And...

Remember our troops, who protect our liberty and way of life, and who are away from their families during this Christmas holiday, in your thoughts and prayers.

Merry Christmas to all who read this little blog

I have thought about posting on many different subjects the past week, but never wrote them down.
Sorry.




I just had to post again after those past two [depressing] logs.

Merry Christmas ^_^


over and out

"Your companions are like the buttons on an elevator---they will either take you up or they will take you down."
(Read Proverbs 13:20)

Mayfairer...

^^ I should do that ^^

Stardust

Have you ever heard that song? If you haven't, you must as soon as possible (if you're the romantic type---even if you have slightly romantic tendencies). Nat King Cole sings it, which makes it even more enjoyable. Funny thing about Nat King Cole is that every time I hear him singing, it makes me think of a certain friend; I have no idea why, because I've never heard this friend sing, and he looks like Zeppo Marx (no kidding---he looks pretty similar to him) so I'm pretty puzzled at why my mind brings his face to my eyes...

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

A dream is a wish your heart makes
When you're fast asleep
In dreams you lose your heartaches
Whatever you wish for, you keep

Have faith in your dreams and someday
Your rainbow will come smiling through
No matter how your heart is grieving
If you keep on believing
the dream that you wish will come true


Except...can we trust our hearts? I mean, is a dream really a wish your heart makes?

Because if so, my heart is extremely confusing judging by the dream I had this past night...or maybe it's just because I supress certain inclinations of my heart because I think they're hopeless or stupid. Maybe I'm just a confused person. A soul wandering through a mass of ideas, looking for what's right.

Mmm...sometimes I wish I could write poetry. I have written two poems and think they're horrible. But I am my worst critic (anybody who knows me could tell you that...). You know what, just because I love you guys, I'll post the one I like best (though it isn't quite finished).
(Deja-vu again!...it's been about every other day lately...weirdness...just had to tell you that)

I want to go to a place like this:
A place where a sort of heaven exists
Where your turmoil is exchanged for peace
and your stress is immediately relieved and erased

Some place where your heart is never troubled
Nor ever played with by others
A place somewhere outside this bubble
In which I feel uncontent and smothered

This place, I fear, can never be reached
for it lies at the highest peak
of my mind, where I can but dream 'fore I find
that this place I am at this moment
is the reality I must accept

But there is One who made atonement
for all the turmoil I have caused
and all the heartache I've inflict'd
and that which I have inside kept

(unfinished)

over and out

"Take care of your character and your reputation will take care of itself."
(Read Proverbs 22:1)

Template errors

They give you a little place to put a paragraph on the sidebar. And an "ending". Buuut...does it work? Hah no.

The truth of the matter: there is a template error, obviously, and I'm not quite equipped to fix it ^_^

over and out

"What a big difference there is between giving advice and lending a hand."
(Read 1 John 3:18)

Predestination

No, not "predestination" as in Calvinism versus Arminiasm (concerning that, I've decided---until I've read Calvin's works---that I'm on Wesley's side) but of the predestination of love.

Do you (oh you two people who view my blog) think that there are such things as "soul mates"? People predestined to fall in love and be together?

As for me, I tend to believe that. I believe God created a soul mate for me, and me as a soul mate for that person. The tricky thing is to find that person...of course, we don't have to. If it's meant to be, God will (by some means...He is God) bring that person into our lives. I guess it's up to us to recognize it. Hmm...I'll have to think a bit more on this subject.

Back to my original post (which I actually wrote this previous Sunday)...

Sometimes I ache greatly for my earthly prince to come...

But of course, he won't come for a while. And I must keep reminding myself that my real Prince is there, waiting for me...

I suppose I am a hopeless romantic. It's really depressing when a guy acts really interested in you and then loses that interest as you begin to realize it to yourself.

I've decided not to date so I shouldn't even be complaining, but it still feels depressing.

A lot of people are surprised and/or inquisitive when I tell them that I've decided not to date, so I'll explain my reasons here (mind you, I think of all these as equally important)---

1) I believe dating causes unnecessary pain and intimacy. Unless you're dating someone with the intention of marrying him or her (though I believe courtship is a lot better than dating if you have such intentions), you're just using your boyfriend or girlfriend to temporarily satisfy a desire for intimacy and a relationship. And when you break up, it's like tearing apart two pieces of paper that are glued together---both of you take a piece of each other's hearts that you so willingly shared.

2) I believe in courtship instead of dating, because it allows you to get to know a person in different situations (hanging out with the family, friends, etc.) and you are never tempted to do the wrong things as if you spent hours alone together. In courtship, the man who is interested in marrying a woman asks her father if he may; if the father concedes (after spending time with the man himself to see if he's up to the standards), then the man may start the process of courting (which consists of spending time to get to know each other on a platonic basis in family or friend settings---instead of being alone together most of the time).
I've obviously never tried this before, so I still have to hear someone explain the whole process to me to refresh my memory, but in essence it should working better than dating.
I also believe in a long courtship but short engagement. I mean, look what happened to Dr. Jekyll! Lol, just kidding. But seriously, I think that's how it should be.

over and out

"Someday I'll find it, the rainbow connection
the lovers, the dreamers, and me"

"Life can only be understood by looking backward, but is must be lived by looking forward"
(Read Luke 9:62)

thoughts?

"Let go of the pride that may tug at you
don't be afraid of the words 'I love you'"
(dcTalk)

Pride truly does go before all falls. Heh, 'cept for me it's laziness. Pride? What is this...? Well, I'll have to say, I do have pride. I have pride in my country, troops, and the GOP (*cough*). And I'm pretty sure I have it in other things, but my head it currently sort of...broken...so, oh well.

I'm going to stop myself before I digress...hah, there i go...

I truly was going to write such a lovely post...but I forgot it. I always think of blogs to post while I'm traveling in the car, but then I forget about them when I arrive at home (though there usually are a few things to do...). Hmph. And oh my Sir Alec Guinness have we been driving a lot. *eye twitches* Too much for my taste, I'm afraid. I've spent at least half of this vacation in a car. And all of it with yucky headaches due to poor posture...
Enough about me...sorry.
Oh well, better luck next time about the blog.

over and out

"People may doubt what you say, but they will always believe what you do."
(Read Matthew 12:33)

P.S. Don't you think "Sydney Laurence" is a lovely name? (Sydney from A Tale of Two Cities and Laurence from Laurence Olivier)

(blanc)

Thanksgiving

For all true words that have been spoken,
For all brave deeds that have been done,
For every loaf in kindness broken,
For every race in valor run,
For martyr lips which have not failed
To give God praise and smile to rest,
For knightly souls which have not quailed
At stubborn strife or lonesome quest;
Lord unto whom we stand in thrall
We give Thee thanks for all, for all.

For each fair field where golden stubble
Hath followed wealth of waving grain;
For every passing wind of trouble
Which bends Thy grass that lifts again;
For gold in mine that men must seek,
For work which bows the sullen knee;
For strength, swift sent to aid the weak,
For love by which we climb to Thee;
Thy freemen, Lord, yet each Thy thrall,
We give Thee praise for all, for all.

Margaret Sangster Kauffman, Donald T.
The Treasury of Religious Verse.
New York: Revell, 1966.

over and out

"Humor is to life what shock absorbers are to automobiles."
(Read Proverbs 17:22)

Finally...

...it's cool! And cloudy! And with a chance of thunderstorms ^_^

Yay!

May you all have a merry thanksgiving holiday to-morrow :}

over and out

"The measure of a man is not how great his faith is, but how great his love is."
(Read 1 Corinthians 13:13)

To-day

It's Mom's birthday! Happy birthday! Love you...


Let us hope that at least the fingers Autumn touch SoCal this season...
An 80 degree holiday during the winter months is not very enjoyable. At least, when you have it most of the year 'round. ^_^

over and out

"If at first you don't succeed, try reading the instructions"
(Read Proverbs 4:13)

December 7th

I never knew that was such an interesting day. Obviously, as most of you probably do, we as Americans recognize it as Pearl Harbor Day, the day on which the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, HI, and honour the veterans who served during that day (as if we should have singular dates to do that...). But did you also know that in 1787, the first state to ratify the U.S. Constitution (Delaware) did so on this day? And in 1917, the U.S. declared war on Austria-Hungary on this particular day. Apollo 17 was launched on this day as well. And on December 7th, 1982, the first execution by lethal injection was carried out in Texas. Last but not least, Hamid Karzai was inaugurated on this day last year.

Oh yeah, and T.O. was born on this day. How interesting...

over and out

P.S. I've decided to put a different quote in each of my future posts from a little poster that I love...

"Life is not a problem to be solved, but a gift to be enjoyed."
(Read Psalm 118:24)

Movies

I think they should make a movie of King Solomon's Mines by H. Rider Haggard. Without a female companion for Quatermain. True to the book, is what I mean. It would be a great, clean action film.

^_^

over and out

not again...

As a Fox News headline reads: Alito Wrote That Constitution Does Not Protect Abortion

Well, duh.

If you've read the constitution, you know that the "right to privacy" does not lie within its pages. I don't know where they come up with this stuff. On the other hand, the fifth amendment says that no person shall "be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law". Now, I know that the context of that amendment concerns the rights of criminals, but hey, if they can make up something that isn't actually there, I can take something out of context.

I still think the abortion issue should be applied to the tenth amendment, as that amendment provides.

over and out.

(no subject)

What is your reaction to "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"?

"I find your lack of faith disturbing."

..::EDIT::..

Okay, okay, that wasn't my real reaction to the sermon. Seriously, I thought it pretty harsh, but probably extremely effective when it was delivered. It would have scared the hell out of me...and convinced me to become a Christian, for sure. But was it the right way to do it? All Edwards talked about in that sermon was how God is on the brink of damning you to hell...he spoke naught of the saving grace (which Wesley talks of quite a bit ^_^) that Christ offers. Bummer. Maybe that sermon was delivered later in the day and we just didn't know about it...

over and out

woohoo!

My new dream car...
Popular Science says that "with twin 5.7-liter Hemi V8 engines and a super-stiff carbon-fiber body, the Jeep Hurricane concept truck is the boldest, most fearsome rock crawler ever built. But the real achievement lies underneath. A central transfer case called the T-Box receives the opposing engines' driveshafts and apportions a combined 700 horsepower and 750 pound-feet of torque to all four independently sprung wheels. Each wheel can deflect up to 45 degrees off-center, enabling the Hurricane to scoot diagonally like a beach crab or, when coupled with the gearbox's ability to turn the wheels in opposite directions, spin in place like, well, a hurricane.

Of course, the Hurricane goes forward and backward, too—and fast. It'll blast to 60 mph in an estimated five seconds, hit a projected 120 mph, and, thanks to 14.3 inches of ground clearance, scramble over just about anything the unpaved world can throw at it.

Don't hold your breath waiting for the Hurricane to blow into your local Jeep dealership, but the company is looking to bring elements of the concept into production trucks."

Kind of like a cross between a Humvee and a Pinzgauer. With rotating wheels. Niiice.

My long-time dream car is this:

This car has more room. And is actually available for purchase. It will always remain as my ultimate dream car. My second would be this new Jeep Hurricane, and my third (I only have three...) is a black Dodge Viper which (if ever I could afford one) I would trick out to look like the Batmobile.

So ends my unusual post :}

over and out

*shakes head, rolls eyes*

We are not a Democracy. Yes, we encourage democracy, but that is not our form of government. We are a democratic Republic (another reason for loving Montesquieu). It says that in our Pledge of Alliegance for crying out loud!

"I pledge alliegance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic, for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

Methinks our system hath been corrupted. Majorly corrupted.

I think Senators, before they are sworn into office or whatever happens when they're elected, should have to take a test. A test on the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and the recently added codes. They're the ones who make laws! And pass acts! Do you know how many acts are passed in a year? And how many acts you have to know just to read one?

Seriously, I was reading the Patriot Act the other day, and I had to pull up several U.S. codes and a few acts just to read one section. It made me want to be a senatorial clerk. How fun would that be? Getting to work in Congress but not as a Senator or Representative! It's too hard to get there, so I'd just want to be a clerk. But that requires law schooling...and I don't want to be a lawyer. It's a sticky business. My dad is a lawyer (an elder law lawyer) and it's not really a fun job...not that all jobs have to be fun, but one should get a little enjoyment out of them. I guess I could get a degree in Constitutional Law but not be a lawyer...too many school-related deadlines...I'm not a deadline person. I ABHOR schedules and deadlines. They aren't bad, I just don't like them.

I tend to rabbit-trail. I know.

The only question is...do I have a gift for something like that? Yeah, I'm interested in it, but do I have skill, talent, that sort of thing in that area.

And don't let anybody tell you that the Patriot Act is discriminatory against persons of Middle-Eastern decent. It has a whole section devoted to this, and here it is:

SEC. 102. SENSE OF CONGRESS CONDEMNING DISCRIMINATION
AGAINST ARAB AND MUSLIM AMERICANS.
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Arab Americans, Muslim Americans, and Americans
from South Asia play a vital role in our Nation and are entitled
to nothing less than the full rights of every American.
(2) The acts of violence that have been taken against Arab
and Muslim Americans since the September 11, 2001, attacks
against the United States should be and are condemned by
all Americans who value freedom.
(3) The concept of individual responsibility for wrongdoing
is sacrosanct in American society, and applies equally to all
religious, racial, and ethnic groups.
(4) When American citizens commit acts of violence against
those who are, or are perceived to be, of Arab or Muslim
descent, they should be punished to the full extent of the
law.
(5) Muslim Americans have become so fearful of harassment
that many Muslim women are changing the way they
dress to avoid becoming targets.
(6) Many Arab Americans and Muslim Americans have
acted heroically during the attacks on the United States,
including Mohammed Salman Hamdani, a 23-year-old New
Yorker of Pakistani descent, who is believed to have gone
to the World Trade Center to offer rescue assistance and is
now missing.
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Congress that—
(1) the civil rights and civil liberties of all Americans,
including Arab Americans, Muslim Americans, and Americans
from South Asia, must be protected, and that every effort
must be taken to preserve their safety;
(2) any acts of violence or discrimination against any
Americans be condemned; and
(3) the Nation is called upon to recognize the patriotism
of fellow citizens from all ethnic, racial, and religious backgrounds.

So THERE.

Hah. The sense of Congress. Hahahaha...

Mark Twain had a couple (I'm sure more than a couple, but this is what I have) of things to say about Congress...

"Suppose you were an idiot and suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself."

"It could probably be shown by facts and figures that there is no distinctly American criminal class except Congress."

How horribly true those are to-day...although a few Senators aren't like that, the majority of them are...cowards unfit for their position.
The House is a little better though...the GOP Representatives actually act Republican.

It's the American people too. They don't know what's good for them. They haven't since the 70s. Well, that's when we started to go down-hill. Around the mid- to late 60s and the early 70s is when we lost it. All because of San Fransisco: the birthplace of most radical liberal movements.

over and out

A problem

Peope who don't understand why Anakin was, presumably, so easily induced by Senator/Emperor Palpatine/Darth Sidious aren't devoted Star Wars fans or don't understand the Force. "Don't under-estimate the power of the force" (said by the man himself). Anakin was not persuaded by a mere man, but by the Dark Side of the Force (a very powerful entity that can be harnessed as a tool by Jedis, good or bad). If you watch the movie again, you can see the Anakin is sometimes in a sort of trance when he's in Palpatine's presence. Yes, he did let his fears rule his life and influence his decisions (a path to the Dark Side, coincidentally) but the persuasive power of the Dark Side of the Force did have a large role in his conversion. Maybe the fact that he was, essentially, made by the Force (remember, he was created by medi-clorians) has something to do with it too.
I know, you're probably thinking "What about all he was taught and believed in, and what about his common sense..." and I'm sure the list goes on. Watch the movie again with a clear mind, neither expecting or presuming anything. If you still don't get it...I'm afraid I can't help you any further. Remember, this is George Lucas' work we're talking about here.

Let's just stick with the old movies, shall we (IV, V, VI)?

Recently...

...I have heard praise given to a Mr. Bill Clinton. This disturbed me, because I can never get over the fact that Mr. Clinton (no, I am not going to address him as President) chose not to at least get Bin Laden in custody (before 9/11) but instead refused. For Mansoor Ijaz negotiated Sudan's offer to share intelligence data on Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda with the Clinton administration in April 1997. But did Clinton decide to do anything about it? Noooo. Why the heck would he? He was just as good as a figure-head, having no qualifications to secure such a postion as President of the United States. Grr.
I shall say no more, because that is in the past, but the man does NOT deserve praise. He could have prevented the death of many Americans, but does he care? It seems not. I cannot say for sure, because I do not know him personally, but through observing the way he acts now...I should say not.

over and out

This isn't a new thought to me but...

...I just have to say it. George Lucas is out there. First, he draws a clear difference between good and evil, and then he has to pop this line out:

Anakin: "You're either with me, or my enemy." (or something along those lines...)
Obi-Wan: "Anakin, only the Sith deal in absolutes!"

Whoa there. That's a contradiction...and obviously an insight into the way Lucas' mind works. Of course, as a big Obi-Wan fan (he's my fave Star Wars character other than Darth Maul and Luke Skywalker) I tried to make an excuse, saying "Well, he really meant that only the Sith deal in such extremes". Hah. And the funny thing is that all throughout the movie he makes good and evil apparent (with a few exceptions of relativism, but those came from Darth Sidious and we all know he's not to be trusted), but then he unloads this upon the viewer. Apparently Mr. Lucas doesn't believe that evil exists. Poor man...

over and out

There must have been a change in the Matrix

I had deja-vu twice on Monday and then once on Tuesday. That closeness of events has never happened before (the deja-vu I have consists of my dreaming images or 1 to 3 second scenes and then seeing them a week to two months later). Weirdness.

...Anyways...

Don't you think "Signs" (or should I say, "M. Night Shyamalan's Signs") is an interesting movie? It's very intricate and full of layers (slightly similar the layers of a Charles Williams book...I said slightly, remember that). Another thing that it's full of is symbolism. Graham (Mel Gibson's character---a role which was originally intended for and given to Johnny Depp (although, apparently, it didn't work out), interestingly enough) loses his faith as a result of blaming his wife's death on God. But then through the alien "invasion" he turns back to God (mainly because his son's life was spared by God). A typical Hollywood mold of a story probably wouldn't have had Graham turn back to God; something which makes this film a bit unique in that way. Another interesting tidbit is that this movie really presses the point that everything happens for a reason; Graham's wife's final words, Ray Reddy's confession to Graham, and the aliens choosing his fields to make their "mark" upon. And concerning the title, does it imply signs from the aliens, or signs from God? Maybe that's stretching it a bit, but it's just a thought from my [somewhat] whacked mind so, don't take it too seriously ^_^

over and out

The Big Picture

Look at it once in a while ^_^

I saw "Elizabethtown" last night; I liked it very much. It was a very down-to-earth movie that inspired one to look at the things one values and possibly re-evaluate them (awkward sentence, I know). Maybe I'll write a little more on it later...

over and out

Has anybody...

...picked up a copy of the "Music Inspired by the Chronicles of Narnia" cd? It's really good. Some of the songs capture the original story ("New World", "I Will Believe", "Turkish Delight") while others don't mention any reference to the story itself---but to the theme, in turn making songs that will serve as an outreach to those who may decide to buy it (because they love The Chronicles of Narnia) and are not followers.
My favourite tracks are "New World" by Tobymac (because it's upbeat, has great lyrics, and I ca't get enough of the tune) and "I Will Believe" by Nicole Nordeman (because of the tenderness and humility that Miss Nordeman portrayed through her voice, and I really like the lyrics of this song as well).

over and out

Quote of the Month

"Even the best of Christians are troubled by the question, 'Why does an almighty God send, or at least allow, suffering?' When you are nagged by thoughts like this, say to yourself, 'I am still in elementary school. When I graduate from the university of Christian life, I will understand His ways better and doubts will cease.'"
--Richard Wurmbrand (Imprisoned for a total of 14 years in Romania, 1940s-60s)

Mr. Hewitt thinks that "2001: A Space Odyssey" isn't a very entertaining movie either---I am not alone. Personally, it's too "artsy" for me and the story takes too long to develop. That's just me, though. I did like the sequel ^_^

Yay!

I'm listening to Hugh Hewitt right now, and Mr. A is on with him and Dr. John Mark Reynolds!

If you are reading this, go to the 870 KRLA website where you can listen to it right now.

here, there and...well, everywhere

Hi. Just to warn you (before you scroll down this page) this post is going to be long. Maybe I'm compensating for lost time, or maybe I just have a lot on my mind (I prefer the latter). I decided to be smart and write exactly what I wanted to say down on a piece paper (so I wouldn't forget...like usual). Another warning: I didn't really think about making my topics flow so how I write may seem a little random; that's just my mind going from subject to subject. Here is what came out of that:

I feel like Vanilla Rudding at this point in my life. What is this "Vanilla Pudding" that I speak of? Flip though Relient K's book "The Complex Infrastructure Known as the Female Mind: According to Relient K" and you'll understand. If you don't care to do that, I'll just tell you: it can be defined as "average". Sweet, gets along with everybody, but not very unique. I've been searching for something I'm good at (and like as well) and so far I've only found one thing: sketching. I love to draw and am developing my skills with each sketch I create. I actually feel I'm somewhat good at this, which is saying a lot.
Something that I love is government; I am thoroughly enjoying my "Foundations of American Thought" class! It's a subject I love to discuss, and it is introducing me to authors I find enjoyable to read (such as Locke and Montesquieu). It is also something I'm familiar with (we discuss politics a lot in my family).
I think I feel a cold coming on, or maybe I'm just not getting enough sleep. What do you all think of a person with a "suck-it-up-and-push-on" type of personality (though they only apply that to themselves)?
Oh my dear---enough about me. Let's talk about someone else. Harriet Miers? No. Nothing to discuss there. Hugh Hewitt has that topic covered; I enjoy listening to someone who actually thinks positively about her. I trust President Bush's decision, knowing he won't make the mistake his father did. One should trust the representative one elects; if not, what's the point in voting? We vote to elect representatives for ourselves because, as Montesquieu says, the people need a government to rule them; otherwise they will live in a constant state of war with each other (I like you Locke, but your view of natural man is not realistic).
There is a certain comic strip (called Get Fuzzy) which I read and in one of the cartoons the cat, Bucky, says to the dog, Satchel, that he's living in the past; the dog replies "I like living in the past. It's so predictable." A corny example, yes, but that last statement describes how I feel sometimes. When I look at America's past, I do see mistakes but I also see our government and citizens learning from those mistakes. When I look at today's society, I see a culture in which the bad guy reigns without question, which makes me feel like buying myself an island in the Pacific (call me cynical---I live in the land of fruitcakes and nuts, a.k.a., California). It actually reminds me of Star Wars, in which the fighting conservatives are the Rebellion and the liberals are the Empire---trying to replace our Republic with Despotic government. Now, when I think about the future...I don't really like to think about the future. I'm not scared of it, just a little concerned. I see the way my generation (those in private and public school) acts and apparently thinks and say to myself, "This may be the kind of society I'll be raising my kids in." Of course, there is the Christian homeschool movement (although sometimes certain people in that scare me just as much) that hopefully are raising those who Montesquieu says are "compentent enough to be elected" (Spirit of the Laws, 12).
I'm going to change the subject again---do you know how much it sucks to be a teenager? Adults shoving you into a stereotype and not thinking another thing about it! You know, just nodding and making you think they're actually listening to you when all they're doing is thinking "She's a teenager, what does she know?" I may not know as much (be as wise) as an adult, or even be as mature as most adults, but I do not have the intelligence level of a junior higher. Don't treat me like I do. I ABHOR stereotypes. Say you're a lawyer. When people hear that, they think to themselves "Filthy rich greedy scumbucket"; okay, maybe they don't think that low, but come on, most people picture a greasy, greedy little guy in a suit when they think of a lawyer. Do you see how that stereotype can really affect how people view lawyers? I'm not saying that they're all saints, because they all aren't. There are lawyers that are really like that. But not all of them are.
We were thinking of going to the God Blog Convention to-night, but we're still not sure yet. Maybe we will...or...maybe we won't be able to make it.

{Jeremiah 29:11}
over and out

me again

Hullo all...

I have finished most of my homework as of this moment (including my RE), so I'm very pleased :}. I'm a bit rusty on writing REs so I'm very glad we get to re-write it (even though I thought the idea was stupid at first).

An evil middle eastern country is going down...soon.

No Foundations updates as of to-day. I must celebrate my homework being finished ^_^. Yeah right...like I'd do that...unless it was for finishing something Hobbes wrote. That would be something to celebrate. I find Hobbes to be...all right. Personally, I liked Locke a HECK of a whole lot better but there are some redeeming qualities to reading Hobbes. One, is that you get to see a different perspective; two is that it stretches your mind to think a bit more (especially if you don't agree with him); three...I'll think of three later ^_^.

over and out

my view of the world to-day...

Slipping away
Are we sleeping at the wheel and unaware now
Has the population put us in a trance now
Overtaken by the tide and washed away now
What do you say now
In a daze
Are we moving in the motion of the crowd now
Slowly losing everything we were about now
Is it time to draw a line in the sand now
And take a stand now

Somebody talk to me
Am I all alone
When are we gonna wake up
Are we numb
Is the feeling gone
Tell me what went wrong
Are we numb
Close your eyes
Let the world pass by
Now you're hypnotized
Are we numb

Moving away
From the heart of everything we tried to be now
Just stop look and tell me what you see now
We've been taken like the winds across the sea now
We've gotta break free now

Mesmerized
Desensitized
Before my eyes
I'm paralyzed

Somebody talk to me
Am I all alone
When are we gonna wake up
Are we numb
Is the feeling gone
Tell me what went wrong
Are we numb
Close your eyes
Let the world pass by
Now you're hypnotized
Are we numb

We're drifting, we're dreaming, we're floating away

So many times we just watch pass by
The tick tock of life leaving us hypnotized
Mesmerized a stun gun leaving you in a daze
Better wake up now before you find yourself slipping away
All we know
Is the feeling numb

(Numb by Tait)

Are we numb?

kind of late buut...

posts that never were...er...are now :}

Blogger has been giving me a few problems lately, but now it seems as if everything is all right

^_^
I'm posting two pieces I wrote a few days ago that should have been posted on here, but I was unable at the time so, here they are :}

From Tuesday, September 20th.

As of this moment, I would like to review what we discussed in Foundations.

Miss Bergen started the conversation by bringing up the Supreme Court case that was heard and decided this past Summer; in this particular case, the local government wanted to seize a man's land (and compensate him for it, of course---they have to do that) to build a hotel upon that piece of property. Now, probably the only reason this case reached so far as the Supreme Court was because the city government pushed it; this local government wanted the hotel because it would receive a larger tax revenue. The question Miss Bergen posed was "what does Locke have to say about this (eminent domain is the proper name)?" We all searched the pages for a little while, and I don't remember us actually deciding whether or not Locke would agree to such a thing. I believe we got caught up in discussing the case itself (whether or not you would do something like that, do you think that it was right, etc.). The time finally came around when she asked the question "do you think the Supreme Court judged rightly?" I said I'd have to think through the case a little more. We decided that personal property was very important, and that we'd only give it up if it was for the common good (boosting the economy, creating jobs, widening a road, etc.). I think that a company should look for every possible way not to build a business where someone's home is before they even think about doing such a thing. After school, I talked about it with my mom for a little bit on our way to my grandma's house. She made a few points that I agree with. Firstly, she said that no one really thinks in terms of doing things for the "common good" any more (think about this in terms of what I've been saying before you go "where does that fit in?" and "why does it matter that no one else thinks of the common good? you should anyway"). Too true, unfortunately. Secondly, she brought up the point of whether or not the local economy needed a boost. This is an important point, because if the city wants to seize your land only because it would benefit in receiving more money in taxes, why on earth would you give up that piece of property? They're just being greedy. She also made a third point, but my memory is going because it's late....bummer. Oh well. I don't believe that the Supreme Court ruling was right, because in this particular case the city was being very greedy and (I hate using sound bites, but...) was trying to take away from the little guy.

...and this is the follow-up to that post...

Wednesday, September 21st.

I just heard from Mr. John Eastman, a constitutional law professor at Chapman University, that the end of the 5th Amendment is to be interpreted directly. It says that man shall not be "deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation." Okay, I have the solution to the problem. Mr. Eastman stated that this (taken for public use) is to be interpreted as public use, not public benefit. So if a road needs to be built or expanded, or a military base needs to go where your property is, fine. But if a hotel is going there, and the city and public is going to benefit from it, it's not okay. It's wrong. This statement ends my thinking. The Supreme Court ruled unjustly.

moving?...no, no i'm not

umm...i decided not to move...sooo....yeah. I'm just staying here :}

revelations

As of late I have been attempting to evaluate how I conduct myself. And during this evaluation, I've realized what a hypocrite I am. If you were among my close acquaintance, you might notice that I do talk to myself at times. Now, when no one's around, I talk to myself quite a bit. Sometimes during those sessions, I complain to myself about certain "injustices" I have experienced throughout the day or maybe that week; as I thought about this (and as I read a certain verse in this morning's devotions---a habit which I have, unforunately, only recently picked up again) I realized that maybe I should show a little more patience or listen a little closer, or ask God to help me treat someone I'm not particularly happy with, with more kindness. After all, I'm supposed to be trying to imitate Jesus; I believe He would have more patience with these certain persons if He were in my shoes. This verse that hit me is James 1:3-4, which says "The testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."

Lately I've been realizing that I just can't do everything on my own; my stubborn independence has left me exhausted, empty, and utterly depressed because I've greatly dissapointed the people whose good opinion I desire most. Interestingly enough, there is a certain ironic aspect to this foolishness: I'm extremely independent, yet I lack confidence in myself. Seriously, I lack any confidence in myself. Yet again, in this morning's devotions another verse spoke to my heart; it allowed me to see my lack of confidence in a different light: "Do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise." If God has confidence in me, and I have confidence in Him, what's my problem in not having any in myself?

What is this "high blood pressure"?

I repeat what I said before: John Kerry is the biggest hypocrite I've ever seen or heard of in my life (on top of that he's a willfully ill-informed phony). I just got this letter from him, and here's what it says:

The Fourth of July is a time for family, fun and fireworks.

But something happened today that ought to remind everyone what this holiday really symbolizes -- the freedom that makes America great.

That's exactly what hangs in the balance now that Sandra Day O'Connor has resigned from the Supreme Court.

This is no small deal. Over and over, she was the Justice who cast the critical vote in 5-4 cases deciding the most important issues in our nation.

Here's our bottom line for the johnkerry.com community heading into the holiday weekend: we can never let her be replaced by a Justice who does not respect the right to privacy and Roe v. Wade, and who doesn't understand the freedoms protected in our Constitution.

So, this weekend, as you enjoy the Fourth -- take a minute to think about what it means, and come back on Tuesday morning ready to fight for our freedom. It's all at stake now, and we need to come together more than ever.

Get ready,

John Kerry

So America's freedom is at risk because a swing-voter retired from the U.S. Supreme Court? And what "important issues" were those that she voted on? So, basically what he's saying is that America must not let any person but a hardcore liberal into this freshly left seat? And one who understands the freedom protected in our Constitution? What an ass. I'm sorry, but when was the last time he picked up and read a copy of the Constitution? Maybe he's too ashamed because his position as a Senator violates one of the Amendments. And he expects us to "respect" the ruling that's caused millions of deaths in this country since it was decided? Who gives a crap whether or not an "inconvinienced" woman has the right to an abortion? Maybe she shouldn't be fooling around like she does. But seriously, how could someone be so inconvinienced that they're willing to take another person's life in order to solve their trouble? And where is Mr. Kerry now? Why isn't he standing up for the man who's property is being taken away by the city government, because the city will make more money off of it that way? That's a violation of the freedom that the 5th Amendment protects: No person shall "be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation." Man, I wish there was a way to impeach Senators. Concerning abortion, I think it should be a state-to-state decision. That's in line with the 10th Amendment, is it not? "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people." NOT to the Supreme Court. Their job is to put the Constitution into action, not rewrite it.

{randomness}

"I have come to the conclusion that one useless man is called a disgrace---two, a law firm, and three or more become a Congress!"

-John Adams, "1776"

Independence Day

Whoohoo!

Happy Independence Day!

In honour of this marvelous day (though the only thing that happened on this day was just the signing of the Declaration...not the ending of the Revolutionary War) I have decided to post the American pledge to our flag:

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic, for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

--------------

Independence Day movies are very few and far between, but if you don't mind musicals and like comedy, I would suggest you rent (or even better: buy it!) 1776. It's a wonderful portrayal of Congress' journey towards the writing and signing of the Declaration of Independence. One of my favourite movies, actually, and even people who don't like musicals tend to like this movie.

A quote (one of the many funny ones) from John Adams in response to one of the congressmen objecting to a paragraph in the Declaration that might offend a fellow Englishman:
"This is a Revolution---we're going to have to offend somebody!"
John Adams is one of the greatest characters in 1776. You'll see why if you watch it.

Batman

So, I finally saw "Batman Begins". But considering I that saw it on an IMAX screen, it was definitely worth the wait. The movie completely platinum-plated my already concrete love for Batman (my second favourite superhero! w00t! go batman! and what a coincidence that Batman's love interest is named Rachel...). It was everything I expected and more! The action was wonderful, the script was great, and the acting was awesome. Unfortunately, I've only seen this one and "Batman & Robin", and I'll have to say that comparing George Clooney as Batman/Bruce Wayne to Christian Bale as Batman/Bruce Wayne, Clooney sucks and Bale rocks. Sorry George, but you weren't very good as Bruce Wayne or Batman (my opinion). One of the many things I really liked about this movie, that sets it apart from all the other superhero movies, was the fact that when Bruce Wayne was being Batman, he changed his voice. This was a very important novelty to me, because I always thought "there must be something wrong with all these people because they never recognize his voice!". That satisfied me, along with the rest of the movie. Gary Oldman was great as Gordon and Michael Caine was wonderful as Alfred. Although it was interesting how they portrayed Scarecrow...probably true to his comic-book character, but I tended to identify him with the Scarecrow who's in the Legion of Doom on Superfriends. Ah, the memories. Just kidding, I'm not old enough for that but I'll have to say that I like Superfriends a heck of a lot better than the Justice League. It's way too dramatic. Oooh, which brings me to say that I completely loved the cartoon Batman that they played on Cartoon Network in the 90's!!! Did any of you watch that? It was the coolest Batman show I've ever seen! Well, not cooler than the 60's Batman TV show---about equal I'd say (on different levels of course---one's comedy and the other's drama). Don't give me any of this Batman Forever crap, man, just give me Batman! And something I noticed in Batman Begins was that Bruce Wayne's "Batman voice" sounded strangely similar to the guy who voiced Batman in that same cartoon show. But going back to Batman Begins (whoa, rabbit-trailed there!)---I will definitely be buying this when it comes out!

Over and out

Washington

I've just returned from a six day trip to Washington and I loved it. My family and I went for my cousin's wedding, but decided to stay a few days afterward to explore the state a bit.

First off, I'd like to say a few words about a few places. Yes, yes, shameless plugs. If you're ever in Washington for a few days or a vacation, stay at the Aloha B&B in Purdy. They have the most comfortable rooms, a four-course breakfast (which is deliciously different every morning), and the owners are wonderful people. In addition to great service and rooms, they're on the water, they have an exercise room, a sauna, and a jacuzzi. Plus, wonderful gardens to enjoy.
Lastly, I would highly recommend (if you are any where near Purdy) that one should dine at The Beach House restaurant at least once during one's stay. Everything there is tasty and done to perfection. I had the Filet Mingon---the best I have ever tasted in my life---my dad had the salmon---which I tasted, and it was the most tender, flavorful salmon I have ever had---and for dessert, we each had our own. I tried the Brownie Sundae, and that was the creamiest brownie I've eaten, mom tried the Chocolate Tart, which both mom and dad enjoyed very much, and dad had the Strawberry dessert (I forget what it's called) and liked it very much. The chefs there are excellent. Though if you're on a budget, split a meal or eat there once...it will be wonderful, I assure you.

Back to the trip.
I loved Washington, enough that I entertained thoughts of moving there someday. It was fantasticly green and wet. Just wet enough for there to be moisture in the air, but not so bad that it rains every single day. We enjoyed it so much, we're probably going to take another vacation there next year. That's all for now...my unpacked bag is calling to me.

au revoir

John Kerry is the one of the biggest hypocrites I've ever seen in my life. That is all I have to say.

au revoir

Movies

None of the movies I'm going to talk about are Star Wars III for two reasons. One, it would take up way too much of my time to do a complete review on Star Wars (which I would like to do...maybe later), and Two, because everybody else in America (almost everybody) is doing or has done the same thing. I'm actually going to talk about three "older" movies: I, Robot; White Noise; and Constantine.

First: I, Robot (it's still freshest in my mind).

I thought this movie was pretty good: had wonderful, life-like CG, great action scenes, good plot, pretty good script (they actually made fun of a smart person without insulting those who don't have a larger vocabulary...i.e., when a smart character uses big words and then someone doesn't understand and the words really aren't "big"...the big words of Doctor Calvin in this movie were truly, big), it had Will Smith in it (big plus!), it had awesome cinematography, and it came off with showing how bad A.I. could get if it was given enough power. And although some the stuff about the "ghost in the machine" may or may not be true, such as the random bits of code some how evolving into a soul, the movie portrayed robots in (interestingly enough) a sympathetic but not sympathetic light.
The story "revolves" around homicide Detective Del Spooner and a case of an alleged suicide of one of the founders, and creator, of U.S. Robotics. The Doctor leaves him clues, or "bread-crumbs", and a unique robot called Sonny to help him solve the mystery that has been left for only Spooner to solve. Along the way he makes a friend, Doctor Calvin, and together, with Sonny, they solve the mystery. What is the mystery? Watch the movie.
Sonny is a unique robot because the doctor has created him with an ability to override the Three Laws and commands that are given to him; he is also given emotions, which at times makes you feel sympathetic for him (I did anyhow). But then you're constantly reminded that robots are just emotionless pieces of machinery, which is completely true. Robots are void of a soul, which makes them emotionless and unable to make decisions based on morals or principles; they make them on averaging percentages. I thought it was a great film. Why? The story is good, Will Smith is great at playing the somewhat cynical hero with a sense of humour, and the cinematography is truly awesome (as I said before :}).

Second: White Noise.

Despite the special features that seem pro-E.V.P. (showing real E.V.P. sessions, the experts at work, and how to make your own E.V.P. recordings), this film actually showed the dangers of E.V.P. (Electronic Voice Phenomenon).
*Spoilers*
The star of this movie is Michael Keaton (a wonderful actor) who plays an architect who's wife goes missing after what looks like a car accident practically right after the movie starts. A few weeks later, a man comes to him saying that Keaton's wife is dead because she's been contacting him through E.V.P. Keaton is unsure of this at first, but then his wife tries to contact him through his cell phone, stereo, and radio; he gives in and soon becomes obsessed with making E.V.P. recordings, not fully knowing what he's getting himself into. He is contacted by other dead people (sounds weird and hokey, I know) but then discovers that some of them aren't dead yet, though are probably going to die. He then receives message from his wife, misreads them, and thinking he's doing the right thing ends up being killed by three demons (or supposed dead people from the other side) in the end.
Like I said, this movie truly shows the danger of E.V.P., and definitely shows that it's something not to get involved in.

Lastly: Constantine.

I know, this movie's been out of theatres for quite some time, but I've kept meaning to do a "review" on it and now I finally have the time.
I really liked this movie, despite its biblical inaccuracies, and would recommend it to the not-so-faint of heart (don't want to scare anybody...one never knows). It was very interesting that they made Gabriel to be a traitor to God by making a deal with the Devil's son (one of the points I didn't agree with, but thought it to be...different). But I did like how they portrayed Constantine as showing a lack of faith and purpose through the movie and then at the end he finds faith and purpose.
Unfortunately, I must end this "review" because of brain lapses...I should re-view this movie again before I make more comments...


Au Revoir and thanks for reading.

The End of an Age

That may not quite fit, but seeing as our last book was LOTR and we had that fantastic party afterwards, I decided to say that and plus it does kind of feel like the end of an age.
I had a really good time at the banquet last night, and I actually almost cried a few times (to my surprise). But, I shall return to my original intent with this post, which is: my thoughts on this year and etc.

I have to start off with my favourite books and why, of course :}

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. Why? Because it helped me to grasp the fundamentals of Christianity, allowing me to know what I believe in the simplest form.

Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis. Why? Because it allowed me to understand relativism (I believe that's what you'd call it) better and it helped me understand their odd viewpoint.

Descent Into Hell by Charles Williams. Why? Because I thought it was an extremely fantastic piece of fiction, and I loved trying to find all the hidden little messages in it...that was totally awesome.

Creed or Chaos? by Dorothy Sayers. Why? Even though it was quite repetitive, it did allow me to look at work, sin, and education differently and helped me to understand them and their purposes.

Mind of the Maker by Dorothy Sayers. Why? Although I got really sleepy during my reading of this book, I thought it was good. And even though it was confusing at times because Sayers would use an analogy to explain an analogy to explain the original analogy, it helped me to understand the trinity a little more (the trinity is one of the most confusing things to me...).

Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. Why? Do I need to say why? It is quite a thrilling story (though one has to trudge through a few details here and there...but in the end, they're all necessary) and gives insight into a few subjects (relationships, despair, power, and a few others).
P.S. It's much better on your second read...

I did not mention A Severe Mercy because even though I did like it, it wasn't one of my favourites; though I am sure that if I re-read it, I'll probably like it better.

Some of my favourite class discussions were on Charles Williams' books because they had so much in them to pick apart and understand...wow. And of course I liked our discussions on Lewis, Sayers, Vanauken (those were really good), and Tolkien (some good ones there too).

I have thoroughly enjoyed this year and am sincerely going to miss our wonderful discussions every Tuesday and Thursday (though I can't say I'll terribly miss the fiction precis'...I know they're the easiest---if you're good at summarizing---but I enjoyed the non-fiction ones better because it made one pick apart the subject and explore it more, hopefully allowing one to understand it better) and of course, I'll miss the great tutelage of Mr. A! You've truly helped me grow in my understanding of God, man, and other things, and I thank you so much!

Au Revoir.

Good Point

Yesterday in class we discussed an ethical dilemma. If a plane is flying towards a building, the pilot intending to crash into it, should one kill the pilot to save the lives of the people in the building? I answered that question a bit bad (okay, a large bit bad). But while I was answering, I kept thinking that there's got to be a way to say this...because if I say "kill the pilot", that's not really valuing life, is it? and being pro-life, you value all life...but how do you say... . It was extremely perplexing...of course, then we talked about it after class, and Mr. A made a very good point (one which I totally agree with). That you're shooting the plane down, and the saving of the people's lives is just a bi-product of that action, and the pilot in the plane just happens to be there (pleeease say something if I'm not saying this correctly...); it could have been a remote plane for all anybody knows. Intentions, intentions, intentions. I shall never forget it...no consequential arguing (because afterwards I completely realized the mistake of what I said...). It was a very good discussion.

au revoir.

Thinking

I just watched the ending of National Treasure, starting from the part where they discover the treasure underneath the church. Everytime the gal leans down and sees the scrolls from the Library of Alexandria I get chills up and down my back; what if scrolls had been taken to be protected and then finally found somewhere? That would be awesome beyond words. But while I was thinking about how exciting and wonderful that would be, how is it significant in an eternal light? I mean, they're important, I know (jeepers, do I know) but I was thinking: is it really that important? Maybe I'm off a bit or something, but I just had to put that question out there.

I found...

...an interesting quote from Plato's Republic the other day, and I thought I'd share it with all you lovely people who read my blog :}.
Drat. My book's in a car that isn't at home this moment, so I suppose I'll post it later.

While I'm here, I should post about yesterday's discussion. I haven't done this in a long while...*sighs*...I need to drop politics (for I'm never going to become a politician, so what's the point in complaining about them) and pick this up again. All right. Here goes:

We decided (I'm assuming this since I don't have my notes---they are also traveling in that car) that Bombadil is...wait...it's coming...right. He is Master of the hills, water, and forests (page 123 I believe), and has some sort of power over nature. One thing I did miss our not discussing was "what is Bombadil's purpose in the story?". This is a very perplexing question, which I can only answer with "maybe he was there to pass something along (wisdom or something) to the hobbits"...

I shall continue this later, for I found this discussion of Bombadil very fascinating...but the dirty dishes in the sink beckon to me so until then,
Au Revoir :}

Too Far

Liberal Democrats in the Senate have gone way too far. I just got an e-mail from John Kerry that just sent me over the edge of tolerance. "What are you doing, being a member of johnkerry.com?" you may ask...it's a long story...I'll tell it later. He says that,
"The Republican Party's leaders have set America on an extraordinarily dangerous path. We are no longer just debating the merits of one policy over another. It's far more fundamental than that. The far right seems set on a path that challenges the fundamentals of how we make our democracy work best for all of us. I can't literally sit in your living room and talk about what's going on and how we need to rise to the occasion. So, I've chosen the next best thing, recording a video message that I hope each and every member of the johnkerry.com community will take the time to watch.

http://www.johnkerry.com/action/valuesvideo

It's essential for us to come together right now because, every day, Republican leaders are crossing lines that should never be crossed:

* The line that says a leader in the House of Representatives should never carelessly threaten or intimidate federal judges.
* The line that says a leader in the Senate should never accuse those who disagree with his political tactics of waging a war against people of faith.
* The line that says respect for core constitutional principles should never be undermined by a political party's quest for power.
* And, most important of all, the line that says a political party's leaders should never let their obsession with amassing power overwhelm the needs and interests of America's families. "

Okay, first of all, I don't know where these Liberal get their dillusions, but we are not a democracy. We're a democratic REPUBLIC. And secondly, does he give any examples of when Republican leaders have "crossed the line"? No, of course not.


I am so sick and tired of Democrats acting like hypocrites to cover their butts, so they won't look as horrible as they really are. Why don't they just get themselves back to the Senate floor and actually DO something about the problems that they are supposedly facing (i.e., the problems that they're going around the country complaining about)? They're too stupid to know what to do or they're too scared of something. I swear, moving to Danger Island may not be such a bad idea after all. No stupid liberals to deal with.

Good Show

I saw Torrey Theatre Club's performance of Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew", and it was very good. I enjoyed it very much. Well, it was my first "stage" show, but I had a good time; all the actors were perfect for their roles and they did an excellent job! Props to you guys (and gals)! Even though it was their first performance, it was fantastic. Before, I had only seen a sort of film version which is "Kiss Me Kate" with Howard Keel and Katherine Greyson (sp?). The actors in last night's performance were very funny and they played the story out beautifully. This is coming from a non-experienced fan of the stage, but I thought it was great. More entertaining than "Kiss Me Kate" (remember, that was a musical and was meant to be a sort of comedy, but I liked this one---the original story---much better! of course, the original is always much better than the take-off).
End Transmission.

I am official (haha)

The University of Blogging Presents to alhtheia An Honorary Bachelor of Self Portraiture Majoring in Psychotic Ranting Signed Dr. GoQuiz.com ®

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Blogging Degree
From Go-Quiz.com

Quote of Last Week

Sorry I didn't get this in on time...but this quote is for last week. And here it is (okay, if you're a liberal, don't read it):

If guns kill, spoons make Michael Moore fat.

(quote courtesy of rightwingstuff.com)

This is personally insulting to Mr. Moore, one may say, but I don't feel real bad about it because he has personally insulted the country and values I hold dear. End of transmission.

Correction

Okay, I sort of made a mistake in one of my last posts. When I said, "Aren't they the American Civil Liberties Union? Ooh, nevermind. They're civil liberties. So rests my case, well, not really," the case is not rested because I found a definition of "civil" from the American Heritage Dictionary (Fourth Edition) and here's what it said:

7. Law. Relating to the rights of private individuals and legal proceedings concerning these rights as distinguished from criminal, military, or international regulations or proceedings

Aha! So why isn't the ACLU intervening in the Schiavo case? Are they too busy trying to take Christian symbols off of local government seals or something? Sheesh. Oh well, let them be cowards...it makes them look worse.

Problems

I heard Newt Gingrich speak at the Nixon Library last Tuesday, and thought what he had to say was really good. His book, Winning the Future, has good points in it. He expanded a bit on a few of them, including patriotism among today's young people and educating immigrants in American culture and things, and the continual removal of God from our society. I think it is important that we teach our young people about our history. Not solely about other countries. There was a sort of live "poll" taken once that was covered by the Fox News Channel, where a person was walking around a college campus, or on the street (darn my memory), and was asking people what the Emancipation Act is. Most people did not know, and one person even guessed by saying "does that have something to do with recycling?". Oh my, our nation is in a baaaad state concerning what our own people know about their own country. One day, our UPS guy asked every customer what the three branches of government were. And surprise: most people didn't know what they were, or they didn't know that there were actually three branches of government! Oh my goodness, this is totally scary! That people in this nation don't know anything about their government or this nation's laws! How on earth are they supposed to know if anything's wrong with the government if they don't know anything about it? *Sighs* Okay, next point. The subtle yet obvious removal of God from our society. Gingrich, in his book, introduces this subject by talking about the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals' decision that declared the words "one nation under God" as unconstitutional. Thank God that it was overruled by the Supreme Court (surprisingly), but that subject just boils my blood. What right do they have to rule that unconstitutional? The Judicial branch exists to enforce the law, not to legislate it; that's the Legislative branch's job. They've completely forgotten (willfully or not) their true place in the government. And now the courts are deciding whether someone should live or not? Man, our judicial system is very messed up. But hey, that reminds me of the Easter message I heard; the ingredients for a miracle include: one mess, a bit of faith, and a really big God. So, there is hope for the judicial system! As long as we have a bit of faith, and trust that our really big God will work a miracle. Like Sayers said in her book, Mind of the Maker, God doesn't create the evil, but He brings good out of the evil situation. And hey, Winning the Future is 34% off and Mind of the Maker is 20% off at Amazon right now! What a coincidence. Haha :}

Quote of the Week...

...before it runs out! Okay, here goes (sorry guys, this only applies to women...well, one never knows):

"I don't work out. If God had intended for me to bend over, He'd have put diamonds on the floor."
--Joan Rivers

Media Influence

You know, one of the reasons that may cause some of this rage is the influence of movies and television. Hmmm...yes, that fits. See, the people (or kids, whatever) see so much of the violence and bad stuff that their mind kind of registers it as okay because they keep watching it (also called: people becoming numb to violence). So, they figure whatever they do is okay, even though if they probably thought about it for a while, they might find it a bit wrong, illogical, non-sensical, whatever you want to call it. So, it's lack of thinking, too much impulse, too much media influence, and not enough beliefs, principles, convictions, and most important: a conscience. Oh well, it sort of seems a hopeless cause. I mean, one can do stuff, but one cannot completely turn around the education system, the media business, and other influences, although one could just press one's case harder....hmmm.......

Rage & Congress

This is totally off-subject from the things I said I would talk about, but I just have to "get this off my chest". Okay, just so I get it straight, those two don't go together, that's just what I'm going to talk about.
Firstly, has anyone noticed the apparent rage in people that has been prominently reported on about every news station across America? "A boy stabs his sister in the arm over a pot-pie"..."A boy shoots his brother because he threw a toy at him" (which is actually a story about anger and gun awareness & safety)...and other stories similar to these. Americans have a clear problem with rage, and I want to know why. Of course, I have come to the conclusion that these cases usually result from a lack of God in this country. I mean, come on, how many times did things like this happen in the forties and fifties? It is a lack of God; He's been removed from almost every where (the ACLU---anti-Christian liberties union---has made sure of that). Yesterday, while in a church bookstore after Bible study, a friend and I noticed that one of 25 ideas of what to do with a Bible (the bookstore was selling Bibles for a dollar each so people could pass them out in different places) was "Challenge your student to give one to a non-Christian student at school". Riiight. That's a major disaster waiting to happen. Isn't that sad that your child could be suspended from school for something like that? Another thing that bugs me is that people will declare the passing out of Bibles in school as "unconstitutional", which really makes me want to become a constitutional lawer...argh. Come on, where does it say THAT in the Constitution? It says the government shall make no law in favor of any religion (i think that's right...). It's really annoying.
Next subject: the Congress. Man, Congress has been on a roll lately...busting the MLB for use of steroids, interfering in the Schiavo case...I mean, this is cool! Is it just a coincidence that this may have come as a result from more Republicans being elected to the Congress and the House? Who knows. But, I applaude them for what they're doing. By the way, where is the ACLU in the Schiavo case? Aren't they the American Civil Liberties Union? Ooh, nevermind. They're civil liberties. So rests my case, well, not really. These cases shall never rest.

The Republic

alrighty...I am announcing that I shall be picking of the Republic again ! Yay ! soo...I shall be posting about it soon, and I shall be posting about discussion stuff too (after the darn Précis is finished...ack). Soo, yep, that's about it :}

President's Day

.......for most people it means a four day weekend or a wonderful holiday from homework, but (even though I am enjoying this being a holiday) I'm not satisfied with just viewing it as a "holiday". Why do we celebrate President's Day? To honour the Presidents who served their country, or just so we don't have to celebrate Lincoln's and Washington's birthdays? I remember that when I was in school, we did actually celebrate Lincoln and Washington's birthdays (not with a holiday, but in class). But what happened to those holidays? We celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day more then we celebrate our former President's birthdays...not that I wish people would not honour Dr. King, for he played a great part in the Civil Rights Movement, but what about Lincoln....he had a big hand in freeing black people from slavery, did he not? I think if we're going to celebrate Dr. King, we should also celebrate those others who fought just as hard for their civil rights like Rosa Parks, and Harriet Tubman and other leading figures in the civil rights movement. And what about Washington, our nation's first President (yes, the first) and a great Revolutionary War general? Do they not teach children about Lincoln and Washington in school anymore?

just for fun

You know those quizzes that are all over the place: "What year do you belong in?" or "What's your style?" Well, I took one just for fun, the "Which action-movie star are you?" and guess what came up...


Which Action Star Are You? Find out @ She's Crafty

Surprise! Heck, I'd rather be Indy than Bond or Neo...Why? One, I'd rather live in Indy's time, two, he gets to fight Nazis, and three, he's an archeologist! How cool is that? Yes, I know, Bond works for the British Secret Service, and Neo is fighting to save the world and has the coolest fighting techniques, but I think Indy tops 'em all. (excluding, of course, Luke Skywalker and the Saint, Simon Templar).

Valentines...

When St. Valentine's day comes around, I always sort of feel lonely or left out of a cool holiday that is for couples, but then I get to thinking...and remind myself..."what the heck are you thinking?? the Prince of your heart is just waiting there for you to notice Him so that He can give His love to you, and you're feeling lonely??" This book, Authentic Beauty, has really opened my eyes to a "side" (if you will) of God that I had heard about but hadn't really thought about. It really helps one to realize that Jesus wants you, your heart, your love, all of you! And you're looking around for a temporary, earthly love? I mean, I know it is the most wonderful feeling in the world to know that you've found your true love and they've found you...but the love Jesus can give is eternal, true, and unconditional. He paid the ultimate price in order for you to have a personal relationship with Him, and you just sit there ignoring Him. I know I do this, and being the romantic, sensitive softie I am, I start to cry because I know it deeply hurts Him...I am trying to get better...but I just have to keep reminding myself and spending more time with Him, talking and learning, for that is the only way a relationship can deepen and progress.

Quote of the Week

Okay, this is, well, it's not awe inspiring or "great" or anything, but I like it. I saw it on the back of a car on the freeway. Here it is:

Eat Beef. The West wasn't won on salad.

That is so classic...but I won't go into listing my favorite bumper stickers now...

Many thoughts...

Ah, yesterday's discussion of John 2:1-12 sent my mind into a whir. It was sort of "Chuck Missler style", if you will, by going into how this connects to that and how that symbolizes this...phew, that was SO fun! Seriously, that was a really great discussion. These are my conclusions from this discussion:
I think the purification pots full of water, and then that water turning into excellent wine, symbolises (this is my own opinion, remember) the sinful man being purified by the blood of Jesus, and how supposedly the best wine was already served first but how the wine being served last was the best is (now remember, I came to these conclusions with much help from other people, not by myself) a symbol of His second coming; we thought that His first coming to this Earth was good, but the best is for last. And then how Mary had faith that Jesus would do something about the situation, I think that's a symbol of our being able to participate in that glorious second coming by having faith and believing in Jesus that He will see us through to that day. Now, the question we were left with.......the deeper meaning of John 6:53. I am truly looking forward to that discussion.
I remember thinking in class, that wow, if THI is like this, I want to go...really bad. I mean, the Bible is interesting just by itself, but understanding it like this or attempting to analyse it makes reading it even more fun. :}
Now which RE question to pick.......

The Win

Woohoo! The Patriots won the Superbowl, for their third time in four years. Why am I excited? One, because I wanted them to win (I don't particularly care for the Eagles), and two because they played an consistently accurate game. Their defense was spectacular, and after a shaky start in the first quarter, the offense got into the game along with their quarterback, Tom Brady. Brady is an excellent quarterback who, like many of the great quarterbacks of the NFL (Joe Montana, Brett Favre, and more), can throw to anybody who's open and is pretty consistent in the accuracy of his passes. Of course one cannot forget Tedy Bruschi, Corey Dillion, Deion Branch, Kevin Faulk, Adam Vinatieri, and all the other great players who made the game interesting and a win, for they all deserve equal credit for working together extremely well. And last but not least, all of the coaches deserve the credit for keeping the well-oiled machine of the Patriots well-oiled and in great shape. You guys rocked!! And congrats to Deion Branch for winning Superbowl MVP. Good job dude.

Okey dokey....Welcome to my blog: Seeking Truth ! I will start to post soon :}