyway. Should be a good time to get out of Phoenix for a bit just relax and focus on God without any of the unnecessary distractions.

Anyone else going?

Shawn

Let the Crying Game Begin...

Oh boy, if you can't beat them, then accuse them of cheating and threaten to quit. Topalov is upset because Kramnik goes to the bathroom an unusually high amount of times, but what if the guy is sick? He has had some medical issues in the past that has kept him out of high profile tournaments, so it wouldn't be anything new.

Is Kramnik's behaviour suspicious? I guess one could see it that way. But why the sudden urge just to assume that he is cheating? I think Topalov knows that he is no match for Kramnik. He is in over his head and he is down 3-1 with 8 games to play. That is going to be a major uphill battle for him to win this match because Kramnik has a tough, attacking style and is willing to take chances at the board. And even if Topalov managed to climb to a 6-6 tie with Kramnik, ties always go to the champion retaining his title. However, I haven't read the match rules for this particular game, so I'm not sure if they go to a sudden game playoff system or not. The rules for that are typically negotiated between both camps as to the number of games played for the match and tie-breaking scenarios.

If I was Topalov, the only thing I would worry about, besides my game, is wondering if Kramnik washes his hands after each visit...

If you wish to read the official (translated) accusation, you can do so here.

Shawn

World Chess Championship Match

For those of you who care to know anything about the WCC match that began this past Saturday, well, here is the skinny so far.

Veselin Topalov (challenger) vs. Vladimir Kramnik (current World Champion) is taking place and they will play a total of 12 games. So far, in the first 2 games, Kramnik has won both. the last 2 games have ended in draws giving Kramnik a 3-1 lead so far in the match. I hope he wins again as he is one of the stronger players in the world. Unfortunately Kasparov retired because the chess world is in such disarray with all the politics involved in it. Hopefully they (FIDE) will figure out a way to fix the mess they have created and get the chess world back in order before it's entirely too late and the whole thing falls apart.

Shawn

LOST Recap

While officially the new season (Season 3) kicks off next Wednesday, tonight ABC and LOST have put together a "recap" show that is geared to getting newbies caught up and Losties salivating like Pavlo's dog for next weeks show: A Tale of Two Cities. If you want to see what tonights show is going to be about, a short synopsis can be found at the Lostpedia website. If you are new to the show and haven't completed Season 2, I'll leave it up to you to decide if you ought to watch tonights recap or not. It might give up some plot elements, but it shouldn't take too much away from continuing to watch the remainder of Season 2. Or, if you have Tivo or DVR, you could just record it, finish up Season 2 and then watch it next week as a kick-off to the season opener.

Enjoy!

Shawn

LOST: T-Minus 1 Week

Only 1 more week left before the show kicks off it's Season 3 opener...well, sort of. I'll make a separate post for that news. Are you ready? :)

So this week I thought it would be cool to see who your favorite and least favorite characters are, what your favorite episode is so far (for those who haven't seen all of both seasons), what is your favorite character back story, what character do you want to know more about and any theories on what's going on? I'll go ahead and start this one (in responding, try not to give any plot elements away for those who are still catching up - I would hate to run a show for anyone):

1. Favorite Character: This is a tough one for me because I've got a few, but if pressed I would pick Hurley. He constantly tries to do the right thing and he is always so concerned about everyone else around him. He just has a big heart.
2. Least Favorite Character: This is a much easier pick - Ana Lucia. For awhile it was Sawyer, but when she showed up, it was all bad vibes. Don't get me wrong, Sawyer is still a punk in my book, but Ana just comes across as so cold-blooded and heartless. I also have a feeling that in Season 3 Sawyer will reclaim this spot. :)
3. Favorite Episode: Final episode of Season 2 - "Live Together, Die Alone"
4. Favorite Character Back Story: Mr. Eko - Season 2 - "The 23rd Psalm"
5. Character I want to know more about: "Henry Gale" - extreme mystery surrounding him. Also Desmond...dude is way cool, but a ton of mystery around him as well.
6. Theories...? Whatever the button does is bad and there appear to be real consequences for not pressing it. I think that the Island is a controlled environment used for experiements and that the Others are the observers (scientists) in this whole thing. I think the survivors of Oceanic flight 815 are the "rats" and it's some social experiement - a la Lord of the Flies. Although there is the secret Hanso footage that was found over the summer, I'm not sure how that fits in with my theory and it may need to be revised.

Shawn

Fairy Tales and Faith

This is my response from another discussion that is occuring elsewhere in the e-world. I thought it might be interesting to see what kind of reaction I get from it here as well. It hasn't caused much of a stir in the other discussion.

[Begin my response]

Even though I have only read one of his books (it's the only book I've been able to find to get my eyes and hands on) I have become enthralled with G.K. Chesterton and his book Orthodoxy. My favorite chapter in the book is The Ethics of Elfland. Since I purchased the book about 3 or 4 months ago, I must have read the entire book about 4 times now - it's witty and insightful, refreshing and disarming. In the Ethics of Elfland (which I've read on it's own a few more times than the book as a whole) Chesterton speaks about how fairyland is reality, and everything else is fantastical. It speaks about the practicalness of things in fairyland, that we expect them to be just as they are because that's the way things are.

Therefore, "if the Ugly Sisters are older than Cinderella, it is (in an iron and awful sense) NECESSARY that Cinderella is younger than the Ugly Sisters. There is no getting out of it...If Jack is the son of a miller, a miller is the father of Jack. Cold reason decrees it from her awdul throne: and we in fairyland submit. If the three brothers all ride horses, there are six animals with eighteen legs involved: that is true rationalism, and fairyland is full of it. But as I put my head over the hedge of the elves and begin to take notice of the natural world, I observed an extraordinary thing. I observed that learned men in spectacles were talking of the actual things that happened - dawn and death and so on - as if THEY were rational and inevitable. They talked as if the fact that trees bear fruit were just as NECESSARY as the fact that two and one trees make three. But it is not. There is an enormous difference by the test of fairyland; which is the test of the imagination. You cannot IMAGINE two and one not making three. But you can easily imagine trees not growing fruit; you can imagine them growing golden candlesticks or tigers hanging on by the tail. These men in spectacles spoke much of a man named Newton, who was hit by an apple, and who discovered a law. But they could not be got to see the distinction between a true law, a law of reason, and the mere fact of apples falling. If the apple hit Newton's nose, Newton's nose hit the apple. That is a true necessity: because we cannot conceive the one occuring without the other. But we can quite well conceive the apple not falling on his nose; we can fancy it flying ardently through the air to hit some other nose, of which it had a more definite dislike. We have always in our fairy tales kept this sharp distinction between science and mental relations, in which there really are laws, and the science of physical facts, in which there are no laws, but only weird repetitions. We believe in bodily miracles, but not in mental impossibilities. We believe that a Bean-stalk climbed up to Heaven; but that does not at all confuse our convictions on the philosophical question of how many beans make five." (G.K. Chesteron - Orthodoxy (an exerpt taken from the chapter The Ethics of Elfland), 1906)

Now the difference between what the Christian believes and what everyone else believes is that there is the possibility for "magical trees with magical fruit"; for a creature being formed from dust, or talking snakes, or flaming swords weilded by guardian angels to the entrance of the enchanted garden. The Christian is free to believe in fairyland as being actually so, being actually real, because we have a God who can do those things and make it so. We have a God who can make himself a man and perform "magic" (like Cinderella's carriage turning into a pumpkin) like walking on water, or turning water into wine, or raising himself up from the dead. In our fairyland we expect our God to do these things because that is what God does and they are not fantastical, but quite the opposite. What is fantastical is that people "in spectacles" would deny that such things exist; would deny that such things really are as they have been spoken and written of and would in fact try to convince us that those are just made-up stories with a good moral point. But the reality of it is that the metaphorical and mythical is real and not just a story. Tolkein was much closer to any truth than any scientific textbook would dare to get.

[End my response]

Shawn

White and Nerdy [MM]*

They see me mowing my front lawn
I know they're all thinking I'm so white and nerdy

Think I'm just too white and nerdy
Think I'm just too white and nerdy
Can't you see I'm white and nerdy
Look at me I'm white and nerdy

I wanna roll with the gangters
But so far they all think I'm too white and nerdy

Think I'm just too white and nerdy
Think I'm just too white and nerdy
I'm just too white and nerdy
Really, really white and nerdy

First in my class here at MIT
Dice skills I'm a champion at D&D
MC Escher that's my favorite MC
Keep your 40 oz just having Earl Gray Tea
My rims never spin to the contrary
You'll find that they're quite stationary
All of my action figures are cherry
Stephen Hawking's in my library
My MySpace page is all totally pimped out
Got people begging for top eight spaces
Yo, I know Pi to a thousand places
Ain't got no grills but I still where braces
I order all of my sandwiches with mayonaise
I'm a whiz at Mind Sweeper and I play for days
Once we see my sweet moves you're gonna stay amazed
My fingers moving so fast I set the place a-blaze
Have a killer app I haven't run
At Pascal well I'm number one
Do [] calculus just for fun
I ain't got a gack but I got a sodering gun
Happy Days is my favorite theme song
I could sure kick your butt in a game of ping-pong
I can ace any trivia quiz you bring on
I'm fluent in Javascrip as well as Klingon

You see me roll on my Segway
I know in my heart they think I'm white and nerdy

Think I'm just too white and nerdy
Think I'm just too white and nerdy
Can't you see I'm white and nerdy
Look at me I'm white and nerdy

I'd like to roll with the gangters
Although it's apparent i'm too white and nerdy

Think I'm just too white and nerdy
Think I'm just too white and nerdy
I'm just too white and nerdy
How'd I get so white and nerdy

I been browsin', inspectin'
X-Men comics you know I collect 'em
The pens in my pocket I must protect 'em
My ergonomic keyboard never leaves me board
Shopping online for deals on some writeable media
I edit Wikipedia
I memorized the Holy Grail really well
I can recite it right now and have you ROTFLOL
I gotta business doin' websites
When my friends need some code who do they call?
I do HTML for 'em all
Even did a homepage for my dog
Yo, I got myself a fanny pack
They were havin' a sale down at the GAP
Spend my nights with a roll of bubble wrap
Pop, Pop
Hope no one sees me, get freaky
I'm nerdy in the extreme
whiter than sour cream
I was in A/V club and Glee Club and even the Chess Team
Only question I ever thought was hard
Was do I like Kirk or do I like Picard
Spend every weekend at the Renaissance Fair
Got my name on my underwear

They see me strollin', they laughin'
An rollin' their eyes cause I'm so white and nerdy

Just because I'm white and nerdy
Just because I'm white and nerdy
All because I'm white and nerdy
Holy cow I'm white and nerdy

I'm wanna bowl with the gangsters
But oh well, it's obvious I'm white and nerdy

Think i'm just too white and nerdy
Think i'm just too white and nerdy
I'm just too white and nerdy
Look at me I'm white and nerdy

- "Weird Al" Yankovic, Straight Outta Lynwood (2006)
* [MM] - Music Mondays

Okay - so I'm guessing I know what is nerdier. That I took the time to figure out all the words (expect two I can't make out, that's where the bracket's [] are - if you can figure it out, let me know) or that I like Weird Al. Anyway, now you too can rap along with Al's next big hit! Woot Woot!

Shawn

White and Nerdy

The King of Parody is back!!! Straight outta Lynwood too - ya fools! Weird Al Yankovic has been one of my favorites for a long time - especially when you are in the mood to not take yourself too seriously. His new album is released this coming Tuesday and I can't wait - he never disappoints. To catch his new video, you've got to watch it here. It's hilarious!!!

Enjoy.

Shawn

P.S. Watch it here to:

"peace out"

LOST Quotes

This is a friendly reminder that Season 3 of LOST begins in 2...count 'em...2 weeks - yay!!!

So I thought for this reminder we could share our favorite LOST quotes. I have a several, but I'll post two for now:

Hurley: "Uh, dude. You've got Arnst on you."

and

Desmond: "Catch ya in another life, brotha."

Shawn

Faith on Film - Take 1

20th Century Fox released an annoucement yesterday that it was starting up a new division called FoxFaith. I'm sure some will disagree with me on this, and I would definitely like to read those comments, but for some reason this doesn't sit well with me. This article claims that the new company will be headed up by Jeff Yordy, a Christian within the film industry and former director of Marketing for 20th Century Fox.

While all that is good and well, I don't really care for the apparent fragmenting that is taking place. Why can't Christian directors, actors, screenwriters, etc. do something within an established name? Why does something new need to be created just to get credibility? To me, it doesn't seem like we are making any headway, but rather becoming further segregated in an already tough market. While we have, to some extent, a distinction between secular and religious movies - isn't this move going to make the chasm between the two camps even more wide? It just seems that more distance can be created now, particularly by Fox (the parent company) if it chooses to not do an overtly religious film, by sending it to the youngster FoxFaith down the hall. And if it fails under the FoxFaith banner, well, at least it doesn't taint our reputation. Will it become that people will avoid the movie just because it has the FoxFaith trademark on the packaging? If so, what ground have we gained?

I think there is still a need for good, quality directors, actors, screenwriters and the like to put out compelling movies that have a latent Christian feel to them without beating the viewer over the head. Movies like The Shawshank Redemption that speak about the ideas of Justice vs. Injustice and how even in the face of gross Injustice, Hope still has a place to grow and flourish. I'm not saying that overtly Christian movies are bad, but they only target a specific audience - one that already has both feet firmly planted in the Christian camp. But movies that deal with real-life issues and have as main themes to the plot great Christian virtues can be just as effective to those outside the Christian camp without being preachy. It's not about hiding behind the celluloid or a cleverly crafted line - it's about reaching out sensitively to an audience and surreptitiously advancing the Christian message in the tone and feel of the movie.

Shawn

What's yer Pirattude, matey?

If ya didn't be knowin', today be talk like a pirate day. Argh...

Uh, yeah, I'm not to good at all of that. Anyway, today is officially Talk Like A Pirate Day! I searched around and all I could find was a couple of pirate glossaries here and here. If would like to learn how to talk like a pirate, then watch this invaluable instruction video. And if you wish to know your Pirate Name, then go here.

My Pirate Name is

My pirate name is:

Dread Pirate Kidd

Like the famous Dread Pirate Roberts, you have a keen head for how to make a profit. Even though you're not always the traditional swaggering gallant, your steadiness and planning make you a fine, reliable pirate. Arr!

Get your own pirate name from piratequiz.com.
part of the fidius.org network

Shawn

One More Time [MM]*

Behind my eyes
I keep my truth from you.
No one enters
this secret place,
the barrier only I embrace.
Time is fleeting now
they say.
Take time to look inside
and face...the change.

Dig down deep
to find the man I thought I was.
A dog on the treadmill panting,
the master pulls the leash, laughing.
Now I can't remember why
I needed to run, needed to try so hard.

One more time around
is all I ask for now,
a star to steer by, wind to
take me home again.

"Work hard in life boy
there's paradise in the end."
Year after year we struggle to gain
the happiness our parents never claimed.
They told us all we had to do
was do what we're told, buy what was sold.
"Invest in gold, and never get old."

One more time around
is all I ask for now,
a star to steer by, wind to
take me home again.

- Queensryche, Promised Land (1994)
* [MM] - Music Mondays

Oops - almost forgot to post a song for today. Queensryche, for a brief time, were the kings of progressive rock. This is one of my favorite songs by them off their last good album - in my opinion. Oh, they're still releasing albums, but nothing has come close to touching their previous releases. I really wish they would just fade away and stop putting out bad music just to sell records. Oh well, one can always hope that they will find their way back to good songwriting again. Unfortunately, I just a big enough sucker that I'll keep buying whatever they put out - so in the end I guess it's shame on me.

Shawn

Evolution, Creation, or somewhere in between?

Oh boy - here we go...

So the question is where do you fall? Are you an evolustionist, a creationist or somewhere in the middle (theistic-evolution)? I'm not going to post the discussions that I have been engaged in over the past couple of days, but let's just say it has been both eye-opening and very interesting. There exists an email group made up primarily of Church of Christ ministers and leaders and sometimes the discussions on there can get rather sticky. Well, this one has come up in the last couple days, but since all the discussion within the group is respectfully confidential, I thought I would toss out a similar question just to see what peoples thoughts are.

Can you be a Chrsitian and believe in Evolution (macro)? Are the two at odds or can are they complimentary to one another? How would changing your view regarding Evolution (either pro or con) change your view of Scripture, if at all?

Shawn

LOST?

3 weeks and counting. LOST officially returns for its third season beginning October 4th. It will have a six-week run of all new episodes. Then it will be off the air until January and then it will have all new episodes playing each week until the season finale with no breaks. I can't wait - got to get my LOST fix! :)

As what happened between Seasons 1 and 2 with all the unanswered questions, so it is between Seasons 2 and 3. The season finale left us with a huge bombshell (nearly as big as the one ending Season 1). I can't wait to find out what is going on and what is going to happen. I'm so curious about so many things that they showed us during the finale and what it all means. The writers are sadistic - putting clues out there and then letting us suffer over the summer just speculating and guessing as to what it all means and how it all fits together in the over all story.

Catch you later "brotha",

Shawn

In What God Do We Trust?

Okay, so I stole the title of this post, but hey, I don't feel like making up my own right now. An interesting study and poll was taken by students at Baylor University. I thought I would post a link to the short explanation with the results. This is hosted on NPR's website.

In What God Do We Trust?

Shawn

Apologetic Tactics (Update)

Yesterday I posted a comment based on a discussion taking place on a website. I realized that I hadn't posted a link to the actual debate - my bad. Here is a link so that you can see the context in which the discussion has been taken place in. WARNING: there is some rather rough language within some of the peoples comments - read at your own risk.

Digg - The Bible goes Web 2.0

Shawn

Apologetic Tactics

Here is a prime example of when you can employ your tactics. For those of you who are in my Sunday morning class or if you have been in the teens Sunday evening session with me for the past couple of weeks, this will be good practice. Dan Shewmaker emailed me a link to a message forum. The topic of discussion was a new version of the eBible software - an online, electronic Bible.

Here is just one person's comment regarding the Bible in general:

Well flag, I certainly agree there seems the anti-Christian thing seems to be common among the geek/hacker "oh-look-at-me-I'm-a-rebel" types, but I can't agree with your statement on Islam being responsible for murder.

The true ideals of Islam do not support murder. Those who take life are responsible for taking life, blaming it on their religion is simply an excuse for discrimination. In all reality, radical Islam's current state slightly mirror's a certain other religion's crusade many centuries ago, albeit the methods are considered less tasteful. But blame the people themselves, don't generalize them into what's actually a peaceful religion.

Honestly, I wouldn't mind seeing the Koran get this kind of Web 2.0 makeover. Many people, myself included, do not completely understand the religion's true belief's and I think it would be good if we could have some searchable insight into it.

Okay - here is the challenge if you choose to accept it - let me know 1. what false assumptions are being made and 2. use the Suicide Tactic to find a major flaw in his comment. Actually, there are a couple, but one stands out like a major sore thumb.

For those of you who don't know what the Suicide Tactic is, I'll do a post just on that topic a little later.

Shawn

Holy Flakes [MM]*

On top of a dusty shelf in a small town grocery
Were boxes of some store brand flakes that hadn't sold in years
The manager that transfered in with marketing degrees
Thought he could sell that cereal with his big fresh ideas

He found a picture of the pope and when he got it scanned
Used photoshop to take a spoon and put it in his hand
Then a bubble with a caption of what the pope was trying to say
If you're a Christian act like one and eat your Holy Flakes

Holy Flakes, Holy Flakes,
Holy, Holy, Holy, Holy Flakes

The same old folks came in that week to get their raisin bran
They all felt convicted when they saw the holy man
So they filled their carts up with John Paul instead of stuff they liked
They thought it was their duty as the good God fearing kind

Holy Flakes, Holy Flakes,
Holy, Holy, Holy, Holy Flakes

And the Holy Flakes sold so well
They couldn't keep them on the shelf
So they diversified
Soon there were Sacred Chips,
Virgin Mary Chicken Strips
And Prince of Peace Apple Pie

It doesn't matter if it has no taste cause it's all in the name
Soon they had a one brand town with pantries all the same
It left them with no appetite for stuff that broke the mold
And a faith that was as shallow as the milk left in the bowl of Holy Flakes

- Andy Gullahorn, Room to Breathe (2004)
* [MM] - Music Mondays

Yeah, so I'm attracted to those songs that are a little off-center. It's tongue-in-cheek, but still I think it has a pretty good message. If we are just a bunch of Christian clones then we will fail to not only make an impact, but also fail to grow and progress. Not sure if I've posted on this subject before, but C.S. Lewis writes about resistence thinking as a way of progressing in one of the essays in God In The Dock. The idea is that if we all go the same and do the same thing, then there is no progress being made. But if someone is willing to resist the current trends and traditions and look think outside the box, then it is in that resistence of going along with the crowd that actual progress takes place. They break out of the mold and push the boundaries. I like that idea.

Shawn

It's That Time!

Woo Hoo!!!

The NFL season officially kicks-off tonight and I can't wait. Ah, football in the Fall is like comfort food - I love this time of year!!!

Shawn

The Cinematic Adventure

All events took place on September 4th, 2006...

3:00 PM - Sylvie Fisher arrives at Davina and Shawn's house early to visit
3:15 PM - Davina makes Sylvie some coffee (Folgers - single serving packet)
3:30 PM - Sylvie finishes her coffee (two sugars, no cream)
3:32 PM - I put on my shoes and get the house and car keys
3:34 PM - Davina puts on her socks and shoes
3:40 PM - We get in Davina's green Ford Focus and leave our house - we are all going to see The Illusionist at Harkins theater.
3:51 PM - Intersection of 91st Ave and Peoria Ave. While traveling west along Peoria Ave, a car traveling east is in the left hand turn lane. The lady either thinks she has time to make the left-hand turn or else just isn't paying attention. She pulls right out in front of me (I'm driving, Davina is in the passenger seat next to me, Sylvie is in the back behind Davina). The light is green and I can't believe she is doing this. I squeal the tires and turn the car to the right but she isn't stopping so I crank the wheel the other way. I clip the rear of her vehicle (White Suzuki 4-door) deftly removing her rear bumper. The damage to Davina's car is the front right side is banged up - headlight is broken, front quater panel is buckled up and the passenger door won't open. Everyone in our car and the "other" car is unhurt as far as we can all tell. Felt bad for the other driver, older lady with a handicap sign hanging from her rear-view mirror. The Peoria Police arrive - we all exchange information and are sent on our way - not sure if she was ticketed or not - doesn't really matter I suppose.

Drove the car home - made phone calls to the insurance, Davina's brother and mom. Then we all piled into Sylvie's car - made our way to Quizno's for a quick bite to eat and caught the 7:20 movie for The Illusionist. That movie is fantastic. Good acting, good story, good plot and filmed rather well. I recommend it.

Shawn