Category: Uncategorized

Amazing discovery! Stuff still happens online while real life goes on offline!

Fake IDs openly sold in NYC from Tel-Chai Nation

If you’re into that sort of thing, hit OPEN TRACKBACKS 11 at MacStansbury.org. I plan to. (When I get A Round Toit.)

Peakah’s Provocations talks about The Power of the Open Source Media.

Stop the ACLU notes that NOW It is Officially the Christmas Season. heh.

Put down that coffee. OK? Now, check out the link at The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns.

It’s not just the folks who made The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe into a movie who are putting words into (or taking them out of) C.S. Lewis’ mouth. Doug Wilson has more. Oh, and catch “41 Kinds of Tylenol; The Devil in a Blue Dress” and other posts, while you’re there. heh.

Have you seen My Dog Boo (who?)? 🙂 Just playin’ there, folks.

A good discussion citing C.S. Lewis’ The Abolition of Man over at Jerry Pournelle’s place yesterday.

Also found in Pournelle’s Current View yesterday, The True Impact of Videophones. heh

…which naturally leads to this one. Hard question to answer…

And concerning this event, Subway commuter handcuffed for selling token: Rider sold fare at face value when token machine acted up, one can only agree with Pournelle that is is another case of

“Anarcho Tyranny at work. How many drug deals, and other crimes, by people the officer was afraid of had this cop witnessed? My guess is that the number is larger than zero.”

Once again: review Neal Boortz on The Fair Tax. Test April 15.

And, Congressman Joe Pitts weighs in with Complete the Mission. Personally, I think it’s about time we declared defeat and brought the troops home… from Germany. If we haven’t won that war after 64 years, it’s time to call it quits.

The Pope belabors the obvious. Well, duh. Why not? How many times does one have to say the same thing? Answer: until the message gets through.

I’m rooting for Israel.

Linked at The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns’ Open Trackback Weekend, Macstansbury (what? you think I’d mention it and not shamelessly advertize the fact there?), and Cao’s Blog’s Sunday OTB

Amazing discovery! Stuff still happens online while real life goes on offline!

Fake IDs openly sold in NYC from Tel-Chai Nation

If you’re into that sort of thing, hit OPEN TRACKBACKS 11 at MacStansbury.org. I plan to. (When I get A Round Toit.)

Peakah’s Provocations talks about The Power of the Open Source Media.

Stop the ACLU notes that NOW It is Officially the Christmas Season. heh.

Put down that coffee. OK? Now, check out the link at The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns.

It’s not just the folks who made The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe into a movie who are putting words into (or taking them out of) C.S. Lewis’ mouth. Doug Wilson has more. Oh, and catch “41 Kinds of Tylenol; The Devil in a Blue Dress” and other posts, while you’re there. heh.

Have you seen My Dog Boo (who?)? 🙂 Just playin’ there, folks.

A good discussion citing C.S. Lewis’ The Abolition of Man over at Jerry Pournelle’s place yesterday.

Also found in Pournelle’s Current View yesterday, The True Impact of Videophones. heh

…which naturally leads to this one. Hard question to answer…

And concerning this event, Subway commuter handcuffed for selling token: Rider sold fare at face value when token machine acted up, one can only agree with Pournelle that is is another case of

“Anarcho Tyranny at work. How many drug deals, and other crimes, by people the officer was afraid of had this cop witnessed? My guess is that the number is larger than zero.”

Once again: review Neal Boortz on The Fair Tax. Test April 15.

And, Congressman Joe Pitts weighs in with Complete the Mission. Personally, I think it’s about time we declared defeat and brought the troops home… from Germany. If we haven’t won that war after 64 years, it’s time to call it quits.

The Pope belabors the obvious. Well, duh. Why not? How many times does one have to say the same thing? Answer: until the message gets through.

I’m rooting for Israel.

Linked at The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns’ Open Trackback Weekend, Macstansbury (what? you think I’d mention it and not shamelessly advertize the fact there?), and Cao’s Blog’s Sunday OTB

Romeocat’s done it again. This time, riffing off “Good Christian Men Rejoice”. Go. Read. Here’s a quick (and not-so-carefully-transcribed) simple midi so you can sing along with the carol there, if you wish:

Oh, what the heck. While I’m at it, how about a midi “cover” of a Mannheim Steamroller version of “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” by nameless arranger at Roland (sequenced to showcase the Roland Soundcanvas products):

Romeocat’s done it again. This time, riffing off “Good Christian Men Rejoice”. Go. Read. Here’s a quick (and not-so-carefully-transcribed) simple midi so you can sing along with the carol there, if you wish:

Oh, what the heck. While I’m at it, how about a midi “cover” of a Mannheim Steamroller version of “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” by nameless arranger at Roland (sequenced to showcase the Roland Soundcanvas products):

Romeocat’s done it again. This time, riffing off “Good Christian Men Rejoice”. Go. Read. Here’s a quick (and not-so-carefully-transcribed) simple midi so you can sing along with the carol there, if you wish:

Oh, what the heck. While I’m at it, how about a midi “cover” of a Mannheim Steamroller version of “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” by nameless arranger at Roland (sequenced to showcase the Roland Soundcanvas products):

I grew up hearing the kind of music I link below as kind of a background to my life. Every now and then the man who wrote this piece, “Christmas Means Thinking of Jesus” (perhaps the least consequential thing he ever wrote, in fact) would spend some time at our home. Not all that often, but every now and then. He was my dad’s mentor, someone he admired and greatly respected, and besides that was both a fine man and a fine musician.

It’s not all that good a recording (much of the sound quality problem is in the original), and the style was dated even in the early 1950s when it was recorded, but it has a nice message, and the harmonies are a welcome flashback for me:

I had ocassion to recall this piece this morning when I read Kender’s “in-your-face” post at Stop the ACLU, “JESUS JESUS JESUS JESUS JESUS!!!!!!!! (or, you have no right to NOT be offended)” heh. Go, Kender! :-). While I’m more concerned about assaults on Christianisy by “mega-churches” removing Christianity bit-by-bit from their “worship”, Kender does have a point:

“…the Secular movement in America IS doing harm. They are trying to destroy the CULTURE of this country, trying to run it down the secular path that europe has taken, charging headlong into a world where life is almost worthless…”

Well, he does have a point. If you’re a quasi-liberal (it’s unlikely that there are many true liberals who read this simply because the number of truwe liberals in America is somewhere approaching 1. or 2.) and not easily offended, you might pop on over and give it a read. Might learn something. If you’re a quasi-liberal and ARE easily offended, you might pop on over and stroke out. If you’re a quasi-conservative (see comment on quasi-liberals, above), pop on over and read, too.

Meanwhile, stop and give a listen to the lil mp3, above, from a simpler time.

I grew up hearing the kind of music I link below as kind of a background to my life. Every now and then the man who wrote this piece, “Christmas Means Thinking of Jesus” (perhaps the least consequential thing he ever wrote, in fact) would spend some time at our home. Not all that often, but every now and then. He was my dad’s mentor, someone he admired and greatly respected, and besides that was both a fine man and a fine musician.

It’s not all that good a recording (much of the sound quality problem is in the original), and the style was dated even in the early 1950s when it was recorded, but it has a nice message, and the harmonies are a welcome flashback for me:

I had ocassion to recall this piece this morning when I read Kender’s “in-your-face” post at Stop the ACLU, “JESUS JESUS JESUS JESUS JESUS!!!!!!!! (or, you have no right to NOT be offended)” heh. Go, Kender! :-). While I’m more concerned about assaults on Christianisy by “mega-churches” removing Christianity bit-by-bit from their “worship”, Kender does have a point:

“…the Secular movement in America IS doing harm. They are trying to destroy the CULTURE of this country, trying to run it down the secular path that europe has taken, charging headlong into a world where life is almost worthless…”

Well, he does have a point. If you’re a quasi-liberal (it’s unlikely that there are many true liberals who read this simply because the number of truwe liberals in America is somewhere approaching 1. or 2.) and not easily offended, you might pop on over and give it a read. Might learn something. If you’re a quasi-liberal and ARE easily offended, you might pop on over and stroke out. If you’re a quasi-conservative (see comment on quasi-liberals, above), pop on over and read, too.

Meanwhile, stop and give a listen to the lil mp3, above, from a simpler time.

I grew up hearing the kind of music I link below as kind of a background to my life. Every now and then the man who wrote this piece, “Christmas Means Thinking of Jesus” (perhaps the least consequential thing he ever wrote, in fact) would spend some time at our home. Not all that often, but every now and then. He was my dad’s mentor, someone he admired and greatly respected, and besides that was both a fine man and a fine musician.

It’s not all that good a recording (much of the sound quality problem is in the original), and the style was dated even in the early 1950s when it was recorded, but it has a nice message, and the harmonies are a welcome flashback for me:

I had ocassion to recall this piece this morning when I read Kender’s “in-your-face” post at Stop the ACLU, “JESUS JESUS JESUS JESUS JESUS!!!!!!!! (or, you have no right to NOT be offended)” heh. Go, Kender! :-). While I’m more concerned about assaults on Christianisy by “mega-churches” removing Christianity bit-by-bit from their “worship”, Kender does have a point:

“…the Secular movement in America IS doing harm. They are trying to destroy the CULTURE of this country, trying to run it down the secular path that europe has taken, charging headlong into a world where life is almost worthless…”

Well, he does have a point. If you’re a quasi-liberal (it’s unlikely that there are many true liberals who read this simply because the number of truwe liberals in America is somewhere approaching 1. or 2.) and not easily offended, you might pop on over and give it a read. Might learn something. If you’re a quasi-liberal and ARE easily offended, you might pop on over and stroke out. If you’re a quasi-conservative (see comment on quasi-liberals, above), pop on over and read, too.

Meanwhile, stop and give a listen to the lil mp3, above, from a simpler time.

OK, R’Cat’s got my crank turnin’ with her Daily Advent Meditations over at Cathouse Chat. Another good’un today riffing off the Mark Lowry song, “Mary Did You Know?” (A song that, by now, has been recorded by nearly everyone and his dog, but well worth a listen, IMO. I happen to like the Kenny Rogers/Wynonna Judd version.) I recieved a rather lengthy email yesterday, one of those multi-forwarded things with an article supposedly (probably true, just haven’t bothered to check) reproduced from a newspaper article going slightly “mad dog” all over the hyper-secularization of Christmas. This comment set me back on my heels:

“We’ve allowed the Baby Jesus to be kicked out of His lowly manger, and those offended by Christmas are still not happy.”

Well, d’oh. What did The Man Himself have to say about such things?

18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He who hates Me hates My Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. 25 But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.'(_a_) John 15:18-27 NJKV

And some of the foundational teachings of the Christian church include multiple reminders of Christ’s humility and of Christians’ call to emulate it.

For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake… Phil. 1:29 NKJV

And

5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Phil. 2:5-8 NKJV

So, an ACLU mentality wants to “kick the baby Jesus out of his lowly manger”? If Philippians 2:5-8 is a true witness, then He’d just sleep on the floor.

Consider the old Christmas song:

1. Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown when Thou camest to earth for me,
But in Bethlehem’s home there was found no room for Thy holy nativity.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus, There is room in my heart for Thee!

2. Heaven’s arches rang when the angels sang, proclaiming Thy royal degree;
But in lowly birth didst Thou come to earth, and in great humility,
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus, There is room in my heart for Thee!

3. The foxes found rest and birds their nest in the shade of the forest tree;
But Thy couch was the sod, O Thou Son of God, in the desert of Galilee,
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus, There is room in my heart for Thee!

4. Thou camest, O Lord, with the living word that should set Thy people free;
But with mocking scorn, and with crown of thorn, they bore Thee to Calvary.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus, There is room in my heart for Thee!

5. When the heavens shall ring, and her choirs shall sing at Thy coming to victory,
Let Thy voice call me on, saying, “Yet there is room, there is room at My side for thee.”
And my heart shall rejoice, Lord Jesus, when Thou comest and callest for me.

So, the secular world finds less and less room for Christ in Christmas, in public displays, in store greetings and product labels, etc.? There’s always room to keep Christ in Christmas where it counts.

Update: No music at Cathouse Chat for “Mary Did You Know?”—do go buy your own copy—so here’s an mp3 INSTRUMENTAL-ONLY accompaniment that incorporates/”covers” several different artist’s sounds (Michael English, most). If you have any familiarity at all with the song and a singing voice, you might be able to sing along with the words on Romeocat’s post. A guitar doubling the melody much of the way through may help a bit.

OK, R’Cat’s got my crank turnin’ with her Daily Advent Meditations over at Cathouse Chat. Another good’un today riffing off the Mark Lowry song, “Mary Did You Know?” (A song that, by now, has been recorded by nearly everyone and his dog, but well worth a listen, IMO. I happen to like the Kenny Rogers/Wynonna Judd version.) I recieved a rather lengthy email yesterday, one of those multi-forwarded things with an article supposedly (probably true, just haven’t bothered to check) reproduced from a newspaper article going slightly “mad dog” all over the hyper-secularization of Christmas. This comment set me back on my heels:

“We’ve allowed the Baby Jesus to be kicked out of His lowly manger, and those offended by Christmas are still not happy.”

Well, d’oh. What did The Man Himself have to say about such things?

18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He who hates Me hates My Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. 25 But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.'(_a_) John 15:18-27 NJKV

And some of the foundational teachings of the Christian church include multiple reminders of Christ’s humility and of Christians’ call to emulate it.

For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake… Phil. 1:29 NKJV

And

5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Phil. 2:5-8 NKJV

So, an ACLU mentality wants to “kick the baby Jesus out of his lowly manger”? If Philippians 2:5-8 is a true witness, then He’d just sleep on the floor.

Consider the old Christmas song:

1. Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown when Thou camest to earth for me,
But in Bethlehem’s home there was found no room for Thy holy nativity.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus, There is room in my heart for Thee!

2. Heaven’s arches rang when the angels sang, proclaiming Thy royal degree;
But in lowly birth didst Thou come to earth, and in great humility,
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus, There is room in my heart for Thee!

3. The foxes found rest and birds their nest in the shade of the forest tree;
But Thy couch was the sod, O Thou Son of God, in the desert of Galilee,
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus, There is room in my heart for Thee!

4. Thou camest, O Lord, with the living word that should set Thy people free;
But with mocking scorn, and with crown of thorn, they bore Thee to Calvary.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus, There is room in my heart for Thee!

5. When the heavens shall ring, and her choirs shall sing at Thy coming to victory,
Let Thy voice call me on, saying, “Yet there is room, there is room at My side for thee.”
And my heart shall rejoice, Lord Jesus, when Thou comest and callest for me.

So, the secular world finds less and less room for Christ in Christmas, in public displays, in store greetings and product labels, etc.? There’s always room to keep Christ in Christmas where it counts.

Update: No music at Cathouse Chat for “Mary Did You Know?”—do go buy your own copy—so here’s an mp3 INSTRUMENTAL-ONLY accompaniment that incorporates/”covers” several different artist’s sounds (Michael English, most). If you have any familiarity at all with the song and a singing voice, you might be able to sing along with the words on Romeocat’s post. A guitar doubling the melody much of the way through may help a bit.