The Tully Estate

Manapunk

2011-06-04T11:16:00.004-06:00

I would like to recommend to everyone my brother Jeremy and his wife Jenn's new venture. They have created a fresh, new world for pencil-and-paper role playing. I haven't done any pen and paper gaming in a while, but I did cut my teeth on Dungeons and Dragons, and their new project might just make me come out of retirement, as it were. to quote from the website:

Mana Punk is the fantasy role-playing game with a steam-punk twist! Create your own troll warrior with a steam powered mechanical arm to help drive their weapon swings, or be a spell slinging mage capable of commanding the very elements themselves!

This is a project he has been working on for a long time, and it has finally come to fruition. Manapunk is now available from a variety of sources, including lulu.com in either PDF or hardcopy, and will shortly be available from Amazon, and hopefully in your local gaming store. Also, Manapunk can be played with just a six-sided die, so no carrying around a huge bag full of weird dice around like a geek - not that there's anything wrong with that :)

Sad but probably true

2009-12-23T21:47:00.000-06:00

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band triumph at Nashville's Sommet Center in what might have been one of their final shows

Submitted by Zach Everson on Sun, 11/22/2009 - 20:39.

It's not clear how many audience members realized that Wednesday night at Nashville's Sommet Center probably was their last Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band concert.

After almost two straight years of touring, Springsteen and E Street are going on hiatus after tonight's show in Buffalo. With most of the band members in their 60s, saxophonist Clarence "Big Man" Clemons's health issues and recent remarks from band members, the odds are good that Nashville saw one of rock's greatest live acts' third-to-last show.

While the set list for the Nashville concert was full of older material (1975's Born to Run was played in its entirety and three songs from 1984's blockbuster Born in the U.S.A. anchored the encores, while just one song was played from their last two albums), there was nothing stale or dated about the blistering three-hour 28-song concert. This show was the 26th time I've seen Springsteen with E Street--the performance was as tight and the band was as loose as I've seen. If tonight is in fact their last concert, Springsteen and E Street are not cruising to the finish but rather have kicked into a higher gear.

Springsteen's catalog is so deep that he opened the Nashville show with three straight powerful and timely songs that aren't on any of his 16 studio albums: the new "Wrecking Ball," a tribute to the soon-to-be-demolished Giants Stadium; a scorching "Seeds," which was released on the Live/1975-85 box set; and his powerful version of Jimmy Cliff's "Trapped," which has long been a live favorite.

Based on the crowd's reaction though, you could have thought Springsteen opened with three of his greatest hits. Throughout the show, the audience was what you'd expect from Music City: fun, engaged and loud but respectful too.

When Springsteen did play a track from one of his studio albums, it was the nihilistic "Something in the Night," a deep cut from 1978's Darkness on the Edge of Town, that wasn't on the original setlist for Nashville.

It wasn't until song five that Springsteen performed one of his many hits--"Hungry Heart," which 29 years ago was his first top 10 song. As he usually does in concert, Springsteen let the audience take the vocals on the first verse. But in a twist that's new to this tour, halfway into the track he ventured out to a mini-stage about 10 rows into the crowd for a verse before riding the audience back (OMFG I touched his leg!) to the main stage, probably making the 60-year-old the first AARP The Magazine cover model to crowd surf.

After those songs about a building slated for destruction, a homeless family heading "south with just spit and a song," a trapped lover, a guy on a journey to nowhere and an unrepentant philanderer, Springsteen ended the first part of the show with the optimistic "Working on a Dream," the sole track from his most recent album he played on Wednesday.

The show's emotional and thematic centerpiece began two songs later when the band played the classic Born to Run album in its entirety. From the groggy harmonica opening that snaps to life at the beginning of "Thunder Road" to the final existential wails and cymbal rolls of "Jungleland," Springsteen and E Street nailed their performance of one of rock's best albums. Rather than blowing through an album that they've been playing for 34 years and played start to finish several times already on this tour, the songs were fresh.

Put in the context of the album, the title track, which had become anticlimactic for me after having heard it about two dozen times in concert before, regained the relevancy that it had when I was 17 years old and writing out its lyrics from memory while bored in English class. Mansions of glory, suicide machines, trying to look so hard, the runaway American Dream: why pay attention to a lecture on the 180-page "The Great Gatsby" when you can just rock out to the 4:30 "Born to Run"?

Springsteen too believes "in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter--tomorrow we will run faster, stretch our our arms further..." And while one fine Wednesday night in Nashville, we--band and audience--"beat on, boats against the current," we were not "borne back ceaselessly into the past," but rather were delivered into the present, 15,000 of us thrusting our arms into the air in unison as Bruce belted out "Tramps like us / baby we were born to run."

The only issue with performing the entire album was the segue out of it (there's a reason that on past tours "Jungleland" was a set closer). After finishing that last song on the album, Springsteen and the members of the current E Street Band who recorded the album, all of whom are still in the band except organist Danny Federici who died in 2008, came to the front of the stage for a deserved ovation, but the mid-set break did curtail the show's momentum.

The seven songs performed after Born to Run in the main set came across like an afterthought: a fun, well-played afterthought that I enjoyed, but one without much of a theme. Of course, with Springsteen taking three straight suggestions from the crowd (many audience members--this one included--brought signs with song requests), it's probably a bit much to expect a unifying theme. But then again, he is Springsteen and perhaps the only American who faces greater expectations is the guy we elected president last November.

Some highlights from the last part of the main set:

* "Waitin' on a Sunny Day," with its cliched and simplistic lyrics, is one of my least-favorite Springsteen songs, but Springsteen's bringing kids on stage of late to sing a verse has made it a delight in concert.
* During "Two Hearts," guitarist Steve "Little Steven" "Miami Steve" "Silvio Dante" "That guy who looks like a New Jersey pirate" Van Zandt pulled six women in pink cowboy hat who'd been making eyes at him all concert on stage to dance. That move led Springsteen to audible into...
* A fun version of "You Can Look (But You Better Not Touch)."

The lightness continued in the encores, which began with Springsteen emerging from a band huddle and announcing, "We've never done this before." After a bit more futzing, Springsteen asked trumpeter Curt Ramm (a great recent addition to the lineup) to play the riff for the still unannounced song to the band. Ramm responded with the mariachi trumpet intro to "Ring of Fire" and not only did the band pick it up, but so too did the audience, turning Johnny Cash's biggest hit into a giant sing-along. Three days later, I'm still singing along to it. Bum, bum bum, bum bum ba da bum…

The show became a dance-along five songs later when Springsteen plucked a girl out of the audience, not to dance with him, but rather to oblige her request to dance with guitarist Nils Lofgren, during "Dancing in the Dark." The former top two song was one of three tracks from the 1984 blockbuster Born in the U.S.A. album played in the encores, songs this Springsteen snob normally would be disappointed to hear when they could be playing some rare gem. But knowing that what could be my final E Street Band concert was close to wrapping up, I was thrilled to hear them play anything.

And while Springsteen finished the show with a hit song, it wasn't one of his own but rather an ecstatic take of Jackie Wilson's "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher," which again brought him out to the platform about 10 rows out in the crowd.

Hopefully Springsteen and E Street will remember that feeling and decide to tour again, lifting us all higher and higher one more time.

Set list
Wrecking Ball
Seeds
Trapped
Something In The Night
Hungry Heart
Working On A Dream
Thunder Road
Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out
Night
Backstreets
Born To Run
She's The One
Meeting Across The River
Jungleland
Waitin' On A Sunny Day
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Two Hearts
You Can Look (But You Better Not Touch)
Lonesome Day
The Rising
Badlands

Ring of Fire
No Surrender
Bobby Jean
American Land
Dancing In The Dark
Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)
(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher

from louisville.com

Star Wars: The Old Republic

2009-08-23T12:48:00.003-06:00

As I mentioned in my last column, I saw a gameplay trailer for the new Star Wars MMO coming out. It's being done by Bioware in conjunction with LucasArts. If you have played Star Wars games, either single-player, or the existing MMO, then you know this is a good thing. I have played Star Wars Galaxies several times at different phases in it's meandering lifespan. I have revelled in finally reaching 'glowie' status and have ground away at the Jedi path, and have also had my Jedi status handed to me on a silver platter. In short, while I have enjoyed playing SWG in the past, it can be kind of confusing, and if you leave the game and come back, chances are they will have completely changed the mechanics and you will have to learn how to play all over again.

Bioware is the outfit that produced the best of all the Star Wars games that I have played, Knights of the Old Republic. It was set about 4000 years before the events in the movies, at the height of the Sith Wars and had a role-playing system based on Wizards of the Coast's Star Wars Roleplaying Game. It had great gameplay, and the roleplaying aspect was excellent, driven by a menu system that let you choose your responses to events that you encounter. The new MMO they are developing uses this same system and also the concept of accruing Light side or Dark side points. These points are earned based on choices you make, and have quite a large impact on gameplay down the road, from abilities and equipment available, to how people react to you. This was one of the coolest aspects of KoTOR.

The combat system also looks very promising, with a few features I have not seem before. Combat seems a lot more real-time. In the trailer, a smuggler-class was engaging multiple opponents at the same time, moving to cover and firing from cover. It was impressive. While in combat, the system indicates places in the terrain that will provide cover, and also indicates where others are taking cover

The word used quite a few times in the trailer was 'epic'. The developers want the combat to feel epic - heroic - not routine, but exiting. Based on what I have seen, Star Wars: The Old Republic has a chance to immerse the player in its world like few other games have been able to. The story seems to be very important to the developers - an integral part of the game, not just a construct to build the game around. I love my WoW, but might have to take some time away from Azeroth to jump into the Star Wars world again.

Gaming News

2009-08-22T09:35:00.007-06:00

Well, I should have seen it coming, but Bizzard has finally released information on the next expansion for World of Warcraft. Of course, it was announced in conjunction with BlizzCon, and it has some interesting stuff in it. One of the things I have lamented, despite how much I have enjoyed the two expansions, Burning Crusades and Wrath of the Lich King, was that the old Worlds - Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms have been getting neglected. The next expansion, titled Cataclysm addresses that in a big way. Deathwing the dragon returns to Azeroth with a vengance, and this world event gives Blizzard the opportunity to revisit the old kingdoms quite extensively.

One of the laments I have heard from friends who no longer play is that if they were to return, the new recent expansions look cool, but they don't have the heart to grind through the same old low level content one more time as a part of getting to the new coolness. I sympathize. The thought of slogging through Silverpine or the Barrens again does make my head hurt. Also, one of the things that been said more than once in response to the question, "Will I be able to use flying mounts in the old kingdoms?" is that no, they were not designed for flying mounts, and rewriting all that code would take too much time.

Well Blizzard has apparently heard some of the same feedback I have and has addressed some of our concerns. Cataclysm will feature an upheaval to the old lands that will give the game designers a chance to take their crayons out and completely revamp the zones we are familiar with. According to the FAQ I read, all of the old zones will be reworked to one degree or another. To quote the web site: Nearly all of the game’s original zones are being altered to some degree, but the extent of the changes varies by zone. For example, Darkshore is flooded and has been completely redesigned with all new quest hubs. The Barrens have been split in two; one half is for low-level players and the other is for higher-level players. Azshara is now a low-level zone for Horde players and connects directly to Orgrimmar.

The re-tooling of the original zones has also given the powers that be a chance to implement flying mounts in the old world, but they haven't yet said exactly how this will be done - at what level it will be available, and so forth.

The level cap has again been raised, but not by the standard 10 levels, but only to 85, and they have mentioned a new "path system" which makes me a little nervous. I have visions of Dark Age of Camelot's lame Champion Abilities dancing in my head, but at the same time have more faith in Blizzard than I ever did in Mythic. They are also introducing guild achievements, similar, I suppose to those used in EQ2 - which is a nice system.

One of the main features of Cataclysm is two new playable races, the Goblins and the Worgen. People have voiced the desire to play goblins for some time and now will get their chance, siding of course with the Horde. The Alliance will finally get a scary-looking monster race in the Worgen, a race grown out of the Arugal storyline in Silverpine Forest, and are doing something I have hoped they would - use one of the zones that show up on the world map, but have never been opened before. In this case, they are creating a zone called Gilneas, which was sealed off behind the Greymane Wall at the southern end of Silverpine forest. Goblin players will start on the Isle of Kezan and then head to the Lost Isles in the South Seas before joining the mainland. There are therefore two new starting zones and quest lines to experience, and Blizzard has promised an experience similar to the Death Knight questline and a prominent use of zone phasing. That's a good thing since the Death Knight starting quest line is an exceptionally cool experience.

One of the other minor features is new race/class combinations. In addition to the new races, they are opening up a few other new possibilities including an expansion of the druid class for the first time ever to include worgen and trolls, as well as a few other interesting combinations.

Well there you have it. Feel free to stop by the WoW website and check out the trailer and screenshots, but Blizz has given us (well me at least) something to look forward to. That is not all the news though. In my next post I will discuss the cool new things I saw in a gameplay trailer for Star Wars: The Old Republic coming from LucasArts and Biosphere.

A Veteran of the Wrathgate

2009-01-05T19:17:00.003-06:00

Well I have been playing Wrath of the Lich King for a couple of weeks now and have enjoyed it all. Blizzard really did a good job on this one. There are a lot of new types of quests and some very interesting storyline, but most of all, you feel like you are right in the middle of the action - fighting on the frontline for your faction - a real hero for your side, not just another dork killing 8 of this animal or kill those guys until you collect 10 red hats.

The deathknight beginning quest chain is worth the price of admission and should not be missed, even if you don't think you will play the toon later. The quests are fun and original, and make use of phasing. This allows you to have a real impact on the world around you. As you progress through a quest chain and - for example - help to conquer the village, then you will see the village in flames, and it will be desolate the next time you pass thru it - instead of back to normal like you have never been there.

As much fun as the deathnight quests are, for my money, one of the most entertaining and rewarding gameplay experiences I have ever had is easily the Dragonblight quest chain. Dragonblight is on the south side of Northrend in the center, and is the zone a player would naturally progress to after finishing either Borean Tundra or Howling Fjords. There are the standard faction strongholds, but the centerpiece is the Wyrmrest Temple, kind of a dragon U.N. building. All of the dragons have shrines in the zone, and they come together in an uneasy alliance against the aggression of the Azure Dragonflight who are bent on destroying all who use magic.

The quest chain is very long, and involves interaction with most all of the different dragons in the zone, including a really fun quest where you get to command a dragon in battle against the Azure Dragonflight and fight from his back. It's pretty awesome to participate, but just as incredible to watch from the ground as dead dragons rain from the sky.

If you follow this chain to its end, it climaxes in a confrontation with Arthas the Lich King at the Wrathgate - a Gates of Mordor - type affair at the north end of Dragonblight. The cutscene is epic and Blizzard-worthy (a company famous for its cutscenes) I won't give away the plot details, but it is a great scene, and can be re-visited by talking to the right NPC in game.

The events of the Wrathgate episode are followed by a visit to a locked-down, martial law-imposed Orgrimmar where you meet with Thrall, the Orc battlechief and leader of the Horde and witness a confrontation with Jaina Proudmoor, a hero of the Alliance. You then accompany Thrall to the Undercity where your hero gets to fight alongside him and Lady Sylvanas Windrunner to reconquer the Undercity in an epic battle from the front gates all the way to the Royal Quarter. It is truly an incredible experience, and makes you feel like you truly are a Champion of the Horde

I can't give you an Alliance perspective but the Horde experience was excellent and it makes me want to level up an Alliance toon to see the same events from the other side.

Your character not only gets to be on the frontlines for momentous and epic events, but the player is put right in the middle of a lot of key WoW lore and storyline, and is quite a bit more satisfying than just grinding on murlocs. If you are sitting on the fence and cannot decide whether or not to come back, I give Wrath of the Lich King a hearty thumbs up - it is the best work Blizzard has done to date.

Currently Listening to:

The Newsboys - Take Me to Your Leader
The Tossers - Long Dim Road

Last Movie Seen

Hancock

In Tribute II

2008-12-16T11:14:00.003-06:00

This was written by Robert Kent, my stepson, and Jimmy's older brother.

Michael James Cornett went home to be with the lord December 10, 2008. Known to his family as “Jimmy” he was born in San Antonio TX on August 18, 1978. He was a devoted father, brother and son. Surviving family include his mother Donna, father Mike, sister Janine, brother Robert , nephews Jacob and Aaron as well as stepfather Patrick along with many friends. Jimmy graduated Bellaire High School in May of 1997. Jimmy served in the United States Marines and United Stated Army completing two successful tours in Iraq, one with each service - protecting his family and this Country of which he served. In life he was but a traveler along a journey of discovery and accomplishment. In death he is now without boundary, without restriction, without pain. You can go anywhere you want Jimmy, do whatever you want because death is but another journey to another life for only when you drink from the river of silence shall you indeed sing and when you have reached the mountain top, then you shall begin to climb. We will meet you there.

In Tribute

2008-12-12T08:01:00.003-06:00

I am here today to pay tribute to my stepson Michael James Cornett - Jimmy to us, Michael to his friends. On December 10, 2008 at 7:20 am, he was killed in a car accident in Manhattan, Kansas on his way to work on base at Fort Riley. I don't know where to start, except to say that he has been one of my heroes. He graduated from Bellaire High School and joined the Marines. He completed his hitch and got out right before 9/11, but then a few year later joined the reserves, got activated and went to Iraq. He had one close call that tour when his convoy was attacked and his roommate was killed, but he made it home safely. After getting back home, he switched to the Army and was sent back to Iraq where he was a forward observer for an artillery unit. Once again he made it home safely, despite a few close calls.
He was looking to make a career out of the Army, and would liked to be a drill instructor. He also had just adopted his two stepkids, despite the fact that he and his wife were splitting up. A number of people didn't understand that, but he loved Victoria and Junior so much, that he wanted to make sure they were provided for, no matter what happened. I don't have the capacity to be eloquent right now, but I wanted to get something in writing.

He was a good son, a good man, a great father , a dedicated soldier and always a Marine.

Currently Listening to

Stiff Little Fingers
The Tossers

Currently Reading

Brisingr - Christopher Paolini (just finished)

Currently Playing

World of Warcraft (no Wrath of the Lich King yet tho)

Where's the Beef? I'll Tell Ya Where...

2008-10-12T19:43:00.003-06:00

I had a wild time in New Jersey. I was up there the first week of October on business, and it was my first time in that part of the country. I spent most of my time in the East Hanover area, but I had an opportunity to get together with Kelly Terrell, an old friend who is a high school drama teacher in Woodbridge. He took me into NYC to see the sights, and it was a blast. We took in Times Square at night which is something everyone should see once in their life. I also got to see a lot of the Broadway theaters and the Letterman show. Before Times Square, though, we went to a place I heartily recommend to anyone who has the means.

The place is Plataforma Churrascaria on W. 49th. Now there is a churrascaria here in Houston that I have heard great things about, but I cannot imagine it topping this place. The price is Prix-Fixe and the service is Rodizio style, which means that as long as you are interested, waiters will periodically stop by your table with a skewer of grilled meat of one type or another and slice off what you want - everything to sausage and chicken to lamb and beef. It was all incredible, but the most spectacular was the beef tenderloin wrapped in bacon.

Before the main course however, is the most spectacular salad bar I have ever seen. Calling it a salad bar is really a misnomer, actually. It features some wonderful salads, but also memorable cheeses, hearts of palm and artichoke, and a Brazilian rice and beans affair that is quite delicious. Also I had the first calamari I have ever actually enjoyed. I have a pretty adventurous palate, and will try almost anything. I have had calamari before, and it was ok, but kind of pointless. Frying may have been the culprit, because these had the consistancy of fried rubber bands with no real taste save the marinera sauce they were served with. The calamari salad at Plataforma was tender, flavorful, and very enjoyable. Add dessert and a couple of drinks and the bill was a revelation. Its not a place one would go to everyday, but on a special occasion this place will create an occasion you will never forget. The experience of a lifetime. (Kelly - I owe you a big one)

Currently Listening to:

Bruce Springsteen
Dropkick Murphy
Irish rebel music

Currently Playing:

Dark Age of Camelot

Currenly Reading:

The Light and the Glory by Peter Marshall

Last Movie Seen:

Iron Man (on DVD)

great movie - Robert Downey Jr. was perfect for the part

I Don't like Ike

2008-09-14T22:33:00.004-06:00

Well we survived hurricane Ike relatively unscathed. A hole in the ceiling and some siding are our only injuries and the power is now back on. I am heartbroken to see the footage coming from Galveston and surrounding areas, not only because of all my memories of going to Galveston most of my life, but mostly for all the people who got wiped out. The devastation in some areas is incredible with Bolivar seeming to have taken the brunt. I've heard numbers of 80% destruction in the Crystal Beach area. The legendary Balinese Room is gone, along with many other places I have spent time. The Kemah Boardwalk is no more, but will be rebuilt.

I would like to sing the praises of the first responders. I sat on my balcony watching the storm roll in (the wind and rain were coming from the other direction) and the Police were a constant presence. We live just off the corner of a major intersection, and I saw police making their presence known - patrolling with lights flashing right up till the worst of the storm. The day after the storm there were police going by every five minutes - even less working to enforce the curfew. Also there were several times when we saw police helping to clear storm sewer drains to help clear the streets of high water. They clearly went over and above the call of duty - being out in the storm when the rest of us were sitting it out, and pitching in to do what was necessary after the storm passed

Currently Reading
Angela's Ashes - Frank McCourt
Ulysses - James Joyce
Song of Albion trilogy - Stephen Lawhead

Currently Playing
Dark Age of Camelot (its been a while)

Currently Listening To
Reel Big Fish
The Sex Pistols
Shebeen

Last Movie Seen
are you kidding? Who can afford to go to the movies? I wait and rent them at the Red Box for $1.00

The Unfinished Revolution

2008-06-26T19:50:00.006-06:00

Well I have continued reading Morgan Llywelen's series on Ireland in the 20th century. most recently with 1972, which starts in 1949 where the last book leaves off, and follows Ursula Halloran's fortunes and focuses on her son, Barry as he struggles with the Republican legacy he inherited from his Grandfather Ned Halloran, who fought in the Easter Rising in 1916 and the subsequent civil war. Barry joins the IRA and takes part in some border raids where he is baptized by fire and finds his idealism confronted by the reality of war. The story climaxes with Bloody Sunday in Derry in 1972.

I always had a pretty superficial understanding of "The Troubles" in Northern Ireland, but this book does a good job of painting a picture of the situation and how complex and horrifying it was. The IRA had been pretty weak and powerless for quite a while, and the Catholics in the Six Counties in the North were pretty much at the mercy of the Protestant, Loyalist and Unionist forces who beat, killed and burned out poor Catholic families with impunity. When the violence got out of hand, the British sent troops in which the Catholics at first welcomed, thinking they would be afforded some measure of protection. They were quick to realize that the British troops were on the side of the Protestants and did nothing to protect them.

Couple this with the fact that the government of the Republic did everything they could to suppress and destroy the IRA, the Volunteers, as they called themselves, were not safe anywhere. They saw their mission to be to make life as difficult as possible for the British forces, government of Northern Ireland and paramilitary groups who were making life miserable for Catholics in the North. The Provisional IRA, or Provos, broke off from the Official IRA, basically over the use of force. The Official IRA was more interested in the political process than in taking action in the North.

Well pretty soon there is violence everywhere, and while the IRA gets most of the bad press, there are some horrifying acts committed by Orange and Green alike, and it is easy to see why there is so much bitterness and rancor on both sides. I am currently reading the sequel, 1999 which culminates with the Good Friday Accord. The fact that there ever was an agreement is amazing, given all the bloodshed and violence that took place.

Currently Playing:

World of Warcraft (back again)

Currently Listening to:

The Clancy Brothers
The Aquabats
XM 53 Fungus

Last Movie Seen:

Get Smart

I loved it, thought Steve Carrell played it just right, not over the top, which would have been easy to do - it could have been a Saturday Night Live skit easily.

Trying to Reconnect

2008-05-23T20:22:00.003-06:00

I find myself doing a lot of poking around on the internet these days trying to reconnect with folks I haven't seen in a long time, more specifically - people I went to junior high with at Lanier. I went to Lanier Junior High between 1979 and 1981 and had a really great circle of friends, but we all went seperate directions for high school. Some went to Bellaire, some to HSPVA. I have had a little luck, but not much - a dead end email address or two (either that or they didn't want to talk to me) and someone who will not write back.

At any rate, I thought I would post a few names of people I am trying to reconnect with in the off chance that either someone might know them or someone might be googling themselves.

Kurt Schade
Scott McEver
Reagan Wilkins
Ken Odle
Gwynneth Nolan
Nelly Kish
Krista Polk
Rachel Raun
Karen Hart
Joy Francisco
Eric VonDohlen
Barbara Rodriguez
Robert Whyburn

Currently Reading:

Next - Michael Crichton

Currently Listening to:

Dropkick Murphy - Live on St. Patrick's Day
The Best of Billie Holiday

Currently Playing:

Guitar Hero II

Last Movie I Saw:

Speed Racer

I really enjoyed it - more than I thought I would, but then again I never missed it as a kid.

To XM or not to XM

2008-04-27T14:10:00.003-06:00

We bought a new vehicle right before Christmas last year, a Saturn Vue, and it came with an interesting feature, a three month free trial period of XM radio. Now, I figured I would enjoy it for free, but didn't think I would be motivated enough to actually subscribe.

Part of my problem with radio is that I have such eclectic, wide ranging tastes, and like most people, I also get bored with repetition. Take rock radio, for example. Here in Houston there are not really many options. There's the Arrow, that is heavily 70's oriented classic rock, the 80's station that plays a very narrow batch of stuff, mainly the new wave bands, Pat Benatar, Bryan Adams, you get the picture. 103.7, the station that used to be KLOL-type album rock is now Jack-FM, which seems to be a mix station by another name, and other than the moldy oldies and top 40, that is it. Now a few of those stations may sound good on paper, but they have a limited play list that they repeat over and over, and after a few days you have heard it all (many times). Sad, huh.

Let's compare that to XM, shall we? It's hard to know where to start really. Sticking to our rock comparison, we will examine the beginning of the dial where there is a station devoted to the 60's one for the 70's and one for the 80's, and one for the 90's. My wife listens to the 60's and 70's stations a bit and they aren't bad, but are a little more pop oriented (this is more obvious on the 70's station). The stations that get the most play when we are in the car together are Top Tracks and Big Tracks. Top tracks is rock from the 60's and 70's, while Big Tracks is rock from the 70's and 80's. They both play a good balance, and Big Tracks, for example, plays a lot of music that got airplay in the 80's quite a bit but didn't make it to the oldies stations. It sounds a great deal like what KLOL did in the mid 80's. I have heard songs on Big Tracks that I haven't heard since the 80's. While those stations are good, there is sooo much more. there is a station for every category: general heavy metal, 80's metal, new metal, classic alternative, new alternative, grunge, obscure classic rock, acoustic rock, and even punk gets it own station. So you see there is a wide variety of stations for whatever you are in the mood for, and speaking of different moods, lets explore a little wider.

There are a lot more stations to choose from, and I'm not always in the mood for rock. There is actually a real Jazz station, not just that smooth jazz stuff (there's one of those if you want). Also, I like opera, but on broadcast radio one is limited. 88.7 usually broadcasts opera on Saturdays around noon, but that's it. XM has a whole station devoted to just Opera and vocal music, where they play whole operas, as well as lieder, choral music, and similar things. I also find myself listening to the stand-up comedy channels quite a bit.

Well, as you can see, I found myself enjoying XM quite a bit more than I thought I would, and when our free trial was up we did subscribe.

currently reading:

Blowfly - Patricia Cornwell
Dubliners - James Joyce

currently listening to:

Rage Against the Machine - Evil Empire
Dropkick Murphys - Meanest of Times
Flogging Molly - Float
XM112 - Vox - the opera station

Looking for:

1972 and 1999 by Morgan Llywellyn

Currently playing:

Need For Speed Pro Street - PC
Guitar Hero III - XBox 360

Just in Time for St. Patrick's Day

2008-03-11T16:17:00.006-06:00

My reading of late has included a number of books by Morgan Llywelyn, covering a number of different aspects of Irish history. Until recently though, most of these have been from Eire's distant, sometimes mythical past, including Cuchulainn, Finn Mac Cool, and more recently, Brian Boru, the king who came closer than anyone ever had before or since to creating a completely united Ireland, til his death at the Battle of Clontarf in 1014.

I have recently been reading a series dealing with more recent matters beginning with the book "1916". I am actually not finished with it yet, but it has inspired me to do alot of further research and reading. The book centers around events leading up to the Easter Uprising in, of course, 1916. The story begins a number of years earlier with the character of Ned Halloran, who is on his way to America for his sister's wedding, and is unfortunately taking this voyage on the Titanic. The book follows Ned as he goes off to boarding school, and as he becomes a part of life in Dublin, which includes immersion into the politics and factions in town. He becomes involved in an assortment of revolutionary groups that end up being an integral part in the ultimately unsuccessful Easter Uprising in 1916, in which a number of key buildings in Dublin are seized by revolutionaries, but eventually crushed by the British, leading to the execution of several of the key leaders, but ends up bringing to prominence several other revolutionaries including Michael Collins and Eamon De Valera.

I have never known that much about recent Irish history other than what I saw on the news, but this book has done a good job of cutting though and explaining all the different factions and their disagreements and sorting out all the different groups, while making it all real and immersing the reader in the whole scene. Sinn Fein really is separate from the IRA, just like they always said - who knew?

1916 is just the first book in the series that follows the fate of the Irish throughout the 20th century and their quest for Independence from Britain, the tumult of the civil war that followed, and all the way through the troubles centered around Northern Ireland culminating in the Good Friday Accord. It has encouraged me to learn more on my own, and to me that is one of the hallmarks of a good book. On a related note, I would also recommend the movie "Michael Collins" starring Liam Neeson, with Neeson as the title character. It starts with the end of the Easter Uprising following Collins through his exploits in the war against Britain and the civil war that followed. It also stars Julia Roberts and Alan Rickman. Warning - it is a bit violent, but then again, given the subject matter, that is to be expected.

Also Flogging Molly is in town tonight promoting their new album "Float", but having been sick, I am unable to go. It's a really good album though, their first one recorded in Ireland, and has a mature sound to it, and Dave King's thought provoking lyrics. Check it out if you have the chance.

A Thanksgiving Repost

2007-11-22T08:17:00.000-06:00

I would like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and offer an excerpt from Peter Marshall's The Light and the Glory on the first Thanksgiving and the events leading up to it.

If any one event could be singled out to mark the turning point of their (the Pilgrim's) fortunes, it would have been what happened on a fair Friday in the middle of March. The men were gathered in the common house to conclude their conference on military instruction, when the cry went up, "Indian coming!" Captain Standish shook his head, even as he went to look out the window - to see a tall, well-built Indian, wearing nothing but a leather loincloth striding up their main street.

"Welcome!", he boomed in a deep, resonant voice. The Pilgrims were too startled to speak. At length. they replied with as much gravity as they could muster: "Welcome."

"Have you got any beer?" he asked them in flawless English. If they were surprised before, they were astonished now. The Pilgrims looked at one another, then turned back to him. "Our beer is gone. Would you like some ... brandy? The Indian nodded. They brought him some brandy, and a biscuit with butter and cheese, and then some pudding and a piece of roast duck. To their continuing amazement, he ate with evident relish everything set before him. Where had he developed such an appetite for English food? How, in fact, had he come to speak English? For that matter, who was he and what was he doing here? But they would have to wait, for obviously he did not intend to talk until he had finished his repast. Finally the time for answering questions came. His name was Samoset. He was a sagamore (or chief) of the Algonquins, from what is now Pemaquid Point in Maine. He had been visiting these parts for the past eight months, having begged a ride down the coast with Captain Thomas Dermer, an English sea captain who was known to the Pilgrims by reputation. He had been sent out to explore the coast for the Council for New England, the company to whom they would now be applying for a patent. Apparently Samoset's sole motivation was a love of travel, and he had learned his English from various fishing captains who had put in to the Maine shore over the years. Now they asked the crucial question: What could he tell them of the Indians hereabouts? And the story he told gave every one of them cause to thank God in their hearts.

This area had always been the Territory of the Patuxets, a large hostile tribe who had barbarously murdered every white man who had landed on their shores. But four years prior to the Pilgrims' arrival, a mysterious plague had broken out among them, killing every man, woman, and child. So complete was the devastation that the neighboring tribes had shunned the area ever since, convinced that some great supernatural spirit had destroyed the Patuxets. Hence the cleared land on which they settled literally belonged to no one! Their nearest neighbors, said Samoset, were the Wampanoags, some fifty miles to the southwest. These Indians numbered about sixty warriors. Massasoit, their sachem (or chief) had such great wisdom that he also ruled over several other small tribes in the general area. And it was with Massasoit that Samoset had spent most of the past eight months. Who were the Indians out on the Cape who had attacked them? These were the Nausets, who numbered about a hundred warriors. The previous summer they had attacked Captain Dermer and killed three of his men. The Nausets hated the white man, because several years before one Captain Thomas Hunt had tricked seven of their braves into coming aboard his ship on the pretext of wanting to trade with them. He had taken them, along with twenty Patuxets , to Spain, where he had sold them into slavery.

By the time he was done with his tale telling, it was nightfall. Samoset announced that he would sleep with them, and return in the morning. Captain Standish put a discreet watch on him, but Samoset slept the sleep of the untroubled. And in he morning he left, bearing a knife, a bracelet, and a ring as gifts to Massasoit. That was the last they saw of him until the following Thursday , when he returned accompanied by another Indian who also spoke English, and was of all things, a Patuxet! The second Indian was Squanto, and he was there to be according to Bradford, "a special instrument sent of God for their good, beyond their expectation." The extraordinary chain of "coincidences" in this man's life is in its own way no less extraordinary than the saga of Joseph's being sold into slavery in Egypt. Indeed in the ensuing months, their was not a doubt in any of their hearts that Squanto, whose Indian name was Tisquantum, was a Godsend.

] His story really began in 1605, when Squanto and four other were taken captive by Captain George Weymouth. The Indians were taken to England, where they were taught English. When Squanto finally managed to make it back home and stepped ashore six months before the Pilgrims arrived, he received the most tragic blow of his life: not a man, woman, or child of his tribe was left alive! Nothing but skulls, bones, and ruined dwellings remained. In despair he wandered into Massasoit's camp, because he had nowhere else to go. And that chief, understanding his circumstances, took pity on him. But Squanto merely existed, having lost all reason for living. That is, that was his condition until Samoset brought news of a small colony of peaceful English families who were so hard pressed to stay alive, let alone plant a colony at Patuxet. A light seemed to come back into Squanto's eye, and he accompanied Samoset when the latter came to Plymouth as Massasoit's interpreter, for the chief himself had come, with all sixty warriors painted in startling fashion.

Out of this meeting came a peace treaty of mutual aid and assistance which would last for forty years and would be a model for many that would be made thereafter. Massasoit was a remarkable example of God's providential care for His Pilgrims. He was probably the only other chief on the northeast coast of America who (like Powhatan to the south) would have welcomed the white man as a friend. When Massasoit and his entourage finally left, Squanto stayed. He had found his reason for living. These English were like little babes, so ignorant they were of the ways of the wild. Well, he could certainly do something about that! The next day he went out and came back with all the eels he could hold in his hands - which the Pilgrims found to be "fat and sweet" and excellent eating. How had he ever caught them? He took several young men with him and taught them how to squash the eels out of the mud with their bare feet and catch them with their hands. But the next thing he showed them was by far the most important, for it would save every one of their lives. April was corn planting month in New England as well as Virginia. Squanto showed the Pilgrims how to plant corn the Indian way, hoeing six foot squares in toward the center, putting down four or five kernels, and fertilizing the corn with fish. At that, the Pilgrims just shook their heads; in four months they had caught exactly one cod. No matter, said Squanto cheerfully; in four days the creeks would be overflowing with fish. The Pilgrims cast a baleful eye on their amazing friend, who seemed to have adopted them. But Squanto ignored them and instructed the young men in how to make the wiers they would need to catch the fish. Obediently the men did as he told them, and four days later the creeks for miles around were clogged with alewives making their spring run. The Pilgrims did not catch them, they harvested them! Now the corn was planted. Pointing spoke-like toward the center of each mound were three fishes, their heads almost touching. Now said Squanto, they would have to guard against wolves, adding that the wolves would attempt to steal the fish. The Pilgrims would have to guard it for two weeks, until it had a chance to decompose. And so they did and that summer twenty full acres of corn began to flourish. Squanto helped in a thousand similar ways, teaching them how to stalk deer, plant pumpkins among the corn, refine maple syrup from maple trees, discern which herbs were good to eat and good for medicine, and find the best berries. But after the corn there was one other specific thing he did which was of inestimable importance for their survival. What little fishing they had done was a failure, and any plan for them to fish commercially was a certain fiasco. So Squanto introduced them to the pelt of the beaver, which was then in plentiful supply in northern New England, and in great demand throughout Europe. And not only did he get them started, but he guided in the trading, making sure they got their full money's worth in top-quality pelts. This would prove to be their economic deliverance, just as corn would be their physical deliverance. The Pilgrims were brimming over with gratitude - not only to Squanto and the Wampanoags who had been so friendly, but to their God. In Him they had trusted, and he had honored their obedience beyond their dreams. So Governor Bradford declared a day of public Thanksgiving, to be held in October. Massasoit was invited, and unexpectedly arrived a day early, with ninety Indians! Counting their numbers, the Pilgrims had to pray hard to keep from giving in to despair. To feed such a crowd would cut deeply into the food supply that was supposed to get them through the winter. But if they had learned one thing through their travels, it was to trust God implicitly. As is turned out, the Indians were not arriving empty handed. Massasoit had commanded his braves to hunt for the occasion, and they arrived with no less than five dressed deer and more than a dozen fat wild turkeys! And they helped them with preparations, teaching the Pilgrim women how to make hoecakes, and a tasty pudding out of cornmeal and maple syrup. Finally they showed them an Indian delicacy: how to roast corn kernels in an earthen pot until they popped, fluffy and white - popcorn! The Pilgrims in turn provided many vegetables from their household gardens: carrots, onions, turnips, parsnips, cucumbers, radishes, beets, and cabbages. Also using some of their precious flour, they took summer fruits which the Indians had dried and introduces them to the likes of blueberry, apple, and cherry pie. It was all washed down with sweet wine made from wild grapes. A joyous occasion for all! Between meals, the Pilgrims and Indians happily competed in shooting contests with gun and bow. The Indians were especially delighted that John Alden and some of the younger men of the plantation were eager to join them in foot races and wrestling. There were even military drills staged by Captain Standish. Things went so well (and Massasoit showed no inclination to leave) that Thanksgiving day was extended for three days.

Surely one moment stood out in the Pilgrims' memory - William Brewster's prayer as they began the festival. They had so much for which to thank God: for providing all their needs, even when their faith had not been up to believing that he would do so; for the lives of the departed, and for taking them home to be with Him; for their friendship with the Indians - so extraordinary when the settlers to the south had experienced the opposite; for all his remarkable Providences in bringing them to this place and sustaining them.

As I said earlier, this excerpt was taken from Peter Marshall's excellent book, The Light and the Glory, the first in a series he wrote on American history.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Like I Need More Books...

2007-10-06T07:49:00.000-06:00

I have recently discovered an author whose books I have been trying to track down. Her name is Morgan Llywellen and she writes about all things Irish. Her fiction usually gets put in the fantasy section, but covers a variety of different topics, some historical fiction both recent and reaching back to the dawn of Irish history, some based on mythological figures. The first book of hers I read is 'Druids' and it is the story of the Celtic tribes of Gaul, focusing on a tribe in northern Gaul around present-day Chartres where the sacred druid grove was. The tale centers around Ainvar, the Chief Druid and his friendship with Vercingetorix, the warrior who united the Celtic Gauls against Julius Caesar and the Romans. A fascinating story of the Gallic wars from the other perspective. It did make me want to find a translation of Caesar's 'The Gallic Wars' which I haven't done yet. The sequel to it dealt with Ainvar and his tribe fleeing Gaul for Ireland after the Roman's victory and the capture of Vercingetorix. I found a couple more at Half-Price Books dealing with Cuchulain and Finn Mac Cool. Irish history and mythology has always fascinated me but I have never known where to start, and it's funny to see all the old familiar place names that I knew from playing Hibernian characters in Dark Age of Camelot come to life and find out about the real places they were based on. Of course it is readily apparent that Irish history and mythology have a habit of intertwining and it's not always easy to tell what is truth and what is myth.

music I'm currently listening to:

Ella Fitzerald

books I am currently reading:

Star Wars: Truce at Bakura
Red Branch by Morgan Llywellyn
Ragamuffin Gospel (yes, again) by Brennan Manning
(I was inspired by his recent visit to our church for a weekend conference)

currently playing:

World of Warcraft

Evan Almighty

2007-07-25T07:43:00.000-06:00

My wife and I recently went to see Evan Almighty, and I thought I would give my take on the film, which was enjoyable, but had some pleasant surprises in it. Seeing as how Tom Shadyac directed it, and having seen Bruce Almighty, I had a good idea what to expect. Shadyac is the director responsible for Ace Ventura, Liar,Liar, and Bruce Almighty, So I expected his trademark brand of irreverent humor, but this film has more to it than meets the eye. Steve Carell plays Evan Baxter, a former news anchor who gets elected to congress, and has just moved into his new home in a DC suburb when strange things start happening. It culminates with Morgan Freeman, reprising his role of God, showing up to inform Evan that he wants him to build an ark. Steve Carell is funny, playing Evan, a smart dressing, neat freak who starts growing a beard he cannot shave off, and some of the plot is kind of predictable, but still very funny. I don't watch The Office, but I am familiar with Carell and think he is a good fit for this movie.
The comedy aspect of Evan Almighty was funny, but pretty much what I expected. What I didn't expect was the attitude of the film towards things of God. I did not hear the cynicism I thought I would when topics such as prayer and faith were brought up, but the pleasant surprise was Morgan Freeman's expositions as God. In a scene with Evan's wife, God explains, that "when you pray for patience, I don't fill you with patience, I give you the opportunity to exercise patience. When you pray for your family to be closer, I don't fill you with warm, fuzzy feelings, I create situations that will help your family grow closer together." ( I don't have the quote exactly right, but you get the idea)
This is also a family friendly film with no sexual innuendo or foul language to speak of so I would highly recommend this movie. The closest thing to questionable is a scene where Evan eschews his Noah robe God provided him and puts his suit back on, which dissappears as soon as he steps out his front door, much to the surprise of the female Postal Carrier on the sidewalk. It's a lot of fun. There are some hysterical animal scenes, and John Goodman is a good heavy. Wanda Sykes is actually not as irritating as usual either.

Virtues of Travel

2007-05-26T23:21:00.000-06:00

I'm a local guy through and through, but I have gained a new appreciation for expanding one's horizons and seeing new places, after my trip to the Mobile, AL area. The thing that was the biggest and most pleasant surprise was Gulf Shores. I've grown up going to Galveston, and there's a lot about the place that I love, but I don't think I will ever see the beach there in the same way after visiting the beaches in Alabama.

Now, I have been to other beaches, but it's been quite a while. We took a family trip to Florida when I was younger, and I remember the trips to the beach there, but not vividly, so for me when I think beach, the picture that pops into my head is Galveston. Imagine my surprise upon arriving on the beach in Gulf Shores.

For starters, the beach is at least three times as wide, from parking lot to water's edge, than Galveston, but the most obvious thing is how clean and nice the sand is. It's not only very fine sand, but the beach is very clean, both from human debris and natural. They try to do a good job in Galveston of picking up the trash, but the last few times I've been down there, human refuse has not been the main problem. Usually the beach looks like it needs a shave. I'm usually ankle deep in seaweed. If seaweed isn't the problem, then there are dead fish or jellyfish or other weird, unidentifiable things laying around, but in Gulf Shores there's nothing but sand, as far as the eye can see. Strangely enough, there weren't even shells laying around.

The other thing that was refreshing was the water. It was all either blue or green, not brown. They don't call our local body of water the Gulf of Yoohoo for nothing, you know.

I will still love Galveston, of course, but It sure was nice to see how the other half lives

Why Easter (again)

2007-04-01T13:20:00.000-06:00

I want to re-post again a column I posted last year regarding how we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, and again invite your input pro or con.

Why again do we call it Easter? I propose a change, and even offer a couple of alternatives, one of which I have heard others use more each year.Resurrection Day is a perfectly acceptable alternative to Easter and I use it myself frequently, depending on the audience, but my preferred name for this poorly named holiday is Firstfruits. Many of the Jewish festivals have at least some fulfillment in Jesus' first coming, and the Feast of Firstfruits is no exception.

Firstfruits is a part of the Passover celebration, which is itself another column. Passover itself is the beginning of a whole week of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, in which observants eat only unleavened bread and no yeast at all. The Sunday after Passover during the feast of Unleavened Bread is the Feast of Firstfruits, an originally agricultural festival when the firstfruits of the harvest were taken to the Temple (or Tabernacle) and presented to the Lord in a wave offering.It is of course no coincidence that Yeshua (that's Jesus to you) rose from the dead on the Sunday after Passover during the feast of Unleavened Bread. Unleavened bread is a symbol of purity and the absence of sin, and Jesus is the Firstfruit of the Resurrection. Believers will all be in possession of glorified bodies like the one Jesus showed off with during his appearances after his resurrection. He is the first one permanently raised from the dead. All those he raised from the dead during his earthly ministry of course died again at a later date.So there you have it. My vote is to celebrate the Feast of Firstfruits or Bikkurim, its Hebrew name, instead of calling it Easter. Easter Bunny? Can't help you there. Don't know where that weirdness came from.Have a Blessed Bikkurim!

A New Robin Hood

2007-03-31T19:24:00.000-06:00

I just finished listening to the Audible version of Stephen Lawhead's latest book, "Hood", a re-telling of the Robin Hood story. If anyone else had tried what Lawhead did, I'm not sure I would have been interested in a total trans-location of the old, familiar tale seen in so many different versions over the years. If you are anywhere close to my age, then you too, when you hear the name Robin Hood, might just have the same image pop into your head that usually pops into mine, that of the animated, anthropomorphized fox in the Disney version. Along the way, I have also seen Kevin Costner, Carey Elwes, and Daffy Duck portray the noble thief. I've seen stills and short clips of Erroll Flynn as Robin, but never seen the whole movie. The one thing all these versions of the tale have in common is the setting and trappings of Medieval England and the backdrop of the Crusades. Good King Richard is away fighting on foreign soil and John is scheming to take over his throne, aided by the Sheriff of Nottingham and involving all the other familiar names you've heard before.

If you have read Lawhead's Arthur books, then you are familiar with his technique. In that case he took an old familiar story that everyone thought they new and reset it out of its familiar setting and relocated it among the Briton tribes fighting for their survival amidst the Saxon invasion and the withdrawal of the Roman legions in about the 7th or 8th century, with most of the action taking place in what we now call Wales. After much research, Lawhead concluded that based on the scant historical evidence that does exist, there was a real person that the Arthur legends are based on and he was probably a British battle chief who lived at about this time, and won some real, historically significant and recorded battles, namely the Battle of Badon Hill.

In Hood, the author does something very similar. He looked into the Robin Hood stories and concluded that they had an origin prior to their most famous incarnation. There was a whole collection of stories that were circulated all over the Island by wandering minstrels and storytellers that told little bits and pieces of the story we know now in different versions, with an incredible variety of names and locations. These stories were not stitched together into one complete tale until many years later.

This current version of Robin Hood is set in what is now called Wales. The Cymry tribes, consider themselves Britons, as opposed to the English, and especially the Franks (actually they are Normans, but the locals consider anyone from across the Channel a Frank). The time is shortly after the Norman conquest. William II is trying to fill The Conqueror's shoes, and the Franks are dividing up the island among themselves. The Britons are chafing under the yoke of the Franks, and are being overworked and overtaxed to fuel the building of new towns and castles.

One of the other factors the Author cites as to his choice of settings is the fact that most of the forests in England were well-managed business properties, whereas the forests in Wales were still primeval and undeveloped, still a fearsome wilderness, not a well-kept garden preserve like most of the English forests. It would have been possible to hide for years without being seen in the trackless forests of Wales, but not in the dwindling Sherwood Forest.

Enough detail. Suffice it to say, that in my opinion, Mr. Lawhead does, in fact pull it off. The setting makes a lot of sense, and the scenario of the Britons struggling to survive amidst the incursion of this new, alien culture and military power fits the legend well. Without giving anything away, the author paints vivid pictures of the Celtic culture and mindset and its contrast with the Normans who were changing everything. I look forward to more in this series.
Listening to it in audio form was especially instructive, given the plethora of tongue-twisting Celtic names and places, but I still plan on getting it in print.

New Tolkien

2007-03-25T19:04:00.000-06:00

reprinted from the Independant

Tolkien Jr. Completes Lord of the Rings

The last, unfinished book by the 'Lord of the Rings' author has been completed by his son. Can a film version be far behind?

By Jonathan Thompson
Published: 25 March 2007
The first new Tolkien novel for 30 years is to be published next month. In a move eagerly anticipated by millions of fans across the world, The Children of Húrin will be released worldwide on 17 April, 89 years after the author started the work and four years after the final cinematic instalment of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, one of biggest box office successes in history.

The book, whose contents are being jealously guarded by publisher HarperCollins - is described as "an epic story of adventure, tragedy, fellowship and heroism."
It is likely to be a publishing sensation, particularly as it is illustrated by veteran Middle Earth artist Alan Lee, who won an Oscar for art direction on Peter Jackson's third film The Return of The King. Lee provided 25 pencil sketches and eight paintings for the first edition of the book, one of which is reproduced here for the first time in a national newspaper.
Tolkien experts are already tipping The Children of Húrin - which features significant battle scenes and at least one major twist - for big budget Hollywood treatment. Takings from the Lord of the Rings trilogy box office takings to date total some £1.5bn.
Chris Crawshaw, chairman of the Tolkien Society, said: "It would probably make a very good movie, if anyone can secure the film rights.

"Tolkien saw his work as one long history of Middle Earth: from the beginning of creation to the end of the Third Age. The Children of Húrin is an early chapter in that bigger story."
The author's son Christopher, using his late father's voluminous notes, has painstakingly completed the book, left unfinished by the author when he died in 1971. The work has taken the best part of three decades, and will signify the first "new" Tolkien book since The Silmarillion was published posthumously in 1977.

"It will be interesting to see how it stands up today alongside all the Tolkien-alike literature that we've become familiar with," said David Bradley, editor of SFX magazine.

RIAA Tries to Shut Down Internet Radio

2007-03-04T08:22:00.000-06:00

If you enjoy listening to Internet radio stations, take note, the RIAA is trying to put them out of business. This is a reprint from radioparadise.com:

Future Uncertain For Internet Radio

The US Copyright Office has released their new set of rates for the payment of royalties by Internet Radio, and they ignored all of the facts presented by webcasters (including RP) and gave the record industry exactly what they asked for: royalty rates so high that they will put RP and every other independent webcaster out of business. See Kurt Hanson's newsletter for 3/2/07 for the details on how the rates work and what they will mean to stations like RP. You can participate in the discussion about this issue in our Listener Forum. For some time, we've suffered with a system where we pay a large chunk (10%-12%) of our income to the Big 5 record companies - while FM stations and radio conglomerates like Clear Channel pay nothing. Now they want even more. In our case, an amount equal to 125% of our income. Our only hope is to create as much public awareness and outrage about this staggeringly unfair situation as possible. Neither the record industry nor Congress are ready to listen to us at this point. But members of the media may well be, and we need to get their attention. If you have a blog, write about it. Feel free to quote anything I've written in the Listener Forum. If you find a good blog post about the subject, Digg it or Slashdot it. If you work for a media outlet, look over the facts of the situation and see if you don't feel the same sense of outrage that we do. Write a letter to the editor of your favorite magazine or newspaper. Let everyone you can know what a loss it would be to you personally if your favorite Internet radio stations, including RP, were no longer available. The RIAA can, at any time, agree to strike a deal with independent webcasters to allow us to pay a more realistic royalty, one based on a percentage of our income. We're hoping that if all of you make enough noise they'll be more inclined to do so. We'd also like to hope that at least one member of Congress will take a look at this situation and become willing to propose ammendments to the deeply flawed 1990s pieces of legislation that are responsible for the unfair treatment of Internet radio. Thanks a lot for reading this, and for considering the idea of taking some action on it. We'll be posting new information and links here as they become available.

Conservatives Speaking Out

2007-03-03T22:02:00.000-06:00

I never thought I would be reprinting an article from the Boston Globe, but...

At conservatives' conference, little love is expressed for GOP

By Susan Milligan, Globe Staff March 2, 2007
WASHINGTON -- Leading conservatives yesterday attacked the Republican party as big-government, free-spending coddlers of illegal immigrants and said the country's conservatives should withhold support from the GOP's current slate of presidential nominees to force them to the right.

"I feel very angry and betrayed" by the GOP, some of whose elected officials have backed a "guest worker" immigration plan, abortion rights, and tax increases, said Richard Viguerie , chairman of Conservative-HQ.com . "We should withhold support from all major Republican [presidential] candidates today. Not one of them deserves our support today," he told a ballroom full of activists at the Conservative Political Action Conference's annual meeting yesterday.

Further, he said, conservatives should withhold "all support" from GOP national committees, which Viguerie said have not produced federal candidates who adhere to conservative principles.

Ken Blackwell , a failed GOP candidate for Ohio governor last year, agreed that conservatives should at least wait to endorse a presidential candidate. "The Republican Party -- our natural home in a two-party system -- is in disarray," Blackwell lamented.
At least one conference participant sported a sticker that featured a circle with a line drawn through the words "Rudy McRomney" -- broadcasting the wearer's opposition to the early leaders in polls for the GOP nomination, former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani , Senator John McCain of Arizona, and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney .
Conservatives said they are frustrated and angry, and blamed the GOP's massive losses in the 2006 elections on Republicans who deviated from a hard-line conservative agenda. The mood puts added pressure on a slew of GOP presidential candidates set to speak to the meeting today.
Social conservatives are leery of Giuliani, who supports abortion rights, and of McCain, who authored a campaign finance law that limits interest groups' financial influence in political campaigns. Romney's evolution to a socially conservative agenda pleases some religious conservatives, but some are still unhappy with his earlier, softer positions on gay rights and abortion rights.

Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee has disappointed fiscal conservatives for signing tax increases on gas and cigarettes, while Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas has been criticized for his support of an immigration bill that conservatives insist would give amnesty to illegal immigrants. Phyllis Schlafly, a longtime opponent of gay rights and the Equal Rights Amendment, won loud cheers yesterday when she derided programs to provide bilingual drivers' license tests and to offer low-wage jobs to immigrants instead of "our own high school dropouts."

All of the GOP candidates except McCain are scheduled to appear today before the conference. Representative Duncan Hunter , a lesser-known California Republican running for president, will also speak before the conservative activists.
Kevin Madden , a spokesman for Romney, acknowledged that conservatives are frustrated because of the election losses of 2006. But he said the party -- including its conservative wing -- needs to unite around an agenda and a candidate who can win.
"The conservative movement is going through a certain degree of reflection and renewal," Madden said. "We need to come together and find some unifying themes."

© Copyright 2007 Globe Newspaper Company.

Rumblings of the Third Temple

2007-03-01T23:23:00.000-06:00

This is a repost from Joel Rosenberg's blog about how much closer we are to a Temple being rebuilt in Jerusalem, and therefore a clear sign that the End Times are at hand. The Temple Mount Faithful have been trying to accomplish something like this for years, but have never had much support from the Religious Establishment in Jerusalem, but things are changing fast.

PLANS FOR THIRD JEWISH TEMPLE DEVELOPING

By Joel C. Rosenberg (Washington, D.C., March 1, 2007) -- It's been nearly 2,000 years since Jews celebrated Passover at the Temple in Jerusalem, but that will change soon if a growing Orthodox Jewish movement in Israel has its way.

"The present-day Sanhedrin Court decided Tuesday to purchase a herd of sheep for ritual sacrifice at the site of the Temple on the eve of Passover, conditions on the Temple Mount permitting," the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported yesterday.

"The modern Sanhedrin was established several years ago and is headed by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz. It claims to be renewing the ancient Jewish high court, which existed until roughly 1600 years ago, and meets once a week. Professor Hillel Weiss, a member of the Sanhedrin, told Haaretz on Tuesday that the action, even if merely symbolic, is designed to demonstrate in a way that is obvious to all that the expectation of Temple rituals will resume is real, and not just talk. Several years ago, a number of members of the various Temple movements performed a symbolic sacrifice on Givat Hananya, which overlooks the Temple Mount from Jerusalem's Abu Tur neighborhood. During the ceremony, participants sacrificed a young goat that was donated by a resident of Tekoa. The participants also built a special two-meter tall oven, in accordance with halakha (Jewish law).The Passover sacrifice is considered a simple ceremony, relative to other works performed in the Temple."

Numerous Biblical prophecies in the Old and New Testaments indicate a new Temple will be built in the "last days," suggesting such headlines have been foretold for centuries. Several Orthodox Jewish groups in Israel are currently making preparations to build and outfit the Third Temple. Some are developing detailed architectural plans for the structure, while others are creating the religious implements and clothing that would be used by Levitical priests to carry out sacrifices once the Temple is in place. Tensions over control of the Temple Mount are running high at the moment, with Palestinians rioting several weeks ago to keep Israelis from building a ramp so visitors can safely access the ancient holy site.

Breathtaking Arrogance

2007-02-10T07:29:00.000-06:00

I repost here the following column I read on National Review Online by Mark Krikorian, articulating a thought I have had before but was never able to express this succinctly. I haven't been following the antics inside the Beltway like I used to, so I hadn't heard this point of view expressed by Karl Rove before, but I think it's incredibly arrogant.

Not Our Kind of People [Mark Krikorian]
According to a congressman's wife who attended a Republican women's luncheon yesterday, Karl Rove explained the rationale behind the president's amnesty/open-borders proposal this way: "I don't want my 17-year-old son to have to pick tomatoes or make beds in Las Vegas."
There should be no need to explain why this is an obscene statement coming from a leader in the party that promotes the virtues of hard work, thrift, and sobriety, a party whose demi-god actually split fence rails as a young man, a party where "respectable Republican cloth coat" once actually meant something. But it does seem to be necessary to explain.
Rove's comment illustrates how the Bush-McCain-Giuliani-Hagel-Martinez-Brownback-Huckabee approach to immigration strikes at the very heart of self-government. It is precisely Rove's son (and my own, and those of the rest of us in the educated elite) who should work picking tomatoes or making beds, or washing restaurant dishes, or mowing lawns, especially when they're young, to help them develop some of the personal and civic virtues needed for self-government. It's not that I want my kids to make careers of picking tomatoes; Mexican farmworkers don't want that either. But we must inculcate in our children, especially those likely to go on to high-paying occupations, that there is no such thing as work that is beneath them.
As Tocqueville wrote: "In the United States professions are more or less laborious, more or less profitable; but they are never either high or low: every honest calling is honorable." The farther we move from that notion, the closer we come to the idea that the lawyer is somehow better than the parking-lot attendant, undercutting the very foundation of republican government.
This is why the president's "willing worker/willing employer" immigration extravaganza is morally wrong — it's not just that it will cost taxpayers untold billions, or that it will beggar our own blue-collar workers, or that it will compromise security, or that it will further dissolve our sovereignty. It would do all that, of course, but most importantly it would change the very nature of our society for the worse, creating whole occupations deemed to be unfit for respectable Americans, for which little brown people have to be imported from abroad. In other words, mass immigration, even now, is moving us toward an unequal, master-servant society.
To borrow from Lincoln, our progress in degeneracy appears to me to be pretty rapid. When it comes to this, I should prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretense of loving liberty — to Saudi Arabia, for instance.

Reagan is doing somersaults in his grave.

Just Finished Reading

2006-12-22T18:55:00.000-06:00

The Last Jihad by Joel Rosenberg

The Story:

On a quiet night under a full moon outside of Denver International Airport, a motorcade carrying the President of the United States is suddenly and viciously attacked.
The weapon: a hijacked Gulfstream IV business jet, packed with thousands of pounds of fuel and explosives. A Secret Service agent takes the jet down with a Stinger missile. The President narrowly escapes with his life. But not before terrorists also strike London, Paris, and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
...we thought we had won...
...we were wrong...
The CIA quickly traces the attacks back to Saddam Hussein. U.S. forces go on full alert. The President and his top national security advisors fear Iraq is preparing to seize sixty percent of the world's known oil reserves.
Drawn into the epicenter of the maelstrom are Jon Bennett—one of the savviest and stealthiest strategists on Wall Street—and his gorgeous, shrewd, but mysterious partner, Erin McCoy.
Bennett and McCoy have just secretly concluded a billion dollar deal to develop a vast and largely unknown oil field off the coast of Israel and Gaza. The President knows that if the U.S. is forced to go to war against Iraq, he'll need an airtight Arab coalition.
The key: finding a way to resolve the bloody Israeli-Palestinian conflict once and for all. How better to do that than commandeer Bennett, McCoy and their deal, force the Israeli and Palestinian leaders to the table, and nail down a peace treaty that offers a huge and unexpected bonus: oil wealth for each and every Jewish, Muslim and Christian family long scarred by war.
But something goes dreadfully wrong. A U.S. spy satellite picks up an Israeli commando operation in the Western desert of Iraq. The President receives an urgent call from the Israeli Prime Minister.
The good news: the Israelis have narrowly foiled an Iraqi Scud missile attack.
The bad news: the recovered warhead is nuclear, and Israeli intelligence is convinced Saddam has more weapons of mass destruction aimed not just at Tel Aviv but at Washington and New York as well.
The Prime Minister gives the U.S. a blunt ultimatum: melt down Baghdad within one hour, or Israel will do it herself.
The unthinkable scenario has arrived. Will the American President order a nuclear strike against Iraq to protect Israel? How can he, especially with Bennett and McCoy in Jerusalem? Then again, how can he not?

Revival in Middle East

2006-12-22T17:53:00.000-06:00

This is the reprint of a Flash Traffic email I received from Joel Rosenberg, and it's very interesting. Joel Rosenberg is a person with an interesting background. He is an evangelical Christian from an Orthodox Jewish background. He has worked inside the beltway, as well as for people like Rush Limbaugh and former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He wrote a series of political thrillers, the first of which opened with an airplane making a 9/11-style attack on Denver, but was written before 9/11. He has an uncanny ability to read the tea leaves and has a lot of insight on events in the Middle East.

NUMBER OF EX-MUSLIMS CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR
Spiritual revolution underway in Middle East.

By Joel C. Rosenberg

More Muslims converted to faith in Jesus Christ over the past decade than at any other time in human history. A spiritual revolution is underway throughout North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. As a result, a record number of ex-Muslims are celebrating Christmas this year, despite intense persecution, assassinations, and widespread church bombings. During the writing of Epicenter, my wife and kids and I lived in the Mideast for three months. During that time, I had the privilege of interviewing more than three dozen Arab and Iranian pastors and evangelical leaders throughout the region. The picture they paint is one of Christianity being dramatically resurrected in the region of its birth. A snapshot:

Iraq: more than 5,000 new Muslim converts to Christianity have been identified since the end of major combat operations, with 14 new churches opened in Baghdad, and dozens of new churches opened in Kurdistan, some of which have 500 to 800 members. Also, more than 1 million Bibles shipped into the country since 2003, and pastors report Iraqis are snatching them up so fast they constantly need more Bibles.

Egypt: some reports say 1 million Egyptians have trusted Christ over the past decade or so. The Egyptian Bible Society told me they used to sell about 3,000 copies of the JESUS film a year in the early 1990s. But last year they sold 600,000 copies, plus 750,000 copies of the Bible on tape (in Arabic) and about a half million copies of the Arabic New Testament. "Egyptians are increasingly hungry for God's Word," an Egyptian Christian leader told me. Last Christmas, I had the privilege of visiting the largest Christian congregation in the Middle East, which meets in an enormous cave on the outskirts of Cairo. Some 10,000 believers worship there every weekend. A prayer conference the church held in May 2005 drew some 20,000 believers.

Afghanistan: only 17 Muslim converts to Christianity before 9/11/01, but now more than 10,000. Dozens of baptisms every week.

Kazakstan: only 3 known Christians in 1990, but now more than 15,000.

Uzbekistan: no known Christians in 1990, but now more than 30,000.

Sudan: more than 1 million Sudanese have converted to Christianity just since 2000, and some 5 million have become Christians since the early 1990s, despite a radical Islamic regime and an on-going genocide that has killed more than 200,000. Seminaries are being held in caves to train pastors to shepherd the huge numbers of people coming to Christ. Why such a dramatic spiritual awakening? "People have seen real Islam, and they want Jesus instead," one Sudanese evangelical leader told me.

Iran: in 1979, there were only 500 known Muslim converts to Christianity, but today Iranian pastors and evangelical leaders tell me there are more than 1 million Iranian believers in Jesus Christ, most of whom meet in underground house churches.

December 2001, Sheikh Ahmad al Qataani, a leading Saudi cleric, appeared on a live interview on Aljazeera satellite television to confirm that, sure enough, Muslims were turning to Jesus in alarming numbers. "In every hour, 667 Muslims convert to Christianity," Al Qataani warned. "Every day, 16,000 Muslims convert to Christianity. Every year, 6 million Muslims convert to Christianity."

Stunned, the interviewer interrupted the cleric. "Hold on! Let me clarify. Do we have six million converting from Islam to Christianity?" Al Qataani repeated his assertion. "Every year," the cleric confirmed, adding, "a tragedy has happened."

One of the most dramatic developments is that many Muslims -- including Shiites in Iran and Iraq -- are seeing dreams and visions of Jesus and thus coming into churches explaining that they have already converted and now need a Bible and guidance on how to follow Jesus. I describe a number of these stories in the book. Having just returned from three weeks in the Mideast, I have heard many more, and will be sharing some of them in the new year. This is in fulfillment of Biblical prophecy. The Hebrew Prophet Joel told us that "in the last days, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days....And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved." (Joel 2:28-32)

Bottom line: It's not being reported by the mainstream media, but the God of the Bible is moving powerfully and dramatically throughout the Muslim world. The number of Arab and Iranian Christians is surging despite wars, rumors of wars, and terrible persecution. These fellow brothers and sisters now need our fervent prayers and our practical help as they seek to reach epicenter with the love and forgiveness of Jesus in 2007.

Lynn and I launched The Joshua Fund both to bless the Jews of Israel as well as to communicate the gospel to Muslims throughout the Middle East. If you'd like to learn more -- or to help -- please visit our website at www.joshuafund.net

A Very Good Question...

2006-12-14T18:30:00.000-06:00

I reprint this column here without permission but giving credit. This was posted on a CNN site and was written by Jay Bakker and Marc Brown (as stated below) I don't necessarily agree with them completely but I think they raise an interesting point that I am starting to hear echoed in one form or another a lot lately.....

Bakker, Brown: What the hell happened to Christianity?

By Jay Bakker and Marc Brown
Special to CNN

Editor's note: Jay Bakker, son of former Praise The Lord leaders Jim Bakker and Tammy Faye Messner, is minister of Revolution Church and subject of a new documentary series, "One Punk Under God," on Sundance Channel. Marc Brown is a Revolution staff member.

NEW YORK (CNN) -- What the hell happened? Where did we go wrong? How was Christianity co-opted by a political party? Why are Christians supporting laws that force others to live by their standards? The answers to these questions are integral to the survival of Christianity.

While the current state of Christianity might seem normal and business-as-usual to some, most see through the judgment and hypocrisy that has permeated the church for so long. People witness this and say to themselves, "Why would I want to be a part of that?" They are turned off by Christians and eventually, to Christianity altogether. We can't even count the number of times someone has given us a weird stare or completely brushed us off when they discover we work for a church.

So when did the focus of Christianity shift from the unconditional love and acceptance preached by Christ to the hate and condemnation spewed forth by certain groups today? Some say it was during the rise of Conservative Christianity in the early 1980s with political action groups like the Moral Majority. Others say it goes way back to the 300s, when Rome's Christian Emperor Constantine initiated a set of laws limiting the rights of Roman non-Christians. Regardless of the origin, one thing is crystal clear: It's not what Jesus stood for.

His parables and lessons were focused on love and forgiveness, a message of "come as you are, not as you should be." The bulk of his time was spent preaching about helping the poor and those who are unable to help themselves. At the very least, Christians should be counted on to lend a helping hand to the poor and others in need.

This brings us to the big issues of American Christianity: Abortion and gay marriage. These two highly debatable topics will not be going away anytime soon. Obviously, the discussion centers around whether they are right or wrong, but is the screaming really necessary? After years of witnessing the dark side of religion, Marc and I think not.

Christians should be able to look past their differences and agree to disagree. This allows people to discuss issues with respect for one another. Christians are called to love others just as they are, without an agenda. Only then will Christianity see a return to its roots: Loving God with all of your heart and loving your neighbor as yourself.

The Apostle Paul describes this idea of love beautifully in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7: "Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance."

But don't take our word for it; look at what Jesus and his followers stood for in his time and what Christianity stands for today. Then come to your own conclusion.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the writer. This is part of an occasional series of commentaries on CNN.com that offers a broad range of perspectives, thoughts and points of view.

... They make a few good points

Thanksgiving

2006-11-23T09:40:00.000-06:00

I would like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and offer an excerpt from Peter Marshall's The Light and the Glory on the first Thanksgiving and the events leading up to it.

If any one event could be singled out to mark the turning point of their (the Pilgrim's) fortunes, it would have been what happened on a fair Friday in the middle of March. The men were gathered in the common house to conclude their conference on military instruction, when the cry went up, "Indian coming!"
Captain Standish shook his head, even as he went to look out the window - to see a tall, well-built Indian, wearing nothing but a leather loincloth striding up their main street.
"Welcome!", he boomed in a deep, resonant voice. The Pilgrims were too startled to speak. At length. they replied with as much gravity as they could muster: "Welcome."
"Have you got any beer?" he asked them in flawless English. If they were surprised before, they were astonished now. The Pilgrims looked at one another, then turned back to him. "Our beer is gone. Would you like some ... brandy?
The Indian nodded.
They brought him some brandy, and a biscuit with butter and cheese, and then some pudding and a piece of roast duck. To their continuing amazement, he ate with evident relish everything set before him. Where had he developed such an appetite for English food? How, in fact, had he come to speak English? For that matter, who was he and what was he doing here?
But they would have to wait, for obviously he did not intend to talk until he had finished his repast. Finally the time for answering questions came. His name was Samoset. He was a sagamore (or chief) of the Algonquins, from what is now Pemaquid Point in Maine. He had been visiting these parts for the past eight months, having begged a ride down the coast with Captain Thomas Dermer, an English sea captain who was known to the Pilgrims by reputation. He had been sent out to explore the coast for the Council for New England, the company to whom they would now be applying for a patent. Apparently Samoset's sole motivation was a love of travel, and he had learned his English from various fishing captains who had put in to the Maine shore over the years.
Now they asked the crucial question: What could he tell them of the Indians hereabouts? And the story he told gave every one of them cause to thank God in their hearts. This area had always been the Territory of the Patuxets, a large hostile tribe who had barbarously murdered every white man who had landed on their shores. But four years prior to the Pilgrims' arrival, a mysterious plague had broken out among them, killing every man, woman, and child. So complete was the devastation that the neighboring tribes had shunned the area ever since, convinced that some great supernatural spirit had destroyed the Patuxets. Hence the cleared land on which they settled literally belonged to no one! Their nearest neighbors, said Samoset, were the Wampanoags, some fifty miles to the southwest. These Indians numbered about sixty warriors. Massasoit, their sachem (or chief) had such great wisdom that he also ruled over several other small tribes in the general area. And it was with Massasoit that Samoset had spent most of the past eight months.
Who were the Indians out on the Cape who had attacked them? These were the Nausets, who numbered about a hundred warriors. The previous summer they had attacked Captain Dermer and killed three of his men. The Nausets hated the white man, because several years before one Captain Thomas Hunt had tricked seven of their braves into coming aboard his ship on the pretext of wanting to trade with them. He had taken them, along with twenty Patuxets , to Spain, where he had sold them into slavery.
By the time he was done with his tale telling, it was nightfall. Samoset announced that he would sleep with them, and return in the morning. Captain Standish put a discreet watch on him, but Samoset slept the sleep of the untroubled. And in he morning he left, bearing a knife, a bracelet, and a ring as gifts to Massasoit.
That was the last they saw of him until the following Thursday returned accompanied by another Indian who also spoke English, and was of all things, a Patuxet! The second Indian was Squanto, and he was there to be according to Bradford, "a special instrument sent of God for their good, beyond their expectation." The extraordinary chain of "coincidences" in this man's life is in its own way no less extraordinary than the saga of Joseph's being sold into slavery in Egypt. Indeed in the ensuing months, their was not a doubt in any of their hearts that Squanto, whose Indian name was Tisquantum, was a Godsend.
His story really began in 1605, when Squanto and four other were taken captive by Captain George Weymouth. The Indians were taken to England, where they were taught English. When Squanto finally managed to make it back home and stepped ashore six months before the Pilgrims arrived, he received the most tragic blow of his life: not a man, woman, or child of his tribe was left alive! Nothing but skulls, bones, and ruined dwellings remained. In despair he wandered into Massasoit's camp, because he had nowhere else to go. And that chief, understanding his circumstances, took pity on him. But Squanto merely existed, having lost all reason for living.
That is, that was his condition until Samoset brought news of a small colony of peaceful English families who were so hard pressed to stay alive, let alone plant a colony at Patuxet. A light seemed to come back into Squanto's eye, and he accompanied Samoset when the latter came to Plymouth as Massasoit's interpreter, for the chief himself had come, with all sixty warriors painted in startling fashion.
Out of this meeting came a peace treaty of mutual aid and assistance which would last for forty years and would be a model for many that would be made thereafter. Massasoit was a remarkable example of God's providential care for His Pilgrims. He was probably the only other chief on the northeast coast of America who (like Powhatan to the south) would have welcomed the white man as a friend.
When Massasoit and his entourage finally left, Squanto stayed. He had found his reason for living. These English were like little babes, so ignorant they were of the ways of the wild. Well, he could certainly do something about that! The next day he went out and came back with all the eels he could hold in his hands - which the Pilgrims found to be "fat and sweet" and excellent eating. How had he ever caught them? He took several young men with him and taught them how to squash the eels out of the mud with their bare feet and catch them with their hands.
But the next thing he showed them was by far the most important, for it would save every one of their lives. April was corn planting month in New England as well as Virginia. Squanto showed the Pilgrims how to plant corn the Indian way, hoeing six foot squares in toward the center, putting down four or five kernels, and fertilizing the corn with fish. At that, the Pilgrims just shook their heads; in four months they had caught exactly one cod. No matter, said Squanto cheerfully; in four days the creeks would be overflowing with fish.
The Pilgrims cast a baleful eye on their amazing friend, who seemed to have adopted them. But Squanto ignored them and instructed the young men in how to make the wiers they would need to catch the fish. Obediently the men did as he told them, and four days later the creeks for miles around were clogged with alewives making their spring run. The Pilgrims did not catch them, they harvested them!
Now the corn was planted. Pointing spoke-like toward the center of each mound were three fishes, their heads almost touching. Now said Squanto, they would have to guard against wolves, adding that the wolves would attempt to steal the fish. The Pilgrims would have to guard it for two weeks, until it had a chance to decompose. And so they did and that summer twenty full acres of corn began to flourish.
Squanto helped in a thousand similar ways, teaching them how to stalk deer, plant pumpkins among the corn, refine maple syrup from maple trees, discern which herbs were good to eat and good for medicine, and find the best berries. But after the corn there was one other specific thing he did which was of inestimable importance for their survival. What little fishing they had done was a failure, and any plan for them to fish commercially was a certain fiasco. So Squanto introduced them to the pelt of the beaver, which was then in plentiful supply in northern New England, and in great demand throughout Europe. And not only did he get them started, but he guided in the trading, making sure they got their full money's worth in top-quality pelts. This would prove to be their economic deliverance, just as corn would be their physical deliverance.
The Pilgrims were brimming over with gratitude - not only to Squanto and the Wampanoags who had been so friendly, but to their God. In Him they had trusted, and he had honored their obedience beyond their dreams. So Governor Bradford declared a day of public Thanksgiving, to be held in October. Massasoit was invited, and unexpectedly arrived a day early, with ninety Indians! Counting their numbers, the Pilgrims had to pray hard to keep from giving in to despair. To feed such a crowd would cut deeply into the food supply that was supposed to get them through the winter.
But if they had learned one thing through their travels, it was to trust God implicitly. As is turned out, the Indians were not arriving empty handed. Massasoit had commanded his braves to hunt for the occasion, and they arrived with no less than five dressed deer and more than a dozen fat wild turkeys! And they helped them with preparations, teaching the Pilgrim women how to make hoecakes, and a tasty pudding out of cornmeal and maple syrup. Finally they showed them an Indian delicacy: how to roast corn kernels in an earthen pot until they popped, fluffy and white - popcorn!
The Pilgrims in turn provided many vegetables from their household gardens: carrots, onions, turnips, parsnips, cucumbers, radishes, beets, and cabbages. Also using some of their precious, they took summer fruits which the Indians had dried and introduces them to the likes of blueberry, apple, and cherry pie. It was all washed down with sweet wine made from wild grapes. A joyous occasion for all!
Between meals, the Pilgrims and Indians happily competed in shooting contests with gun and bow. The Indians were especially delighted that John Alden and some of the younger men of the plantation were eager to join them in foot races and wrestling. There were even military drills staged by Captain Standish. Things went so well (and Massasoit showed no inclination to leave) that Thanksgiving day was extended for three days.
Surely one moment stood out in the Pilgrims' memory - William Brewster's prayer as they began the festival. They had so much for which to thank God: for providing all their needs, even when their faith had not been up to believing that he would do so; for the lives of the departed, and for taking them home to be with Him; for their friendship with the Indians - so extraordinary when the settlers to the south had experienced the opposite; for all his remarkable Providences in bringing them to this place and sustaining them.

As I said earlier, this excerpt was taken from Peter Marshall's excellent book, The Light and the Glory, the first in a series he wrote on American history.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Pundit or Prophet?

2006-11-21T21:17:00.000-06:00

I recently read a fascinating book by Joel C Rosenberg, a work of fiction called The Copper Scroll. It's actually the fourth book in the series. I was vaguely aware of his first book The Last Jihad but never read it. The guy is an interesting combination of influences. He has an inside-the-beltway background, and is an Evangelical Christian from an Orthodox Jewish background. He also has an uncanny knack for writing things that come true. The Last Jihad opens with Muslim extremists using hijacked aircraft in a Kamikaze attack on an American city. So what you ask? He actually wrote this before 9/11. The Copper Scroll deals primarily with a search for Temple treasure supposedly buried since the destruction of the second Temple in 70 A.D. (C.E.) and the tantalizing clues contained in a scroll that was found at the Qumran site where the Dead Sea scrolls were found. This scroll was uncovered in 1956 I believe, and was unique in that it was made of copper, not papyrus or animal hide like you would expect. It took scholars 4 years to figure out how to unroll the scroll without destroying it, but once they did, they were surprised. It was unlike any other scroll they had found in that it contained clues to the location of 63 ( I believe) different caches of treasure from the Temple, ranging from gold and silver in enormous quantities to the golden utensils used in the Temple. Archaeologists and scholars have dreamed for over 40 years now about finding this treasure, and what is might portend for the future of Israel and that finding it would be the final capstone to a growing interest in rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem.
The book is is quite a page turner and action packed from beginning to end and covers a lot of geopolitical ground very astutely. He also has a new nonfiction book called Epicenter: Why the Current Rumblings in the Middle East Will Change Your Future. I read the first chapter online and it picks up where his fiction leaves off, explaining what he thinks might happen and why. I'm not sure how this guy stayed under my radar for so long except that, politically, I have kind of unplugged myself lately, being pretty burned out and alienated by what has been going on in Washington lately, so the folks I used to listen to regularly, like Rush Limbaugh, I hardly ever hear anymore. I'm also totally out of touch with Christian publishing these days, and although he didn't start out with a Christian publisher, Joel Rosenberg's books are currently being put out by Tyndale (you know, the Left Behind guys). Anyway if you want a fascinating perspective on what's going on in the world, give this guy a read. I know I've got some catching up to do.

Now I'm saying this in Love...

2006-11-19T13:38:00.001-06:00

It seems to me that, as dangerous as generalizations are, the Evangelical branch of the Church here in America has lost sight of it's mission in the world, and could stand to spend some time reading the Gospels from a fresh perspective. Standing up for one's values and beliefs in the face of a secular culture is admirable, but lets make sure that we are standing up for the right things. What is really more important? Letting society know that we disapprove of what they stand for and the way they live (even when scripture is clearly on our side), or showing these people the love of Christ? Is it really our primary job to make sure these people know what they are doing is wrong? It seems to me like that is the job of the Holy Spirit. Take a look at how Jesus did it. The main group of people he spent a lot of time pointing out sin to were the ones everyone acknowledged as the religious ones. It seems like we do it backwards. The ones he spent time hanging around are the ones we point fingers at and boycott. Don't get me wrong - moral standards are important, and we should never compromise our beliefs, but Jesus managed to find a perfect balance. He really did love the sinner. These days when "love the sinner but hate the sin" is mouthed, it usually means someone is about to get pounded over the head by someone else's dogma. Jesus loved, touched, spent time with, drank wine with the folks the religious leaders of the day would have nothing to do with. He loved these people, but never compromised his standards. Are we showing the love of Christ by telling someone that because they are a part of a certain lifestyle then we won't do business with them? If Nazareth's local harlot came to Jesus' carpenter shop to commission some new furniture, would he have turned her away because of her lifestyle? I'm thinking not.
It seems that the church is divided into two camps when it comes to certain issues. There are the churches who condone ( or minimize) the sin in question, and there are the churches who condemn the sin and proclaim that they love the sinner in question, but have a funny way of showing it. Scripture is pretty clear that you will know the followers of Jesus by their love, and in my humble opinion, if you have to tell someone that what you are showing them is love, then it might not be. It reminds me of when I hear someone say, "I don't mean to judge." That usually should be followed by the phrase, "but I am going to anyway."
I don't mean to be banging the table over this stuff but it has bothered me for a while. It's kind of like when I was a kid in the Baptist church, and I would read something in the Bible and wondered why we didn't believe that in the church today. I would usually get an explanation when I asked but it frequently sounded like theological double talk.

All I'm saying is that it seems like Jesus reached a lot more people doing it his way than we are by doing it ours. I am currently seeing things being done Jesus' way at the Vineyard more than I ever have anywhere else and it is very refreshing.

Less is More

2006-11-17T23:21:00.000-06:00

Well I have officially lost 50 lbs. now, and am feeling much better. I don't get tired quite as easily, and my legs and knees don't bother me quite as much, but I still have a good ways to go...
I set my first goal at 50 lbs. and as an incentive to help motivate myself, declared that I was going to invest in an MP3 player when I hit my mark. Well thanks to the support and generosity of several family members I am now doing my best to fill up a 4g iPod Nano (green, since they don't make a purple one). I actually did do a little research and talked to a few friends who have non-iPod type players as well as my brothers who both have iPods, and decided to drink the Kool-Aid (just kidding, calm down) and buy an Apple product. I have actually been using iTunes for several months and like the way it works. I also enjoy audiobooks, or more accurately, I used to enjoy audiobooks when I worked at a place that rented them many moons ago, but MP3 players are the logical format for listening to the unabridged audiobooks readily available these days so I haven't messed with them much, but now I plan on getting my feet wet.
Back to my first topic though, I have set my next goal and am working on my next 25 pounds. More updates to come!

Bond? James Bond?

2006-11-17T22:49:00.003-06:00

Well I have enjoyed Bond movies on TV for years and have several personal favorites that I watch when I see them on, however I don't recall having ever paid to see one in the theater until today. I suppose there haven't been inspiring Bond movies (as far as I'm concerned) since I have been old enough to have a say in what movies I attend. I enjoy most of the Sean Connery ones and the early and mid period Roger Moore ones, but after that they all start to look alike.
I was therefore surprised to find myself interested in the latest Bond movie after having seen a trailer and hearing a little about it. I shrugged when I heard the news about Pierce Brosnan being fired and Daniel Craig being cast. We went and saw it today and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Craig is not another prettyboy who seems afraid to get his suit dirty. The movie starts with him being promoted to double 0 status and portrays him as a efficient, capable killer with a penchant for excessive violence, and he doesn't play to a lot of the standard Bond cliches. When asked the eternal question, "shaken or stirred?", he responds, "Do I look like I give a damn?" Also the plot is actually interesting and not the standard "eccentric rich guy trying to take over the world from his secret hideout" scenario. The movie was a little longer than I expected but it was thoroughly enjoyable and will hopefully breath some life into a franchise that hasn't interested me in years - even when they show them free on tv. I reccommend it. Not deep but lots of fun.

Baby Harkins

2006-11-05T17:12:00.000-06:00

I want to congratulate Carter and Kelly Harkins on the birth of their baby boy, Reagan. I will repost the announcement on his site and recommend that you head over there if you want to see some pictures or video. Their site is aboutthebaby.com. You will both be great parents!

HEAR YE! HEAR YE! A NEW KING IN THE REALM!
Trumpet fanfare would not be enough to herald the amazing moment we witnessed today, at 2:32 pm CST. Reagan Dayle Harkins entered the world at 8 pounds, 20.5 inches long and completely and totally healthy and magnificent. Mom spent a few more minutes in surgery having a cyst removed (the hospital was running a two-fer deal) and is recovering remarkably well. Our hearts are filled with a tenderness and love that I must say is surprisingly protective and strong. I've held many babies and never felt what I feel today. This miracle of childbirth, and the amazing cloud of joy and contentment it brings has swallowed us whole. God is beyond good.

Diverse Tastes

2006-09-24T07:14:00.000-06:00

I find myself listening to a lot of different things lately. I continue to dig Miles Davis, but more specifically I've been listening to Miles from the mid to late 50's - the Gil Evans stuff and others. Of course Kind of Blue but also Miles Ahead, Sketches of Spain, and Porgy and Bess. It's just so smooth and cool, its perfect for unwinding at the end of the day. Along the same lines, I've been digging the latest (I think) release by Diana Krall, From This Moment On. I have been familiar with her name, but had not heard much of her music and have enjoyed it. The album contains quite a few standards, including the namesake, and there are a number of arrangements that have some cool horns and swing nicely, but not too hard. She was actually on Letterman last week. (did anyone else catch Ventriloquist Week?)
When I'm in a completely different mood, I have been listening to a group my brother turned me on to, a band that could best be described as Irish Punk, Flogging Molly. Don't get carried away by the name. It comes from the fact that they used to play at an L.A. pub called Molly Malone so often that they felt like they were flogging a dead horse, and wearing out their welcome with the crowd. They feature a full complement of instruments that you would expect from traditional Irish folk music such as a violin, penny whistle, accordion, uilleann pipes and so forth but this is combined with a standard rock band and the effect is lots of fun. They get compared to the Pogues a lot but for my money are quite a bit more interesting. They even have written a few pirate songs. My brother first heard them, I believe, on the soundtrack from Mr. & Mrs. Smith, the Angelina Jolie - Brad Pitt thingy. Dave King, the lead singer/guitarist/songwriter was born in Dublin and was Catholic at least once in his life, based on some of the interesting references in his songs. It's great music in the car and very effective at drowning out the rap music coming from the next vehicle over at the stop light.
From the same general neck of the woods, inspiration-wise I also have a disc of music from the St. Thomas Episcopal High School Pipe and Drum Corps., who just returned from winning a fifth World Championship at the Highland Games in Scotland. ( I also fix their copiers) The album I have is a few years old I believe, but very good. I don't know, some people like bagpipes and some people cannot stand them. They seem to be very polarizing. And no, the disc I have has neither Amazing Grace or Scotland the Brave on it. I have a few other irons in the fire at the moment, musically but that's what's in my CD player currently. Yes I know CD players are so five minutes ago but I don't have an MP3 player yet.

6 random facts about myself

2006-08-27T14:45:00.000-06:00

Even though this is a bit late, I thought I'd respond to Mike Hon's post with a list of my own as a way of getting back into the swing of writing posts, and give everyone an update on myself. I've had an eventful month or so. Sunday the 23rd of June I went out to lunch after church, and then over to my wife's parents house. I began to feel poorly and we left early. I figured I had gotten some bad chicken at lunch. Well I began to feel worse as the evening went on, but hoped I could sleep it off. Monday morning dawned after a sleepless night and I knew I had to get to the emergency room. I had pain in my abdomen, but it wasn't localized and I had no idea what was going on. It turns out not only did I have appendicitis, but it had burst. My surgeon said it was the worst case he had ever seen. Well, I stayed in the hospital for four days and spent the next three weeks at home watching Maury Povitch and fighting off pneumonia. They all knew I was feeling lousy because I hardly ever touched the computer. Well, not only am I feeling better, but I've lost 30 pounds. Anyway enough with that. I carry on about being sick anymore and folks will think I'm LBJ hiking up my shirt and showing my scars in public. On to the list

1. Until this event I had never in my life been either in the hospital or emergency room since I was a few months old.

2. I have recently started listening to Flogging Molly, a band best described as Irish punk.

3. When our family first got a VCR in the early 80's the two movies we rented on our initial foray to the video store were 2001 and The Apple Dumpling Gang (Don Knotts and Tim Conway if memory serves)

4. I had a pet tarantula named Jezebel for a few years

5. I have never seen the movie E.T.

6. I used to have two cats named Pork and Beans (brother and sister)

Well that's all for now, but I promise to try and post more often.

Old Tunes, New Insight

2006-06-09T20:20:00.000-06:00

...To paraphrase Obi-Wan Kenobi, "Resurrection Band - now that's a name haven't heard in a long time."
The name Resurrection Band came up in a conversation the other day, and it prompted me to pull out some of my CD's I haven't listened to in a while and revisit them, but while enjoying the music I also reflected on how far these folks were ahead of their time. Then again, maybe it's just me that is catching on to their relevance.
For those poor, deprived among you that are unfamiliar, Resurrection Band was a band that was produced out of the Jesus Movement of the early 70's. They eventually settled in Chicago and formed a community called Jesus People USA, or JPUSA. In high school, this seemed cool, certainly, and admirable, and certainly unusual, but now I understand that their way of life continues to be one of the closest things I've ever seen to New Testament Christianity, community-wise. The community lives in the inner city of Chicago and exist commune-style where they share everything and minister materially to hundreds of street people with food, clothes and shelter every day. All the money the band made has gone back into the community. They have been doing this for 30 years, long before the majority of the church, or the press and the Compassion crowd in Hollywood were paying attention.
The band itself, fronted by Glenn and Wendi Kaiser, and including originally, Stu Heiss, John Herrin, and Jim Denton started playing together in the early 70's and recorded two different albums they gave away at concerts, one rock and the other acoustic. They were given a gift of the money that allowed them to record their first commercial album, Awaiting Your Reply. A small Houston-based label, Star Song took a chance and released the album to surprising success. Christian rock like Rez Band was playing was pretty unheard of at the time and they broke ground that allowed a lot of other bands to follow.
Personally, Rez's second and third albums, Rainbow's End and Colours are my favorite. Rainbow's End is a little more blues-influenced and a little less folk-y than a lot of Awaiting Your Reply, and begins the band's trend of outspoken social commentary long before it was trendy. The song 'Afrikaans' is one of the first by any band to confront South Africa's racist system of apartheid a full year before Peter Gabriel's 'Biko' (the album was released in 1979) Colours is harder rock that talks about God's sovereignty and love, and features a lot of commentary on inner city life and American culture, making Resurrection Band more outspoken than any Christian artist other than Larry Norman at that time. During the mid 80's they were influenced heavily by new wave, but then moved back to a harder and bluesier sound.
Rez Band has recorded many great albums with hard hitting messages full of conviction, and that is the main thing I appreciate them for - their focus on ministry. Their lyrics constantly seek to be the conscious of the Church, reminding us of the suffering people around us and recalling our mission to go into all the world. Their concerts usually always featured Glenn's fiery preaching and an altar call at the end of the show. In an era when so much Christian music sounds alike and preaches to the choir, it's refreshing to hear a voice crying in the wilderness, a Jeremiah reminding us that our calling is outside our comfy, air-conditioned church buildings. I appreciate their music, but even more, their sincerity. They don't mind making you feel uncomfortable by speaking the truth. Everyone needs someone like that in their life.

A New Home

2006-05-21T07:27:00.000-06:00

Well, after a couple of months of seeking God and an even longer time of frustration and feeling like the children of Israel in the wilderness, we have officially joined the Sugarland Vineyard. I didn't realize how discontented and frustrated I had become until I heard Bert Waggoner, the Senior Pastor explaining what the Vineyard teaches about a few different topics, and realizing, "Wait a minute, that's what I've thought all along, I just didn't realize anyone else did." The main word I would use to describe what I have experienced and learned so far is Balance. You can experience the Spirit of God moving in praise and worship, but at the same time, feel free to worship however you are led to without having your name put on a list for not raising your hands.
A lot of churches will give lip service to the concept that attitudes of the heart are more important than outward observances, but then they turn around and make it known that there are certain things you should or should not be doing if you want to be really spiritual. At the Vineyard I feel free to be myself without having to wear my Church Face all the time. If I've had a hard day, I feel free to say so, instead of being afraid of the Positive Confession Police. I have had friends recently who I knew were going through something, but they thought it so important to appear to be a Strong Christian that they would just not speak to anyone for fear of people finding out they're human. I appreciate the fact that the leadership at the Vineyard is as comfortable with a systematic study of theology as they are with healing and the fact that we still hear from God today.
I do miss all of our friends at the other church, and hope they understand that we didn't intend to sneak off into the night, we've just been trying to follow where God has been leading, and most of the time we haven't known where we were going until we got there. I do pray blessings on everyone at our former home and thank the leadership there for how much we learned and grew during our time under their authority, and hope to be back to visit at some point. I still enjoy Shabbat services at Congregation Beth Messiah as often as I can, but on Sundays, look for me at the Vineyard.

Farewell - For Now

2006-04-22T21:23:00.000-06:00

On Wednesday, April 19th at about 11:30 in the morning, Zola Levitt went home to be with Yeshua, or in his words, received his promotion after staying at his post until the end. He kept filming shows right up until the end every time he had a good morning when he felt strong. Zola was diagnosed with cancer on February 10th, and it spread from his lungs to his brain and liver.
Zola Levitt was a pioneer in evangelism and ministry to Jews before the term Messianic Jew became widespread, and opened a lot of doors in the Church to understanding the Jewish roots of our faith in Christ and giving the body of Christ tools to reach out to the Jewish community and show them the love of Yeshua. If you have never seen Zola's presentation of Christ in the Passover, it is a revelation. If you are Jewish, you need to see it to understand how Yeshua was the messiah and became your Passover Lamb. You will see new meaning in ceremonies you have been participating in all your life. If you are a Gentile Christian, you need to see it to understand the roots of our faith and the origins of the Lord's Supper. It will shed new light on the last week of Yeshua's life.
I join thousands of others all over the world in rejoicing in Zola's legacy and life, and in praying for his family and those in his ministry and continuing to pray fervently:

Why Easter?

2006-04-05T20:57:00.000-06:00

Why again do we call it Easter? I propose a change, and even offer a couple of alternatives, one of which I have heard others use more each year.
Resurrection Day is a perfectly acceptable alternative to Easter and I use it myself frequently, depending on the audience, but my preferred name for this poorly named holiday is Firstfruits. Many of the Jewish festivals have at least some fulfillment in Jesus' first coming, and the Feast of Firstfruits is no exception. Firstfruits is a part of the Passover celebration, which is itself another column. Passover itself is the beginning of a whole week of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, in which observants eat only unleavened bread and no yeast at all. The Sunday after Passover during the feast of Unleavened Bread is the Feast of Firstfruits, an originally agricultural festival when the firstfruits of the harvest were taken to the Temple (or Tabernacle) and presented to the Lord in a wave offering.
It is of course no coincidence that Yeshua (that's Jesus to you) rose from the dead on the Sunday after Passover during the feast of Unleavened Bread. Unleavened bread is a symbol of purity and the absence of sin, and Jesus is the Firstfruit of the Resurrection. Believers will all be in possession of glorified bodies like the one Jesus showed off with during his appearances after his resurrection. He is the first one permanently raised from the dead. All those he raised from the dead during his earthly ministry of course died again at a later date.
So there you have it. My vote is to celebrate the Feast of Firstfruits or Bikkurim, its Hebrew name, instead of calling it Easter. Easter Bunny? Can't help you there. Don't know where that weirdness came from.
Have a Blessed Bikkurim!

How did I miss this?

2006-03-13T19:41:00.000-06:00

Forgive my absence, but I feel as if I have been in the salt mines for the last few weeks, and my muse has been very quiet, but I figured the best way to write something is to start writing. Profound, huh?
I did hear something very interesting the other day that I can't believe I had missed. Apparently, at some point last year, in Israel, the Sanhedrin was re-convened for the first time since 425 A.D. (C.E) when they convened in Tiberius. The Sanhedrin is the religious high court for the Nation of Israel, and is responsible for regulating religious life in Israel. This is the court Jesus appeared before. One of the rabbinic prophecies relating to the Sanhedrin is the belief that the Messiah will appear before the Sanhedrin and be recognized. Within the first few weeks of being reassembled, they began to consider what can only be described as the 800 lb. gorilla in the corner of the room -- a new Temple. They began to look into verifying the location of the ancient Temple, which is not as simple as it might seem.
There are two main schools of thought on the location of the Temple. The concept that most people are familiar with is that the Temple is located on the same site as the Dome of the Rock. This is entirely possible, but I have read a few articles and done a little research on the other theory and it is very interesting. The other school of thought is that the Temple was located on the north end of the Temple Mount, a site that is empty except for a small cupola over a patch of exposed bedrock. The original tradition is that there were two holy spots on Mount Moriah, the spot where Abraham build the altar to sacrifice Isaac, and the site where the ram was caught in the thicket. The dome of the rock covers one of these locations, and this small cupola covers the other site. One of the most convincing facts that the Temple stood at the north end of the Temple Mount is that according to ancient accounts, the east-west centerline of the Temple passed through the Eastern Gate. The Eastern Gate that you can see today in Jerusalem was not the same one standing when the Temple was standing, but the remains of the original Eastern Gate can be seen beneath the modern one.
A scripture that sheds light on this scenario is "I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, 'Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the worshipers there. But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months.'" (Revelation 11:1-2 NIV) IF you were to rebuild the Temple on the north end of the Temple Mount, including all areas except the Outer Courts, you would be left with 6 meters between the Temple and the Dome of the Rock, with the Dome occupying where the Outer Courts would have been, which fits with the scripture.
You might be asking yourself - So? Whats the big deal? Won't PETA throw the mother of all hissyfits if the Jews start sacrificing animals again? (Which is exactly what the Sanhedrin is intending to do)
Well I won't touch that last question, I thought I'd just cause a little trouble. As to the other questions, though, it is important to us as Christians because it is another sign that the return of Christ is growing closer, and the time of Gentiles is nearing an end. One of the features of the Tribulation in the book of Revelation is when the Anti-Christ enters the Temple, stops the sacrifice, and proclaims himself God. For this to happen there has to be a Temple and Temple service will have to be reconstituted. Most of the other pieces are waiting in the wings. There is a Yeshiva School in Jerusalem training priests, most of the Temple articles have been crafted, from the altar tools to the High Priest's garments. The reconvening of the Sanhedrin is a major step toward these things happening very soon.
Granted, the political situation on the ground isn't necessarily conducive to the Muslims allowing the Jews to build a Temple on the Temple Mount (the Muslim religious authorities, after all have jurisdiction over the Temple Mount) but that is up to God and he can make it happen in his time, which might be very soon, and it will probably happen in a way nobody predicted.

Maranatha - come Lord quickly
but also - Sha'alu Shalom Yerushalayim - Pray for the peace of Jerusalem

Tweaking

2006-02-16T21:42:00.000-06:00

I'm still tinkering with the site here, and have added a guestbook and am working on a site feed. The feed is live, but all I get is the title of the articles, not the text of them. Still trying to figure that out.
Also I am currently enjoying "Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall" I am still a novice when it comes to most jazz past the swing era, but I am beginning to emerge from the "I may not know much about jazz but I know what I like" stage. From what I have read, this recording is a lost record of a famous partnership that had previously not been adequately documented. Monk and Trane played together at the Five Spot Cafe for a short period of time, and it was while playing with Monk that Trane found his voice and was able to go on to make such legendary recordings as "Giant Steps" There were a few recordings made of the Blue Note appearances but they are poor quality and don't do the pair justice. This is a very good quality recording made from a charity appearance at Carnegie Hall in 1957 and is a very good listen.

Religion of Peace?

2006-02-09T21:11:00.000-06:00

The following is an interesting account of an interaction between Rick Mathes, founder of Mission Gate Prison Ministry and a Muslim at a prison training session in Fulton, MO. In the article the gentleman is introduced as an Imam, but it was later revealed that he was just a Muslim inmate pressed into service. Whether or not it happened exactly like this, the succinct summing up of the difference between Christianity and Islam is well done.

By Rick Mathes
Last month I attended my annual training session that's required for maintaining my state prison security clearance. During the training session there was a presentation by three speakers representing the Roman Catholic, Protestant and Muslim faiths who explained their belief systems. I was particularly interested in what the Islamic Imam had to say.
The Imam gave a great presentation of the basics of Islam, complete with a video. After the presentations, time was provided for questions and answers. When it was my turn, I directed my question to the Imam and asked, "Please, correct me if I'm wrong, but I understand that most Imams and clerics of Islam have declared a holy jihad [Holy war] against the infidels of the world and, that by killing an infidel, which is a command to all Muslims, they are assured of a place in heaven. If that's the case, can you give me the definition of an infidel?"
There was no disagreement with my statements and without hesitation he replied, "Non-believers!"

I responded, "So, let me make sure I have this straight. All followers of Allah have been commanded to kill everyone who is not of your faith so they can go to Heaven. Is that correct?"

The expression on his face changed from one of authority and command to that of a little boy who had just gotten caught with his hand in the cookie jar. He sheepishly replied, "Yes."
I then stated, "Well, sir, I have a real problem trying to imagine Pope John Paul commanding all Catholics to kill those of your faith or Pat Robertson or Dr. Stanley ordering Protestants to do the same in order to go to Heaven!"
The Imam was speechless.

I continued, "I also have problem with being your friend when you and your brother clerics are telling your followers to kill me. Let me ask you a question! ...Would you rather have your Allah who tells you to kill me in order to go to Heaven or my Jesus who tells me to love you because I am going to Heaven and wants you to be with me?"
You could have heard a pin drop as the Imam hung his head in shame.

Chuck Colson once told me something that has sustained me these 20 years of prison ministry. He said to me, "Rick, remember that the truth will prevail."
And it will!

What about though, comparing Christianity from the time of the Crusades to Islam of today? There are some fascinating parallels. According to some accounts, in Saladin's day literature, medicine, and some sciences were more valued in the Muslim world than in Europe, where much classical literature and philosophy would have been lost had it not been for the diligence of Irish monks. The Church of that time is famous for persecuting not only great thinkers, but anyone who didn't march in lockstep with the Pope. You could get killed by the Church for something as simple as possessing a Bible in any language other than Latin.
I think it is worth remembering where we as a faith have come from as we seek a way to reach the Muslim world, which is, in my mind, the foremost challenge of the Church today.

The Transmission of Christianity

2006-02-04T20:34:00.000-06:00

Just about my favorite C.S. Lewis book is God in the Dock. It's a compilation of essays from different sources mainly on theology and ethics. I was reading one entitled "On the Transmission of Christianity" It is actually the reprint of a preface Lewis wrote to a book by B.G. Sandhurst called "How Heathen is Britain?" (London, 1946) but it sounds like it could be written today. The book is a study of a group of young men and their attitudes about God with emphasis on the impact the education system had on them.
The part that I thought was profound was this observation as to why young men of his time weren't inclined to be Christians:
If we had noticed that the young men of the present day found it harder and harder to get the right answers to sums, we should consider that this had been adequately explained the moment we discovered that schools had for some years ceased to teach arithmetic. After that discovery we should turn a deaf ear to people who offered explanations of a vaguer and larger kind - people who said that the influence of Einstein had sapped the ancestral belief in fixed numerical relations, or that gangster films had undermined the desire to get right answers, or that the evolution of consciousness was now entering on its post-arithmetical phase. When a clear and simple explanation completely covers the facts, no other explanation is in court. If the younger generation have never been told what the Christians say and never heard any arguments in defense of it, then their agnosticism or indifference is fully explained.
This simple logic cuts through all the palaver about what is wrong with the youth of today. There is no need to blame pop culture or video games for corrupting our youth if they have never been exposed to Christianity. Granted, kids should be protected from negative influences, but if they have no positive ones to begin with, then they haven't really gotten anywhere, have they? It's no wonder our society has taken the direction is has, with Christianity removed from most aspects of our public discourse and relegated to the four walls of the Church.
Our mission therefore to be salt and light requires us to be mixed up with the world, not piled up in the salt shaker.

Widgets

2006-02-03T22:40:00.000-06:00

I have recently been introduced by Carter's blog to a cool little desktop utility that allows one to do lots of little tasks from the desktop that usually require opening a web browser. The program is called Yahoo Widgets and the Widgets engine runs mini-apps on your desktop (or always on to of what you are doing if you wish) that save a lot of steps. The standard apps that come with the program are things like an analog clockface, a weather forecast for your area, and a search bar. The one widget that I have actually found myself utilizing the most is a desktop search bar for Thottbot, which is a service that collects information about World of Warcraft. If I'm playing the game, and I need to know where a certain NPC spawns I can tab out of the game and type in the weasel's name from desktop, saving a couple of steps. I have also loaded up a birthday reminder program that reminds me 7 days before all of those birthdays I can never remember. I also like the widget that blurts out random quotes from "The Family Guy"'s Stewie
Of course I realize there's a chance I am the last soul on the North American continent who wasn't familiar with Widgets, but I'm a sucker for pretty apps like this.
I quit taking the local Houston paper (really just a reprint of the NY Times with local sports scores) several months ago, and really the only thing I miss is the comics. Well there is a widget that lets me pick from 128 or so different comics and downloads them for my perusal. Very cool.

So, any fave Widgets out there, or do you perhaps use Google Toolbar instead?

Introduction

2006-02-03T21:02:00.000-06:00

I have begun this blog in an effort to flex my long-dormant writing skills, and to take advantage of the fact that it doesn't take movable type or a satellite feed to have a voice anymore, so please indulge me as I find my voice and regale you all with what will probably be a wide range of topics ranging from my latest music discoveries ( my wide ranging interests scare me sometimes) to computer gaming, coming to grips with my growing disillusionment with the state of affairs in our government and our role in the mess, spiritual pondering, be they reflections on a sermon, or the profundity of C.S. Lewis or Francis Shaeffer. and interesting meals I have eaten. My wife Donna and cat Cleopatra will probably make appearances as well. I will post as often as the muse strikes me, as often as I can. So let the experiment begin!

Patrick