Christspeak, Rx

I love few things like I love Clemson football. I hate sitting in the rain watching football, even when its Clemson. But tomorrow I leave to spend a weekend in the rain watching Navy and ECU. .. but I'll be with Gurn, Ed and Robert- 3 old GHS buds- making memories, again.

StratoMatic has a new historical great game. I have a team with Ruth( the year he hit 60 dingers) and Mantle in 1961- and a bunch of great defenders. Then I read an entry on the SOM messsage board about lineups and that is where I learned of the weighted on base average. (It applies to real players.)

It comes from this book.

Here is the formula adjusted for the stats I do have:
(0.72x walks + 0.90x singles + 1.24x doubles + 1.56x triples + 1.95x HRs) divided by Plate Appearances (At bats + walks).

So 1987 Ozzie Smith had 89 walks, 134 singles, 40 doubles, 4 triples and 0 homers in 689 plate apearances. His wOPA is .340.

1961 Mantle had 129 walks, 86 singles, 16 doubles, 6 triples, 54 homers in 642 plate apearances. Mick's w OPA is .491.

Now that great stuff!

Don't you love it in those rare times when your humble opinion turns out to be right? When I suggested you google words and phrases along with Greensboro101, I naturally meant the results would lead anyone to Greensboro bloggers who wrote things they should regret about Bush. It did, many time over...

But instead of getting my point and firing back, they intentionally missed the point and attempt to suggest I'm ignorant about searches. So do as they suggest, google Chip drinks baby blood. You'll find a proud moment for me- exposing another liberal for being hypocritical . Google Chip is gay + Greensboro101- you'll find several links- one in particular, another stellar moment for me- when local liberal bloggers piled on a tiny business and shamefully mis-branded it as anti-gay. I stood up for the company in a respectful and firm manner.

Search my stuff all you please- I'm not ashamed of what I believe- and should you think I've been proven wrong- let me know. I may argue, but I won't ban you from commenting and I won't insult you.

Dr Sue thinks I throw pebbles by simply exposing what simple word searches turn up. She also presumes I don't know the art of searching, (and she may be right). But the sad truth that my last entry reveals is that the majority of Greensboro's bloggers really do hate and (mis)judge alot of people.

Its a big deal to call people liars. The "Bush lied" link revealed 47 hits, but only a couple were real embarrassing. "Impeach Bush" revealed about the same amount, but really only 3 or 4 bloggers should be embarrassed. Cheney's evil exposes Anonymoses, the self proclaimed peace loving liberal for what he truly is. But the real hole in Sue's point comes when you search for the same harsh words about Clinton or Kerry. There was not 1 hit- not one.

My favorite search was about Bush and Christianity. If you want to get an idea of what Greensboro bloggers think about President Bush's faith in Christ- browse through some of those hits. And notice who is judging whom.

I have used foul language and called folks names in the heat of argument. I also apologized for it. Had I known about blogging during the Clinton years, I may have had to admit I was wrong about a few conspiracy theories. (A certain suicide, but unfortunately not much else.)

This is a reminder that many local bloggers were wrong about Bush on many levels.
Note- Ed Cone's blog comes up alot in this exercize, but that doesn't mean he ever said it or even believes it. It may be anyone of us who is included the search phrase in reponses. (It is also a testament to how important Ed and Roch's sites are to Greensboro)

"Bush lied" + Greensboro101
Impeach Bush + Greensboro101
Cheney+evil+Greensboro101
Bush+evil+Greensboro101- contrasted with:
Clinton lied+Greensboro101
Clinton+evil+greensboro101
"Kerry lied"+ greensboro101
Here's a search that reveals a dark side of me as well. We all lose our composure from time to time.
asshole+greensboro101
dirty words. bad language, name calling

Christians in the news: Who's being judgemental?

James Dobson + greensboro101
Jerry Falwell
Bush + Chritstian

Conclusions? It is clear that liberal bloggers, (even if you take into account that there are more liberal blogs here), do more bashing, judging, name calling, etc.

Here's what you'll find. Mmmm, mmm.

For months- no- years now- Matt Gross, Allen Johnson, Ed Cone, Lex, Sue Polinsky, Anonymoses and others have been passing along updates from David Corn, Michael Isikoff and others about how the Bush administration acted like thugs in outing Valerie Plame.

Well here's the latest update- one that the Liberal Greensboro Blogging Club should have written about and linked to themselves- and it is a crying shame they haven't. Perhaps they really do hate Bush more than they care about the truth.

• no one connected to Bush or Cheney tried to out Plame or do her harm
• her husband, Joe Wilson, blundered and butchered his assignment and lied in his famous op-ed piece.
• there was a Niger Uranium connection with an important Iraqi diplomat.

Here's a great story for someone to tackle- Why can't liberal bloggers write about how wrong they are about Bush?

Update: Link has been updated (hattip: Billy Jones). Original link was to a Slate article.

I almost hate to link to her bio- she is one of the most talented and gripping authors I've ever read. Two books I know of sold more than 5 million copies each, her best selling work sold over 16 million copies!

Sometimes a label or category prejudices would-be readers. For instance, though I read alot, I rarely choose to read romantic novels, most westerns, police novels, self help books, Christian books, theology or philosophy books. So unless someone puts one of these books in my hand and explains why I must read it, a book in those categories stands a snowball's chance in hell of my reading it.

That was the case when a friend of mine put the biography of Peter Marshall in my hand. The book, A Man called Peter by Catherine Marshall, (Marshall's wife), had a tremendous impact on our parents' generation. A mediocre movie was made in 1955. I say mediocre in this respect- Catherine Marshall was a remarkably descriptive writer who's gift for communicating her characters' motivations, ambitions and behaviors is on a level, if not beyond that of Pat Conroy and Thomas Wolfe. If you read Prince of Tides and Bonfire of the Vanities, you will be sorely dissapointed in those movies.

So here is why you should read A Man Called Peter - even if you could care less about faith.

• Any writer who is described in a league with Wolfe or Conroy is worth a try.
• Peter Marshall was really a contemporary of our grandparents- he was in his late 20's by 1931. His story will give you a unique insight into what life was like at the time.
• He was a Scottish immigrant who migrated to the US in the 1920's - he was rugged, independent, but with his keen observant eyes and eloquent toungue.
• Like many great men and women, he had a remarkable sense of destiny AND humility.
• His immediate success in the pulpit did not divert him from what he was called to do. That is a rare thing to say about anyone.
• He became the chaplain of the US Senate. His story gives any political junkie like myself a rare and unique look at American politics.
• After a brief stay in NJ, he moved to Birmingham, Alabama and became well known throughout the South.
• Catherine Marshall reveals his then famous letters and sermons by weaving them into his remarkable story. It is fun to read words that inspired our parents and grandparents.

One of the reasons I have been resentful of NC State's Amato is the remarkable amount of great national press he gets year after year. He recruits well, was fortunate to inherit one of the conference's best QBs and WR ever, is the darling of ESPN- BUT has managed only one great year so far. He's a victim of his own hype.

I read this blog about Clemson Football (here's the link), and it seems to fit NCSU as well.
"Hype.
The online dictionary has a number of different meanings for such a small word, but the one which draws attention today is the first - and most obvious - definition:
"Excessive publicity and the ensuing commotion."
When dealing with a college football team, hype is commonplace. Whether its genesis is with the media or the fans, once the buzz begins the only thing that can stop it is a good, sound thrashing.
Clemson fans got a life lesson in Hype 101 in 2004. "

Saturday NC State faces a no win situation when it hosts DivII Champs App State. ( Another study in loyalty). If they win big, they were supposed to- if the Pack wins a close one, the fans will be dissapointed and if they lose- even though the Mountaineers are a really good team- Amato will be in his last year- if the alumni has its way.

Should State fire him if his team struggles this year? No way. He's great for the school and every dog has his day. But NCSU needs to remind him they were loyal when he did not live up to his promise. Suppose he surprises everyone this year with 8-9 wins and follows it up with even better seasons in years to come, NCSU has been loyal and deserves the same from him.

If schools with good programs want to be truly great, they need to look to Blacksburg. The marraige of Va Tech and Beamer is a study of teamwork. The Hokies were patient with down years, almost great years, hyped up years- and now they have one of the best programs in football.

Beamer is loyal as well. Best of all, he's managed to convince his staff- the higher ups- to stick around and build something special. I look at State and Clemson's revolving doors slapping the backsides of great assistant coaching talent and wonder if Amato and Bowden even care about loyalty. The lesson from Blacksburg is clear, consistentsy begins with coaching and is bred from loyalty between the school and its coaching staff.

...as a nightmare.

Imagine you are a young, smart, good looking guy. You earn several hundred thousand a year. Your friends envy you. Your fiancee' is drop dead gorgeous, can't get enough sex, likes it on top and could care less about girly things. You are friends with the stars and have a permanent sideline/locker room pass to any sports event in the country. Is there any part of the American male fantasy missing from this life?

When we first meet Jerry McGuire, he is living out the ultimate male fantasy, American Style. Yet at the same time, he can't look himself in the mirror without literally doubling over with nausea.

He makes money, but sees the true toll it takes on his wealthier clients and their families. He sees patterns of insincerity and unabashed shallowness in his friends- and to his horror- himself. Though his fiancee' can't get enough, he can and he finds her lack of girlish sympathy overrides his need for good sex. The young man with everything finds himself longing for something more.

I love this movie for many reasons, but I'm especially grateful for it serving as the needle that pops the bubble of this All American male fantasy. Yet I look around and I see alot of people chasing the same empty dreams Jerry McGuire lived, as if it actually accomplished anything. It is not the pursuit of happiness, it is the need for happiness.

The older I get the less I value happiness and the more I crave contentment. What's the difference? I am not smart enough to articulate it well, but I think of happiness as a wonderful, but shallow moment. It comes and goes. Contentment and the fruit of being contented is far deeper and a great deal more satisfactory. It breeds inner-peace and makes us able to enjoy and appreciate the fleeting moments of happiness.

Think of the few contented folks in your life. They are the ones who celebrate your victories the most- even when it far exceeds what they've accomplished. They are the ones who grieve and mourn your losses regardless of their own sufferings. They can't be jealous, because they are content.

Don't misunderstand, happiness is worth pursuing, but it has little to do with relationships. Any married person will tell you relationships built around happiness are like a castle built on sand. They never last.

So if you find yourself unhappy, go rent Jerry McGuire for the laughs and be reminded there are far more important things in life than happiness.

I've always been a Turner Classic Movie fan, so I was interested in 2 Van Johnson war/romance movies that aired last night.

Two Girls and a Sailor starring Van Johnson, June Allyson, a gorgeous Gloria DeHaven (great voice also), Jimmy Durante and Harry James. (see link for bios).

As far as stories go, this one is not good- way to predictable and sappy.

Nevertheless, here's why you should watch this movie:The Music.

You'll see the entire songs played by the original artists throughout the movie. Where else could you see Durante sing "Inka Dinka Do... adink...adinka do...?" And there's Harry James' band and his trumpet. A beautiful and young Lena Horne sings a rousing, sexy version of Paper Doll...

The second movie we watched was the 1945 musical/romantic comedy Thrill Of Romance. Like 2 Girls and a Sailor- this is not the best story and it is certainly not original. But here are a few reasons to watch it:

1. Esther Williams is the most graceful swimmer I've ever seen. We were dumbstruck. (Elizabeth and I are practicing Esther's methods and hope to entertain our family soon.)
2. The great Tommy Dorsey Band plays several great tunes.
3. Teen sensation Helen Stanley plays Dorsey's daughter -she sings and plays piano. Her one feature song is just fantastic.
4. A very young Buddy Rich has an incredible solo- almost worth watching the whole movie to see...
5. Lauritz Melchoir plays a fat, famous opera singer on a diet. He breaks out in song at ridiculous moments- we laughed at the obsurdity- but loved it none-the-less.
6. There's a young, black bellhop who is inspired by Melchoir's music, but always loses his voice in the opera star's presence. Late in the movie he finds his voice- and reveals a truly unique and brilliant voice...accompanied by The Tommy Dorsey Band!

To Tony Bennett

I have no problem with your complaints about the lack of culture in America, but pardon me if I disagree. This is not an intellectual argument, so anyone of you that considers yourself to be part of the culturally elite will be required to put your hearts in front of your minds.

I am writing this while listening to Nat King Cole sing some of the American Songbook. But before I get to that- there would be no cinema without our cinema. And though we didn't invent the theater, our Broadway rules the world.

Now I realize you alluded to this songbook in your reference to Jazz, but you grossly underestimate its American motivated power, passion, cleverness and romanticism. This 20th century phenomenon doesn’t smother or belittle the Asian and European cultures of food, art, design, it celebrates life and love – and best of all- it blesses and enriches all who hear it. As masterful as any master of any art, our songbook rules the world with its romance and emotion.

Hey Tony, is there a more sophisticated tune and verse than Billy Strayhorn’s
Lush Life? He was a teenager when he wrote it.

I used to visit all the very gay places
Those come what may places
Where one relaxes on the axis of the wheel of life
To get the feel of life...
From jazz and cocktails.
The girls I knew had sad and sullen gray faces
With distant gay traces
That used to be there you could see where theyd been washed away
By too many through the day...
Twelve oclock tales.T
hen you came along with your siren of song
To tempt me to madness!
I thought for a while that your poignant smile was tinged with the sadness
Of a great love for me.
Ah yes! I was wrong...
Again,I was wrong.
Life is lonely again,
And only last year everything seemed so sure.
Now life is awful again,
A troughful of hearts could only be a bore.
A week in paris will ease the bite of it,
All I care is to smile in spite of it.
Ill forget you, I will
While yet you are still burning inside my brain.
Romance is mush,
Stifling those who strive.
Ill live a lush life in some small dive...
And there I’ll be, while I rot
With the rest of those whose lives are lonely, too…

If its 75 degrees outside and the water in the pool is 84 degrees, why does the water feel colder than the air? I'd ask Marilyn, but why wait weeks when Potato Stew is right here!

... Ed Cone and Greensboro101. I've said it before, but Roch and Ed deserve the kudos. I am writing this because it recently occured to me that I couldn't enjoy blogging, reading and politics near as much without their sites.

There are many colorful blogs in Greensboro I enjoy reading, but I wonder if I'd ever discover them without these two sites. So heres to you Ed, Roch. May you gain as much from the your sites (financially and otherwise) as you have given... and should you both be trapped in an elevator for a couple of days- pleas God, let Rush Limbaugh be among them!

I think this guy has been writing since 2002, but I just discovered him recently thanks ( a really big thanks) to Greensboro101.

From Silflay Hraka we learn that sea surface temperatures are falling! My frustration with the politics of global warming is that every time its proponents are faced with contradictary evidence- they either ignore it or discredit the source.

In 1998 Elizabeth and I celebrated our 2oth anniversy. Leading up to it, I called a young friend who had just returned from his honeymoon and asked, "how much does a honeymoon cost?" About $3-4 thousand he reckoned.

I was fortunate to have some excess inventory from a small business I had closed. I sold it for $4ooo and started searching for places to go.

Somehow I managed to find an older travel agent who had worked for Pan Am for over 30 years. I had assumed we'd end up in the Carribean or Europe, but when she discovered that Elizabeth loved romantic places, she asked me to trust her.

She said she'd travelled the entire world and stayed in some of most of the world's 5 star resorts, but she still marvelled over the magnificent beauty and romance of the Canadian Rockies in the Banff National Forest. "There is nothing like it for romance, you are surrounded by beauty at all times." she claimed.

The highlight of our September trip was our 4 day stay at the Jasper Park Lodge. I mention this because it has since been bought by Fairmont. We had our own 2 room cabin with a real fire place. Twice a day wood was delivered via bicycle. Each cabin had its own deck on the blue-green waters of Lake Jasper. It was mating season for the Elk, which meant strange cries in the night, harsh shrieks during the day and it was not unusual to be chased to your cabin by a bull when you walked backed from the lake.

Our travel agent had us stay 2 nights at the castle like hotel overlooking Lake Louise. We canoed and hiked, but the cramped room made us long for Jasper Park.

Just got back from Chapel Hill where my 20 year old is beginning her sophomore year at Carolina. At lunch, she popped that question on me. I was, (still am), taken back by it.

Her actual question was, "what are some of the best memories or moments you and mom have shared?'' But that is to long for a title.

My immediate response was to remind her that Elizabeth and I had to hire a baby sitter on our first anniversery, (we were married 6/17/78). "Of course," I said, "most of the highlights revolved around each of you." (We have 3 children, 27, 24, 20). But I knew that wasn't an answer to her question. I honestly couldn't come up with specific memories, so I said "your mom and I are blessed to have been mostly passionate towards each other. We may fight often, but we do have a passionate love for each other."

That seemed good enough, at least for lunch. But when I repeated all of this to Elizabeth, she remarked how powerful and important our relationship with each other is to our children.

Many years ago my friend and mentor, Frank Brock, passed along this bit of wisdom to me, "If you want to love your kids, love your wife." I have repeated it as a toast at every rehearsal dinner for 25 years.

...on terror is going well." I was recently chided in a rather doltish manner for saying that once. Though I had backed the statement up with facts, the pretentious browbeaters who disagreed piled on, (but never on my site) , as if the entire world agrees with their view. It doesn't.

The next time you read of an insurgent killing innocent Iraqis and a handful of US troops, be reminded that there are no insurgents fighting back in Iraq, only terrorists.

Fact: Since Iraq has been freed of Sadaam's reign of terror, far fewer innocent Iraqis have died and suffered.
Fact: Terrorists have been foiled time and again on Western soil from murderering innocent people.
Fact: Iran and N Korea tremble and quake over the prospect of a US led takeover of their terrorist regimes.
Fact: Islamic terrorists will not negotiate. They will not e satisfied until Israel, the West and anyone who does not worship as they do are dead.
Fact: Our troops have enjoyed unprecedented success in destroying a despicable and evil enemy of the world.

Last night our family gathered for a tailgate dinner before the Grimsley game- (my nephew is a member of the Blue Steel Drumline). The drum line is one of the best.

By the way- I saw a proud Hogg cheering #70- the Whirlies rushed for 320 yards. You must see QB Josh Stewart (3TDs-, 11, 59, 80 yd runs).

Dad told us Jim Melvin wrote his 1st ever letter to the editor. Melvin challenges us to be less partisan and more American regarding terrorists.

Russian babe Karol Sheinin on Ms Magazine's "new campaign to destigmatize abortion : "I've written before about the general acceptability of abortion in Russian culture. I blame the lack of stigma for the astounding fact that Russia has more abortions than live births. Even if you are a hard-core pro-choicer, as I admittedly once was, you can't look at a culture that discards more people than it keeps as one to emulate. " From http://michellemalkin.com/archives/005772.htm

Check out NPR's trolling and race baiting (to hear the interview-click link) for Bush haters in New Orleans. It did not work! It is shameless.

Still, Williams says she's not angry at anyone -- especially not the president. She never voted for Mr. Bush, but she says she really felt a connection with him that day in April. She now calls the president a friend.
She's confident that President Bush will make sure things work out: "You can't get me to say he won't, because he will. Watch."
"What's your name? I'm gonna call you. I'm gonna prove it to you. Before you leave, let me know how to get in touch with you. I'm gonna call you."

I reviewed this remarkable movie after seeing it in the theater with my son. Last night I watched it at home with Elizabeth in our home theater- (which has far superior sound than the local theaters.)

• This is a non stop thriller with rich relationships, with deep and persistant message. It is a movie about redemption.
• Mos Def & Bruce Willis are awesome.
• Willis' character is painful to watch in the first 15 minutes, "Life is too long and guys like you make it longer..." he says, and that about sums up how his character looks at life. But when he sees an assasin trying to kill his prisoner, Willis does a great job "waking up."
• Mos Def is a man who has a new lease on life. He's been a petty theif, but has recently discovered a small talent he has to brighten people's lives. He always looking for signs- positive signs in circumstances and in people. He never gives up on Willis' doomed character and before the end- changes Willis' life forever.

"But now I want to lay out a far better way for you." I Cor. 12:31 Message

Are your eyes on God's "better way for you"?

... Not your way but His. You know where your eyes are focused today. Doesn't it just feel better on the inside to think that God has a "far better way"? It means all the pressure is off you. You can step out into your world and live with your "eyes on Jesus". He invites you to study his life from every angle. And just as He didn't lose sight of where he was headed ... so ... he wants you to finish with Him. He can put within you his very life and spirit to "put up with anything". He doesn't want you walking around in the dark. The world will present every shade of distraction and false promises today for one reason: to get you to take your eyes off Jesus. When your eyes are on Him ... you see the real race worth running. It only takes a moment to ask Him for the far better way of His life. Any other way will leave you far short of living your whole life today. Your way or His ... ??????

"Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed --- that exhilarating finish in and with God --- he could put up with anything along the way: cross, shame, whatever." Hebrews 12:2-3...
Ken Chester
In His Grip is sent M-F to Christ Followers and friends of Priority One (priorityone.org)

I am writing this from my personal experience with owning and operating my own successful business- a home theater/ audio-video/ burglar alarm company. That experience taught me that purchasing a franchise, (had any been available in my industry), would have saved me over $250-300,000 over the 11 years I've been in business. Amazingly, there are no experienced/successful franchises in my industry.

In small business, experience is the best teacher, but it comes with huge price- usually the most expensive tuition available. Successful franchises charge alot for their expertise as well. There is an initial franchise fee- ranging from $5000 to who knows what- plus a monthly fee, most always a percentage of monthly revenues.

Here's some of the major advantages a franchise business has over a local start-up.

• Marketing. A franchise provides your company with branding or name recognition. If the franchise is new, they include your company in national advertising and/or provide first class marketing materials to help build the brand. They know what type of advertising mediums work and provide realistic budgets and even supply uniforms, signs, facility and auto outfitting, and more.
• Accounting. From the beginning, before you even start your business a franchiser will provide not only their expenses, but a very close estimate of all your starting expenses for the first year in business. They should dictate the accounting software, procedures and provide training for all accounting related areas. They'll have a business model that accurately predicts cash flow. Purchasing and pricing issues assure you the best deals. They also help you with due dilligence- whether or not you can afford to start a business, where to locate it, how much to spend on rent, the type vehicles and equipment to purchase and so on.
• Training. This is a huge asset, because it tells you how you and your employees will deliver the product or services on a consistent basis. Believe me, proper training would still save us several thousand dollars a year.
• They provide you with a Human Resources department. All the legalities and risks related to employment are taken off your shoulders.
• Accountibility. This comes in varying forms, but your success is measured against other franchisees. Your sales may be great, but your expenses may be too high. A good franchiser is more than just a partner, they are a wise and experienced mentor.
  

As you know, I am very high on Dream Dinners. So much so I have done a rudimentary investigation of the franchise opportunities and competition. I found the two strong players in this field are Dream Dinners and Super Suppers- based primarily upon the number of locations.

Super Suppers will be open soon on Battleground Avenue. Like Dream Dinners, the portions are healthy, great tasting and $3-4 each. The difference? Well, according to their sites they are very similar. I'd prefer to reserve any opinion until Super Suppers opens.

Investment/Business Opportunity
I was very impressed with both companies' web sites. There is a modest franchise fee (around $35k and 6% of revenues). They estimate a total investment of $150-$200k in the first year. They are both family driven businesses.

The cash flow should be good. Meals are ordered and paid for in advance.

The market timing for these services is excellent. For families with both parents working it is a slam dunk. For DINKs and empty nesters it is a no brainer. For folks who entertain alot, I can't imagine a better service short of employing a professional caterer.

Expect Heavy Competition
I know there will be alot of competition from big grocers, frozen food vendors (like Bertolli's pasta dishes), local caterers like Maria's on Lawndale. (Maria has a limited selection of delicious, pre-prepared entree's @ 2 for $7.50. Her awesome chicken pie serves 4 for $16. However, the calories in her dishes are astronomical).

There are also enterprizing individuals who prepare 15 or so dinners for around $300 plus the cost of groceries.

Regardless, prepared dinners are definitely part of America's future.

WWJD or "What would Jesus do?" comes from an old novel called In His Steps. It is used as a motivating question to inspire us to consider what Jesus would do if He was in our shoes, presumably before we make a decision to act. But is it the right question?

We can guess at some of the answers, but if you take Jesus at His word- that He is God, you begin to understand the futility of the question and how presumptive it is to consider a decent answer. What would Jesus do? Well, if you look at my life you'll get a good idea of what He didn't do.

A better question is "What did Jesus do?" Now that is a great question. Before you answer, let us put it in context.

Take a bad behavior, for example... cheating.
Say you have the opportunity to cheat on a test. You know if you don't cheat you'll flunk and you are afraid of the consequences that are sure to follow. What would Jesus do? He'd take the test and score a 100! He's God after all. What did Jesus do? He suffered died for my sins- every one of them. He forgives me for not studying, will never forsake me, (even though others might as a consequence of my failure.)

Ahhh- If you are like me when I was a kid, I feared my Dad more than God, and since Christ will forgive me anyway...

Before you cheat- ask yourself, "What did Jesus do?" He suffered and died for my sake. Shall I add to his suffering? I screwed up by not studying, why sin against God again? He has promised not to forsake me. I am not alone. We'll walk through the consequences together.

Take a bad feeling. I feel like a condemned man.
I flunked the test. My Dad is furious, Mom is crying-again, I'm grounded- which means I'll miss a big weekend of fun. My friends shake their heads in dissapointment- I've let them down as well. I feel like a worm.

What did Jesus do?

He died so that I might have life. Why would He do that for me? Everyone is so angry and dissappointed at me- and not for the first time either. He forgave me for not studying (and many other things), He suffered the real consequences of my rebellion against God. I'm simply being disciplined because I am loved. My friends are dissappointed because they love being with me.

The question should always be, "What did Jesus do?"

Dan Henniger of the WSJ chimes in- read it here.

"Put it this way: From the perspective as of yesterday of getting on a U.S. airliner, who would you rather have in the Senate formulating policy toward this threat--Ned Lamont or Joe Lieberman?

Well, the Democratic Party would rather have Ned Lamont."

I hear New Yorkers loved this movie- and now I know why. The film focuses on the good that happened around 9-11...The remarkable heroism of average Joes, people risking their lives- as Cage's character says, "for no other reason than it was the right thing to do," a Marine hearing the call of God- and answering the call without reservation, the power of love, the will to survive. No Mayor, no President, no Michel Moore.

I understand some of you lost friends and maybe family on 9-11, but this movie is not about loss. I couldn't help but imagine the thousands that perished would be just as brave as those who attempted the perilous rescue. It is a movie about strength, bravery and patriotism.

Negatives. We did view it at Screen #16 @ The Grande at Friendly Center. There was an incredibly loud cricket that never stopped chirping the whole movie. The supervisor knew about it- said they couldn't find it. Also, the sound was off. You could hear the voices well, but either Oliver Stone wanted to tone down the effects or the theater screwed it up.

And this is exactly why the Democrats lose national elections.

Last Saturday Elizabeth and I prepared 16 dinners that will serve 4-6 people at Dream Dinners on Lawndale Drive. We spent about $270- or $3-4 per serving.

Why Dream Diners?

1. We wanted to eat healthy. (link gives full nutritional values for every meal)
   
2. Convenience. We both work, we are often to lazy to cook.
3. We've been eating late at night- because we take too long to wind down.
   
4. We still like to eat at home.
5. It is not expensive, (but it's not cheap either).

How it works-
Elizabeth reviewed the menu and we decided what to order. She called the store, placed the order and made a reservation for Saturday.

In September we can order meals per serving- rather than each meal serving 4-6 people.

When we arrived they had a print out of the order and an assigned freezer space for our food. They had already picked our side items that were included in our order.

There were 8 or so work stations. Each station supported 2 menus. The food, spices and all required ingredients were there. Directions so simple a husband could follow. It even tells you what size freezer bag to use, the spices had correct measuring spoons to correlate with the menu. There are prepinted menu labels to put inside the bags when the meal is prepared.


August Menu Review
SOUTHWEST GRILLED CHICKEN
MANGO CURRY CHICKEN
CRISPY SESAME CHICKEN
SALMON WITH CREAMY LEMON & HERB SAUCE (May not be split in some locations)
GREEK BEEF KABOBS
STEAKS WITH GARLIC & HERB BUTTER
CARIBBEAN PORK ROAST (May not be split in some locations)
PORK CHOPS WITH TOMATO & BLACK BEAN SALSA
PORK CARNITAS WITH FLOUR TORTILLAS
BEEF ENCHILADA BAKE
CASHEW CHICKEN
GINGER TERIYAKI MEATBALLS (May not be split in some locations)
PASTA PRIMAVERA

We all loved the pork chops. E didn't like the Cashew Chicken- I loved it. The Pork Carnitas were a big hit. I loved the enchillada bake, E was so-so about it. I'll update the rest as we consume!

Update: 2 more items scored big. Last night we served the Pasta Prima Vera and Sesamie Chiken to 12 adults. We have 3 servings left over.

Next Month's Menu
CHICKEN PAELLA
CHICKEN PARMESAN
ORANGE-CRANBERRY GLAZED CHICKEN
GRILLED CHICKEN WITH SESAME-HONEY BUTTER
GARLIC & BALSAMIC MARINATED FLANK STEAK
STEAKS HUNAN STYLE
SHRIMP PUTTENESCA
PORK CHOPS WITH SWEET GINGER & APPLES
PORK ROAST WITH BLACK BEANS & GOLDEN YELLOW RICE
CLASSIC LASAGNA
HEARTY BEEF STROGANOFF
"MUY BUENO" CHICKEN FAJITAS
"BUILD YOUR OWN" CALZONES

Maybe hate is too strong for some, but I've always wondered about it.

Setting aside Nazis and Arabs for a moment, lets just look at recent, more subtle examples. There is a severe anti-semitic slant of news from the MSM. Even more disturbing is the lack of outrage over virtually all the wire services' pro terrorists news with misleading art and photo fixing. I think Lieberman's plight is as much about his faith as his stance on Iraq.

On a personal, local level I have always admired how close and loyal the Jewish people are to each other. Perhaps there are still times we gentiles feel excluded or even threatened by this.

There is also the definition issue. I think this is a matter of confusion for many gentile Americans. There are folks who are Jews by faith- those by faith and lineage/genetics-and those by lineage/genetics alone. (It must be said that any of the above would be destroyed by Islamic Fascists.)

So my answer? I'm not sure. There is no doubt there is resentment by some over Jews claiming to be "God's chosen people." Some folks hate feeling excluded. Some resent anyone in power- Jew or Gentile. (Look at little Israel -surrounded by bigger Arab nations who are bent on destroying her- intimidating the entire Middle East in order to defend itself.) Most anti-semitism is passed on by people who are just plain stupid.

US News sports a burning trash heap- portrayed as a war scene on their cover, the NY Times & NPR publishes a fake photo of a dead Lebanese boy, dead babies, Reuters, AP-all exposed as using faux-tos to promote what? Michelle Malkin has a huge summation of bloggers all over the anti- Israel, pro terrorist fauxtography.

Now that it is plain that these media giants are exploiting, manipulating and slanting war coverage in Israel and Lebanon, is there any doubt they would do the same in Iraq? They have lost credibility- and it is far more damning than an occassional reporter making up stories.

Here's a post on Stratomatic Message Board that illustrates the competition levels:

I ran calculations to determine the difference in range ratings. I set the value of a range '1' player equal to zero, and calculated the difference for lower range players.

Value below a range 1 player = (# of X rolls on pitcher's card/216 chances to get an X roll)*plate appearances a game*a full season's worth of games*linear weight value of hits player gives up on X rolls*probability of giving up a hit during an X roll

or

Value below a range 1 player = (# of X rolls/216)*36*160*LW*p

36 plate appearances a game assumes a league OBP of ~.340. 160 games is a rough estimate for a full season - you can use 150 or 155 or 162 if you feel it is right.

LW values depend on the type of hit. 0.74 runs is what a single instead of an out is worth in a 4.5 runs per game environment. 1.05 for a double, 1.36 for a triple, and 1.67 for a HR (though HR isn't important, because a HR never comes up on an X roll). For 2 star singles I used .85, and for 1 star singles I used .65 runs - for 3 star doubles I used 1.20, and for 2 star doubles I used 1.

I used the probabilities I was given in the 'Super Advanced Fielding Chart' thread. The results are as follows:

1B:
Range 2 = -4
Range 3 = -8
Range 4 = -12
Range 5 = -17

2B:
Range 2 = -11
Range 3 = -24
Range 4 = -37
Range 5 = -52

SS:
Range 2 = -13
Range 3 = -28
Range 4 = -44
Range 5 = -61

3B:
Range 2 = -6
Range 3 = -12
Range 4 = -19
Range 5 = -26

CO:
Range 2 = -7
Range 3 = -14
Range 4 = -27
Range 5 = -38

CF:
Range 2 = -10
Range 3 = -21
Range 4 = -40
Range 5 = -57

Just to explain what that means, it means a CF with range 5 will give up 57 more runs in a season's worth of games than a 1 range CF.

I know these results seem like SOM favors defense too much (and it probably does), but I think they're definitely right. 2B and SS should be getting 1 and 1.17 X rolls a game, respectively. Having even a 3 out there means that on average, in 20% of your games you're going to be giving up singles that would have been outs if you had a 1 SS. That's over 30 singles, some of which are two-star. That will kill you.

Besides Derrek Lee, Alex Rodriguez, and Pujols, who do you think are the next 2 best position players? Based in this data, IMO it is definitely Edmonds (some off year!) and Roberts.

I hope other people enjoy this.

The author is a rookie- goes by "Mcabeth"

Whenever I find myself thinking a situation is totally hopeless, I remind my self to pray.

Whether you are for our troops fighting in Iraq or not, virtually everyone (here) agrees that Islamic Fascism has to be dealt with immediately. The question is how. Because of the evil and violent nature of the enemy, I believe force is the only way to rid us all of this tyranny. But regardless of the solution (ridding the world of Islamic Fascists), what are the Arab peoples going to do afterward?

Sometimes I find myself amazed at the fighting spirit of the Arab nations. They are determined and persistent, yet misguided, pitiful and often cowardly. They remind me of the knight in the Monty Python movie, Holy Grail, who gets beat up and humiliated, loses all four limbs and still wants to fight. Look at what Israel is doing to them- and they still refuse to behave.

The real question is whether or not democracy will work in any Arab nation. I have my doubts. Arabs hate Arabs it seems, and often worse than they want to destroy Israel. It just seems hopeless.

So here's my prayer:
Lord, I don't understand the Arab peoples. But I know you created us all. I know you love them, so I ask you bless them. I don't know with what, but bless them. Show the powerful nations that seek peace how to go about it. Teach the Arab to love his brother Arabs. Open their minds and hearts to seek your kindom and your glory. Amen.

No, I'm not advocating violence. Just emphasizing that words hurt long after bruises are gone.

I'm reading Gitomer's book on sales and he makes a point about calling a loved one expressing your love. He says it is not motivational, rather it is inspirational. Of course many books have been written about surrounding yourself with positive influences, even after we are adults.

The Bible encourages us to communicate carefully.

• Proverbs 12:18Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
• Proverbs 18:21The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
• James 3: 5 Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.
• 1 Peter 3:10For, "Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.

It should mean new leadership from Democratic legislators who were on the back of their party's bus. Those members who are free from the Black scandal, assuming they have the nerve and can unite, need to put their party's future ahead of any loyalty to their peers who are tainted by taking their powerful positions away. This establishes credibility and trust among the entire state government, the media and their constituents.

Being a Democrat on the state level is far easier than on the national level. In North Carolina, most Democrats sound and act more like Zell Miller than Ted Kennedy. The "Hot" issues are drastically watered down, allowing most legislators to rely more on their reputation and relationships within their community. That's why it is so important the honest one's distance themselves from their peers, their personal reputation is at stake as well.

This is a year the Republicans should pour monies disproportionately into state elections. They need to make sure every community knows exactly how their good ol' boy representing them in Raleigh sold them out. At the same time, Republicans need to realize that this scandle reflects badly on policians more than a political party. It is never good for either party when members become corrupt.

A close friend forwarded this to me, it meant alot to him. Now it means alot to me.

This is an absolutely incredible short interview with Rick Warren, "PurposeDriven Life" author, and pastor of Saddleback Church in California. In theinterview by Paul Bradshaw with Rick Warren, Rick said:
People ask me, What is the purpose of life? And I respond: In a nutshell,life is preparation for eternity. We were made to last forever, and Godwants us to be with Him in Heaven.One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body--butnot the end of me. I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions yearsin eternity. This is the warm-up act -- the dress rehearsal that God wantsus to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity. We were made byGod and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn't going to makesense.

Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you're just comingout of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one.The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort. God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making yourlife happy.We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ-likeness. This past year has been the greatest year of my life, but also the toughest, with my wife, Kay, getting cancer.

I used to think that life was hills and valleys -- you go through a darktime, then you go to the mountaintop, back and forth. I don't believe thatanymore. Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it's kind of like two rails on a railroad track, and at all times you have something good andsomething bad in your life. No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on. And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good for which you can thank God. You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems.

If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centeredness, which is, "my problem, my issues, my pain."But one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others.

We discovered quickly that in spite of the prayers of hundreds of thousandsof people, God was not going to heal Kay or make it easy for her. It has been very difficult for her, and yet God has strengthened her character, given her a ministry of helping other people, given her a testimony, drawn her closer to Him and to people. You have to learn to deal with both the good and the bad of life.

Actually, sometimes learning to deal with the good is harder. For instance, this pastyear, all of a sudden, when the book sold 15 million copies, it made meinstantly very wealthy. It also brought a lot of notoriety that I had never had to deal with before. I don't think God gives you money or notoriety for your own ego or for youto live a life of ease. So I began to ask God what He wanted me to do with this money, notoriety and influence.

He gave me two different passages that helped me decide what to do, II Corinthians 9 and Psalm 72. First, in spite of all the money coming in, we would not change our lifestyle one bit. We made no major purchases.
Second, about midway through last year, I stopped taking a salary from thec hurch.
Third, we set up foundations to fund an initiative we call The Peace Plan to plant churches, equip leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, and educate the next generation.
Fourth, I added up all that the church had paid me in the 24 years since Istarted the church, and I gave it all back. It was liberating to be able to serve God for free.

We need to ask ourselves: Am I going to live for possessions? Popularity? Am I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness? Materialism? Or am I going to be driven by God's purposes (for my life)? When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed and say, God, if I don't get anything else done today, I want to know You more and love You better.

God didn't put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He's more interested in what I am than what I do. That's why we're called human beings, not human doings.

• Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.
• Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.
• Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.
• Painful moments, TRUST GOD.
• Every moment, THANK GOD.

In His Grip, from Ken Chester

"But they kept shouting back, "Crucify! Crucify him!" Luke 23:21 Message
Be careful ... you may get what you ask for!
You no longer have to live stuck repeating the same sins of your past. The Crucified One has rescued your whole life ... past--present--future. He sees the "dead end alleys" and is pointing your life toward His kingdom rule. What he has done on the cross ... He has done it because He really does love you and want the best for your life. All around the world you live in is the daily cry of "Crucify him!". You may be the only link to someone's life today that will rescue them from the dark dungeons they are facing. You may even be facing some yourself. All of it has ended up beneath the banner that reads; "the Son who got us out of the pit we were in". You can be a blessing from God's heart today and along the way ... It only takes a moment to drown out the crowds "Crucify --- Crucify him and take hold of the Grip that will never let go. The language is raw and and everyday real. Will you live sold out today?
"God rescued us from dead end alleys and dark dungeons. He's set us up in the kingdom of the Son he loves so much, the Son who got us out of the pit we were in, got rid of the sins we were doomed to keep repeating." Colossians 1:13-14 Message
Ken Chester
In His Grip is sent M-F to Rescued Followers of Jesus and friends of Priority One. (www.priorityone.org)

Is there a better news site for ADHD adult readers like me? I know, I know- before you start- some folks claim Drudge is biased and news services hate him. Just hear me out, then you can set me straight.

Where is the bias?
The Drudge Report has headline links from virtually all relevant news sources. There is no commentary and no place for commenting. In addition to current headline links, the sight provides a simple directory of direct links to just about every relevant national and international newspaper, journal, magazine and wire service. Links to syndicated columnists and all types of pundits from every persuasion are listed.

This morning on Drudge, there is a link to a negative story about Republican Katherine Harris, Murtha is being sued by a Marine, Cynthia McKinney is suing her local paper and the Lieberman campain gets a big boost (slant is mine) by Sharpton and Jackson campaining against him. There is a headline of a new Drudge copy cat, The Fudge Report.

Now This Is Bias
If do want to see subjective, extreme bias- go to Fudge or The Drudge Retort or the Huffington Post(he actually has a link to it.), but you won't find it at the original Drudge Peport.

I have a hunch- a theory actually- about why so many sports, music, movie stars get into so much trouble. I think it is a direct result from a lack of structure and accountability due to the burden of travel.

My personal experience with travelling is fairly limited compared to months on a movie set, 40- 50 away games, or performing 100+ concerts a year. Whenever my friends or I go on a trip alone, we encourage each other to stay away from bars and naughty TV. It is a small thing, but I always know when I get back my buddies will ask about these things.

I don't know anything about Mel Gibson's family structure, but we all know he is an alcoholic. I imagine he owns several homes. His work requires months of travel. None of these things are conducive to staying sober. If he keeps the schedule going in the future, he'll have to address the structure issue.

There are so many cases of stars falling on the road- James Worthy, Wade Boggs, Steve Garvey, Russell Crowe- I could go on and on. The good news is that stars have the means to build healthy structure and support systems to stay out of trouble. Few do, perhaps because - well because they are stars.

Democrat John Dingell , the dean of the House of Representatives, said he was neither for or against Hezbullah. Hezbullah is reponsible for the deaths of our Marines 1n 1983, is an avowed terrorist organization and is currently staging deaths of innocent Lebonese people to stop Israel from destroying their terrorist capablity.

The MSM remains quiet about this, but the blogosphere, Rush & Laura Ingraham are on it- so look for it to break today. Still waiting for the MSM to admit they've been hoodwinked by Hezbullah's death staging photo-ops.

This is a search for great reads, not just good ones.

Just picked 3 can't miss books. Potato Stew recommended Into Thin Air by Krakauer.

I picked Dead Center by Rosenfelt. It is supposed to be a funny, legal thriller.
Also Criminal Intent by Bernhart.

I picked up 2 books on sales, both "Little Red Book(s)" of sales by Jeffrey Gitomer. The most helpful sales book I ever read was "How I Raised Myself From Failure To Success In Selling" by Frank Bettger.

My favorite financial writers are Andrew Tobias and Michael Lewis. Both are clever, witty, wise and highly revealing. Tobais has a blog site. (see the link above)

A quick search on the net comes up dry. (How bout some help?) I wonder if there are medical studies? Alcohol can severely change a person's personality, mood, ability to think and communicate clearly. It just doesn't make sense to say a person is more truthful when drunk.

When I remember my own experiences, I never paid attention to someone's words who was drunk - especially if they were belligerent. So why are people saying drunks tell the truth?

In Mel Gibson's case, he made a very successful and powerful movie about Christ- which brought his faith into the limelight. His life, work, business relationships and words were carefully searched for any hint of anti-semetism, but all attempts fell short. (Many Jewish Rabbis and writers led the way in attempting to expose him as an anti-semite). Suddenly a drunk, belligerent Gibson is arrested and curses Jews. Now we know the real truth!

Gibson has made several huge mistakes. He will most certainly pay a dear price- he should. But he is also an alcoholic and drunks are insane people. Legally, we don't let them drive. We don't even allow them in public. So why would you believe the words of a drunk?

Malkin has a comprehensive list of evidence from bloggers....

So far the terrorists are winning with propoganda by parading the death of the people who shield them. Many folks are intent on rushing to judgement. Most of the world and especially Europe has a long and deep seeded history of anti-semitism. Israel can't stop now.