fascinating

sweet!

(also sweet)

New thinking in copyright law

I really like a 50-year copyright on sound recordings. I think I would support that for the actual songs as well - or perhaps the life of the composer, but no longer. (Ok, maybe like a month longer so they can capitalize on the spike of sales.)

If you're like me and you hate the new college football timing rules, register your dissent by sending a note directly to the NCAA. It's really getting old watching the new clock rules ruin game after game.

hmmm

I hate the new NCAA football time rules. They sure know how to suck all the life out of a game.

Meanwhile, USC sucks. Miami sucks. Et cetera.

hipster time

Promotional band gimmicks (battles of the bands, "festivals" you pay to sign up for, this emergenza crap) are a waste of time. For everyone involved. Especially the people who come to the shows.

Songs I wish I had written:

"Stuck Between Stations" - The Hold Steady
"Clash City Rockers" - The Clash
"Wouldn't It Be Nice" - The Beach Boys

And so on.

I got another copy of Pet Sounds to replace the one I broke. The old one had the original mono record, plus a dumb stereo mix on it from the 60's, but this new one has a stereo mix from 1997 that sounds really good. I am impressed. It also came with a DVD, so everything together justified the price of $19.99.

I also got me some Demon Days. Looking forward to checking that out.

Bill O'Reilly on Oprah - this was rich. He was there to promote his book which claims there is a culture war in the U.S. between "traditionalists" and "secular-progressives". He insisted to Oprah that you are either one or the other, and cannot have attributes of both (i.e., you either love America or you hate it). He then states that "traditionalists" outnumber "S.P.'s" 3-to-1 in "the latest polls" but claims that the secular-progressive viewpoint is more prominent because:

1. S.P.'s have access to unlimited money from George Soros (and "others", none of which he names).
2. The media is sympathetic to their cause.
3. The entertainment industry is sympathetic to their cause.

I'd like to take a brief moment to counter these claims, because it's very easy to do. First, I doubt that the "secular-progressive" cause has the combined monetary and political resources of GE-Universal, Viacom, News Corp., and Disney-Time Warner - the owners and operators of CNN, Fox, and MSNBC. The media has no reason to back a seclar-progressive agenda - even if reporters, producers, etc. are liberals themselves, large corporations are footing the bill, and so what O'Reilly identifies as a "secular-progressive" media is, in fact, a corporate media, which stands to profit from anything but a severe liberal bias in the news.

The entertainment myth is easy to debunk. Liberal celebrities are popular guests on news shows because they have a strong ideology without the necessary research or facts to back it up. They are celebrities, after all, and not politicians. So they can be booked to espouse a certain cause, made to look silly, and everyone wins.

True liberal voices have never been heard in the media. Not on Crossfire, not on Hannity and Colmes, Mork and Mindy, or Ebert and Roeper. One time, Jon Stewart went on Crossfire to raise a true progressive voice. He killed the show.

I'm not taking sides with any secular-progressive agenda, real or imagined. I'm just saying that there is no liberal bias in the news media, or rather that it is significantly overblown to pander to conservatives and thus boost ratings. Further proof can be found in the pages of this book.

TIMOTHY HORNYAK

(has a funny name)

I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING
I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING I PASSED MY HEARING

Bloc Party sounds like Amnesiac on amphetamines.

spin
spinner
spinnest

I'd like to start by saying that the only thing I know about Kenny Rogers is that he is a hilarious pitcher. You know, a showman. A real character. But it's not like I'm watching the World Series or anything. So I read these stories, and I think about what they're saying.

The second and third stories were written on complete speculation, admittedly because the parties involved were less than forthcoming about the topic immediately after the game. The only "hard" evidence that exists are camera shots of Rogers' pitching hand, and yet Stark claims that Rogers had already "soiled ... his whole sport".

The first story (which I read first) contains the actual truth, buried in non sequiturs. The headline brands Rogers as guilty, but La Russa's statements in the article outline the sequence of events that night:

1. In the first inning, someone notices a dark smudge on Rogers' hand. This is brought to the attention of Tony La Russa, who requests an intervention by the umpires. He does not request a search of Rogers, only that he clean off his hand.

2. Rogers cleans off his hand at the request of an umpire.

3. Rogers goes on to pitch 8 nearly hitless innings and stands to break the postseason record of blah blah blah, set by Christy Mathewson in 1905, who was notable not just for his pitching abilites, but for having a girl's name.

The issue was resolved immediately on the field just as La Russa wanted it to be. ("It got fixed, in my opinion.") Rogers could have been searched, but nobody wanted to search him. He performed as well or better without the mysterious substance on his hand. All of these things lend weight to Rogers' claims that it was simply dirt and resin. But the last article goes so far as to state the following:

In 2002, the Cleveland Indians suspected Rogers was scuffing balls and asked the plate umpire to search for anything illegal. Nothing was found.

This is ridiculous and has absolutely no relevance to the current issue. Furthermore, it happened FOUR YEARS AGO. Four years ago he was suspected of cheating and was subjected to a search - which I'm sure was thorough. He was cleared. End of story. This incident is not admissible for any reason, even if he is guilty.

And that's my two cents about Kenny Rogers who plays for the Detroit Tigers. I don't know why I have so much to say about an issue in a sport I follow more or less casually. But I do think it's an injustice to villify someone with pointless conjecture before substantial evidence is on the table.

Free episode of Bones on iTunes! And the main theme is by The Crystal Method. I did not know that.

(Emily Deschanel is still hot)

First Impressions

Joe Lieberman is a funny guy. He is also suprisingly clean in terms of debating. (This may not be news to anyone, but whatever.) Makes me wonder how he made it in the Senate for 18 years.

Ned Lamont is a turd. He's a little too fanatically anti-Lieberman for me.

Alan Schlesinger is cross-eyed. He is also somewhat of a turd. He kept referring to a "silver bullet" as a synonym for "panacea". Further research indicates this is common usage, but I have to disagree with this on the basis that these two terms might mean the same to me, but they are very different things from the werewolf's point of view.

Hahaha! He just said "dirty bomb". He used the scenario of somebody sneaking in illegally from Mexico with a dirty bomb as a reason to increase border security. Doesn't he know we have enough crazy people in the country already that would be willing to do that?

And whoever it was that kept shouting down Lieberman were idiots. (Note: this link is only included to show that there were stupid people shouting stuff. This account of the debate is, of course, not entirely accurate.)

yummy

Now, I'm not saying I want one for Christmas, because they're expensive and hard to come by ... oh, what the heck. I want one.

WRONG

Say what you want about the team in the middle of a terrible season. (My favorite scapegoat is traditionally the quarterback, which seems to be in decline ever since that freak Chris Weinke.) But no way - NO WAY - should anyone ever put pressure on Bowden to retire. I don't care if you like him, hate him - he's earned the right to coach at FSU for as long as he wants. (His son, well, that's another question...) If Bobby died mid-season and left a clause in his will stating that his corpse should be allowed to finish it out, I would support that. (Yes, there are jokes to be found in that statement. "Are you sure that hasn't already happened?" Ha ha.)

Bottom line, it's not a business, it's not anything but a sport, and some things in life should be graceful and accommodating more than cutthroat and bloodthirsty. I say this, of course, about a game which exemplifies controlled violence, but I say it with confidence.

Blogger went down and I forgot most of what I wanted to post. Let me try to remember...

this guy

...is a wacko, yes. I mean, in the sense that he has very radical stances on issues and that coupled with the Green Party nomination pretty much ensures that he won't get elected.

HOWEVER

this guy

...is supported by most liberals/progressives that I know. The only problem is, his campaign platform reads like a Rush Limbaugh transcript. He is so close to the Republican candidate as to be almost identical (without the funny name). Despite this, the people that support his candidacy make claims like, "He just knows how to appeal to his voter base," and "he really isn't for/against ".

There's one problem with this. If he is a wolf in sheep's clothing, so to speak, then I'm not sure I want to vote for someone so disingenuous. Anyway, I would rather pin my hopes on someone who supports free universal education and the forgiving of student loans.

this guy

...is beyond me. "Vote for me! I promise I won't actually serve in Congress." Yeah.

FSU is just embarrassing. The only thing that botched snap did was create a scapegoat. Weatherford is just bad and our defense is full of true freshmen. Ick.

On the other hand, Duke almost beat Miami today.

Twelve of the suspended players are expected back for Miami's game next week against Georgia Tech. The other player, sophomore Anthony Reddick, was suspended indefinitely for using his helmet as a weapon during the fight.

Was this like Juggernaut, or was he just kind of swinging it around? I guess that could hurt pretty bad.

dirty bomb, n:

approximately 4 handfuls of really good chocolates from work wrapped loosely in paper towels.

I can't help but notice the similarities between "Stuck Between Stations" by the Hold Steady and "Car Radio" by Spoon. Similar riffs, similar melodic ideas, similar air of discontent about the subject material ... ?

In other news, Dave Eggers and Spike Jonze have spoken-word cameos on the final track of the new Beck record.

Also, Dragonheart SUCKS!

I don't know which is the greater sin - that The Used and My Chemical Romance collaborated on a cover of "Under Pressure" ... or that I think it sounds pretty good.

Other covers of note (according to some list I found on iTunes):

The Cure - Hello I Love You (Words can't describe this. Oh wait, yes they can: senseless crap.)

Fenix Tx - Get Out of My Dreams (sadly used as a promo for NASCAR, although I don't care since I don't watch it)

Green Day - I Fought the Law (They steal the arrangement dead-on from the Clash. This type of covery should be outlawed.)

Death Cab for Cute - This Charming Man (I believe I addressed the suckery of this version previously. It sucks.)

Denison Marrs - Send Me an Angel (Good to see this on the list, even though I still haven't crossed paths with the original.)

Johnny Cash - Personal Jesus (...woot)

The Lemonheads - Mrs. Robinson (Now this was actually a radio hit in the early 90's. I remember it fondly as my introduction to the Lemonheads, long before I ever heard the original.)

The Raveonettes - My Boyfriend's Back (Finally, someone has found a use for square waves. In trashy proto-50's rock, no less!)

Cat Power - House of the Rising Sun (This is one of those songs that need to be banished from our collective conscious for a while. Then it can come back, in 20 years or so.)

Calexico - The Guns of Brixton (Sounds like it's done in typical downer acoustic style ... a.k.a. "boring".)

Brandston - King of Pain (cool electro programming on this one)

Beck - Your Cheatin' Heart (...not bad)

The Donnas - Drive My Car (If you can't cop the entire Beatles experience - harmony, attitude, hair - then it just doesn't measure up. I'm not sure anyone can.)

Alien Ant Farm - Smooth Criminal (Still better than the original by far.)

Golden Earring

Golden Earring has kept the same line-up since 1970. The band is the longest existing rock band in the world, as they were founded in 1961, one year before the Rolling Stones.

One thing iTunes is good for is singles and b-sides (when they have them, anyway). I got a weird version of "Mercy Mercy Me" by the Strokes and Eddie Vedder, and a cool Streets EP I didn't even know existed (All Got Our Runnins).

On the other hand, they still haven't fixed the download of "Has It Come to This?" that I bought. The first 2 seconds are cut off and it's insanely annoying.

I went to get a haircut today.

1st attempt: Supercuts on 21st. My usual haunt - but I wanted to avoid the guy who claimed to play guitar for Molly Hatchet. A quick glance inside confirmed my fears that he was, in fact, on duty.

2nd attempt: Great Clips on White Bridge Rd. A fun, exciting new place! Not really. The one lady looked halfway normal but the other one was clearly unbalanced and so I feared a little bit for my head's aesthetic future. There was only one person waiting so I decided to take my chances. Well, first a lady comes in with her son who was annoying as crap, and apparently since she called ahead, he gets to go first. Ok. Then this other lady gets called, and I've been waiting a long time ... and on top of this, my calculations indicated that I was probably going to get the crazy one.

3rd attempt: Supercuts on Charlotte Pike. No customers at all. I went in, the lady spent about 5 minutes chopping and such, and I was done. Not the best haircut I've ever gotten, but so quick that I didn't care.

I watched a debate tonight for governor of Iowa. The best part was when the Democratic candidate attacked the Republican candidate for being fiscally irresponsible and pledged to take better care of taxpayers' money. Oh, how the tables have turned.

(decent stuff here - better than the hardline stances, at least)

Is the Bible error-free?

Q. Do you believe that there really was a Noah's ark, a Garden of Eden, or that Elijah rode a chariot into heaven in the last book of the OT -- or are these just metaphors or parables? Obviously we believe that Jesus really lived and died and was resurrected but I am struggling with how to determine which "Sunday school Bible stories" actually happened. In a related question, I believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God but not the infallible or dictated word, which is why there are many (mostly minor) discrepancies. Were some stories "slanted" based on the writer's views, his audience and purpose for which they were being told? What are your thoughts on this and do you think we got it right as to which books "made it" into the bible?

A. Excellent questions -- and I wish I had absolute answers for you! There was a time when I would have not even paused before giving you a dogmatic answer for your questions, but that doesn't mean my answer would have been correct. Dogmatism does not establish truth.

If God wanted a book to be absolutely perfect in every way he would have parachuted it down from heavenly printing presses, or delivered it by angelic Fedex. He would not not subjected it to human hands, thought and creativity.

The issue here is, in my mind, not truth, but the manner in which God chose to convey it. We humans often get bogged down with trivialities, and at times enthrone trivia, while the miss the really important stuff. Much of the answer lies in an appropriate way to study the Bible. The Bible is literature, and in using literature to convey his revelation to humanity, God used the essential "rules" of literature. He used the genre of literature -- poetry, wise sayings and proverbs, stories and narratives, laws and legal statements. For example, the first two chapters of Genesis are often seen by some fundamentalists as a battle ground, where, if someone even hints that the creation might not have been encapsulated in what we experience as 24 hour days, they are labeled as a crazed evolutionist who is trying to deny God. But if one studies the genre of the "creation hymn" one discovers that God inspired this account using Hebraisms -- sweeping poetic language that no literal statement could ever match. The literalist often believes, falsely, that is something cannot be boiled down to precise literal components, then it is not true and that the one who denies such a thing is trying to deny the Bible. The fact is that God tells us in the first chapters of Genesis that he alone is sovereign, he alone is the God above all gods (the real purpose to the original audience) and is not attempting to provide blueprint like specifications. He is telling us that he alone created, but not, in detail, exactly how he did it. When we attempt to find that out, when we attempt to grind down poetic imagery which is true, deeper and more profound than any wooden literalism, we twist and pervert the purpose of the author -- in the case of the Bible, the divine Author.

As to your second question about the nature of the Bible -- there have been major denominational battles and Christian wars fought over this issue. When I was in graduate school the book causing everyone to take sides was called The Battle for the Bible. Once again, the characterization that anything less than an absolute, almost mindless devotion to an idea that does not hold water, was seen as heretical, liberal and permissive. I was on the right wing, the fundamentalist side of the debate at that time (about 30 years ago). I wouldn't say that I am on the opposite extreme now, though some may characterize me as being there, I would say that my life in Christ has given me a deeper appreciation of the issue. I do not, on the one hand, believe that the Bible's authors were inspired like Shakespeare was, and no more. Neither do I believe that they sat down to write and their hands began to move (the so-called verbal dictation theory).

There are errors in the Bible. Some would say, "well, those are textual errors, human errors, and there were no errors in the original autographs (the original documents written by the authors)." That's a convenient argument, for no original autographs exist, therefore we can say anything we please about them, and there will be no documented challenge to our assertions. But the fact is that there are, while minor, different comments regarding history, statistics, numbers, etc. There are explanations that harmonize apparently conflicting reports and data, and I believe and espouse many of them. But, that being said, I do not believe the Bible is an idol of paper and ink that is infallible. The word infallible should only be used, in my opinion, of divinity -- not of human beings (including religious leaders by the way!) nor about humanly produced documents.

If God wanted a book to be absolutely perfect in every way he would have parachuted it down from heavenly printing presses, or delivered it by angelic Fedex. He would not have subjected it to human hands, thought and creativity. Any time humanity touches something, that something is corrupted, for we are fallible. But God wanted humanity involved in the writing, editing, translation and preservation of the Bible.

So, how can we speak of absolute infallibility and worship a "thing" that has the fingerprints of humanity marring it?

I believe our faith should be based on the Bible. I believe the Bible is our guide, the final court of arbitration. But I do not believe it is eternal life. I believe it becomes life, as we yield to Jesus Christ, as the Holy Spirit within us guides us, and then the words of the Bible take on life within us. The paper and ink part is just that -- paper and ink. The message, the inspiration of the Bible in our lives today is a miraculous act of God, involving our union with Christ, our acceptance of our Lord, and then the words of the book become the Word of Life (see the first chapter of John).

I uphold the Bible. I believe the Bible. We should study the Bible. But the Bible is not a "paper pope." It has little meaning to the person who does not accept the risen Lord, who alone can transform us -- and transform us he does, using the Bible -- but the Bible itself does not transform. It imparts no eternal life. It's a book -- inspired by God in a unique way, an incredible book that has been attacked but never disproven, but at the end of the day, it's a book, not divinity that we should worship.

In Christ,
Greg Albrecht

very cool

RSS feeds are great.

More C-SPAN crap ... some guy was on today saying that he has reason to believe that we are preparing to strike Iran as soon as 10/21. Whether or not that's true, it's a scary thought. Things will get very bad very quickly if we try to take them on.

1. Vanderbilt beat Georgia. That was a real pleasure to watch.

2. Adrian Peterson broke his collarbone. I didn't see it, and that's terrible and all, but playing for Oklahoma just sucks right now.

3. Duke scored 24 points on FSU today, almost doubling their point total for the entire season. Something is very wrong with this scenario.

3. UF put two quarterbacks in their backfield today. They should do this all the time.

4. Kirk Herbstreit just gave a stunning definition of "audible":

"Most people don't know what an audible really is - they think you just call one to get a home run play."

midnight madness

Florida unveiled a new court, the same one on which they won it all. Officials purchased the floor from the NCAA for $70,000 and will play on it this season.

This has got to be one of the most indulgent purchases in college sports history. I'm not criticizing it, or saying I wouldn't do it (because if I had the cash, I probably would) ... I'm just saying it's excessive.

Here's what C-SPAN has taught me over the past few days:

1. Rick Santorum is a douche, but the other guy is totally bombing in the debates.

2. In the Missouri Senate race, Jim Talent is an excellent speaker with (seemingly) moderate opinions, while Claire McCaskill comes across like a frazzled grandma trying to do a commercial for a local used car lot.

3. Mark Cuban is a genius. Seriously. This is not what I saw, but it's a good read anyway. I saw him taking questions from reporters about the stock market, the future of the internet, why YouTube is destined to crash and burn (or maybe not), and why broadband video will never replace TV (because HD streaming is currently not possible via broadband).

Anyway - informative TV. Good to have on in the background.

George Soros

Soros draws a distinction between being a participant in the market and working to change the rules that market participants must follow. He appears to have no problem working to further his own self-interest economically, while at the same time lobbying for a drastic overhaul of the global financial system. Responding to accusations of being personally responsible for many financial collapses, including those in England, Eastern Europe, and Thailand, he stated, "As a market participant, I don't need to be concerned with the consequences of my [financial] actions."

I find this fascinating because I find myself in a similar position. I would like to see drastic reforms in the music industry and copyright law - especially regarding the concept of intellectual property - and yet I have to operate under the current system in order to have any sort of success.

So I kind of think David Bazan is my hero. Far from being dark or broody, he was very pleasant and, in fact, hilarious. It was also the first show I've been to where I kept track of the setlist. No opening band, just him - and I heard him one time on a live recording ask if there were any questions. I thought it was a joke, but he literally stopped and took questions all throughout the show. That was a nice touch.

Set 1
New Song Fragment/Fewer Broken Pieces
Shit Talker
Transcontinental
Of Up and Coming Monarchs
Political Science
Priests and Paramedics
Of Minor Prophets and Their Prostitute Wives
Selling Advertising
Foregone Conclusions (When he tuned up and hit a chord I thought, "This will be 'Foregone Conclusions'." And I was right.)
Slow and Steady Wins the Race

When I get to Heaven
I'll be greeted warmly
Surrounded by the angels
As Jebus takes my hand.
I'll receive a mansion
Right next to Mel Gibson's...

Hot Girls
Cigarettes and Cold Beer

Set 2
The Man In Me

Caleb: "You're throwing rocks tonight!"
David: "This was a valued rug..."

I Do
Progress (April 6, 2039)
Bad Things to Such Good People
June 18, 1976
The Longer I Lay Here

David: "I just realized I saved...all the depressing ones for last. What kind of bee gives milk?"
(Nobody knows what he is talking about. This was at a serious moment so I thought he was asking a legitimate scientific question.)
David: "... a boobie."

Backwoods Nation
Bands with Managers (with a little bit of "June 18, 1976" thrown in)

Overall, it was a great show. I used to think it was hard to pull off a solo acoustic gig, but he did it with such confidence and simplicity that it may well be within my reach.

I was also very pleased at the degree to which he enjoyed The Big Lebowski. He compared it to Fugazi's Red Medicine record, so I guess I know what I'll be listening to this week.

So I thought of something today. I have two myspace accounts now, a facebook account, and some hosting space through my ISP. Theoretically, I could do away with my paid web hosting altogether and still have a place to blog. The only downside would be giving up my cool domain names. And one of my (many) e-mail addresses.

I'm still thinking about it, but this blog looks and acts too cool for me to give up. Although I guess I could technically move it back on to blogspot. Then I could keep it.

Whatever. I've watched The Big Lebowski twice in three days - once in a theater full of like-minded individuals and white russians. Clearly, I need to focus on more important things.

(Like going to bed.)

Weekend Update

Oh! Oh! ...what's that sound? It's the sound of ME BEING RIGHT!

I'm back! I guess my blog was messed up for a while. You didn't miss much.

I'd like to go back to hating for a minute just to say that iTunes reviewers are idiots.

landshark

This term also describes a celebration ritual undertaken by a team who has just won a game of Ultimate. Where four members hold another member on their shoulders and parade around. The member being carried is naked and holds a frisbee in his butt. The practice is also fairly common among liberal arts students as a variation on the streaking theme and may or may not be connected to success in athletic endeavors.

Chevy Chase

Wow. He got banned from SNL for being a jerk! (Allegedly.)

I also think he did in fact host Weekend Update by himself for the most part, in reference to a conversation I had earlier. I think.