First For Fridays

No really, post something. It will be fun. You know you want to.

Osama Bin Laden As Christ Figure?

You can read about it here.

Your thoughts?

A question: Why is this tolerated when a satirical "cartoonizeation" of Mohammed sparks a world-wide uproar? What is the difference?

Tag! You're Suspended!

An elementary school has banned tag on its playground after some children complained they were harassed or chased against their will.
"It causes a lot of conflict on the playground," said Cindy Fesgen, assistant principal of the Discovery Canyon Campus school.

You can read more here.

Some questions:
-What will these children be like in adulthood (the ones who complained)?
-Is this fair for the majority?
-Can you imagine a playground without some variation of tag?
-Is this just another form of political correctness?

What Eats Up Your Time?

I have found lately that I spend the majority of my time waiting. I wait for video to encode, I wait for Windows to load, I wait for a phone call to be returned, I wait for an email response... I wait. I'm not sure as to what portion this would occupy on a pie chart, but I am sure it is a large slice. I would like to be able to minimize this time as it is wasted time. Here in lies the problem. I struggle with moving from one task to another while the first one is unfinished. I stay up sometimes till 3am or longer to complete a project I started at 6pm just because I have to finish it or else I will not get any sleep at all. I would just lay in bed thinking about what I could be doing and what would come next on the NLE timeline. After speaking to my father, I realized that he too must finish something before moving on. After speaking to several men, they too have this same desire/motivation to complete something before moving on to something else. Another example: If I am working on a PC and need a tool that I don't have readily available, I will go and get it and leave the closet door open, the toolbox laying out and grab the tool I need to continue the work. Once I am done with that part, I do not go and replace the tool, put the toolbox back and shut the door, I continue working on the PC until it is fixed, then I clean up my tracks.
So, even during waiting, I am still focused on completing the one task at hand. It would be hard for me to start something else and then pick back up where I left off on the other project not because I can't multitask, but because I prefer to finish the job I started. Anyone else find this difficult? I think this is the root cause of my wasted time spent waiting.

Some questions:
-Do you deal with something like this effectively?
-What do you spend the majority of your time doing?

Caedmon's Call Overdressed CD

I preordered the Overdressed CD by Caedmon's Call and received it last week. It has quickly grown on me. There are four songs in particular that really cause one to think. 1. Trouble by Derek Webb 2. Expectations by Andrew Osenga and Randall Goodgame (I will comment more on this one later.) 3. Hold the Light by Andrew Osenga and Randall Goodgame 4. Ten Thousand Angels by Sandra McCracken (this is only on the special prerelease edition)

Here is a blurp from Expectations:
"That boy had the highest of expectationsAnd he heard that Jesus would fill him up. Maybe something got lost in the language. If this was full, then why bother? This was not the way it looked on the billboard, Smiling family beaming down on the interstate..." (Click on Expectations above to see the full lyrics.)


Here is a video of Derek Webb singing Trouble:



Some questions:
-What are your thoughts about the 4 songs posted above- especially in how it relates to their lyrics?
-Do you plan to purchase this cd?
-What are your thoughts of Derek Webb's guest appearance on this album?
-Do you think that most Christian music is lacking when it comes to lyrical integrity in how it relates to theological truths as portrayed in scripture?

Monkey Harassement? Call The Lawfirm Of...

"The monkeys grab their breasts, and gesture at us while pointing at their private parts. We are afraid that they will sexually harass us," said Mrs Njeri.
The Kenyan Wildlife Service told the BBC that it was not unusual for monkeys to harass women and be less afraid of them than men, but they had not heard of monkeys in Kenya making sexually explicit gestures as a form of communication to humans.
If this was taking place in America, I could see the lawsuites pouring in.

You can read more here.

Some questions:
- How would you remedy this situation?
-How do you think the monkeys know they are women even after dressing like men?
-Guns are not allowed in Kenya so how would you deter them via a weapon?
-What would you do if a monkey picked a rock up and chunked it at you?

First For Fridays

You can post the topic...

or discuss this: What is the purpose of corporate worship (read: why go to church)?

The Second Coming Has Arrived... In Miami

Last night I was watching the ABC Primetime show “Outsiders”. Several types of “outsiders” were discussed but the last one they focused on was a man from Puerto Rico claiming to be the second manifestation of Jesus Christ. He lives in the suburbs of Miami and has a house in Houston as well as Puerto Rico. He drives in luxury vehicles and wears Rolex watches. His message is this: Paul was the only biblical writer to get the message right. Paul’s message is this: There is no sin.
Jose de Jesus claims that there is no sin and no punishment outside of what is received here on earth. No Hell. No Satan. All will go to Heaven and all should enjoy the things of this world.
Jose de Jesus goes so far as to mock organized religion. He mocks the church and encourages his followers to get 666 tattooed on their bodies to show that it is meaningless. When asked why he keeps the monetary gifts and cars, etc. instead of giving the proceeds to the poor, he answered by saying that it would be wrong of him to give away something that someone gave to him. That would be offensive. When asked about those who deny him as being the embodiment of Jesus Christ, he simply stated, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do”. Why do they need forgiveness if there is no sin?

You can read more here.

Some questions:
-Does this surprise you?
-His past includes drug addictions, thievery and a DUI: how could someone think he would be God?
-If you are a Christian, how would you attempt to share the truth of the gospel with this man?
-What are your thoughts of his website (linked to his name)?

O'Charley's Restaurant Closed Due To Roaches.

The local O'Charley's was closed after failing health inspections over a two week span for the same violations. "There were some critical violations," Bell said. "When we inspected there was a presence of roaches, a problem that had not been fixed when we did a follow up." When the restaurant was called by the Jackson Sun to inquire about the report, the only comment given was that the restaurant was closed for remodeling and construction.

You can read more here.

Some questions:

-Why does the Health Department allow restaraunts to remain open when such violations occur?

-Would you eat at a restaraunt knowing that roaches were present in the cooking/prep. area?

-Two weeks went by before reinspection and the problem still existed; do you think the public should have been notified before the second inspection?

-If you live locally, does this affect you eating at O'Charley's?

Denied! Proposal At The Ballpark

The biggest excitement happened in the stands when a fan failed in his public attempt at popping the question.
With the couple highlighted on the big screen, the mood soured after the man took a knee to offer an engagement ring. Wearing a brick-red replica Astros jersey, the woman appeared to angrily dump a bag of popcorn on the man before rushing up the stairs amid a chorus of boos.
After the top of the sixth, the man left amid cheers from the sympathetic crowd.

You can read a little more here.

Some questions:
-Would you propose at a baseball game?
-Would you be willing to endure the shame of a potential denial?
-Is this the proper venue for such a thing as engagement?
-What are your thoughts on engagement? What about betrothal?

Being Fat Is Contagious

Fat people water fountains, skinny people water fountains. It's to the back of the bus for fat people. No longer a smoking and non-smoking section, now it is the fat and skinny section- no need to ask for a seating preference. That is what new research could lead to as it proclaims that a cold virus could be responsible for some people's obesity. The adenovirus-36 (Ad 36) has been implicated in causing obesity; this has already been shown in animals. What is more is that it is contagious and spread like any other cold virus.

You can read more here.

Some questions:
-If Ad 36 is shown to be a big contributor to obesity, how long do you think it will be before drug companies start marketing weight loss drugs based on fighting the effects of Ad 36?
-Do you think that something like this could bring about new work-related policies concerning coming in while you are sick?
-Will you be more apt to avoid those with colds?

Dell Tech Support

My brother is about 10 years younger than me and heading off to college this fall. In preparation, he bought a Dell desktop PC for school. After he received it he noticed that whenever he pushed the power button, it would shock him. He told me about it and I told him that since he had just purchased it to call Dell and have them to fix the issue. He called Dell Tech. Support and after waiting on hold and following the prompts, he got through to a Customer Service Representative. He explained the issue and the service rep. told him that it was static electricity. My brother explained to him that it was not as it does it everytime you touch it, not just once until you move again. He was advised to wear a glove whenever he turned it on and if he still felt the shock through the glove to call back at that point in time.
Great customer service. I have long since promised myself never to buy a Gateway and now Dell has made it on that list. For the past 7 years or so I have resorted to just building my own systems anyway and am very happy with the tech support I provide myself. :)

Some questions:
-Is this typical of your tech. support scenarios?
-What is your worst customer service story?
-Do you have difficulty understanding the person you are speaking to on the other end of the line?

Legislating Reincarnation

...China has banned Buddhist monks in Tibet from reincarnating without government permission. According to a statement issued by the State Administration for Religious Affairs, the law, which goes into effect next month and strictly stipulates the procedures by which one is to reincarnate, is "an important move to institutionalize management of reincarnation."

You can read more here.

Some questions:
-What is the motive behind this? The article says this allows China to choose the next Dalai Lama. What do you think?
-Can a government regulate after-life events and really expect you to abide by them?
What are your thoughts on reincarnation?

Really, It Is A Sport... Really

Do you remember some of the games you used to play when you were a kid? Games like freeze tag or jump rope come to mind, at least that is what was popular when I was a kid. During lunch or on field trips though we would often play another game, a game that would determine your place in line or who got what with the winner taking his pick. This game was Rock Paper Scissors (RPS) and sometimes we would add things like dynamite or other items when we felt like cheating. Here is the kicker: did you know that this really is a sport in the USA? Grown men with their shirts off and atheletic shorts playing paper rock scissors while having a referee call the matches is a normal scene in the USARPS League. Who knew.

Experience the sport that is Rock Paper Scissors here.

Some questions:
-Do you consider this a sport?
-If it is covered by ESPN does that make it a sport?
-How would it rank on your list of "sportiness"?
-Is kickball in front of or behind RPS?

Aerogel: The New Best Thing

Aerogel, sometimes called frozen smoke, has apparently became the newest, greatest invention yet. Invented by Steven Kistler back in 1931 as a by product of a bet, it has since been improved upon and caught the eye of NASA. At first it was brittle and hardly usable outside of the laboratory due to the expense. Since then NASA has taken a hold of it by way of their startup company Aspen Aerogel; vast improvements have been made and they are incorporating it into spacesuits to be worn by astronauts on the 2018 mission to Mars. Aside from that, it is said to be able to withstand a direct blast from dynamite as well as up to 2372 degrees Farenheit. It is said to be the best insulator known to man and can also mop up oil spills and strengthen tennis raquets among other things. It is the least dense product known to man. This appears to be the new best thing to hit the market since silicon or earlier "new best things" such as the bakelite of the 30's or carbon fibers of the 90's.

You can read more here.

Some questions:

-If this product is all it is cracked up to be, when will be start seeing it in everyday application?

-Why now the buzz when this product was invented back in the 1930's?

-Do you see any use you might have for this product?

Biofuels More Harmful Than Fossil Fuels

It sounds counterintuitive, but burning oil and planting forests to compensate is more environmentally friendly than burning biofuel. So say scientists who have calculated the difference in net emissions between using land to produce biofuel and the alternative: fuelling cars with gasoline and replanting forests on the land instead.

You can read more here.

Some questions:

-Is biofuel really the way to go?

-Does this report change your mind on some things or is it a ploy from the oil companies?

-Are you concerned with global warming and the effects of burning fossil fuels?

-Have you done anything to cut back on your carbon emissions?

First For Fridays

1. Pick a topic.
2. Invite a friend to comment on it.
3. Discuss.
4. Repeat next Friday.

Special Relativity Has Been Violated

Einstein's special relativity theory states that there must be an infinite amount of energy to move something at a speed in excess of 186,000 miles per second. Two german scientists say they have shown this to be false.

Dr Gunter Nimtz and Dr Alfons Stahlhofen from the University of Koblenz were looking into a phenomenon called quantum tunnelling. This phenomenon allows for the breaking of seemingly unbreakable laws. During their research they conducted an experiment involving microwave photons which are energetic packets of light and they travelled "instantaneously" between a pair of prisms that had been moved 3 feet from one another.

To overcome such a barrier as the speed of light would mean that theoretically one would be able to arrive at a destination before one ever left the starting point.

You can read more here.
You can read about the breaking of the speed of light back in 2000 here.

Coat Hangers And Abortion Rights

Its billboards have always been edgy, but has Manhattan Mini Storage gone over the edge?The ad causing controversy depicts a coat hanger and takes a stance on abortion, along with the slogan: "Your closet space is shrinking as fast as her right to choose."

You can read more here.

Some questions:
-What are your thoughts on abortion?
-Do women have the right to choose if someone lives or dies?
-What is society's role in supporting/rejecting abortion?
-If abortion was overturned, would you still get an abortion illegally?

Cancer To Be Switched Off By Gene

A unique gene that can stop cancerous cells from multiplying into tumours has been discovered by a team of scientists at the B.C. Cancer Agency in Vancouver.
The team, led by Dr. Poul Sorensen, says the gene has the power to suppress the growth of human tumours in multiple cancers, including breast, lung and liver.

You can read more here.

Some questions:
-Do you think the discovery of the HACE 1 gene will turn the tides on cancer?
-If cancer is ever "cured" what do you think will take its place?
-Do you think that cancer could be cured today but that the drug companies refuse to do so due to their bottom lines?

Day of Conception

That is what a region of Russia, called Ulyanovsk, governed by Sergei Morozov, has instituted to curb the population crisis. September 12 has been dubbed Conception Day. This holiday of sorts has been ongoing for the past 3 years. The population crisis they face is a world apart from China's problem of over population. Russia's population is decreasing and the government feels that motivation is needed to ensure the health of their country.

So why September 12th then? Well, 9 months later is June 12th and Russia's National Day. Those who give birth to a "patriot" on that day will win cars, cash, refrigerators, and other prizes. Earlier I posted on a state-sponsored sex camp which was utilized to promote procreation. What will come next in Russia's bid to increase the birth rate?

You can read more here.

Some questions:
-Do you agree with the incentive based conceptions?
-Is welfare an incentive for the poor having children here in America?
-A day off is given to procur children for this holiday and prizes are given to those who give birth 9 months later. Here in America, you do not have to work and as long as you have another child within the given time period you do not have to return to the workforce and you still get paid. How do you feel about that?

County Commmission Vs NewsTalk In Dodgeball

I have the event online for viewing now. The Madison County Commission took a bit of a beating but George B from WNWS 101.5 fm took 90 seconds of unhampered pounding. Gary Deaton of Deaton's Carpet One took a pie to the face and all this in the name of charity.

If you haven't come out to any of the games and you live in the Jackson area, you need to come out to at least one of the games. The gate is $5 per person and children are free. The $5 entry fee goes to the challenger's charity of choice. The tourament comes to a head on the 28th of August where a double-elimination bracket will be played out in one evening. All games are at Tigrett Middle School and the schedule can be found here.

Download DivX and watch the game in high quality, full screen.

A question:
-Do you consider Dodgeball a sport?

Perseids Picture Attempt

Above are some pictures I took tonight while trying to snap a shot of a passing meteor. I had no such luck with the meteors, but I did manage to get these and a few other pictures though. Did any of you all manage to get any pictures of the Perseids?

The Chinese Are Watching You

Starting this month in a port neighborhood and then spreading across Shenzhen, a city of 12.4 million people, residency cards fitted with powerful computer chips programmed by the same company will be issued to most citizens.
Data on the chip will include not just the citizen’s name and address but also work history, educational background, religion, ethnicity, police record, medical insurance status and landlord’s phone number. Even personal reproductive history will be included, for enforcement of China’s controversial “one child” policy. Plans are being studied to add credit histories, subway travel payments and small purchases charged to the card.

“If they do not get the permanent card, they cannot live here, they cannot get government benefits, and that is a way for the government to control the population in the future,” said Michael Lin, the vice president for investor relations at China Public Security Technology, the company providing the technology.

You can read more here.

Some questions:
-Do the benefits outweigh the security issues?
-Could something like this ever be imposed in a democratic nation?
-Would you carry one of these cards if the government made it a law?
-What if you were a Christian who is to submit themselves to every authority under God because He set up those authorities?
-What are your thoughts on the "one child" policy?
-How do you feel about the technology being funded from right here in the USA?
-Does it concern you that the government is looking for ways to control the population?

Just Say No To Coffee Refills!

Jasmine Willis downed seven double espressos, while working at the familly owned The Sandwich Bar which sent her into a state of emotional swings that resulted in random laughing and random crying. Her father sent her home at which point she came down with a fever and had difficulty breathing before she was sent to the hospital for treatment. At the hospital it was confirmed that she had overdosed on caffeine.

After being allowed home from hospital she suffered side effects for days and now cannot face the sight of coffee.
She said: "I felt exhausted for days afterwards. I did not realise this could happen to you and I only hope other people learn from my mistake."

You can read more here.

Some questions:
-Does this influence your coffee drinking?
-Is caffeine good for your body?
-What benefits does coffee provide?

*Note: this is not a shot at Coffee Refills.

Asteroid Impact Causes Catastrophic Damage

In my last post I wrote about the meteor shower currently taking place. That caused me to start thinking about worst-case scenarios... such as this one:

You can watch the video here.

Some questions:
-If you knew that something like this would likely occur within the next 24 hours, would you change anything in your life?
-What is important to you now, would it be important to you if you knew that this was about to occur?
-Would your priorities change?
If you answered yes to any of the above, why do you think it would take something like this to change your priorities?

Perseids Meteor Shower

My wife and I were entertaining company last night and the other fellow and I got to talking about taking our wives out to see the Perseids after we finished fellowshipping at our home. We took the ladies out and sat and gazed at the heavens in amazement from about 20 miles outside of town. There are so many stars in the sky and you could even see one of the arms of the Milky Way. The night sky: humbling. Awe-inspiring. This beautiful wonder that we can look up and see on a regular basis should point us to a Creator. Imagine if we are humbled and awe-struck at one of the works of His hands, how much more we will be struck with awe when we come before Him! I believe this to be why God gave us beauty to marvel at. Not so the marvel with stop with the created thing, but so that it would lead us back to its origin in God.

Anyways, I plan on going back at some point tonight and taking my camera out to do some long exposures of the night sky. The flow tonight for the Northern Hemisphere is to be around 80 per hour before sunrise. If you get a chance, take some time to look up and marvel at what the Creator has done.

First For Fridays

Post the topic and we will discuss it.

Breast Implants = Suicide

Researchers have found a link between women who recieve breast implants and a higher percentage of suicides. The link does not appear to be the implants themselves, but the reasoning behind getting the implants. It would seem that women who choose to go under the knife and implant lumps of silicon or bags of saline in their bodies are more than likely dealing with self-esteem issues. The issue is not their breast size, but their self-image.

"Thus, at least 38 deaths (22 percent of all deaths) in this implant cohort were associated with suicide, psychological disorders and/or drug and alcohol abuse/dependence," the researchers wrote.

You can read more here.

Some questions:
-Would you say the over-arching theme of this article is true?
-If you have had breast implants and are honest, did you get them due to self-esteem issues?
-Should counseling be a prerequisite for breast implant surgery?
-If you disagree with the study, why?

Heinz Ketchup Commercial Entry

Heinz Ketchup is having a contest for a user-made commercial with the potential for winning some decent money. The object is create a commercial that the judges like more than the other entries.

Patryk Rebisz has entered the contest with the above commercial. Take a look and see what you think.

You can view more work from Patryk here.

Who Will You Vote For?

Will you vote for the person in the party you are affiliated with or will you vote for the person who most closely aligns with your world view?

Peter Rieke posted over on Tim Ellsworth's site a link to a short, simple survey that will give you some idea of who you most align with on the current issues. After you choose your stance on the issues, it tells you which candidates you most closely match with.

You can check it out here.

Some questions:
-Did your views line up with the candidate you thought it would?
-If it didn't does that influence your thinking about who you will vote for?
-Do you trust things like this?
-If your views did not match the candidate you were going to vote for and you are going to vote for that candidate anyway, why are still going to vote inspite of your views?

China Is Key Player In US Recession

China has threatened to invoke a mass sell-off of US dollars; of which they hold over 1.3 Trillion dollars in what they term, The Nuclear Option. If they liquidated their USD holdings this would lead to the dollar plunging in stability and the American economy possibly slipping into a state of "protectionism".

So, why would the Chinese want to do such a thing as this? Currently there is legislation set to go before Congress in which the Yuan's exchange rate could be looked into and re-evaluated. It could also be to counteract comments made by Senator Hillary Clinton concerning the US's national debt. She stated that with foreign interests holding over 44% of the national debt leaves America "acutely vunerable".

Here are a couple quotes from Chinese officials:
Xia Bin, finance chief at the Development Research Centre (which has cabinet rank), kicked off what now appears to be government policy with a comment last week that Beijing's foreign reserves should be used as a "bargaining chip" in talks with the US.

He Fan, an official at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, went even further today, letting it be known that Beijing had the power to set off a dollar collapse if it choose to do so.

You can read more here or here.

Some questions:
-What are your thoughs on China's "Nuclear Option"?
-What would be some ways to counteract such a measure taken by the Chinese?
-How could America protect against such threats in the future?
-With the rise of global markets, does this just come with the territory or does America just lend itself to situations like this due to lack of fiscal responsibility?
-If the Chinese follow through with such measures, would you personally do anything different with your money?
-Do you think that such an action would lead to a military conflict?

Gay Backing Is No Big Deal To Voters

In a recent poll to see how a presidential candidate would fair given they had the backing of a gay rights group resulted in the following:

In Ohio, 54 percent say such endorsements make no difference, while 34 percent said it would make them less likely to support a candidate and 10 percent said it would make them more likely to back a campaign.

You can read more here.

Some questions:
-Are these the results you would like to see?
-If a president backed gay rights, would that lend itself to legitimizing homosexuality in a way that is currently is not?
-Twenty years ago a gay rights endorsement was not even an issue; why is it now?

State Representative Solicits More Than He Bargained For

Bob Allen, a State Representative of Florida was caught soliciting an undercover police officer for sex. Here is an excerpt:

"I certainly wasn't there to have sex with anybody and certainly wasn't there to exchange money for it," said Allen, R-Merritt Island, who was arrested on charges of soliciting prostitution. "This was a pretty stocky black guy, and there was nothing but other black guys around in the park," Allen, who is white, told police in a taped statement after his arrest. Allen said he feared he "was about to be a statistic" and would have said anything just to get away.

Of course the above statements go against the written report of the conversation between Allen, who pleads his innocence and is seeking to keep his job, and the undercover cop.

You can read the rest of the article here.

I found this story on Not Your Typical Negro which is located in my recommended blogs.

Some questions:
-Should politicians be held to a higher standard?
-What punishment would be fitting for this crime?
-If convicted on lesser charges, shold he lose his House seat?
-What do you think this plea: "When Allen was being placed in a marked patrol car, he asked whether "it would help" if he was a state legislator, according to a police report. The officer replied, "No."
-Do you think his appeal to race is legitimate?

Delay Children And Win A Prize

A cash payout has been made available to all who will take up the offer in Western India. The rule is simple: Delay having children for 2 years. The prize: 5,000 rupees ($125). Authorities are calling this the second honeymoon package and it is aimed at delaying the birth of children as to help control the population explosion. India is slated to overtake China in population by 2025.

You can read more here.

Some questions:
-Would you take up the challenge?
-Do you find incentive based tactics an effective means of achieving a goal?
-Are there any moral implications to this?
-Should the government be in the business of paying people not to have children?

Challies on "The Dawkins Delusion?"

I have Challies in my blog tracker of choice: Google Reader. He posts several times a day and his content has just that, content. A few weeks ago he posted his book review on "The God Delusion" by Richard Dawkins. He has since read a counter point book put out by the McGraths. The God Delusion is set up in such a way as to shoot a hole through the heart of religion while The Dawkins Delusion? is set up in such a way as to show why The God Delusion bullet misfired.

Challies goes through and gives a brief synopsis and a breakdown of the subjects addressed. He also gives a few quotes from the book such as this:

I was delighted to see an endorsement for this book coming from none other than Michael Ruse, a prominent atheist in his own right. He writes this: “The God Delusion makes me embarrassed to be an atheist, and the McGraths show why.” I suspect this book will do the same for many atheists. I think McGrath wins this battle.

You can read more here.

Some questions:
-Have you read either book? What are your thoughts?
-Did either book sway your thinking?
-What did you disagree with if you have read them?

Donate A Towel for Urination

A guy by the name of John Holohan has set up a website where he would like for you to donate money so he can buy towels for usage while urinating.

Here is an excerpt from his website:
I am 25 years old, I am in a wheelchair. Alot of the time I can't use a public bathroom.; If the space and the bar are on the right side. I can't lift my control, and slide my butt over. Plus there is no easy place to put my control.; So most of the time I have to lay a towel across my lap and aim as best as possible.

You can visit the site here.
You can visit his myspace page here.

Some questions:
-How do you feel about donating money to something like this?
-Would you be more willing to send a towel?
-Do you wrestle with the idea of sending something to someone that you do not know has a legit need?
-Should we err on the side of generosity?
-When you have people you don't know asking you for money or help, what do you usually do? Why?

Obesity Causes Health Risks Even After Death

In the past year, there have also been requests for larger crematorium furnaces, bigger grave plots as well as super-sized ambulances, wheelchairs and hospital beds.

You can read more here.

Some questions:
-Who is responsible for the increase in obesity?
-Is it purely genetic?
-Should tax dollars go to buy bigger and stronger equipment for state funded mortuaries?
-Is obesity really a problem or just a cultural preference?

My Mother Is A Good Mother

Eddie Leekin, the biological child of Judith Leekin defends his mother who allegedly obtained 11 foster children by less than legal means and abused them.

You can read about Eddie's statements here.

You can read my post on Judith here.

John Piper's Response To The Mississippi Bridge Collapse

John Piper calls it , Putting My Daughter To Bed Two Hours After The Bridge Collapsed: What Do Tragedies Like This Mean For Us?

You can read more here.

Some questions:
-How should Christians respond to incidences such as this?
-What is the role of the local churches in disaster type events?
-What would be the most beneficial thing one could do for those surviving lost ones?

First For Fridays

Post about anything you want.

Slain In The Spirit II

I have procured permission to show another video which has a short clip of someone being slain in the Spirit. Does this put this phenomenon in a different light? What are your thoughts on it?

The video is a short teaser of a mission trip documentary put together by Jerfilm Productions. You should also take a look at his Congo Documentary.

Here is the link to the original post containing the link to the new video.

Please comment there if you choose to comment on this subject.

Fisher-Price Toys Recalled: Lead-Based Paint

Fisher-Price has over 88 types of affected toys on the market and well over 1 million of those 88 toys are on the shelf or in your home. They were put on the shelf back in May '07 up to today so your children could very well be playing with these affected toys. Some of the affected toys include types of Elmo dolls, Diego toys, Big Byrd, and others.

You can see more here.

Some questions:
-Should there be tighter government regulations on imported toys?
-Or should there be tighter regulations that are self-imposed by Fisher-Price?
-With the recent issues hanging over China's exports, are you considering not buying items made in China?
-Does this affect your views of Fisher-Price? Will it affect your decision to buy their products in the future?
-How should the families who have purchased these items and allowed their children to play with them be compensated for this unfortunate predicament?

Surpassing The Joneses

"A 23-year-old Nepali man cut off his right hand after morning prayers and offered it to Kali, the Hindu goddess of power..."

So, what did you offer last week?

You can read more here.

Some questions:
-Is this what religion ultimately leads to- blind adherence to "the voice in your head"?
-Would your God ever require a sacrafice of this kind?
-Do you respect or pitty this man?

Church

What is the purpose of Church? For what is it intended?

Here is one view, another and another and yet another.

What is your view?

Woman Gets Rich While Abusing 11 Children

Judith Leekin allegedly brought in around 2 million dollars from the state; money given for the care of 11 children but she allegedly used it for personal gain while leaving the children to starve.

Judith Leekin has denied charges of binding, torturing and starving children that she acquired through the state adoption process out of New York. She allegedly used aliases and had welfare payments sent to different banks under different names to keep the scam going and all the while, the children obtained no more than what appeared to be a fourth grade education and they were made to soil themselves as they were not allowed to use the bathroom. All the children had similar scarring around the ankles and wrists giving evidence as to being handcuffed and bound.

Suspicions started mounting when an 18 year old was wondering around a grocery store about 200 miles from her St. Petersburg home. She told police that she had been adopted 13 years ago by Judith Leekin and abandoned there at the grocery store.

You can read more here.

Some questions:

-Why was it so easy for this lady to adopt 11 children and get paid to abuse them while there are plenty of people out there who would give their right arm to have a child but simply can't afford it?

-How should this lady be punished if found guilty via the law?

-How will these children who have no more than a 4th grade education be integrated into society?

-Should the children be compensated for their losses by the state's incompetence as evidenced by the abuses and by giving this lady 11 children to care for?

-How can society stop such gross abuses of the system and of children who get caught up in it?