Disqus - Latest Comments for Steve

Re: Are One-week Iterations Possible in Web Development?

Steve — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 08:46:00 -0000

Thanks for the link :)

When I mentioned we usually have .5 days to fix bugs that is strict bug fixing without any other development work going on. Throughout the week our QA group does testing and lets us know of bugs that they've found. Often times the bugs are fixed (or at least thought about) before Friday rolls around. We usually try and keep Fridays light on the development side so we can spend the time necessary to cleanup any bugs that have cropped up.

It isn't always easy, and we have thought about moving to 2 week iterations. However, I think any problems that we have are due to shoving too much stuff into too small of a timeframe. Perhaps sometime soon we'll give 2 week iterations a try? :)

Re: What to Do, What to Do?

Steve — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 11:49:00 -0000

funny how an artist can get into our head..there are albums out there I have listened to for years and yet from time to time I hear something in them I haven't heard before that further demonstrates their genius.
McMurtry is one of them...Dylan is another. I haven't bought a Dylan album since...oh hell I can't remember...but my son gave me his last for Christmas...I can't find a thing on there I like...but i don't think bobn minds it much!

mcMurtry...well the first thing that gets you is his attitude and I fear in the end that is what is going to get him!

His first three Albums I play all the time...is it just me-that I know the material so well, or is it that no one else sounds like that?

Re: SEPTA - NJ Transit takes 2 steps forward (but 1 step back?)

Steve — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:49:00 -0000

Unfortunately for Trenton, they stopped "making" a couple years ago... but the rest of the world didn't stop "taking" from them anyway.< />< />That brother of yours must be pretty lucky to have you as a guest at his house.

Re: SEPTA - NJ Transit cooperation

Steve — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 11:49:00 -0000

"Luckily, the train was running late."< />< />Classic.

Re: SEPTA Watch grows up (a little bit)

Steve — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 10:11:00 -0000

i have no opinion, but change is difficult for some people... just ask SEPTA management.

Re: Good bye, Utah Phillips

Steve — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 12:02:00 -0000

Damn. That is really sad news. His spoken word album with Ani DiFranco was one of the best Ani's CD's ever made.< />< />Not only was he a powerful union voice... he has an ability to spread songs about the power of organizing to a new generation.

Re: SEPTA: a victim of the subprime mortgage crisis?

Steve — Mon, 05 May 2008 14:51:00 -0000

For months we've been reading about how folks at LEH and others were dumping crappy CDOs on greedy local governments... I guess it's only a matter of time until we fully understand how many local municipalities will be ruined because of this.< />< />I'm so happy you wrote this. For months I've been trying to explain to my brother how bad the fall-out of the credit crisis is going to make life for the rest of us... and his reaction has always been?< />< />"Why should I care? I didn't buy a McMansion..."< />< />Well. It looks like the roosters are taking the SEPTA home to do their roosting.

Re: And the winner is...

Steve — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 14:02:00 -0000

I wonder if Vegas offers odds on which color bus will win the most races this season?

Re: Fare increase madness

Steve — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 17:56:00 -0000

Thanks for telling us about the meeting on Thursday... we will try to be there.

Re: New report on "The Price of Inaction"

Steve — Thu, 17 May 2007 17:47:00 -0000

I don't live in Philly... so I don't a lot about this issue.< />< />But, it seems to me that SEPTA needs $100-$129 million from the state, and if it doesn't get it... bad things will happen.< />< />Why is the city acting as if it has no leverage in this. The state isn't going to just fork it over based on this report. < />< />Surely the city has some way to play hardball with the state on this issue.

Re: SEPTA vs. Allegheny County Port Authority

Steve — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 10:37:00 -0000

As a point of comparison, the Phillies are 6-11 and the Pirates are 7-10.

Re: Request Your Symbian Stuff

Steve — Wed, 20 May 2009 08:03:32 -0000

sweet! ur a legend! GB maps?

Re: Request Your Symbian Stuff

Steve — Wed, 20 May 2009 08:10:24 -0000

i know it sounds cheesy but u got bust-a-move (or somethin similar for s60v3 (e71)? should pass a few hours when i'm on the train 2moro.

Re: Request Your Symbian Stuff

Steve — Wed, 20 May 2009 08:27:30 -0000

also on the e71 whien writing a txt there are no emoticons, is there any app or fix for this?

Re: http://www.symbiangogetter.co.cc/2009/05/tomtom-with-internal-gps-support-602.html

Steve — Wed, 20 May 2009 11:19:25 -0000

thanks for post, keygen and other rapidshare links are broken :)

Re: http://www.symbiangogetter.co.cc/2009/05/tomtom-with-internal-gps-support-602.html

Steve — Wed, 20 May 2009 11:32:36 -0000

error: The file could not be found. Please check the download link.
:(

Re: http://www.symbiangogetter.co.cc/2009/05/tomtom-with-internal-gps-support-602.html

Steve — Wed, 20 May 2009 11:39:07 -0000

ok no probs. :)

Re: http://www.symbiangogetter.co.cc/2009/05/tomtom-with-internal-gps-support-602.html

Steve — Wed, 20 May 2009 12:10:35 -0000

ok thanks, can i use any tomtom map on the symbian os or are there special ones for it?

Re: Home Reserve Guestbook

Steve — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:15:56 -0000

Sandy! Thank you so much! We\'ve already ordered the couch (Well, the wife did...), and are anxiously awaiting it\'s arrival. Your CSR skills are right on the money--timely, informative, and it\'s a pleasure to do business with a company that has people of that quality in our mass-produced \people\"" world......thanks again....

--Steve"

Re: Home Reserve Guestbook

Steve — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:15:04 -0000

No Worries! I put together the Classic sofa all by myself and am thrilled with the look, the fabric, the comfort and overall value. What a great deal
;1

Re: How do I overcome my fear of flying?

Steve — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 11:36:59 -0000

I think you will do fine. The weather should be great for flying. I used to get panic and claustrophobia as well. I deal with it in small steps and was able to get over the fear as the day of my flight approached.
I have found good answers at this website.
References :

www.overcomefearofflyingnow.com

Re: How do I get over my fear of flying?

Steve — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 12:11:59 -0000

face it get on the plane and try to relax eveyone is scared of something u just have to be strong and face the problem when u do you won't be afraid anymore also for that relaxation try Qigong just google it
References :

Re: http://www.zunephilippines.com/2009/06/zune-system-maintenance-beginning-june.html

Steve — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:19:09 -0000

That is strange since Xbox Live was down the same day - all day long.

Re: http://www.fairyblogmotherblog.com/2009/05/kolobags-giveaway.html

Steve — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:03:48 -0000

I like the High Sierra Chip 15" laptop messenger bag in blue.

writetosteve (at) hotmail (dot) com

Re: http://www.fairyblogmotherblog.com/2009/10/got-free-ecards-15-amazoncom-giveaway.html

Steve — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:18:09 -0000

I like the Halloween 8 printable card.

Re: http://www.codereflect.com/2009/01/virtual-cddvd-for-windows-7-beta.html

Steve — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:58:48 -0000

Careful w/ 64 bit win and MagicDisc. It worked fine on 2 of my computers and has completely hosed a fresh re-install of a 3rd computer. The first app I installed on the new OS was magicdisc and I've been getting hard OS locks ever since. Going to re-pave and start over.

Re: http://www.codereflect.com/2009/04/project-management-and-program.html

Steve — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 01:50:53 -0000

Project management & program management both are handled by a same PMs in small ventures because of limited resource,but this practice increases internal project efficiency !

Re: How about the black cables, Steve?

Steve — Wed, 24 May 2006 09:24:00 -0000

You are up on macnn as well.
Let the third parties make some money selling black cables.

Having only white headphones was smart for other reasons though. White headphones = ipod to just about everyone now no matter which revision they have. Having different style headphones would mean less automatic recognition on the street.

Re: http://hitormiss.org/2001/03/18/maybe-kirksville-isnt-so-bad/

Steve — Mon, 19 Mar 2001 07:03:30 -0000

mmm.. I love the fresh smell of electronics in the morning! Radio Shack is weird though. It's kinda like a Twilight Zone of retail. I always feel a bit creepy when I go there, don't you?

Re: Random Hiccups

Steve — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 22:59:00 -0000

I have the same problem. It started 4 years ago, it would happen once or twice at the same time everyday. Then it just spread out to about 10 hiccups a day, all loud, always around people. Everyone thinks its funny, so do I. Its never more then 2 hiccups. Please. Cure. This.

Re: Star Wars Episode III Trailer

Steve — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 12:01:39 -0000

i dont think sidious and palpatine are the same. but who knows time will tell. i gre up with star wars and everything written before indicates that they are the same. but george has known to change some things, like boba fett. he was suppose to wear the outfit of a special commando unit that helped defeat the jedi. now it just seems to be a replica of jangos outfit. loved episodes 4,5,6. liked episode 1. thought episode 2 was a lot better than 1. i like the clones and jango and boba relationship. thought that was interesting. also liked the idea of the death star all ready being planned out. cant help it, love those movies. i like them all. as for the dialogue, he had help with the first ones. do wish that he had hired the same help for the second ones. but deep down the kid in me really doesnt care. :D

Re: http://www.gorkem-ercan.com/2008/03/eclipse-e4-plans-leaked.html

Steve — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 07:46:00 -0000

Looks like it's only for Windows ...

Steve

Re: http://www.gorkem-ercan.com/2009/03/bidi-support-on-eswt.html

Steve — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 07:34:00 -0000

Hi Gorkem,

The directionality like that you provided describes the support for Eclipse, not SWT. The command line parameters eventually set the style bits you talked about.

We had talked about an API Display.setOrientation() that would set the default orientation for SWT. If such an API existed, it could be initialized to be RTL on eSWT so that applications could tell the default orientation. More interesting would be setting it, which would require overriding the default orientation when not explicitly set on a control.

A style bit is really a boolean create parameter. If your eSWT implemenatation has any ability to set directionality at all, you should be able to implement it.

Re: http://www.gorkem-ercan.com/2009/03/bidi-support-on-eswt.html

Steve — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 07:36:00 -0000

> The directionality like that

Should say "directionality link" ...

Re: Pastor and wife sex offenders jailed, given probation - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Steve — Sun, 14 May 2006 14:28:00 -0000

I grew up in the Seventh Day Adventist church and never received an enema. Don't know anyone else who did.

Please let's be factual. The very reason we are here is because we don't believe the lies that were told to us. Let us not make up our own.

Steve

Re: Free at last... - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Steve — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 17:41:00 -0000

Liberation follows from accepting life as it comes, not from depending on an imagined deity to make it work for you, or from "thinking from a sphere of existing predefined conclusions."
The willingness to accept personal revelation as universal truth is at the heart of irrationalism.

Re: Mentally liberated, but socially imprisoned - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Steve — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 16:00:00 -0000

Ian - A few years ago, I went through a very similar experience and ended up resigning my position as a Southern Baptist pastor. My advice to you would be to take it one step at a time. For the past few years, I have attended a progressive church that is more about asking questions and pursuing social justice than dogma. Being in that community has helped me work through some issues while still giving my family a support network. This may just be a weigh station on the road to atheism, but it has helped to know that some people pursue a spiritual life without all the supernatural trappings and dogmatism.

Re: "A Sabbatical?" or "My Anti-Testimony" - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Steve — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 12:15:00 -0000

Dave,

I've read your story and I must say it is great you to see your open minded approach and honest evaluations of your thoughts. This being said, I do believe God is greater than our senses can comprehend and that we have a spiritual side to us that cannot be measured either. I think we all want to be part of something greater than ourselves seeing that selfish living is a horrible alternative.

Anyway, I'll continue to check your site and see what your conclusions are in the future. I will pray for your continual honest search for the truth -- I cannot pretend to have all the answers, but God has made Himself real to me (as I see at times He has done this for you too).

All the best!

Re: "A Sabbatical?" or "My Anti-Testimony" - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Steve — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 17:15:00 -0000

To boomSLANG:

It sounds like you have a lot of anger. There are lots of intangible things in life that cannot be "sensed", but nevertheless exist. I can see you've never touched/seen/tasted/heard/smelled your thoughts, but don't they exist?

Broaden your mind my friend. What are you so afraid of? Dave has honestly experienced something from God (as he mentioned himself in this testimony). Have you been steeped in atheism? Wouldn't you have been brought up in this and wouldn't this be "real" to you? I admire Dave's honest approach and that was all I was trying to say.

Should we all think like you? Please, remember that things that are seen are temporal, but the unseen is eternal.

Re: Lee Strobel IS the GOSPEL!!! - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Steve — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 17:00:00 -0000

Anon, you'd better be sure Christ is right and not Mohammed... or FSM... gee, Pascal's Wager doesn't work.

Re: Mike Shermer/Kent Hovind - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Steve — Sun, 05 Feb 2006 10:41:00 -0000

Read Dr. Shermer's comments following the "debate". Click the LINK just below the video. He knows he blew it. He also shows where he made valid points and Hovind's fallacies. Hovind was able to obscure any point that Dr. Shermer made with his clever fallacy arguments.

Further research shows that the IRS didn't buy into Hovind's cleverness. One site that I found said he was sentenced to 13 years for fraud and tax evasion.

His masters and PhD degrees are phony.

I wouldn't buy a used car from this guy, but some are relying on his words for their core belief systems. Sad.

Re: Evangelical Christian Theology 201 - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Steve — Thu, 23 Mar 2006 20:02:00 -0000

Valerie T:

Awesome, sadly.

I read your followup comments and responses to others. You sound like a remarkable person. Thanks for your contribution to this forum, which I follow regularly.

Steve

Re: Mice more Compassionate than Christians - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Steve — Sat, 01 Jul 2006 15:29:00 -0000

Christianity was invented to tell people that they are going to be ok and alright, no matter what the circumstances happen to be. In other words, lets say someone gets cancer and is going to die, then a Christian will come along and say "Ohh lucky you, you'll soon be with the Lord, what a blessing!" Jesus loves you!

Or you're laying on the railroad tracks with your legs cut off and a christain walks up and says, invite jesus into your heart, you'll be ok.

The old worn-out Christian cliche`s, it's like they have taken over for their god and are now their god's direct spokesman, they like to think, that they are relaying sympathy and compassion not from them, but from a higher authority in which they believe.

Christians are like a coo-coo clock, and when the bird comes out, the Christian spews their memorized cliche`s and then quickly goes back into their self-righteous box.

Can anyone imagine what it was like 2000 years ago? People all around would jump out from a corner and shout!!!
Are you saved? You need to be born again! God is real! Jesus loves you! God bless you! I'll pray for you! All you need is a little faith! You have been deceived by the devil! Without god, you have nothing! Everyone believes in something! Satan has blinded you to the truth! The fool sayeth in his heart there is no god! You need to be washed in the blood of the lamb! You're running away from god! If there is no god, how did we get here? What happened in your life that made you hate god? You are going to hell! Without faith, you cannot understand god's word! You were not a real/true christian! Without god/jesus, life has no meaning! God is the final judge! Get right with god! Ye need to be saved! Seek ye the kingdom of god! Invite god/jesus into your heart! My heart crys out for your soul! Blessed are those that seek jesus! I'll lift your name up in prayer! Praise his holy name! A miracle is about to happen! You have a bitter heart! Let god/jesus heal your heart!

These 2000 year old worn out
phrases that chrustians use, gives them a false feeling of spiritual supremacy, and people that use them regularly, like preachers and politicians, know that christain's accept these 2000 year old cliche`s as pure fact and have been sent down from heaven above with god's holy blessing for them to use and to cast away devils and unclean spirits and are used to perceive them in a light of being saved and a real/true christain, their words are backed by god and have his stamp of approval.

Cliche's are the christian's trade-mark and they say them to tell you that they themselves are going to heaven, but you, most likely are going to hell, like this excludes you, and I am special and I'm being blessed by god, but you are not and you are somehow less than me, a christian!

A quote from Dano,

"they think we have just been stewing in our disbelief, because no one of THEIR caliber has ever come by here, someone with THEIR credentials, someone who really knows what Jesus taught about love, etc."

Christains have been TOLD that they have been annointed by their god, a great commission, to spread the gospel of jesus and those shallow cliche's, whether any of it pretains to truth or not, or to any basis or fact, it gives them, they think, some form of righteous power, they think that they have suddenly acquired new found spiritual knowledge only acessable to them, by inviting god/jesus into their hearts, so they have fervently been told.

So we've all heard those christian cliche's so many times over and over and there is nowhere in the USA that anyone has not heard those christian cliche's millions of times each, and yet they keep bouncing those stupid cliche's off of everyone. It's like every person you see, has some kind of religious agenda and a cliche` to bounce off of you, they are testing the waters to see how you respond to their cliche's, so that they can judge you, in their mind, subconsciously.

Here we are in 2006 and people still use and believe the foolish nonsense cliche's and phrases, 2000 years later, and we drive automobiles all over the US, and in buses and trains and fly airplanes, have TV and have modern conveniences, and we still have to hear some jackass spout out a 2000 year old useless cliche.

When people spout out those worn out christian cliche's, it exposes their lack of intellectual honesty.

I've been there and done that, and I regret having fell for all that nonsense myself and so now, I am so tired of hearing those ridiclous, shallow and meaningless, christian cliche's! I think it leads to religious perversion.

Re: Right-wing Christians, a growing threat - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Steve — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 16:06:00 -0000

You're completely right, we need to fight the good fight and keep these nutty people out of the government and hold off their assault for another 20 or so years, by then, minorities are going to be such a high percentage of the population that the Republicans will be unable to win elections without changing their ideals....

Re: House Built on a Weak Foundation - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Steve — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 23:13:00 -0000

Why the triumphalist tone?

You have not proved anything.

I find there is very little inconsistent in the Biblical message of God's love for us, the charcteristics of God, the position of man, sin, death, judgement, Jesus' atoning sacrifice and ressurection, the culture of the kingdom of heaven, repentance and justification, prayer and the existence of evil.

By any standards it is the most remarkable book and, given its age and the agency of so many writers to expound God's Word. The inconsistences, particularly as they apply to the New Coventant of Jesus, are very few. The historical accuracy is of a very high order as is the intregrity of the text. Its wisdom and guidance of induring value.

Personally, although I think it is yet unproven, I favour the creatist, young world explanation but my faith does not rest on it. The essentials of Genesis are true: God created the universe; God has a direct interest and influence on human affairs; we are made in God's image; sin entered the world and with it death; and we have mastery over the earth.

You have taken the decision to disbelieve its origins. That is your choice and you are fully aware of the consequences.Personally, I believe there are more convincing reasons to belief it is what it says it is: God's Word.

My question is: why would you want to dissuade people from reading the Bible and making their own minds up about it, rather than advancing a very partial argument against it? If nothing else, it has (and has had) a tremendous power to do good.

Re: House Built on a Weak Foundation - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Steve — Thu, 03 Aug 2006 22:13:00 -0000

I could not let some of the statements made lie.

There is no absolute definitive proof of the existence or otherwise of God. That applies equally to you as it does to me.

I took the view that the existence
of God was more probable than that He did not exist. It also appeared that God, if He existed, would take an active interest in His creation. Why would't He? If that were to be the case, He would reveal Himself. By far the most probable agency of that revelation comes from the Holy Bible. It speaks about Him in great detail and His plan for the world. I have accepted that: you have not, but it does not place my position on any weaker ground than yours, however much effort you and your colleagues have spend in debunking the Holy Bible.

The Bible is quite clear about God's wrath at the sinful ways of man (it is a constant theme as is His love for mankind) and that His vengance is wholly justified. I know that the severer aspects of God make people uneasy: omnipotence, judgement, punishment. The Christian's attitude is that we deserve His wrath and that His grace and mercy are unwarranted.

On the suggestion that, like the Holy Bible, the hydrogen bomb is a source of good; all I can say is "bunkum". A bomb is not a source of goodness. I can only destroy. It may, however, protect the innocent from the evil but that is a different matter. In that it is a deterrent against evil. Whatever the Bible is, it must be more than this.

You know what I believe in because I am a born again evangelical Christian. My behaviour and belief are based entirely on the Scriptures. I know that you have rejected that, which you are free to do. Having rejected Christianity completely and the disciplines that come with it (prayer, Bible study, mediation, fasting, service and worship) what have you replaced it with?

Re: House Built on a Weak Foundation - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Steve — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 21:46:00 -0000

Anonymous said..."life".; so did Jesus.

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full." John 10:10

That is the life I have.

Re: House Built on a Weak Foundation - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Steve — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 01:11:00 -0000

Anonymous:

You are right, Christians do not just live life in the "present". We see life as being more important than the immediate gratification a life only in the present seems to suggest.

Where I would disagree with you completely is that Christians somehow opt for a lesser life. As disciples of Jesus we are to be obedient to Him in everything. But paradoxically that obedience seems to liberate more than it restrains. His yoke is light. Since becoming a Christian I have had a more fulfilled, purposeful life. I have experienced a joy that I never knew existed. Before I became a Christian I thought that it would mean giving up all sorts of things. What I didn't realise was that what I was jettisoning was dross - it did have any value - just material clutter. In its stead came something enduring enriching and empowering. Maybe you should try it.

By the way, a belief centred on God's Word, the Bible, does not require new "rules" to be imposed as we go along. The Bible is complete as it stands and it needs no additions.

Re: House Built on a Weak Foundation - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Steve — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 01:41:00 -0000

By the way, Anonymous, here's a book you would enjoy that refutes the lie about a lesser life following Jesus: "Bondage Breaker" by Neil Anderson.

Re: "The Naked Truth" - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Steve — Mon, 14 Aug 2006 01:39:00 -0000

I would not use this video to prove or disprove anything. A lot of the Bible references are taken out of context, and some of the information is just wrong.

Here's the one that first caught my attention: that the name Dalai Lama has something to do with "lamb of god." A little bit of internet research revealed the name to mean "Ocean of Wisdom."

The piece about "The Age of Aquarius" and the man bearing a pitcher of water seemed a bit of a reach as well.

He also tried to draw some sort of relationship between the sun and the son of God, going to so far as to even quote the Bible as saying Sun of God. I did a search and could find no such reference in the Bible.

They said the name Solomon has to do with the sun. False:

"Solomon (2 Sam 12:24)
The name Solomon is the Greek/Latin version of the original name Sholomoh.
Solomon is the second son of David with Bathsheba (their first son died after seven days). David already had at least six sons and a daughter when Solomon was born, and Bathsheba bore David another three sons besides Solomon. Then there were nine sons of other wives and an untold number of sons with various concubines.

The name Solomon comes from the root (shalem 2401) meaning to be complete, sound. Derivative (shalom 2401a) means peace. The word is used in Pslm 91:8 in the meaning of reward or recompense (of the wicked). Although Psalm 91 is anonymous and tradition demands that Solomon is the great peace-king, his name may have stemmed from David's deep remorse and grief over losing Solomon's older sibling."

http://www.abarim-publications.com/Arie/Names/Solomon.html

Like some have already said, the Bible can be disproven in so many ways that it isn't necessary to misquote and take it out of context.

The Bible-thumpers are the liars and distortionists, not us. Let's be careful to continue to be fact based.

Steve

Re: Why Don't Christians Argue This Way Much Anymore? - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Steve — Sun, 17 Sep 2006 19:53:00 -0000

Ian,

Consider "The Riddle of Epicurus":

Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?

Then he is not omnipotent.

Is he able, but not willing?

Then he is malevolent.

Is he both able and willing?

Then whence cometh evil?

Is he neither able nor willing?

Then why call him God?

Re: Jesus...f*** you - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Steve — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 20:31:00 -0000

Jesus- the greatest story ever told - and the emphasis is on 'story'. Jesus was an itinerant Jewish Rabbi or Rebbe, also apparently a carpenter, who had a great sense of social justice, something I think originated with the Jews.

Emperor Constantine decided to join up with the followers of Jesus, and the memory of this good man has been used to murder 10s of millions of Arabs / Muslims during the middle ages, probably a million women who were denounced as witches and burned at the stake, and 10s' of thousands of 'heretics'. Civilization went nowhere for 1200 years until the partial reformation in the 1500s, not that right wing branches of christianity are much better. And we have the monstrosity of Rome to thank for much of the hatred found within the muslim world.

Much of right wing christianity is nothing but filling people with the double ended anxiety of fear of mythical hell if they don't kiss the churches butt, and life everlasting if they do. Of course, this is all crap, it is just an insurance scam for power and money. We all have the opportunity to live on in the genetic makeup of our children, but sorry, your conciousness is connected to your physical body, and evolution hasn't found a way to fix that so it continues. Hey, its fair, we all die. sri.

What we need to teach in the schools of this nation is the history of christianity, the superstition, ignorance, hatred, etc it has brought the world.

As my PHD biotech friend says, the only thing stopping us from creating basic life forms is the ability to analyze on an atomic level the life of a cell. we need a 1 million times increase, and based on decades in the computer industry that is coming in 25-50years. Then we'll create life from non-life, and create virtual people in computers, and understand consciousness as well. Then Finally, maybe we'll realize that the one thing we want to keep from religion is the ten commandments, something so much of religion seems to have forgotten. As for their bureacracy, maybe we'll still have the unemployment office

Re: Jesus...f*** you - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Steve — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 20:47:00 -0000

Blaine:

I actually tried to get excommunicated from the Catholic church. The letter would go up on the wall as a point of pride. Of course, I'm not catholic.

If you feel bad, and you're gay, just go join the Unitarian-Universalists, or the United Churches of Christ, or Jewish Reform churches. There are also 'welcoming congregations' in the Episcopal, Methodists, and even the non Roman "American Catholic Church" and the "Emerging Catholic Church", who welcome all.

Please remember - you are the victim of one of history's largest and cruelest insurance scams. I'm thrilled today - the democrats have taken control of our government back from Bush and his @#$%^&* theocons and neocons. Massachusetts legislature soundly defeated an attempt to put gay marriage up to a "hate vote" constitutional amendment by a vote of 196 to 0, and the pope can use his tears to wash off his assh..., or lube himself if he is plugged up.

Also if you are gay, hey remember, the place to go look for a partner is to dial e-van-gel-ical. You might even get Mr. Haggart, and make some money in the process.

While on that subject, it is just another example that says that people who hate gays, want to turn them into "untouchables" are in it for 3 reasons - power, money, and of course the self-hatred of trying so desperately to deny their own sexuality feelings. Perhaps we should go to the 10 commandments and feel sorry for them, they too are victims of the church.

Re: Jesus Camp -- the movie - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Steve — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 21:45:00 -0000

Anyone who thinks that fundamentalist Christians are not a bit of a 'cult' needs to see Jesus Camp. I worked at a fundamentalist TV station for a while as 'just a job' and I felt like a heathen! They are so damned extremist, it's SICK! They are Anti- Gay, anti-abortion, anti-human rights, and somewhat racist war mongering hawks. If you don't believe in their version of the bible, you are on an express train to HELL!

I no longer practice ANY religion!
I'm sick of the hypocrisy!
Freedom FROM religion should be a law, too.

Re: Are all Christians brain damaged? - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Steve — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 16:11:00 -0000

"My husband, for example, is brilliant. But he has decided to accept the religious stuff by faith. That way he feels free to use his brain for other things. But I don't think he's dishonest. Lazy or naive, perhaps."

Lorena,

Not to make a harsh moral judgment, but it is intellectually dishonest. And it contributes to dishonest message of religion.

Steve

Re: Vaginal fluids are sacred too - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Steve — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 23:56:00 -0000

Modesty and decorum do not imply disrespect or disregard for any aspect of God's creation. It depends why you are discussing something, with whom and when. It could be scientific, informative or it could be prurient or vulgar. Vomit may be a product of creation but why would you want to dwell on it, unless for example you were a forensic scienist. What benefit would it be? Yet the ability to vomit is an essential mechanism for our well-being and survival. It is an aspect of the magnificence of creation.

Why also should you think that Christians are unthinking and by implication atheists are not? Discipleship requires active and regular study amongst other disciplines. That study requires thought, deep thought. Atheism, on the other hand, does not. It makes no demands whatsoever, intellectual or otherwise.

Re: Atheism Versus Theism - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Steve — Sat, 05 May 2007 13:48:00 -0000

Micah,

You should read Sam Harris. Then maybe you will have an idea about why we should be vocal and oppose religion.

It's not about my opinion being "superior" to someone else's. That is not the issue at all. And I won't waste my time trying to talk those people at the door with the Watchtower, anyway.

Listen, I was in a car accident about 4 years ago, and I came close to dying as one can. Should have been in Vegas that day because my luck was incredibly good, at least after about 10-15 incredibly unlucky seconds. I had Xtian friends afterward constantly telling me it was a miracle. Someone was watching over me. They prayed their hearts out for me. Wouldn't I now change my mind about God?

I had to be frank with them. I appreciated their concern, and even their prayers, more than they could ever know. They put positive vibrations into the air, and maybe that helped. But if there's some god or angel watching over me, why didn't it just wake me up after I fell asleep, so I could have avoided the whole crash and burn scene? And skin grafts over 30% of my body. And the brain injury, and deep vein thrombosis and fractured vetebrae, etc etc. Oh, God's great mystery.

I have attempted in a kind way to tell them that the experience hasn't changed my understanding of what science tells us about the nature of the universe. Nor has it changed my view that the Bible is not a worthy document for the basis of any sort of moral belief system. They shake their heads and walk away.

You see, there is no room for compromise. Either your mind exists in the real world or fantasyland. I can't be halfway into fantasyland, and they don't want half of my mind anyway. This is not a forced dichotomy, there just is no logical middle ground. You can tell yourself there is, and use all manner of mental gymnastics to prove it to yourself, but in the end you are just deceiving yourself.

Anyway, check out Sam Harris, "The End of Faith."

Steve

Re: Who Deserves Heaven as a Reward? - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Steve — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 18:17:00 -0000

ATF - good points. As far as I know, as soon as you accept Christ as your personal Lord and Savior you are forgiven not only the sins you have committed - indeed the blood can still be on your hands - but you are forgiven the sins that you will commit. So to add a scenario to your post, you can still get into heaven after being saved if you commit rape, murder, or child molesting. You don't even have to ask forgiveness, you just need to acknowledge that you are a sinner and that you have accepted Jesus as you personal Lord and Savior.

I wonder too about the nature of heaven. What do you do there? I mean if everything is perfect there as so many preach, then nothing could really happen there as any change in anything would mean that it wasn't perfect after all. I guess you could watch all of the billions burning in hell for entertainment, but even that would be more change than would be available to your average heaven dweller.

Also, do you get to remember your earthly life in heaven? I would suspect not. It would be hard to concentrate if you had to remember the time you kissed your sister or some other event.

So what is the point of going to heaven? If you can't remember who you were and the future holds nothing new, why bother?

Hell, on the other hand, it seems would require some memory. I mean what would be the point of cooking up all of those souls if they can't remember what they did that was so bad? If you don't get to remember your life, you would simply be burning for no particular reason. A suffering amorphous blob that has only ever known constant pain.

The whole afterlife thing seems pretty ridiculous to me. You'd think that God could come up with a better idea for a reward...

Re: There is no one way to God - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Steve — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 21:05:00 -0000

In response to Anonymous, (6.12.2007), who asked...

“Why are you so angry and sarcastic always?”

Because, whining loon, your insistence that your self-serving decision to follow just one stream of an exclusive, mean-spirited (funny, that), evidence-free myth is worthy and entitled to awed respect, sympathetic consideration and social and financial privilege is , in fact, unreasonable, dangerous, divisive, disingenuous and outrageously arrogant. And, as outrageous arrogance is deeply offensive, it attracts furious mockery, just like decay attracts flies. It’s a force of nature. Grow up and USE YOUR BRAIN, silly.

“The pedophile comment was a low blow.”

You simper and bleat about xtian anger and sarcasm and then demonstrate your own sublime irony. You are certainly not the priests’ friend.

Re: Creationists Pollute Young Minds at Museum on Nightline - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Steve — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 11:15:00 -0000

the u.s. is falling into a new dark ages -
the mindset exhibited in this video has much to do with this -
unless it turns around this country will be a backward 3rd world nation within another couple of generations -
if not before

Re: Lost and Found

Steve — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 11:25:00 -0000

Cool Website Matt. Thought I'd plug up your blog a bit.

Glad to see you found some of Lisa's art. And Yeah, it is hard to describe. Both of them make disturbing images, sometimes, and many are very visceral. Steve is now working on a lighter body of pieces loosely based on his childhood and some 'boy-growing-up' themes.

Re: http://themescript.blogspot.com/2009/08/finally-my-brethren.html

Steve — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 16:20:43 -0000

Nice blog. Just keep on looking to Jesus. God said in his word, that his word would not return void. This blog will be a blessing and is a blessing already. Like Ardy said, keep the faith, and God bless you always.

Re: http://themescript.blogspot.com/2009/08/looking-up.html

Steve — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 21:50:57 -0000

You are so right. Lets pray that we'd get back to the ole time way. Seems like as long as church don't interfere with people's lives, or the things they need to do, they don't mind giving God just alittle bit of their time. He should be our God 24/7, not just one or two hours on Sunday mornings. Keep preaching brother.

Re: http://themescript.blogspot.com/2009/08/so-journey-goes.html

Steve — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 07:02:17 -0000

Good post.I love reading about the Lord, and learning more about him.

Re: http://themescript.blogspot.com/2009/08/not-by-might-nor-by-power.html

Steve — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 23:38:29 -0000

KJV 1611 is the only one brother. I'll pray for God to help you with finding out, How, and When.

Re: http://themescript.blogspot.com/2009/08/i-wish-you-jesus.html

Steve — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 16:04:17 -0000

Happy Birthday brother Earl. May God bless you down through the years, and like your blog is titled, just keep on, keeping on the firing line.

Re: http://themescript.blogspot.com/2009/10/hell.html

Steve — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 09:16:35 -0000

Good post. God bless you

Re: http://igorandandre.blogspot.com/2008/12/my-mom-made-me-do-it.html

Steve — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 11:32:00 -0000

Nice song Danny. What software do you use?

Re: http://www.offendedblogger.com/2007/12/how-i-blogged-my-way-to-billions.html

Steve — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 03:32:00 -0000

Awesome. That's some really funny stuff. I'm off to link this site on my blog. Also, I need the link to buy blood. Damned Jehovah's Witnesses.

Re: http://www.offendedblogger.com/2007/12/the-blog-snobs-above-me-offensive.html

Steve — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 04:39:00 -0000

They have caught up by getting computers, but they still have to learn to read and write to use them.

Re: http://blog.thegreenasterisk.com/2006/08/geeks-xanga.html

Steve — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 09:55:00 -0000

You have a valid excuse a month after it's supposed to be done!

Re: http://blog.thegreenasterisk.com/2006/09/joshua-convergence.html

Steve — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 22:26:00 -0000

All the pastors who attended registered to attend, however I don't know where that list is. It is my understanding, though, that as the Joshua Convergence website matures it will eventually have profiles of at least the more prominant members

Re: http://blog.thegreenasterisk.com/2009/06/what-does-cracked-story-mean.html

Steve — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 22:40:44 -0000

Right now Spielberg is scrambling. "Holy crap! How did my script get leaked??" people are getting fired because of how accurate our predictions are.

Re: http://blog.thegreenasterisk.com/2009/06/for-trekkies.html

Steve — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 12:14:18 -0000

He looks like a Picard/Quark hybrid

Re: Gerro Wins GP de Plouay

Steve — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 20:46:20 -0000

Awesome Gerro! Fantastic win.

Re: Monthly Sponsor Thank You

Steve — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 03:21:16 -0000

IF bikes are among the nicest I've ever seen. I don't think any two are alike!

Re: What You Missed…In Tibet

Steve — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:52:50 -0000

Why all the switchbacks? It doesn't look all that steep. Or is it just the way the camera captures it?

Re: Slippery When Wet

Steve — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 19:13:15 -0000

Don't forget freshly cut wet grass laying on the bike paths - it's slippery as ice when cornering!

Re: This Is Badass

Steve — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:15:08 -0000

. . . ? Then what is the referrence to CCCC?

Dig it!

Re: What’s Next For Kenny?

Steve — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 00:17:29 -0000

You should read this book, a frank account of racing in Belgium by Joe PArkin (an Amercan ex-Euro PRO). It's an eye opener.

http://www.amazon.com/Dog-Hat-American-Betrayal...

Re: Champion System Clothing

Steve — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 01:30:41 -0000

yeah, yeah, Assos is amazing stuff, but that's not what this is all about. Assos has no interest in printing custom team clothing, and if they were it would cost $600 for jersey and knicks (no exaggeration). What we're talking about here is decent team clothing with flexibility to print whatever design you need, great lead-times, and a decent price. In my experience with ordering from Champ-Sys I have nothing but good stuff to say about it. Great experience with them.

I agree with both the positive and negative feedback that WW solicited and wrote. My only complaint is that the arm/leg/knee warmers could be made out of better, more elastic material. Otherwise everything else is excellent value!

Re: Why Do Brakes Differ From Country To Country?

Steve — Wed, 06 May 2009 17:50:33 -0000

Interesting. I've always wondered that

Re: Fatty and BSNYC Contest

Steve — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 23:59:32 -0000

Hasn't anyone found out the identity of the Bikesnob yet?

Re: My Christian University experience - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Steve — Sat, 17 Dec 2005 12:41:00 -0000

"a loving God still seeks you. homsexual behavior is both suicidal and homocidal -- although it takes a while for those reality to take effect."

what a schizoid comment, "a loving god" and allusions to death. an invitation and a threat. another christian psycho.

by the way, i am not gay, but i have educated myself somewhat on that matter. have also tried (without success) to direct xtian friends to websites where the biology is discussed. ah, but that is science, and we all know xtianity and science don't mix.

Re: A Jimmy Swaggart Story - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Steve — Sat, 20 May 2006 10:50:00 -0000

None of this is how God intended for it to be. In an effort to not create "robots," God gave his most prized and loved creation, humans, the gift of reasoning and choice. He warned Adam and Eve that choosing rebellion agaist Him will surely bring death not only to them, but to every generation.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, was He right or wrong? Has that choice brought death and destruction to the world?

Some will say that religion has brought about that death and destruction but there are plenty of places where there is NO religion, God, or whatever and they are still filled with people who lie, cheat, steal, and think of themselves first-"religion" didn't make them that way because their socitety doesn't have it. You think God LIKES to see His creation and world like it is today? Nope. The caretakers of his creation, us, have chosen to rebel against Him and He, being a perfect God, has held back His hand and kept the promises He has made to not destroy the world until the appropriate time. And, with the choice of rebellion comes the consequence. Every action has a consequence-humans collective action to rebel against our creator has had some definate consequences.

But thankfully it does not end there-He gave us a chance at forgiveness and to be reconcied with God-Jesus Christ-Himself in flesh, modeling for us a perfect life, teaching us and showing us what God is like, then ultimately giving the sacrafice that would give us forgiveness for our collective choice to rebel against God our creator.

All of you thinkers out there, chew on this. How did the world come into existence? You have spoken how you have admired Darwin-you know he refuted his ideas on his deathbed? Do the research. Evolution or whatever is not a fact, not proven, so there HAS to be a better answer.

Christians are not perfect. Pastors are not, and many will have a lot to answer for. But don't jump down the throats of the people who follow Christ for sharing what we have found to be the truth in the public marketplace-it is our right just like it is yours. And let me tell you folks, you have not experienced freedom until you have experienced a life-giving relationship with Christ. I know that one is going to get some comments from some people-but I have lived without God and thought life was pretty good until He changed me!

Please don't delete my comments, Chris. I am sorry that you have had these experiences. I am interested in your thoughts on my comments.

Steve
An Assemblies of God Youth Pastor

Re: Losing my religion - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Steve — Mon, 20 Feb 2006 01:06:00 -0000

"You EXchristians seem like very bitter people. You should call this www.bitterchristian.net.lol. You need to come back to God. Your still a bunch of quitters in my book."

Although bitterness would be highly appropriate after what Christianity did to me and others here, I can only feel joy at escaping.

Re: Letting It All Go - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Steve — Mon, 20 Feb 2006 00:54:00 -0000

DH, that was really fascinating. I was raised a Seventh Day Adventist. A lot of parallels, but I think what you went through was more extreme. Thanks for sharing your life here. --Steve

Re: Born Again Atheist - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Steve — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 09:36:00 -0000

Wow, great post, and awesome comments.

"That people are glorified monkeys is so obvious to me that I can't comprehend why many doubt it, other than the emotional need to self-deify, I guess."

"As one commentator put it: all this mumbo-jumbo is seated in a desire to live forever."

""let us make man in our image" that's a pretty aarogant statement dont you think?"

Excellent. Pearls for the day.

Steve

Re: No Longer One Of Them - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Steve — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 09:26:00 -0000

Welcome back to reality indeed! So many never find their way.

Interesting comment, that you didn't give up Jesus to live a sinful life. But that is the indoctrination. A life without Christ is full of sin and perverse desires.

In fact, I find incredible altruism and pragmatism among atheists. I suspect that it's because we acknowledge the temporary nature of our existence, and we know there are no second chances. We are not trying for brownie points to appease an angry invisible man. We do the right thing because it's the right thing to do.

I gave it up when I was 28 or 29 (52 now). That decision brought me the peace that they claim accepting Jeezus brings. My brainwashed Xtian friends and family will never allow themselves to understand that.

You made the right decision S.L.

Steve

Re: I Tried, I Really Tried... - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Steve — Wed, 15 Mar 2006 14:59:00 -0000

xrayman,

I quit a pretty bad drug habit with counseling and a desire to have a decent life. It was around the same time that I gave up my religious beliefs. No coincidence, I think.

Congratulations to you. You have taken big steps to straighten things out in your life.

I've gotten quite a different perspective on life from atheism. There is no afterlife. No heaven. This is life. We can make it meaningful, or not.

Every day is important to me now. I love more intensely, and appreciate beauty like never before. I also abhor suffering and injustice unlike I ever did as a Xtian. In those days I thought God would make everything right, so there were no efforts required on my part.

I don't hide my atheism, or flaunt it. People have misperceptions about us; they think we must be amoral because we don't have a religion or believe in God. I am a contradiction to them, and that's good. They have to think hard when they consider who I am and what I'm about. That's a good thing.

Enjoy your life xrayman. You are on the right track.

Steve

Re: The Renaissance of My Life - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Steve — Wed, 22 Mar 2006 08:55:00 -0000

Max, that was excellent. Hey, I was wondering if you were the subject of this rant http://www.scienceagainstevolution.org/v5i9n.htm

Re: the end of my life - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Steve — Sun, 16 Apr 2006 17:38:00 -0000

Onanite,

You are beautiful.

Steve

Re: Another Ex-christian Testimony - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Steve — Sun, 16 Apr 2006 17:30:00 -0000

"CJ makes one point that escapes attention."

CJ,

The stat that I often hear is 85-90% of Americans are self-identified Christians. I have also heard it said that following the truth can be a lonely road.

If you are like me, and others here I presume, you could not live with yourself if you had to bullshit yourself 24/7. That would wear me down and eventually make me crazy.

So those would seem to be the choices, as you have discovered:

1) to live with bullshit and acceptance by the loose-minded 85-90%, or

2) seeking truth and doing without the fellowship of the bullshitters and bullshittees.

Your kids are lucky to have such a great mom.

Steve

Re: A troubled past built on lies - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Steve — Sun, 16 Apr 2006 17:12:00 -0000

John,

You are an amazing young man.

I'm glad that things worked out with your step-father, but I could only hope that he is getting some anger-management therapy. Abusing children, as he did you, says that he has serious issues.

Like you, I didn't have good adult role-models, so I did a lot of reading. The best book I have read was "The Family", by John Bradshaw. Bradshaw minimally alludes to religion, to the extent that it can be ignored. But he explains what screwed up adults do to children, and cites the science. Another is a book about what constitutes character: The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Again, minimal religious allusions and really good information.

Best of luck to you in all you do.

Steve

Re: A Christian in doubt - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Steve — Sat, 20 May 2006 10:13:00 -0000

Dear Someone,

Gosh, your anger and frustration really comes through strong. I am glad you have been monitoring this forum.

I suspect the religious persecution started in your childhood, as it did with most of us. Along with the books that Marty recommends, I would urge you to read The Family, by John Bradshaw. It's a good explanation about what happens to us in childhood, and how that leads to obsessive behavior in adulthood. Religiosity is just another obsessive, destructive behavior we use to mask what is really going on inside. While Bradshaw's discussion isn't directed at Christianity per se, he talks about unsuccessfully using religion to overcome alcoholism, i.e., substituting one distracting addiction for another.

Information is the key to your happiness. Good luck!

Steve

Re: A Christian in doubt - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Steve — Mon, 22 May 2006 01:16:00 -0000

Ben
If I was "in it for the money" I would have chose to do something easier, and something that pays better.

Oh yeah, I noticed there is a VISA/MASTERCARD link on this site to help pay for it. HMMMMM.....

Someone also mentioned something about miracles. What, there are no miracles anymore? Last time I checked, Thomas Jefferson was not God. Him saying there are no miracles anymore does not mean he is right. Tell that to a lady in the church I grew up in who contracted a disease where her flesh was being eaten by a virus. You could see the boils on her skin. She had this condition for months and it had taken away her ability to walk and function. I know this because my mom took care of her. She was told there was nothing that could be done.

I saw her husband wheel her into church Sundays. I know the countless hours and people who prayed for her. I saw this woman be prayed for, and I saw her jump up from her chair and RUN arond the church. Faking? C'mon-I know her. I saw her the next day when she came to our house to go with my mom to the clinic. Those boils she had before, they were gone. One of the doctors later became a Christian because of what He saw.

If there is no God, expalain that. You can't because science has not been able to explain away the occurance of miracles, although it acknowledges their existence. Logical proof for God's existence? There you go.

Many of you have cited works written by people who supposedly have proved God to not exist, Jesus deity is false, and the Bible is a hoax. Umm...Were these people there? Were they there 2000 years ago? Nope. If the Bible is all a hoax, and if Jesus really did not die on the cross and was not raised from the grave, then where are the writings from contemporaries to debunk this "myth." They definately had an interest in shutting up the early church. The early church was becoming a "problem" for the government. The government and religion was tied together and this radical new sect was causing them to loose power.

What you do have is a movement that was started by a bunch of people who were THERE when Jesus was crucified. The skeptics were not. The idea that the tomb was empty was probably some pretty fast-spreading news, if it was false then why did so many beleive? They would have seen it to be false. We know they beleived because the church is in existence today. The early church started in Jerusalem, the very area where Jesus was crucified. If it was all a myth, then why in the heck would they have accepted it? They were there! Not only that, they died for it. Why would they have done that? How could a group of cowards (the disciples) who were that way up until Jesus ascention suddenly get up the nerve to start a movement whose main figure died a very public death and was claimed to have risen from death if it had not happened?

Further, logic tells me (I can hear you all snear now when I say logic) if I had a leader who made all the claims Jesus did and then the leader failed, I would have chalked that up to a learning experience and gone on with my life. These guys did not. Was for fame or fortune? They saw an opportunity to get rich? These guys were beaten, put in jail, mocked, and ultimately died misrable deaths. If they saw it was a hoax then why did they do it? Christianity should have fizzled out. We have seen parellels of this in our culture with guys like David Koresh (sp?). As soon as it is found a hoax, all you hear about it is in the history books. People are no longer claiming David Koresh changed their life because he was found to be false.

So, where are the writings from contemporaries that this was a hoax? They don't exist. If it was all a hoax, they should exist.

Re: The Lonely Discourse of a Frustrated Agnostic (I Think) - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Steve — Sat, 20 May 2006 11:09:00 -0000

Hello Smaugfrost

If I got that wrong, I am sorry. I couldn't go back in my browser to get the spelling right.

Anyway, I would love to hear some of the contradictions and questions you had or have that caused you to no longer beleive in God. Maybe we can have some good conversation about them.

Email me if you would like.

Steve

Re: The Lonely Discourse of a Frustrated Agnostic (I Think) - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Steve — Sat, 20 May 2006 17:26:00 -0000

To shed somme light on some of your comments, none of this is how God intended for it to be. In an effort to not create "robots," God gave his most prized and loved creation, humans, the gift of reasoning and choice. He warned Adam and Eve that choosing rebellion agaist Him will surely bring death not only to them, but to every generation.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, was He right or wrong? Has that choice brought death and destruction to the world? Whether you believe in God or not, we can all agree that the world is seeing alot of death and destruction right now, as it has in all of history. Not only literally through wars, but also personally so many people deal so heavily with anger, emptiness, and feeling "dead."

Some will say that religion has brought about that death and destruction but that is faulty reasoning-there are plenty of places where there is NO religion, God, or whatever and they are still filled with people who lie, cheat, steal, and think of themselves first-"religion" didn't make them that way because their socitety doesn't have it. You think God LIKES to see His creation and world like it is today? Nope. The caretakers of his creation, us, have chosen to rebel against Him and He, being a perfect God who keeps his word no matter what, has held back His hand and kept the promises He has made to not destroy the world until the appropriate time-the time when the world can hear the unchanged good news and have a chance to decide for themselves-and that day is fast approaching. And, with the choice of rebellion comes the consequence. Every action has a consequence-humans collective action to rebel against our creator has had some definate consequences.

But thankfully it does not end there-He gave us a chance at forgiveness and to be reconcied with God-Jesus Christ-Himself in flesh, modeling for us a perfect life, teaching us and showing us what God is like, then ultimately giving the sacrafice that would give us forgiveness for our collective choice to rebel against God our creator.

Christians are not perfect. Pastors are not, and many will have a lot to answer for. Many well intentioned Christians who unfortunately try to give answers without Biblical backing can do some pretty bad damage. The "survival of the eternal soul" as you put it is NOT virtually impossible. Truth of the matter is this, Christianity stands up to any amount of scrutiny, provided there is sound research.

Believe me, I have been there. And let me tell you folks, you have not experienced freedom until you have experienced a life-giving relationship with Christ. I know that one is going to get some comments from some people-but I have lived without God and thought life was pretty good until He changed me!

Please don't delete my comments, Smaugfrost. I am sorry that you have had these experiences. I am interested in your thoughts on my comments.

Steve

Re: The Lonely Discourse of a Frustrated Agnostic (I Think) - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Steve — Sun, 21 May 2006 23:22:00 -0000

I am very grown up, thank you. I am able to think for myself, function as a normal thinking adult and I can even read! I am a reader, a thinker, and have read your skeptics books, and found them with too many holes. Oh yeah, I was raised in the church and for a period of time quit believing in God-especially the one the church talked about, so I have been a skeptic of the Christian faith in the past. It was my ability to think for myself that led to me the conclusion that God is still working among His creation.

As far as the part about God not being all knowing-He definately took a risk when He created humans with the ability to reason and think for themselves. Giving His creation the ability to choose right from wrong is risky business. But, He did. Did He know what we would do? Very likely He knew full well what would happen. But, for the free will thing to work, there has to be the abilty to choose freely, and then receive the consequences.

My wife and I want to have children someday. That could be pretty risky knowing the world they will grow up in. They will no doubt give me grief at times. They will anger me, hurt me, and say things they probably shouldn't say to me. As their father there will be many things that I know before they do and I can tell you with confidence they will make wrong choices.

However, the possibility to be loved by a son or daughter far outweighs the large amount of risk. God knew going in that we would not all choose to know Him, but to be loved and honored by those who choose Him and have that life-giving relationship with His creation far outweighs the risks He took in creating us.

Lastly, again, there are PLENTY of problems in far away places where there has never been ANY kind of religion. Christianity is not the cause to the world's problems. Take a look at who is feeding the hungry, caring for the unloved around the world and you will no doubt find a person with a relatinonship with God not too far behind. Yes there are some with compassion who care for the needs of the world, but I have been out there and know they are rare. Are there those that claim to be Christian who do not live according to God's will? YES! Are there those that use God to abuse others? Unfortunately yes. But to say Christianity is the cause to the world's problems holds ZERO weight in a strong argument when you look at the facts.

Let's not forget a society that tried to take God out of it. Communism was a great idea, wasn't it? VERY successful. You ever been to Russia? I have and I will tell you first hand from seeing it's effects that Communism was not the best of ideas. It is not SOCIETY that is solving the world's problems. I went to help in New Orleans with the cleanup and a lady there told me (this lady was not a Christian by the way). She told me that it was Christians who were the ones helping people in their city. She told me she was considering finding a church and looking into God because of the love and support she was getting from Christians. It was not society. I would hate to be someone with problems if I had to depend on the collective of society to help me. I'd starve.

Re: Questioning Everything - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Steve — Mon, 29 May 2006 11:52:00 -0000

Hi Harry,

The question that each of us needs to answer for himself/herself is: Do I want my beliefs to be based on evidence or faith?

It is an essential question.

If you are faith-based, then you are not seeking truth. You have already decided what to believe. When contradictory information comes along, you can simply insert "faith" as your rationale, and don't pay attention to that bothersome, complicated stuff. There is really no work or discovery involved. You know what to believe, because you were told.

On the other hand, if you are evidence-based, you have work to do. And you have to take responsibility for what you believe. You have to seek out evidence and decide what makes sense. It is not the easy way.

For me, faith eventually became more difficult, though. The mental work it takes to continually dismiss evidence can wear you down. You can flood your mind with religion by attending services, reading the Bible, listening to preachers on the radio -- just keep jamming your inputs with the stuff. But as with you now, there was something deeper inside that was telling me to use my own mind and THINK!

I started with shedding all belief of anything, e.g., science, religion, supernatural, natural, whatever. I do have to believe that I physically exist, or there is nothing more to really think about, so I accepted that apparent fact and started trying to work it out from there. What evidence is there of anything? Well, there is plenty of evidence of lots of things. And there are viable working theories about other things. And the theories seem to change when more information becomes available.

The only evidence I have been able to discover about my religion, after quite a bit of reading about it, is that it is an evolved mythology. What I know of other religions tells me that they are the same.

Believing in a mythology is very dissatisfying for me. It might easier, since the society I find myself in puts a lot of pressure on me to conform my beliefs to those tales and legends. So why not just go along with the crowd, the path of least resistance?

People like you and I, and most others who post here, just cannot do that, Harry.

It seems to me that the default state of the human mind is truth- or reality-seeking. We gather information, process it, and try to make it useful. We are taught from an early age, tho', not to be critical thinkers in matters where religion and God are concerned. So we try to exist mentally in this state of cognitive dissonance. "What I see doesn't match up to what I believe, so I will insert faith to mute or block out what I see." The human mind is capable of extraordinary compromises when the reward or punishment is strong enough.

I was around your age when I started asking the deeper questions, like you are doing now. That was around 25 years ago. Many times since I've wondered what's out there in the cosmos, how did it all happen, why did it happen -- or is there even a "why" to ask?

I am happy to live in a mind that can tolerate unanswered questions. The alternative is to bombard my mind with mythology, and shallow, lazy answers. I want to know what's really going on here, and I accept the fact that it's not likely that I ever will know it completely. Better to accept the fact that we don't have all of the answers than to be filling in all the missing spaces with lies.

I will end this with an inevitible question: What is the point of life, if all of the mythologies are untrue, and we are apparently just an accident of the physical universe? To my way of thinking, the point of life is what you make of it. You give your life meaning in the way that you live it.

Steve

Re: Questioning Everything - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Steve — Mon, 29 May 2006 12:11:00 -0000

Hey xrayman,

Me too.

Once I stopped believing in mystical crap and started believing in cause-and-effect, I was on the road to "recovery."

It's not so simple for some, tho', because the causes of addiction can be complex. I recently read about studies on mice and variations of something called the "CLOCK" gene. Mice with a certain variation on that gene were predictably more likely to become addicted to cocaine compared to the "normal" mice.

I think this implies that the intensity of drug addiction varies among individuals for physiologic reasons. I was lucky enough that simply removing myself from the social situation and getting involved in stuff like physical fitness was enough to end the drug abuse. I don't think it is so easy for everyone.

Steve

PS On re-reading this, seems like I'm making an inference that you are saying it's easy. Your point that the "higher power" is not metaphysical is well taken. Sorry for any confusion.

Re: Atheist Pastor - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Steve — Sun, 11 Jun 2006 12:13:00 -0000

Jim,

Now you have a real character issue to confront.

If you are taking the money to do a job, then you should do the job.

If you cannot in good conscience do that job, then you shouldn't be taking the money.

Atheist doesn't equate to amoral. I have higher ethical and moral standards for myself since giving up Xtianity. Religion is an exercise in rationalization. When it comes down to it, religion is all about bullshitting yourself and others.

I gave up religion because I wanted to get real. Had to stop lying to myself. That lying had to stop on every level.

Character isn't a philosophy, it's the next thing you do. What are you going to do next?

Steve

Re: I am Glad that I have found you all! - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Steve — Sun, 02 Jul 2006 19:30:00 -0000

This has to be the sadest web site I have ever seen. It is a testimony to what having "religion" without experience and relationship with GOD will produce.
I hear and concur with the pain and frustrations of many of the writers, but from the perspective that they have not tasted the truth of GOD but rather have been force fed religion. Many people profess belief in GOD and Jesus himself said, "Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?' 23 Then I will declare to them, "I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.' 24 "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. 25 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!"
I challenge anyone from this site to give themselves this opportunity. Ask GOD to show them in their hearts that He is real, and that though they have had manifold bad religious expeiences at so-called "churches" would like to know if He is real after all. Of course many will scoff at the very thought, but what do you have to be afraid of.... if GOD is not real then you have wasted only a moment of time, but if HE is real then you will have made an awesome discovery.

Re: I am Glad that I have found you all! - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Steve — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 01:05:00 -0000

Dear Jeff,
I apologise for appearing condescending, it can be difficult to convey tone when writing. My objective was to be imploring, which mark I obviously missed.
Concerning proving my "Christianity", 2Co 13:5 reads:- Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you--unless, of course, you fail the test? So at the risk of once again sounding condescending, I have to state it is my firm belief that the Spirit of Christ is indeed dwelling inside my heart. By no means does this mean I am perfect nor consider myself in any such way, but rather that I have a compelling desire to love GOD and my neighbour, though in my humanity I often fail in this endeavour.
Concerning "testing" the LORD, I neither used that word nor suggested any such thing, but rather suggested that GOD is ready willing and able to respond to all who call upon Him with a sincere desire to know the truth. To taste of the LORD's goodness is very different from putting Him to the test.
The point I was trying to make was the difference between the legitimacy of a very real and loving GOD and the illegitimacy of religiosity.
It is true that I do not know anyone on this site personally, but I can still hear the hurt and frustration and dare I say anger in the posts.
What saddened me was that so many people have been wounded by religion that such a post as this exists.
I don't think I made any accusations, and I only made one challenge.... to give GOD a chance to show His love to anyone who asked.
I should have used the word implore, for that is the heart of GOD, reaching out to us with loving arms, imploring us to turn to Him.

Re: I am Glad that I have found you all! - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Steve — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 01:21:00 -0000

Dear Anonymous,
Thank-you for making a very good point. This is the crux of what I believe is at the very foundation of so many peoples negative religious experiences. In-as-much as the persons whom Jesus rejected had "religion" but no relationship with GOD. He never "knew" them. They thought because they had done this or that that they were assured a place in heaven. Seeking as it were to earn their way, rather than accepting the free gift of GOD of eternal life. The only reference that I see of them calling on the name of the LORD was on the day of judgement, when all men will give an account of their lives. In their assertion of good works, "calling on the LORD" is conspicuously absent. Rather they recount there deeds that they percieved to gain them entry. The fundamental doctrine of Christianity is salvation by Grace... a free gift, that cannot be earned by anyone.
So it would appear to me, that they had not called upon the LORD at all, but not unlike so many who possess prominence in religious organisations (like the Pharisees and Saducees) had only an outward appearance of piety, thinking that they were better than other men on account of their works, but on the inside were full of dead mens bones.

Re: I am Glad that I have found you all! - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Steve — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 03:35:00 -0000

Dear Anonymous,

what I meant by "conspicuously absent", was that in their account of "good works" they didn't recall "knowing GOD" but only referred to what they had done in His name.

Salvation by grace....
Eph 2:8
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God

The way I understand it is that the gift of GOD is eternal life, but the gift can be squandered. So James writes "faith without works is dead". The works he is referring to are the works of love. The works he uses as examples in his letter are works of charity.

The calling of believers is to show self sacraficial love (See Corinthians 13) as Christ showed for us in His dying on behalf of us.

Pharisees, Saducees and Scribes were the "clergy" of the day. But they recieved the most vehement rebukes from Jesus on account of their hypocrisy.

Mt 23:13
"But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.

Mt 23:15
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

Mt 23:27
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. 28 "So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

Re: I am Glad that I have found you all! - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Steve — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 03:55:00 -0000

"NO RESPECT"

I think you would agree that many people recieve deferential treatment in our society. Either by their position in politics, the media or on account of their business acumen.

When GOD says he is no respector of persons, I believe that what He is referring to is He wont take into account your position in life, whether you were the pope or the Queen of England. He looks at your heart and the things that you did.

Pr 4:23
Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.

Re: I am Glad that I have found you all! - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Steve — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 05:58:00 -0000

Dear Jeff,
Thank-you for your understanding and polite response.
I want to make it clear that in no way was I judging anyone's particular experience of faith as being illegitimate or otherwise. But rather was trying make the point that many so-called churches themselves are not representative of Christianity but rather churchianity. Places where religious legalism squashes the liberty that only exists in the Spirit. And that there may well exist the potential for some of the persons posting here to have been subjected to the burdens that such assemblies are prone to place on the shoulders of those whom they would bind into their religiosity.
Also I would like to apologise if I have been simplistic in my post. As each of us has his/her own bias, I too have mine which has been in part formulated by my many experiences of encountering religious assemblies who though they have a form of godliness, do not actually believe in the teachings of the Bible. Therefore having the diabolical consequences of tainting anyone whom they might have an influence over with the sense that GOD is as dead as their faith.

One last comment on the subject of testing GOD. I think perhaps there are differences in the tests and as a consequence, different rules to govern said tests. For e.g.
Mal 3:10
" Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this," says the LORD of hosts, "if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows."

This is an instance that the Children of Israel are told to test GOD. And....

Ps 34:8
O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!

This is more of what I meant when I "challenged" or should have implored anyone to give themselves an opportunity to "know" Him.

Once again, I apologise if this seems arrogant or causes offense by my over simplification. I have seen this experiment work in instances where my intellectual resources have become exhausted in an attempt to show people what I believe to be the Truth.

Re: I am Glad that I have found you all! - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Steve — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 18:29:00 -0000

Interesing how so much energy is spent trying to crucify someone who you do not believe exists.

I will now leave you to hate free of my interruptions.

Re: From Depressed Christian to Happy Atheist - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Steve — Tue, 04 Jul 2006 16:11:00 -0000

Hi Matthew,

That was really interesting. The best part is at the end, where you say you are now thinking about how to make the world a better place. That was precisely how leaving Xtianity affected me.

I am not surprised that you are dealing with some depression. You were in the religion for so long and so deeply, and you were diligently seeking the answers in that bullshit. The pain that comes from knowing that you were manipulated and lied to is a pretty natural thing, I think. I hope you will not be hard on yourself, though. They sucked you in at an early and vulnerable age, like they usually do. It's not your fault, so don't ever let your mind take you in that direction.

I am so happy for you.

Steve

Re: Am I the only one sad to Leave? - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Steve — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 13:36:00 -0000

Kitty, This answer is going to be unpopular with just about everybody. I understand your sense of loss, although I was never really a believer. But I was attracted to some of the ideas in Christianity (especially the idea of the word made flesh) and my degree in Theology (I'm a Bachelor of Divinity) enabled me to see how Christianity had, from time to time, changed its mind completely largely down to who was in charge or who fought dirtiest (Augustine -what an uptight bastard!). Now I sing in the choir of a church once a month, with my mates. I'm still comfortable with the language and the ideas and it's pointless trying to look at Western culture from Bach to Brecht without knowing about Christianity. But at some point we just don't believe. I never had the pressure of an evangelical background on me - it must be immense - but at least your friends now will be your true friends; and you can probably draw your own conclusions about Christians who now don't count you as their friend any more. Time for a new address book and a move, perhaps!

Re: Logic versus Faith - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Steve — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 08:55:00 -0000

Logic versus faith.

Too succinct. That's where it begins and ends for me as far as the religious debate goes.

Steve

Re: Why I Left: Problems and Unanswered Questions Regarding Christianity and theism - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Steve — Sun, 27 Aug 2006 15:22:00 -0000

Hey Dave8,

I read Gulag Archipelego many years ago. Jim, of course, is dishonestly portraying the information in that book. There is nothing that indicates Stalin persecuted people in the name of atheism. He targeted intellectuals and professionals, and anyone he considered to be a threat to his regime. Indeed Solzhenitzyn said that he got best education in the gulag because of lawyers and engineers and highly educated people he found himself surrounded by there. An honest reading of the book reveals that Stalin had an ideology that was not atheism, but supremacy of the state, of which he was the supreme leader.

Re: Why I Left: Problems and Unanswered Questions Regarding Christianity and theism - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Steve — Sun, 27 Aug 2006 15:38:00 -0000

Naomi,

Unfortunately I also agree with your observation that the tooth fairy will continue to flourish into the unforseeable future.

I'm over 50 and, like you, have seen a lot. Coming out of the '60s as a young man I was pretty hopeful about the changes I was seeing. The civil rights movement, environmental consciousness, and the moral outrage over fighting an unjustifiable war. Call it the naivety of youth or what you will, but I was hopeful.

Now, as we so graphically saw in Katrina, social justice is a laughable concept. In the face of global warming we see environmental protections are being rolled back. And we are bogged down in an unthinkable war of religious ideology. (Make no mistake about it, the neocons wanted this war any way they could get it.) To be sure, I wasn't hoping for any sort of Utopia, but I thought we could keep moving in a good direction. We are 180 degrees off course.

It's pretty sad.

Steve

Re: If I'm not a Christian, what am I? - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Steve — Sun, 20 May 2007 03:38:00 -0000

You could always be a Joshuan. Joshuans believe in the teachings of Jesus but NOT the structure of the organized church. Joshuans don't judge based on sexuality. Joshuans believe in trying to follow the four gospels....NOT the entire Bible. We also don't believe that the Bible is inerrant. In short, we despise the abusive, organized church. Whatever path you choose I hope you will find peace and true joy.

Re: I have never been happier - Testimonies of Ex-Christians

Steve — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 13:33:00 -0000

Hi Kylee,

Very touching story. Thanks for sharing. While I think all religious belief is delusional, have to wonder how many have treatable mental illnesses going undiagnosed. God-belief so well conceals it. You just blend right in with the rest of the delusionals.

So happy to hear you were finally able to get the treatment you need. Life is about happiness, for that finite period that we are lucky enough to experience it.

Take care.

Steve

Re: http://blog.thegreenasterisk.com/2009/07/syfy-revisited.html

Steve — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:16:15 -0000

single-word comment.

wait. CRAP.

Re: http://blog.thegreenasterisk.com/2009/07/beginning-of-beautiful-friendship.html

Steve — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 18:36:30 -0000

Certainly not me... Right? >.>

Re: http://blog.thegreenasterisk.com/2009/07/why-gi-joe-will-suck.html

Steve — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 04:20:47 -0000

Of course there are accelerator suits! How do you think the Joes could possibly be so awesome!? It makes sense!

>.>
<.<
/cough

Re: http://blog.thegreenasterisk.com/2009/07/harry-potter-and-half-blood-prince.html

Steve — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 12:17:05 -0000

I haven't read any of the books, so I can't speak to what they added or removed. I keep hearing that it's a terrible adaptation, but standing alone as a movie, I found it to be entertaining.

Re: http://blog.thegreenasterisk.com/2009/07/another-lord-of-rings-law-suit.html

Steve — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 12:13:07 -0000

The decision wouldn't be made unless they start the suing process. I'm saying don't sue until the Hobbit comes out.

Re: http://blog.thegreenasterisk.com/2009/07/google-wave.html

Steve — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 12:07:27 -0000

We're totally using this when it comes out.

Re: http://blog.thegreenasterisk.com/2009/08/from-here.html

Steve — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 11:33:32 -0000

Oh man - I wouldda been so lost

Re: Post Levels 0.9

Steve — Tue, 27 Dec 2005 11:58:41 -0000

Yes, please let us know as soon as the plugin is ready! Thanks!

Re: Post Levels 1.0

Steve — Tue, 27 Dec 2005 14:32:12 -0000

@Drama Queen: Correct -- except now there's also a drop down menu in the editing window that you can also use to set the post level.

Re: Post Levels 1.0

Steve — Mon, 06 Feb 2006 14:04:45 -0000

@Bob: One of the options let's you control whether the RSS feed links get re-written -- that should fix your problem.

Fil: You may want to change the default here ...

Re: ./script/about | Jack Baty says...

Steve — Sat, 29 Apr 2006 12:21:27 -0000

Thanks JD, you’re a good man.

Re: Obama Vs. Clinton Round 1, Fight!

Steve — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 16:43:00 -0000

Watch this video of the Clinton / Obama feud. It's fun! http://www.theointment.com/?p=296

E...>

Re: Open Web Awards Category 2: Applications and Widgets

Steve — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 15:12:00 -0000

I nominate Getabuz - www.getabuz.com - for the applications and widgets, music and mobile categories. Its a cool site for creating greetings with music and voice that can be loaded onto your cell phone or web page.

Re: Tesla and His Wireless Energy

Steve — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 21:42:00 -0000

In the spirit of the season let us forgive the sad person who shouted that "you anonymous american stupid, etc."

With regard the Serb/Croat question it is not ignorant or peculiarly Aemerican to call him either one of these because both claim him. Visit the Tesla museum in Belgrade--and yes, I am from America and have been there and done that--then hang around the sidewalk cafes and restaurants of Belgrade [a great city] and you quickly learn such distinctions are not so simple.

Telsa's family's ethnic background was definitely Serb but Tesla lived in a realm far beyond such distinctions.

Re: PimpMyNews: Listen to Your Favorite Sites On the Web and On Your iPhone

Steve — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 18:23:00 -0000

really cool site.. thanks for the info about pimpmynews. however, i think the name should be changed to pimp my drive to work! i just downloaded the iphone app and its real tight. i totaly recommend it!

Re: IPTV and Setanta Sports: The Inside Scoop

Steve — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 08:47:00 -0000

Sounds like a great service, can't wait to spend (almost) all weekend on the couch. Good site and podcast, cheers!

Re: Arsenal Predicted to Win 2006/2007 Premier League

Steve — Thu, 17 Aug 2006 19:28:00 -0000

1. Liverpool
2. Chelsea

3. Spurs

4. Manchester Utd

5. Arsenal

6. West Ham

7. Blackburn

8. Newcastle

9. Aston Villa

10. Bolton

11. Portsmouth

12. Manchester City

13. Everton

14. Wigan

15. Middlesbrough

16. Sheffield Utd

17. Fulham

18. Charlton

19. Reading

20. Watford

Re: 10 Days Until a First in Soccer Blogging & Podcast History Begins

Steve — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 19:55:00 -0000

Is it really necessary to talk about your own accomplishments with this much pomp? ("a FIRST in Soccer Blogging!")

I love this site but it really irks me when I have to put up with self-indulgent posts like this.

(Same goes for your absurdly selfish so-called "love" for ITVN)

Re: 10 Days Until a First in Soccer Blogging & Podcast History Begins

Steve — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 12:30:00 -0000

I see where you are coming from and I'm sure you do love Setanta and ITVN legitimately, but ITVN is an advertiser on this site now, so your opinions on the subject are automatically biased.

Do you pay for your ITVN subscription? If you don't (or get a discount), then you really aren't coming at it from the perspective of the rest of us.

If you started having a lot of problems with ITVN, would you share them here? If you did, you might risk losing the ad revenue.

Sometimes you have to make a choice -- do I try to make money with this, or do I stay true to my heart and blog exactly what I think?

Obviously from a reader's standpoint, I'd prefer the latter, but if I was you I can't say I wouldn't try to take the site's success into some revenue. You obviously work hard at this and have a great site -- why shouldn't you reap the benefits of that?

Perhaps in the case of ITVN, you really do love the service and it just so happens that they want to advertise with you. BUT, that's not always going to be the case, AND it is difficult for us as readers to know whether a post regarding ITVN or Setanta is an ad or actually your opinion (or both).

Re: Interview with Jay DeMerit

Steve — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 14:47:00 -0000

Jay just made it to the US football team the very first time. It is long over-due. Congrats.

Re: Chelsea v Manchester United: Video Evidence of Penalty Decision

Steve — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 11:34:43 -0000

If you can tell thats hand ball from that video, you are something special, Carricks hand was there and it goes down after contact. I can only assume you are a Chelsea fan. It was an appaling decision.

Re: New 08/09 Spurs Home Shirt: Leaked Photo

Steve — Fri, 02 May 2008 16:09:41 -0000

who CARES! u mugs, new kit every season, coz u north london mugs can afford that hey?

Re: U.K. TV Coverage for Wigan v Man Utd & Chelsea v Bolton

Steve — Thu, 08 May 2008 20:39:30 -0000

What is the tune that has been used in recent weeks and during big 4 clashes on sky. It is the one with the big drumming.

Re: Dunne and Dos Santos to join Ramos’ White Hart Lane Revolution

Steve — Fri, 30 May 2008 13:37:18 -0000

that dos Santos is the fuckin mustard!

Re: England’s Summer Transfer Market Begins And Ends At Tottenham

Steve — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 08:14:36 -0000

I don't thin kyou can compare the spending to Chelsea, we have recouped £35m in sales and spent around £40m, if we do sign Arshavin and the other Russian for £34m, we will sell Berbatov for £28m meaning the difference in money spent and money recouped is £11m odd.

Re: Firstline Security Cost Comparison

Steve — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 19:08:36 -0000

Wow, you all have way too much time on your hands. I want you guys who say you have been "ripped off" by firstline because you are paying $44.99/month to call up ADT and ask them how much it would cost to get a security system with a GSM radio. Or even ask Brink's...oh wait, they don't even do cellular! So ask ADT if you'll get any web-access capabilities. Then ask them if they will do the Simon XT. Then post your experience on this board. Yes, Firstline's new system is not for everyone, but, for the people that want web-access and future two-way voice over cellular then it is right for you. It's sad when people blame a company "forcing" them to do something. Own up, and quit looking like idiots by showing how little control you have over your life and decisions.

Re: The Oil Wars | Letter Never Sent

Steve — Sun, 26 May 2002 20:37:32 -0000

What do you want? A tube in your ass so your car will burn methane? If the way we live our lives is so bad why don't you come up with something better instead of the usual crybaby bitching? Just imagine you could make millions from your rev idea and give all the $ to the ever present "needy" (non-producers). Are you aware that the internet is a product of the "military industrial complex"? If people like your communist asses were in charge during the renaissance we'd still be craping in the woods and wiping with leaves! Don't forget to practice what you preach.

Re: UpsideTrader

Steve — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 16:36:00 -0000

1st off, you have a great blog!

Would you read anything into the fact that with the exception of Wednesday, USO started strong but at the close finished weaker? BTU broke out to all time highs Thursday on decent volume, but finished Friday 4% off those highs? If everything is so bullish for energy shouldn't they finish stronger?

Re: UpsideTrader

Steve — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 22:55:00 -0000

You have a fantastic blog in that it is timely and always thought provoking. I really appreciate your tremendous effort.
Thanks

Steve

Re: UpsideTrader

Steve — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 19:55:00 -0000

If and when the most anticipated bear market rally in US equities ever appears, would you go with longs in the strongest areas of late (energy or ag) or would the weakest areas (Dow, NAZ, dare I say financials!) be a better bet for a bounce?

Re: UpsideTrader

Steve — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:46:00 -0000

Great call on the CLF trade. I think there will many more short opportunities in the basic materials sector in the month's ahead.

Re: UpsideTrader

Steve — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:26:00 -0000

In the last hour, I got some sloppy seconds from your girl UYG from the long side. Even though the Fins were great today, longer term charts show a V shape bottom; you think it is possible the worst banking period in years would end with a V shape bottom? Sounds like a fairy tale.

Re: UpsideTrader

Steve — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 17:31:00 -0000

When you are considering shorting a stock, do you consider the level of short interest present in the stock? If you have been short a stock that has had its short interest rise over time, does that in it of itself make you want to cover even though the chart may signal further weakness? Thanks.

Re: UpsideTrader

Steve — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 16:35:00 -0000

Great call on UYG for the weekend and Monday! "Death to the financials!"

Re: UpsideTrader

Steve — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:59:00 -0000

Really enjoy the twitter comments and the charts.

I sld PCU in the am and bot SMN in the pm. It helps to watch the sister stocks of those you trade and to remember "volume never lies."

Downtown trader a has nice bit on what may be distribution in POT.

http://downtowntrader.blogspot.com/2008/08/stock-chart-pot.html

I just wonder if the leaders of the spring are executed what will hold up this market in the fall?

Good luck tomorrow!

Re: UpsideTrader

Steve — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 09:23:00 -0000

They have raised their prices to compensate for fuel; many are filing for bankrupcty, and travel is not going away. Look at it as an oil put.

Re: UpsideTrader

Steve — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 11:58:00 -0000

UAUA looking strong on good volume.

Re: UpsideTrader

Steve — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 22:34:00 -0000

Stewie commented on his blog that he had a rough last week, and I believe you mentioned that Thursday was very difficult for you as well.

From what I participated in, Monday was the best day of the week from a day trade standpoint. With the commodity producers you had so many choices to short and they all ran in the morning and in the afternoon. After that with the exception of Friday afternoon, most of the action was in the opening gaps, so unless you had the correct position overnight, it was tough to make anything positive.

Traditionally the Fall has been where you see pivotal moves, so maybe that is when you get capitulation. Even though the long side has done better this month than in July, looking at credit spreads and Libor rates- credit is tight as a drum except the credit from the Feds to the large banks.

http://tinyurl.com/569lp4

But credit for the rest of the world is contracting which means on sideways intra day like Tuesday- Thursday, the best trade is to be long US Dollars!

Good luck to all this week!

Re: UpsideTrader

Steve — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 23:27:00 -0000

I thought you may like this chart.

http://tinyurl.com/6nyuph

Re: UpsideTrader

Steve — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 23:21:00 -0000

Re: Utilities

SDP looks like a good choice.

Re: UpsideTrader

Steve — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 21:57:00 -0000

Your Monday charts were spot on!

It seems to me that the precious metals have lead the rest of the commodities down. While oil, coal, ag, steel entered a blow off rally that ended at the end of the June, weak gold, silver and even copper prices never confirmed the summer rally.

When Gold made another run at 950 in the last month and failed, it seemed to be the start of the next leg down for the rest of the commodity sector. You had a weak rally on low volume during the 2 weeks before labor day and then the next leg down started.

With Gold weakening further, it may mean this weakness in the stronger commodities is evidence that that the primary trend could be changing to down after so many years of being up.

And it looks like the utilities are trading with the commodities. So many things to consider shorting yet so little time!

Re: UpsideTrader

Steve — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:25:00 -0000

What about your old friend FSLR?

This stock looks like it has been under distribution all summer long. In the the face of raging bull oil, it has not moved much higher than its late April high of 308.

283.45 looks like a lower summer high, and downside volume appears to be picking up. Gonna be interesting to see how it acts if and when oil bounces!

Do you think its pay back time?

Re: UpsideTrader

Steve — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 17:50:00 -0000

Thanks for your timely coverage of the financials.

What a day! :)

Hey Upside, who's your favorite financial short/chart? I vote for GS.

Re: UpsideTrader

Steve — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:09:00 -0000

Congrats on the BAC call!

Re: UpsideTrader

Steve — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 13:17:00 -0000

Nice morning to be away from the screen. Other than UAUA and the opening pop, its been a snore fest.

Re: UpsideTrader

Steve — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 17:00:00 -0000

Great call on MOS!

Thanks!

:)

Re: UpsideTrader

Steve — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 16:44:00 -0000

Speaking from some personal experience, GS is well positioned to discuss unemployment rates. Maybe they are forecasting further shrinkage in their own house.

Re: UpsideTrader

Steve — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 21:51:00 -0000

Hey Upside,

Just want to clarify your previous post.

Lets say IYR breaks 33.40 on strong volume and all of your other conditions are satisfied.

Do you short it right at the moment IYR breaks through 33.40, or do you wait to trigger your short only after the break and a slight retracement upward occurs in order to avoid chasing it? Thanks!

Re: UpsideTrader

Steve — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 18:03:00 -0000

Speaking of recipes, we tried your pot roast recipe from a few weeks back. Not bad!

Re: UpsideTrader

Steve — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 10:33:00 -0000

GS is sitting precariously below the 50 day ma. I wonder if the saying "the nail that sticks out the farthest gets hit the hardest" will apply here. They own the US government, and if they can't rally, I suppose nothing else will.

Re: UpsideTrader

Steve — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 18:58:00 -0000

They 'gonna give us some BBQ sauce for all this pork we got to eat!?!?

Re: UpsideTrader

Steve — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 20:38:00 -0000

Well, he doesn't have to pay my mortgage but finding a buyer for my house would be nice. So we can then buy a house in another city, for cash, and not take a mortgage. So my wife can take the higher paying job that she's been offered, but can't accept, until we move. So I can spend my money in an area more depressed than where I am. So we can help the system along a little.

Re: UpsideTrader

Steve — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 21:14:00 -0000

So, when do we move out of the US to....Oh hell, where CAN we move to?

Re: UpsideTrader

Steve — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 21:29:00 -0000

FAZ has often not been by friend, but liked me today. Bot when I saw GS looking ugly, sold to fazst as early! Interesting to look at the ag sector with Cummins. I'm "intellectually long" since last year.

Re: Off to Omaha

Steve — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 03:00:00 -0000

Your argument breaks down the minute a billboard company rejects a pro-gay ad. HRC, the NGLTF, and GLAAD would be all over that company demanding that they accept the billboard and undergo "sensitivity" training to make sure it never happens again.
It's a pretty good bet they refused this billboard because of the same homosexual activists who would be demanding that it be taken down because it's "hateful," "divisive" and "homophobic."

Re: Off to Omaha

Steve — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 14:50:34 -0000

Your argument breaks down the minute a billboard company rejects a pro-gay ad. HRC, the NGLTF, and GLAAD would be all over that company demanding that they accept the billboard and undergo "sensitivity" training to make sure it never happens again.

It's a pretty good bet they refused this billboard because of the same homosexual activists who would be demanding that it be taken down because it's "hateful," "divisive" and "homophobic."

Re: Anger As Entertainment - FOX News & Alec Baldwin

Steve — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 03:00:00 -0000

I think Kim released the audio of that message.
This is just a non-story, as much as the Imus affair was, to keep the masses sedated so they don't see what's really going on in the world.
How serene would the masses be if the MSM reporting looked like what Charles posts on a daily basis at Little Green Footballs? Did anyone hear about the young boy who beheaded a man?

Re: Anger As Entertainment - FOX News & Alec Baldwin

Steve — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 15:15:43 -0000

I think Kim released the audio of that message.

This is just a non-story, as much as the Imus affair was, to keep the masses sedated so they don't see what's really going on in the world.

How serene would the masses be if the MSM reporting looked like what Charles posts on a daily basis at Little Green Footballs? Did anyone hear about the young boy who beheaded a man?

Re: Gay Theology Billboards in Indy Defaced

Steve — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 03:00:00 -0000

That image they used to represent Jesus is just as offensive as their message.
We don't know what he looks like, but people have no problem portraying him as a white man.

Re: Gay Theology Billboards in Indy Defaced

Steve — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 15:14:50 -0000

That image they used to represent Jesus is just as offensive as their message.

We don't know what he looks like, but people have no problem portraying him as a white man.

Re: Can You Tell …

Steve — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 03:00:00 -0000

Hey Randy,
Did you turn comments off? All posts above this one don't have the link.
Also, as an FYI, the subscribe link under My Blog Basics is different then the one under Syndication.

Re: Can You Tell …

Steve — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 15:12:55 -0000

Hey Randy,

Did you turn comments off? All posts above this one don't have the link.

Also, as an FYI, the subscribe link under My Blog Basics is different then the one under Syndication.

Re: Darn it Dolly!

Steve — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 23:04:00 -0000

I read about that earlier. Probably not a place I'd put high on my list of places to visit.

Re: Obama’s Messaging

Steve — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 23:16:00 -0000

Randy Thomas for Obama! ;)

j/k

Re: Darn it Dolly!

Steve — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 14:04:00 -0000

I read about that earlier. Probably not a place I'd put high on my list of places to visit.

Re: Obama’s Messaging

Steve — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 14:16:00 -0000

Randy Thomas for Obama! ;)

j/k

Re: Darn it Dolly!

Steve — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 19:45:00 -0000

Yeah, I pretty much read exclusively in Google Reader.

Hey, I sent you an email, don't know if you saw it yet.

Re: Gay Initiation Class Seeks to Teach Proper Gayness

Steve — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 19:46:00 -0000

Sometimes I'm so glad that I didn't go to a big college/university where I would have had to put up with this crap.

Re: Darn it Dolly!

Steve — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 10:45:00 -0000

Yeah, I pretty much read exclusively in Google Reader.

Hey, I sent you an email, don't know if you saw it yet.

Re: Gay Initiation Class Seeks to Teach Proper Gayness

Steve — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 10:46:00 -0000

Sometimes I'm so glad that I didn't go to a big college/university where I would have had to put up with this crap.

Re: Darn it Dolly!

Steve — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 12:29:00 -0000

On the 9th, to the email listed in your blogger profile. If that's the right email address, I can try sending it again.

Re: Darn it Dolly!

Steve — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 03:29:00 -0000

On the 9th, to the email listed in your blogger profile. If that's the right email address, I can try sending it again.

Re: Twenty-one Reasons Why English Is Hard to Learn

Steve — Thu, 23 Nov 2006 20:25:14 -0000

Stop there!
It's funny ha ha, that's all. Some of you are som far up your own arses (not asses) that you know what you've had for lunch.

Americans are self centred and a bit dim, so what, most of the ones you meet are bearable, loud, but bearable.

So relax, sit back and let the Yanks destroy our beautiful language.

Re: 40 Things That Only Happen In The Movies

Steve — Sat, 21 Apr 2007 09:37:38 -0000

"Television news bulletins usually contain a story that affects you personally at the precise moment it’s aired."

Also, if someone phones someone up and says "look at the news!" the TV will turn on to the news bulletin, no matter how long it takes to turn the TV on.

Re: Even Wordpress Dickfarts… Playlist

Steve — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 21:10:30 -0000

Nice sorry playlist. I might need to referr to it when I fuck up with the wife.

Re: Cingular 8125: Day 3 | A View from Judi Sohn

Steve — Tue, 14 Mar 2006 11:14:36 -0000

guys, FYI; you can turn off the proxy and use your wifi for IE (as well as other apps that need the internet). That is what I did. And I chose to buy the phone, not the data plan since I can use Wi-Fi most of the time anyway.

Re: Cingular 8125: Day 3 | A View from Judi Sohn

Steve — Tue, 14 Mar 2006 11:17:29 -0000

Additionally Mozilla does have a portable browser version, and it is free.

Re: Comcast DVR mute “bug” | A View from Judi Sohn

Steve — Mon, 10 Apr 2006 01:40:59 -0000

Gad. Just ran into this problem tonight - what a pain. I live in Huntsville, Alabama where Comcast was doing a trial with the Moxi DVR and after using it for a few months, it's really painful to go back to the 6412. It totally locks up every 1-2 days (have to pull the power from the back of the box to recover, then wait hours for the EPG data to repopulate), and now this....

Re: New York MTA’s New MetroCard Fare: Sneaky & Questionable

Steve — Fri, 30 May 2008 13:39:37 -0000

In the movie office space disgruntled employees write a get rich quick program that syphons off fractions of a cent from every transaction.
Is this any different?
How many millions of dollars will mta make in all those useless balances which are fractions of the fare.
We are a sorry bunch of suckers.

Re: Vermouth - Straight up!

Steve — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 09:18:48 -0000

Hi Ryan,

I was a big fan of the Manhattan when I lived there and it was the local drink. I usually took the vermouth for granted, which in retrospect seems to be a mistake. The older I get the more it makes sense to forgo the whiskey altogether. Thanks for the suggestions.

Re: 2+1 Iberian Wine Poll - Steve DeLong of the Delong Wine Chart

Steve — Sat, 19 Aug 2006 14:48:18 -0000

Hi Ryan,

Thanks for the very good consise answer to my old world/new world question. It could probably become a book length essay that may be better explained over a glass or ten in Barcelona!

Re: Catalan Mushrooms

Steve — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 14:29:07 -0000

Hi Ryan,

Beautiful descriptions of the market, the day etc. Sounds like life is good in your new home!

Re: Iberian Wine Myth Busters - Why Vintage Doesn’t Matter

Steve — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 12:08:41 -0000

As they say in California: "every year's a vintage year!"

Re: Heading back - Thoughts on Two Years of Portuguese and Spanish Wine

Steve — Sat, 16 Dec 2006 16:52:37 -0000

Hi Ryan,

A very thoughtful piece of writing but it does give the impression that you're leaving for good. Glad to hear that you're not.

We're all headed down to Jerez for Christmas. Any recommendations?

Cheers,

Steve

Re: Tim Elliot of Winecast on the Catavino Roof!

Steve — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 16:27:20 -0000

Are you guys still on the roof?

I wanna drink up there.

Greetings from London.

Cheers,

Steve

Re: Tim Elliot of Winecast on the Catavino Roof!

Steve — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 09:13:10 -0000

Yes, tough life! Thanks for the warm invite -I hope to be there sooner rather than later!

Re: Iberian News from Around the Web

Steve — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 18:52:11 -0000

I read about Jose Penin for the first time in a Jancis Robinson note on her site in the past week. Why is he "infamous"? Is the 2008 Guide available in English in the U.S. (Amazon only has 2007)? The link in you post to the Penin Guide is not working.

Re: What is the Flavor of Rioja?

Steve — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 03:00:08 -0000

Great synopsis on the current situation in Rioja!

I would imagine that most people think of oak (esp. American oak) more than acidity. But yes, the best Rioja wines have a relatively high acidity which is remarkable coming from relatively low acid grape varieties - Tempranillo, Garnacha and Viura. The high but amazinly balanced concentrations of acid and oak in Lopez de Heredia's wines are probably why they age so well. But the modern red wines seem to be more high oak, low acid like most smooth drinking international-style wines. Are high acid reds only popular with wine geeks?

Re: Entertaining and Controversial Links around the Web

Steve — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 12:30:36 -0000

I think blogging and paper can happily co-exist! That's my sweeping statement and I'm sticking with it.

Re: http://blog.thegreenasterisk.com/2007/04/ok-i-give-up-creationism-is-not-science.html

Steve — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 21:00:00 -0000

That's a very good point, but I think you're missing something very important:

Those who believe in creationism are working off of a six-thousand year old tradition of the belief in God and for at least half of that time it is reported that God was visually and audibly identifiable by several witnesses. Maybe we are putting "faith" in these accounts, but I don't think it's any more faith than a scientist would put into those things which he researches. I think the "reason" you're looking for in Creationism would then be a deep study of anthropology and man's continual return to the idea that is "God." But then, that gets into philosophical arguments. The point is that if it can reasonably be argued that there is a God (or a higher, all-powerful being in general), then it can also be reasonably deduced that this being created the universe.

Also, I'm sorry, but my deep Creationist upbringing forced me include "Big Bang" and "Abiogenesis" in "evolution." In the creationist world it's really evolution vs. creation where evolution = all non-God scientific theories.

Re: http://blog.thegreenasterisk.com/2007/04/ok-i-give-up-creationism-is-not-science.html

Steve — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 21:02:00 -0000

One more thing - I think Creationism can eventually be falsifiable once we can agree that there are no more dimensions in which to search for God. As it is now, there are so many more dimensions than the three we see. I think it's perfectly reasonable to look for God in a higher dimension. Once we are advanced enough to have searched all these dimensions and still don't find God, then Creationism will have a big problem on its hands.

Re: http://blog.thegreenasterisk.com/2007/04/ok-i-give-up-creationism-is-not-science.html

Steve — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 13:12:00 -0000

All good points, but I still think you're missing something. If creationism is real, then what we're saying is that not only can it eventually be verified by science, but it was started by an intelligent being. Now, if it was started by an intelligent being then you can no more claim to know how it happened (aside from seeing it) then you can claim to know how an anvil got in the middle of the road. You can speculate, of course, but the only real way you're going to get verifiable proof is to find the person who put it there and ask him if and how he did it. This has the opportunity of both verifying and falsifying Creationism because if you find God and he says yes, he did it, then you have verified while if you find him and he says no or if you can't find him, then you have falsified. Everything in the universe has shown to have a finite ending, so it is, therefore, not an "endless" search, just a very long one. You can't rule out the search for God until you have covered the entire Universe.

I think you're missing something about personal testimonies, too. All of them say generally the same thing: "I was lost, I figured out what to do, I did it, now I'm fulfilled." These findings are repeated time and time again by each person who decides to take that leap of faith and after generation after generation of people doing the exact same thing, repeating it over and over, I think you can safely assume that this particular finding is repeatable.

Also, you mention the real argument being religion vs. science. "Religion" is an entirely different issue unto itself. Religion, being defined as a set of beliefs that a person follows, can be applied to belief in God, belief in aliens or even belief in science. The issue here is that if there really is a God and if he really did create the Universe, then science should eventually corroborate. That has absolutely nothing to do with whether or not you should follow his commandments or read his holy book or even pray to him.

See, you're falling into a common trap, and that is to reject a theory based on the community from which it comes. It's very easy and understandable to fall into that trap. The community is, doubtless, a faith-based community in that people sign up by trusting that God can save them from destruction, but the theory of Creationism, in order to be understood logically, must be separated from that community and its religious rules and looked at objectively. This is also true of the statement "String Theory . . . refer[s] to what is natural phenomena and not supernatural gods." To understand Creationism you must separate it from its religious roots and understand that if it is true then "gods" are not "supernatural" or, as I said in the article, "magic." If Creationism is true, then God exists on a higher plain of existence that can eventually be tested and observed. Perhaps not with our current understanding or our current tools, but eventually.

Re: http://blog.thegreenasterisk.com/2007/04/ok-i-give-up-creationism-is-not-science.html

Steve — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 12:01:00 -0000

Well, good - from your comments I'm confident that you understand the point of the article - which is that Creationism is not science. Of course that is only the first point of the article. The second point of the article is that science is not something we can trust to give us anything of value beyond mechanical understanding. It is always changing and always unsure of itself. People may be sure in science, but if science were a sentient being it would probably tell those people to back off a little because he doesn't completely know what he's talking about yet.

I understand your arguments and I concede that perhaps God cannot be in nature, but the fact that science is so limited that it can never give us purpose and so changeable that it can never give us a standard truth is proof enough for me that it is nothing to hang my hat on. So science only concerns itself with nature; ok, well, what if we find out beyond a shadow of doubt that there is something beyond nature? What are you to do? Science has limited itself to nature. It can go no further. You can try and apply your scientific method to it, but who's to say it will work?

For me, the measurable, repeatable tests of faith in God has been the fact that there has never been a generation in all of history that did not have a large group of people who believe in God or some form of the supernatural. Truth, like the plant in a deeply buried seed, always finds its way to the top. If this is true, the "lie" of God should have been buried long ago.

I hope you understand that I agree with you that Creationism is not science - use whatever reason for this that you choose. But science is not and will never be enough to explain the fullness of human existence or its origin. You can make a lot of very creative and very believable theories using science, but you can never answer "What was before that?" Incidentally, you can make a lot of very creative and very believable theories using science to back-up Creationism, too. Does that make them true science? No. It just shows you exactly how unsure science can be.

Do you want proof that God exists? He has given it to you and you don't believe it. You've made the choice we're all called on to make. You have faith and you believe in science. As for me, I cannot hold on to the limitations of science. I am convinced through a study of history and anthropology that there must be something beyond.

Re: http://blog.thegreenasterisk.com/2007/05/iconcur.html

Steve — Tue, 01 May 2007 16:27:00 -0000

lol - no, I'm not kidding you - Google really did change the Personalized Homepage to iGoogle. If you think the article is about me approving, well . . . that's what you read into it. Sure I do, but this was more of a report than a editorial.

As for being an Apple hater . . . well, we all have the right to be wrong.

And . . . yeah, I know, the "i" is not because of Apple. There needs to be a standard HTML sarcasm tag.

Google will never "go Apple" because it will alienate the majority of its users. However, the two companies are extremely similar. If you want to quit using it because of its similarity to Apple, you might as well now. The atmospheres of the two companies have been exactly the same since inception.

Now to address the logo: I do believe there are a couple of gadgets specifically addressing that. iGoogle was missing the Google Doodles even when it was called Google Personalized Homepage. So . . . that's what's wrong with that.

Re: http://blog.thegreenasterisk.com/2008/04/expelled-no-intelligence-allowed.html

Steve — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 13:50:00 -0000

The connection is not that they held Darwinism to be true, but that they lived by the same principle of natural selection - that the strong must survive and the weak must be eliminated.

Re: http://blog.thegreenasterisk.com/2008/04/expelled-no-intelligence-allowed.html

Steve — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 13:54:00 -0000

and, of course, the other connection, (not that they thought Darwinism was true) is that they censored certain schools of thought much the same way today's scientific community is censoring intelligent design.

I suppose watching the movie one could be lead to believe that Nazis believed in evolution, but that's not the point Stien was trying to make. What he was saying is that they followed similar principles whether they believed in evolution or not.

Re: http://blog.thegreenasterisk.com/2009/06/choose-your-own-penny-arcade-adventure.html

Steve — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:17:54 -0000

that's right, Jim Darkmagic gets his own tag. Cause he's just that awesome.

Re: http://blog.thegreenasterisk.com/2009/06/what-does-cracked-story-mean.html

Steve — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 16:07:03 -0000

Pretty sweet. Now he has to rediscover the archeology of an entirely different world. I assume Mutt has a space-cycle?

Re: 1and1 Dedicated servers are… at Scattered

Steve — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 12:24:51 -0000

Ive been with 1and1 for about 3 years. I realise this is an old blog (with some new posts) so thought I would have my say...

I am running the business root server with un-metered bandwith and in 3 years have never had an issue with my server. I have phoned for advise a few times and whilst the first point of contact was like talking to a book, the second level support wasnt that bad. but 1 things for sure, I got to speak to somebody HUMAN !

I dont know much about VPN's however I have been convinced since day 1 that this root server was running on my OWN box exclusively for me.

I mean, Surely you cannot reboot a VPN machine without affecting other users ?

I have no performance issues, no restrictions (apart from 100 domains) and would recommend 1and1 to absolutely anybody looking for a decent hosting solution.

Re: Search Everything Wordpress Plugin at Scattered

Steve — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 13:16:59 -0000

Great job with the plugin. Everything seems to work great, but I was wondering if there is a way to make the search results non case sensitive? Thanks.

Re: Search Everything Wordpress Plugin at Scattered

Steve — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 13:24:20 -0000

One more question. When a search term is found from a comment the results display the post that the comment was made on, but not the comment itself. The user would then have to click on comments in order to actually find the searched for term. Any ideas on how to fix this problem?

Re: spiderman 3 villains

Steve — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 06:24:00 -0000

im just happy venom is in it i was hoping he would be. asking for carnage is a bit much. they may show eddie and cassidy in jail together. the symbiote would get inside their jail cell and get on both of them with carnage being born and in spiderman 4 they would obviously break out.

Re: Herb Chambers complaint, commentary & update

Steve — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:35:12 -0000

I recently checked into purchasing a pre-owned vehicle from Herb Chambers Saturn of Warwick and I must say, I have seen some badly run businesses in my time, but this places takes it to a whole new low. First things first, my salesperson Bob pretty much tried to bully me into buying a vehicle which I was not the least bit interested in. I believe the term "grinding" could be used to describe his sales tactics, boring me to death with non-stop double talk and nonsense in the most monotone voice I have ever heard. After suffering through several hours of his torment, I was directed to speak with the general manager, who seemed more like he couldn't even hold a job at Burger King, much less manage a multi-million dollar dealership. I found myself wondering if he had wandered in from the local methadone clinic or perhaps escaped from a mental institute. As he stared at me blankly with his bloodshot eyes and stuttered incoherently I felt as if my attempt at purchasing a vehicle was too bothersome for him to worry about. I was utterly disgusted by my experience and instead purchased a vehicle from Flood Ford a few miles down the road and was very pleased with the treatment they give to their customers.

Re: Rich in Love

Steve — Thu, 19 Aug 2004 23:37:15 -0000

Just a random comment, but I strongly suspect (without really caring enough to actually read *all* of the comments here, much less the original reference) that this debate confuses correlation with causation.

The classic example is that car theft statistics show a rise in correlation with ice cream sales statistics. Both statistics rise at the same time in the year - during the summer, when it's hot and people are out more. People being out more means more opportunities for car theft, and hot weather means that the simplest means of entering a locked car - bashing in a window - is less noticable (cops tend to look at you suspiciously if you're driving around in the winter with your window rolled all the way down to hide the fact that it's been bashed in).

People who have sex at least once a week are msot likely (except for outliers) in long-term, sexually active relationships. Of course they are likely to be happier. This is a correlation, not a causation.

Re: Lawyers abandon Nkomo sodomy victim

Steve — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 08:48:17 -0000

Akashudwa aktera, akabvumirei ndeyekwake iyo

Re: Another Look at Why Harold Ford Jr Lost - the Sister Vote

Steve — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 20:21:00 -0000

Why in God's name would you care who Harold Ford dated? I mean this is silly. I could care less who he sleeps with. If he dumped his girlfriend, so what.

I mean, Oprah's had white boyfriends, people would be laughed at if they didn't watch her show for that reason. Halle Berry has white men all over her in the movies, besides being having a white mother.

He's a politician. Judge him on his record. If he's not going to date you, that's an issue you might want to leave outside the voting booth.

I don't remember anyone asking who Cynthia McKinney was dating, when Bill Maher drooled all over her on TV

Re: Fox Pretends to Mistake Conyers for Jefferson

Steve — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 14:37:00 -0000

I think Fox Noise's real purpose here is even more insidious - to link an obvious Democratic Scumbag (Rep. Jefferson) to the (perhaps unfair?) "persecution" of Alberto Gonzales, who is prominently displayed in the video.

Re: Another ‘Isolated’ Racial Insult of Obama

Steve — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 16:23:00 -0000

If he meant 'bob and weave' why didn't he say that or correct himself?

What public Clinton supporters have said...some of these were supposed compliments.....is there a trend?

Let's just use the words and you tell me....

Hussein - Kerrey

Muslim - Kerrey

Drug distribution - Penn

Madrassa - Kerrey

Fairy Tale - Clinton

That Kid - Clinton

Shuck and Jive - Cuomo

Re: Another ‘Isolated’ Racial Insult of Obama

Steve — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 08:40:00 -0000

Rep. Clyburn speaks out...

Representative James E. Clyburn of South Carolina, the highest-ranking African-American in Congress, said he was rethinking his neutral stance in his state’s presidential primary out of disappointment at comments by Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton that he saw as diminishing the historic role of civil rights activists.

“To call that dream a fairy tale, which Bill Clinton seemed to be doing, could very well be insulting to some of us,” said Mr. Clyburn

Re: South Carolina Repeat: Clinton Falsely Attacks Obama’s Pro-Choice Stance Based On "Present" Votes

Steve — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 14:33:00 -0000

More on the present votes..

In more than 50 votes, he seemed to be acting in concert with other Democrats as part of a strategy.

In at least 45 instances, Obama voted with large numbers of fellow Democrats as part of the tactical skirmishing with Republicans over the budget.

Seven other times, he voted that way as part of a broad strategy devised by abortion rights advocates to counter anti-abortion bills.

Lisa Madigan, the Illinois attorney general who was in the Illinois Senate with Obama from 1998 through 2002, said she and Obama voted present on the anti-abortion bills."It's just plain wrong to imply that voting present reflected a lack of leadership," Madigan said. "In fact, it was the exact opposite."

Re: Romney Drops Out; Blames Al Qaeda

Steve — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 22:15:00 -0000

Do the Romney apologists seriously believe that:

(a) Romney folded from the race with any motive other than to preserve his prospects for 2012?

(b) Obama / HRC's plans to withdraw from Iraq and minimise the damage yet to be caused by that disastrous invasion represent a victory for radical Islam? Radicalism will surely be the biggest loser from a withdrawal.

Even amongst conservative Republicans, Romney represented a best of the worst, who'd flip-flopped on too many issues to be credible but (in the words of some of his supporters I saw on CNN) was "at least saying the right things now".

He pumped $millions into his campaign, completely rescinded many of the views he'd professed before he had his eye on the top job, and then crashed and burned. Sure it's a waste.

Re: Keith Olberman Comes Correct On Clinton And Ferraro

Steve — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 12:34:00 -0000

One thing is true - a bunch of these CBC folks just undercut their own credibility to be outraged later when the Republicans pull these tactics because they are completely silent now because they have lined-up behind HRC.

Re: http://consequenceofsound.net/2008/08/12/girl-talk-adds-more-dates/

Steve — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:30:28 -0000

ATHENS, OHIO PLEEEEAAASE

Re: Lollapalloza remembers 2008, thinks 2009

Steve — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 15:00:41 -0000

this girltalk show was so ridiculous there was way to many people for that small stage, but that just made it awesome!

Re: 2007’s Top 50 Albums: #1 - Boxer

Steve — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 18:51:33 -0000

actually, paste calls them the "white-collar" e street band> how could you miss this, considering the E Street Band are a blue collar band.

Re: Beale Street Music Festival

Steve — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 22:00:37 -0000

I travel from Maine each year. The wonderfull thing about this concert is the variety. A little of everything. I thrive on live performances and BSMF has the best bang for my buck. Tax season will be over and it will be time to travel around catch great tunes, Gamble in Tunica and just live. Stop fussing about who's gonna play. Its all good.

Re: Continuous Partial Attention

Steve — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 22:26:27 -0000

Touchstone is available from <a href="http://www.touchstonelive.com " rel="nofollow">www.touchstonelive.com - I believe there is an Easter Egg somewhere if you want a test invite.

Re: It’s Time to Buy a Mac

Steve — Fri, 15 Jul 2005 13:49:18 -0000

He didn't say he couldn't fix it...he's just saying its a funny error. You guys need to get your panties out of a bunch.

Re: OhGizmo! » Archive » The Kiss DP558 HDD/Ethernet DVD Player

Steve — Tue, 26 Jul 2005 22:49:30 -0000

Hi,

I have a Dp-588 80 Gb, which is actually quite sufficient, allthough more diskspace never hurst.
Note however that it doesn't support WMA, which is only a minor setback.

KISS has been gradually releasing new firmware to make this thing do what they claim it does, and now it allmost does. I actually have gotten quite fond of it. And face it, how many people really record and then burn shows to DVD. There are people who do it, but they are better of with ftp'ing it to their PC, and using the mouse to compose their DVD.

Re: OhGizmo! » Archive » Electricity + Water = Fire

Steve — Mon, 28 Nov 2005 14:51:10 -0000

People! We are not trying to get something from nothing, or get more energy out than we put in, but think how cool and Earth-friendly it would be to bypass ALL the gas pumps, everyday, thumb your nose at Propane and fuel-up from your garden hose. It is already being done.

The trick here is to produce fuel at LOWER cost than the current $3.00/gallon for gasoline or diesel - which Iâ€™m told is 60%taxed anyway, and bound to go higher in the next few years. Check it outâ€¦ We ARE running out of fossil fuels FASTER that previously thought or published!!!.

Extract (on-demand) MASSIVE amounts of Hydrogen for pennies, safely, right in your own home using readily available materials: Water containers (WalMart), Stainless-Steel plates (local metalshop or tin smith), cables and connectors (local DIY shops),good quality acid-resistant hoses (Aquarium supply or WalMart), some 3-liter soda bottles (free) and water

Re: OhGizmo! » Archive » Compact Concepts Circular Kitchen

Steve — Wed, 31 May 2006 15:18:18 -0000

I think my sister had something like this for her Barbies in the 70's

Re: OhGizmo! » Archive » Wego Kite Tube

Steve — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 01:56:00 -0000

Wego kite tube pulled fom the market, the END!

Re: OhGizmo! » Archive » You Sunk My Battleship! - Literally

Steve — Sun, 30 Jul 2006 01:05:16 -0000

http://www.ircwcc.org/

Re: OhGizmo! » Archive » Japanese Scientists Create True 3D Display

Steve — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 05:32:30 -0000

3D technology labs had this technology working on a small scale 10 years ago. See http://www.3dtl.com/
It is very hard to take this to the next step towards usefulness (I wish the Japanese luck). The status of the 3D technology labs is not clear from the website.

Re: OhGizmo! » Archive » Golden Tee Home Golf Game

Steve — Sat, 16 Dec 2006 13:56:38 -0000

In Canada, it's in the Superstore flyer this week for $29.98. I'm on my way to get one!

Re: OhGizmo! » Archive » Hand Pumped Automotive Greeting

Steve — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 22:00:58 -0000

This is gonna get someone killed :)

Re: OhGizmo! » Archive » Top 5 Nap Tech

Steve — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 22:50:11 -0000

What about pzizz? It's not expensive hardware, but it is gadgety .... and it actually does work and is useful.

Re: OhGizmo! » Archive » Aptera Electric/Hybrid Car On Pre-Order for $500

Steve — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 05:09:42 -0000

Wauw!!
300 miles per gallon!!!!
Most cars drive like what? 40 miles per gallon?

Re: OhGizmo! » Archive » Tetrical Advances The Game Of Tetris

Steve — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 12:04:33 -0000

Actually, such a 3D version of Tetris has been around for about 20 years. The original is called "BlockOut" and ran under DOS. There are updated versions around, including "Blockout II", which runs under all versions of Windows.

Re: OhGizmo! » Archive » Fishtank Friday: Fish Overpass

Steve — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 20:13:39 -0000

So, all that water's held up by an air pump pumping air out of the top? I have just two words: Power outage.

Re: OhGizmo! » Archive » MagicJack To Be The New Skype?

Steve — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 21:50:09 -0000

hey, i have a couple questions...it has free logn distance in the us and canada...so if you get a magic jack adn give it to someone in china, how does that make it free? are all MJ to MJ calls free no matter where in the world they are? another question...it says taht you get a phone number based on where you live but they only have a select amount of numbers that you can get right now...i realize that i can get outgoing calls for free, but what about the people that want to call me? Do people that call me get charged long distance? If my phone # is from a location 50 miles away, and my neighbor calls me, do they get charged long distance cause the number is based far away? also, since the magic jack is portable, if i live in nc, and then move to ohio, who gets charged to call me lnog distance then? i realize its still free for my outgoing calls, but what about my incoming calls? another thing...it has free caller id, ...if your computer is turned off, and then you turn it back on, will MJ show you what calls were missed while the comp was turned off? i realize this is a lot of questions, but i remain unclear on this stuff and would like to know, thanks

Re: OhGizmo! » Archive » Pogo! Radio YourWay Mini - Digital Radio Recorder

Steve — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:34:10 -0000

Hey Drew, buzz off. We're trying to have an intelligent conversation about a neat product! (why is he here???)

I've been waiting for something like this for a while. It wasn't until today I decided to actually look for it since I've not seen it advertised.

Re: Guestbook

Steve — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 23:01:37 -0000

You are gorgeous! and your music is just lovely. So talented...Happy Christmas.

Re: Copyright as Intellectual Property Privilege

Steve — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 21:00:34 -0000

Thought it may be better served if divided into two different shorter papers. You make a good case for "intellectual privilege" but there are other (valid) elements that you include. If presented as is, I think your audience might lose focus. If in a book, it feels like two different chapters to me.

"Both copyright and government provide public goods; expressive works in the one case, peace and prosperity in the other."
I read it quickly, but this sentence caught my eye. Earlier in the paper you talk about anti-property. For that sentence, Copyright is more of an anti-good.
Copyright creates nothing. It denies further acts of creation.

Re: The Indymac Short Sale and Loan Modification Truth

Steve — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 14:39:28 -0000

Thank you for your reply. My post was a general complaint both at myself and the industry as a whole. What would be the purpose of a loan modification - and how would that be accomplished?

Is Washington Mutual hard to work with for said modification? I am not necessarily under duress financially (however, we are expecting our financial commitments to increase while our income is flat).

How about doing a case study?

Re: Huckabee Tops GOP Power Rankings, Paul Takes Third

Steve — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 10:33:22 -0000

Gore? How could someone be fore Ron Paul now and Gore before? Ron Paul is small and hands off, Gore is all about telling us what to do through federal and "world" laws. We would have been even worse off with that nut case.

Re: Annie's Massage Bangkok

Steve — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 10:18:53 -0000

Please can you reply ....

this post has been moved to the forum by admin

Re: State Leaving Election Results to Media For Now

Steve — Sat, 11 Nov 2006 15:22:07 -0000

Not updated The Associated Press is doing all the leg work, not the Rocky or the Post.

Results haven't been updated since Wednesday morning, meaning the SOS race and the CU Regent's Race are still up in the air......

Re: All About Eric

Steve — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 13:03:02 -0000

LOL! Thanks for the chuckle... I had the feeling that Eric was a closet case! Or at least at a minimum a first class narscist.

Re: CREW Files Complaint Against Minnesota Republican Party

Steve — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 18:56:48 -0000

So, let's see.. A member of the MNGOP complained about massive systemic corruption within that organization. No one disputes that fact.

You agree that the FEC was willing to take up this claim.

You agree that CREW filed a complaint compelling the FEC to do so...but now you claim the story is that the reporter's parent organization might have a second level removed contact with an organization that might have a contact with the organization that filed...whatever...what?

The massive systemic corruption among the MNGOP seems to be the story here. I'm not sure what else Ike and MON consider "newsworthy". Care to enlighten?

Re: CREW Files Complaint Against Minnesota Republican Party

Steve — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 03:20:05 -0000

This is too rich Carey and the MNGOP should and will get a fair hearing. I don't think I ever implied otherwise.

As to the rest, "Do we know if the CREW is front organization for the Democratic party and/or left wing groups? Do we know who staffs the CREW? Do we know what their political backgrounds are like? Do we know where their money comes from?" etc.

Actually, yes we do. They've cleverly tried to cover their tracks by setting up a website answering these questions, as I'm sure you figured out by yourself. You did actually put some research into this, right? You're not just running off half-cocked are you?

I'm still amused by how Hilary Clinton was painted as a nutter for suggesting a "vast right wing conspiracy" but every time something happens you guys don't like you jump up and down screaming that it must be the vast left wing conspiracy. Really, keep it up. It's great fun for the rest of us.

Re: CREW Files Complaint Against Minnesota Republican Party

Steve — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 18:56:48 -0000

So, let's see.. A member of the MNGOP complained about massive systemic corruption within that organization. No one disputes that fact.

You agree that the FEC was willing to take up this claim.

The massive systemic corruption among the MNGOP seems to be the story here. I'm not sure what else Ike and MON consider "newsworthy". Care to enlighten?

Re: CREW Files Complaint Against Minnesota Republican Party

Steve — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 03:20:05 -0000

This is too rich Carey and the MNGOP should and will get a fair hearing. I don't think I ever implied otherwise.

Re: Sources for FOX Attacks! The Environment

Steve — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 12:57:05 -0000

Hmm... still not sure about this global warming stuff... if its true then:
1. the world is dying, first time in 4 billion years
2. the steps that we're taking is to stop 1 green house gas, ignoring other green house gasses in the air that are causing more damage.
3. The co2 is being decreased while other gases that are 10x worse are taking their places
4. The steps being taken to curb co2 is effecting 5th world countries and keeping them pour. Only china are sayong 'no' to it while sth african countries are just dying.

Not sure about what we're doing ethically. This seems to be the next great passive-smoking movement and i'm not putting my name to it.

Re: FOX ATTACKS! Iran on FoxNews.com! (with a bonus response to Bob Steele)

Steve — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 22:38:28 -0000

www.nowarforisrael.com

As for the 'wipe Israel of the map' statement that IS A LIE. The exact translation was that the criminal regime in Jeruslaem will fall, just as the Soviet and Nazi regimes fell. The fall of these regimes didnt mean the end of the Russian and German people. That is what Ahmedinejad had in mind.

Patriotic Americans have had enough of these wars for Israeli domination of the region and the sooner we dump Israel the better for they bring us only trouble, they are not worth it.

Re: FOX ATTACKS! Business

Steve — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 09:59:47 -0000

IDAHO - Regular church attendance proven to increase household income. The new Craig line of Narrow bathroom stalls means a shorter wait time too! Story at 7:00.

NEW ORLEANS - slow rebuilding has proven to be great for the economy despite gloom and doom liberals trying to say otherwise from their shabby trailer homes.

WASHINGTON D.C. - Homeland Security's new Rainbow Threat Meter has passed the line. New businesses will invest in manufacturing home versions if the color aquamarine is added to pull it away from that progressive, liberal, gay agenda. So which is it America? Rich America or Gay America? Our telephone polls will be on this topic tonight . . . call 1-800-FAUXbiz !

Re: FOX Attacks Decency… with Bill O’Reilly Leading the Way

Steve — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 10:35:58 -0000

How is your use of the video to scold Fox any different then Fox using it to scold the public? Looks to me like you are using sex to get people to read an article that should be on the "A-LA-CARTE" cable system, which is what the petition is really for, right?

Re: FOX Attacks Decency… with Bill O’Reilly Leading the Way

Steve — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 12:14:43 -0000

Actualy this is kinda funny. I mean why is there even an argument. We are on a web site called FoxAttacks and we are surprised and angry that every article is a hit piece? LAUGHABLE

Re: FOX Reporter Squashed by Father’s Words on Wright

Steve — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 08:40:44 -0000

Video looks fake and not Fox News.

Re: MLS and USL based players in the Gold Cup

Steve — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 14:55:00 -0000

NB: Pat Onstad (Houston Dynamo/Canada) has just been called up. You can read about it here.

Re: FC Dallas Defeats Seattle in Open Cup

Steve — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 11:29:00 -0000

?

Seattle - Dallas: 1 - 2

Re: Going long

Steve — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 05:41:52 -0000

Let's do that Hollis run again. I may be a slacker, but I've still got 12 miles in me.

Re: Going long II

Steve — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 17:08:26 -0000

I may be an empty cup...but my mug is always full.

Re: NashuaTelegraph.com: Blogs

Steve — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 17:15:26 -0000

I didn't know you liked De La Soul...well, you learn something new every day.

Re: NashuaTelegraph.com: Blogs

Steve — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 12:30:31 -0000

I went googling and found a trail running blog you might be interested in. This particular link features a kid who organized a trail run in Brevard, NC, where my parents live. Her mom and dad own what I consider the world's best bakery...a great place for coffee and carbs after a morning trail run! http://runtrails.blogspot.com/2005/12/julias-se...>

Re: More cowbell

Steve — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 07:10:25 -0000

It must be a really slow news day, right? Thanks for the mention, Andrew. Maybe we can start rehearsing while running...and call ourselves Band on the Run.

Re: a quick read

Steve — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 22:10:24 -0000

I started reading Why We Run. (Thanks for the loan.) I'm struck by what a good writer Heinrich is. I love his descriptions of running in natural settings, observing plants and wildlife. It seems funny that a 5-k jogger like me imagines that he can relate to the thoughts and feelings of an ultradistance runner.

Re: Explorer.exe - Unable to locate component

Steve — Sun, 31 Aug 2003 08:45:00 -0000

Thanks Kevin for the accurate info on solving this problem. The problem showed up right after I installed my Olympus camera software. The software was not suitable for Windows xp. And, when I did a search on Google for this problem, I got a lot of bad advice (except for your posting) - it was mostly a matter of installing uxtheme.dll in the wrong directory.

Good troubleshooting and remedy! Many thanks.

Re: Explorer.exe - Unable to locate component

Steve — Wed, 01 Sep 2004 03:03:43 -0000

Thanks so much, Kevin. Ran into this problem this morning. Don't know why. Your solution seems to have worked well.

Re: Ralph Reed to Jim Wallis: Rejecting the Liberal “Straw Man”

Steve — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 23:59:47 -0000

Many good points have been made here on both "sides." I was particularly struck by the statements made about relationships. We are creatures of realationship as is God who made us in His image. The problem is that man's divine imprint has been marred and distorted by his sin and sin leads to death - both physical and spiritual. And because of sin a relationship with God is not possible because as the Bible so plainly points out "our sin separates us from God" (this is the essence of "spiritual death"). What then is this thing called sin that alienates us from our Creator? Sin is "transgression of God's law" according to the Bible. God's moral law is most explicitly and plainly defined by the 10 commandments: You shall not lie, you shall not steal, Jesus said you shall not look with lust which is adultery in God's eyes. And if any one hates his brother he is considered a murderer in God's eyes (to name just a few). So while God did not intend us to take certain passages of scripture literally (i.e. Jesus said "if your right hand causes you to sin cut it off"), He did however tell us to "seek His face" as we prayerfully read His inspired Word so we can gain His help in understanding its true meaning (rightly divide the Word of truth).
Some things are quite plain. Lying is lying, stealing is stealing, looking with lust is adultery. These things are not allegory - they ARE to be taken literally. God wants us to know Him and His true righteous and holy and just Character as revealed in scripture. In the case of "cutting off your hand" above Jesus did not advocate self mutilation, but rather He meant we should deal harshly with our sin - show it no mercy. "Cut off" the things that make us stumble and lead us into sin and bondage to that sin which leads to death and judgment. Our one true God is rich in mercy, slow to anger, is willing that none would perish, and yet He does and will punish all sin (many WILL perish sadly because they don't take the way of escape God has provided). What is that way of escape? The prescription for avoiding eternal death in hell and entering into a personal loving relationship with God is Jesus Christ and His sinless life, death, and resurrection. So how do we obtain the forgiveness we all so desperately need that Jesus has purchased with His sinless blood for us on the cross? Repent and believe in Jesus and you will be saved. This is the resounding theme of the entire New Testament. The word "Repent" means simply to turn away from "self" and what our sinful selfish selves want, and to look to God and ask Him to show us what is right and true and for His help to do things God's way. If we do that with a sincere heart, He will show us that not only is the Bible absolutely true, but He will show us by His Spirit what it really means and how we can be saved from His wrath and begin a relationship with Him that includes living a life that pleases Him. There is one mediator between God and man - Jesus Christ. We must go through Jesu and Him only to get right with God. Yes, I think it's quite obvious that something is amiss with mankind on planet earth, but the good news is God wants to fix it. And God provided the means for us to be healed from all our sinful appetites to lie, steal, lust, covet, war, etc. The means He provided is in Jesus Christ. Only Jesus - God in the flesh, never sinned. Jesus was and is perfect and holy. He is our eternal God who came in the form of man to show us who God is and how we are to live and how we can get right with God and be forgiven - even have eternal life! He willingly gave Himself up for mankind on the cross - taking the penalty upon Himself that we each deserve to pay in hell. We need only call out to Him, asking Him to forgive us and make us into new creatures that truly love God and other. If we do that with all our hearts, God will cause us to be born again, and will come to live inside of us by His Spirit, and we will then have the power to stop sinful behaviors. Also, we will have eternal life with Him - a loving relationship with Him that starts now. Repent, believe, trust God in Christ, call out to Jesus and He will not let you down. He loves us that much. Jesus said "unless you are born again you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." If you have been born again - you will have new desires that are pleasing to God and you will seek to obey God - it is a dramatic change in which the old man with all his sinful passions is "crucified with Christ" or put to death and the new man is "raised to newness of life" with Christ in His resurrection with new holy and righteous desires that He didn't have before. Have you been born again? I pray that every soul reading this would seek His face...>

Re: Ralph Reed to Jim Wallis: Rejecting the Liberal “Straw Man”

Steve — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 17:45:16 -0000

KevinK,

You are correct - it is not a punishment reward system. God is love, and He loves us enough to show us how we can stay out of harm's way. But we must take the way He has provided - He does not force us. If we don't listen to Him, we will reap what we sow - either righteousness that comes by faith leading to eternal life with our God who died for us, or a life of sin leading to death and hell.

Is there an absolute right and wrong? Or does it just depend on the situation? Or does each person decide for themselves? Well it's a free country right? Believe whatever you want. Live and let live, right? Reality check time: Is murder wrong? Is rape wrong? Is lying wrong? How about stealing? Is it only wrong if you believe it is wrong? Or is it right for those who think it is okay (at least in certain situations)? Where do we draw the line? And who draws it? Does it really matter?

Yes. Without agreement about right and wrong we have chaos. Morality is a prerequisite not only to order, but safety. If there is a God who made us and is smarter than us, doesn't it stand to reason that He just might know what is best for us? And if He loves us and wants us to know what is best, how might He tell us? Did He already tell us?

What about the Bible? It's all open to interpretation...so they say... What if it's not? What if people say that because they are just afraid that if it is true they will be accountable to what God has said in it and maybe have to change the way they live their lives? What if God loves us enough to show us the truth but we ignore it? What will happen to us?

When I was in elementary school and we walked in lines to cross the street, if I didn't listen to the teacher and jumped out in front of the line I'd have been hit by a car. I was safe only because I followed the commands of the person in charge who cared about me and knew what was best for me. I trusted this person to keep me out of harm's way. Such it is with God.

God gave us His word to tell us how to stay safe by obeying His commands. There s only one problem - we have all "crossed the line" of His absolute standard of right and wrong. We've all sinned and the wages of sin is death. This is why we need a Savior. Jesus died and rose to keep us out of the ultimate "harm's way." He came to save us from the stuff we are doing that is killing us and leads to eternal condemnation - the Bible calls it the "lake of fire.

Who is going to heaven? The Bible tells us plainly who is not: 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 9 Do you not know that the unjust will not inherit God's kingdom? Do not be deceived: no sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexuals, 10 thieves, greedy people, drunkards, revilers, or swindlers will inherit God's kingdom.

Someone says "I don't believe in hell" - that doesn't change its reality. Again, what is the truth? How can we know? Seek the Lord in prayer. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you as you read the Bible. He will. We don't set the terms to come to God. He does. Find out what they are - they are in the Bible: 2 Peter 1:20-21 20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation 21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

The Bible says we must repent or we will perish. God loved us enough to provide a way out - will you take it? What is that way out? It is Jesus who bore our punishment in our place on the cross. It's not my opinion or your own opinion that matters. The only thing that matters is what God thinks His truth is absolute and it is found in the Holy Bible - God's word.

God wants us to worship Him - the Living Word (not just a book) "in spirit and truth." I worship God Himself as He has revealed Himself through His Word and in Jesus Christ to me personally by His Spirit. The Father of creation will come to live in us by His Spirit through Christ when we surrender our lives in obedience to Him. Anything short of that and Jesus will say on the last day "I never knew you, depart from me you who practice lawlessness" - Matt 7.

Don't be deceived Kevin. Repent, or you will perish. You are not saved and are in grave danger. You are headed for eternal destruction. Because God loves you He is warning you even now like the child heading into traffic to turn from your wicked ways and stay by His side. I fear you have run away from Him Kevin. Come back to Him Kevin! I urge you and plead with you and pray for you to turn from your sin to Jesus - not the empty tomb - but to the risen Savior who died for you! The angels in heaven will rejoice! What are you holding onto Kevin? What don't you want to let go of that is destroying you? God knows, and I think you know what it is. Let it go man - it's not worth it! Return to the Lord and ask for His forgiveness and help in letting go of the sin while you still can. I say these things because I care about you my friend. God is giving you another chance to repent of your sin and come back to Him to receive His forgiveness Kevin. Won't you take this chance and turn to Him right now? Or will you persist in your rebellion against Him who made you and loves you? I pray not. Turn to Him today - today Kevin - please get right with Him I beg you man. None of us may have tomorrow.

Isa 55:7

Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.>

Re: Ralph Reed to Jim Wallis: Rejecting the Liberal “Straw Man”

Steve — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 18:18:20 -0000

KevinK,

Jesus said "If you love Me, keep My commandments." (John 14:15)

Legalism is an adherance to manmade rules to feel good about oneself - even a smug pride that says "I am better than everyone because I follow the rules or because I know God's laws or because I am "chosen." This is not what God is after - He wants our heart! he wants us to obey Him because we love Him and because we acknowledge that as our Creator He knows what's best for us. Obedience to God's commandments (in the Spirit, not by the letter of the law - Romans 7) is not legalism. We obey God as evidence of our love for Him. If we don't obey God, then we show that we do not love God.

4 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. 5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. 6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. 10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. (1 John 3:4-10)

Kevin - Jesus gives Grace - but not as a license to sin - His grace includes forgiveness as well as power to stop sinning:

1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?

14 For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. 15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16 Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey--whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. 18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. 19 I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness. 20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. 21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:1-2 and 14-23)

His real grace and peace and power over your sin will be given to you as you wholeheartedly turn to Jesus and repent Kevin.

Do you love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength Kevin?>

Re: Ralph Reed to Jim Wallis: Rejecting the Liberal “Straw Man”

Steve — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 23:23:00 -0000

Don,

I have no interest in a theocratic state, nor do I subscribe to the Republican party as being "God's party." Our government is full of corruption at every level in both parties.

Self-righteous people do not acknowledge their sin. I am amongst the chief of sinners to be sure. I have broken God's laws innumerable times. That is why I need a Savior - and so do you. God loves us and will forgive and accept anyone who comes to Him with a humble, sincere heart, wanting to be forgiven and free of the sin that enslaves him/her. Praise God because He has shown me the truth in Jesus Christ and that truth has set me free!!! I am far from perfect, but I am no longer a slave to sin. Yes I still sin, but I don't want to and don't have to, and as a result sin less and less day by day as I get to know God better and better and learn to rely on His strength to overcome the sin that besets me. I can take no credit for this (which is what self-righteous people do) rather I give all praise to my God and Savior Jesus Christ. I now live for Him - to honor Him because He loves me and I obey Him because I love Him because He has redeemed me from sin and death and hell. Praise God!

Will you accept His offer of forgiveness Don? Or continue to use the excuse that Christians are just part of the "political right."

On judgment day, God won't be asking you Don about what other people did or did not do. He will be asking something more like "What about you Don? What did you do with my Son Jesus?"

We can accept Jesus sinless life as God in the flesh. We can accept His death for our sins and resurrection that we may be forgiven, or we can reject Him and bear the full consequences of our sins alone in hell forever.

Salvation is a free gift - it can't be earned, but we have to accept the gift. Jesus is the gift. What will you do with Him Don?>

Re: Ralph Reed to Jim Wallis: Rejecting the Liberal “Straw Man”

Steve — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 00:15:13 -0000

KevinK,

I would never abandon my child and neither will God. The problem is we were not born into this world as His children. Yes God created us, and caused us to be born, and in that sense we are his "offspring" but we are by nature "children of wrath" the Bible says. We are of our spiritual father - the devil himself - taken captive by him to do his will (that is what the sin nature we are each born with wants to do). This is true of all human beings born on the planet until we repent and trust in Jesus Christ, who will then adopt us into God's family when we are born again and given a new nature that hates sin and loves God and His righteousness. Once God's child - yes - I agree with you - He will never let us go. We need to respond to His love with faith/trust and obedience to the gospel and then we become His children (not because we are "good enough" but because of His grace). What you are doing I think Kevin is making a "God" to suit yourself. This is idolatry and is the oldest sin in the book. We all have experiences that we can claim are from God, but only God really knows who are His adoptive children. Satan appears as an angel of light and he loves to impersonate God with every lie imaginable including the lie that no matter what you do or how you live we will all be accepted by God. The idea that God rejects our rejection is also a lie. The only unpardonable sin is rejecting God's offer of forgiveness as it is uniquely offered through trusting Jesus Christ by a repentant faith in Him evidenced by an earnest desire to follow and obey Him the rest of our lives. Rejecting God in this way is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit - because it is rejecting God's testimony about His Son and the way of salvation. That is what you are doing, and if you persist in this, I fear for you on judgment day.

God has a kind of "wrath of abandonment" where he gives a person over to the lusts of their flesh, homosexual wickedness, etc, when they have rejected him repeatedly (read Romans 1). I do pray that you are not seeking to justify your sin by pretending to believe that God will just "reject our rejection." That is a lie from hell, and I just hope you will seek His forgiveness for this if it is still possible for you. "Don't be deceived" the scriptures warn repeatedly! Jesus said "Enter through the narrow gate, because broad is the path that leads to destruction and many are there that go that way." Cry out to Him Kevin. God is rich in mercy. I think even if we start down the road of rejecting Him as He proclaims Himself to be, He will still forgive us - if we repent and come back to the narrow gate. But if we persist in our rejection of Him, we evidence that we never really had any desire to be a part of His family.

Ephesians 1:3-5

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will--

Have you been adopted into God's family Kevin? If you have been, you will be sure of it - because God will know you personally, and you will love God by obeying His commandments.

Without holiness, no one will see the Lord - Hebrews 12:14>

Re: Ralph Reed to Jim Wallis: Rejecting the Liberal “Straw Man”

Steve — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 16:52:05 -0000

Payshun,

What does it mean to "believe" in Jesus? I can say I believe in a parachute, but if I don't put it on when I jump out of the plane I'm going to die. Many "believe" in Jesus, but don't "put on the Lord Jesus Christ" with a saving faith that involves complete surrender of sin and self to Jesus. They believe in his existence and have a head knowledge that He "died for their sins" but they have not received Him personally as Lord and Savior. They want Him to be "Savior" but not Lord (master) - but the truth is He's either both or neither. How do I know this? It says "by your fruits you will know them." These are people who claim to be Christians but don't obey His commandments. They are deceived. I point this out not to be judgmental but because I care about every person who claims to be a Christian but does not obey God. It's like they are walking into a burning building and they say "It's okay, I believe in firemen." But keep walking right into the flames. I am saying "Hey - listen to the fireman - follow His orders, otherwise your going to burn man, He is saying turn around don't go in there, please!" And if I didn't warn in this way when I see it then the person who perishes will in part be my responsibility.

1John 2:4

The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

I agree that God rejects our rejection of Him for a time (we have all rejected God by sinning against Him). But if we persist in our rejection, there is a point where God abandons us. Read Romans 1

"Repent, or you will perish," the scripture says. Repent means, stop rejecting God.>

Re: Ralph Reed to Jim Wallis: Rejecting the Liberal “Straw Man”

Steve — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 18:14:50 -0000

Payshun,

Everyone who names the name of Christ has imperfect obedience. We have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

What Kevin is saying is saying is that God accepts everyone - no matter what they do. That is a common heresy known as universalism (all will be saved). The scriptures plainly teach that this is not the case.

If we say we love God, but we don't try to obey His commands in any way, or just live continually in some flagrant violation of His law (i.e. sexual sin) then we are deceiving ourselves and headed for judgment. Occasionally falling into even grievous sins - yes, a saved perosn can do this. But a saved person will not persist in willful sin day by day, month by month. Such a person who professes to be a Christian is only deceiving themself. Once again - continually the scriptures exhort us to obedience to God's precepts - not to earn God's favor, but as evidence of our love for God and trust in Him that He knows best. How do we know we are saved?

1 John 3:3-6

3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

Hebrews 5:9 (speaking of Jesus)

9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.

I can't convince you or Kevin of anything. Only the Lord Himself by His Spirit can lead us into all truth as we submit to Him. We each need to examine ourselves in light of the scripture as we prayerfully seek to know our Creator and what He expects of us as His creatures. This I do daily and am learning every day how to put to death my sinful tendencies and grow in holiness and obedience to my Lord who redeemed me from the way that leads to death.

He loves us all very much - so much, that He will change us into righteous holy saints - not perfect, but following a gerneral pattern of obedience, if we repent and believe (trust) in Him. We must repent and believe (which means trust/surrender/obey) or we will perish the scriptures say.

Jesus said "If you love me, obey my commands."

Proverbs 16:25

There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.

Romans 2:4-16

4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? 5 But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who "will render to each one according to his deeds": 7 eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; 8 but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness--indignation and wrath, 9 tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; 10 but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 11 For there is no partiality with God. 12 For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law 13 (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; 14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, 15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) 16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.

You said "Repent means to believe in God's love." That's only part of it Payshun. Remember the parachute? I can believe in it but unless I respond with obedient faith (put on the parachute and trust that it will save me when I jump) then I am not going to make it.

Repent means believe in God's love AND respond to it by loving Him back. If we don't obey God's commandments, we are just mocking God's love and treasuring up for ourselves wrath on the day of judgment.>

Re: Ralph Reed to Jim Wallis: Rejecting the Liberal “Straw Man”

Steve — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 18:58:51 -0000

KevinK,

You are right, the God you worship doesn't believe in eternal damnation, Satan, or original sin, because the God you worship doesn't exist. You have invented a God to suit yourself which is idolatry - the oldest sin in the book.

Belief that the Bible is God's Word is not a circular argument. Example: Volvo writes a manual for their car and you own a Volvo with the manual that the manufacturer gave you. You tell me it says in it to turn the ignition key forward two clicks until the engine starts. I could say to you "Kevin, I don't believe that the maker of that car wrote that manual. Just because you said they did doesn't mean they did, you're using circular reasoning." But my lack of belief in the Volvo manual doesn't change the simple fact that Volvo did in fact write that manual and give it to you so you would know how to work the car properly. We can test its claims by doing what it says, and if when we trust what it says and obey it, we see results - then we have confirmation that the manufacturer indeed must have written it. That is "internal evidence" - or experiential evidence. The same goes for the Bible. We know it is from God not only because God said "all scripture is God breathed" but because when we put it into practice, it proves itself to be true - infallably. External evidence including the Bible being written by 40 men in at least 3 different languages most of whom didn't know each other over a 1500 year period and having a perfectly consistent message is pretty hard to compete with. No other book can make such a claim. It is truly a supernatural book written by Almighty God Himself as His Spirit moved men to write it.

Fulfilled prophecy is another area I could get into to prove the Bible's infallibility. Look up Lee Strobel - a great book is "The Case for Christ" also "The Case for Faith." The guy was an atheist who set out to disprove the Bible and Christianity and then became a Christian when he realized that Jesus was real, the Bible is from God, and is His infallible Word. Some parts of the Bible are meant as allegory to describe a deeper truth (parables, etc), but some parts are meant to be taken literally. All of it is God's infallible and inerrant truth, but we need His help to undestand it and apply it to our lives.

What if I were born in another nation that was not Christian? I would likely believe what I was taught. This does not change truth though. So, just because I am raised Muslim, that does not mean that Allah is who God is. God is plainly revealed in Creation (Psalm 119, Romans 1). All men have an "awareness" of God but don't know Him because their sin separates them from Him. We need Jesus to bridge that gap. Whoever seeks to know God - whoever cries out - "God who are you really? - show me please!!" with an earnest and sincere heart - not just blindly following what they were taught, will find Jesus, no matter if they were raised Buddhist, Mulsim, Hindu, or whatever. There is only one name under heaven by which men may be saved - Jesus Christ. Whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.

Primitive peoples have called out to the "Creator" whoever he is, and then days later, a boat landed with missionaries giving them Bibles. Is this a coincidence? I think not.

That's God's providence - He will reveal who He really is and how things work (the manual for knowing Him and for life itself - the Bible) to whoever really seeks Him.

2 Peter 3:9

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

God doesn't want anyone to perish. We must repent (turn from serving sin and self to out of love serving God and others), or we will perish, the scriptures say.

We are to serve God out of love, respect, and awe. He is to be greatly feared among the saints. Man doesn't fear God as he should. This is a big part of his problem. Once we fear His very real wrath that IS coming, we have a chance to repent and enter into His family and be loved and known by Him. Then we will learn to love Him and respect Him (godly fear).

Words of Jesus:Mt 10:28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Job 28:28 And to man He said, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, And to depart from evil is understanding.' ">

Re: Ralph Reed to Jim Wallis: Rejecting the Liberal “Straw Man”

Steve — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 19:20:35 -0000

Payshun,

I agree that the prodigal son was loved unconditionally by his father and nothing he did changed that. But in order to be restored to his father and receive his fathers lavish love, the son had to "come to his senses" it says and stop eating pig slop (living in sin) and come home!

If he stayed with the swine to eat "pods" and never came to his senses - would he have in fact "accepted his father's love?" No! In order to accept his father's love he had to drop the slop and come home to his father. Do you agree Payshun?

I agree that repentance is as you say "accepting God's love" - the way we accept his love is by "coming to our senses" getting out of the pig slop, and going home to our Father in heaven through Jesus. That is who we accept God's love. When Jesus forgave the woman caught in adultery, His last words to her were - "go and sin no more." And after he made a lame man walk, He also said "See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you."

God loves us unconditionally, not based on performance. That does not mean that our sin doesn't have consequences including condemnation for those who never repent. Yes - I believe God loves even the people He will consign to eternal hell - His holiness and perfect justice demand that He reject those who through their lack of love for Him as evidenced by their continued willful disobedience reject Him. God shows us mercy time and time again - this is the goodness of God which is designed to lead us to repentance. Repentance is an attitude of the heart that loves God and as a result does not want to offend him by sinning. It is an attitude that agrees that sin is wrong and dishonors God and leads to death. So if we really believe that, then we don't want to sin anymore and we'll fight against our sin as if our lives depend on it (they do).

Does God forgive sexual sin? Of course! We've all done it. He forgives, and doesn't want us to do it again! If we do will he forgive us again? Of course He will! That doesn't change the fact that He doesn't want us to keep doing it "lest a worse thing come upon us."

Peace,>

Re: Ralph Reed to Jim Wallis: Rejecting the Liberal “Straw Man”

Steve — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 19:29:04 -0000

KevinK,

I love you man.

I condemn you not - I leave that up to God.

We each have to make our own pilgrimage. Everything I said is because I care about you. I wept in prayer for you last night in my prayer time.

May God bless you Kevin.>

Re: Ralph Reed to Jim Wallis: Rejecting the Liberal “Straw Man”

Steve — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 19:49:28 -0000

steve,

"Is it only wrong if you believe it is wrong? No. "Where do we draw the line?"

At the point of one person's words or actions cauing HARM to another. ALL of your examples cause HARM, which is WHY they are wrong.

P.S. What version of the Bible are you quoting from. The word "homosexual" was only coined about a hundred years ago. I've heard that only 2 versions that attempted to use that word, and one later apologized.

curiouser and curiouser...

Steve's response:

That was NKJV. The word homosexuals was originally translated "Sodomite." The word describes the men engaged in homosexual sin in the city of Sodom which was destroyed by God for its gross wickedness including both heterosexual and homosexual lust.

...and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; 2Pe 2:6

...as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Jude 1:7

It is not only homosexual sin that invites God's wrath (Jesus said "whosoever looks at a woman to lust after her has commited adulter with her already in his heart).

But since you asked, the Bible most explicitly describes God's disapproval of homosexual sin in Romans chapter 1:24-32:

24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, F4 unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

Sexual sin causes harm to oneself and others around us - though we might like to fool ourselves into thinking it is okay because it feels so good (yup - sin is pleasurable, but leads to death).

How does it cause harm? It dishonors God and self by going against the indended use of our bodies. You may not like the idea that God knows best how we are to use our body, but He made us - He ought to know.

If we rebel for so long, the Bible says "our conscience becomes seared like a hot iron" so we no longer believe it is wrong (but it still is). If we go that far, we are in grave danger. There is still hope for anyone trapped in sexual sin. They must repent, and trust in Jesus Christ. His blood will cleanse us of all unrighteousness and give us a clear conscience before God along with the power to obey God and be free from the sinful passions that blind us from who God really is and enslave us.

Peace,>

Re: Ralph Reed to Jim Wallis: Rejecting the Liberal “Straw Man”

Steve — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 20:10:51 -0000

Kevin,

Heaven and hell are not sentences. They are places - final destinations. Both real and final.

A more truthful way to put that statement is:

God loves us unconditionally, AND...if we don't repent, he will condemn us to damnation forever.

Not willingly, but because we refuse His grace. Grace is offered and must be accepted through saving faith in Christ evidenced by obedience to the gospel.

It says God takes no pleasure in the destruction of the wicked. Yet it does not say he will not destroy the wicked. Eternal destruction is not annihilation. I don't want to argue this point. I just state it as I understand the Bible.

God is love yes, love confronts wrong behavior and helps one to see the error of their ways - giving them another chance - many chances even, to do the right thing. God will forgive all our sin if we come to Jesus - more than that though, He wants our hearts. He wants our love. If we don't obey Him, we don't love Him. No one obeys perfectly, but if we know Him and love Him we will obey.

God is holy - perfectly set apart and without sin (As a pefect being He can't violate His own righteous character). We must also be made holy or we will never see Him or know Him. We are made holy by faith in the sinless Son of God Jesus Christ and His sacrifice of Himself on the cross and His resurrection.

God wants a relationship with us - this is only possible as we lay down our sin and come to Him on His terms - He does not force us. We must come to our senses. Some will, some won't. Why? I am not smart enough to answer that. I only know what God has revealed to me personally through prayerful reading of His Word. And this I will faithfully live and proclaim.

Living for Jesus,>

Re: Ralph Reed to Jim Wallis: Rejecting the Liberal “Straw Man”

Steve — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 22:55:38 -0000

Payshun,

The sins of Sodom and Gomorrah were many and varied to be sure, but the Bible specifically mentions sexual sin as one of the key symptoms of the fallen rebellious hearts living in those cities and as a key reason for their destruction. What does the word sodomy mean? Why do you suppose we even have the word sodomy in our language (where does the word originate)?

Jude 1:7

In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.>

Re: Ralph Reed to Jim Wallis: Rejecting the Liberal “Straw Man”

Steve — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 23:33:17 -0000

Kevin,

I looked up the Phillip Gulley book you mentioned (If Grace is True) and the first review on Amazon says it all:

"When I ordered this book, I had hoped it would give me a good, solid Biblical argument for universalism; not only presenting scriptures that seem to support that position, but also giving an explanation of scriptures that explicitly go against the universalist doctrine. This is not that book.

Here is how the book deals with seemingly anti-univeralist scriptures: it simply says those scriptures are wrong. So much for wrestling with the text. The authors make no pretense of accepting the Bible as the Word of God, well, that is unless it's those passages that seem to support their position. Instead, "experience" takes precedent over scripture. That's pretty dangerous ground. And if there was any chance in me being won over to the authors' position, it totally went south when later in the book they explicitly denied the divinity of Jesus, the Trinity, and the substitutionary atonement. About the only thing that distinguishes the authors from the most radical liberal is their belief in Jesus' literal resurrection.

I would love to be a universalist, but there are too many scriptures, even from the mouth of Jesus, that teach just the opposite. I gave this book a chance to convince me, and it failed miserably. - Tom Hinkle"

Steve's comment: the key here is - "experience" takes precedent over scripture. Indeed feelings alone are as Tom says "dangerous ground" to be on. Feelings are not necessarily grounded in truth.

You said in one post that you don't believe that the Bible is inerrant, but you believe that it is Truth. How is it Truth if it contains errors? What part is true and what isn't? Can we pick and choose? If God wrote it and God is perfect, do you think He made some mistakes? Do you think God wrote any of it? How can we know which parts? Just whatever you feel He wrote? If God didn't write any of it, then what's the point of it?

You also mentioned that God will review your life to show you where you veered off the "way." What is the way? Are you sure it's God's way or is it just your way? If it was just your way and not God's what will you do when Jesus says "Depart from me, I never knew you, doer of iniquity?"

What are you doing when you "veer off?" And how do you get back on?

I get the idea you are espousing a "live and let live" type of attitude. Free love - God is all love and no justice. Love everybody and if nobody is offended or "harmed" (at least according to Kevin's definition of "harm"), then everything is cool right? The problem with that is that God's standard of right and wrong is not the same as man's. We can be nice people but still be living a life far from God - even while claiming to know Him.

Let me ask you this Kevin. Should God punish evil? And if so, how? Do you believe we should try to stop people from committiing crimes? What should we do with say a serial killer or a repeat offender rapist?

Also, how do you think we know right from wrong? Where does that standard come from - from God - or do we each do what we "feel" is right even if those ideas conflict?

Perhaps the most important question is - who is God? How can we know Him? How can we be sure it is Him we claim to know and not just a fancy of our own invention in our minds?

Does God answer your prayers? If so, how? God answers me most directly even acting on my behalf and reveals Himself more experientally as I obey Him more. Experiencing God is fine as long it is really the one true God in Christ. And this experience will not contrdict His character as He has revealed Himself to us in the Holy Scriptures. If all will be saved, why evangelize? What is it that Jesus died to save people from Kevin? If hell is not real, why did Jesus warn us so often about hell and desperately plead with us not to fear man who can destroy the body but instead to fear God who can destroy both the body and soul in hell? Why did Jesus say these things Kevin? Why didn't He just say "love God and love your neighbor" and leave it at that? Is it not love to warn people that they are headed for disaster? If we just sit back and say "no one will go to hell" when in reality they will isn't that the most grievous form of negligence? God's justice is not the same as human justice. Vengeance is mine I will repay, sayeth the Lord. He's going to repay! It's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God man! Not fire and brimstone, but love! A love that warns, pleads, and endures wrath in the place of those who deserve it, but only for those who truly want the gift of forgiveness no matter the cost. If He died for us so all would be saved, then why did He bother warning us "flee the wrath to come?" Why didn't He just say - it's taken care of guys. Don't worry - you'll all make it - just try to get along with each other as best you can for now. He didn't say that because it isn't true!!!

Who is Jesus? And what did He do for you? And why?

You only need to answer the above questions for yourself. I don't expect a response as it would be volumes to answer. Just hope and pray that God might use this to get you and others reading this prayerfully thinking.>

Re: Jeff Carr: What Would You Ask Iran’s President?

Steve — Sat, 17 Feb 2007 17:08:18 -0000

James, What a wonderfulk place to start - with Jesus. I'm sure many people diescuss geo-political stuff, and we all come with our own blindspots that make connection difficlt. I wonder how many people have ever asked him what he thinks of Jesus, how he is inspired by Jesus, and then listened. Steve

Re: Tony Jones: Honest Questions for Mitt Romney

Steve — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 18:50:39 -0000

This discussion has been a bit frustrating to me as an active member of the LDS church (Mormon, by the way, is a nickname). Oddly enough, I'm not a Romney supporter. I agree with the criticism that he has changed positions for political benefit. But, some of the swipes based on Mormonism are a bit odd from my perspective.
Bear with me as I try to approach this from a Q&A; format: * Do LDS/Mormons believe in Christ? Yep. The name of the Church is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Here's why the debate: Traditional Christianity believes in the concept of the trinity (ie. Christ/God the Father/Holy Ghost) are one omnipresent being. The LDS Church has a different take. Jesus is a being who has a literal father. And, the Holy Ghost is yet another being. Thus, when Jesus in the New Testament prayed to the Father he was not praying to himself. That is the "heresy." Is Christ a god. Absolutely. And, he and he is Father are supreme. It is different than much of Christianity but it is neither irrational nor unfounded in scripture. * Do LDS members follow slavishly every word of their prophet? I think many an LDS leader wished that were true. But, in reality, LDS prophets are like Old Testament prophets--- they try to teach what they believe is the word of the Lord. The current prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley constantly encourages members to do things like be kind to their neighbors, get an education, pray and read the scriptures. He is an exceptionally kind-hearted man who is always admonishing folks to try a little harder. If you want to see what he asks people to do, go to www.lds.org and type in the search "Hinckley". You'll find all kinds of talks and articles. * Don't Mormon political figures follow the dicates of their religious leaders? I used to work for the Governor of Utah. He was a mormon and a very savvy politician. He always told me that he considered the church another interest group. They would lobby on issues like liquor and then the governor would craft a policy that he thought was right for the state. A perfect example is Sen. Harry Reid-D and Sen. Orrin Hatch-R. Both are LDS. Yet, Reid is the Senate Majority Leader and the leader of the Senate Democrats. He is moderately pro-choice, loves federal program and opposes the President vigorously on Iraq. Hatch is the exact opposite. Mormons cross the political spectrum and have a host opinions. * Is the LDS church racist? This is an odd issue that many Mormons are reluctant to deal with directly. Here's why. Church founder Joseph Smith ordained blacks to the LDS priesthood. His successor, Brigham Young, reversed that position. Some church leader in the 19th century and through the 20th century tried to justify that change by making references to race. They also referenced LDS scripture that referred to light and dark people (I think the reference is to spiritual darkness not skin color). In 1978, the current Mormon prophet issues a revelation opening the priesthood to all worthy males. This is a sticky issues but is tinted by the prejudice of American society that existed before the rise of the civil rights movement. My own belief is that is was a reflection of the broader culture and that the reason for the exclusion of minorities from the priesthood (from a theological perspective) was that the members weren't ready yet.

Today, the LDS church actively proselytes minorities throughout the world. One of my favorites images of the current LDS prophet shows him greeting some members in Nigeria. My fundamental point is that this is an old issue. But, God is not a respector of persons and neither is today's LDS church. * Don't members were sacred underwear? Doesn't that make them weird? This one is pretty silly. Active Mormons do wear undergarments that are designed to remind them of the covenants they make in their temples (the covenants are easy to find: following the gospel, fidelity spouse, etc.). Are they magic? No. Are they similiar to other religious items like the cross or yarmulkes? Yep.

Re: Tony Jones: Honest Questions for Mitt Romney

Steve — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 00:42:54 -0000

blm - The issue was not just Tony's article. It was the followup comments and the accompanying disdain. What is hurtful to members of the LDS faith is snide comments based on twisting of beliefs like I indicated above. A simple example. Tony indicated that the Mormon church "didn't allow non-whites to be clergy until 1978 . . . ." The problems? A multitude: * The LDS church DOESN'T HAVE CLERGY as the term is understood. There are no paid ministers or such. There are local leaders but they are volunteers. There are general authorities but they handle general church duties, not local congregations. * The "1978 issue" was the LDS priesthood which is an issue with lots of historical nuances. The focus with blacks and it, I believe, was heavily tied to 19th century attitudes (see my discussion above). Unfortunately, there are plentiful examples of this kind of bias throughout American society -- many with vestiges that have carried forth until relatively recently. * Non-whites as a group have never been restricted. The LDS church has ordained Asians, Hispanics, etc. since the beginning. My point is that be careful, accurate and respectful.

Re: Tony Jones: Honest Questions for Mitt Romney

Steve — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 02:21:42 -0000

Timks --
I couldn't let the polytheistic canard slide by. . . Who is worshipped in the LDS Church? Jesus the Christ and God the Father. That's it. As discussed above, they are considered two seperate beings. But, there is simply nothing equivalent to the pantheon of Greek gods in Mormon theology.

Re: Tony Jones: Honest Questions for Mitt Romney

Steve — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 14:44:38 -0000

nofolete -- I really liked your comment. Brigham Young is an interesting topic. He was forceful personality who held the church together after Joseph Smith was murdered by a mob, organized a mass migration across the wilderness to Utah, and drove the development of vast network of communities in a vast desert Yet, he had human flaws. Of limited education, he had his biases. He was true 19th century American character. As to the role of 19th century persecution in the modern Mormon character, I'm reminded of my great-great-great-great grandfather who was driven from his farm near Nauvoo yet joined the Mormom Battalion during the Mexican-American War and walked to San Diego.

Re: Tony Jones: Honest Questions for Mitt Romney

Steve — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 18:05:48 -0000

Wow. This series of posts sure wandered around. Kind of fun. I have to agree that Tony's original point about fundamentalism was worthy of consideration. As I mentioned earlier, I'm not a big Romney fan --- mainly because of the flip-flops. Thanks to everyone for your posts.

Re: Becky Garrison: Bathroom Humor

Steve — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 16:57:10 -0000

I am never sure what to think about anonymous evangelism. Leaving tracts and messages seems mostly counter-productive. Witness and evangelism is best when it's personal. Instead of leaving gloves, help someone pump gas if they need it. Showing Christ through Spirit-motivated action is a powerful message. I do like the use of humor, though. It is too often neglected. Christians need to laugh more, even if it is at themselves.

Re: Six Found Guilty Of Trying to See Their Senator
(by John Dear)

Steve — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 09:37:25 -0000

You were too hard headed (conservative). You should have settled for the three allowed to enter the private office so you could deliver the petition. Then you could have told you story six others were denied access. You blew it.

Re: The Global Church and America’s War (by Jim Wallis)

Steve — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 14:35:59 -0000

It seems Christians have barely scratched the surface discussing Christ with other Christians, much less the "unsaved". In a new poll/survey today by MSNBC about the GOP primary it quoted a 40 year Republican woman and part time homemaker who identifys herself as conservative Christian. She is very much against abortion, doesn't like immigrants, and really wants a government policy allowing torture of prisoners because "they don't play nice." WOW! I see contradictions galore and certainly don't understand how she reconciles all this with her faith? Help me understand this...

Re: The War as They Saw It (by Duane Shank)

Steve — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 08:30:46 -0000

It's not just the young poor anymore. With an all volunteer military (Navy, Army, Coast Guard, Air Force, Marines) there are plenty of middle income, more mature, good test score members. Witness the excellent writing of this group. The fact the National Guard has been mobilized like never before also contribute to this higher quality.

What should bother you the most is that neocon pro war conservatives I know in the business world are quick to say,"Bush is right, send more troops, we must win this war on terror" are not likely to sacrifice anything themselves. They don't drive smaller cars to use less gas or even slow down to reduce fuel consumption, won't send their children to Iraq, won't put their money into helping the injured or maimed. They have it so easy!

Re: Slowing the Electric Slide Toward Global Warming (by Ginny Vroblesky)

Steve — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 10:45:30 -0000

Hey moderatelad, I left the Republican party and you can too. Did you see the big Republican debate on global warming yesterday? To be a Republican today you must believe that the spewing of millions of tons of toxic particles into our atmosphere that God created could be harmful is only junk science. Those pictures of the glaciers melting over time in National Geograpic are all just fake. Oh, wait that is kind of a science magazine, better not read it!

Re: Robertson for Rudy (by Jim Wallis)

Steve — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 15:03:34 -0000

More proof that these organizations like Robertson's and Dobson's Focus on the Family are first and foremost political organizations, not religious organizations.

If they were religious organizations they wouldn't have promoted the doctrine of the selfish and greedy, year and year out, at election time.

Re: Video: They Will Have Their Reward (by Daniel Ra)

Steve — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 20:38:20 -0000

No grace here; just a thorough raking over the coals.

Re: A Call for Evangelical Rhetorical Accountability (by Brian McLaren)

Steve — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:41:23 -0000

Well done, Brian!

Re: Gundamentalism (by Rachel Smith)

Steve — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 23:21:38 -0000

We can apparently consult the author if we want a mind read.

Re: To Vote or Not to Vote (by Brian McLaren)

Steve — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 10:52:34 -0000

Don't like either candidate enough to vote? We are picking who we want to take to the Dodgers game Saturday night. It is your obligation as a citizen to pick the best candidate you can after a careful review. Not fulfilling your obligation seems sinful to me.

Re: Two down, one to go

Steve — Thu, 17 Mar 2005 08:13:12 -0000

Gary, I've seen this happen too many times. Somebody posts something about anything Mac-related, and the site gets swarmed through MacSurfer. Naturally, the results are both surprising and rather unfavorable in the end since it results in a "religious" war. Sorry, but just take solace in the fact that it really has nothing to do with you.

My eMac is cool, but I can't upgrade it.
My ThinkPad works well, but it's ugly inside and out.

I want to stop wanting new computers.

I suppose I should be thankful I don't have this problem with women.

Re: Why Won’t McCain Support Our Vets?

Steve — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:49:14 -0000

Wake up and pay attention, you are responsible for you and yours not the governnment. The government is only a hindrance.

Re: Cheating 2.0

Steve — Wed, 26 Oct 2005 09:56:39 -0000

You know, I must be regressing a little... I am definitely of the "know where" generation (heck, anyone with a science or engineering background essentially is because the point in those fields is always to push beyond what you know - plus who remembers equations they haven't used in 10 years, but need right now.)

But my real comment is that there must be a limit to "know where" and I feel it everyday. I grew up in the age where it started being okay to have calculators to help you do the arithmetic. Boy, has that been a pain since I "grew up." Keeping up with more senior colleagues that can do it all in their head is a constant game of catch up.

Knowing how to do something without looking it up everytime (like that the capital of Montana is Helena) is infinitely faster and more efficient. These are traits that students also need if they are going to succeed in the world. So balance is the key in my mind - easily accessible info in the rolodex on the shoulders is crucial, but so are the skills to go find what we don't know, analyze the worth of that information and build upon it... a difficult task.

Re: Getting Disruptive - Part 2 (Preview)

Steve — Mon, 14 Nov 2005 17:07:44 -0000

The IM #'s really struck me. I had a fuzzy inkling that it was something like that, but the #'s plus the 4th grade girls anecdote really drove it home. This makes me think... I introduced many of my friends to email and web (same generation as John)... some even "refused" to consider email over snail mail at first, but that changed... anyway, am I becoming a luddite? I used IM for a couple of years (a couple of years ago now), but for me it was more of a disruption and distraction, it is easy to ignore email in order to be productive.... IM, not so much. So, I stopped using it - productivity went up. These fourth graders though must be using (inventing?) new skills of time, concentration, and information management in order to make more productive use of IM. If not, how is IM different than the telephone that our generation used to finish homework? What are these skills and how do they fit into the future of information understanding?

John... you have always been good at being disruptive.... glad to see you can keep those skills current!

Re: Tattoo

Steve — Sat, 04 Feb 2006 12:46:21 -0000

i don't know about the "never" part... actually I would place it more in the "Never really thought John would be interested in getting a tattoo. Admittedly they are kind of fascinating - and they definitely have that 'right of passage' thing to go with them.... And the right tattoo is definitely important... I think that military people have good options available to them, there are clear choices, but you aren't restricted to them, but you get both the 'right of passage' and the mark of 'belonging' which according to something I heard on NPR recently are the two major reasons across cultures and history that are associated with tattoos... anyway, the pic is a nice choice... but just like in a business, location, location, location....

Re: Announcement About an Announcement

Steve — Tue, 22 Aug 2006 07:38:17 -0000

woo hoo. looking forward to more details

Re: John’s Career Version 2.0

Steve — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 14:08:41 -0000

Congrats! Sounds like a good fit... people, educational tech... and apparently a Wisconsin theme.

Re: Another Thing for Our Radar

Steve — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 14:49:52 -0000

That is interesting about universities thinking they own the content of lectures. I usually hear the opposite, that the copyright of lectures and associated content generally belongs to the faculty member... just like when I publish a paper in a journal, I sign the copyright release, not a university bureaucrat. In fact, one of my students from Canada said he wasn't even allowed to audio record his undergraduate lectures for exactly that reason... now that seems to fly in the face of accomodating a variety of learning styles to me, but hey... that's me.

Re: Discovery Education Network: ?

Steve — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 13:09:30 -0000

For the record, the human element isn't gone. It ain't going to be easy, but the community has made it very clear how important it is to maintain that and it's a priority for us. We started with less than we have right now, it's about doing more with less. Isn't that what educators do?

Re: Concordia Ale House

Steve — Thu, 30 Jun 2005 23:42:53 -0000

Hmm... my wife and I tried out Concordia Ale House earlier this week and had a very disappointing experience. We'd heard they have some interesting beers on draught and were very excited to give it a try. We went in and had a seat and waited for at least ten minutes before a waitress dropped off menus and a beer list. After waiting at least another ten minutes for her to come back and take our order (and I should add that it was NOT busy), we got up and left, and I can't imagine we'll be going back any time soon -- there are certainly plenty of pubs in Portland with great beer _and_ great service!

Re: Launching Pad Exclusive Interview

Steve — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 00:48:07 -0000

Great entry. Particularly loved the Andruw/Frenchy stuff and the Bowman joke.

Re: Launching Pad Exclusive Interview

Steve — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 00:48:07 -0000

Great entry. Particularly loved the Andruw/Frenchy stuff and the Bowman joke.

Re: Helarious! Supporter Dives off the Stands!

Steve — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 13:20:50 -0000

lol..............::................lol

Re: Modern Proverb - the platform or the speech?

Steve — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:58:00 -0000

What does it profit a human, to gain a platform and say: "The platform is mine, yes Precious, the platform is mine."

Re: WALL-E and EVE

Steve — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 08:19:00 -0000

I just found your blog and love your heart, perspective and passion - as illustrated by this post. If you haven't yet read the interview with WALL-E director Andrew Stanton, you'll love it. http://www.christianitytoday.com/movies/intervi... Bless you Jonalyn

Re: Ciara’s "Like a Boy"

Steve — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 12:22:00 -0000

It is an honor to have found your blog. You're speaking candid, relevant and moving-people-towards life truth. Thank you

Re: "Compare Jesus" Part I-Jesus Outshines Buddha

Steve — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 07:59:00 -0000

Thank you Jonalyn. "We never see God denying things that are key to our humanity" is such a critical truth. Christ came to give us life as people - flesh and blood, relational people. To deny that is to shackle us to an impossible and uninspiring neutered existence.

Re: Jeff Van Gundy is a Big Baby.

Steve — Mon, 02 May 2005 12:07:30 -0000

And it cost him $100 grand

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2005/news/story?id=2051807

Re: World’s Top Nightclub Designers: Bigtime Design

Steve — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 01:24:11 -0000

Crobar NY was one of the best clubs i've been to, miss so much.

Re: 10 Ways to Sink Your Sermon Series

Steve — Sat, 05 May 2007 13:11:08 -0000

Right on target, Tony.

I was thinking about this from a worship leader's/planning point of view.

Getting clear on "Who Is Your Target Lister?" and then reducing competing activities and environmental intrusions consistently yield a stronger impact.

Nice list!

Re: Large Hadron Collider ligt twee maanden stil

Steve — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 19:01:45 -0000

Wel jammer...
Nu moeten we nog langer op dat zwarte gaatje wachten :P

Re: Sterren en planeten vergelijken: ‘t blijft leuk

Steve — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 04:30:47 -0000

Zouden er nog grotere sterren zijn als VV Cephei ?
Voor de lol eens berekend hoe lang we er zouden over doen om er rond te vliegen met een F16 aan 2000km/u
1322400 uur of 55100 dagen oftewel bijna 151 jaar :p
Gelukkig is onze aardknol niet zo groot.

Re: Het rooster van het heelal

Steve — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 07:22:40 -0000

"En net als de vlinder in Zuid-Amerika beïnvloed ieder deeltje alle andere deeltjes en dus het heelal (op termijn)."

Dus eigenlijk staan we met alles in verbinding ? Als ik hier door de lucht wandel dan verplaats ik deeltjes die dan weer andere deeltjes verplaatsen om zo uiteindelijk een deeltje bij de zon te verplaatsen? Is dat wat je bedoeld ?

Persoonlijk gaat het men petje wat te boven wat de vorm/visualisatie van het heelal betreft ... ik zou denken dat alles naar "bolvorm" streeft..
Maar dan zit ik weer aan die donkere vloed te denken die alles wel eens uit bolvorm zou kunnen trekken (of toch het punt waar die dark flow naartoe gaat)

Re: Europa presenteert z’n Magnificent Seven

Steve — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 08:19:17 -0000

Ik begrijp dat gedoe met neutrino´s en donkere materie toch niet zo goed hoor. Is er eigenlijk al een degelijk bewijs dat deze dingen bestaan of zijn het theoriën ? En is het belangrijk dat we het weten/kennen?

Re: Een bericht uit de Provence

Steve — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 16:09:18 -0000

Mooie foto´s. Ik krijg ook steeds meer zin om foto´s te maken van de ruimte rondom ons. Maar wat heb ik daarvoor nodig ? Is een gewoon digitaal fototoestelletje van sony of canon wek genoeg? En waarschijnlijk is een statief heel belangrijk?

Re: Een bericht uit de Provence

Steve — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 16:16:22 -0000

Dat is nogal ver van mijn deur... ik woon een eindje in België :)
Maar ik ga eens in mijn omgeving rondkijken voor een clubje.
Toch bedankt voor de info.

Re: De Very Large Earth Collider komt er aan!

Steve — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 20:30:05 -0000

Oke... ik was hier bijna mee weg :)
Mijn eerste reactie was iets van... Wtf, hebben ze maar 10% nodig :p

Re: Guestbook

Steve — Sun, 13 Aug 2006 09:04:31 -0000

Just bought Lucid Dreams Parts One and Two

Those prices are very very reasonable indeed
A Bargin - for such quality music

Keep up the great work TC - cannot wait to hear the new Spacemusic feed

I listen to Spacemusic all the time, during my shuttle flights between Earth and visiting my friends in the Zeta Reticuli Star System. I'm glad these shows are fairly long. It's a very long journey

Name: Steve
From: Devon, Uk

Re: Guestbook

Steve — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 02:25:35 -0000

Name: Steve
From: Washington DC
E-mail: oldhickory@mac.com

TC: Thanks for another great episode. Spacemusic is the soundrack for the new millennium. My little girl is only 5 and asks to hear Spacemusic each night as she falls asleep. Its perfect. Keep up the great work in 2007!

===

Admin reply: Steve - so good to hear that! What's her name? - we'll play a song for her!

Re: Guestbook

Steve — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 06:33:33 -0000

Name: Steve
From: Devon, England
E-mail: prince_stephen@yahoo.com

Hello TC, soundseeing - Rotterdam Thunderdome

Just listened to this, sounds like you had a few close shaves with those lightning strikes

Over here in England, i'm still waiting for my first storm of 2007. Many of them head across France and go in your direction. Bah

Really enjoying your Sunrise Sessions as well. It's sunrise as i'm typing this, so i've got Session 2 in my headphones right now

I've discovered some fantastic artists through listening to spacemusic. Keep up the great work TC

Cheers, Steve

===

Admin reply: Steve, I'm glad we've had the BIG showers now; it's all in the past and it's a good thing. This year has brought us too many thunder storms. No I hate them. Really I do

Thanks for listening!

Re: Requiem for a Day Off

Steve — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 18:55:16 -0000

brilliant

Re: Survey: Your feelings on the roads override (and those other overrides, too)

Steve — Tue, 20 May 2008 22:33:24 -0000

Paul -- is it just me or is the link to the survey not functioning?

Re: Survey: Your feelings on the roads override (and those other overrides, too)

Steve — Wed, 21 May 2008 09:58:05 -0000

I see the same behavior on Question #6 as Gail sees. Everything else works ok for me.

Re: Survey: Your feelings on the roads override (and those other overrides, too)

Steve — Wed, 21 May 2008 11:22:57 -0000

I am running Windows XP Pro and having the issues with #6. My browser is IE 7.

Re: Survey: Your feelings on the roads override (and those other overrides, too)

Steve — Wed, 21 May 2008 11:27:30 -0000

BTW, I am for the override. To me it's a simple question, you are either happy with the roads in town or you are not. If you are happy, then voting down the override makes sense. If you are not, and feel the roads must be fixed, then the override is the only option. In THEORY of course, there are better options, cutting spending from other places, better budgeting, etc. But that is pure theory, we all know well enough that this will never happen, regardless of what "messages" we try to send. It is NOT unique to Belmont, every town has the same struggle. You end up cutting off your nose to spite your face and in the end our roads will never get fixed. To me, the disrepair of our roads is important enough that I'm not willing to take the chance. I'm voting YES.

Re: Survey: Your feelings on the roads override (and those other overrides, too)

Steve — Wed, 21 May 2008 13:53:11 -0000

Tony makes an excellent point and, if we are to believe what we are told, the money from the override can not be used for anything besides roads. Do I understand this correctly?

Re: Roads override? Bring it!

Steve — Tue, 27 May 2008 09:50:42 -0000

Nice work on this poll, Paul. I can only hope that your limited sample is indicative of what will come in a couple of weeks (although I'm skeptical). With only a short time to go before the vote, I'm dissappointed that I've heard nary a peep from the RoadsNow committee. No signs, no bumper stickers, no phone calls. Unless I'm living in a part of town being neglected by a "push", where is the publicity?

Re: e-File

Steve — Wed, 08 Feb 2006 05:52:00 -0000

Nice blog Fox, but why don't you put some of you tax return away and save if for the future, or pay off some bills with it instead of buying things you may not need but want. I agree you should fix your computer but the other things could wait. Good luch Fox

Re: Happy HNT!

Steve — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 08:38:39 -0000

Mmmmmmm!! Very nice:-}

HHNT!

Re: Eyes Wide Open - Part 2

Steve — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 10:34:38 -0000

Have a wonderful weekend:-}

Re: Disgruntled Buccos Fans Plan to Walk the Plank in Protest

Steve — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 14:00:00 -0000

Thanks for the notice- but my editorial's aim was that the planned walkout won't accomplish anything, and that there are other options more viable.

Re: God Of War 02 : All PS3 Themes

Steve — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 19:51:57 -0000

VEry cool
Thanks mate!!

Re: Corrupt : All PS3 Themes

Steve — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 14:31:02 -0000

This is fresh, lovin your style!

Re: People, Computers, and People People

Steve — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:14:25 -0000

I was a victim of this corporate paranoia back in 1985 when working as a software engineer for the second largest computer manufacturer. Anyway, I was fired for misuse of company assets for posting a lawnmower for sale on the company bulletin board after hours no less. Turns out they were looking to downsize and used that as an excuse. I fought it on the grounds of wrongful termination and won.
This occurred a month after I was given an excellent performance review.

Anyway, the experience permanently scarred my entire outlook on corporations and I've been self employed ever since. Jumping forward to 2008, the business climate has become even more suffocating with employers Googling prospective hires before and during employment, using keystroke loggers, email spying, and using other spying software to monitor their employees activities. Where is the line drawn for invasion of privacy if an employee is being productive and performing well for their company. That same energy should be used by HR
and upper management to further the company's interests rather than acting as activity police!

My 2 Cents

Steve

Re: Freedom is Overrated

Steve — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 13:30:04 -0000

I too just joined the Twitterverse (http://twitter.com/sradick), and am finding many of the same things to be true. However, I think that this post by Robert Scoble helps to explain some of that -
http://scobleizer.com/2008/05/18/why-google-new...

Yes, there's a lot of noise (ads, what people ate for lunch, etc.), but there is also a lot of value. If you take away the noise, I would argue that you would also be taking away a lot of the value. Once you start filtering things based on one person's judgments, it's a very slippery slope to those gatekeepers that have made traditional media so sanitized and boring. Take Facebook's Beacon app - that's an application that the community rebelled against, and it's now in the scrap heap. So a group of people somewhere (a very weird group) has found value in these weird applications - that's why they're still around.

Spin this around to the Enterprise. Doesn't that same slippery slope apply when your boss says that you're only allowed using EnTwitter to discuss the Belle Jolie account? If the scope of such a tool gets defined by the "boss" rather than the community, would the community continue to use it?

I agree that there need to be rules within the Enterprise that govern the use of these tools, but at the same time, the people making the rules have to realize the ramifications of their decisions. Simply disallowing non-work activity on these tools doesn't just eliminate non-work activity, it can also domino and impact actual work activity that may not get captured.

Re: Freedom is Overrated

Steve — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 13:30:43 -0000

BTW...I actually came across this post via your recent Tweet about it.

Re: +++ Ivan Cameron Died Overnight +++

Steve — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 10:14:00 -0000

ha, fascinating. Now that the comments by Toenails have been debunked, the hate continues through grasping at "implied" agenda. Perhaps it is a little hypocritical for so many of you to compain about bias?

(by the way, before anyone accuses me of being a Brownite, i have hated New Labour since the moment I first heard of it!)

Re: Bullpen bullet points

Steve — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 21:23:00 -0000

Rob -

Great article as usual - I usually lurk with no questions.

But I have to say . . . Brendan Donnelly intrigues me. Am I wrong -

1. He ATTACKS the strike zone.

2. He's pretty cocky with the stuff to back it up most times

3. Seems to have a good "makeup" for the job.

Why are they not looking more closely at him?

Re: Don’t count on Lidge

Steve — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 21:27:00 -0000

Rob -

I hear Schilling on EEI today and he seemed, maybe perturbed, that the Red Sox had no closer. He mentioned how much the payroll is and they still didn't have a closer. When asked if he knew who would take the ball from him in the 9th (really, how often does Schilling go 8 anyway), he said no, I have no idea.

How does not having a closer play on the psyche of good starting pitching - can they block it out?

Re: Found in translation

Steve — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 07:11:00 -0000

Rob -

Thanks man - this great.

Re: Streaming my music collection from anywhere.

Steve — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 18:00:14 -0000

Hi,

I found this and was wondering if there are any N800 audio players that work directly with Icecast yet? What I mean is, I use MPD > Icecast to stream my FLAC encoded music (transcoded to OGG) and it works great when played back on my XP desktop with Foobar2000. I was hoping to find player for the N800 as I just bought one. From what I have read so far it seems pretty iffy.

Thanks

Re: Streaming my music collection from anywhere.

Steve — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 13:13:41 -0000

Thanks for your quick answer. I will try your suggestion, it seems like a good solution.

Re: Streaming my music collection from anywhere.

Steve — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 15:23:38 -0000

Well streamTrancoderv3 is supposed to do exactly that, transcode ogg into mp3. Unfortunately I get a segmentation fault and it refuses to run. I will keep watching Oddsock's forum but it seems the apps there are not being developed anymore. Where you running it on windows or linux? I am using Kubuntu and really like it. Which version of streamTranscoder did you test?

Anyway have you tried the XMMS player on your N800? I use it on a Mythbuntu set-top to play back my Icecast streams and it works great.

Re: Streaming my music collection from anywhere.

Steve — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 14:32:36 -0000

I received my N800 and so far I am fairly impressed. I tried using XMMS but it uses to many resources. The best option I have found is to use mplayer, launched from the command line, to play the streams. It plays OGG streams using around 13% of the CPU, and sounds great. I think my setup, server running MPD and Icecast, N800 running a MPD client and mplayer is pretty cool.

Re: The Johnson Family Update › Log In

Steve — Fri, 19 May 2006 09:23:00 -0000

Gravelines won! Can I uncross my fingers now?

Re: The Johnson Family Update › Log In

Steve — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 07:16:00 -0000

"Golden November" seems to have came at the same time as Kevin's emergence. Not going to say that that is the reason....but don't lose that thought.

Re: Pastor arrested for rape of congregant - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Steve — Thu, 29 Jun 2006 07:57:00 -0000

List of requirements to qualify to be a preacher or christian.

1. Basically None!

2. The ability to read, not required.

3. No requirement to have ever read the Bible.

4. Mental stability not required.

5. Appearance and age, no requirement.

6. Education, not required.

7. Previous criminal background history, not relevant.

8. No requirement to believe the Bible to be true.

9. No test required or qualification, but one must take a test to get their drivers lisence.

10. Faithfullness to one's spouse not required.

11. To uphold any of the Ten Commandments, not required.

12. No certification or documentation required.

The only requirement is to be able to verbally minipulate, deceive, coerce and decimate people's own ability to think and reason for themselves, just as it was written, by Paul in the new testiment.

Also a willingness to accept money and deceive, without a single passing thought of guilt.

Re: Convert or die! - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Steve — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 17:42:00 -0000

Here's a link to an interesting statement from the CEO of the game company. Worth a read...

Re: 10 myths -- and 10 truths -- about atheism - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Steve — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 06:39:00 -0000

So thats the reason God created the entire universe in the first place, so he create humans to cast into hell, based upon what they choose to believe.

Now it all begins to make sense, yeah real smart god, that Bible god.

So this God enjoys sending people to hell and watching them burn for eternity, even if it's just one person, the Bible God gets a thrill out of watching people burn forever.

That makes real good sense to me, you too Paul?

Re: Rapha’s View From The Convoy

Steve — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:31:38 -0000

nice work, awesome!

Re: Jongewaard’s Sentence Too Harsh?

Steve — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 17:20:35 -0000

Unfortunately our justice system doesn't work by giving people a second chance for "feeling remorse" or by "already paying with what he's gone through". Just because Jongewaard is a pro athlete doesn't mean that he can get off. What kind of precedent would be set if he was let off the hook just because he's a good bike rider?

Also, as CT alluded to, the courts seem to have been very lenient so far. How many people get to travel the world and race their bikes while on trial? He also got to race the Worlds and represent Australia last week. He'll be on parole in 9 months. If he were anyone else besides a pro cyclist I think our response would be much different.

Re: http://blog.thegreenasterisk.com/2006/09/joshua-convergence.html

Steve — Thu, 05 Oct 2006 19:09:00 -0000

Hm . . . interesting . . . wait, when did this post become about female leadership in the church??? I was simply reporting what was going on. Sure all the pastors happened to be men, but that's not my fault.

I guess I should respond a little bit, though, because a couple of things you said just aren't true. Not what you said about the Bible - that's all spot on, but what you said about the SBC leaders. Every Southern Baptist preacher that I have ever heard preach on this topic has, indeed, liked the "submit yourselfs one to another" bit in Ephesians. In fact everything you said is in complete agreement with everything I've ever heard come out of any preacher's mouth with one slight exception: because of what is said in 1 Tim. 2:12-14 they do not allow women to teach men in the church. But that's it. Women can hold jobs, women can be bosses, women can be presidents, women can be judges, women can be governers, and on and on and on the list goes. But what any preacher I have ever heard has said is that because Paul didn't like it, they're not gonna like it. Just to be safe.

And, oh, I could write a book on what Southern Baptists believe about tongues. In short, though . . . we don't believe it is what you believe it is (if I assume correctly in what you believe it to be) and we have both Biblical reference and personal experience to back it up.

I guess while I'm at it I should address Big Daddy Weave's comment, too. And I've already privately emailed him my response and we've built a cordial repore, but I think at least this much should be known publically: The "battle" for the Bible is not a battle we fight against flesh and blood, but against principalities and so on. Even then, it is not an offensive battle we wage, it's purely defensive. What we believe to be right is not going to thrown by the wayside just because someone disagrees. We believe what we believe for a reason and those reasons will be made known until we can be convinced of better reasons not to believe.

Now, for the record, I don't agree with 100% of what Southern Baptists preach. I won't go into with what I dissagree, but sufice it to say that I will stand for and defend any man's belief so long as it's not blind faith and he's not forcing it down anyone's throat. These two criteria I believe were met by the Joshua Convergence and have been met by all of the Southern Baptist pastors that I have respected over the years. So, in short, my response to all criticism is this: if we're not shoving anything down YOUR throat, then don't shove anything down OURS.

Love ya, Kathryn; love ya, Big Daddy. Weave, I know you're not shoving anything down my throat and I respect you for that. I love the both of you and look forward to the possibility of meeting you both in heaven where we can discuss these topics a little more knowledgably ;-)

Re: http://blog.thegreenasterisk.com/2006/09/joshua-convergence.html

Steve — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 21:09:00 -0000

Now THIS I agree with! Thank you, Lary, for this comment, because it is the biggest reason I wanted to start a better Christian movie studio and website. Because there has been a horrible spirit of reactionism as opposed to proactivism sneaking around American Christianity ever since the 50's with the advent of Rock and Roll and the Rock and Roll Culture. I should do a blog on that some time. I already did an essay on it for college.

Re: http://blog.thegreenasterisk.com/2007/04/mcfly-or-wheres-hover-board.html

Steve — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 11:44:00 -0000

hey - I won't have what was meant as a lighthearted post about one of my favorite movies turn into a poorly-argued attack on a generation. I'll leave your comment up because censorship without justification is annoying, but if you do come back to see if there was a response to your comment, know that I will delete any comments you make in defense to your first.

Now come on! Pick up the mood! Self-sizing shoes, everyone! Aren't you pumped?

Re: http://blog.thegreenasterisk.com/2007/04/mcfly-or-wheres-hover-board.html

Steve — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 20:01:00 -0000

You didn't imagine the whole thing. But the director did. This is from a comment on the Digg page:

"Robert Zemeckis, the film's director and special effects genius, became fed up with people asking him how the hover board sequences were done, and, according to Michael J. Fox, he began answering, "What do you mean, how did we do it? It's a real hover-board. It flies. Michael [J. Fox] just practiced a lot." His exasperation-fueled flippancy only served to heighten the rumor; now even the director was confirming it!

The hover board's failure to appear on toy store shelves was attributed to pressure brought to bear upon Mattel by parents' groups concerned for the safety of children, and once again Zemeckis was right there to stir the pot: "Hover boards have been around for years, but parents' groups worry that kids will get hurt, so they've pressured the toy companies not to put them on the market," he said. "We got our hands on some."

Re: http://blog.thegreenasterisk.com/2007/04/thats-no-moon-its-military-outpost.html

Steve — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 22:42:00 -0000

That is an excellent point. I think the people who are in charge in hollywood - the people who have the money - tend to be the same kind of people as the roommate I mentioned in the article - they're more into thrillers and sports dramas. So, when they fund a sci-fi movie they just say "make it look cool and flashy," and don't give a second thought to the story. I think they're getting better, though. They're starting to realize what the sci-fi fan base wants and they're going with it.

Re: The Johnson Family Update › Log In

Steve — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 16:25:00 -0000

I don't want to get too technical here, but when does a soup become thick enough to be a stew?

Re: The Johnson Family Update › Log In

Steve — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 06:33:00 -0000

You're a luck baby. You're here, you're fine looking and you have great parents who are very proud of you. You can see their love in the pictures.

These probably won't be the last pictures posted, he he. Now go conquer the world!

Re: The Johnson Family Update › Log In

Steve — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 08:42:00 -0000

Amari:

I like your blog. Nice to read what things seem like from your point of view. A view from someone seeing the world for the first time. Optimistic and slightly in awe. Funny, keep it coming.

But somehow, I think somebody is helping you with it. :)

Re: The Johnson Family Update › Log In

Steve — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 12:38:00 -0000

I have moved over to reading Amari's blog and never read this one anymore. Amari's blog is way better. Well...maybe I did read this one today. :)

Re: The Johnson Family Update › Log In

Steve — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 12:51:00 -0000

Kid,

I am a faithful reader of your blog. It is great and much better than that other one that sometimes talks about buy a hand bag or other big people stuff. We all are interested in what babies think. Keep your comments coming.

LS

Re: The Johnson Family Update › Log In

Steve — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 15:09:00 -0000

Nice!!

Re: The Johnson Family Update › Log In

Steve — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 09:33:00 -0000

I love the uniform that the team got for you, Amari. Looks like the ones from the 70's on the pictures at the Mabee Center. On the other board your Mom asks whether her blog is boring. It is certainly not. But your blog is especially interesting!

Babies are so neat and I can tell by your expression and eyes that this board comes pretty close to what you are thinking. You are ahead of most one month old babies. Keep your posts coming.

Ignore that 'Lil S. kid. Your vaccinations will keep you healthy.

Go Skyliners!

Re: The Johnson Family Update › Log In

Steve — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 16:59:00 -0000

Hand saws are more environmentally friendly than chain saws. :)

Re: The Johnson Family Update › Log In

Steve — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 12:22:00 -0000

Uh, Maria, the first time you mentioned the subject you typed you were researching OSU. LOL!

Re: The Johnson Family Update › Log In

Steve — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:41:00 -0000

I am not surprized that you have a good vocabulary, you have been posting since before you were born.

Seriously, I'm sure your parental units work with you a lot. It seems like them.

Steve

Re: The Johnson Family Update › Log In

Steve — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 08:18:00 -0000

Hope it helps our little friend and goes as easily as possible for everyone.

Re: The Johnson Family Update › Log In

Steve — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 09:48:00 -0000

The bottom picture of my dad looks good. But the one above it of the crooked politician is the reason the elderly shouldn't have their picture taken. David, on the other hand looks dapper and Maria beaming.

Steve

Re: The Johnson Family Update › Log In

Steve — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 22:30:00 -0000

Somebody had a lot of fun at Grandmas. The whole series of pictures are cute. Nice pggy.

Steve

Re: The Johnson Family Update › Log In

Steve — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 09:37:00 -0000

Many runners book's (The Runners Repair Manual, etc.) claim that those with fat feet have less foot problems. Maybe he'll be a Marathoner. :) Excellent shock absorption.

Re: The Johnson Family Update › Log In

Steve — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 11:45:00 -0000

Nothing that an employeer requires you to go to (even the US Government) should be political or denominational in nature.

The are plenty of fine programs that are academic and business world based. I work for a very conservative company but none of our training relects that. In fact it is based in modern theory by people who are not associated with any party, religion, or industry. Supervisory and motivational practices should work on their own merit.

Re: The Johnson Family Update › Log In

Steve — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 09:27:00 -0000

I got tired just reading it. I wonder if I could sneak a little nap at my desk? :)

Re: The Johnson Family Update › Log In

Steve — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 10:12:00 -0000

Yeah, I know about The Boy. I took my 20 something niece to the football game. She loves football but spent the ride back talking about some "adorable" child. He's active but not disruptive. :)

Re: The Johnson Family Update › Log In

Steve — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 10:18:00 -0000

Amari:

I am glad to see that you are feeling better. It's no fun to be sick no with so much holiday stuff to do. You are very soft spoken and cute.

Re: The Johnson Family Update › Log In

Steve — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 10:29:00 -0000

Great pictures Maria, except where you have just ate the lemon and are standing next to the old guy.

Re: The Johnson Family Update › Log In

Steve — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 10:04:00 -0000

Hey, lil dude, haven't talked to you for awhile. Have mom give you icing wif yur cake. It's your Birfday. Happy BD. You're a good kid, but there is still time to work on that.

Lil Steve (Still 7)

Steve says Happy Birthday also.

Re: The Johnson Family Update › Log In

Steve — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 11:37:00 -0000

A:

I got behind and had to look at a bunch of these at once. Books are a great thing, I got book for Christmas, too!! I don't get that big of a laugh when I tell "knock, knock" jokes.

It's a ways back but I love the one were you are eating and fill your cheek up...unless you are maybe chewing tobacco?

Great pictures, hope you had a wonderful Christmas.

Steve

Re: If It’s Friday, It’s Time for Hookers and Blow

Steve — Fri, 03 Mar 2006 16:35:00 -0000

Testing, testing.

I see I've been lied to.

Re: New York Magazine Can Grup My Balls

Steve — Wed, 05 Apr 2006 17:25:00 -0000

Testing...

Re: I Am Trying to Break Your Hip

Steve — Thu, 06 Apr 2006 12:13:00 -0000

Thanks for the correction! Guess it makes sense they'd play in Athens..

Re: New York Magazine Can Grup My Balls

Steve — Fri, 07 Apr 2006 23:16:00 -0000

Awesome, thanks!

Re: Pearl Jam - Pearl Jam

Steve — Sat, 08 Apr 2006 16:21:00 -0000

Hey.. like I said, I'm not much for disseminating unreleased music. It shouldn't be too hard to find where the link is though. Enjoy!

Re: Wilco, Live in San Francisco, 1997

Steve — Mon, 10 Apr 2006 17:33:00 -0000

They do sound great, been listening to them all afternoon! Now if I could only find a good boot of that Irving show.... anybody?

Re: Illusions Shattered

Steve — Tue, 18 Apr 2006 14:34:00 -0000

Avalon as a venue is, in a word, ok. I'd say the best part is that you can traverse from front to back pretty easily (and not have to push through the crowd) by going upstairs, cut through the 1st floor deck, and take the stairs near the back of the room. I saved a lot of time doing that.

As for crowd dynamics, it was hard to tell. The crowd was so young, that it was hard to gauge where the "natural paths" are like at other venues. Emo kids don't act like other fans. Largely because most of them aren't old enough to have reason to hang out near the bar. That said, my sense was that there should be a "path" along the right-hand side of the crowd that takes you pretty close up front. I stood in the middle of the crowd for about 20 minutes, and spent the rest of the time near the back bar.

Another interesting thing is that all 3 (?) levels are open for shows, meaning there is a normal balcony on the 2nd floor, and then 3 standalone balconies (back, right, left) on the third floor. I ended up in the third floor balcony in the rear for most of the opener, who sucked, even though I think it was a VIP section. No one stopped me, and there was no line at the bar up there. Worked for me.

As for sound? Like I said, not terrible. Not great, but not awful. Then again, it was a punk show, so no one's listening for the intricacies underneath. Or if they are, it's only because they're on acid. And I'm pretty sure some 17-year old kid was, because he was storming around the crowd in circles holding his head like it was about to explode.

Stay off the drugs, kids.

Re: Pearl Jam on SNL

Steve — Tue, 18 Apr 2006 23:50:00 -0000

Hey, thanks for the kind words! Glad to be of assistance!

Re: Lucero @ Northsix, Brooklyn, NY

Steve — Thu, 20 Apr 2006 12:55:00 -0000

Really? That's too bad. If you haven't checked out their records at all, you should. Especially if you like the alt-country at all. The way I've always described Lucero is an emo alt-country. As I write that, I realize that it probably sounds AWFUL. But what I mean it that it's a very earnest, country-flavored rock with a whole lot of sing-along emotive choruses.

If that still doesn't sound appealing, then I just gonna have to post some more songs by them, because I stand behind my belief that That Much Further West is essentially a sequel to Stranger's Almanac; that Tennessee has some of the best songs I've heard in the last 5 years; and that Nobody's Darlings kicks everyone's ass but Axl's.

Re: Wussy @ Northside Tavern, Cincinnati, OH [4/28/06]

Steve — Mon, 01 May 2006 12:11:00 -0000

Wasn't looking at an MTA map when I wrote the post. Point being, it's a pain in the ass to get to Coney Island regardless what train you take, and I hope to avoid that trip if at all possible.

Re: Go See and Hear Live Music

Steve — Mon, 01 May 2006 23:34:00 -0000

This coming from the man who adores Belle and Sebastian?

Re: Wilco, 4/21/06, Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ (Part 1)

Steve — Tue, 02 May 2006 10:37:00 -0000

Unfortunately, I paid the full $15 ticket price. But for the Marshall Tucker Band, I'd have paid a hell of a lot more.

Oh, is anyone going to this show?

Re: I Have No Title for This Post

Steve — Fri, 26 May 2006 18:08:00 -0000

Not really sure. There have been "Bedhead" sessions of one kind or another floating around for years. I always used to see them on the fan FTP site where I first got 48 Hours and Suicide Handbook years ago, but I never knew what they were. And I only remember one or two. My sense seems to be that they're merely collections of good live songs, but I could be wrong.

Re: It’s Still Real to Me, Dammit!

Steve — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 16:37:00 -0000

Seriously, this man scares me more than biological warfare.

Re: It’s Still Real to Me, Dammit!

Steve — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 16:39:00 -0000

Seriously, this man scares me more than biological warfare.

Re: Thisnthat

Steve — Mon, 19 Jun 2006 14:58:00 -0000

I'd actually forgotten how good Hope and Adams is, but have been listening to it pretty much non-stop since reading this interview a couple of days ago.

Re: Devin Davis @ Mercury Lounge, NYC [6/19/06]

Steve — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 08:55:00 -0000

Really? Wow. Not sure how I missed that CMJ show. I vaguely remember the solo show, but think I was out of town at the time. From your comments and one over at Brooklynvegan, I'm kinda glad I missed that one!

Re: Built to Spill @ Big Easy Concert House, Boise [6/3/06]

Steve — Sun, 25 Jun 2006 17:15:00 -0000

Should be fixed now. The joys of EZArchive...

Re: Game of Pricks

Steve — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 15:11:00 -0000

Yeah, saw that in the Cincinnati Enquirer's review of the show.

Just to give you an idea as to how clueless Cincinnati is when it comes to music, the title of the article was:

"Pearl Jam Still Flies Freak Flag"

I'm amazed sometimes I survived that town.

Re: Birdmonster on SpinArt

Steve — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 23:22:00 -0000

Next time I see the back of your head at a show, I'll be sure to say hi... :^)

Re: The Rbally Post

Steve — Mon, 17 Jul 2006 18:20:00 -0000

Gotcha, thanks!

Re: Prepare to Be Fascinated by Minutiae

Steve — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 16:44:00 -0000

Settle down there, partner. Not my words. I was merely amused by them as someone who has never really "gotten" the Springsteen phenomenon.

Is that ok for me to admit as a blogger? I don't get, or really like all that much, Bruce Springsteen?

I don't dislike him, but I also don't think I've ever been compelled to put on one of his albums because I wanted to hear it.

Re: Priestess Lose Last Bit of Credibility

Steve — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 08:29:00 -0000

Looking back over my post, I don't think I mentioned anything about rules, regulations or Keane. In fact, I don't think I've ever mentioned Keane here, because they suck.

Try re-reading the post. What I said was that I'd heard one Priestess song and didn't like it. I even went so far as to give a caveat that my aversion to Priestess is really without basis.

And don't try to convince me that Gwar is a good band. I've heard Gwar. I used to listen to Gwar when I was 12. I feel completely at ease making fun of a band for touring with Gwar.

Re: Prepare to Be Fascinated by Minutiae

Steve — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 11:01:00 -0000

Admittedly, I purchased Nebraska a few years back when everyone was telling me "If you like alt-country, you'll like Nebraska." Plus, Son Volt participated in that Nebraska tribute album. So I picked it up.

I listened to it once. It bored the living crap out of me, and I haven't listened to it since.

Seriously, I've given Springsteen a million chances, bought several albums, but it just hasn't happened for me. A lot of people love him. To me, he's just ok.

Re: Decemberists To Play Hammerstein (Dammit)

Steve — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 01:56:00 -0000

Hey Jack, thanks for the comments (and for reading!). I think I'm going to try to hit one of the Decemberists shows in DC, since I have people to crash with and since the 9:30 Club is one of my favorite venues. Then again, if I can convince one of my friends with a car to drive, maybe we'll make it to Philly.

As for Dylan, the stadium thing kinda kills me. But I may try to make it anyway. I'm sure he'll tour through NYC at some point though...

Re: Decemberists To Play Hammerstein (Dammit)

Steve — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 11:12:00 -0000

Sal-

Yeah, what I meant is that you're pretty far away. You can see everything, just not in the way I like to (i.e., I've grown used to being 5-10 feet from the stage).

The one time I sat in the balcony was for Guns n' Roses, and it felt like I was watching on one of those small 13" TV sets. The sound upstairs is pretty good, though.

It's a trade off, and no location at Hammerstein gives you a particularly good concert-going experience..

Oh, and the Decemberists rock!

Re: Birdmonster Triple Up on New York

Steve — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 17:36:00 -0000

Glad you like Birdmonster. I definitely hear Pumpkins in Silversun Pickups, but it's a Gish-era Pumpkins, which is a good thing in my book.

I really like the SP album, though I will back off my earlier comment about it being possibly my favorite album of the year. There are 5-6 fantastic songs on their, a couple ok ones, and a couple I'll probably skip every time I listen to it.

Still a very good album, but not my favorite of the year.

Just heard the new Eric Bachmann, and while good, it won't be my favorite of the year either..

Re: Birdmonster Triple Up on New York

Steve — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 17:37:00 -0000

Oops. Their = there. I ain't not really as stupid as I writes sometimes.

Re: La Rocca’s The Truth Available for Pre-Sale

Steve — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 00:30:00 -0000

I'll definitely be at MMJ. Just look for the guy who looks like a New York hipster trapped in the body of a New York lawyer. That's me!

Re: Remind Me Never to Have Children

Steve — Thu, 17 Aug 2006 19:09:00 -0000

Tell me that when your son is old enough to start asking you (over, and over, and over again), to take him to see the Doodlebops. Then we'll see just how much power a parent has in these decisions. :^)

Re: Rainfall of Envelopes

Steve — Mon, 04 Sep 2006 12:26:00 -0000

I have no idea what you're talking about. Red herring as to what?

Like I said, a couple friends formed a company. I'm doing them a favor posting about it. End of story.

Re: Robert Pollard Coming to Bowery Ballroom (11/13)

Steve — Mon, 04 Sep 2006 12:28:00 -0000

Vandy gave us no trouble. Vandy is a joke. Vandy scored once, on a trick play.

Our offense sucks, pure and simple, aside from Mike Hart.

Re: Texas is the Reason (Part 2)

Steve — Tue, 12 Sep 2006 08:27:00 -0000

Believe me, I love Frame and Canvas, but it was a much less commercial album than those other three albums. I wouldn't have been surprised if those other songs had scored actual radio hits ("Lucky Denver Mint" from Clarity even got a pretty serious push, including as the theme song to some Jennifer Love Hewitt TV show).

Frame and Canvas was (and remains) too ambitious musically to ever have gotten radio play, or huge sales numbers. (IMO, of course.)

Now if we're talking about Hey Mercedes, that's a different issue. (I'm not calling then unambitious - they were just a much more pop oriented band than Braid). HM should have been big.

Re: Catherine Popper Leaves the Cardinals

Steve — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 17:45:00 -0000

Clay - That is a picture of David Brent, a/k/a actor Ricky Gervais, the boss in the original version of The Office from Britain.

There's a reason they brought the show to the U.S. - it was fantastic. Somehow they've managed to make the U.S. version excellent as well, unlike some previous shows (e.g., Coupling).

Check it out.

Re: No Wonder Christgau Was Fired

Steve — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 12:43:00 -0000

I hope that there's more of a review in the print version. Otherwise, the fact that there's noting "in that review that's unfair" is wholly beside the point. There is nothing in that review, period.

The only things this review says about this new album:

(1) It continues to have obscure lyrics.

(2) It has two long songs.

(3) It's on a major label.

Again, that ain't criticism. And, again, I hope there's more in the print edition.

Re: Worst Song Ever?

Steve — Sun, 08 Oct 2006 16:53:00 -0000

Mates of State... interesting. Not a band I've spent much time listening to. Will check them out and see if they're "Worst Song Ever?"-worthy.

Re: Silversun Pickups @ Mercury Lounge, NYC [10/11/06]

Steve — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 15:47:00 -0000

Excellent. I knew I bought a ticket for a reason!

Re: The Hold Steady Release Video for "Chips Ahoy!"

Steve — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 17:16:00 -0000

Hell, I don't even know who the Doughboys are. Or at least I didn't before I checked AllMusic.

Re: Go Hear New Shins

Steve — Sat, 21 Oct 2006 16:36:00 -0000

I actually just got the full album. It has it's moments, but my initial impression is pretty bleh. Props to them for changing their sound a bit, but it's just a bit boring to me.

Re: CMJ-1 Day

Steve — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 14:30:00 -0000

That's what I thought, but I wasn't 100% sure. Great song.

Re: Paul Weller Attacks NYC

Steve — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 22:19:00 -0000

I really, really dislike most of his recent stuff that I've heard. His music sounds like Tom Jones now. Not that there's much better than when Tom sings "It's Not Unusual", but it's not what I'm looking for from the Modfather.

Re: Broken West Video

Steve — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 12:03:00 -0000

Oops, my bad. CMJ is still a blur to me. Too many shows. Merge showcase was indeed at Knitting Factory.

Re: SXSW Official SESAC Day Stage Lineups

Steve — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 15:47:00 -0000

Think you may be right. Crap on a stick. Maybe next year I'll pony up for a badge instead of a wristband.

Re: Pearl Jam Headlining Lollapalooza

Steve — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 12:24:00 -0000

I spent a good 20 minutes trying to find a really bad picture. I didn't realize that was a Minor Threat shirt, though. Just love how prototypically-1992 they all look.

Re: Testing.. Testing..

Steve — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 01:12:00 -0000

Whole track works for me... give it another try. The band is called The View.

Re: Bright Eyes @ Bowery Ballroom [3/2/07]

Steve — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 14:23:00 -0000

Typo, obviously. But thanks for your concern.

Re: Friday @ SXSW

Steve — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 11:45:00 -0000

You're not here, are you?

Re: Final SXSW Thoughts

Steve — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 22:34:00 -0000

Hey there Ben:

Nothing rude about your post at all -- I can understand that you would want to respond to criticism of the venue. It's only fair that I respond in full.

First, let me say that, as a bar (as opposed to a live music venue), I've got no complaints with the Dirty Dog. In fact, it would probably be a pretty good bar to hang out at on any given night given how big it is and the number of TVs.

That said, I found it to be a pretty poor place to try to watch a band. While it's certainly spacious for a standard bar, the floor layout is less than ideal for a large crowd in front of the stage. I found the area in front of the stage to be uncomfortably crowded (shoulder to shoulder) in a way that that detracted from the show-going experience.

That crowdedness was made worse by the large pole in front of the stage. While I understand it's probably a structural necessity, any time you have a large pole in a music club, let alone close to the stage, it's going to create sight-line problems, and is going to cause the crowd to bunch up in the parts of the floor where there is a better view of the stage. That makes an already crowded room even worse, because you've essentially taken the area around the pole out of the equation of where people can stand. Indeed, this was compounded by the fact that there was a large garbage can sitting in front of the pole. Thus, not only was there a pole only a matter of feet from the stage, but the garbage can then, in essence, meant that a circle with a diameter of approximately 5 feet (I'm estimating), which would normally be a prime place to stand, was taken out of use. Again, people had to go somewhere, so the unobstructed areas got even more crowded.

As a result, we ended up standing to the right of the pole, near the corner/side of the stage. Bad idea. Because the door and main bar were behind us, but the bathrooms and rear bar were in front of us (and the make-shift bar along the wall with the beers in the tub), there was a constant stream of people pushing through the crowd during the sets. It was almost impossible to stand still for more than a minute or two at a time due to all of the movement to the rear bar or bathroom.

OK, so I've covered most of the logistical problems of using the room as a music venue, all of which are pretty important to people who go to a lot of shows. Beyond this, though, there were a number of other problems. First, on the night we were there, there was an unbelievably (and dangerously) drunk guy who ended up getting on stage. He nearly fell off the stage and broke his neck. Anyway, while one of the people setting up the stage helped him off the stage onto the floor, that was all they did. The guy was about as drunk as anyone I've ever seen -- he couldn't walk straight. He then proceeded to push into the crowd, fall against people, and randomly decide to stand where other people (including me) were standing. Yet the club's security did absolutely nothing, either to move this guy out of the crowd or, even better, out of the bar. We were sure that this guy was going to cause problems at some point -- luckily, he didn't. (At least not while we were there.)

Another small point -- we got to the bar at the very beginning of what was about a 5 or 6 hour set of bands (the Yep Roc Showcase). When we got there around 8, we'd been walking all day, and my friend's wife found a seat (one of 2, I think) near the rear bar. However, she wasn't there more than 10 minutes when someone claiming to work at the venue told her she had to get up because they were going to use the seat for beer sales. So she got up. Of course, the girl who took her seat never ended up selling beer. Instead, the beer tub was set up several feet away. Four hours later, when we left, the same supposed employee was still sitting in the seat, doing nothing.

So, that's my rambling (half-drunk) explanation. One notable point -- the acoustics, while not pristine, weren't too bad either. That alone probably keeps the Dirty Dog from becoming the "worst" venue I've ever been to (hello, Roseland Ballroom). However, were I to live in Austin, and I very well may soon, I can't say that the Dirty Dog is a venue I would ever be happy to see a band at. I'd drink some beers there, but that's about it.

Hope this explains things a little.

Steve

Re: A Belated SXSW Discovery

Steve — Sat, 14 Apr 2007 07:58:00 -0000

Lasse- Thanks for the suggestions. I'll definitely look for those. I recently picked up Time Bomb High School and like it nearly as much as Too Much Guitar. I officially need to get the entire discography.

Re: The Best Live Band In The World

Steve — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 11:09:00 -0000

New Partner.

Re: Dinosaur Jr. @ Irving Plaza, NYC [6/7/07]

Steve — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 11:06:00 -0000

Definitely loving Beyond... if you haven't seen a Dinosaur Jr. show, be warned -- it's about as loud of a show as I've ever seen. If your ears are at all sensitive, take some ear plugs. My ears are still ringing.

Re: Wilco @ Aronoff Center, Cincinnati, OH [6/14/07]

Steve — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 14:36:00 -0000

That first couple of minutes of "Spiders" had some fantastic, geeky kraut-rock moments that go beyond anything I've seen them do before. Never thought I'd like kraut-rock, but it was great.

Re: The National @ The 20th Century Theater, Cincinnati, OH [6/15/07]

Steve — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 11:05:00 -0000

Agreed. Talkdemonic was pretty good, and certainly much, much better than Shapes and Sizes.

Looks like we were pretty close to each other at both shows.

Re: Ryan Adams @ Hiro Ballroom on Tuesday

Steve — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 10:15:00 -0000

Here's my understanding -- a number of tickets were made available yesterday morning on Ticketweb via the pre-sale password (Rose). Supposedly any remaining tickets will go on sale to the public tomorrow (Monday), also via Ticketweb. I'm not sure how many are left, or exactly when they'll go on sale, so I'd suggest just keeping your eye on Ticketweb for the next 24 hours or so.

Good luck!

Re: Tocotronic?

Steve — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 20:34:00 -0000

Thanks... I actually listened to a couple clips from K.O.O.K. the other day and liked what I heard. Now I just need to decide whether to get the original disc (in German) or the re-recorded version in English. My grasp of German is pretty much nonexistent.

Re: Ryan Adams @ Hiro Ballroom, NYC [6/26/07]

Steve — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 14:27:00 -0000

Amazingly, other folks around the net seemed to love this show. Dunno.

Re: Wilco @ Hammerstein Ballroom, NYC [6/25/07]

Steve — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 14:28:00 -0000

Thanks for the head's up! Will definitely check it out.

Re: Meet Sonific

Steve — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 15:58:00 -0000

Kimmo-

Thanks for posting. I'll definitely be keeping my eye on Sonific - especially since it makes it easier for me to post songs on the blog.

-Steve

Re: What’s The Point?

Steve — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 15:41:00 -0000

That's hilarious. Professional, indeed.

Re: What’s The Point?

Steve — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 17:46:00 -0000

Hey, blog away. Far be it from me to tell people not to blog.

My main problem with the whole b5media thing really boils down to Jeremy Wright's statement. Any idiot can and should be able to blog - hell, I've got two of

'em. But unless you're truly adding something new and/or different, don't pretend that you're bringing "professionalism" to the blogging world. (I realize that these aren't your words, Jason.)

As for a White Stripes blog, well, I'm not a fan of the band, so it doesn't really affect me one way or the other. That said, even though I haven't met you Jason, I've seen Miss Modern Age around town and I'm gonna go out on a limb and say she's cuter, so I'll have to pick her in a head-to-head.

Re: Siren Schedule Is Out

Steve — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 21:58:00 -0000

Another band that I haven't really listened to for one reason or another. Gotta check them out.

Re: Ryan Adams on Sirius Radio

Steve — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 08:55:00 -0000

Hey -- "song" number is actually just an 18-second Sirius promo/intro. Not a real song. Didn't seem to make sense to post it and waste bandwidth.

Re: What’s The Point?

Steve — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 09:24:00 -0000

Jeremy:

Thanks for joining the discussion. To answer your question, yes, the primary impetus for my post was your comment about "professional" blogging. Without that sentence, I probably wouldn't have said anything.

As I'm sure you know, there are a lot of bloggers out there, professional or not, who've been doing this for years, and who have done an incredible service to the music community by spotlighting new music and providing excellent writing. (One such site I forgot to mention yesterday is the excellent Said the Gramophone". It bothered me to think that you were denigrating the work that these folks have done.

It also bothered me that you might be denigrating the content of these non-professional blogs given that, in at least the very early offerings from your blogs, I didn't see anything of particular "professional" value to the music scene. In particular, the thought that the music scene was "underserved" by existing blogs, yet several of your own blogs covered the exact same territory as those un-professional blogs, seemed a bit out of whack to me.

All that said, I have no personal grudge here or anything, and I hope your blogs become a source of interesting information down the road. My personal blogroll of daily reading is sitting at about 85 right now, and I'm always happy to more quality blogs.

I'd just ask that you be mindful that music blogging isn't new anymore, and a lot of really talented, hardworking people have been down this road before.

Re: Marc Olson in D.C. on September 6th

Steve — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 08:49:00 -0000

Looking back, that may have been one of the luckiest days of your life. :^)

Re: Ryan Adams Add More Dates (Including DC)

Steve — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 12:19:00 -0000

There was also that Poison / Tesla show I saw in 1987. My first ever concert. But that one I wear like a badge of honor.

I'd be much more disappointed in you if you told me you went to one of those Billy Joel / Elton John shows.

Re: Ryan Adams Add More Dates (Including DC)

Steve — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 14:04:00 -0000

You sicken and disgust me.

;^)

Re: Full Thurston Moore Tour Dates

Steve — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 18:05:00 -0000

Nice. Will have to pick up a copy of the disc. The last few SY discs have been excellent.

Re: Britt Daniel Can Bite Me

Steve — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 00:48:00 -0000

I don't buy it. If a band with a following like Spoon wants to play a show in a town, they can. There's no way they're letting the booking agent for the venue make their career decisions for them.

While I understand that the promoter probably wants to get people to the Merriweather show, and was afraid that keeping the Tuesday show at 9:30 Club might keep some people from attending the Merriweather show, that doesn't excuse the fact that the band isn't scheduling a makeup date for DC.

Any disappointment could easily have been dealt with by a statement from the band saying, "hey, this was a great opportunity to play with friends of ours. We'll be back for a couple shows in December," and this would be a non-issue. Instead, they handled this extremely poorly and essentially sent a message to their fan that they just don't care about them. That's not the type of PR that's going to keep fans.

Re: D.C. Show Update

Steve — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 17:55:00 -0000

Interesting. His site lists a show tomorrow (Friday) in Baltimore with location TBA, but doesn't list anything for Saturday. Then again, his site doesn't list the Black Cat show either, so who knows...

I'm not a big fan of his, but it might be interesting to see him in the small confines of a church. I hear his live shows are a real experience.

Re: Lloyd Carr is a Complete and Utter Embarassment

Steve — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 19:52:00 -0000

Nothing like kickin' a man when he's down. :^)

Good to know you're a PSU fan. In the very unlikely situation that UM ends up beating PSU this year, you can expect a merciless barrage of taunts from me.

Re: The D.C. Scene, Part One

Steve — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 09:17:00 -0000

You're always one step ahead of me, Sal. :^)

Re: New Babyshambles

Steve — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 14:40:00 -0000

You're probably right. My memory sucks, and I haven't done nearly the amount of drugs as had Mr. Doherty.

Re: DAM! R&R Hotel Adds Yet More Shows

Steve — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 14:37:00 -0000

That's the band I'm happiest to see playing DAM!.

Re: Neil Young Tour Dates Announced

Steve — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 23:05:00 -0000

I actually haven't been to a show at United Palace. There were never really any shows there that were interesting enough to pull me up to Harlem. I hear it's a great room, though.

I'd love to see Van... wish he were playing down here in DC.

Re: The Frames @ Webster Hall, NYC [9/10/07]

Steve — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 18:16:00 -0000

"This is the end of the Frames as we've known them..."

Damn, couldn't have put it better myself. This is the point where I start hating myself for being so selfish. But seriously, this is my band we're talking about. How dare they change.

I'm only half being sarcastic.

Re: No Title

Steve — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 14:18:00 -0000

Much like they were inspired by the piano intro in How I Became the Bomb's "Killing Machine", I'm sure. :^)

Re: Cure Playing DC on May 9th

Steve — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 18:22:00 -0000

Never been to Red Rocks, but my understanding is that it's not in Denver at all. It's in the mountains with a great view of Denver, but actually is well down the road.

Re: CMJ Wishlist

Steve — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 09:10:00 -0000

They are indeed a DC band, but they're not playing here again until November. They did play the 9:30 Club last week, but it was part of some DCist (Gothamist's sister site) "Dance Party" night or some thing or other. This blogger doesn't dance, so there was no way I was going.

Anyway, the list is partially a list of who I'd want to see, and partially a list of bands who I think other people should check out. I just saw the Rosebuds last week, and I'm seeing the Broken West and the Whigs a week after CMJ, so, as I said, there's nothing announced so far that's gonna draw me up to NYC for CMJ. Yet.

Re: Aqueduct = The Suck

Steve — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 00:29:00 -0000

As I'll mention when I get the energy to post about the show, their first song was amazing, but they went waaaay downhill from there. I'm sure part of it is just me, but you're never going to win me over as a band if you do a call-and-response bit about "Who's gonna bring the party? AQUEDUCT!". (I'm paraphrasing, but it wasn't far off.) Another part was the fact that they set the bar so high with their first song, which was a great, loud, 2-guitar attack, and then shifted into very synth heavy songs afterwards. Not my thing.

Re: I Will Not Be Watching 24 This Year

Steve — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 11:25:00 -0000

I guess it depends if you plan on watching the show in the future. They keep toying with fans, suggesting that there is some "thread" tying together all the seasons, but we're now in Season 7 (?) and they haven't mentioned the season finale anthrax attack on David Palmer in years (since it happened, actually), or Nina Myers' organization, the 20-something girl who keeps randomly popping up, etc. I get the sense that they're hinting at an overarching story which they really don't have just to keep people watching for the eventual payoff (in the big screen 24 movie, I'm sure).

SO.. to answer your question.. I dunno. The season changed DRASTICALLY about 1/2 way through, and the main plot of the first half stopped pretty abruptly and became about something completely different (though no more interesting).

It's up to you. If you watch it, I warn you, it's not good television, but you can look at it as an investment to be able to know what's going on in the new season.

Re: When Will It End?

Steve — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 16:41:00 -0000

I much prefer Buy Early, and Get When We Damn Well Feel Like It, Sucka.

Re: Why Are Boyz II Men Singing During the World Series?

Steve — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 13:53:00 -0000

Err, no. I don't even sing in the shower. I don't want to hear my voice, let alone subject other people to it.

The point here is that Boyz II Men are a Philadelphia-based group. They always made a huge deal about their Philly roots. In addition, it's 15 years after their last hit. So I found it odd that Major League Baseball couldn't find a single musical group with more relevant geographical or temporal ties to a Boston-Colorado World Series game.

Re: Why Are Boyz II Men Singing During the World Series?

Steve — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 18:51:00 -0000

>> Good Music isn't always mainstream and played on the radio.

Amen to that. That's kinda the whole point of my blog, actually.

Re: Ryan Adams @ DAR Constitution Hall, DC [10/30/07]

Steve — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 13:11:00 -0000

@Josh:

I agree 100% with your description of Adams' career as one of "musical dress-up." However, it's always been undeniable (IMO) that he has incredible talent and has the ability to write excellent songs. No matter which "era" of his, I've always been able to find songs that I loved.

That said, I've been waiting for him to "find himself," and finally start writing music that's entirely his own. I think I've given up on that after Easy Tiger, though. Rather than exploring new ground (even if it was other people's ground), Easy Tiger was pretty much just a retread of what Ryan has done before. So, in essence, it was a warmed-over version of a warmed-over version.

And while I've cooled on Ryan's recorded output, I've held out hope for his live show. As other commenters have noted, his shows used to be electric (thanks largely to various substances and spirits). In fact, his shows at the tail end of 2001 (the post-9/11 show in New York, and the show at the 9:30 Club a month or so later), remain two of my favorite shows of all time. He was funny, charming and genuinely happy to be there.

Sadly, I've been waiting 5 years to see Ryan play a show that good again, and it's just been a steady decline since then, with each show less interesting than the last.

Re: Ryan Adams @ DAR Constitution Hall, DC [10/30/07]

Steve — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 13:27:00 -0000

@Anon 1:13pm:

Yeah, the crowd was definitely low energy, no question.

That said, I saw a ton of Grateful Dead, Phish, and other "jam band" shows back in the day, and I think it's unfair to compare the two. Ryan definitely WANTS to be that type of band, but I just don't feel that his songwriting lends itself to that type of show.

What got people excited during Dead and Phish shows was the electricity of their music. You never knew what direction they were going to go in, but you knew it would (almost) always be interesting. And Phish, especially, had fun, upbeat songs that got people moving.

Ryan's stuff just isn't the same. He writes very lovely, Americana-oriented music, but there's very little exciting about it anymore.

Maybe he should try touring with Bob or Phil, but my guess is that those audiences wouldn't really buy into him that much either.

Re: Ryan Adams @ DAR Constitution Hall, DC [10/30/07]

Steve — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 16:42:00 -0000

@Anon:

I agree that 60% of Cold Roses was excellent. "Let It Ride" and "If I Am A Stranger" are two of my favorite Ryan tracks, period. I think it would have been a stronger album if he'd pared it down to one disc, though, with only the best 10-12 songs.

Not sure I agree with the Dylan comparison, though. Dylan made a conscious decision to move away from the folk world and into the rock world. At the time that he did that in the 60's, there was really no intersection between the two sounds. The folk people were incredibly close-knit and believed that folk was the only "important" music. They saw rock as beneath them, and felt betrayed when Dylan chose rock over folk.

Ryan, on the other hand, has always changed his sound from album to album. No one can really say that his sound in 2007 is a drastic departure from what he's been doing in the past. Hell, he's been doing the quasi-Dead, 2-set show thing for at least 2 years now. In fact, I thought his 2-set, jammy show that I saw at the Starland Ballroom in New Jersey in June 2005 was excellent, and much, much better than last night's show.

So I don't think it's a matter of fans expecting to see one thing from him but getting another. I just don't think that his music or live show in 2007 is at the same place it has been in years past.

[One caveat -- I haven't seen any other shows on this tour, so I don't know how much his manager's death may have affected yesterday's performance. That said, his show in New York back in June was pretty boring to me as well.]

Re: Broken West Lounge Act

Steve — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 22:03:00 -0000

Awesome, thanks for the note, Shiv. Can't wait to hear it again!

Re: The Concert Event of 2008

Steve — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 15:23:00 -0000

I don't know a whole lot about the band other than the obvious big hits, and didn't realize they were touring with a new singer. That's always a weird situation.

Re: FX Gets It Right

Steve — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 00:42:00 -0000

You should watch the whole season.

I'll admit that the lead actress, Rose Byrne, was pretty awful. So was the girl that played the sister in law.

But Glenn Close was excellent, as was the underappreciated Zeljko Ivanek (of Homicide fame), and especially Ted Danson, who may have given the best performance of his life, IMO.

As for the cliches... well, I think the series redeemed itself by the fact that the season didn't end in any of the easy ways it could have. It held me in legitimate suspense up until the very end, and didn't take the "easy" out on anything.

If you've watched 5-6 episodes, suck it up and find a way to watch the rest. I think you'll be glad you did.

And if not, well, you're just wrong. :^)

Re: My Desert Island Is Stuck in 1997

Steve — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 09:05:00 -0000

I suppose I should clarify -- these aren't the albums that I consider to be the 5 "best" albums of all time. Instead, they're the 5 albums that mean the most to me; that have I have the closest relationship with; that I consistently listen to the most; and that I would have the hardest time spending the rest of my life not listening to.

Another clarification -- this is my list from 1997(ish). I'm still trying to figure out if it's changed at all in the last decade.

All that said, you're right -- a very small percentage of my CD collection predates 1990. I've got a lot of the usual suspects (Beatles, Clash, Dead, Genesis, Television, Velvet Underground, etc.), but by and large my collection post-dates 1990, which is the year I got my first CD player. (I still have a ton of old 1980's metal on cassette somewhere in my parents' house if you want them.)

Re: Hold Steady/Art Brut/1990’s @ 9:30 Club [11/20/07]

Steve — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 09:40:00 -0000

Pat-

To be fair, I do consider myself to be a pretty big Hold Steady fan (I have Tad as a permanent part of my header, I had Boys and Girls in America as my #1 album of 2006 (a bit high in retrospect, but still excellent), and their show at Irving last year was one of the best I've seen in recent years).

That said, I had two problems with their show last night. First, as I mentioned, it was hard to see/hear/enjoy it due to the crowding issues (and the chanting fans) that I mentioned.

Second, and perhaps this is a bigger, unspoken issue in my post, but it seems more and more to me that bands simply don't bring their "A Game" to D.C. I suppose I don't blame them -- the road is long, they're a night or two in either direction from the biggest night of their tour (NYC), and DC is, well, DC. But I've just gotten the feeling at a number of shows since I've been here that the shows I'm seeing from bands (not all, but some) just aren't as good as the shows they do in New York.

I definitely got that impression with the Hold Steady last night. And given how utterly fantastic their Irving show was last year, it was bound to be a disappointment for me.

As for Art Brut, again, I don't DIS-like them. I actually made a point to get to the show in time to see them (my first time). However I just didn't walk away thinking they were a great band. They're fine. Eddie is fun and funny and a great frontman. But the whole set seemed too scripted (and, based on the overhead projector, seems to have been entirely scripted), and therefore never really felt like a true "rock and roll" show to me.

And as for the 1990's... well, I've said enough about them.

PS: I see that it's your birthday. Have a good one! Sounds like a great show...

Re: Hold Steady/Art Brut/1990’s @ 9:30 Club [11/20/07]

Steve — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 14:48:00 -0000

Did I see a single person in a backwards hat last night? Why, yes I did. Thanks for asking.

Re: Best Campaign Ad of the Year (So Far)

Steve — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 15:04:00 -0000

Actually, thank my friend Matt. I forgot to give him credit in the original post...

Re: New Years Eve with The Frames

Steve — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 00:56:00 -0000

Jim:

Glad to hear that the movie has turned you into a Frames fan. Glen is an amazing talent and the band is fantastic. They've put on some of the best live shows I've ever seen, period. The NYE show is gonna be great.

First time in Ireland, eh? It's one of my favorite places.

Re: New Pornographers Playing Soho Apple Store

Steve — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 13:10:00 -0000

Good point. The free shows are usually a zoo in New York. I kinda forgot about that since I've been self-employed for a while now, and forgot how much of a pain it is to try to get out of work early just to go stand on a freaking line.

So, yeah, you're 100% right.

But I still miss New York. :^)

Re: Who’s Playing SXSW 2008?

Steve — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 23:12:00 -0000

Completely forgot about your site. Read it pretty religiously before last SXSW. Thanks!

Re: New Thermals Video, "Returning to the Fold"

Steve — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 14:15:00 -0000

Great band. If you're in the market for a disc, I'd start with their most recent (The Body, The Blood, The Machine) and go backwards from there.

That said, "No Culture Icons" on their first disc may still be my favorite song of theirs.

Re: Ike Turner, RIP

Steve — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 20:34:00 -0000

Yeah, I get that... it's more a question of how Ike seemed to think that because he didn't "beat" her with multiple hits that it was somehow ok.

Re: Miracle Fortress

Steve — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 11:27:00 -0000

That's what happens when I try to post a song at 1am. Sorry. It's fixed now.

Re: My Best of 2007 (1-5)

Steve — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 11:51:00 -0000

Did you know The Ass Ponys? That was Chuck's (of Wussy) old band. One of my favorite bands ever.

Of course, I grew up in Cincinnati where both bands (and WOXY, of course) are from, so I may be a little biased.

Re: Bob Mould @ 9:30 Club

Steve — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 15:21:00 -0000

Definitely. I was pleasantly surprised by the show I saw him do at SXSW -- it was just him and a guitar, and it was great. I've heard rumors that he's got a full rock band behind him on this tour, and that would be awesome.

Re: Bob Mould @ 9:30 Club

Steve — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 17:17:00 -0000

Man... wouldn't you know it would fall during SXSW. I'd love to see that band.

Re: Wilco Playing 2 Nights at 9:30 Club

Steve — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 12:57:00 -0000

Yeah, assuming I can get tickets for both DC shows, I think I'm definitely in for those 2 and for Chicago. It's the Philly show I need to think about.

As for budget issues, I gave up on dedicating any part of my budget to non-music items a long time ago. Every extra concert I go to just means another day of eating microwave mac and cheese.

Re: Robert Harrison, Genius

Steve — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 16:20:00 -0000

I had actually heard their name numerous times before, and actually remember hearing "My Before and After" used in some movie in the 90's, but that's about all I ever knew about them.

Very glad I'm discovering them now.

As for the Geraldine Fibbers and Varnaline discs, I have neither (though I'm familiar with both bands). I'll have to check eMusic for them. Thanks!

Re: New Speedo Demo!

Steve — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 13:22:00 -0000

The Night Marchers, eh? Everything I'd seen had been calling them Speedo. I actually like The Night Marchers more -- Speedo's his personal (nick)name, and should remain so.

Yet another reason I'm psyched for SXSW.

Re: The Wire Returns

Steve — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 12:16:00 -0000

If you love Homicide, then you definitely need to check out The Wire. It's the reason that Netflix was invented (well, sorta).

Plus, at various times during the series, you get a Luther Mahoney sighting (he plays the Baltimore M.E.).

Re: DC Show Update

Steve — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 15:07:00 -0000

Sal: Yeah, I've been meaning to check them out for a while now. WOXY played them quite a bit last year, and I really liked what I heard. They're in DC almost monthly, but I haven't caught them yet.

Jumbo Slice: Yep, we got tickets for the 2nd night (Wed.) in yesterday's pre-sale. First time we've gotten through on a Wilco pre-sale in forever. Can't wait. Can't believe you've never seen them live. You're in for a treat (esp. considering it's the 9:30)..

Re: DC Show Update

Steve — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 13:49:00 -0000

Ya know, I've got the Caribou album but think I only listened to it once. I ought to give it another listen. Never heard anything from Fuck Buttons, nor do I think I need to.

Re: Reminder! Tereu Tereu Tonight @ Black Cat

Steve — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 16:59:00 -0000

Sadly I didn't. Turns out my cold is a nasal infection and it totally knocked me out.

Have you heard the Split EP they did with The Light Footwork? It's quite good. Plus, I've noticed some mentions online that the Tereu boys are tight with a couple of Dismemberment Plan guys (incl. Travis), so that's a pretty damn fine endorsement in my book.

Anyway, no way I'm missing them next time.

Re: I Try to Get Away, But He Keeps Pulling Me Back In

Steve — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 18:26:00 -0000

What, no love for Andre 3000?

Re: Vampire Weekend in DC - Sold Out

Steve — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 09:53:00 -0000

They did? I had no idea. They must be really cool (and smart)!

Re: Dirty On Purpose Videos

Steve — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 15:09:00 -0000

My favorite thing about the "No Radio" video is that at one point one of the dude's is rockin' a Steinberger (bass? guitar? not sure). I haven't seen anyone play a Steinberger since the immortal Vito Bratta.

Re: Go Away

Steve — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 22:59:00 -0000

I hate GWB, but I expect to hate him. Clinton, in my eyes, has betrayed me (and other Dem. voters).

I can get into details another time, but the main reason for me comes down to voting rights. I traveled to Ohio in 2004 as part of the DNC's effort to have lawyers at polling places in important areas to make sure that people weren't denied the ability to vote. We took it very seriously, and were very concerned over reports of Republicans suppressing minority votes in 2000.

So, after all of that, to have the Clintons try to re-write the caucus rules in Nevada (6 months after they'd OK'ed them) merely because they didn't get the Culinary Union's endorsement...

It's disgusting, and shows that despite whatever rhetoric or substantive points these people make, at the end of the day they will (and have) jettisoned it all in the name of personal power.

If I'm offended by the Bushies and Rove doing things like this, how can I abide it in my own party?

Re: Spinner Roundup

Steve — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 23:09:00 -0000

You didn't make the Whigs/Broken West show in Philly in November? You're in for a treat. And you're definitely catching them with me in Austin.

Re: Go Away

Steve — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 14:43:00 -0000

I know what you're saying, Eric. I suppose at heart I am an idealist, and someone who would like to see our political discourse in this country based on the substance of ideas and policies rather than ridiculous name-calling and mud-slinging.

Frankly, I agree with the position that Obama is taking serious heat for -- the Republicans ARE the only ones who have, as a unified party, presented significant new policy ideas over the last 20 years or so. I don't agree with most of them, but the fact is that most of the Democratic policy views of the last 20 years are either throwbacks to the 60's (or even the New Deal) or are "co-opted" from the Republicans (see Clinton's 1996 welfare reform).

I'd like to see us be able to transcend party labels and simply figure out what is best for the country. The only person I see in this race (until and unless Bloomberg enters) who will do that is Obama.

The minute I support Clinton, I give up on things ever changing. Maybe I'm naive to think they can change, but I'd rather be naive than play into the system we have right now.

Re: UPDATE: R.E.M., The National, Modest Mouse Tour

Steve — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 16:42:00 -0000

I'm sure you're right, but I just don't like Modest Mouse at all. I guess I'll just got to the beer concession between the National and REM.

Re: UPDATE: R.E.M., The National, Modest Mouse Tour

Steve — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 18:42:00 -0000

Not too surprising. The last time REM toured in the summer-ish months, they did outdoor venues. Matt and I saw them at Jones Beach in early October 2003 (?). Holy crap was it cold, especially with the wind coming off the water.

Re: Show Alert — Beanstalk Library

Steve — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 18:17:00 -0000

Glad you liked them. I actually completely blanked on the show -- I had intended to go.

Rock and Roll Hotel is hit or miss. Sometimes the sound is good, other times it's awful. It's a shame, too, because it's the closest thing in DC to one of my favorite venues back home in New York (Mercury Lounge).

Re: Ra Ra Riot and The Whigs on WOXY

Steve — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 15:13:00 -0000

Out of respect for Ms. Spears' privacy and the personal battle that she is fighting right now, we at Baby, You Got a Stew Goin'! are respectfully remaining silent on this topic. We wish Ms. Spears nothing but the best and a rapid recovery. We look forward to a time when the focus on this young woman can return to her lip-syncing and lesbian-tongue-kissing antics rather than her personal demons and struggles.

Re: Eli Stone Sucks

Steve — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 12:59:00 -0000

Now if they'd make a TV show that followed the exploits of Sick Boy, I'd totally watch that.

Re: De Novo Dahl Hitting Velvet Lounge on 2/17

Steve — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 09:15:00 -0000

I think they've ditched the matching outfits. I think it was part of their contract with Roadrunner. Seriously - the label has bands like Sepultura, Hatebreed and 3 Inches of Blood. I think someone would have burned down their offices if they had a band going around in matching striped one-pieces.

Re: Golden Smog @ Target Center, Minneapolis [2/2/08]

Steve — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 13:17:00 -0000

No worries about the photos -- just happy to see them! Now I just wish there were a way for me to catch Golden Smog here on the East Coast.

Re: New Jet Age Album Out Today!

Steve — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 14:29:00 -0000

Didn't you see the photos I had from their last gig. These boys are anything but "preppies".

Re: More Political Numbers

Steve — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 16:10:00 -0000

I'm glad you liked them. I'll definitely have to catch them at SXSW next month. I definitely made the right decision not going last night, though -- I needed the sleep after being woken up by a 4:30am, hour-long fire alarm in my apartment building the night before.

Re: More Political Numbers

Steve — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 16:11:00 -0000

PS: Their bio would be much more interesting if they'd gone to Barnard.

Re: DC Show Update

Steve — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 11:23:00 -0000

Yeah, I forgot to bold his show. He's on my initial list of acts to catch at SXSW. I really like the stuff I've heard on his MySpace page, and I know he's friends with the Reigning Sound guys, so that's enough for me.

Re: Some Early SXSW Planning

Steve — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 17:54:00 -0000

Thanks for the head's up, Sal.. It seemed weird that the Hoodoos would come 2 years in row, but I didn't really think about it.

Re: A Bathtub Full of Sweat

Steve — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 11:15:00 -0000

For the kids in the audience. You may remember that Ferrell's character was listening to this at one point during Old School after his wife leaves him.

Re: The Frames Coming Back to the US?

Steve — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:53:00 -0000

Awesome, thanks!

Re: Big Swell Season Tour, No Frames?

Steve — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 10:04:00 -0000

Yeah, I don't blame Glen for riding the Once thing. He's been toiling for 20 years and if this is what it takes for him to have some success, then good for him. Besides, I do think the music from the movie was fantastic, so it's not like he "sold out" for the success or anything.

For me it really just comes down to the crowd.

Re: The Diceman Cometh

Steve — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 11:03:00 -0000

I've been meaning to pick that damn movie up on DVD for years.

What are your names, Neil and Bob, or is that like what you do?

Re: New These United States

Steve — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 11:34:00 -0000

Yeah, I've already penciled in the Iota show next week, and assuming I can fit it in, I'll also try to catch them at the DC showcase at SXSW to see what type of lineup they put together down there...

Re: Wilco @ 9:30 Club, Washington, DC [2/27/08]

Steve — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 17:58:00 -0000

Funny you should mention that... there was some debate in our group about where to stand. We were in pretty early and could have been pretty far up front, but given our experience at the Wilco show in Chicago last week where we could barely see at times despite being 10 feet from the stage, we figured it was good enough to be right at the edge of the balcony.

My friends liked the experience -- I thought it was just ok. It was nice to be able to see everything, but I hate being that far away from the stage...

So, um, yeah -- that's probably the last time I'll do that. :^)

Re: SXSW - Day 4

Steve — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 13:25:00 -0000

Mmmm, clogged arteries...

Re: Crowded House at 9:30 Club!

Steve — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 09:39:00 -0000

Awesome. Glad they didn't go the Hammerstein/Roseland/Terminal 5 route.

Re: Liam Finn, Miracle Fortress @ DC9 [3/19/08]

Steve — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 13:05:00 -0000

Had no idea... very cool.

Gotta agree with your review of the MF show on your site - kinda disappointing. Not bad, of course, but nowhere near as good as the album.

Re: Georgie James and Tereu Tereu, Together At Last

Steve — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 17:20:00 -0000

I left out the upside down exclamation point at the beginning of Carlos' name. Does that make it any cooler?

Re: Georgie James and Tereu Tereu, Together At Last

Steve — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 17:22:00 -0000

PS: It's called PUFFERY, E!

Re: Bottomless Pit Hitting the East Coast??

Steve — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 17:49:00 -0000

Interesting, thanks! Already taking steps to try to get them here. We'll see what happens.

Re: New Pornographers & Okkervil River @ 9:30 Club, DC [4/14/08]

Steve — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:08:00 -0000

The more people I hear from on this the more I'm convinced that there are two issues at play here.

First, every band's setup is different (obviously), and some tour with their own sound people, so there's going to be a difference in sound from show to show. I have, admittedly, seen numerous shows at the 9:30 Club where I thought the sound was great.

And it seems from what folks who were in different spots around the club have told me that, while the sound for the New Pornographers was better elsewhere, the volume was still pretty low. I'm guessing that was the band's choice in how to present its sound, but I could be wrong.

Second, and more importantly to me, is that the 9:30 doesn't compensate at all with its PA for the artists' setup. This was pretty obvious to me the other night and at last fall's Spoon show. Where the band does not have either the equipment on stage or the sound setup to reach people in front of the stage, there is no PA aimed at those people to pick up the slack. So you're left, like I was, straining to hear vocals from the PAs which were pointed away from me.

To its credit, the 9:30 Club seems to give its artists a lot of control over their own sound. But there's such a thing as being too "hands off", and not taking steps to ensure that the band's choice doesn't leave out an entire portion of the audience from being able to hear the music...

Just my two cents.

Re: Dead Confederate Hitting DC9 (Updated)

Steve — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 08:56:00 -0000

no no no no no. Not THOSE Saints. These Saints. All of 'em.

Re: Dead Confederate Hitting DC9 (Updated)

Steve — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 12:50:00 -0000

You really are confused today, aren't you?

This is who's playing.

Re: Last Week In Photos

Steve — Mon, 05 May 2008 09:08:00 -0000

Nope, though I did forget to mention that there was a Chicken Lady sketch. Mmmm, Chicken Lady.

Re: Remind Me Never To Listen To "The Cab"

Steve — Tue, 06 May 2008 21:48:00 -0000

No 37-year old man should ever use the word "Haterade".

You just lost your right to wear a skullcap at shows.

Re: DC Show Update

Steve — Fri, 09 May 2008 11:58:00 -0000

Hadn't seen your post when I added the Bon Iver date last night. Thanks!

Re: Pastor arrested for rape of congregant - ExChristian.Net - News and Opinion

Steve — Fri, 30 Jun 2006 00:20:00 -0000

Dano thank you for that great responce! You made me realize something, something that I missed and it slipped right by me in my thought processes.

Here it is you said,

(The preachers, pastors, ministers teachers) say, that we are all angry Christian haters, and realizes that we are beyond help.

And further down you said,

they think we have just been stewing in our disbelief, because no one of THEIR caliber has ever come by here, someone with THEIR credentials, someone who really knows what Jesus taught about love, etc.

I think you hit on it exactly, something I've neglected to see.

I think I fell for the same thing the first time I seriously read the Bible and loved what it said at that time.

The Bible spoke to me subliminaly, (by my own inner voice that I wanted to perceive as being God talking to me)

It said to me, you have been elected to share with the world, this new Gospel. The world is lost! You have been elected and chosen to spread this new word. You have been elected to look under every rock and nook and cranny and caves and bridges where the Atheists and the God haters and the whoremongers live and in the gutter and the stench where the drunks and Satan worshippers live.

You my new Christian disciple, have a duty to fulfill, you must follow the righteous path and pick Atheists and God haters up by the collar and dust them off and set them on the straight and narrow path, that I have vested my knowledge(gospel)in you.

Now you have received this superior knowledge and people will rebel and persecute you and this will be the sign that you are on the righteous path.

In other words this Biblical knowledge has been hidden from Atheists and whoremongers and idolators and drunks and sinners, that is the only reason that they reject his holy word.

What makes a prescher or x-tian unique is their ability to receive and to grasp his holy word, because God has predestined them to recieve his blessing and grace and therefore their calling is totally legitimate. Their title of preacher or christian, etc. takes presidence and priority over all worldly authority.

Therefore anyone not willing to accept his holy word will certainly be burning in God's Holy Bar-Bee-Q for ever, this includes all Atheists, whoremongers, adulterors, sinners, drunks, devil worshippers, witches, homosexuals, infidels, Jews, Muslims, Hindu's, Buddha's, etc. or anyone that is not a Christian, and does not accept Jesus as their personal saviour.

This would of course exclude all preachers of the christian faith and Christians.

So by their calling, everyone that does not receive this calling and blessing from God, they are already doomed to Hell, we non-believers are less than them, we are not worthy to be spit on, we do not have Biblical understanding, we are as insects, we are viewed by Christians, as demon infested swine.

After coming out of Christainity I feel the same way towards them.

Paul, the lunatic, turned his written texts round to make people think that they were given a special message and gospel to spread, so that the self-rightous would think that they were coming out, smelling like roses and all others were condemned to his invented Hell.

What a mess, it's all psychological bullshit.

Thanks Dano

Re: The Vaselines Return

Steve — Wed, 21 May 2008 18:41:00 -0000

Had no idea that was B&S; folks in the band. Cool.

I have no idea how neither Oomalama nor Mary Queen of Scots weren't huge.

Re: New Hold Steady, "Sequestered in Memphis"

Steve — Wed, 21 May 2008 18:44:00 -0000

You know, as I listen to it again, it really just sounds like two different songs to me. There's the instrumental portion of the song, which is really good, and then there's the vocal track, which is just really off.

I'd like to see them play this song to see if it fits together any better live.

Re: The Most Intelligent Thing I’ve Read Today

Steve — Thu, 22 May 2008 09:39:00 -0000

And Jon Chait - http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/the_plank/archiv...

Re: A Show You Need To Go To

Steve — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 16:19:00 -0000

Battle Royale!

(Sorry, been watching reruns of the awful-yet-eminently-watchable "Accepted" a lot lately.)

Oh, and since I bought my TNV/TA ticket a few weeks ago, it was technically the best $10 I spent LAST month. :^)

Re: Bob Pollard is Back on the Road

Steve — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 11:05:00 -0000

That's weird. Highline holds 700, and Black Cat holds 550 officially (but probably 700-ish if they push it).

The last time I saw him was at a half-full Bowery Ballroom, so he may be shooting a little high outside of Philly.

Re: New Earlimart, "Song For"

Steve — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:17:00 -0000

ah, that's right, I heard they were opening for WP. Cool.

Re: Two New WOXY Discoveries

Steve — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 20:09:00 -0000

Awesome, thanks for the heads up!

Knew there a was reason I should have stayed in NYC an extra day for After the Jump...

Re: Frightened Rabbit @ Black Cat, DC [6/30/08]

Steve — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:05:00 -0000

Shit. That's even worse.

Grey's Anatomy is everything that's wrong with America, with the exception of Katherine Heigl, who may be our last chance at redemption.

Re: Frightened Rabbit @ Black Cat, DC [6/30/08]

Steve — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:36:00 -0000

Yeah, I hadn't been to a show in the backstage before last month, but it's quickly become my favorite place to see a show in D.C. I've also been lucky that the three shows I've seen (Lightspeed Champion, Shearwater and Frightened Rabbit) have all been excellent.

Re: Monotonix Opening For Silver Jews

Steve — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 14:15:00 -0000

Yeah, I know. I saw them again here in DC a couple of months ago. What can I say? They amuse me.

Re: $10 Concert Tickets in San Diego

Steve — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 13:19:00 -0000

Poison and Sebastian Bach???

Man, if this were anywhere other than Nissan, I'd totally go to this. Seriously. Poison was the first band I ever saw live, way back in 1987 (with Tesla opening).

Good times...

Re: To The Nuts!

Steve — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 18:24:00 -0000

Glad I could be of assistance a bit. I'd love to post more, but I don't feel too comfortable posting more than a song or two from any album.

What you might want to do is contact the folks on this page and see if there's any way for non-US fans to get ahold of the album.

Re: This Week In DC

Steve — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 16:29:00 -0000

Conor:

Thanks for the heads up. When I remember, I try to give folks a heads up about the NPR live broadcasts. Keep forgetting to check your current schedule, though.

-Steve

Re: I Didn’t Want The Others To Feel Unloved

Steve — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 19:44:00 -0000

Two words: Brandon Tartikoff.

This is the same guy that greenlighted ALF and Punky Brewster. He's also the reason that we all know who Jackee Harry is.

Re: DC Show Update

Steve — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 18:39:00 -0000

Anon @ 6:10pm:

Way ahead of you.

Re: Matthew Sweet Playing Webster, State Theatre

Steve — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 11:44:00 -0000

Since Girlfriend, really?

Personally, even though I recognize the greatness of that disc, my favorite MS album has always been 100% Fun. It's the album that really cemented me as a fan of his, and is one of the albums that served as a soundtrack to much of my senior year in college.

And, in my opinion at least, Sunshine Lies doesn't hold a candle to 100% Fun. It's a good disc, but I'm much more likely to compare it to the Japanese album than either Girlfriend or 100% Fun.

Re: Dumbest Political Ad Ever?

Steve — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:49:00 -0000

My biggest problem with the ad, aside from the fact that it's not particularly funny, is that it isn't helpful to the cause of electing Obama.

It's preaching to the converted. There's nothing about the ad that is going to convince an undecided voter that Obama is a better choice than McCain. In fact, I would bet it has the opposite effect -- it plays into the Republicans' attempt to paint Obama and the rest of the Democratic Party as smug and elitist.

This election (like most of the last 20+ years) is going to be won by the candidate who can win the so-called Reagan Democrats, or whatever we're calling the folks in the middle these days. You appeal to these people by showing that your candidate is going to address issues that matter to them -- jobs, economy, gas prices, national security, etc.

Basing an entire ad buy around a sarcastic ad based solely around the word "hope", without addressing any actual issues that people care about, is pointless.

Re: Qualified To Lead?

Steve — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 11:06:00 -0000

I already know his strategy. He'll answer every question with:

"My friends, this man's middle name is Hussein. That's not change we can believe in!"

I didn't use to hate this guy, but he's completely bought in to the Karl Rove strategy of misinformation and scare tactics. He kills me.

Re: New Wilco Song, "One Wing"

Steve — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 16:05:00 -0000

I think I agree. It seems to be taking the laid-back vibe of the last album but adding in a darker tone, which I like.

Plus, Nels' solo totally made me want to high five my nearest bro.

Re: New Wilco Song, "One Wing"

Steve — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 17:05:00 -0000

I agree with Eric that it's an excellent song, and maybe a "great" song (though I'll need to hear it more).

But was I serious that I wanted to "high five" someone after that solo? No. It was a riff on the Bromance article and, specifically, your comment thereto.

Re: Two Great Shows

Steve — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 18:07:00 -0000

Ouch. I can't say I like the album anywhere near as much as the first one, but it does have its moments. Whether it's enough to make me listen to album much going forward is another question.

Re: Hold Steady and Drive By Truckers Touring Together

Steve — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:55:00 -0000

Yeah, I've seen some people speculating about this. It would seem like a cool idea, but just how many DC people are actually going to be willing to be more than 10 feet from a TV on election night?

Plus, I think I'll probably be in Ohio working as a legal observer at a polling place, so I'd definitely miss it. :^(

Re: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah Playing DC9 Twice

Steve — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 23:00:00 -0000

Right you are. I even had the correct date in my upcoming concert list on the right. My bad. Good news, though!

Re: Sarah Palin Stumbles On Freddie/Fannie

Steve — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 20:30:00 -0000

I don't disagree, but the scarier fact is that people (voters, the media) don't seem to care. I don't get it. I know we all look past small issues that our candidate has because we agree with the bigger picture, but honesty simply is not a small issue.

And, when you're running as anti-pork "mavericks", lying about your prior positions on pork is simply unacceptable.

Re: Jeff Tweedy and Friends Support Obama

Steve — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 10:25:00 -0000

I think you're right. But I'd rather he lie about what's on his iPod than whether he supported the Bridge To Nowhere. :^)

Re: Liam Finn and The Veils @ Rock And Roll Hotel, DC [9/6/08]

Steve — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 12:22:00 -0000

Agree about the Veils. I wasn't expecting to like them, but I did, quite a bit. Would have liked to have seen more, especially because they were scheduled to play for an hour.

I was up front for the Veils and in the back for Liam. Pretty sure I spotted you guys by the bar, and should have swung by to say hi but I wasn't 100% it was you guys...

Re: Miracle Fortress & Title Tracks @ Black Cat, DC [9/16/08]

Steve — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 13:17:00 -0000

Hey - sorry I missed this comment last week.

The show was excellent overall. I'm not a huge fan of the way they start their sets, though -- Graham alone with his loop/sound machine for 10 minutes. It's an awkward intro to their set. And they were running late for the DC show, and it ate into the amount of time I had until I had to catch the last subway of the night. (As a result, I had to skip out before the encore.)

All that said, I love the album, and I really enjoy their live set.

Re: Joan Baez @ Obama HQ, Alexandria, VA [11/5/08]

Steve — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 09:48:00 -0000

She's actually lost her warble over the years and is actually surprisingly tolerable these days. It was a nice performance.

Re: Road Trip, Anyone?

Steve — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:02:00 -0000

Well flights are a tad more expensive if I come the previous weekend... need to look at hotel prices and see if I can still get tickets to those shows.

Re: A Mashup Worth Listening To

Steve — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 17:10:00 -0000

Your mom's opinion holds no sway with me.

Re: Hi Again, and Crap

Steve — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 18:05:00 -0000

Will definitely be there, and definitely should have some drinks. Can't believe I still haven't had a chance to meet any of the Rock Club crew yet.

Re: And On A Totally Different Note

Steve — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 17:06:00 -0000

Yay me!

(Seriously, thanks for reading!)

S

Re: More New Paul Westerberg!

Steve — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 21:15:00 -0000

I figured out my problem. I do have a Google Checkout account, but it was set to my old NYC address. Even though I was filling in my new info, it wouldn't let me complete the purchase due to the difference between the addresses. Not really the way they want their system working, I'm sure, but I figured it out.

Re: Clem Snide Returns!

Steve — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:02:00 -0000

Ah, gotcha. Glad it's finally seeing the light of day. Didn't realize it was a Clem Snide recording as opposed to Eef solo.

Re: Album of the Week

Steve — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:24:00 -0000

Hmm, no. It doesn't do that for me. Maybe it requires you to be a Lala member to stream the whole thing? Dunno. I'll look into it!

Re: Mr. Brownstone

Steve — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 16:22:00 -0000

I guess in that regard doing heroin is slightly better than doing meth.

Re: The Least Indie Thing I’ve Seen All Week

Steve — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 11:13:00 -0000

Dude, you should work for Pitchfork or something.

Re: Game consoles and all their dimensions

Steve — Wed, 31 May 2006 12:56:22 -0000

OMG!!! I want the ps3.. I heard from this guy that it can stand on it's side!!! dat pwns!.

It is very funny how the ps3 fan boys make excuses. Oh we hated the xbox because it was big. What the ps3 is going to be bigger than the xbox 360? Well, it stands on it's side. Did I mention that the origional xbox was ugly?

You guys need to stop being little babies. I chose the xbox because I like racing games, fps's and sports games. Some of you chose the ps2 because of the rpg's and some franchises. Good for you. I'm happy that you found something that you like. I bought the xbox 360 for a couple reasons. I knew that alot of my favorite franchise would be comming to it (forza motorsport). And I heard of alot of amazing games that are only coming to xbox 360 (dead rising, alan wake(pc too), test drive unlimited, gears of war, table tennis, condemned(pc too)). If I liked first party games from sony, I would have bought a ps3. Maybe some day when it is $200-$300 I will pick one up. If say, they make a new katamari demacy for it and gt5 is really cheap.

Any ways, back to console sizes. I bought the origional xbox because of the games, not the enormous size. I don't want a ps3 now, because of the games, not the size. Anyone who looks to a console's size as an excuse to not buy it really is a fucking moron. (No offense to anyone here)

Re: Top Ten Best Physics Games

Steve — Tue, 22 Aug 2006 15:16:07 -0000

Elastomania most definately deserves to be on this list.

Re: 50 Free Sites to Watch Movies and TV Online (Part 4)

Steve — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 09:55:00 -0000

How about this site you seem to have missed

http://www.worldtvpc.com/onlinevideosites/

It has a list of all free tv and video sites around..

Re: Favorite Line Evar

Steve — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 15:24:21 -0000

Yes, and I also admire:

"Gentlemen, you can't fight here; this is the War Room!"

- President Merkin Muffley (Peter Sellers), in "Dr. Strangelove"

Re: rimlighting is awesome

Steve — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 00:54:00 -0000

Well hot damn! That's looking fantastic gents! The site is peachy keen too. A++++ would buy from again. Keep us updated!

Re: GTA IV DLC Detailed, Coming February 2009

Steve — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 08:54:58 -0000

hmmm. i wonder how much more gameplay time it will add.

Re: PS3 Trophy Support Mandatory Starting January 2009

Steve — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 08:56:01 -0000

looks like they finally went the way of microsoft with the achievement system.

Re: How-to Install Google Chrome in Ubuntu with Wine | Tombuntu

Steve — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 06:23:53 -0000

Hi Tom

Thanks for this but I think I went awry when I replaced -

wine ~/.wine/drive_c/windows/profiles/$USER/Local\ Settings/Application\ Data/Google/Chrome/Application/chrome.exe --new-http --in-process-plugins

in place of the chrome icon launcher command.

Feeling that I shouldn't have done that. So 2 questions - What did I delete in the launcher command and what should I have done?

Thanks for any newbie guidance. - Steve

Re: What’s Been Bugging you in Ubuntu 8.10? | Tombuntu

Steve — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 01:02:20 -0000

Using the latest build of firefox 3.1 cured my hanging firefox and solved a variety of Flash issues.

Re: The Dixie Chicks - a Hard Lesson in Target Marketing

Steve — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 13:33:09 -0000

Very impressive comeback.

Of course let's not forget one of the finest albums to come along in a long time by three of musics most talented artists.

I’ve been a long time gone now
Maybe someday, someday I’m gonna settle down
But I’ve always found my way somehow

By takin’ the long way
Takin’ the long way around

Re: The Dixie Chicks - a Hard Lesson in Target Marketing

Steve — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 18:33:09 -0000

Nope your wrong Jeni. Your completely out of the loop and uniformed. The tour is on and yes they have made modifications here and there but in fact ticket sales are starting to go very well.

Now that is called FLEXIBILITY and staying power.

They will succeed Jeni.

Much to the heartache of those that want them to fail.

Re: The Dixie Chicks - a Hard Lesson in Target Marketing

Steve — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 08:46:20 -0000

You can back your claims with all the so called "facts" you want Jen but that does not change the FACT that the Chicks have gone beyond Platinum and are Number two on the Billboard Charts for the 4th week in a row and most shows are rapidly selling now with many approaching sold out status.

Your completely out of touch with what is going on and spewing HOT AIR with already obsolete data.

The effort to Blackball the Chicks has failed and there is nothing you can do to change that.

The Chicks made it clear they didn't want to risk their future pandering to so called fans who turned around and stabbed them in the back overnight.

And I do not blame them ONE BIT.

Re: The Dixie Chicks - a Hard Lesson in Target Marketing

Steve — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 08:47:05 -0000

In case you haven't noticed. The Chicks have been receiving 10 Minute standing ovations before the show is even half way over.

Averaging 10,000 to 12,000 people a show since opening night at the Joe on July 21.

Those of you in Marketing need to take a close look at how The Chicks marketing team is over coming the barriers and obstacle they are up against.

You might learn something. Otherwise you may become "obsolete".

Re: The Original Social Networks

Steve — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 12:17:33 -0000

Mel, Take it from an avid viewer of the UK version that the main negative thing is the potential humiliation when the "dragons" slaughter your idea on national television!

Much like the Pop Idol and other reality based programmes, the judges appear tuned into the fact that viewers enjoy the cringeable moments as much (if not more!) than the cuddly, praising ones.

Re: Put an Amazon Store On Your Site Today

Steve — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 18:46:55 -0000

If you are having problems, Amazon contact information is here:
http://binarywolf.com/blog/2006/08/23/amazoncom...

Re: Times guide to London property

Steve — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 09:06:00 -0000

Edward, if you'd bothered to look on a map, you'd have found that Chiswick is part of Hounslow borough. That bumps the average up considerably. £412,023 won't buy much in Chiswick.

Re: Microsoft Live Writer - Feedburner

Steve — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 10:27:00 -0000

I use Live Writer and it keeps my feed valid with no problems.

The error message you are seeing is referring to how the stylized quotes are formatted by MS Word, but Live Writer usually leaves these alone. I'll try it on Blogger.

Re: Why and How to Subscribe Via RSS Feeds

Steve — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 07:04:00 -0000

Chris - you can modify your blogger template so that the Firefox Live Bookmark reader will pick up the FeedBurner feed.

This way you don't have to worry about telling people not to use that.

see:

http://forums.feedburner.com/viewtopic.php?t=14#719

Enjoy

Steve
FeedBurner

Re: Happy Birthday!

Steve — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 18:02:00 -0000

Hola Violette!

Feliz Cumpleaños from Arizona!

and btw - I think chins are there so your nose doesn't get lonely.

Re: MLB All Star Game Review

Steve — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 15:58:00 -0000

Received the package today. It looks pretty good. As I read thru the letter, I mentally debated how much the fees/dues would be? When I saw $24/year, I thought it was near reasonable. An attachment shows 4 publications for members, including a World Series program. In the letter, I find I get "an opportunity to purchase" the WS program. They are just a little too sneaky to get my money.

Re: MLB All Star Game Review

Steve — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 17:41:00 -0000

Hmm. I just started with Sporting News magazine, and so far, I think I have heard from the NRA, Field & Stream and now the fine folks from MLB Insider. Post #4 above is mine.

Looks liks a slimey offer/company..

Re: It’s All About The Experience

Steve — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 10:29:52 -0000

i'd have a phone, except for that little thing you mention about business models....

Re: Once more with Feeling

Steve — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 17:49:00 -0000

I would like to thank you Codex for commenting on the blog post I do believe you are my first comment. I also want to thank you for a GREAT show and I will be looking forward to future webisodes. We need more content like yours on the net. It is a pity that it took me so long to find your show I don't know how I missed it in the past.

Re: you make music to my ears

Steve — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 12:52:00 -0000

Casie is music to my ears

Re: Holloway Road

Steve — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 12:18:00 -0000

Holloway Road is a shit hole no matter how flowery the poetry used to describe it. I go there for Waitrose, my barber and very occasionally the Post Office as I live up the road in Christ knows where, Barnsbury Holloway borderish, I can't work it out. I just say Holloway and inwardly wince as I am a bit of a sad pretentious prick. I do like living around here though, it's quiet where I am but the noise (if I want it) is just a few minutes away and everything London has to offer right on my doorstep. Marvelous.

Re: Something Old About New Design Ideas

Steve — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 21:46:00 -0000

Brian - Dewey certainly hits the nail on the head. I also think that philsophy turns into action when the market demands it. Experience design is hitting mainstream because corporations are starting to realize that they can charge premiums for an experience as opposed to their products or service alone.

Re: A Rhetorical Quest(ion)

Steve — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 23:51:00 -0000

Brian - where's the genuine origninality? What are you trying to say (and not say)?

Re: Are the Feds Looking at Indianapolis’ Pea Shake Houses?

Steve — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 16:39:01 -0000

Hey Wilson.....

Geez, if Brizzi DID do something, you'd scream it was political/racist....

And how do you know he hasn't done anything? Just guessing, or do you have actual hard info?

Re: On the Street Where You Live

Steve — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 08:55:27 -0000

Does this mean that his application for candidacy and his run for reelection are invalid? If so, who at the county clerks office let his name go on the ballot anyway?

Re: GENTLEMEN, START YOUR CAMPAIGNS

Steve — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 14:37:17 -0000

Deal. Bring us Ballard vs Peterson. Bring us Webber vs Gray(CCC District 8). Bring us the CCC At-Large candidates (rembember them?).
Thanks for all you do...

Re: THE JURY IS STILL OUT

Steve — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 15:22:15 -0000

Can someone post a high-res version of the Peterson appearance on CBS?

Re: BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR

Steve — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 14:19:15 -0000

Abdul wrote: "Property taxes are not evil. There is certain logic to the land helping pay for benefits it receives. Schools, police, fire, roads and sewers are all paid for with property taxes."
Are property taxes evil? Depends on your definition of evil. A property tax ensures that you never truly own property. Even if I paid cash for some property, I could be evicted for not paying taxes. Regarding helping to pay for benefits received, I would have no problem with that if I had a choice. In a free society, I should be able to choose which services I want to buy. Just because I own property does not mean I use the schools. Last I checked, I pay for my sewer access on a monthly water bill. Police and fire protection are the only legitamate items on your list in my opinion. Given about 10 minutes to think about it, I could come up with a fair way to pay for police and fire without property taxes.

Re: BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR

Steve — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 02:40:44 -0000

Dispute resolution is a legitimate function of government. However, I do not see the need for a beaurocracy to handle it. Courts are essential. However, property taxes are not the only way to pay for courts, nor are they in my opinion the most fair.
I did not address courts in my initial response because Abdul did not include courts in his original post.

Re: BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR

Steve — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 19:50:35 -0000

tina: oops. I stand corrected. I should have included roads in my list of ligitimate items on Abdul's list. Thanks!
A separate discussion would be whether property taxes based on the value of a person's home is the fairest way to get the money needed for roads. After all, just because my house is worth less does not mean I use the roads less.

Re: DANIELS TALKS TAXES

Steve — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 02:55:06 -0000

This may be the beginning of the end for the Daniels for governor campaign. He may be underestimating the public disdain for property taxes. He may also be underestimating our ability to remember his failure to support Ballard for mayor.

Re: PETERSON — 1, BALLARD — 0, PETERSON — 0

Steve — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 03:08:09 -0000

oops. the above comment was me. I forgot to put my name in.

Re: HKU TV IS ONLINE!

Steve — Sun, 10 Apr 2005 07:25:00 -0000

hey duders, thanks for the link. c u o.

Re: Policed State in Amsterdam?

Steve — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 09:40:00 -0000

This irrational unjustified fascist behaviour gets me livid! Use your rights and remaining freedom to "stick it to the man"! Vive la revolution!

Re: ESPN’s Bowl Predictions: Where PSU Stands

Steve — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 18:21:23 -0000

I think Illinois is going to be much worse than people expect this year. They lost their #1 offensive player (Mendenhall) and their #1 defensive player (J Lehman) and this year they're not sneaking up on anyone. I just don't see how their any better than 5th or 6th in the conference.

Re: CPA Exam Score Release Predictions - April/May Window - Wave 1

Steve — Tue, 19 May 2009 09:19:19 -0000

AUD out in Georgia! I got an 82! Two down, two more to go!

Re: CPA Exam Score Release Predictions - April/May Window - Wave 1

Steve — Wed, 20 May 2009 11:59:00 -0000

Can anyone tell me how to find my CA FAR score (took it 4/20)? Do we need to log on to nasba.org? I never created a username and password at that site. Should I be able to find my score information at the state of CA website?

Re: CPA Exam Score Release Predictions - April/May Window - Wave 1

Steve — Thu, 21 May 2009 11:16:49 -0000

Waiting on REG....it's my last one and the only one I failed with a 73....what a kick in the ass.

Re: CPA Exam Score Release Predictions - April/May Window - Wave 1

Steve — Thu, 21 May 2009 11:17:09 -0000

Reg in NY that is

Re: CPA Exam Score Release Predictions - April/May Window - Wave 1

Steve — Thu, 21 May 2009 11:32:39 -0000

Unless they have taken it, no family or friends realize how hard the exam is....they cannot sympathize.

Re: CPA Exam Score Release Predictions - April/May Window - Wave 1

Steve — Thu, 21 May 2009 12:29:52 -0000

Any news on REG in NY??

Re: CPA Exam Score Release Predictions - April/May Window - Wave 1

Steve — Thu, 21 May 2009 12:53:48 -0000

I took REG 4/9 and still got nothing....

Re: CPA Exam Score Release Predictions - April/May Window - Wave 1

Steve — Thu, 21 May 2009 13:10:41 -0000

So no REG for me today

Re: CPA Exam Score Release Predictions - April/May Window - Wave 1

Steve — Thu, 21 May 2009 13:28:28 -0000

Wow.....I think being on this board makes you a little more crazy about checking the score....I normally didn't really stress it until I started checking this place out....

Re: CPA Exam Score Release Predictions - April/May Window - Wave 1

Steve — Thu, 21 May 2009 13:44:36 -0000

Error: Score not found.

Please verify Section ID Number and Date of Birth format and re-submit.

Re: CPA Exam Score Release Predictions - April/May Window - Wave 1

Steve — Thu, 21 May 2009 13:59:43 -0000

I don't condone internet bickering but I must Agree audit was the easiest of them all. Here is my order in easiest to most difficult. AUD, FAR, BEC, REG. I passed all on the first try except for Reg...I am waiting on my second try results. I hope everyone here passed.....

Re: CPA Exam Score Release Predictions - April/May Window - Wave 1

Steve — Thu, 21 May 2009 14:02:51 -0000

yea, no news on the REG scores either.

Re: CPA Exam Score Release Predictions - April/May Window - Wave 1

Steve — Thu, 21 May 2009 15:14:09 -0000

At least no Reg scores yet so I don't feel left out....

PS VEGAS IS 0utta Control.

Re: CPA Exam Score Release Predictions - April/May Window - Wave 1

Steve — Thu, 21 May 2009 15:16:00 -0000

I too said Audit was the Easiest FOR ME. I am not trying to be rude just telling my experience. Some might say BEC was the easiest but for me it was one of the hardest....

Re: CPA Exam Score Release Predictions - April/May Window - Wave 1

Steve — Tue, 26 May 2009 10:09:41 -0000

74 on REG...wooohooo!!!! Failed Again....and to top it off FAR expires next month during the closed window....YES!

Re: CPA Exam Rants: April/May 2009 Window

Steve — Wed, 27 May 2009 14:50:50 -0000

I just took FAR for the second time today. I felt very comfortable about the multiple choice and I feel I did alright on most of the simulations. However, I am concerned because there wasn't as much calculations this time. However, the last 2 testlets were harder than the first one. Last time I had over 80% calculations and scored a 68. I passed AUD the first try with a 78 and finished an hour early. It took me 3 times to pass BEC. The first 2 times I received questions from another planet and scored a 68 and then a 69. This time I felt very comfortable and only scored a 75. I feel good about FAR, but I have heard people say that the harder it seems the higher your score usually is. Should I worry?

Re: CPA Exam Rants: April/May 2009 Window

Steve — Wed, 27 May 2009 21:00:13 -0000

The 2nd and 3rd testlets seemed more difficult, but there still wasn't an overwhelming number of calculation problems. I've heard that calculated problems are normally considered more difficult. However, last time I took FAR about 80% of the MC were calculations on all 3 testlets and I scored weaker in MC and 68 overall. This time only about 30% of the MC were calculations. I felt that the test was easier this time. So, I really don't know how to feel about it. Now, it's the waiting game......

Re: CPA Exam Rants: April/May 2009 Window

Steve — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:19:44 -0000

I have used Gleim for all exams so far. I passed AUD the first time with a 78. I finally passed BEC on the third attempt with a 75. I previously scored a 68 & 69 on BEC. I scored a 68 on FAR the first attempt and I am waiting for the results for my 2nd attempt. The first time I took FAR about 80% of the MC was calculations. This time I only had about 30% calculations and thought the test was much easier this time. So, I don't know what to think about FAR yet. But, I plan to take REG in August.

Re: Happy Fuck of July

Steve — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 10:35:00 -0000

Does "tosser" mean the same thing in the US as the UK?
Haha

Re: Pay it forward

Steve — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 05:37:00 -0000

Wow, final release! I tried using Retro the other day to remind myself how far you guys have come: it's a LONG way! :-)

Congratulations, take a holiday, then come back and keep making PJR even better.

Cheers,

Steve

Re: Solved - Godaddy Email - Step one Get Google Apps

Steve — Sun, 24 May 2009 13:42:11 -0000

Thanks for the instructions. This was VERY helpful.
-Steve

Re: Solved - Godaddy Email - Step one Get Google Apps

Steve — Sun, 24 May 2009 13:42:11 -0000

Thanks for the instructions. This was VERY helpful.
-Steve

Re: Turtle Theory: Which TMNT Character Did You Grow Up Into?

Steve — Thu, 22 May 2008 08:13:31 -0000

Mondo Gecko was indeed one of the best toys of the line...but my all-time favorite was Usagi Yojimbo.

Re: Turtle Theory: Which TMNT Character Did You Grow Up Into?

Steve — Thu, 22 May 2008 14:13:31 -0000

Mondo Gecko was indeed one of the best toys of the line...but my all-time favorite was Usagi Yojimbo.

Re: Suresh’s Map

Steve — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 10:09:38 -0000

Did anyone else happen to catch Suresh stating to Nathan that there were 36 names on his father's list? I have to go back and rewatch to be sure but I did write it down while watching through the first time.

Re: Chinatown Kid (1977)

Steve — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 00:07:18 -0000

its not even that he died early its the things he did for his friend that made it sad. every other kung fu movie that have young guys die all the time this ones diff