All the Phonies Gather 'Round

I didn't win the lottery yesterday. I bought a ticket. Big money. But no one else won either. It's the small victories.

Is playing the lottery silly? People call it the idiot tax, but somebody has to win, right? And it's not like I play it every week. Maybe once every few months I play it. It's only a dollar. At least that's what I tell myself.

Last night I read Matthew 16 and 17. Want a taste? "And when they raised their eyes they saw no one but Jesus." (Mt. 17:8). In the New Jerusalem translation, they say prophecy of the passion when Jesus predicts his death. Isn't that funny? And to be honest, if it weren't for the movie ("The Passion of the Christ"), I wouldn't know what passion was referring to. Isn't it crazy how words change so completely? No one uses passion to describe a suffering these days.

It happened in The Catcher in the Rye too. Someone (Sally Hayes) used the word "fantastic" to describe something as unrealistic, not as great. The 1950s sure were a strange time. Which reminds me of George Clooney's new movie, called Good Night, and Good Luck which is about Edward R. Murrow's battle against Joseph McCarthy and his Red Scare. But here's a quote I like from the book:
"Anyway, I'm sort of glad they've got the atomic bomb invented. If there's ever another war, I'm going to sit right the hell on top of it. I'll volunteer for it, I swear to God I will."

Updating every day gives me the chance to waste a lot more time with things that aren't important. Listen, if you're a dork/nerd like me, and you haven't played Escape Velocity: Nova, you should do yourself a favor and check it out.

Suffer the Little Children

Since reading my bible typically happens at night, and not in the morning, it is unlikely that each post will end with my having read the bible for the day. Instead, each post should look at whether I read the bible the previous day, or in this case, the previous two days. Fortunately, I did.

On Wednesday I read Matthew 12 and 13. And on Thursday I read Matthew 14 and 15. Forgive me for being so linear. I am currently carrying the New Jerusalem Bible translation, which is a bit different from the NIV or NASV, or what have you. But it leads me to questions about passages I thought I understood.

Probably the most striking thing I read was in Mt. 15 v. 1-9. in which Jesus accused the Pharisees of breaking the commandments for the sake of tradition. The example he gives is denying honor to your father and mother by using the excuse that "anything I might have used to help you is dedicated to God" (v. 5). It made me think about the ways that I can become indifferent to people's suffering because I am too busy trying to be righteous about other suffering. In reality, I am being self-righteous about suffering that I have foolishly deemed more worthy of God.

Especially with my parents, who I take for granted for the most part. I can blame them and their opinions for all the problems in the world, but I don't take the time to love them and appreciate them for who they are, or to realize that no problem is a one person affair.

Sorry if I got too far into it there. I don't want to start Chris's Bible Hour here. But I am trying to give account, I guess.

Is this self-righteous in itself? Is it encouraging? Is there a chance we can speak of what we learn and become something more than the rambling of strangers? Am I alienating you?

I would like to emphasize that I am focusing on me for this. I don't aim to hold you accountable to anything unless you ask me. But when I am here, in my own blog, I am speaking of my own highs and lows. If ever there is a time when I speak in "you"s and "your"s, I do not mean you specifically. I mean the general of how people tend to be. But I will try to refrain from that also. So, I am not giving you the right to criticize my beliefs here. I am giving you the right to read about my efforts to bring myself closer to my beliefs. If you would like to criticize or be offended or lose respect, you are free to do it to yourself, or in small circles of like-minded people. But I am not looking to be debated or to prove myself right. Just to show you where I succeed and where I fail.

This Tide's A Turnin'

Do you ever come out of the bathroom naked and do kung-fu kicks in front of the mirror?

I couldn't sleep last night. I was up till like 5:30, and I left my window open and I could hear the drip of rain off the roof, and behind that the trickle of water down the gutters, and the rustle of leaves in the wind. And it was nice. But I was tossing and turning, so it was less nice.

I'm reading The Catcher in the Rye again. But it really feels like the first time, since the last time was like 10th grade and I didn't really pay any attention to it. And, it's a lot harder to appreciate a book when you're forced to read it. It's easier when I don't have to have chapters 12-15 by Thursday for the quiz.

Here's the thing: I am not very proficient in keeping up with the Lord. In fact, you might say the past several months have been a descent into a realm of non-existant spirituality. But I am tired of that. And let's face it, deep down, you're tired of it too. I know you. I have spoken with you and taken your comments to heart. We are broken and shattered. And I want to change that starting now. I have already started a spiritual renewal with some of you, and it has been a refreshing dose of capital J (for Jesus). But I want this phenomenon to go further. I want the community that was to be a community that is, electronically linked to each other for the sharpening and renewing of our faith.

I'm going to start small. I am going to try to give account for every day, whether I read my Bible or not. And if you would like to join me, either anonymously or ... nymously?, then please comment on your own daily spiritual search. And, even more, if you would like the public accountability that comes with posting your spiritual successes and failures, then join in on your own blog to give account for the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, of course (1 Peter 3:15). I think I can sucker some of you into this. I will try to post every day on my results, but if I miss a day or two, I will account for those days as well. First, I am asking you, the reader, to hold me to my promises. And then, only then, will I ask you to take it upon yourself. This tide's a turnin'.

I have not yet read my bible today.

Video Game Extravaganza (In easy to swallow capsules)

Typically I probably would have waited another week or two before updating again (you know, supply and demand, keep them wanting more). But I just couldn't after discovering a great website for any fan of entertainment media who also has an interest in politics. It's called, strangely enough, Game Politics and concerns itself with the legislative and societal aspects of video games. I discovered it thanks to GGA.

There is a new hubbub in the entertainment world after Jack Thompson wrote "A Modest Proposal" of making a violent video game where the goal is to kill people who make and sell violent video games (this is only the beginning I assure you). Jack Thompson, if you don't know, is a famous Florida lawyer who makes his living suing people. If there was a model of the evil greedy ambulance chaser, he is it. This is not to say that some of his arguments are invalid. On the contrary, there is something to be said about the violence in video games, the interactivity required to carry out violence, and the availability of violent games to children.

In his modest proposal he promised that if anyone made his idea into a game, he would donate $10k to the favorite charity of Take Two Interactive President Paul Eibeler. Take Two owns Rockstar Games, the makers of Grand Theft Auto. Then, after some video game modders created the game he asked for, he withdrew his charity, saying that it was only a satire, not a real challenge. So, the boys at Penny Arcade, which I frequent, decided to put their money where his mouth was and donated $10k to the Entertainment Software Association's Charity Foundation. Ironically, Jack Thompson then wrote to the Seattle Police Department suggesting that the Penny Arcade bandits be arrested. This was in response to them making fun of his antics. If you'd like to discover the whole story, search for "A Modest Video Game Proposal" in Google, or go to Game Politics and find "Jack Thompson".

In other gaming news, the coolest thing I found at Game Politics, and the real reason I now love it, is a link it had to an article that appeared in the Washington Post. The article is about various video game projects aimed at educating people on foreign conflicts. One game's goal is to broker a peace between Israelis and Palestinians. And MTV is having a contest to come up with a video game that fights genocide in Darfur, Sudan. One game, created by the UN, I actually downloaded and played. It's called Food Force and, while not terribly entertaining, teaches players about how the World Food Program reacts in a famine crisis. It is quite wonderful to see the things that rot your brain are becoming the things that lift you out of ignorance. That's a general "you" of course, not you specifically. You're great. Everyone thinks so. They do.

That's quite a bit of links, but if you like video games, or you like the idea of people learning about the world, then take the time to check them out. And I will continue to search for reasons why I should play more video games.

Now TV can dominate my time outside the home as well

I have some files that are copying (which sounds professional) so I thought I'd use the free time to update, something I don't do nearly enough.

As some of you may have already heard, Apple announced a new iMac and a new Video iPod. That is, an iPod that can play videos. But they also unveiled an agreement with Disney where you can, for $2, download a TV show the day after it aired. For instance, if you missed Lost last night, you can now watch it on your computer. I think this is an amazing step forward for media integration and for the future of entertainment. I'd really love it if cable providers would get with the program (program, get it?) and allow us to pay for our TV habits based on what we watch, not what gets sent to us. And I think this Apple/Disney brainchild is the biggest step to that in a very long time.

I am certain it will be successful for both companies and will eventually lead to a revolution in the TV era, either by converting computers into makeshift TVs, or TVs into makeshift computers. We are almost there.

One frustrating trend right now is the idea of paying for wireless broadband across an entire city. For instance, you can pay $60 a month to Verizon and you will have the ability to receive a wireless signal anywhere in your city. The problem with that is that cities are looking into doing this on their own, without Verizon, for a significantly lower cost. But, Verizon, and other internet providers, doesn't want that, because it means they lose money. Suing is ensuing. Which is just like the connundrum of being stuck with a cable provider based on where you live, not on the company you want to serve you. If only there was a governmental organization that was non-partisan and would regulate communications for the consumer's best interest. But where would we find something like that?

Burn the Land and Boil the Sea

I was fortunate enough to see Serenity on Friday. To put it mildly, it was fantastic. And if you have doubts, let me say this: If you enjoy Han Solo, you will enjoy Captain Malcolm Reynolds. If you enjoy an against all odds fight against a corrupt empire, you will enjoy this movie. If you like westerns, you will enjoy this movie. And if you like science fiction, this might be the best science fiction movie of the decade. And I say that with full knowledge of the successes and failures of the Star Wars prequels. In summation, check it out for yourself.

After a generous grant from the Dad Foundation, I have found myself to be in the possession of a new computer, which might be more accurately called "two new computers." If you want a better explanation, I won't provide it. Suffice to say the phrase "maximum efficiency" may have been used in conjuring this delight.

And I'm looking for a new bookbag. My current one is full of holes which are covered by duct tape which then gets sticky on all the stuff in the bag. A cycle of violence, really. I've been looking at Tom Bihn, who make sweatshop free bags which are apparently of superior quality. However, I have never been comfortable with the shoulder bag or the bag that goes across your chest. They tend to put weight where I don't want it. Then again, maybe they wouldn't if I didn't try to put so much stuff in my bookbag. A conundrum, I assure you.

Next post will be faster, and I would like to mention the addition of my friend Steve to the "Cool people I know" section. Steve is in the Peace Corps in Turkmenistan, which is a part of the CIS (Confederacy of Independent States), the former Soviet Union. He wasn't linked before because I didn't know he had such easy access to computers. After all, he uses a bucket of water to take a shower. But please give him a warm welcome, because he's doing things that put us all to shame.