Matchbook Diaries

Should Elon bring Vine back?

2023-01-12T12:47:00.002-05:00

Vine. That amazing world of 6-second video genius. At the height of its glory it was purchased by Twitter and almost immediately killed off. The reasoning given for the unceremonious destruction of this incredibly creative platform? There was no way to make it profitable. Let's tell that to ByteDance (TikTok) who saw $18.3 billion in revenue during the first three months of 2022. It would appear that the issue was not in the product, it was in the management.

Now that Elon Musk has purchased Twitter, why not re-launch Vine? The world of short video could use some healthy competition outside of the Meta universe. I guess YouTube shorts is out there, but having a focused short video app like Vine, based in the US instead of China, could be a real game changer. Let's make this happen!

Schwinn 270 Recumbent Bike pauses workout

2022-12-29T12:10:00.001-05:00

We have a Schwinn 270 recumbent bike that is pausing the workout as if we've stopped peddling. My first thought was that the sensor, or the magnet that the sensor reads, had come loose. I was able to remove the shroud on the front of the exercise bike without removing the peddle, but to actually replace the sensor, the shroud needed to come off.

Since the bike was still fairly new, Schwinn sent us the replacement kit so we could take care of this repair ourselves. The kit included the new sensor, as well as the tool used to remove the peddle from the axle. After removing the peddle, I was able to remove the left shroud and access the sensor. Fishing the wire for the sensor up and down behind the zip ties was probably the hardest part of the whole operation, and even that wasn't very difficult. The old sensor came out, the new one went in, and we were back in business! The entire process probably took 15 min or so.

Streaming devices

2022-11-02T11:18:00.004-04:00

Streaming devices

Introduction

You may be asking, "Why would I buy a separate streaming device? I just got this fancy new smart TV!" In my experience, the interfaces (the way you navigate on your TV) on most smart TVs are clunky, slow, and poorly built. In most cases, you're better off using the TV to display the content, and a separate device to stream it. So if you're looking for a streaming device for your television but aren't sure where to start, we've got some options for you.

Apple TV

Apple TV is a set-top box that allows you to stream content from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac to your TV, as well as streaming content directly via installed apps. You can also use it to play games, listen to music, and work out with Apple Fitness+.

The Apple TV has its own remote so it can be used without another smart device but if you have an iOS device like an iPhone or iPad then you can use them as a remote as well! Since the Apple TV does not mount behind your TV like the other devices we've listed, you'll need to set it beside the TV or run a cable to the TV from wherever you set the box.

Chromecast

Chromecast is a small device that plugs into your TV's HDMI port. It connects to the internet and allows you to stream content from your phone, tablet or computer to your TV. The Chromecast has no internal storage and does not come with a remote control, so you must use a separate smart device to stream to the Chromecast.

Roku

Roku is another streaming device that you can plug into your TV. It's still relatively inexpensive and has a lot of features.

Another downside to Roku is that the interface feels slow and clunky. Compared to the Apple TV interface (which is smooth and quick) Roku falls far short.

Firestick

The Firestick is the Amazon streaming device that is about the size of a flash drive. It comes with a remote, it ties into your Amazon account, and works with Alexa.

This device can be used to stream content from Netflix, Hulu, HBO GO and more—but it also has other functions like playing music or videos on demand through Prime Music or Showtime Anytime. It does come with a remote, so no need for a separate smart device to use it.

Conclusion

We hope this article has helped you decide on which streaming device is right for you. There are many options out there, and it can be a challenge to choose one that fits your needs. But if you know the basics about each of these devices, then finding the best one should be easier than ever!

---Written poorly by AI, edited poorly by typicalthrill

Storage options for your computer

2022-11-02T09:43:00.006-04:00

Introduction

Whether you're looking to buy a new computer or upgrading one, it's important to choose the right storage options. There are lots of different choices out there, so it's important that you know what they are and which ones will work best for your system.

External hard drives

An external hard drive is a portable storage device that can be plugged into your computer. It's one of the easiest ways to increase your computer's storage space, but it also has its drawbacks.

A few drawbacks to an external hard drive is that they tend to be more expensive than internal ones and they tend to be a little slower due to the way they connect to your PC. If you're looking for something small enough to carry around with you on a regular basis, an external hard drive may be right for you.

Internal hard drives

Internal hard drives are the best option for those who want to add more permanent storage to their system.

If you have a desktop, internal hard drives are easy to install and can be found in most electronics stores and Amazon. The main thing is making sure you have somewhere to mount the new drive in your case.

If you don’t want to buy an entire new computer but still want more storage space than what comes standard on your existing machine, getting a new drive is a great option—just make sure that the computer has enough ports so that you can connect an external drive if necessary (and make sure they're compatible).

Solid state drives (SSDs)

Solid state drives (SSDs) are faster, more reliable, and smaller than hard disk drives (HDDs). SSDs have a limited life span so they need to be replaced periodically. They're also a bit more expensive compared to HDDs but can be worth the investment if you want speed:

Faster performance: A HDD stores data on spinning platters (a type of magnetic storage), but an SSD stores data in flash memory chips. No moving parts, so it’s much faster at reading and writing data.
More reliable: An SSD has no moving parts like those in an HDD; instead, it uses flash memory chips that don't wear out over time like rotating platters do with HDDs. This means less mechanical wear and tear on your computer as well as quicker access times when opening programs or files stored on them!

M.2 solid state drives

M.2 is a type of solid state drive, and it’s faster than SATA SSDs. It also has the benefit of being smaller than its SATA counterpart and more expensive. But what does that mean for you?

M.2 drives are still in their infancy as far as storage goes, but they promise to be faster than current hard drives while also offering better performance when it comes to boot times and other tasks like gaming or video editing; however, these benefits depend on how well manufacturers implement them into their systems.

Before you get an M.2 drive, you need to make sure your PC had a connection for one. You can buy an adapter for your PCI slot, but may not get the same speed and benefits as you would from connecting it directly to your motherboard.

NAS storage devices

Network attached storage (NAS) devices are network-connected, so you can use them to store data on a network. NAS devices can also be used to share data across multiple PCs and Macs.

NAS storage devices come in many different shapes, sizes, and configurations—but all of them work the same way: they're connected via cables or wireless connections to your router or modem (if you have one). The hard drive inside of your NAS is what stores all of your files; it's similar to how an external hard drive works when plugged into a computer via USB cable.

RAID

RAID is a type of storage that combines multiple drives into one larger, faster drive. It's often used to improve performance and protect data in case one or more drives fail.

RAID stands for Redundant Array of Independent Disks, and it can be found on NAS devices and some external hard drives as well. If you're looking for extra speed or better protection for your files, then this may be the right solution for you!

There are lots of options, so it's important to choose the right one for your system.

You’re going to want to choose the best storage device for your needs. Here are some main points to consider:

External drives are more expensive than internal ones, but they don't offer quite as much speed or reliability. If you're only storing photos and videos, and want to take those with you, an external drive will be fine for you; otherwise, invest in an internal one.
NAS devices are great for sharing files across multiple computers—and they can be connected directly or via Wi-Fi (on a router). This makes them ideal if you need a simple way to share files between multiple machines in one household or office space without having all those different devices physically connected together at once!
HDDs are cheaper, but slower than SSDs, though modern drives have gotten pretty quick
SSDs use the same connections as HDDs so it's likely you can add one easily to your system
M.2s are the fastest option, but you need to make sure your system has the right connection for it

Conclusion

The best way to make sure you choose the right storage solution for your system is to look at your budget, look at the system you are adding to, and figure out of you need the files in other places. There are many options available, and it can be difficult to know what will work best for you until you know what you need it for. It’s also important not to get overwhelmed by all the different features available on these products; just keep in mind that most have a similar feature set so there's not really a wrong answer!

---Written poorly by AI, edited poorly by typicalthrill

Did SNL steal Joel Haver's sketch?

2022-10-31T09:21:00.006-04:00

Joel Haver is a YouTube content maker who has been producing a variety of different types of videos for years. From full length feature films to short comedy sketches, and everything in between. At one point he discovered a tool that would allow him to animate his footage, to add an additional comedic element to his sketches. This tool (EBSynth) lets you "paint" over a single frame of your footage and use that to convert the rest of your footage to the same style.

Back in August, 2022, Joel posted this video: https://youtu.be/IMKW-ifxikE entitled "Toilet Paper Bears". A silly story about a bear, who's family business is wiping with a certain brand of toilet paper.

About two months later, SNL ran this sketch: https://youtu.be/Z0xgH8wm_DE and subsequently uploaded the video to YouTube. It happens to be a silly story about a bear, who's family business is wiping with a certain brand of toilet paper.

The similarities don't end there. The entire plot of the SNL sketch is like someone took Joel's video to a 3rd party content writing sweat shop and asked them to rewrite it for them. As of now, I've seen nothing from SNL on their blatant plagiarism. Joel's fans have called them out all across the internet, but there has been nothing but crickets from NBC.

Shortly after the SNL video was released, Joel released this video: https://youtu.be/aNWbI8T42II speaking about the SNL ripoff. I felt his response was very classy, and about the best way anyone could respond under the circumstances.I mean, I get that art imitates art, and different people can come up with the same idea, but a large corporation like NBC could easily make this right by simply mentioning where the idea came from. If they really wanted to do the right thing, they'd invite Joel in to do a sketch for the show. Right now, it just looks like blatant theft of a great idea.

Different types of pipe

2022-10-31T08:49:00.002-04:00

Different types of pipe

Introduction

Pipes are important to your plumbing system, but they can be confusing. We're here to clear up the mystery behind copper, PVC, CPVC and PEX pipe so that you know exactly what's going on when it comes to pipes in your home or business.

Copper

You've heard of copper as a conductor of heat and electricity. But did you know that it's also an excellent material for piping? Copper pipes are used in hot and cold water supply systems.

Copper is expensive, but it lasts longer than other metals such as aluminum or steel—and can withstand high temperatures without cracking or corroding. It's used for plumbing (including kitchen sinks), electrical wiring, heating systems and industrial applications like steam condensers used on power plants' boilers to remove impurities from the steam before use in generating electricity.

PVC

PVC is the best choice for drain lines, but it can be brittle.

PVC is also not recommended for use in areas with high heat or cold, or where it will be exposed to direct sunlight.

It has a low resistance to corrosion and is not a good choice for hot water lines. PVC can also be vulnerable to stress cracking when exposed to freezing temperatures.

CPVC

You probably know CPVC as the plastic pipe that you use to connect water to your sink, tub, and shower. It's a great alternative to copper in certain applications because it has better flexibility, but it's not quite as strong as copper.

CPVC can also be used for hot water lines and cooling towers (like those found at power plants).

PEX

PEX is a flexible plastic pipe that can be used for hot and cold water. It’s also known as cross-linked polyethylene, and it’s used in radiant heating systems.

PEX is ideal for radiant cooling systems because it has the same resistance to heat loss as copper does, but it’s more flexible than copper so you don't have to worry about cracking the pipe like you would if you were using rigid metal pipes.

Galvanized

You’ve probably seen galvanized pipes used in older homes. They're coated with a layer of zinc, which makes them resistant to rust and corrosion.

Galvanized pipes are used for water supply, drainage and sewerage applications because they're durable. Galvanized steel does not corrode as easily as other types of steel (which means you can use it longer without having to worry about leaks). It also keeps its shape better than other materials like copper or stainless steel when exposed to heat or cold temperatures.

However...

Pipes are important to your plumbing system.

Pipes are a key part of your plumbing system. They can be used to transport water, waste and gas throughout your home. There are many different types of pipes that you can use for different applications, so be sure you choose the best one for your specific job.

Pipe materials include copper, PVC, CPVC (chlorinated polyvinyl chloride), PEX (polyethylene)and galvanized steel. Some pipes even come with special features like anti-leakage valves that prevent water from leaking out when the pipe is pressurized with air pressure or steam during installation.

Conclusion

So, what do you think? We hope that we've helped you understand some of the differences between these pipes and which one is right for your home. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below. Thanks!

How to attach a rear view mirror

2022-09-28T09:33:00.002-04:00

The other day, my wife was driving down the road and the rear view mirror in her car fell completely off the windshield! No warning, just fell right off. Naturally I jumped onto Amazon and grabbed some 3M High-Bond Rearview Mirror Adhesive so I could re-attach it.

I'd never done this sort of thing before, but I was pretty sure I could handle it. Sure enough, about 20 minutes later, the mirror was back in place. Here's what I did:

1. Clean both the windshield and the metal piece that gets glued to it with 99% alcohol.

2. Take careful note of how the metal piece is positioned in the mirror bracket and how it should be positioned against the windshield

3. Remove the metal piece from the bracket with an Allen wrench

4. Apply activator to both the windshield and metal piece being careful not to get the blue dye on your hands or your car! Wait 5 minutes

5. Place a single drop of glue on the metal piece (pay attention to get it on the correct side!) and press firmly against the windshield. Hold for 1 minute

6. Wait 15 minutes, then re-attach the mirror! You're done!

So this is how to install or reattach a rear view mirror. It's pretty simple, but you do need to be very careful to orient it correctly.

I will be posting a video on the full process soon on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/typicalthrill

Links in this post may be associate links. A small percentage of any purchases made through associate links on this page will be paid to me by Amazon

Change your motor oil

2021-06-17T16:00:00.006-04:00

How do you change the oil in a 2006 Toyota Sienna? I'll show you all of the tools and supplies you'll need in my video on YouTube:

2021-05-09T20:18:00.001-04:00

Posting a quick update today, if for no other reason than to have some new content on here! Lately I've been doing more videos on YouTube. Mostly projects or updates around the house. If you're interested, you can check them out here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCop_n9ZnaHMvX-7gZHlQCUg. Thanks for stopping by!

The Modern Church's Struggle for Significance

2017-04-19T20:00:00.001-04:00

The modern church seems to be struggling for significance in today's society. Unfortunately, this struggle for relevance is what has caused society to reject the church in the first place. When God's people began to look for ways to bring people in to their local gathering instead of ways to take God to the people, we put church in front of God.

One practice of the church (at least the one I grew up in) that I have come to dislike is the idea that we are obligated to go out and bring our friends to church. The church was formed as a gathering of believers. It is a support group of sorts for those of us who have accepted God's forgiveness and are seeking the fellowship of others who are living this life along with us. The Bible never said "... be ready always to invite your friends to church" it says "... be ready always to give an account to every man that asks you for a reason of the hope that is in you" (Summarized 1 Peter 3:15). Sharing Christ with those around us is done one on one, by people who deeply care for those around them. This is not to say we should turn away non-Christians, but when getting 'the lost' to come to church becomes our focus, it is we who are in the wrong.

As a church begins it's transition from Christ focused to self focused, you will start to see things like attendance tracking and fund raisers. A Christ focused church is unconcerned with how many people are attending their services. They do what they do because it is in line with Christ's teachings, not because it will make them popular in the community and net them more members. They know that God will provide for them just as easily with 10 people there as he will with 1,000.

I do not speak of this as one who has perfected it in my own life. I fall far short of the witness God would have me to be. I simply want to urge my fellow believers not to give into the idea that we can invite people to church and check the box that states we've done our Christian duty for the week. Being Christ to the people around you goes much deeper than that. Inviting a non-Christian to church may make you feel good, and it very well may make them feel good for attending, but good feelings don't wash away our sins.

If your church boasts of attendance, or urges you continually to bring your lost friends instead of speaking to them about Christ, please find another church. Find a pastor who preaches from God's word. Find a church that feeds believers and doesn't dwell on the simple, surface concepts of Christianity. Find a church that challenges beliefs you grew up with, but doesn't pretend to know everything. You will find that your faith grows, and your relationship with Jesus takes on a whole new light. My church here in Charlotte, NC is https://foresthill.org/, but I know there are others all across the globe that teach, unashamedly, the gospel of Jesus.

Animated GIF

2012-02-05T22:57:00.001-05:00

It had been a while since I created an animated GIF, I think this was my last one:

when one day last week I 'needed' to make one for a prank we were playing on a co-worker at the office: ( http://www.charlottesownmikerice.com/ ) It was fun to work on one of these again, so I decided to create another one just for fun. About half way through, it appeared that I would have to start over when Photoshop decided to stop working correctly. Never could figure out what happened, but suddenly, when I clicked a frame in the animation window, it wouldn't show up in the main window. Also, when I clicked 'Play' to preview the animation, nothing would happen. I actually had to save the file as a GIF and then open it in my browser to check the animation! I didn't want to spend too much time on it, so the legs and arms don't really look like they are moving, but I'm still pretty pleased with the outcome (you may have to click on the picture if it doesn't work for you):

Jar Jar Binks with Steve Buscemi Eyes

2012-01-28T12:13:00.002-05:00

Nothing really much to say other than I added some Steve Buscemi eyes to one of the most hated creatures to ever grace the silver screen... Oddly enough, he doesn't look that different!

Introducing the greatest Rebecca Black email chain ever:

2011-05-13T17:24:00.002-04:00

It all started with a very innocent suggestion from yours truly that we should look into hiring some entertainment for an upcoming work function:

Me:
You know what we should do? For our RV family day we should see if we can book Rebecca Black to ‘perform’. I wonder how much she charges, it couldn’t be much…
Mike:
I’ll throw my support behind that one. But, on the condition I get to open…
Paul:
Unless we’re getting the hour-long extended dance remix, that would be a pretty short concert…
Me:
Oh I’m sure she’s been hard at work writing new material. There should be no problem putting on a good two hour concert. She’s already put out her follow-up ‘Wednesday’, a dark look into teen angst ‘Zits’, and the emotional ballad ‘Driver’s License’. OK, so that’s not true, but I’m sure she’s working on SOMETHING!
Paul:
I hope “Zits” is based on my favorite newspaper comic strip:

Ah, social commentary!
Mike:
Don’t forget, homegirl’s only 13. We’re going to have to suffer though “Learner’s Permit” long before we feast our ears on a “Driver’s License” ballad. Come on Matt, you think Led Zeppelin just up and wrote “Stairway to Heaven” before paying their dues?
Me:
Ahhh, but how quickly you forget the yearning of the 13 year old for the joy of driving your first automobile. The dream is not to cruise with mom or dad by your side, but rather to ‘see your friends’ while waiting at the bus stop, and having to decide which seat to take, as depicted in Friday. With that in mind, I believe Learner’s Permit will be skipped over for greener pastures.
Mike:
Not every song can be a Black Eyed Peas party anthem. I expect Rebecca to peel back a deeper layer of lyricism as she attempts to simultaneously navigate overbearing parental instruction, peer pressure from friends and, of course, the car itself down the road to platinum success and prolonged stardom.
Paul:
I would be willing to wait for Rebecca’s upcoming hits if she can line up some interesting artistic collaborations. I’ve already thought of a few I’d like to see:

·
         RB with the unnamed mastermind behind “Nu Thang”
·
         RB with a singing DMV worker
·
         RB with this talking dog: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGeKSiCQkPw

Me:
Agreed, she will have to bring in some ringers to lend some ‘street-cred’ to her musical stylings. I don’t think the one dude driving the SUV in her Friday video will suffice. One issue I take with your comments, Paul, is that you state that the mastermind behind ‘Nu Thang’ is unknown. DC Talk has been performing this little ditty for many years and have quite an extensive following: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gv87rfQjquY

I believe you intended to suggest that the young usurper trying to ride their coat-tails to stardom is largely ‘unknown’.

Mike:
Perhaps Paul was suggesting that the Nu Thang kid help to coordinate a little more excitement into Rebecca Black’s routine. I’ve rarely seen anyone with that much pep in the step.   A few sessions with Tiny Dancer and perhaps Rebecca could completely erase the dead-in-the-eyes jaded-stripper stare she perfected in the Friday video.
Paul:
In my defense, it sounded like a completely different song when he did it…
Me:
I don’t know if I want to live in a world where Rebecca Black is not dead behind the eyes. That’s kind of her thing. If she loses that, she will lose a piece of who she is.
Mike:
I think it was the 4^th fun that jaded her. That’s why I always stop at 3 funs… the 4^th is the point of no return, I mean, you see some things. Things you can’t unsee.
Me:
Her friend, the one on her right, should really keep an eye out for signs of aggression. I feel like she’s going to snap one day and push her out of the car they are standing in while it careens down a winding mountain highway at midnight.
Mike:
I don’t know. If we’re scouring the Friday video for signs of disturbing behavior, my money is on the large African-American man alone in the car and singing aloud to himself about a 13-year old girl.
Paul:
Come on now, Mike. The joy of discovering that it’s Friday—and realizing that you have up to two seat options to choose from!—can hardly be contained by the meager boundaries of age.
Mike:
Valid, but keep in mind, he’s singing about her before she became an internet celebrity. Now you or I could just get this verse stuck in our head, it happens. Lord knows I’ve rocked out a little Taylor Swift in my day. For all we know she served him Orange Julius in the mall food court and he got ideas…
Mike:
In response to Mari-Beth’s gender bias accusation… I’ve prepared this critical analysis and indisputably pointed out these are the words of a child molester…
(courtesy of metrolyrics.com)
R-B, Rebecca Black  Mentions her by name, he’s met her before.So chillin' in the front seat (In the front seat)
In the back seat (In the back seat) Clearly indicates he’s allocated extra space in the car as if it will be later filled by something (foreshadowing)I'm drivin', cruisin' (Yeah, yeah)
Fast lanes, switchin' lanes Conveys a sense of urgencyWit' a car up on my side (Woo!) “Woo!” read: police siren(C'mon) Passin' by is a school bus in front of me It’s now revealed the reason for speeding was to catch a school busMakes tick tock, tick tock, wanna scream Police are on his tail, as he approaches the bus. Anxiety nears its tipping point .Check my time, it's Friday, it's a weekend Feeling the heat, he re-assesses the situation, but decides to carry on.We gonna have fun, c'mon, c'mon, y'all Have fun, c’mon, c’mon? Might as well have offered them candy.
Me:
This is all fine and dandy, but I still think that this is simply a character he is playing within the song. The child-molesting producer is a very popular hero in some cultures.
Mike:
I don’t know. A child molesting producer played by the producer is a little meta for an otherwise predictable storyline. I just don’t see that kind of depth anywhere else in the video. Maybe I need a refresher viewing.

So, as you can see, it turned into something bigger than all of us. I really feel like I was part of something today. Years from now, I fully expect to see this email chain immortalized in stone as a monument to world changing events...

HEADLINE: STORM CRIPPLES CHARLOTTE!

2011-04-05T12:11:00.000-04:00

It took me over an hour to get to work this morning where it usually takes me 20-25 minutes. The problem was that we had a big storm here in Charlotte last night and some power lines broke. First, let me say that when you have a storm like we had here last night, you expect some power to be out and for it to take a few hours for the power company to get everything back up and running. What you DON’T expect, is for the entire south side of the city to dissolve into utter chaos. The entire outer loop of 485 was closed at one point with no police presence on 485 at all. All traffic was being diverted by a truck with a flashing arrow down the closest exit ramp. At the bottom of the ramp I saw my first officer of the day. She was carrying on a pleasant conversation with a pedestrian who was standing in the median with her and doing everything in her power to ignore the confused and frustrated drivers poking their bumpers nervously into the intersection. If she could have brought herself to wave one of her arms in a slightly encouraging way, I think it would have done wonders for the backup reaching several miles up 485 at this point. Finally, I made my way through and back on to 485 on the other side of whatever it was that caused them to close the bridge (I’m sure it was all for my benefit.) and had wide open road in front of me once again... for about 10 seconds. The next exit was backed up for about 300 yards and not moving. From that point it usually takes me about 5 minutes to get to work. This time it was 20. Once again, no officers directing traffic in all but one intersection and everybody was already pissed from spending 45 minutes of their morning so far in their car, stopped on the highway. It’s just such a disappointment to pour all this money into the state of NC and watch it spent frivolously on crap instead of the basic functions of government.

The Ikea Syndrome

2010-12-04T17:24:00.000-05:00

I just got back from my first trip to Ikea, and I've got to say, they have a very cool thing going there. They have pretty much ignored any of the standard practices for laying out a store that we are used to here in America. It was a bit overwhelming at first because I got the feeling like there was a 'right' way and a 'wrong' way to shop there and I didn't want to look like a tourist. After a few minutes though, I realized that whoever designed the shopping experience for this store had a wonderful sense of humor and really meant for this to be fun. I loved the little 'shortcuts' that would take you quickly through the store to other departments. I loved the 'play areas' for the kids and the way they arranged 'bedrooms' and 'bathrooms' so you could really get a feel for how it would look in your home. One problem was that it was very easy to get lost. The maps were helpful, but when looking at them you still needed to have a pretty firm grasp of where you were and which direction you were facing.
Once we had picked out everything we were planning to buy, but before heading to the warehouse, we dropped by the cafeteria for a bite to eat. I don't know how often they do this, but today they were running a special where you could order a pasta combo and get a second entrée free. That sounded pretty sweet to us, but it was only going to get better. I noticed to the right of the first deal, another post on the board that said 'kids eat free today'. I was really interested then! Bottom line is that we got two meals and two kids meals for less than $6! That's freaking cheap! The food was OK, nothing I will crave... well... ever, but it was fine. I imagine I probably would have enjoyed the $.50 hotdog I saw on the way out a little more.
After our meal, we picked up our purchases and were on our way. When I got home, I realized that one of the screws that came with my shelf was bent. I envisioned having to pack everything back up and haul it back to the store in the freezing rain we are getting today, but after a quick phone call, the screw is on it's way. Good thing is, it wasn't enough to keep me from putting the shelf together, so when it gets here I can screw it in and that will be that! Overall it was a fun and successful trip and I can definitely see us revisiting.

Fox News says "Go get your news somewhere else!"

2009-08-29T15:02:00.001-04:00

OK, so they didn't actually say that, but for a news service to say they are going to charge for access to their websites is equivalent to the post office raising rates to try to drum up more business. It just goes to show how out of touch the news media is these days. What we have now are all the big wigs that are left over from the big news era who are trying to run the out-dated media giants like they did in the '70's. It's not going to work. We live in the .com world now. News is pulled from Twitter, blogs, and circulated via email quicker than the talking head can finish reading the story. All three of these are free too, so when people have a choice of getting the same news for free or paying for it, they will almost always go with free. Good luck with that Fox. I understand that you are by far the most watched news network, but you will be surprised at how fast people realize they don't need you once they have to start paying for content.

Click here to read the article on ft.com

2009-08-16T22:03:00.003-04:00

Replace our government!

So I would like to put together a movement to replace our representation in Washington with people who will actually represent us. I don't care if they are Republican, Democrat, conservative, or liberal, we need to get these out-of-touch politicians out of office and replace them with people who are still in touch with the 'real world'. You can tell by the town hall meetings that routinely get completely out of hand, that these clowns have no idea what we regular Americans desire from our government. The rules that this movement will live by are simple: If you do not make every law based on our constitution, you will be voted out. If you pass any legislation without reading every single word yourself, you will be voted out. If you attach a single item to a bill that does not DIRECTLY pertain to the subject of the main bill, you will be voted out. And so on. I am so sick of the bloated pork filled bills that get passed by both sides of the isle. Most of the time, none of them even know what is in the bill that they're voting on! I am of the impression that we have too many people getting too comfortable in their seats in Congress and it's time to shake it up a bit. My goal is to present the voting habits of everyone in Congress it in a very simple way so that anyone can see right away if their representation needs to be replaced. If you feel the same way and want to help out, please leave me a comment. Let me know if you have tips, want to donate, can offer help, or just want to tell me it is a stupid idea. So far, they haven't gotten around to voting down free speech so it's all welcome here!

2009-03-18T13:16:00.005-04:00

Dumb Americans?

I was thinking about this the other day and it suddenly hit me: One of the reasons the people in other countries think Americans are dumb (other than the fact that some American's fit this stereotype!) is because we don't know the ins and outs of their specific cultures and languages. Here's the problem with that. They are taught from birth about America. Our language, style, and way of life are everywhere while they are growing up. Picture it this way: the US is like the rock-star or celebrity of the world. When you think about it, every celeb has thousands of fans that know all kinds of information about them, but the celeb knows very little about each fan. It would be impossible for them to know as much about each fan as each fan knows about them. It's the same with America. Love us or hate us, they know about us because we are the world's superpower. We don't know as much about all of the other countries of the world as they do about us, because we don't have the same need to have that information. Just a little something to think about.

2009-02-12T22:16:00.004-05:00

American Spirit

I want to change the tone here for just a second. As I look around at all the crap going on the world right now, and specifically, in the United States, it would be easy to throw up my hands and give in and admit that the U.S. is going to become a communist country. However, although in many ways, our government continuously stabs us in the back, I think the vast majority of Americans still believe in the capitalist, American dream that has turned us in to the superpower that we are. I believe that most Americans still want the government to stick to protecting the country, building roads, and policing the streets. Otherwise, they would like the government to stay the heck out of their business! It makes me smile to see Americans thriving even in the economy we have now. Sure we have our pockets of liberals who are crying to the government to bail them out, but most Americans who have lost their jobs look at it as an opportunity to start fresh. Times like these are breeding grounds for innovation. The people who didn't have time to finish planning their life changing invention because they had to go to work everyday, suddenly have all the time in the world. Others who have been trying for years to finish writing that novel will finally get the chance. It really reminds me again of what makes me love the people of this country so much. We don't give up. As bad as things look now, somewhere in the back of our minds we know that all we have to do is keep moving and eventually it will get better. Don't loose hope America, and remember, only through the fire can the gold be refined.

2009-01-28T12:22:00.006-05:00

A response on "Bad" words

You can read the post here to which I am responding. This is a great blog by a close friend of mine, I just happen to disagree with him on this issue. I have included here my original comments made on his blog:

While I agree that no word is bad in and of itself, there is a lot of weight put on the words we say in the Bible. We can't say that Jesus said a certain word is bad, because Jesus was speaking a different language while he was on earth and the words would have to be translated to English. I know what you are saying here, and I do think that lots of Christians are hyper sensitive to "bad words" for no more reason than they have been told they are bad, but just like stereotypes, they exist for a reason. Paul says everything is open to us, but not all things are prudent. We can use foul language if we want to, but we need to ask ourselves if that is the way Jesus would have us represent him to the world? I think we should all ask ourselves that a lot more. (please don't run out and buy a bracelet)

I wanted to dig into this a little deeper because I feel strongly that the language we use greatly affects how seriously we are taken as Christians. The main point I want to get across on this issue is that as a Christian we can not, (must not!), think only of ourselves as we live out our lives day to day. We must consider how every choice we make about how we present ourselves will affect the opinion of those around us in respect to our savior Jesus Christ. That was something Jesus was so good at while he was here. He could walk into any dive in any town and speak to the people on their level without belittling them and without participating in anything that would harm his testimony. Obviously, Jesus set the bar very high, but if we are comparing ourselves to anyone else, we are only fooling ourselves. All that to say if there were words in Jesus' day that were considered 'bad' words, I don't believe Jesus would have been using them. If he was hanging out with 'sinners' (as the religious love to call those who don't live up to their standards) I don't believe he would berate them for using those words, but I can't imagine him participating.

As for Christians, however, I believe Jesus would have some very strong words if he heard one using foul language. There are words that our culture considers to be 'bad' words, and as Christians we should want to avoid using those words so as to not offend, or cause to stumble someone who is less mature in the faith. We also don't want to give the impression that we are no different than 'those who have no hope'. Here's where the balancing act comes in. We want to be different, but we should never take pride in being different. We strive to be holy, but should never say 'I'm more holy than you'. We must be clear in our own heads that the reason we don't speak like that is because we feel there is more expected of us, not that we are too good for it. When a non-Christian is surprised at the foul language he hears from his friends mouth, there is something wrong with that picture.

It all boils down to this: We are on this earth with everyone else. Everyone has sinned and the only difference between a Christian and a non-Christian is that God has called the Christian, and the Christian has responded to that call. Both are still flawed, and both struggle with what is right every day, but God expects the Christian to behave differently than the non-Christian.

2008-09-30T12:44:00.004-04:00

Evolution

It's odd to me that Evolution is pretty much accepted as the definitive answer for how we all came to be here when there is so little evidence to support that. Now, when I speak of Evolution, I am speaking of the theory that life on earth started as a single cell and evolved into all the animals and plants we know and love today. This is absurd on so many levels.

Let's start with humanity. In order to believe that Evolution brought us into existence, we have to believe that Evolution got Homo Sapien right, not just once, but twice within a very short time span. And even then, it couldn't be just any human, it would have to be one male and one female human in order to further the species. Some may retort that over millions of years the progression was made from ape to human, but even with that theory you have to have a male and female evolving at the same pace to keep the species going. At some point, some being had to come into existence in an asexual way, but only be able to reproduce in a sexual way. At the same time, another such being of the opposite sex had to be available for that species to continue to exist. Not only that, but they had to be brought into existence within a very limited distance of each other in order to run into each other at some point in their life time.

The next level of fault I want to address is the fact that we have so many species out there. If Evolution is moving life on earth to a heightened state, why is everything so different? Wouldn't all life be moving towards a central, efficient, life form? If wings are the way to go, why don't I have wings?

All of that being said, I don't have a problem with survival of the fittest, or a species adapting to it's environment. I believe that the only "Evolution" that has ever actually happened has been adaptation, not Evolution at all. Now, I happen to be a Christian who believes that God made earth and everything in it in 7 - 24 hour days, however, if I find out somehow that 7 days in Genesis is really 7 million years, I don't have a problem with that either. I know that the only way Evolution would ever be possible, is if there is an outside force making changes and encouraging along the way. Otherwise, this earth would have reverted to chaos a long time ago. So if I find out that God created new life forms every 7 million years, I can take that in stride and not loose any sleep.

What bothers me about how society accepts the theory of Evolution is that they are basing their belief on scientist who are setting out to prove the theory, not looking at the evidence and coming to a conclusion. I have to laugh every time they hit a wall and the only way to get around it is to say, "looks like the earth is x number of million years older than we though!" What they are really saying is, "In order for this theory to work, we need to add more time. How much time do you want to add this time?" and then they add a few million years to the age of the earth. The fact is, the more time the earth has been here, the less likely that Evolution would get us to this point instead of dribbling into nothing. As easy as it is to say that Creationism can't be proven scientifically, the funny thing is, Evolution can't either!

2008-09-21T15:41:00.006-04:00

Think and Grow __________

I've been reading Napoleon Hill's book Think and Grow Rich and have realized that a lot of what he is talking about in there is straight from the Bible. God has told us throughout the ages that "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Hill has simply turned that around to say, where your heart is, is where you will build your treasure! If your heart is in money, you will begin to seek ways to gain more money. If your heart is in family, you will seek ways to spend more time with family. If your heart is in God, you will seek ways to grow more God-like. Now, I have been taught this principle since grade school, but I've suddenly seen it in a whole new light.

Hill speaks in his book about repeating your goals and desires aloud when you get up, and before you go to bed at night. This way you train your subconscious to focus on acquiring whatever it is that you desire. This may as well have been pulled directly from scripture! God has told us time and again to meditate on His principles and values so we can ingrain them into ourselves. There are many laws that God has built into our world that are unseen, and yet as real as the earth we stand on. Gravity, you can't see it, but you see the law of gravity in effect all around you. The same thing applies to your desire. If you desire something, and focus yourself and your energy towards acquiring it, you can have it! You need to make sure that what you are desiring is something that is not in conflict with God's values of course, but in truth, anything is possible!

I think one regret I have is that I didn't focus early enough on what I wanted to be when I grew up. We are asked this over and over throughout our childhood, but I never really spent much time thinking about it. I seemed to think that I would just kind of do it when I got there. I've found out that you never really get there. If you don't choose your life, life chooses it for you. What bothers me most, I think, is that I'm good at many things, but I never spent the time to become great at anything. I could never make up my mind to the point that I said "This is what I want to do with my life!" because I always looked at what that pushed aside. If I decided to become a Doctor, then I would loose all that time and all that sleep during med school, and I would miss being able to hang out with friends and family as much as I did. If I became a Pro Baseball player (not that this was really a choice I had since I'm not very good!) I would be on the road all the time and would have to commit myself to a life of practice. What kept me undecided was wondering if I would miss out on something else. Let me tell you from my experience, JUST DECIDE! Make a decision and stick to it. Everything you leave behind is replaced with something else that is just as good if not better! I have spent a lot of my life looking back. I spend a lot of time trying to keep everything under control. The only way to keep everything under control is if nothing ever changes. You have to train yourself to thrive on change. There is so much out there, but before you can get it, you have to make room be getting rid of something else.

I think the next biggest thing that kept me from choosing is fear of failure. I knew that if I choose a certain career, I would have to be very good at it, and people would be judging me on how good I was. If I didn't choose, I could just say that this was my job and not really worry about whether or not I was the best at it. I could always just say "I just work for him" or in other words "I'm just doing what I'm told". I think this is one way I kept myself out of the spotlight, and therefore, out of the position one needs to be in to be recognized. If you are just doing what you're told, who do you think will be recognized for the successes you accomplish? You have to put yourself out there and do something that can only be traced back to you. Then you will know how good you really are at it. Only when you know how good you are, can you make yourself better.

Let me make one thing very clear at this point. I am very happy with my life. I've got a great wife, lovely children, and lots of wonderful friends. I wouldn't change anything about my life if it meant loosing any of these. I'm just writing this in the hopes that it will encourage someone to make that choice early on, and make something more of themselves. I'm not just talking about making money either. God put this law in place for a reason. If you put your mind to something, you can achieve it! Make the choice early that you will be pure. Tell yourself when you get up every morning and before you go to bed, that you will not give in to the temptation of the perversions of the world. You will be amazed how easy it becomes to resist temptation! Choose to be that person you admire. Choose to do the things that you think make them who they are. If you see something you admire in someone else, add that quality to your personality. If you don't make yourself into who you want to be, no-one else is going to!

2007-10-27T10:08:00.001-04:00

A kind of Christianity

I have been presented with an interesting situation. I have met the people that I have heard about all my life. The people who profess to be Christians, but you would never guess by watching them live. It's very strange. And the thing is, they are not evil people. They are nice, well spoken, and they are my friends. Up to this point I have known who my christian friends are and who my non-christian friends are, so this is an odd situation I have found myself in.

I first learned of them when I was reading Lee Strobel's The Case for Christ. One of my friends saw it and commented that he had read it and it was a great book. This is a friend who lives with his girlfriend, uses foul language regularly, goes out drinking every night with the guys, and generally acts like every other person our age in the world! I'm sure I had a very funny look on my face.

I have since talked with him several times about our faiths. He grew up Catholic, which I think will do more harm than good a lot of times. I don't mean to offend anyone (that's what we all say when we are about to offend a bunch of people), but my general feeling about Catholicism is that it is a lot of empty works so you can feel like you are doing at least one thing right in your life and by that, earn favor with God. Every other branch of Christianity can be bad too if it is forced on a child, but Catholicism I feel is empty even at it's core. Anyway, this is not a post on Catholicism.

In speaking with him, I have found that he does, in fact, have a lot of knowledge about the things of God. What I don't understand is how that knowledge can exist without affecting your life. There are others also. Many other people have joined in our conversations, all people that I would never expect to darken a church door. One of these is a preacher's son, which explains a lot. He's the result of what I was talking about earlier where religion is forced on a child. When you have religion shoved down your throat as a child, you tend to reject it when you are older. Children need to be taught the truth, but not forced to believe it. We teach them right and wrong, but we need to be sure we know right and wrong first. At some point everyone makes up their own mind, we need to give them info, and an example so they choose wisely.

The problem with my friends, I believe, is not that they don't know the truth, but that they don't know what to do with it. They have the info, but they have never had the benefit, as I have, of seeing it put to practice in practical daily life. I had the luxury of watching my parents live out Godly principles in their lives throughout my childhood. I know that everything in the Bible works if you put it to use. I don't always obey and live like I should, nobody is perfect, but I have that foundation. I know that if I do attempt to be holy even as He is holy I will have a successful, fulfilling life. I know that the things I mentioned above, the drinking, cursing, fornication, these are not things that void a relationship with God. If you know Christ as your savior, then you are forever held in His hand and no one can remove you. What these things are though, is an indication of where you are in your life. A substitute many times for the greater blessing we could have if we are obedient. They are trading the great for the good, because they can have it now.

Overall, this is a new situation I have found myself in. I am very excited about what could happen here. I hope that I can be a witness with these people. I have already had questions about how I am able to "make it work" with one income and a wife and child (about to be children). Maybe I can be the example to them, as my parents were to me, of what Christ can do with a life if given a chance. I am scared also of what can happen if I let them down. If I don't act like I should. If I tell the wrong jokes, say the wrong thing, or start to be "preachy". I only hope they see Jesus and not me.

2006-12-06T21:09:00.000-05:00

I Hate my FREEDOM!

So I'm sitting in training today at my new job, and I'm talking with some of my co-workers about the cost of cable vs. available channels (very thrilling stuff I assure you). One of the ladies that I work with was saying how she had heard that there was soon to be a law that would require cable providers to let you pay per channel for your cable. This means you would basically be able to come up with your own packaging for your cable service. Neat right? Sounds like a good idea.... if you spend most of your time thinking with your knee. A LAW!!?? A freaking law telling cable providers to let you choose your channels! I couldn't believe it. Here we have companies providing a service that in no stretch of the imagination could be considered vital, and yet some people out there are willing to walk all over the owner's rights as Americans for the ability to pick their own channels! Where in our constitution does it say you have a right to cable, and the right to pick your channels? How stupid is that? This just pissed me off to hear about the ease with which some people would give up their rights and the rights of others. Grow up America, there are some things you can't have, and you shouldn't use the government to get. Get over it, and move on with your life!

2006-11-13T22:56:00.002-05:00

Absolute Truth

There are many issues in our society that cause us frustration in understanding this world. The topmost issue in my opinion is the belief by much of our culture that there is no absolute truth. This single belief, whether conscious or unconscious, affects every aspect of our life. It is the foundational reason that atheism is an absurd and ignorant mindset, it is at the core of all of the wars in the world, and it is one of the largest contributors to the confusion that people live with every day. It causes thousands of people to be frustrated every day and they don’t even know why they are frustrated!

Let’s start with some of the frustrations people face. First we have expectations. We all have expectations of other people, situations, and ourselves. When these expectations are not met, we are frustrated, saddened, or grow angry. Let’s say that Bob is working with Mark. One day Mark punches Bob in the face, flips him off, and spits on him instead of saying good morning. I don’t think many people would argue with the fact that Mark was wrong to do that. Why? Because it was wrong! How can I say that? Because it’s the true. Knowing that there is absolute truth is knowing that there is an absolute right and wrong. To paraphrase C.S Lewis; if someone has ever done something to you and you said “you shouldn’t have done that” you are admitting that there is absolute right and wrong. You are saying that in that situation, there was a right thing to do and a wrong thing to do and both of you knew it. How did both of you know it? Where does that innate since of right and wrong come from? What makes it wrong to kill someone in cold blood? Absolutes! People get frustrated when they are wronged by somebody, they feel that something should be done, but still try to hang on to the idea that we should all just do what we feel is right at the time. If I am free to live by the law that I can make my own right and wrong, I must allow others the same freedom. So if that guy feels that beating the crap out of a small child is right, who am I to say different? If someone feels it is ok to steal anything at any time, how can I tell them they are wrong? You see, our entire culture, our entire world falls apart with the simple idea that there is no absolute truth!

Atheists? Don’t get me started. These are people who have either 1. never taken a second to think about what they supposedly believe, or 2. who have started to think about it, realized it was too slippery a slope, and turned a blind eye. So let’s start from their point of view. There is no God. Right away I feel lonely. Aside from that, I need to justify my position. I will start with how we got here. I have to assume that something just came out of nothing, with no reason, and no structure. If there was reason or structure, that would point to a god of some sort, and then I have lost my atheist-ness. So, something from nothing, and then evolution started happening. Once again, no structure, plan, or reason for anything that happens for millions or billions of years (depending on how long you feel it would take for a piece of slime to become a human). So, we have made it through our genesis and would like to move on without too much discussion, for fear of having to answer a question about our beliefs. Now I need to explain what I believe about right and wrong. If I am a true atheist I will never feel wronged by anyone. After all, who am I to say that you are wrong to do something? If I tell you that you are wrong, am I not saying that there is an absolute right in this situation? I may not like it, but you have just as much a right to do that as I do. No matter what our society says is right, I can decide for myself. If there is no God, than there are no consequences to what I do, other than the punishment of our society. If I can get away with it, I can do anything I want. I hope you can see how stupid the atheist mindset is. Surely I don’t need to continue.

Where, then, do we get our sense of right and wrong? How do we know, without being told, that it is wrong to abuse someone, to murder, or to steal? As much as you may not want to admit it, we get our right and wrong from God. It is a hard pill to swallow for some people, but it’s true. To admit that there is a God, and that He has the right to say what is right and wrong, is to admit many things that people would rather not think about. It is easier to just ignore it, I’ll admit that, but that doesn’t make it go away. It’s there, it’s true, and all we need to do is think about it for a second, and it all makes sense.

Well, I don’t know how easy I made all this to understand. If you like the discussion of right and wrong and want to know more, I would recommend reading C.S. Lewis’s book The Abolition of Man either online or you can buy it here. I loved this book, and I think I may read it again myself. C.S. Lewis is one of my favorite authors and I would recommend getting as many of his books as you can. I feel like I may have fell short on explaining some of this, so I may try some more later. Feel free to discuss!