May 16, 2008
The 2009 Mercedes CLS 550 Coupe: At least Mercedes has one hot car
Dude. Seriously. How sweet is this vehicle for a Benz? I nearly break my neck whenever I see one these vehicles on the road. If I had one of these, the only thing I would covet would be the BMW-5 Series vehicles.
The Mercedes-Benz website doesn't even list the retail price yet. I'm could probably trade in my house for one. Amazing product design. The clean lines are amazing.
Iconic. A sensuous example of steel as poetry, the 2009 Mercedes-Benz CLS550 Coupe is an unmatched combination of style and substance. Refinements include a 5.5 liter 382-horsepower 32-valve V-8 engine, leather upholstery and hand-polished wood trim, and 7-speed automatic transmission with Touch Shift.MSRP: TBA
5.5L 32-valve V-8 engine - 382 hp @ 6,000 rpm
May 15, 2008
See Ya Republicans
(CNN) -- A third-straight special election defeat in as many months left congressional Republicans reeling Wednesday, seriously concerned about what the November elections have in store for their party.Democrat Travis Childers, left, beat Republican Greg Davis in a special election Tuesday in Mississippi.
House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, called the defeat a "wakeup call."
"We have to show Americans that we can fix the problems here in Washington and fix the problems that they deal with every day," Boehner said.
Democrat Travis Childers defeated Republican Greg Davis on Tuesday in a Mississippi district that hasn't voted Democratic in more than 15 years, one where George W. Bush defeated John Kerry by 25 points in 2004.
It was a result that even Republicans admit is ominous sign of what could happen in the fall.
"This loss is going to prompt serious introspection by our conference to figure out what went wrong and how to fix it," a Republican leadership aide said. "We have time to do that, and we will if we learn our lessons leading into November. But the next couple of days are not going to be pretty. . .
The GOP was also desperately trying to avoid a third special-election defeat this year in districts that have long been held by Republicans. In March, Democrat Bill Foster won House Speaker Dennis Hastert's former Illinois seat, and two weeks ago Democrat Don Cazayoux won a Louisiana seat that hadn't voted for a Democrat since the 1970's.
The New York Times reports on the story as well here.
The Democrat's strategy in Mississippi was to associate the Republican candidate with racism. Allegedly he made a positive suggestion about moving a statute of a KKK founder into his city. It was successful and Davis lost.
White conservatism and being racist will become synonyms if Obama wins the Democrat's nomination. Any attack by Southern white Republicans will be interpreted as racist (just a hunch). Republicans are struggling to change their image because it seems that Americans are becoming more and more suspicious the white, conservative, Southern ethos. That Mississippi move was a low blow for sure.
Maybe Republicans will be palatable again by 2012 or 2016 if they can shake the image that they're all a bunch of white, Southern, Christian, right-wing racists. Or as Jeremiah Right would say, "Rich, white people!"
May 14, 2008
Virtual Popularity Isn't Cool--It's Pathetic (Details Magazine)
Details Magazine has cool article about the pathetic nature of enjoying popularity on internet social networking sites. Who cares how many stupid friends you have?
Virtual Popularity Isn't Cool--It's PatheticIf you're staying up late "poking" other guys on social-networking sites and trying to collect online friends, it's time to reevaluate.
-By Ian Daly
-Photograph by Pascal AulagnerIt all started when Jeb added two of his old buddies, who knew each other, to his Facebook profile. One of them added Jeb as a friend but didn't add the other person—even though both were on Jeb's friend list. What ensued was a bizarre, jealousy-fueled fracas. Angry posts were left. Hate e-mails were sent. But this drama didn't unfold in a high school. Jeb is a 35-year-old marketing director in New York City. And his friends?
"They're 35 and 36," Jeb says. "They both had great jobs, both had two children—but then all of that was completely forgotten and they were back to sophomore year. It was total regression."
Sadly, stories like Jeb's are becoming all too familiar. In a few short years, Facebook has leaked out of the college dormitory like some rare tropical disease and has begun infecting grown men in disturbingly vast numbers. The fastest-growing demographic among Facebook's 64 million users is those over 25. More than half of MySpace's 110 million users are older than 35. The hosts, once infected, exhibit a tendency to "superpoke" each other, hyperventilate over friend counts, and share their thoughts about the latest episode of The Hills with hundreds of near strangers—behavior normally associated with teenage girls, not men in the middle of their fourth decade. . .
"I'd say 90 percent of my friends have that silly page, putting 'funny' pictures of themselves half-naked and drunk on them," says Michael Lupo, 26, a marketing director in Manhattan who says he's never given in to their pleas to join them. "There are so many bad attempts at being quasi-famous. These people who have like 10,000 friends? I'm like, 'But they're not your friends—you do realize that. You don't hang out, and you don't know anything about them besides what's on their Facebook page.'"
Read the rest of this good article here.
This is so true. Cyber-friends are a lot easier to have than real ones, in person!
May 13, 2008
Sorry Celtics, Lebron Ate His Vitamins
Lebron had some sick dunks during the game. Just sick.
CLEVELAND (AP) -- LeBron James put his mom and then the Boston Celtics in their places.James scored 21 points, delivering a devastating dunk over a defenseless Kevin Garnett in the final two minutes, as the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the homesick Celtics 88-77 in Game 4 on Monday night to tie the best-of-seven series at 2-2.
Still stuck in a shooting slump, James dominated down the stretch and finished with 13 assists -- four in the fourth quarter. The Cavaliers, too, showed that they can play stingy defense, holding the Celtics -- the NBA's best defensive team -- to just 12 points in the final period.
Can the Celtics pull off a victorious series? In terms of game strategy what must the Celtics do to win the next few games? Thoughts?
May 12, 2008
Are Introverts The Sugar In the Kingdom's Missional Gas Tank?
The introvert's building(left) vs. the extrovert's (right)--church architecture probably reveals whether an introvert or an extrovert was involved in design decisions.
Introverts--I like getting my energy from dealing with the ideas, pictures, memories, and reactions that are inside my head, in my inner world. I often prefer doing things alone or with one or two people I feel comfortable with. I take time to reflect so that I have a clear idea of what I’ll be doing when I decide to act. Ideas are almost solid things for me. Sometimes I like the idea of something better than the real thing.The following statements generally apply to me:
* I am seen as “reflective” or “reserved.”
* I feel comfortable being alone and like things I can do on my own.
* I prefer to know just a few people well.
* I sometimes spend too much time reflecting and don’t move into action quickly enough.
* I sometimes forget to check with the outside world to see if my ideas really fit the experience. (From Myers/Briggs)
Reformed circles seem to attract mostly introverted dudes more than anything else. The theology is heady and high levels of spirituality are associated with studying the Bible and theology alone at home, and perfecting personal doctrinal accuracy. After a few recent conversations, and looking around, I had a huge "aha" moment (kind'a). Maybe I've confused passivity with introversion in some guys (or maybe even worse, the church is full of passive introverts).
I'm still in the process of thinking this through but Reformed theology draws introverts primarily and engages spirituality in a very introverted way some would say. Introverts do not typically live missional lives because they would rather read theology books than talk to non-Christians about the gospel or engage local culture with the Kingdom as some might argue.
Many would argue that introverts will want small churches (and will baulk at the suggesting that the church be otherwise), not care so much about being local missionaries, prefer "studying and teaching" over discipleship, see the church as a refuge and haven from the world, will be largely sectarian, will equivocate "kingdom" and "church," will do college ministry not directed at reaching non-Christians and/or bringing shalom to the campus, talk about being "missional" at not live that way at all, prefers blogging over talking to real people, etc.
The introvert's dominant pastoral image seems like it would be a guy who is in his study or "teaching" rather than visiting hospitals, doing evangelism, working the room at party, hanging out with "sinners," etc.
Jesus or Paul were extroverts, right? They both seemed generally extroverted but needed moments of solitude. I dunno?
(By the way, many have suggested that we pay no attention to people who talk about "mission," "kingdom," "missional" blah, blah but don't actually live that way)
It seems to some people that missional living would actually exhaust a Christian introvert. Or rather how can introverts living missionally?
Here are a few questions that people are starting to ask: If your church's leadership is primarily made-up of introverts should you even expect much out it missionally-speaking (evangelism, church planting, transforming local culture, social justice, etc.)? Do introverts make good missional leaders or should they be reserved for "Christian education" or pastors of "administration and finance," or the small, traditional church setting. Is there a correlation between introversion, passivity, and non-missional living? If a church has a young guy who loves to study the Bible and theology but can't talk to strangers, should he be encouraged to pursue ministry?
The Top Five careers for extroverts are: Financial Advisor, Human Resources Specialist, Purchasing Agent, Mediator, Physical Therapist / Assistant. Maybe we should be looking for the next generation of missional leaders from these sectors instead of those in the introverted sectors.
Entrepreneurs generally hire introverts because they make good, office-bound worker bees. Introverts are probably better suited for pastoring a large corporate-style traditional church rather than a missional one.
Any ideas about introverts, fellas?
Does introverted Christianity drive how we view the church because introverts are often the ones sitting in their offices writing all the books while the extroverts are talking to people?
(Now, I'm seeing why introverts generally reject the the idea that Christianity has become gynocentric, confuse any masculinity discussion with appeals to the "macho," are uneasy with any social associations of masculinity, etc.--makes sense).
May 08, 2008
Hey Food Critics, Restaurants Are More Than Food!!
Via Matta Restaurant, Boston
From Metropolis Magazine:
Why don’t prominent food critics write about the entire experience, graphics and all? By Steven Heller, Posted April 15, 2008As a rule, restaurant critics focus on cuisine, service, and décor, while graphics—type and image—are usually dismissed as promotion or marketing. But I’d argue that inferior graphic design speaks volumes about an overall commitment to quality. A restaurant’s logo, sign, menu, business card, matches, and even check holder—especially the check holder—should be as appetizing as everything on the table. So I am astounded that many restaurateurs aren’t as demanding about their typographic standards as they are about their napkins. Design is often such an afterthought that the receptionist does it on her PC.
Perhaps there would be more reason to stress graphic design if critics paid attention to it. But they never mention graphics and, truth be told, barely assess the architecture (even when designed by Pritzker Prize winners). And while I savor the tasty prose of gifted food writers, if I were a critic, my readers would be treated to a regular menu of cuisine and design in an attempt to right the imbalance. So I’m offering some alternative reviews based on recent experiences, just in case food editors are looking for a fresh voice.
. . .But why, when reviewing Michael Schlow’s Via Matta (meaning “crazy way”) in Boston, was the wild fusion of graphic motifs that establishes this restaurant’s identity so stubbornly ignored in the local paper? There was certainly a valid way of approaching Via Matta’s logo: designed by Daren Bascomb of Proverb, it is constructed from five stacked diamonds in the shape of an M, which upon closer inspection also reinterprets the highway signs of Italy, forming a V and an M. The harmonious combo of burnt sienna and chocolate brown separates the V from the M but also binds them together. It could also be noted that the large surrealist wall canvases by Alexander Gorenstein, a Broadway set designer, play illusionist games with diners. Moreover, the waiters, who strike a pose of informal formality—black vests over white casual shirts, with Puma sneakers—fit appropriately into a space that is at once elegant yet homespun. Now how hard was that?.
This is such a good point. The design of a restaurant is some much of the experience of dining, yet food critics tend to ignore this important component. Maybe food critics don't "get it" because they don't know enough about design to connect the food? I dunno? This is kind'a strange because many restaurant, club, and lounge owners do. Often, that's what we're paying for anyway. Come on critics, pay attention (and I want your job, by the way).
Algunas ideas, caballeros?
Dark Opera Voices
I've written before about the power of the Enemy's voice (Jn 8:44). Well, I've got an entire dark, multi-scene opera going on at the moment. The lies are very, very loud. Totally missing my Grand Rapids band of brothers at Mars Hill (you guys offered the counter-voice from heaven and were the safest brothers I've ever been around).
May 07, 2008
Japan-China Summit: The New World Order?
From the BBC News:
China and Japan have signed a historic deal agreeing a "new starting point" in relations, after summit talks in Tokyo. China's President Hu Jintao and Yasuo Fukuda of Japan agreed a blueprint for future ties - including a yearly summit between the nations' leaders.The deal comes after years of strained relations, caused by rows over wartime history and offshore resources. Mr Fukuda also urged Mr Hu, on his first state visit to Japan, to continue trying to resolve the crisis in Tibet.
The world's political, economic, and social axis continues to shift toward Asia. One the world's strongest economies (Japan) meets with the fastest growing economy, and one of the most globalizing nations, on the planet (China). This is awesome. As these new alignments gain political and economic leverage I wonder if the anti-globalization crowd will start protesting against the East homogenizing the world?
I'm excited. Homies, thoughts?
Clinton, Call It Quits: You're Spliting Your Party and Wasting Money
(CNN) -- Sen. Hillary Clinton will narrowly win in Indiana, CNN projects, edging out Sen. Barack Obama by a 2-percent margin.There were 115 delegates at stake in North Carolina and 72 in Indiana.
With 99 percent of precincts reporting, Obama held a 14-point lead over Clinton.
"Some were saying that North Carolina would be a game-changer in this election. But today, what North Carolina decided is that the only game that needs changing is the one in Washington," Obama told supporters in Raleigh, North Carolina. Video Watch Obama thank his supporters »
Obama took an overwhelming 91 percent of the black vote in North Carolina, according to exit polls, while Clinton claimed only 6 percent.
Clinton took 59 percent of the white vote compared to 36 percent for Obama, according to the polls.
Hmmm, seems like blacks have (rightly) completely abandoned the Clinton's. I still can't believe that there are black democrats that actually support the Clinton's. For what reasons? It doesn't make any sense.
Ok, here's the question? Why won't she quit? Why? Why? Why?
May 06, 2008
May 05, 2008
Teens Cell Phone "Sexting": Primarily Girls
High school boys do not need the internet to look at porn because their female class mates are sending sexually explicit pictures via the text-message feature on their cell phones.
PORTLAND, Ore. -- The popularity of cell phone text messaging has led to a new and controversial trend for students and parents on Portalnd-area high schools.Teens told Portland TV station KPTV that many of their classmates are using cell phones to take and send explicit photos. They said "sexting" is a major problem at most campuses in Portland.
Anton Bogan, a local high school student, said "9.7 times out of 10, it's a nasty photo."
In the news story I watched teens admitted that it was mostly girls sending photos to boyfriends (stupid), for example, and they quickly get distributed throughout the school with the use of the forwarding feature.
Guys, thoughts?
May 02, 2008
Europe's Socialism Doesn't Pay: Why Is This News?
Anne-Laure Renard, a teacher, and Guy Talpot, a postal worker, sold one car and bought a bread maker to cut expenses. Prices have risen four times as fast as salaries in France in the last year.
Thanks to the New York Times for exposing what Hayek, Von Misses, Sowell and others, tried to explain decades ago. A centrally-planned, government "run" economy does NOT work. Would someone please wake up the Keynesians and point them to Europe right now.
Since government attempts to manage the economy stifles growth, middle-class Europeans are now suffering because the economies cannot perpetually support the various welfare states (and it's causing inflation). In France people can't afford bread. Hmm, haven't we seen this before (Soviet Union). I wish people would STOP pointing to socialist economies in Europe as the direction the U.S. should head.
There's is no such thing as "free health care" and "universal health care" requires massive funding that comes from individual's wages. The high taxes used to "universally" pay for all sorts of social services is moving to middle-class to living on welfare. Oops, maybe government paying for everything isn't a good idea.
Please forward this story to McCain, Obama, or Clinton supporters since all three essentially view the role of government in the economy the same way (include Bush too with his weird "stimulus package" which included the government (borrowing money) to give to the rest of us to spend to boost the economy. What?
For Europe’s Middle-Class, Stagnant Wages Stunt Lifestyle
By CARTER DOUGHERTY and KATRIN BENNHOLD
Published: May 1, 2008
LES ULIS, France — When their local bakery in this town south of Paris raised the price of a baguette for the third time in six months, Anne-Laure Renard and Guy Talpot bought a bread maker. When gasoline became their biggest single expense, they sold one of their two cars.Anne-Laure Renard, a teacher, and Guy Talpot, a postal worker, sold one car and bought a bread maker to cut expenses. Prices have risen four times as fast as salaries in France in the last year.
Their combined annual income of 40,000 euros, about $62,500, lands Ms. Renard, a teacher, and Mr. Talpot, a postal worker, smack in the middle of France’s middle class. And over the last year, prices in France have risen four times as fast as their salaries.
At the end of every month, they blow past their bank account’s $900 overdraft limit, plunging themselves deeper into a spiral of greater resourcefulness and regret.
“In France, when you can’t afford a baguette anymore, you know you’re in trouble,” Ms. Renard said one recent evening in her kitchen, as her partner measured powdered milk for their 13-month-old son, Vincent. “The French Revolution started with bread riots.”
The European dream is under assault, as the wave of inflation sweeping the globe mixes with this continent’s long-stagnant wages. Families that once enjoyed Europe’s vaunted quality of life are pinching pennies to buy necessities, and cutting back on extras like movies and vacations abroad.
High Gas Costs Surge Compact Car Sales
As Gas Costs Soar, Buyers Are Flocking to Small Cars
By BILL VLASIC
Published: May 2, 2008
Ahhh, heck yeah. For the first time this ever, I literally considered getting rid of my car after spending $60 bucks filling the thing up (91 octane).
Here's the story from the New York Times:
DETROIT — Soaring gas prices have turned the steady migration by Americans to smaller cars into a stampede.In what industry analysts are calling a first, about one in five vehicles sold in the United States was a compact or subcompact car during April, based on monthly sales data released Thursday. Almost a decade ago, when sport utility vehicles were at their peak of popularity, only one in every eight vehicles sold was a small car.
The switch to smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles has been building in recent years, but has accelerated recently with the advent of $3.50-a-gallon gas. At the same time, sales of pickup trucks and large sport utility vehicles have dropped sharply.
In another first, fuel-sipping four-cylinder engines surpassed six-cylinder models in popularity in April.
“It’s easily the most dramatic segment shift I have witnessed in the market in my 31 years here,” said George Pipas, chief sales analyst for the Ford Motor Company.
The trend toward smaller and lighter vehicles with better mileage is a blow to Detroit automakers, which offer fewer such models than Asian carmakers like Toyota and Honda. Moreover, the decline of S.U.V.’s and pickups has curtailed the biggest source of profits for General Motors, Ford and Chrysler.
How are you guys adjusting to the soaring gas prices? What changes are y'all making, if any?
May 01, 2008
Incestuous Father of Seven In Austria: Sick
Josef Fritzl admits raping his daughter and fathering her seven children.
A 73-year-old man accused of holding his daughter captive underground for 24 years often spent entire days and nights in the cellar where he kept a secret family imprisoned, his sister-in law said in an interview published Thursday.Police say Josef Fritzl confessed to keeping his daughter Elisabeth in his basement for 24 years, where he repeatedly raped her and fathered seven children with her -- six of whom survived.
"Every day at nine in the morning Joseph would go into the cellar. He said he was drawing engineering plans that he would sell to companies," Fritzl's sister-in-law -- identified as Christine R. as told Austria's Oesterreich newspaper.
"Often he would stay there all night" and his wife was not even allowed to bring him coffee, said the woman that the newspaper identified as Christine R. She is the sister of Fritzl's wife.
Austrian authorities said the imprisoned children, who for years had not seen the light of day, were slowly adapting to sunlight. Officials also debunked reports in a few British newspapers that some of the children could not walk or speak in sentences.
The story of the family's imprisonment began to unravel a week ago, when Elisabeth Fritzl's oldest daughter, Kerstin Fritzl, fell seriously ill with convulsions and was hospitalized.
This is so sick. Leviticus chapters 18 and 19. Sick. This went on for 24 YEARS!!!
Yeah, 24 YEARS!!!! How? If I didn't believe highly in the rule of law, I'd be willing to gather some friends to pay Mr. Fritzl a visit. Just to say "hello" in an Old Testament kind of way. Did his family know about this but failed to act? If so, his family is complicit and may need to be prosecuted as well.
Thoughts?