08.30.06
Posted in Politics, Today at 12:16 pm by artistry
We have become extremely popular, politically speaking. All the politicians and/or their volunteers want to talk to us, A few have been downright obnoxious. The reason they are courting us so zealously is location, location, location. We live on a state highway which is the main drag from the freeway to northern Shoreview. Lots and lots of cars pass by. Plus, our lot is situated on a curve, which makes it visible at a distance from both north and south. And we have a nice long stretch of land on that road.,
You get the picture … it’s not us they want. It is our nice long stretch of highly visible boulevard. We will probably say yes to our state rep, who actually came in person to talk with us and ask if she could put up a sign. We will say yes to Mike Hatch, who is running for governor. Mike has worked hard on a number of important issues, such as affordable prescription drugs for seniors. He’s been a great consumer advocate.
We are saying “NO” as a matter of principal to all those candidates who can’t bother to tell us what party they represent. What’s up witth that? Is it a national trend or just something that’s happening here? Candidates are running ads, handing out literature and putting up signs that don’t say anything about their party affiiliation. They try to imply that they are independents. After asking and not getting answers, I have learned to ask “Have you been endorsed by any political party?” Anyone would think they are ashamed to admit it. 
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08.25.06
Posted in Today at 9:01 pm by artistry
Like I am on the bridge of the Enterprise … 
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Posted in Today at 8:53 pm by artistry
Asher’s daddy needs to send Nana some more recent pictures. I know he has them.
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Posted in Today at 12:08 pm by artistry
I suppose I should have been prepared, but I was totally appalled when I saw a commercial today for a commemorative coin for the 9-11 5th anniversary. And it was in such good taste … not. I’m not giving any details here because I don’t want to do anything to encourage or help them. I will see enough about the aniversary, no matter bow hard I try to avoid it. It’s not that I want to forget. I don’t think that is possible. I just don’t want to relive the horror any more. I don’t think we honor the victims by doing that.
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08.24.06
Posted in Politics, Today at 10:27 am by artistry
I was reminded of this today. There are several versions out there, but this one is attributed to a German pastor writing at the end of WW2.
First they came for the Communists,
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak up, because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn’t speak up, because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me,
and by that time there was no one left to speak up for me.
by Rev. Martin Niemoller, 1945
I was reminded of this by something I read. There was a time that we believed that no man is an island (as Donne put it). In the world today, I am concerned that our only response to something like this would be “Yeah? And your point is?”
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08.21.06
Posted in Technobabel, Today at 7:37 pm by artistry
Loyalty is a good thing. Brand loyalty is what every company dreams of creating. Capturing the market is a CEO’s fondest dream. Marketing lore says that an unhappy customer will tell 20 or more people about their bad experience. Most companies go out of their way to avoid this scenario.
I have owned every version of Windows ever introduced … yes even that early one that came out in the 80s. And along with them, I owned every version of DOS until Windows 98 came out. So I was less than thrilled when Windows decided to add Authorization Codes to XP Professional. I figure I have paid enough for Windows software that I should not have to put up with limitations on my use of it. Especially when said program is not known for its stellar stability. But I am a program user and I didn’t want to replace software.
You would think that someone in Redmond would have seen the writing on the wall with the introdution of the Intel Chipset for Mac, wouldn’t you? But their answer was Genunine Advantage. And if I don’t allow Genuine Advantage to interrogate my system I can say so long to upgrades. And then there are the crtitical updates … more than 20 in two days last week. It got to be too much for me.
So the end of this rant is the happy news that I am the proud owner of a Mac Mini Core Solo machine. I’m going to boost the RAM and add an exterior hard drive. I will probably pull my DVD burner out of my Windows machine at some point and install it in an exterior case. The next generation of Intel chips should make the already excellent Mac Mini performance totally rock!
Oh, and there are a couple of possibilities for the Windows box. Right now I have it set up alongside and I feel like I am in Mission Control. But there is a remote desktop product that I may get so I can have the box sitting anywhere and log in and run programs remotely. Or I may just install Parallels and run those Windows Programs I really need in a separate partition on my Mac.
Despite a learning curve, I am loving my Mac Mini.
*sings*Don’t think twice, it’s alright.*/song*
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08.19.06
Posted in Today at 11:35 pm by artistry
OK … I never lose things. I am the person who finds things that other people lose. I have such a sterling reputation that people want to give me their spare keys so they will always be able to find them if needed. Flash back to April 16, 2006 … *whisper* I lost my cellphone.
I know, I know …. it’s almost impossible to imagine that. But I did. And we searched high and low … I even tried calling my cellphone to see if it was in the car or down in the seat cushions …. nada! So I bought another one. Fast forward now to August 16. I found my cellphone … in my car … the same car I thought I searched so thoroughly.
This is not a good sign ….
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Posted in Faith, Literature, Today at 7:58 am by artistry
Finished:
- Losing Our Virtue by David Wells
- Growing Your Faith by Jerry Bridges
- The Copper Scroll by Joel Rosenberg
Added to my Reading List:
- Interpreting the Parables by Craig Blomberg
- The Hard Sayings of Jesus by F. F. Bruce
- Paul, Apostle of God’s Glory in Christ: A Pauline Theology by Thomas Schreiner
- Interpreting the Pauline Epistles by Thomas Schreiner
To clarify my terminology, a book that is on my Reading List is one I have already purchased and have started or will do so soon. Books that I want to read but have not yet purchased are on my Wish List, which is too long to post here.
The last of David Wells series of 4 books is Above All Earthly Pow’rs. The hardcover is not available and the soft cover isn’t out until September. I am waiting, not so patiently.
The new additions to my reading list are preparation for the next studies I will undertake: the letters of Paul, who wrote 13 of the New Testament books. I am going to study them in the order they were written. This will not be a small project, but I am not deterred.
And as if I didn’t have enough reading to do, I took time yesterday and this morning to read a little light fiction, hence the completion of the Rosenberg book.
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08.02.06
Posted in Faith, Technobabel, Today at 3:38 pm by artistry
Covenant Theological Seminary has online lectures from a number of their courses. You can download the lecture directly from their site, or subscribe to the podcast. Since I am doing a study on Acts, I am going through the lectures on the Life & Letters of Paul.
There are several other courses that pique my interest … which one to do first?
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