October 2006 - Posts
Yes, I got a new CD of Delirious? and you get to read new Music and Meaning posts. Aren't you lucky?
While I'm on the subject, are any readers (sound of crickets) actually enjoying these? I know I seem to only write about two bands, but are you even reading them? Let me know. Leave a comment or send a hate mail, something.
First, the lyrics. It's a pretty slow song with mostly piano playing, though at the end when it really gets amped up, the drums and guitar get into it.
I’m waiting here for my life to change,
When the waters stir you can rearrange me.
Just one touch is all I need,
I’ve nothing much but the wounds I feel,
I’m looking for the hand of the miracle man.
Holy, you are holy,
Who was and is and is to come.
Holy, you are holy, Saviour, Healer,
I’m standing at the feet of the miracle maker.
I’m holding on, with your life in mine,
Living water’s come,
And you’ve rearranged me.
Holy you are holy,
Who was and is and is to come.
Holy, you are holy,
Saviour, healer,
I’m staring in the face of the miracle maker.
Holy, you are holy,
Who was and is and is to come.
Jesus, precious Jesus,
Thank you, Saviour,
I’m walking in the shoes of my miracle maker.
I’m standing with the faith of a miracle maker.
This is just a pure praise song. The emotion in it is raw and exposed, which really appeals to me. Too many modern praise songs are bereft of any connection, just saying how wonderful everything is. This song doesn't do that. It reminds me of the story of the woman who just wanted to touch the hem Jesus' robe, knowing that it was all she needed to heal herself. If we all came to Jesus with that kind of faith and trust, how much different would our lives be?
Tell you what, Martin Smith, Stuart Garrard, and the boys have outdone themselves on this album. It's lyrically one of the best of any of theirs, which is saying something. Musically it has that same kind of British rock vibe to it, which is just cool. I went to Wal-Mart today hoping to pick up their live CD/DVD today, but they didn't have it. Why they stock Paris Hilton's crap but not this I'll never know.
I told my wife that for my birthday I wanted to buy two of the Delirious? CDs that I don't have yet. (Obviously. If I had them, why would I buy them again? Brilliant writing by me. And here I am now, lost in this parenthetic, wondering how to get out of it. I don't blame you if you bail on me right now, it's going to get deep in a second. Still here?)
The first one I purchased (iTunes is great) was The Mission Bell. I'm really liking it, but then this song just jumped out and slapped me in the face. I'm going to put this in my Music and Meaning topic, but I'm not going to add anything to the words. Just read them and let it soak in. The music is really good as well. Off you go. Come back later for more. The song is called Our God Reigns.
40 million babies lost to Gods great orphanage,
It’s a modern day genocide and a modern day disgrace
If this is a human right then why aren’t we free?
The only freedom we have is in a man nailed to a tree.
100 million faces, staring at the sky,
Wondering if this HIV will ever pass us by.
The devil stole the rain and hope trickles down the plug,
But still my Chinese take away could pay for someone’s drugs.
Our God reigns, Our God reigns,
Forever your kingdom reigns.
The west has found a gun and it’s loaded with ‘unsure’
Nip and tuck if you have the bucks in a race to find a cure.
Psalm one hundred and thirty nine is the conscience to our selfish crime,
God didn’t screw up when he made you,
He’s a father who loves to parade you.
Yes he reigns, yes you reign, yes you reign,
For there is only one true God,
But we’ve lost the reins on this world,
Forgive us all, forgive us please,
As we fight for this broken world on our knees.
I'm taking a programming class in grad school and up until this week, my average in the class has been a perfect 100. An assignment I turned in last week didn't come back perfect though. What's my average now?
99.8.
There goes my GPA.
(Tongue deeply embedded in cheek here. I thought I would do FAR worse than a 97 on the assignment. Didn't even work right.)
Joe Carter at The Evangelical Outpost raises this point. (He admits he stole the idea from David Wayne.)
How much does the frequency of a blogger matter to your loyalty as a
reader? Has RSS changed the way you read blogs? Is too frequent posting
detrimental?
I would say that frequency is a two-edged sword. I'm posting more frequently lately, but I have really no idea of my readership. I'm also somewhat schizophrenic in my posts because my topics cover a fairly wide range. Just in this last week there have been three sports related posts, when I bet I haven't done three total before that. As my interests shift from politics to sports to weather to faith, my posts follow the same trends. I think it would be hard for anyone who is not a personal acquaintance of me to really check back here.
To me, frequency is important in that it's nice to have an update every couple of days or so. Too many posts and I lose interest though. I used to read IMAO all the time, but find myself glossing over it now because there is just too much stuff that I'm not interested in. Nothing against FrankJ and crew though. I still read about everything that comes through Wizbang because they tend to post things that I'm interested in. Instapundit is not a big deal either because Glenn's posts tend to be short and he's more of a link aggregator anyway. PowerLine is another one that I used to read frequently, but their posts are now so long that I won't spend the time to read through them all.
RSS absolutely changed the way I read. I've gotten to the point where I've added my news sites to my Bloglines account so it's all in one place. I rarely go to the individual sites unless I either can't read all of it, or I want to comment on the site itself. (See my blogroll here.)
Posting which is too frequent can be detrimental to a blog. Group blogs are a good thing, but can overwhelm readers at a certain point.
Just my $0.02.
Wouldn't you know it. Just as soon as I start updating frequently, the hardware my site is hosted on crashes and I lose it for 12 hours. Eesh.
Anyway, here's an update from my story yesterday about the rumored attack this weekend. From the Dallas Morning News:
The FBI was
interviewing a Milwaukee resident Thursday believed to be responsible
for posting what officials think are phony threats on a Web site about
radiological dirty bomb attacks on NFL football stadiums this weekend.
The person, described only as a young adult, did not appear to have any
ties to terrorist groups, according to a law enforcement official who
spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation was ongoing.
The threats, which were posted on the Internet site a week ago, were
not seen as credible and were not backed up by intelligence indicating
such an attack might be imminent, according to the FBI and the Homeland
Security Department.
Homeland Security on Wednesday
alerted the NFL and authorities in New York, Miami, Atlanta, Seattle,
Houston, Oakland and Cleveland, saying they were acting "out of an
abundance of caution."
I'd still keep an eye out though. Who knows what is real and what is fake anymore.
I don't know that by adding those
extra services it will make them king, it's more like adding jewels to the crown. Google already owns the internet world. Whenever your name has been turned into a verb (i.e., "Why don't you google that") then you've taken over. Microsoft will never reach that point, at least not in the internet world. Google is king and we are all just living in the fiefdom.
Scroll down for updates - MOST LIKELY A HOAX
Just over one month ago, I had a post which referred to what people were calling an "American Hiroshima." The links in the post talked about how there were rumors that terrorists were planning a dirty bomb attack during Ramadan. Well, Ramadon started 22 September and will end 23 October. Now, I read this.
A Web site is
claiming that seven NFL football stadiums will be hit with radiological
dirty bombs this weekend, but the government on Wednesday expressed
doubts about the threat.
The warning, posted Oct. 12, was
part of an ongoing Internet conversation titled "New Attack on America
Be Afraid." It mentioned NFL stadiums in New York, Miami, Atlanta,
Seattle, Houston, Oakland and Cleveland, where games are scheduled for
this weekend.
More alarmism? Maybe. But this was in the Dallas Morning News, not just a random link on a blog. I'm trying to find the site they are talking about, but haven't got it yet. I'll update if I find it.
UPDATE
I'm not going to call BS on it yet, but the only thing I can find like what is from a website called The Friend Society. However, it's dated back to 18 September, not 12 October like the DMN article said. The site is also down, so who knows. The only thing I can get is a Google cache of the thread, see it here. (The site can be crude, I'm not really sure what it is.) The thread in turn links to an article from Canada Free Press which is itself dated 16 September. I'm still looking.
UPDATE II
It's an AP story, not specific to the Dallas Morning News. I'm seeing it linked all over right now.
UPDATE III
LGF has picked up on it. I'll link to Charles' site so you can get more info about it. He'll get far more hits than I will.
UPDATE IV
Kim Priestap over at Wizbang has blogged on it too. However, it looks like The Jawa Report has the definitive take on it.
UPDATE V
The Jawa Report has another post on this. Apparently it's from a 9/11 "truther" who posted it on the site I mentioned earlier. Rusty says:
Thus, the 'threat' was actually a conspiracy nut who claims the U.S.
government will be behind the dirty bomb plot and then lay the blame on
al Qaeda. Al Qaeda will be more than willing to accept the blame.
I would say to ignore it, but stranger things have happend. God help anyone if they try to mess with Americans and their football though. Except Oakland. Their teams sucks anyway.
No, not just the University of Kansas. In fact, there have been more stories this last week about the start of basketball practices at other schools in Kansas than about KU. That's saying something.
Today, ESPN's Andy Katz wrote about Mark Turgeon and the Wichita State basketball team. Read the article here. Last Friday, he wrote about Midnight Madness at Kansas State. Read that one here.
I think it would be pretty cool if somehow Kansas, Kansas State, and Wichita State were all to be ranked at the same time. Doing that takes us back to the 80s, to the days of Danny Manning, Rolando Blackman and Mitch Richmond, and Xavier McDaniel, Cliff Levingston, and Antoine Carr.
It's looking like it's going to be a good year to be a basketball fan in my beloved home state. I miss Kansas.
I think it's great that Dove is doing this. They have a very interesting campaign going on right now.
I'm trying to think of any colleges who are good in both football and men's basketball, but I really can't think of many. Here's my rundown
Basketball schools
- Duke
- Kansas
- North Carolina
- Kentucky
- Cincinnati
- UMass
- UConn
- Gonzaga
- UCLA
Football schools
- USC
- Florida State
- Miami FL (which is actually more of a thug school, as evidenced this last weekend)
- Texas A&M
- Nebraska
- Notre Dame
- Michigan (wouldn't say this 10 years ago, but they've been pretty terrible for a while in basketball)
- Ohio State
Both
Of course this is all based in the here and now. Kansas State used to be good in basketball until about 1994, which was about the same they started getting good if football. Now their football team is on the way down(or already there) and the basketball is on the way up. I wonder if this is true in most schools. Is there only enough support for one sport at many schools?
I saw this letter this morning from former US Representative and House Majority Leader *** Armey to Dr. James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family (wow, that's a lot of links in one sentence). I have to say that I agree with what Mr. Armey says, if everything in the letter about Dr. Dobson is true. I think that the government getting involved in the Terry Schaivo case last year was pure farce. There was no reason to get involved. It was being handled through the courts as it should have been. The federal government does not need to swoop in and take control of a single person's situation. Honestly, I don't think the government should be the one to sweep in and take control of a whole raft of people either (case in point: Katrina) but that's just my opinion. This country was not founded by people who waited for someone to come help them if they needed something. It was founded by people who buckled down and helped themselves.
Anyway, back to Armey vs Dobson. I especially agree with this section:
Freedom works. Freedom is a gift from God Almighty, and we
have a responsibility to protect it. Christians face a temptation to
power when we are fortunate enough to have a majority of support in
Congress. But government can never advance a faith that is freely
given, and it is corrosive to even try. Just look at Europe, where
decades of nanny-state activism— including taxpayer support for
churches and for religious political parties— have severely eroded the
faith. In America today, too many of our Christian leaders fail to
recognize the temptation to power and the danger it holds for our
society and our faith.
And so America’s Christian conservative movement is
confronted with this divide: small government advocates who want to
practice their faith independent of heavy-handed government versus big
government sympathizers who want to impose their version of
“righteousness” on others through the hammer of law.
Follow the links for more information.
(Thanks to Ryan Sager, h/t to Glenn Reynolds)
I'm not changing any of this. It's too funny. Got this from a friend of mine who lives in Alaska. (Anyone who knows me can figure out who it is) I've only corrected grammar (sorry buddy) and taken his name out. It's a little crude, but it's way too funny.
I've been sick for a couple of months now. I've had several tests done on me... What did they find... nothing!!! We thought i might have my gall bladder removed... no. it's healthy.
So I went to a new doctor & had more test ran on me.... Nothing!! She finally told me i had "behavioral issues" What's new, Lady! Well, all that to say this... She called me yesterday. Let me give the play by play
Dr. Peters: "We found something"
Me: (now we are getting somewhere... )"OK.. what is it"
Dr. Peters: "You have Giardia"
Me: (Great I have a STD... How do I explain this one.) "Giardia.... What's that?"
Dr. Peters: "Beaver Fever"
Me: (I've had that since I was 13, I don't think your going to cure it.) "Beaver Fever?"
Dr. Peters "That's it's nickname... it's a parasite that is waterborn. Most of the time campers get it from drinking the water that animals poop in"
Me: (Great, i have a disease that you can get from licking a moose's butt) "What do i do to get rid of it?"
Dr. Peters "We put you on a anitbiotic for 4 weeks... You'll be fine"
So, I have a disease that you get from beaver pee. "Beaver Fever" It's sound more like a late night porn than a disease.
Don't ask me how I got it, cause I have no idea... Frankly I'd rather not know!!!
I just put two and two together: *Dr. Peters* just told me that i had *Beaver Fever* - now it really sounds like a porn.
Oh, that's good stuff. And I swear it's true.
I've been listening to this CD a lot lately. It's praise music, but better. I love Delirious? and have for quite a while. I forgot completely that I had this CD at home and dug it out a couple months back. I then ripped it into iTunes and have been listening constantly since then. Anyway, on to the lyrics.
I lift my eyes to you
Eyes that have seen a thing or two
Who is this stranger in my life?
I lift my hands to you
Hands that have carried what is true
Intimate stranger be my life
Jesus I love you
Jesus I adore you
Jesus you still have my affection
And my song will be "I love you"
I lift my voice to you
Lips that have cried a prayer or two
Beautiful stranger fill my life
I lift up my heart in praise to
The Saviour who's death made all things new
Intimate stranger only you
Pretty short, but pretty intense. I love the title, Intimate Stranger. No matter how much we know about Jesus, there will always be more to know. The fact that our fallen nature keeps us from fulling knowing Him in this life also plays into this. This simple love song takes this principle and turns it into a cry to Him. We've all seen or done things that we're not proud of, yet this Jesus who can barely know on Earth picks us up and carries us on. Great stuff.
Yes, I'm on a Delirious? kick. It's just about all I listen to right now. I've got all their music except for The Mission Bell, Mezzamorphis, and Touch/Audio Lessonover. Maybe next month I'll pick up another one.
Life is just fun. I don't know why. I'm tired, too busy, and barely have enough to get through the day, but it's fun.
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