read this at least 3 times

This week's column is probably the best thing I've ever read by Ann Coulter. Couple of cut-you-to-the-quick zingers, great reasoning, passion...who could ask for more? Oh yeah, she's 150% right, too.

She begins on a high note:

President Bush told a pro-life rally in Washington that a "culture of life cannot be sustained solely by changing laws. We need, most of all, to change hearts."

Actually, what we need least of all is to "change hearts." Maybe it's my law background, but I think it's time we changed a few judges.

The "changing hearts" portion of the abortion debate is over. ATTENTION, PASSENGERS: We're now entering the "minds" portion of the "hearts and minds" journey on abortion. We've been talking about abortion for 32 years. All the hearts that can be changed have been changed. By some estimates, 35 million human hearts (and counting) have been "changed" by abortion.

and ends with a great call to arms:

Despite the fact that feminists cry and try to make people feel guilty about opposing a "woman's right" to abortion, men always support abortion more than women — no matter who takes the poll or how the questions are asked. Curiously, single men aged 18-34 are the cohort most dearly devoted to a woman's "right to choose."

Until Roe is overturned, telling pro-lifers they need to be "changing hearts" is like telling the New England Patriots they need to practice more –- while never, ever letting them play in the Super Bowl. We've been changing hearts for 32 years — I think we're ready for the big match now. I think Americans would support massive restrictions on abortion. And NARAL agrees with me! How about it, liberals? Prove me wrong! Let Americans vote.

study break results

The Daily Telegraph has a photo of the farm that will be used as the Kent's farm in Superman Returns. Not a great pic, but it's nice to see them working on the sets. But what cracks me up is this:

Little-known US actor Brandon Routh will don the cloak of the "man of steel" in the latest Hollywood revival of Superman.

The 25-year-old was signed to star in the reincarnation of the superhero, to hit screens in 2006, after an exhaustive search for an actor to fill the role made famous by the late Christopher Reeve.

Yyyyyyyeah. Who'd heard of Superman before Christopher Reeve? Thankfully he came along and brought some attention to the character featured in comics, T-Shirts, lunchboxes, action figures, movies, TV and cartoons since 1938!

Daily Telegraph, hear that knocking? It's the 20th century, it'd like to come in and have a chat, introduce you to itself.

Remembering Who We Are

Doing final prep for tomorrow (James 4:13-16), came across the following wise words via Geoffrey Thomas

"Every birthday you celebrate, every funeral you attend, every serious illness you suffer, and every time you sit down to plan is a potential reminder from God that your life is but a vapour, a mist, a puff of smoke. How short it is! Take the family snapshot album; look at those old slides or home movies. There's Mum and Dad whose voices are now silent. Just yesterday they spoke, laughed, kissed you....Now they smile at you from a faded photo and with the force of silent lips declare: 'Our life was a vapour, a mist - smoke!' Don't scoff, 'Emotionalism!' No, you are the one who is emotional and unrealistic if you think otherwise. You only deceive yourself when you act - or plan - as if you will live indefinitely,"

Jay Adams,A Thirst for Wholeness.

Need to stay up to meet a deadline?

Click here and you won't sleep for a week.

Quick Hits

A few of the more notable things from today's blog reads:

• McFarlane Toys Lands Simpsons Action Figure License

"Woo Hoo!" Fox Licensing & Merchandising and McFarlane Toys proudly announce a new licensing agreement bringing an all-new line of action figures based on characters from the hugely successful FOX series THE SIMPSONS to fans everywhere.
Founder and CEO Todd McFarlane will personally work with THE SIMPSONS creative team to capture their favorite, legendary and key iconic moments from THE SIMPSONS and bring to life the snapshot storytelling that McFarlane Toys is best known for with its fans.

I didn't literally yell, "Whoo Hoo!" but I could've.

• Great Quote about the 'Net and Movies, from an interview with Hugh Laurie
  

  Laurie confirmed that he will play Daily Planet Editor in Chief Perry White in the [new Superman] film, but more than that the British-born actor couldn't reveal – even if he wanted to. Warner Bros. is keeping the story so carefully guarded that he hasn't even been allowed to read the script yet. "I have to read it in a room with an armed security guard," he says. "They're terrified. These things get on the Internet."

• Today's Idiot of the Day: Richard Hatch. Hey buddy, given that just about everyone knew who one the prize (whether they wanted to or not), you have to figure that includes at least one IRS agent. Then again, how many people know that Ruben Studdard has released a CD?
• An Alternative Inaugural Address by P.J. O'Rourke

  MY FELLOW AMERICANS, I had intended to reach out to all of you and bring a divided nation together. But I changed my mind. America isn't divided by political ethos or ethnic origin. America isn't divided by region or religion. America is divided by jerks. Who wants to bring a bunch of jerks together with the rest of us? Let them stew in Berkeley, Boston, and Ann Arbor.
  
  The media say that I won the election on the strength of moral values. If the other fellow had become president, would the media have said that he won the election on the strength of immoral values? For once the media would have been right.

Chasing Rabbit Trails

Was dashing off an entry to my semblog and found myself using the cliché "on the tip of my tongue." Noticing that I used the cliché was not enough to make me change the sentence, because it wasn't that important of a post. But sitting here alone in the quietness of a Saturday morning in a house full of people who know what Saturday morning's are for (sleeping in) my mind got to wondering...where did that phrase come from?

Now granted I didn't exactly spend hours on it, but I couldn't find the source other than it's something that originated in the US (one site), yet it has a Latin equivalent (another site). So I got nowhere there.

But whilst I looked I stumbled up on a delicious quotation from Vladimir Nabokov's novel Lolita. For those of you who aren't familiar with the book, it's this disturbing book about a pedophile and his obsession over a 13 year old girl. It should probably never be read for pleasure, and even when forced to read it, you should only do so with a great amount of protesting. But the protesting will slow a great deal when you read his breathtaking prose. For example, the quotation that got me started on this, the opening paragraph:

Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. Lo-lee-ta: the tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth. Lo. Lee. Ta.

Doesn't that just give ya goosebumps?

Of course that one sets the stage for another immortal line from Humbert Humbert (the first person narrator and all-around scumbag):

You can always count on a murderer for a fancy prose style.

got a ticket for my destination...

not only a line from probably my favorite Simon & Garfunkel song, but a very pleasant reality.

Don't get me wrong...like the city of Greenville. Love the seminary. Was great being a student (and nothing else) for awhile. Great people here (esp. my hosts). But it ain't home.

The Mrs., Frodo, Sam, Princess, and the Kidney Kid...my books...my church...all that...I need those to be me. Can't wait to see them again. (

Please note I said nothing about that place I happen to work at...really not looking forward to going back there.

But those people I listed above...that's where home is.

Homeward bound
I wish I was
Homeward bound
Home, where my thought’s escaping
Home, where my music’s playing
Home, where my love lies waiting
Silently for me

Elektra

Not bad...not Spider-Man good, but definately worth the time and money.

In case you've forgotten

Liberate Us from the Educators - by Scott McPherson, January 10, 2005
Choice quotes:

The state’s monopoly on education is perhaps the worst thing that has ever happened to children in America.

and

It is time to liberate parents and children from this system. Government officials and large segments of the population are often quick to denounce so-called monopoly business practices, yet somehow tolerate a government that has monopolized the most precious of spheres — the growth and development of the individual child. Let’s get government out of the education business and let parents and children chart their own course in the learning process.

Update from the Sloop H. C.

Slept 'til 1 on Saturday...that felt nice ('til I tried to move). Sleep schedule still way off...fell asleep during a moderately interestingsermon on the Burnt offering from Lev. 1. How embarrassing. That for the record, makes it 2 worship services attended in Greenville (different churches) and 2 that I've nodded off during. Great record...Maybe an idea for a book...a travelouge, Sleeping my way through Southern Reformed Churches.

It's now 6:40 local time, think I slept about 1.5-2 hrs, and not sure if I'm okay and ready for the day or about to drop.

"I feel so broken, I want to go home."

Arrived!

Okay, it's 12:15 MST and I'm in Greenville! Have de-planed, waited for my luggage, filed a missing luggage claim, and am now just trying to unwind a little. The plane ride was undoubtedly the roughest I've had--the last 20 minutes were very good for my prayer life, however. On the other hand, those same minutes made me regret everything I've eaten in the last three days (maybe longer).

Okay, actual content in the next post (probably)

Snowed in...

Well, make that 2 actual Chicago pizzas :)

It's about 2:15 MST* now--that's a.m.--in theory, I’m getting out of here in 5 hrs...who knows maybe I will. Airport's pretty deserted now, a few flights (to the west) have gotten out, sadly a flight to SLC started to board just after I found a group of LDS missionaries...was hoping to get into a conversation with them. Would've been something to do.

On the plus side, finished Tom Wolfe's I Am Charlotte Simmons. Great read. Haven't read a 600+ page book in a day in I can't remember when...


*will try to remember to come back and edit the times on these to make it more of a live blog for the archives.

Sweet Home Chicago....

Where are Jake and Elwood?

No idea when this will get posted, but it's currently 1:40 MST. I'm at O'Hare airport, and an hour ago, I was supposed to board a plane for Greenville, SC. And no, while I'm apt to overlook some important tasks, I'm not responsible for still being here. I'm guessing the flight was cancelled due to snow somewhere...not sure where.

I keep forgetting that I'm an Idaho hick. It doesn't take too long in LA, or San Diego, or even the Chicago airport to remind me of that. The sum total of my "knowledge" of these places comes from TV, movies and novels--'cept San Diego...who writes novels about that? The sheer numbers--and diversity--of people is fairly overwhelming.

So I'm stranded, reminded of my lack of sophistication, a tad apprehensive about my ability to be in class when it starts tomorrow a.m., but I've got 300 pages left in a really good novel and I've eaten actually Chicago-style pizza in Chicago. Yeah, sure, it was only in the airport, but hey, it's in city limits, right? Mental note: Check to see if O'Hare is in city limits... Hmmmm, maybe my next flight will get redirected to New York and I can cross their pizza off of my lift, too. :)