tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66650399199303044732023-11-16T08:04:28.001-08:00Scott Furrow... is coffee.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11522322647759389420noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6665039919930304473.post-79054844566211463672015-04-27T13:30:00.001-07:002015-04-27T13:30:25.092-07:00Moving to a New BlogIt's true, I'm moved to a new blog. Time to leave this Lost infected one to the archives. The new one is prettier and wiser. You can go there now, there's even something new. You can subscribe there too, and/or "like" a Facebook page that is made especially for the blog.<br />
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The Url is the same just takes you somewhere new: <a href="http://scottfurrow.com/">ScottFurrow.com</a><br />
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<a href="http://facebook.com/scottfurrow">Facebook.com/scottfurrow</a><br />
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<a href="http://twitter.com/scottfurrow">twitter.com/scottfurrow</a><br />
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Looking forward to a the new.<br />
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SCFAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11522322647759389420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6665039919930304473.post-43707528357355425572014-02-05T12:08:00.000-08:002014-02-05T12:08:26.817-08:00Coke and the CBO - Take Your Medicine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am often asked how one goes about being truly informed when we live in such a world that is dominated by shallow reporting, reactive politics, and news as entertainment rather than journalism. Admittedly, this is difficult to do. But below is one step that helps.<br />
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Today, not just the news, but many "advancements" in science, education, philosophy, sociology, religion and other disciplines are no longer driven by a desire to know, but instead, are driven by advocacy (and the funding that comes with it) and political correctness. For many, it is more important to be right, or to win an election, or to receive attention (especially the kind that comes with funding) than it is to make authentic and helpful discovery. <br />
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Even worse, our culture is content to spread falsehood simply because we believe it passionately and have even acted faithfully according to those false beliefs. We are a "willfully ignorant" society, as CS Lewis would say, and too often we are so convinced of the truth, we don't think it's necessary to look at the facts. I'm amazed at how many people repost hateful and ignorant posts from anonymous and unresearched Facebook Pages, for example. More incredibly is how often someone proudly tweets out thier own shallowness and ignorance in less than 140 characters. How many people have been fired recently for their tweets? #HasJustineLandedYet<br />
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This willful ignorance is enslaving and destructive - and its getting worse. Truth only resides in reality; other residents include fact and consequence. Unfortunately, fewer and fewer people can even find it on the map.<br />
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Anyway, I can go on and on about that. But that's not why I'm writing. Here's an exercise that I use which I believe helps give a better idea of what is true about a situation or idea. I deliberately try to find some sources that have clear biases, yet, call out their own side for being outright false or misleading. Its a great discipline, and risky in the modern environment, to point out that your own side might just be wrong, or hateful, or ignorant, or a bully, or racist, or whatever the negative label <i>du jour</i> is. <br />
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So, as an example, there are two articles published today that I think you should read. One is from a conservative publication, the other is from a liberal publication. Both are critical of their own side, without rejecting their respective ideologies. <br />
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To make this useful, try this: If you are a conservative, you may want to focus on what the author of the liberal <i>National Journal</i> writes about the Obama Administration. But don't do that. Likewise, if you are a liberal, you may be tempted to focus your attention on what the conservative <i>Commentary</i> says about Glenn Beck and other conservatives. Again, don't. Focus instead on your own ideological preference and consider how your side can do better.<br />
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I realize the issues discussed by these articles are far deeper than just a TV ad or one report from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). A good defense can be made for both because of the complex and deeper issues of poverty and its roots. But that's not what this exercise is about. It's about this:<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye." - Jesus Christ from <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%207&version=NIV" target="_blank">Matthew 7</a>.</blockquote>
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Funny thing is, this works. When conservatives correct conservatives about what it means to be an American by using Ronald Reagan, it carries a lot of weight and improves the discussion. But when liberals correct conservatives about what it means to be an American, and engage in name calling, no one listens, and it just makes things worse.<br />
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Likewise, when liberals correct liberals about the facts and figures of Obamacare, and they use the words of President Obama against himself, it tasks liberals to reject their own political spin. But when conservatives correct liberals about the facts and figures of Obamacare, and engage in name calling, no one listens, and the political spin is simply adjusted to obscure the truth even further.<br />
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So, some recommended reading for today:<br />
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From the conservative <i>Commentary</i>:<br />
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<a href="http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2014/02/04/a-disturbing-conservative-reaction-to-the-coke-ad/">http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2014/02/04/a-disturbing-conservative-reaction-to-the-coke-ad/</a><br />
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From the liberal <i>National Journal:</i><br />
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<a href="http://www.nationaljournal.com/white-house/truth-and-consequences-of-obamacare-distortion-20140205">http://www.nationaljournal.com/white-house/truth-and-consequences-of-obamacare-distortion-20140205</a><br />
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PSF<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11522322647759389420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6665039919930304473.post-74177497222766381842013-11-22T12:53:00.003-08:002013-11-22T14:44:40.926-08:00JFK - What a Leader Used To Be<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I’ve watched and read quite a bit about the Kennedy Assassination this week, which happened 50 years ago today. I have learned quite a bit, and recommend a couple of programs. PBS’s American Experience series is usually very good, and the JFK edition just broadcast is no exception. I also enjoyed PBS’s Frontline, where, much to my amazement, they appeared to scientifically prove that the “magic bullet” was not so magic after all, and that bullet was indeed fired by Oswald and it definitely passed through the President, into Governor Connally, just as the Warren Commission said it did. Oliver Stone was not available for comment.<br />
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I also took some time to read some of Kennedy’s speeches, including his famous inaugural where he challenged us to “ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” I quoted the entire speech below, but I warn you, it will get you thinking. I find it quite alarming when I compare the ideology behind it to what is so often expressed today by our leaders and educators and even churches.<br />
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Liberals and Conservatives today try to claim Kennedy as their own, but this is laughable in light of the lack of principle and depth that has enslaved our modern discourse and has left us directionless, rudderless, tossed to and fro by the enemies of freedom, both from afar and also from within. JFK doesn't fit either ideology today. But the desire of each side to say he would be one of them is an indicator of a great problem. Whatever we think, we know we are not what we should be. We are a nation that needs a leader, but we have forgotten how to find one. We are a nation that needs to compete in a new world, but we lack the education and edification to do so. We are a nation that needs spiritual repentance, but we don't know what direction to be penitent toward. This was not so much the case in Kennedy's time, although many of the seeds of our current crop had already been sown and taken root.<br />
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This is not to say that JFK was a great President or a poor one, truly we will never really know. But regardless, a real leader he was; not because of his office and not because of crafted words in a speech, but because he had the personal courage to lead a nation, rather than the tragic cowardliness that both parties lord over us in this hour.<br />
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I pray that we as a people return to the values of truth and sacrifice and responsibility, and leave behind forever our current admiration of mere intentions and articulate deception. Let us stop asking what our country can do for us. Let us stop fretting over the opinions of foreign tyrants. Let us stop finding fault in others. Instead, let us ask again what we can do for our country. Let us truly help the poor serve the people of the world. Let us remove the plank from our own eyes so that we can regain the moral standing necessary to lead.<br />
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For those who think freedom is fixed, for those who think tyranny is not crouching at our door, for those who think someone else is their brother's keeper; they are ignorant of history. History is not forgiving of such attitudes and we will not escape the all too foreseeable calamities that mankind has brought upon itself time and time again. We must reject such attitudes and set a new course before the long train of abuses in our bureaucracies and institutions is too difficult to overcome and freedom is lost forever.<br />
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Another President was celebrated this week. He reminded us 150 years ago that we should not despair, but that this nation, under God, can have a new birth of freedom. This is still true because to date, government of the people, by the people and for the people has not yet perished from the earth. I pray that We The People will inform and educate ourselves, and not simply repeat the propaganda that misinforms our culture in every way, and has divided our common house.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>John F. Kennedy's Inaugural Address, January 20, 1961</b><br />
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We observe today not a victory of party, but a celebration of freedom — symbolizing an end, as well as a beginning — signifying renewal, as well as change. For I have sworn before you and Almighty God the same solemn oath our forebears prescribed nearly a century and three quarters ago.<br />
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The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life. And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe — the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God.<br />
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We dare not forget today that we are the heirs of that first revolution. Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans — born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage — and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this Nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world.<br />
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Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty.<br />
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This much we pledge — and more.<br />
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To those old allies whose cultural and spiritual origins we share, we pledge the loyalty of faithful friends. United, there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures. Divided, there is little we can do — for we dare not meet a powerful challenge at odds and split asunder.<br />
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To those new States whom we welcome to the ranks of the free, we pledge our word that one form of colonial control shall not have passed away merely to be replaced by a far more iron tyranny. We shall not always expect to find them supporting our view. But we shall always hope to find them strongly supporting their own freedom — and to remember that, in the past, those who foolishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger ended up inside.<br />
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To those peoples in the huts and villages across the globe struggling to break the bonds of mass misery, we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves, for whatever period is required — not because the Communists may be doing it, not because we seek their votes, but because it is right. If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.<br />
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To our sister republics south of our border, we offer a special pledge — to convert our good words into good deeds — in a new alliance for progress — to assist free men and free governments in casting off the chains of poverty. But this peaceful revolution of hope cannot become the prey of hostile powers. Let all our neighbours know that we shall join with them to oppose aggression or subversion anywhere in the Americas. And let every other power know that this Hemisphere intends to remain the master of its own house.<br />
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To that world assembly of sovereign states, the United Nations, our last best hope in an age where the instruments of war have far outpaced the instruments of peace, we renew our pledge of support — to prevent it from becoming merely a forum for invective — to strengthen its shield of the new and the weak — and to enlarge the area in which its writ may run.<br />
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Finally, to those nations who would make themselves our adversary, we offer not a pledge but a request: that both sides begin anew the quest for peace, before the dark powers of destruction unleashed by science engulf all humanity in planned or accidental self-destruction.<br />
We dare not tempt them with weakness. For only when our arms are sufficient beyond doubt can we be certain beyond doubt that they will never be employed.<br />
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But neither can two great and powerful groups of nations take comfort from our present course — both sides overburdened by the cost of modern weapons, both rightly alarmed by the steady spread of the deadly atom, yet both racing to alter that uncertain balance of terror that stays the hand of mankind's final war.<br />
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So let us begin anew — remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.<br />
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Let both sides explore what problems unite us instead of belabouring those problems which divide us.<br />
Let both sides, for the first time, formulate serious and precise proposals for the inspection and control of arms — and bring the absolute power to destroy other nations under the absolute control of all nations.<br />
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Let both sides seek to invoke the wonders of science instead of its terrors. Together let us explore the stars, conquer the deserts, eradicate disease, tap the ocean depths, and encourage the arts and commerce.<br />
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Let both sides unite to heed in all corners of the earth the command of Isaiah — to "undo the heavy burdens -. and to let the oppressed go free."<br />
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And if a beachhead of cooperation may push back the jungle of suspicion, let both sides join in creating a new endeavour, not a new balance of power, but a new world of law, where the strong are just and the weak secure and the peace preserved.<br />
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All this will not be finished in the first 100 days. Nor will it be finished in the first 1,000 days, nor in the life of this Administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin.<br />
In your hands, my fellow citizens, more than in mine, will rest the final success or failure of our course. Since this country was founded, each generation of Americans has been summoned to give testimony to its national loyalty. The graves of young Americans who answered the call to service surround the globe.<br />
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Now the trumpet summons us again — not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need; not as a call to battle, though embattled we are — but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and year out, "rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation" — a struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself.<br />
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Can we forge against these enemies a grand and global alliance, North and South, East and West, that can assure a more fruitful life for all mankind? Will you join in that historic effort?<br />
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In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shank from this responsibility — I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavour will light our country and all who serve it — and the glow from that fire can truly light the world.<br />
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And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.<br />
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My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.<br />
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Finally, whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God's work must truly be our own.</blockquote>
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PSF Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11522322647759389420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6665039919930304473.post-26365807888768373492013-06-18T12:10:00.002-07:002013-06-18T12:13:10.817-07:00The Lost BloggerSo, why did you stop blogging? I get asked that from time to time.<br />
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Have you ever spent long hours on a project where you neglect to click "save," then something happens and you lose all of your work and have to start over, but you can't recover emotionally, so you just quit and walk away from it for a while? That's what happened to this blog in May of 2010. Something happened.<br />
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It was going along better than ever: regular posts, increasing readership, creative juices flowing. At the time, I was writing often about the television show <i>Lost</i> and the themes and subject matter it presented. I had found the show particularly fascinating because it was brilliantly incorporating religion, science, philosophy, literature and all of the tensions between them. It wasn't the usual tripe on television. It was smart and it appeared to be going against the usual shallow television world of action without consequence. The show posed good questions that real people struggle to answer, but need to explore anyway. <i>Lost</i> could have been a show for the ages, to be debated and discussed for generations.<br />
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But behind all of my excitement about the cultural phenomenon I was writing about was a sense of foreboding, a dark feeling of impending doom, a nagging notion that the show would fall short of it's potential. Still, as the show was coming to an end, I wrote a series of blogs entitled "Why I love <i>Lost</i>."<br />
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Before the finale, a friend asked me what I thought would be the most disappointing ending. I said the worst case scenario is that the show would betray all of it's themes and just have some disconnected ending where mysteries are not resolved, where characters are inconsistent, conflicts are minimized, and have some kind of amateur plot turn where it turns out that everyone had always been dead and they all go to heaven or whatever and live happily ever after. "Any show on TV can end like that," I said to him, "It would be the ultimate cop-out from cowardly writers who chickened out when they had the opportunity to draw conclusions about right or wrong, truth or falsehood."<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9N63GEUzFrY0WxDiuAdj_tXMyGoeI_sUmXdrPwvuCQuP3yfNr9B3UojFHWJ4U3FZttvTW0C00mRbHaUUsxwfXQdaobP5nd5kNI830jT-RC_MXBzKKRRR_F9R1GYJ-w2hV-c5NpCej_cxa/s1600/Lost-Stained-Glass-Window.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9N63GEUzFrY0WxDiuAdj_tXMyGoeI_sUmXdrPwvuCQuP3yfNr9B3UojFHWJ4U3FZttvTW0C00mRbHaUUsxwfXQdaobP5nd5kNI830jT-RC_MXBzKKRRR_F9R1GYJ-w2hV-c5NpCej_cxa/s400/Lost-Stained-Glass-Window.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Let's make sure we offend everyone in the name of not offending anyone...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Horrified, I sat on the couch and watched the finale with my supportive wife, and my worst fear was realized. It was exactly like the worst case scenario I described to my friend. <br />
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The finale concluded, Kristy and I just looked at each other, turned off the TV and didn't say a word. We went upstairs and got ready for bed, still in stunned silence. I remember brushing my teeth for a seemingly endless time as I tried to recover from what whatever it's called when you get assaulted by a television show. My friend who I shared my worst case scenario with sent me a text, "I am so, so sorry..." With toothpaste dripping from my mouth and my toothbrush clamped between my teeth, I grabbed my phone and texted back, "I don't even want to talk about it."<br />
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More to the point, I didn't want to blog about it. Nor did I want blog about anything else. Except for a copy of an article I was asked to write for someone else's blog, I didn't write anything. <br />
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For six years, I had been a <i>Lost</i> evangelist, helping people see what really was going on in the show. I was one of <i>those people</i>, who could waste your whole evening explaining to you why you should watch it. I was excited that there was a show that would actually suggest there is right and wrong, that certain things in life are black and white. It was a show that would demonstrate that there are consequences for our actions, and a need for redemption and forgiveness outside of our own abilities. For a time, it was a rare admission from Hollywood that there are actual truths about human society and behavior that we need to stop ignoring in deference to political correctness or whatever the reason. But the way the show ended betrayed all of that, and in fact, it betrayed any intellectual or artistic value the show may have had. It became corny, and well, lost.<br />
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I sold my Lost DVDs for cheap at a garage sale and have never watched any part of it again. Today, I cannot recommend the show to anyone. Don't rent it, don't buy it. You are better off renting something silly like <a href="http://www.amazon.com/review/R81CTCNFIGN7Y/ref=cm_cr_pr_cmt?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B00005BJX6" target="_blank">Cops and Robbersons</a> instead.<br />
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One unexpected result of the <i>Lost</i> debacle is that it cured me of television. At first, I didn't want to watch any show that the <i>Lost</i> actors would later appear in. But, even now, there are no shows that are on the "must watch" list for me. Sure, there are a couple of enjoyable shows out there that I watch if it fits my schedule. But if I miss an episode or two, it doesn't matter. I don't Hulu them, I just move on. I don't care. There are better things to do.<br />
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Occasionally, I get a random email from someone I don't know asking me to update this blog. Often, they are asking me to finish my comment on <i>Lost</i>. So there you have it. There's the update. I will blog of it no more...<br />
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PSF<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11522322647759389420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6665039919930304473.post-65453079398961866432011-03-21T12:27:00.000-07:002011-03-22T20:04:43.315-07:00Going Beyond the Surface in Your Oikos<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghEGmBudkjQclo5Ltxfog1haLK3hSjTB62s29pBBDJ0pk9Tsd9ACXv6DOf62XhzYoHfwT3UfHbUcCuyJCZgmnJb2OoWa7oEK9_dOjfr-o_a34uiWiUAVh2WwZBgqjr4ueOzEf88-tMQgM4/s1600/huge-wall-of-tvs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghEGmBudkjQclo5Ltxfog1haLK3hSjTB62s29pBBDJ0pk9Tsd9ACXv6DOf62XhzYoHfwT3UfHbUcCuyJCZgmnJb2OoWa7oEK9_dOjfr-o_a34uiWiUAVh2WwZBgqjr4ueOzEf88-tMQgM4/s200/huge-wall-of-tvs.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Need to buy a TV?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>[This blog appeared today at <a target="_blank" href="http://oikoschurches.com/">oikoschurches.com</a>]<br />
<br />
I used to work for a major electronics company that used to exist. I worked there back in the day where sales people were required to wear a tie and a coat. No, not this wasn't the 1950's, this was in the mid-1990's, before the advent of <i>Best Buy</i> and the casual untrained salesperson.<br />
<br />
This company was very serious about well trained and well groomed salespeople. They actually issued all employees special blazers to wear; a gray one and a blue one, and required good hygiene and professional appearance. "Sales Counselors", as we were called, were only paid by commission back in those days, and in those days, a man could make a lot of money selling televisions. Especially if you were a very large man, so large that you required a special order company blazer.<br />
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Mike was such a man. Big and tall and big in the other direction too. Friendly, knowledgeable, aggressive and crafty. He was one of the top TV sales people in the entire company. He could sell you and extended warranty even if you didn't buy a product to go with it. Customers would spot his friendly frame the moment they walked in the door, and march right to him with their wallets open, leaving us average height blazers to scavenger for whatever potential sales were left in his wake. <br />
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I liked Mike very much. I enjoyed working with him, even though it probably meant I would make less money. We worked together for 3 years at that store, and I thought I knew him pretty well.<br />
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One day, he asked me if I would help him move. He had let me borrow his car a couple of times while mine was in the shop, so I figured I owed him one (or more.) So I said "sure."<br />
<br />
When I arrived at his house in an average neighborhood, he had a typical grass lawn with some low maintenance shrubbery. But I was stunned to see what I saw when I walked in the door.<br />
<br />
Squalor.<br />
<br />
It was unbelievable. To this day, it was the filthiest house I've ever seen in my life. It was plain dirty. When I say dirty, I mean literal piles of dirt. On the floor, in the couch, everywhere. The house was infested with all sorts of vermin, including cats, roaches and unidentifiable critters. My thesaurus does not have a word to adequately describe the toxic and nearly visible odor.<br />
<br />
His wife came out of the kitchen and greeted me warmly, thanking me for coming over to help. His kids were in the back yard playing. I won't even describe the kitchen, it was worse than you can imagine. Mike was standing next to me, looking over his home as if he hadn't noticed it's condition, and visibly shrinking in size as he could no doubt sense by surprise and grief. <br />
<br />
I wanted to cry, I couldn't believe it. I kept asking myself, <i>"What was going on in this man's life, with his family, that would lead to this kind of lifestyle at home?" </i> It couldn't be healthy, it wasn't livable, yet, it was where this family resided. I knew Mike was making nearly 6 figures based on commissions reports that were posted at the store to inspire the rest of us. Was he in some kind of financial trouble? Depression? Tragedy? What happened to this family?<br />
<br />
I gladly and quickly helped him get his stuff out of the house. This burden on him and his family had been well hidden, until he and I stood in his front yard on a hot day in a sea of moldy, ruined furniture. We stood there looking at it, smelling it, and Mike, with a tear coming down his cheek, decided that most of it just needed to go to the dump. He was right about that, and that is where we moved his stuff.<br />
<br />
Nearly every day after that, a humbled Mike thanked me for my help. He could hardly thank me without breaking down. He never said it explicitly, but I know he also was thanking me for not telling any of our other co-workers, and thanking me for remaining his friend. <br />
<br />
How well do you know your oikos? These people that you work with, go to coffee with, study with - really, do you know them? Have you ever asked yourself why God put you in their life? Have you ever asked God to show you? Truth is, many relationships today are surfacy, even within our oikos that are supposedly "close." But as Christ followers, we are called to love our oikos, even when we discover something that is unlovable about them. That's how Jesus loves us - and there is something unlovable about you and me for sure.<br />
<br />
My encouragement is to pray that God will give you courage when He takes you beyond the surface of the life of someone in your oikos. I think He'll answer that prayer in ways that will amaze you if you trust Him. You won't always find the squalor I found, but whatever you find, you will find that you are the right person to be there. God has planned it that way. That's why it's your oikos. And you have a great message of hope that is universal, so don't worry. <br />
<br />
I'm sure in Mike's case, God didn't put me there only to help him move. After that day, I made sure that Mike knew I was a Christ follower. I wasn't sure if he knew that before. I thought I was his friend before, but I don't think I truly was until I saw his home. I invited him and his family to church with me, they came a few times, and he had a lot of good questions. We did a few things socially after work together and I tried to just be his friend. <br />
<br />
Turns out, Mike's wife was a Christian, but hadn't really trusted God much for a while, and Mike had been to church as a kid but struggled to accept God's grace. I don't know where Mike and his family are today, or where they stand with their faith. Shortly after his move, I moved to a new town and a new oikos. I never discovered why his house was in such disarray. But today, I am praying for his oikos, whoever they are, whomever God has surrounded him with, that they would be a blessing to him <br />
<br />
Who knows, maybe Mike is following Jesus and blessing those in his oikos today? Hope so...<br />
<br />
SCF<br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/scottfurrow">twitter.com/scottfurrow</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11522322647759389420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6665039919930304473.post-81903819888381863612011-01-17T09:05:00.000-08:002011-01-17T09:05:13.084-08:00Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial PostMany don't know that this year, the <a href="http://www.mlkmemorial.org/">Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial</a> will be dedicated in Washington D.C. <br />
<br />
Fewer people are aware that I wrote a blog about MLK Jr. about leadership a couple of years ago that gets a rather large bit of Internet traffic according to Google. <br />
<br />
So, since today is the MLK Jr. birthday holiday, I thought I'd link you to that two year old post instead of writing a new one. Not only will it keep that article alive, but it also gives the appearance that I am posting something new today! It's a two-fer!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://scottfurrow.blogspot.com/2008/01/martin-luther-king-day.html">http://scottfurrow.blogspot.com/2008/01/martin-luther-king-day.html</a><br />
<br />
Have a great MLK holiday!<br />
<br />
SCFAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11522322647759389420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6665039919930304473.post-18849976081011856192010-06-14T15:55:00.000-07:002010-06-14T15:55:41.341-07:00I Know, I Know...One of the most interesting thing about blogging is that you never know who is reading your stuff. So, my recent Lost posts drew some attention, and people I don't even know have written me asking me to finsih the series and mostly, to comment on the controversial Lost finale. <br />
<br />
So to you, and you know who you are, even if I don't know who you are - hopefully by the end of next week. And, for those of you who follow this blog regularly, you know that waiting for me to post a promised post is a little bit like leaving the porch light on for Jimmy Hoffa.<br />
<br />
[Space here for you to enjoy or research the hilarity of that remark.]<br />
<br />
SCFAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11522322647759389420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6665039919930304473.post-31053997240444689702010-05-22T12:00:00.000-07:002010-05-22T12:09:58.534-07:00Why I Like Lost - Part IV<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>(This is the fourth post explaining in some detail why I like the TV show <i>Lost</i>. Please read the first post <a href="http://scottfurrow.blogspot.com/2010/05/why-i-like-lost-part-1.html">here</a>, then continue with part II and III and then this list below...</b>)</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Why I Like Lost - Part IV</b></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Alternate Reality Games</b></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">In an episode of <i>Lost</i> early in season 2, there is a video being watched by some of the characters and at the end, in small print we see, only for a second:</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">(c) The Hanso Foundation 1980 All Rights Reserved.</span></div><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">To date, there has been no discussion of The Hanso Foundation on the show, although, we do see advertisements for The Hanso Foundation in the backgrounds of various character flashback scenes, and we have heard the name "Hanso" now in some parts of the story. But at the time, it was seemingly just a detail in a well crafted show. We have come to learn since then that details like this are not mere window dressing in <i>Lost</i>.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">A few months later, I was in an airplane and someone had left behind a major news magazine, I can't remember if it was Newsweek or Time, but one of those. My eye caught a strange advertisement:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu0ct1B-Vwty-G5Dx8Bt7kE_bjpBA7UTO-uA83MpwGoew4EzhJAdlZB-s-_0GBHXalbDOQc3DHMABOIEzvsAtvUS0ehf5GJezIQWwG_mRBV31b5bZKsliUu_w1H67IpRtcaV_wiHZDaStF/s1600/hansobadtwin" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu0ct1B-Vwty-G5Dx8Bt7kE_bjpBA7UTO-uA83MpwGoew4EzhJAdlZB-s-_0GBHXalbDOQc3DHMABOIEzvsAtvUS0ehf5GJezIQWwG_mRBV31b5bZKsliUu_w1H67IpRtcaV_wiHZDaStF/s640/hansobadtwin" width="372" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">What? The Hanso Foundation? I had remembered the <i>Lost</i> reference and wondered what in the world I was looking at. There is no reference to <i>Lost</i> in the ad, or ABC television or anything else. Just an advertisement from "The Hanso Foundation" defending itself from the contents of some new book called <i>Bad Twin</i>. Turns out, the same ad appeared is major newspapers around the world, including the New York Times.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ3hj2oO8AzPkiXg6VLQqY1Wkj4u3R3t1LiAEph5yNeT3molobuc3GCITxwOhUxAoQDHDnjNsJO7XdB0kKKP7zfxqs9lBJPDIM0yIzWYE6xmBPeds4ttGeyiKGWgsSy5N1B_48rXrcV-m9/s1600/hansofoundationwebsite" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ3hj2oO8AzPkiXg6VLQqY1Wkj4u3R3t1LiAEph5yNeT3molobuc3GCITxwOhUxAoQDHDnjNsJO7XdB0kKKP7zfxqs9lBJPDIM0yIzWYE6xmBPeds4ttGeyiKGWgsSy5N1B_48rXrcV-m9/s200/hansofoundationwebsite" width="200" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Let's be clear: There is no such thing as The Hanso Foundation. But they have ads in real-life newspapers. And, if you noticed in the ad, they have a real-life website. So, naturally, I went to the website (it was recently taken down, I'm hoping it will come back up for the finale.) It was the coolest website I've ever seen, rich with graphics and detail. Numerous pages in the site detailing scientific advances being made in all sorts of areas by The Hanso Foundation. It included real email addresses of company execs (you'd get an automated response if you emailed them) and get this, the phone number worked! You could call up, be transferred to various departments and personnel and leave a message. I never did get a call back...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgol6Vxbhd4rvV_Di8ZDR8SQK7pt9ujYhHCtS-Hz_1MaaLJ0vCQ_zSsNr2GP2ZPWAZE9qkwCkV9BCfj5ObgiEn7iYlKnkPta7nEbEbULLG4lYLFaHraoaRczDzFE8jwgHVS1bT41hi4mLV9/s1600/badtwinbook" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgol6Vxbhd4rvV_Di8ZDR8SQK7pt9ujYhHCtS-Hz_1MaaLJ0vCQ_zSsNr2GP2ZPWAZE9qkwCkV9BCfj5ObgiEn7iYlKnkPta7nEbEbULLG4lYLFaHraoaRczDzFE8jwgHVS1bT41hi4mLV9/s200/badtwinbook" width="200" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">In the real life advertisement from the fake Hanso Foundation, it criticizes a newly published booked called <i>Bad Twin</i>, by Gary Troup. This book is for real. It is in stock right now at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bad-Twin-Hyperion-Gary-Troup/dp/B000LP64N6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1274550337&sr=8-1">Amazon.com</a>. A real-life ad from a fake organization about a real-life book.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">At the time, I saw the book in Costco and I was drawn to the cover flap about the author, which reads:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><blockquote><span style="font-size: small;">ABOUT THE AUTHOR</span></blockquote><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Bad Twin</i> is the highly-anticipated new novel by acclaimed mystery writer <b>Gary Troup</b>. <i>Bad Twin</i> was delivered to Hyperion just days before Troup boarded Oceanic Flight 815, which was lost in flight from Sydney, Australia to Los Angeles in September 2004. He remains missing and is presumed dead.</span></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Oceanic Airlines is a fake airline. Its the one that crashed on the fake island that is the setting for the fictional show <i>Lost</i>. There is no flight 815. And the people who rode on Oceanic Flight 815 also don't exist, including the author of <i>Bad Twin,</i> Gary Troup.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">So, there is a fake organization placing real-life ads in real-life newspapers defending itself from the claims made in a real-life book written by a made-up character from a fictional TV show who died in a fake plane crash on a non-existent airline. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Was Gary Troup on the fictional Oceanic Flight 815? Well, rumor has it he was killed on the ground during the pilot episode by getting sucked through the engine that was still revving in all the wreckage. However, there is only one actual reference to him. The characters in the show organize all the wreckage and one pile is full of books. One character, Sawyer, is often doing some reading. It is mentioned that a manuscript for some book is found, and later we see Sawyer reading it:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitHvkXM_qJTqYtz1dxGvhrY8rYPgTi_-6Dz3PAQEP8lkSOUsVXImVblP829667lw14UES1PGb0GB_nHPvBD3vtuc65lQ1gdBuVfE15OlfrmWuHfz_XVsMi_vMZq0QkjrQWCATy6_ZAQmRc/s1600/lostbadtwinmanuscriptscreencap" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitHvkXM_qJTqYtz1dxGvhrY8rYPgTi_-6Dz3PAQEP8lkSOUsVXImVblP829667lw14UES1PGb0GB_nHPvBD3vtuc65lQ1gdBuVfE15OlfrmWuHfz_XVsMi_vMZq0QkjrQWCATy6_ZAQmRc/s320/lostbadtwinmanuscriptscreencap" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is the only reference to <i>Bad Twin</i> or Gary Troup in the show. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">By the way, if you take the letters "Gary Troup" and move them around, you find that his name is an anagram for "purgatory." Are our castaways lost souls in purgatory? Well, the writers have said no, but we'll see...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The next thing I noticed was television commercials for The Hanso Foundation, first during <i>Lost</i>, later on other programs on ABC. Here's the original ad, one of several. <i>(Note: DO NOT call the number on the add as today its someone else who will try to get you to change your long distance carrier.)</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><object height="364" width="445"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6AIr5NhCON8&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6AIr5NhCON8&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Then, crazy things started to happen. Hanso Foundation people started showing up in real-life advertisements for Sprite, Jeep and other companies. The Hanso Foundation is even listed in the credits for <i>Mission Impossible III</i> under "Special Thanks."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Then, the Hanso site changed. It supposedly gets hacked, and someone from the outside is determined to expose the Hanso Foundation for its dirty deeds. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">A game begins. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">At <i>Comic-Con</i>, the annual comic book convention in San Diego, during a <i>Lost</i> forum, a woman named "Rachel Blake" stands up and starts shouting at the real-life writers and the real-life actors about the evils of the fake Hanso Foundation. The writers and actors simply point out that the Hanso Foundation is fictional, but she presses that it is for real. Before being taken away by security, she throws out a website URL, which was the beginning of what came to be known as "The Lost Experience." Interestingly, the actors and writers were wearing clues for fans to discover for this game.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">"The Lost Experience" is an alternate reality game (ARG) where real life fans of the show are invited into the Lost's mythical storyline to play a role. There are numerous websites tracking how this game worked out if you want to investigate, but it was amazing. How amazing? Get this: in the TV show <i>Lost</i>, there are candy bars called "Apollo Bars." For The Lost Experience, real-life Apollo Bars were manufactured and placed all over the world for fans to find, giving them clues to the game. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> No kidding. A real-life Willy Wonka contest. The video below tells a bit of the story of the global game that was truly the most incredible game I've ever seen.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><object height="364" width="445"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6phwqrqlGwE&hl=en_US&fs=1&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6phwqrqlGwE&hl=en_US&fs=1&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Wow.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">For most seasons of <i>Lost</i>, there have been alternate reality games, although the other ones not so big. One year, Oceanic Airlines started putting out real-life press releases about reconstituting service. They placed real-life billboards all over the world in each of the cities that the <i>Lost</i> characters come from.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Who has time for all of this? Well, I don't know, I sure don't. Fortunately, there were great blogs that people who apparently have time for all this would keep up so that you could follow the games and get caught up without actually playing them.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">All this is to say that the ARGs brought <i>Lost</i> to a new level. Its why it is an unprecedented global phenomenon. Fans actually became part of the story. Genius. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Here's a television commercial for Oceanic Airlines that appeared on several TV shows and gives a URL for the game that began that season. If you didn't know about <i>Lost</i>, you probably just thought it was some new airline...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><object height="364" width="445"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/DEuzx6xeFLk&hl=en_US&fs=1&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/DEuzx6xeFLk&hl=en_US&fs=1&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>.... Why I like Lost - Part V coming soon...</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>SCF </b></span></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11522322647759389420noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6665039919930304473.post-55152671283765680702010-05-21T08:15:00.000-07:002010-05-21T08:36:58.002-07:00Why I Like Lost - Part III<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>(This is the third post explaining in some detail why I like the TV show <i>Lost</i>. Please read the first post <a href="http://scottfurrow.blogspot.com/2010/05/why-i-like-lost-part-1.html">here</a>, then continue with part II and then this list below...</b>)</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Why I Like Lost - Part III</b></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The Spiritual Themes </b></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>John Locke: "Why do you find it so hard to believe?"</i></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Jack Shepherd: "Why do you find it so easy?"</i></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>John Locke: "Its never been easy!"</i></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">I was in a <i>Lost</i> online forum reading posts speculating about the mysteries of the show and what it is actually about. For some reason, this particular forum was spending lots of time debating the scientific aspects of the show, believing it is primarily a show about science fiction. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">I chimed in with my own opinion, relaying some of what I posted here in Part II, and also the issues the characters are dealing with spiritually. You would not believe the rage I got from these folks in suggesting that the show is not actually about science, but about faith. But I was able to prove my point, much to their dismay, by simply asking them to watch the episode conveniently entitled "Man of Science, Man of Faith." That theme, faith vs. science, is a constant in the show, and for my friends in that forum, they reluctantly had to agree.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj591MvvC8t8fgfb0ej2pjj4UfcPPfJS71OB9nCSr9rcDaC3uxgu7NyOD-9x4D91d6CiDWb1_2RzboEO2BoOXl4EPpT1newCCua6wHT72vaj_UfyTBHGFiYCDazK4SCmXnWMdqwHXyLeUq/s1600/lostpostereckosmoke.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj591MvvC8t8fgfb0ej2pjj4UfcPPfJS71OB9nCSr9rcDaC3uxgu7NyOD-9x4D91d6CiDWb1_2RzboEO2BoOXl4EPpT1newCCua6wHT72vaj_UfyTBHGFiYCDazK4SCmXnWMdqwHXyLeUq/s320/lostpostereckosmoke.gif" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;">Spiritual themes are significant in <i>Lost</i>; a title itself with a spiritual meaning. In the show, those who trust science are often proven wrong, but sometimes they are right. Faith is put to the test in similar ways, where sometimes the faithful are rewarded, but other times, they discover they have been deceived. The show moves along with the characters repeatedly placing their trust in each other, in themselves, in the island, in God, or in science. This is how we live life too; it makes the show and its characters even more compelling.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Deception is a danger, both in faith and science. In science, you have to trust that physical laws are always constant and that assembled data is correct, otherwise, you can scientifically come to a false conclusion and be deceived. Likewise, faith requires some kind of teaching or understanding, even if you conjure up some kind of belief all by yourself, it's still contrived from some kind of attitude or experience. But often, when our faith is misplaced, we are deceived and disaster follows. The road to Hell is paved with good intentions, so to speak.<i> </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Lost</i> handles this subject very well. The nature of deception is that while we are deceived, we don't know we are deceived, we don't believe we are deceived, we will even argue that we are not deceived. We don't know we are deceived; that's why we are deceived. We find out we are deceived once truth is forced upon us by the circumstances of reality and truth. In <i>Lost</i>, no one is sure who to trust, or what to trust, but they are forced to make a choice and place their faith somewhere. The great thing is, the audience also isn't sure who or what to trust. It brings us along in the adventure that is true to life's challenges and risks. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Another spiritual theme is free will vs. predestination. How much control do we have in our life? Its is all planned out for us or can we choose to change our direction? Is our fate predetermined by God or the universe or our DNA or upbringing? These questions have been significant in every area of human thought. Something people have always inherently asked is, "Why am I here?" This question is the ultimate question our heroes in the story are asking. Are they on the island by chance or by fate? The viewer can relate quite well to that question.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Good vs. evil? Also a huge question. Who is good? Who is evil? How can we be sure? Is everything black and white or is there a middle road? One episode to go, and we only have this partially figured out.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Recently, one of <i>Lost's</i> head writers confirmed that the show is about "redemption." Redemption is indeed the main conflict the characters are going through spiritually. With this in mind, the show presents the audience with the basic spiritual questions people ask. Can a person change? Does a person have to atone for their sins, or is there forgiveness and grace out there? Does one redeem oneself or is someone (or something) else the redeemer? Is there a God or not? What happens when you die? Does anything really matter?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Again, this is compelling. Redemption of some kind is at the heart of all religion and spiritual thought. The characters wrestle with these issues. They aren't even sure where they are, but they consider it may be Heaven, Hell or Purgatory or some similar place. Their perception is driven by their attitude about past sins and decisions and whether or not they can still have value and hope and purpose. The power of love is intertwined in each case.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Naturally, as a Christian minister, these topics and the way they are treated by the writers is very interesting to me. I don't think the show is going to have some kind of distinctive Christian resolution, but I am very sure the writers have been to Sunday school a time or two:</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><br />
<blockquote><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Ben: </b>"Thomas the Apostle. When Jesus wanted to return to Judea, knowing that he would probably be murdered there, Thomas said to the others, "Let us also go there and we might die with him." But Thomas was not remembered for this bravery. His claim to fame came later when he refuses to acknowledge the resurrection. He just couldn't wrap his mind around it. The story goes that he needed to touch Jesus wounds to be convinced."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> <b>Jack: </b>"So was he?"</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> <b>Ben:</b> "Of course he was. We are all convinced sooner or later, Jack."</span></blockquote></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">So, it has given me much to discuss with my friends who believe differently than I do, A good article about <i>Lost</i> and faith was published in the Wall Street Journal this week. It has a couple of significant spoilers, so don't read it if you haven't watched all through Season 5.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703957904575252492097673442.html">http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703957904575252492097673442.html</a></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here is one of my favorite scenes as a character (Locke) questions his faith.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><object height="364" width="445"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-N7KOGnATgM&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-N7KOGnATgM&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>... Why I Like Lost - Part IV - Coming Soon...</b></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">SCF</span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11522322647759389420noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6665039919930304473.post-66067682480275269112010-05-20T07:40:00.000-07:002010-05-20T07:40:00.520-07:00Why I Like Lost - Part II<div style="font-family: inherit;"><b>This is the second post explaining in some detail why I like the TV show lost. Please read the first post <a href="http://scottfurrow.blogspot.com/2010/05/why-i-like-lost-part-1.html">here</a>, then continue with this list below...</b><br />
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<b>Why I Like Lost - Part II</b><br />
<b> </b><br />
<b>The Character Depth Goes Beyond the Story</b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPYz_b6RLhgngz9HnxdPld8l9wTprCc1Tw7TOSAdZRDzw5zk2fzffMCuq9fyqIPq9bESNAwO8RqOQVzrIWo-hvh8MW4DMbteeI0Byfm6ah6rnSJGTO7d738YJllyErViBFEiV7K7KRNwXq/s1600/lostlockeposter.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPYz_b6RLhgngz9HnxdPld8l9wTprCc1Tw7TOSAdZRDzw5zk2fzffMCuq9fyqIPq9bESNAwO8RqOQVzrIWo-hvh8MW4DMbteeI0Byfm6ah6rnSJGTO7d738YJllyErViBFEiV7K7KRNwXq/s400/lostlockeposter.gif" width="315" /></a></div><i>"Uh, the bald guy's name is 'John Locke'?" </i>I said to my wife.<i> </i>I knew that naming a character after one of the biggest philosophers in history had to be more than just a minor oddity of the show. It meant something. But what are these writers doing?<br />
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Let's see. A bunch of people stranded on an island and its looking like rescue is not coming soon, if ever. What would that give them? Ah, a clean slate, <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabula_rasa">Tabula Rasa</a>,</i> as the real life John Locke would have called it. The character John Locke relies on this philosophy and derives encouragement and confidence from it. His view? The survivors of Oceanic Flight 815 get a fresh start on the island; an opportunity to start over without prejudice. They now have free will to choose a different path because of this opportunity.<br />
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This could be the theme of the show. Unless John Locke's postulations are wrong, then of course, some other philosophical point of view may be more relevant to our story. Fortunately, we have a character named Desmond David Hume, whose namesake tells us about <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Determinism">determinism</a></i>, which would indicate that there is no blank slate, but instead, our destinies have already been predetermined by our environment. Everyone was going to end up on that island one way or another, no matter what. It was fate.<br />
<br />
Why is this kind of thing relevant at all? Well, see, on the island, a new society is being developed, and someone has to be in charge. Who should the leader be? How will the society be governed? Who gives the orders and who follows them? What if there is division or criminal behavior? This new society must get developed politically somehow. If everyone has a clean slate, then anyone could morally qualify to lead. But if not, then people cannot escape from any sins in their past. This will affect who leads and how.<br />
<br />
Fortunately, a character named Rousseau is on the scene, a nod to the savvy viewer that a <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Social_Contract">Social Contract</a></i> (as presented by the real life philosopher named Rousseau) must be formed one way or another. There is no way around that. Unless of course you want anarchy, then lucky for you, we have another character named Mikhail Bakunin (aka "patchy") who creates quite a bit of chaos. That should be expected because the real life Mikhail Bakunin was a Russian anarchist philosopher who rejected every kind of governing system and a real critic of Rousseau. <br />
<br />
But what if philosophy, the search for truth, is resolved by a religion? Well good news, we have that too, especially Christian references. We have Bible characters such as Adam and Eve, Ruth and Naomi, and perhaps more importantly, Jacob. We even have a mysterious character who appears to have risen from the dead named "Christian Shepherd." Isn't that a title for Jesus? Is he the Savior or just a false Christ? Maybe he came to <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+19%3A10&version=NIV">seek and save what was ... <i>'lost'</i>?</a><br />
<br />
Perhaps we should inquire from a character named Charlotte Staples Lewis, who interestingly, shares a similar name with the famous <i>Chronicles of Narnia</i> writer C.S. Lewis. The real C.S. Lewis is also a famous Christian writer, using the <i>Narnia</i> stories as an allegory for the Gospel. Is <i>Lost</i> then an allegory for a Christian worldview? Maybe. Maybe not. I think you'd get an objection to that theory from Jeremy Bentham, another character who would advocate keeping religion and government separate, if his namesake has any bearing on the discussion. He's not much of a fan of natural law either.<br />
<br />
Can you see how this is totally mesmerizing and addicting? Do you know now why <i>Lost</i> fans are so annoying? This can go on and on. Turns out, most if not all characters are named after (or otherwise reference) famous philosophers, scientists, literary figures, writers, mathematicians, physicists, and Biblical characters. It is a significant part of the <i>Lost</i> story.<br />
<br />
If you haven't watched it yet, just wait until you meet Henry Gale, who shares his name with the Wizard of Oz character. Henry Gale's character might in fact be the best television character of all time.<br />
<br />
Oh and by the way. If a character or two don't seem to have any reference at all to a real life person, then maybe you should take their name and enter it into an <a href="http://wordsmith.org/anagram/">anagram server.</a> You might just find a clue or an idea that will make you wonder. You may even discover that one man you think you know is really an other man.<br />
<br />
The characters are great on their own and the exposition above isn't necessary to enjoy the show. Each character is well developed and interesting. Truth is, they don't stay consistent to their namesakes above anyway. However, knowing who they are named after does add a significant element to the show and a depth that I have never seen, outside of the Bible anyway. Its those genius writers again. <br />
<br />
For your enjoyment, a speed drawing of our hero (?), John Locke:<br />
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<object height="364" width="445"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8K_NQe57C-k&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8K_NQe57C-k&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br />
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<b>... Why I Like Lost - Part III - Coming Soon...</b><br />
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SCF</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11522322647759389420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6665039919930304473.post-53104362104654819522010-05-19T21:57:00.000-07:002010-05-19T22:02:42.226-07:00Why I Like Lost - Part 1<div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">As the TV show <i>Lost</i> comes to a conclusion in just a few days, I thought now would be the last time to finally deliver as promised and blog about why I watch this show. The show is impossible to watch if you haven't watched from the beginning, so you shouldn't even consider watching the finale if you aren't caught up. Plus, if you want to enjoy the show later on DVD, it will spoil it. So start from the beginning if you must...</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Because I recognize that I am "one of those people" when it comes to <i>Lost</i>, I'll try to keep this as succinct as possible. </span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwC8IE4U1nKtHb5Cn__2rYdYi2jGPRzBPZ_z0hY-2g2FxqhambNtwKWAEsogo1nd96L1qbjAM-UgqsjyPxrI_-1xaBi_6EUt4uYxgTLJS99eiEatPfPLYgb00bEkJJKa2Ccl1p1ZrQ2_Mp/s1600/lostposterall.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwC8IE4U1nKtHb5Cn__2rYdYi2jGPRzBPZ_z0hY-2g2FxqhambNtwKWAEsogo1nd96L1qbjAM-UgqsjyPxrI_-1xaBi_6EUt4uYxgTLJS99eiEatPfPLYgb00bEkJJKa2Ccl1p1ZrQ2_Mp/s640/lostposterall.gif" width="409" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;">Somewhere along the line, as I got older, I started to appreciate different kinds of art for the sake of whatever it is that makes it, well, art. When I see a painting, I am often astonished to think how it is that the artist can take an idea and turn a blank canvas, a <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabula_rasa">Tabula rasa</a> </i>if you will<i>,</i> into no simply a picture of something but also a representation of an opinion, a culture, a philosophy, a theology or an idea. Good art makes us reflect on what matters in life and inspires the kinds of questions all humans ask themselves but often have a hard time expressing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Storytelling is an art form. Like any other form of art, it can be well done or it can be done poorly. A good story includes captivating character development, compelling themes that illicit emotion because they tap into real human conflict, and thoughtful implications that do not require explicit explanation or agreement. These things are delivered by a narrator or exposition, but through the story itself, prompting consideration and trust from the audience. A good story is not about how much it costs or special effects or technical achievement. Take those things away from the movie <i>Avatar,</i> for example, and all you have a sophomoric tale that spoon feeds the audience and removes the need for intelligence. A good story, on the other hand, makes a profound statement through characters and plot and dialogue and dignifies the audience rather than demeaning them.<i> Lost</i> is a story that is rich in all that is the art of storytelling.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">This isn't to say that it is without flaw, certainly the story shouldn't have taken <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtIx19JEUAp_GTMHYDcoI8WqWo45-eYygcGKd0A68Y5BPzIclAE_rd3PjSjDOAdkst3cCVI5Wj2XDo1GBIDYS4yCJZb3a-sWntdwLCFg1cobeYm-65LeoHeS4NduLQzsb5FcFqj0mJ4dI/s400/expose1.jpg">certain turns</a>. But the reason I like <i>Lost</i> is because of the depth of the storytelling and the characters and its underlying themes. It is a story about the most basic human questions about life, God, meaning, purpose and love. All of those elements present the viewer with much to ponder about what matters most in life. The show itself doesn't promote truth or spiritual realities, but it raises the questions that must be raised in dealing with those subjects. For me, it has prompted real life discussion of these issues with many of my friends, and in a couple of them, life changing results. That is good storytelling. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">So, what is so great about Lost? I'll make a list.<b> </b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>The Writing</b> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">I have a theory. Because of all the reality shows now on TV, <i>Lost</i> had at its disposal the best writers. This is the most creative show on TV in a long time. Its storytelling technique is brilliant and unusual. The way the story unfolds is intricate yet riveting. The dialogue is smart and consistent. The show is emotionally moving and thrilling at some times.</span><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBBDvcI7vyNE_6dzaOm726gM42K8cO1dS9_bL28FnC2oZrOwcyN0kCvEl6id6uxlQbzHwUtC_hsoBqWSbhb6qsQ3BBC4p1IRzT2TQwBYeup5J4hN_zKGQFuG3AHNtmIUBsYtFM_ji-MD5U/s1600/whiterabbit" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBBDvcI7vyNE_6dzaOm726gM42K8cO1dS9_bL28FnC2oZrOwcyN0kCvEl6id6uxlQbzHwUtC_hsoBqWSbhb6qsQ3BBC4p1IRzT2TQwBYeup5J4hN_zKGQFuG3AHNtmIUBsYtFM_ji-MD5U/s320/whiterabbit" /></a>My wife actually started watching before I did back in season one. She doesn't normally stop everything just to watch a TV show, but in the Fall of 2004 she suddenly was totally into this new show <i>Lost</i>. For all I knew, it was just another reality show with people stranded on an island, and I was surprised that she was so into it. By the 5th week, I had to check it out, and I watched my first episode entitled "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Rabbit">White Rabbit</a>."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">There were several things that intrigued me about this episode. Mostly, I was surprised that my wife was not happy with me interrupting to ask questions trying to get caught up as she was watching intently, as if there was more going on than I was aware. I didn't get it, but I knew there was something more to this show that just people stuck on an island after a three hour tour. So I followed the rabbit down that hole and within a couple of weeks, I understood this show was special and I was hooked.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">If you are thinking about watching, a warning:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">A friend of mine returned from a 2 year mission trip to China and stayed at my house while we were on vacation so that he could look for work in San Diego. He asked me if he missed anything important while he was gone, so I gave him the DVDs for seasons one and two of <i>Lost</i>. He said he found himself excusing himself from appointments just so he could get back to the house and watch more <i>Lost</i>. He ended up making no progress in the job search and had to plan another trip later.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">That is good storytelling.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Here is how it begins...</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><object height="364" width="445"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/s96iG2lwam4&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/s96iG2lwam4&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>.... Why I like Lost - Part II coming soon...</b></span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">SCF</span><br />
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</span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11522322647759389420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6665039919930304473.post-47330782410109336632010-05-04T11:47:00.000-07:002010-05-10T06:52:42.028-07:00May the 4th Be With You and More Important Things to Say TodayRecently, I've received some interesting comments in the form of compliments, that while flattering, they also carry with them an implied, yet unintended, harsh criticism. Its challenged me in various ways, causing me to make small changes that have significant impact. It's useless to explain that in further detail as doing so would only further the problem. Its better to just get busy blogging...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7KG2XfzfmmgJAvfcUYIXUhfg31In3RLv3_wOw8nEUZXrPGJ2-aMHpI6qDBtym8PP0otectmsMJPkDEdeH_B2nXJIB9XNyoDIhThAUHeAmLYgQl9cUPOm4WOxQxa_b4S3KCro6DAiVbeTD/s1600/criticism.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7KG2XfzfmmgJAvfcUYIXUhfg31In3RLv3_wOw8nEUZXrPGJ2-aMHpI6qDBtym8PP0otectmsMJPkDEdeH_B2nXJIB9XNyoDIhThAUHeAmLYgQl9cUPOm4WOxQxa_b4S3KCro6DAiVbeTD/s400/criticism.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
... and other things.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">In my life, the urgent often overwhelms the important. Its the nature of my job as pastor. I suspect that is true for many people in other jobs too. Ironically, getting done what is important actually <i>reduces</i> what is urgent.</div><br />
When the urgent parts of my job overwhelm the important things I need to do with my family, my family suffers. However, when I am taking care of the important with my family, there is understanding and margin for the time needed for the urgent at work when it comes up.<br />
<br />
When I spend all day responding to the urgent at my job, the important things that I need to do, the things that <i>can only be done my me</i>, either don't get done or in some cases, they get done with less care than they require. But when I get the important done first, many of the urgent things take care of themselves as people find solutions to their own issues and answers to their own questions.<br />
<br />
Right now, I have very urgent matters to tend to. I have people who need my help, people who need my opinion, people who need to be angry with me, people I need to visit, and tons of people who need me to respond to their email/text/IM/Twitter/Voicemail/Facebook message... all of that and more needs to get done <i>right now.</i><br />
<br />
But I can't let those urgent things prevent me from accomplishing some other important things. I need to teach, to lead, to focus, to write, to study, to pray, to think and to accomplish the things that I am most gifted at and do them extremely well. Yes, I have to get to those other things, and its not that they aren't important. But if I don't do the former and do it well, it will generate more of the latter. I already have more of the latter than there is time to handle. <br />
<br />
Having fun is important too, by the way. Leaders who don't take time for fun are no fun and will only lead others who don't have fun and that is really not fun. You have permission to quote me on that.<br />
<br />
So here's some fun.<br />
<br />
Today is International Star Wars Day: May the 4th be with you.<br />
<br />
HA! Admit it, that's fun. <br />
<br />
So, while this posting may seem to be not all that important, the urgent has pushed it off for months. And this is important. Really.<br />
<br />
So now, off to more important things. The urgent will be taken care of, but it will also wait a little while longer.<br />
<br />
SCFAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11522322647759389420noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6665039919930304473.post-72247325243082281582010-02-02T12:55:00.000-08:002010-02-02T12:55:45.497-08:00Lost: It's About RedemptionThe long wait is over. <br />
<br />
I know I need to explain why this is my favorite show (actually, its the only show I watch right now), but for now, a video to celebrate the beginning of Season 6. <br />
<br />
This is my favorite promo commercial. While some think <b><i>Lost</i></b> is about science fiction, its actually a show about redemption. How the writers will ultimately handle the issues of redemption in the story remains to be seen, but from an increasingly dark and frustrated culture, the theme is definitely one that we all need to seriously explore.<br />
<br />
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<br />
SCFAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11522322647759389420noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6665039919930304473.post-86687031748728356442009-12-26T13:08:00.000-08:002009-12-26T15:06:04.600-08:00Observations on Christmas Day Travel<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAnmHLuHjXDATLnVwtm63FgcClzjZxMjcBoMjSaMUB7xt0ig3Jfo7wUARJKo7C44qgLK5La-sL-XvOzpteSd2CoN1qjL8LhtHAdIiy9HaPYmnx_8rlHcQKvtCf7RdOQSYZYb64VDrcdX5Z/s1600-h/christmasairport" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAnmHLuHjXDATLnVwtm63FgcClzjZxMjcBoMjSaMUB7xt0ig3Jfo7wUARJKo7C44qgLK5La-sL-XvOzpteSd2CoN1qjL8LhtHAdIiy9HaPYmnx_8rlHcQKvtCf7RdOQSYZYb64VDrcdX5Z/s320/christmasairport" /></a>This Christmas was the first time I ever traveled by air on Christmas Day. I've flown on Christmas Eve before, and I think my wife and I may have driven to my parent's home once on Christmas Day. But, I've never been to an airport on Christmas until this year as we flew to Seattle on Christmas morning to visit my in-laws.<br />
<br />
Being the Christmas Eve shopper that I am, I have noticed a distinct difference between the shopping experience on Christmas Eve and that on the day before Christmas Eve, known as Christmas Adam. December 23rd is a stressful, busy, and hectic shopping day, full of bad attitudes and tired people fighting with each other. But December 24th has a different feel.<br />
<br />
Christmas Eve shoppers are more friendly, have more joy, and while they are tired, people respect each other more. I don't know if its because Christmas Eve is a special day on its own, or maybe its because Christmas Eve shoppers are already on vacation from work. Perhaps its because Christmas Eve shopping is a shared experience with other like minded procrastinators; its always easier to get along with people for which you have an affinity. Regardless, there is a difference between the two days, and Christmas Eve is a better day to shop.<br />
<br />
So, I wondered if I would notice a similar difference between air travel on Christmas Eve, which unlike the shopping experience of that day, is hectic and stressful, and air travel on Christmas Day.<br />
<br />
I took some notes.<br />
<br />
<ul><li>Traffic is almost non-existant on Christmas morning. The flow of freeway traffic held only 3 cars, including mine.</li>
<li>The airport was busy, but more orderly than usual. Everyone took time to say "Merry Christmas"to each other, while parking, unloading luggage, checking in, boarding, etc. Even the Federal Government TSA employees said it to everyone. I didn't hear anyone say "Happy Holidays", not even airport employees. "Happy Holidays" is about fear for most people, not sincre greeting. Few really say it for positive reasons, so few actually say it unless they are forced by fear.<br />
</li>
<li>Even most of the airport workers seemed more relaxed and friendly than usual. Many people working on Christmas are voluntarily giving up thier day off for extra pay. I figured the few grumpy workers I saw were the ones being asked to work because not enough of thier co-workers volunteered.</li>
<li>I should have expected long term parking to be full, especailly the better lots. However, I found parking quickly and without hassle.</li>
<li>Our parking shuttle driver, Maria, was very talkative. In the 5 or 6 minute drive, her passengers learned all about her family and what is going on in her life. Her mother in Tijuana had angioplasty last month and is doing very well. Maria is glad that she is alive and home for Christmas. Sadly, Maria's Christmas plans were to finish her shift and then go to the city jail to visit her son who was just arrested for stealing cars. She assured us that he committed no acts of violence, and that she lights a candle for her son each day hoping he will remember how he was raised. I think this kind of personal story would be irritating to most passengers on most days. But on Christmas Day, she had everyone's kind attention. No one seemed to mind that I delayed their disembarkment from the shuttle to say a quick prayer for Maria and her son.</li>
<li>There are lots of kids and babies at the airport on Christmas morning. They all seemed tired and subdued. I saw two kids about 10 years old with thier heads down on the talbe in the airport McDonald's. I figured they were up very early to have Christmas unwrapping before leaving, or they were just doing all they could emotionally to cope with the fact that they wouldn't be opening gifts till much later in the day, wherever thier destination might be. Either would have been tough for me at their age.</li>
<li>The terminal was much more festive than usual. Everything was decorated, even the little booths the ticket agents stand behind when they scan your variously obtained boarding passes.</li>
<li>More than just saying "Merry Christmas," the TSA was also in a great mood, and entertained us with these announcements: </li>
<ul><li>"Ladies and Gentlemen, if your feet are colder this Christmas than usual, then perhaps you should come pick up your socks that you left in a tub at the security check-in line."</li>
<li>"Ladies and Gentlemen, there's no better time than while waiting for your flight on Christmas morning to call some loved ones and wish them a Merry Christmas. If you want to call your loved ones, but are unable to, then please return to the securtiy checkpoint and pick up the mobile phone you left with our screeners."</li>
<li>"Ladies, if you would like to rekindle the joy you had as a kid at Christmas time, then you might consider coming back to the security area and picking up your age-defying make-up kit."</li>
</ul>
<li>People with children under two years old get to "pre-board" the aircraft, which means board before anyone else. Normally, this may be only a family or two, but the pre-boarding line was very long. I stood in line contemplating the meaning of "pre-boarding", wondering how one could board the plane before boarding the plane. They should call it something else.</li>
<li>I witnessed a Christmas tradition that is reluctantly shared by many American families. I watched one father and one mother putting thier kids on a plane on Christmas Day to go and spend it with their other divorced parent. </li>
<li>It was clear that many people fly on Christmas Day who don't fly very often. They are hesitant about each part of the routine. They actually pay attention to the safety lecture given by the flight attendants before the flight.</li>
<li>Passengers are dressed much nicer on Christmas Day than usual. Perhaps this adds to the better demeanor and well behaved kids.</li>
<li>I only saw only one rude customer. He was out of sorts because he was ticketed to be in aisle one, and although it was First Class, he kept telling the now frazzled lady at the gate, "This just won't do." I have sat in that seat before. Its the one where you have to stare directly into a wall 2 feet in front of you for the entire trip, as there are no seats in front of you. It is the worst seat on the plane. By the time you land, you have lost a measurable percentage of your sanity. Unfortunately for him, and the attendant he was harassing, no one was willing to trade with him.</li>
<li>People at the airport where we landed were less in a good mood. Tired and ready to finally reach thier destination, everyone was quiet, except for a couple having an argument about what elevator to take down to the baggage claim.</li>
<li>The passenger loading area outside the baggage claim was the only difficulty. Lots of cars, one broken down, and tons of luggage not fitting into the cars they were to be picked up in. It was good to get out of there in one peice.</li>
</ul>My wife and I often fly using airline award miles and sometimes we can't get on the same flight. Also, sometimes she leaves to visit her folks before I do and comes back later than I do. This allows her to have a longer visit, but also to give much needed help around the house. But it makes it so we don't actually fly together much of the time. This Christmas, I got to fly seated next to my wife and my son. That alone made it a great flight and a great Christmas morning.<br />
<br />
I'm flying home on New Year's Day. I doubt I'll write anything about it. I'll just want to know who won the game when I land.<br />
<br />
SCFAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11522322647759389420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6665039919930304473.post-66047211745736385432009-11-26T08:31:00.000-08:002009-11-26T08:31:07.002-08:00Thanksgiving and Washington and History Speaking for Itself<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB1fOx0S15uNWHIzw_mZB7wRLzw5MPSl0Xh_WG-vDKSb68B0L6Hk_TmYP5HdCFn3OFPajUZEFZu_rg9QdQy_yRnh9mSr4Ou-PeCM6HaM7bWwcsPfJ9UHPSnm8qwNjtxJCmDM5X01YcxI93/s1600/title.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB1fOx0S15uNWHIzw_mZB7wRLzw5MPSl0Xh_WG-vDKSb68B0L6Hk_TmYP5HdCFn3OFPajUZEFZu_rg9QdQy_yRnh9mSr4Ou-PeCM6HaM7bWwcsPfJ9UHPSnm8qwNjtxJCmDM5X01YcxI93/s400/title.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilSE_wjbrlvA_vyJjmgkCcHpYGScsDbLIuYHDcUOrLwkjFOMFVKsjO5b0TojxTmbcfJAYWgteKuzRHspvaXZ5XlYzXdm3t47MYX5YcMuquIbsxaLM6iU8JzvEKXFuaY6rQFlwfyGk3IUov/s1600/washington-thanksgiving-body.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilSE_wjbrlvA_vyJjmgkCcHpYGScsDbLIuYHDcUOrLwkjFOMFVKsjO5b0TojxTmbcfJAYWgteKuzRHspvaXZ5XlYzXdm3t47MYX5YcMuquIbsxaLM6iU8JzvEKXFuaY6rQFlwfyGk3IUov/s400/washington-thanksgiving-body.jpg" /></a><br />
</div>Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor - and Whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me "to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.<br />
<br />
Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be - That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks - for his kind care and protection of the People of this country previous to their becoming a Nation - for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his providence, which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war - for the great degree of tranquillity, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed - for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted, for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96ESQG9P6JaaT7Q1odMfoEUT8KXQGOa_La2F9zqK92ma-q1PuHmvqkxxLDPAPBf9-BTscL6NB1b0qzGUavjW3Xvony8kodTw0g-mtldboa5kmTTrCZNJGh9C_cvlKXyn4wKqqGzwAqEaW/s1600/washingtonbutton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96ESQG9P6JaaT7Q1odMfoEUT8KXQGOa_La2F9zqK92ma-q1PuHmvqkxxLDPAPBf9-BTscL6NB1b0qzGUavjW3Xvony8kodTw0g-mtldboa5kmTTrCZNJGh9C_cvlKXyn4wKqqGzwAqEaW/s200/washingtonbutton.jpg" /></a><br />
</div>And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions - to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually - to render our national government a blessing to all the People, by constantly being a government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed - to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord - To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and Us - and generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.<br />
<br />
Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.<br />
</blockquote><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh96WVu2zkGmz0Lqw2qT53zATSn5fvimxmU35O_0hcyRawSMhKnuGLTt-9d7fax8iUahjpNnlY3Ul9pFR2bcaqx-BAbqPN6XJKWcf8DoyZVVPBG89Jtz4Lzsb6mnzc16Bh_CDm06SSHWlj5/s1600/gw4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh96WVu2zkGmz0Lqw2qT53zATSn5fvimxmU35O_0hcyRawSMhKnuGLTt-9d7fax8iUahjpNnlY3Ul9pFR2bcaqx-BAbqPN6XJKWcf8DoyZVVPBG89Jtz4Lzsb6mnzc16Bh_CDm06SSHWlj5/s640/gw4.jpg" /></a><br />
</div>Happy Thanksgiving!<br />
<br />
SCFAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11522322647759389420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6665039919930304473.post-25023003375219420612009-11-10T15:15:00.000-08:002009-11-11T08:14:02.860-08:00My View of the Berlin Wall: Ideology Has Consequences<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn9za6163igWDE2Wl1ybpsHb7DPo46tvDGiVugeH4ezB58rZKW5b3uph7j0plazwF9egjq3adLzDL5wu9oBTf20TpyOCpI30UqZp3GTm5ZeXRq005BIJ8KEiRyNXkpRl2zbtxk-TIczKxc/s1600-h/bushhorses2_2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402609056854854162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn9za6163igWDE2Wl1ybpsHb7DPo46tvDGiVugeH4ezB58rZKW5b3uph7j0plazwF9egjq3adLzDL5wu9oBTf20TpyOCpI30UqZp3GTm5ZeXRq005BIJ8KEiRyNXkpRl2zbtxk-TIczKxc/s400/bushhorses2_2.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 263px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
With this week's 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, I am reminded that one of the most important experiences I've had in my life is that I got to see and feel that wall - and I don't mean just the powerful museum pieces at certain Presidential Libraries. I mean the real deal, in Germany, separating West and East Berlin. I will never ever forget it. Its stench is palpable to me even now.<br />
<br />
When I saw it, I was in high school, in Germany on a church mission trip (another story for another day.) But the impact for me wasn't the mission in this case, it was my tour of what was then still East Berlin.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiceuFFn-8i_m-3UKq8RQpSpVZpsKzeh05rEWBsw-qCJzq3tb_VHsvUcMDeJoFSFlKMQVOZ4rEzcFproJboHpDGD4a11YVRnj1dI-wRJlnDa2uC8SLq2d_NByTcN5NJ-r1dCVH-7n1CH-iU/s1600-h/checkpointcharlie1987.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402589631886543058" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiceuFFn-8i_m-3UKq8RQpSpVZpsKzeh05rEWBsw-qCJzq3tb_VHsvUcMDeJoFSFlKMQVOZ4rEzcFproJboHpDGD4a11YVRnj1dI-wRJlnDa2uC8SLq2d_NByTcN5NJ-r1dCVH-7n1CH-iU/s320/checkpointcharlie1987.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 213px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 320px;" /></a>We got off our West Berlin tour bus at Checkpoint Charlie, and got onto a special East German tour bus. Before being allowed to enter East Germany, each one of us was questioned and frisked by machine gun toting military personnel. They did this right on the bus, row by row, keeping everyone confined until they were done.<br />
<br />
After a bunch of threats related to rule keeping and staying with the tour group, verification of our identities, and finally being approved for entry, we were assigned a special government sanctioned tour guide. He was a large man with a friendly, yet intimidating way about him. I don't know if they were allowed to have bowling leagues in his country, but if they were, he was definitely a part of one. He wore the right shirt, anyway. I think he sincerely loved his job as tour guide. By the time we returned, I decided that he had the best job in the Eastern Bloc.<br />
<br />
As we entered into East Berlin, the sun became blocked by a thick gray cloud cover that was mysteriously not present on the West side. Many of us remarked about this, and then the bus full of casually dressed tourists got quiet as we drove further into the country. The cloud gave the promise of rain, but didn't let out a drop. It merely provided a gloomy atmosphere that matched the looks on the faces of the East Germans we would encounter.<br />
<br />
The tour guide had a well prepared script, filled with sometimes laughable communist propaganda. He proudly noted that there were ten building projects going on in East Berlin as part of a Gorbachev initiative with the East German government. Ten building projects didn't seem like a big deal to me. But, looking out the window of our rickety tour bus, it was clear why this rather hopeful statement was being made.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl7Og5ThinRthrPaVQTucuh99Klah9hdfxATi3jt1k3G-TshYnUz1Lp-NS_kamTsHEKi_xph4kOoFJV-OH197mLcabrj9DAa3kjJ5Gn5nliE_AQ5jDjpUqucY7OUcypLDMSrtya0RGcFPt/s1600-h/eastberlinrubble2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402594274063043602" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl7Og5ThinRthrPaVQTucuh99Klah9hdfxATi3jt1k3G-TshYnUz1Lp-NS_kamTsHEKi_xph4kOoFJV-OH197mLcabrj9DAa3kjJ5Gn5nliE_AQ5jDjpUqucY7OUcypLDMSrtya0RGcFPt/s320/eastberlinrubble2.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 254px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 320px;" /></a>We were driving past these construction projects that were supposedly the first major projects since the end of World War II, more than 40 years earlier. Construction workers were clearing debris piles that had been left there since the end of the Nazi regime. For decades, citizens had lived among the bombed out buildings with who knows what under the piles. No wonder ten building projects was a good sign.<br />
<br />
It is these workers that drew my attention the most. First of all, there were very few of them around, for what appeared to be large projects. Leaning on shovels, slowly tossing mix into cement mixers, these workers were hardly working. I remember their faces vividly to this day. Dirty and sad. They were moving slow and all had pronounced frowns as they looked longingly toward us free people on the bus. Every one of us noticed; no one said a word.<br />
<br />
We eventually stopped for lunch at a government approved tourist break area. They had a western looking soda and ice cream shop, and a western looking bar and lunch stand. They even had western looking employees who wore the only smiles I saw outside of our bus.<br />
<br />
I wasn't hungry.<br />
<br />
It is at this point that one friend and I decided we'd like to visit some of the "non-tourist approved" locations, so we wandered off. We shouldn't have left the tour group. I'm also sure the tour guides shouldn't have allowed us to sneak off so easily. But somehow, we slipped away unnoticed.<br />
<br />
We walked along a river that ran through the city until we came to a dock with some small rowboats tied to it. We stepped out and attempted to rent a boat from a recreational rental shack at the end of the short pier. The sad man inside clearly needed some business as no one was in a boat or riding a bike anywhere that we could see.<br />
<br />
Now, I'm not sure where exactly we thought we would row, or what we would do when we got there. We had to know that we would eventually get caught and thrown into some gulag, but this didn't deter us at all. Instead, it seemed like we were doing something right, something important, something that might undermine the entire communist system, if we just rented a boat and paddled around for a while in defiance of the strict rules we had been given.<br />
<br />
Looking back, I think I must have seen too many James Bond movies. I probably figured that if something went wrong and we were left behind by our tourist group, I could get out of East Berlin on my own. Someone would help me, either some old inventor like Q hiding out in some catacomb under a pile of rubble, or perhaps some Felix Lighter with the CIA already working on the inside. More likely, it would be some inappropriately named woman who would invariably be sent to kill me but would have been swept off her feet by my charm and wit. She'd help me get back over the wall like some modern day Rahab. Regardless, I wasn't worried that I couldn't escape.<br />
<br />
What about my buddy who wandered off with me? Well, let's just say I was 007 and he was, well, 008, and we all know what always happens to 008, usually before the opening credits...<br />
<br />
Oh, the row boat...<br />
<br />
As we approached the hut where one would actually rent a boat, the man inside looked at us and closed the shutters and sealed himself inside. This seemed like an odd thing to do. But as we walked down the streets along the river, we got the same treatment from each shop owner. Apparently, they were not allowed to sell merchandise to naive free people who had wandered from their tour. They were business people just following orders. They behaved as if they were not happy about it, but my friend and I suspected that they knew they were being monitored and had no other choice. This suspicion led us to believe that we were also being monitored, so the James Bond fantasy ended. We made it back to our tour and back on the bus without anyone commenting on our disappearance.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihrUW1BJRMduqunJUkM52k6v-etMGOT4XH0AnmG93eA64JPUu1QXPF45XyPkJFwgZrDsa3UUJRatww6g9Phz_ZTRzf1tsa7I_ZNCHNAWxxR-6-FVrca2Ob0VIFrUL_q-Bh-kWachxPrTdb/s1600-h/sovieteastberlin1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402601270553579986" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihrUW1BJRMduqunJUkM52k6v-etMGOT4XH0AnmG93eA64JPUu1QXPF45XyPkJFwgZrDsa3UUJRatww6g9Phz_ZTRzf1tsa7I_ZNCHNAWxxR-6-FVrca2Ob0VIFrUL_q-Bh-kWachxPrTdb/s320/sovieteastberlin1.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 240px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 320px;" /></a>We stopped next at the Soviet War memorial, Treptower park, full of graves and monuments to the massive Soviet war dead during WWII. There were huge statues and sayings of certain famous thinkers with great academic ideas that didn't account for human greed and corruption or reality in general. Notions of a society where each person would contribute according to their ability and need; an interesting ideology. Its the way of thinking that led to the building of the Wall - a wall not to keep people out, but <span style="font-style: italic;">to keep people in.</span><br />
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I left some illegal literature around the park that I sneaked in to the country. Opium, the statues would call it.<br />
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I don't remember much else of the surreal experience, except that somewhere along the way, I found some East German coins and I smuggled them out in my socks.<br />
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Before we could get off the tour bus, we were all individually quizzed again about our identities and the information in our passports. This took quite a while to accomplish. They were much more aggressive this time than when we had arrived.<br />
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Everyone got the same questions, except for my buddy and me. We were the last two on the bus and got the third degree from a couple of machine gun toting scruffy looking military men. According to the translator, they wanted to know where we went when we left the tour group, why we wanted a boat, who we talked to, and what, if anything they gave us. They threatened to strip search us but reluctantly let us go, because it was time to do their fancy goose step changing of the guard thing.<br />
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So I have some worthless East German coins, and a valuable dose of the fear of tyranny.<br />
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The sun appeared again as we re-entered the West. Our western tour guide immediately took us to see the memorials on and around the wall of people who had been shot by their machine gun toting countrymen as they tried to go over the wall and enter freedom.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEvauINvrSIznvfMcbVQLbMqu6adtv7F1JpJWh6p666uCeYvLcYqBgUuk7t6HQE85TcG2EOkDxmOaPbQNUFq56Dkyr3Jjn9_AK4W3rtUyNbnQgoIGQkpWUpjVloCPAsSG0WwYQmOvMbqK-/s1600-h/brandenburggate1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402603305326593506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEvauINvrSIznvfMcbVQLbMqu6adtv7F1JpJWh6p666uCeYvLcYqBgUuk7t6HQE85TcG2EOkDxmOaPbQNUFq56Dkyr3Jjn9_AK4W3rtUyNbnQgoIGQkpWUpjVloCPAsSG0WwYQmOvMbqK-/s320/brandenburggate1.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 230px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 320px;" /></a>We then stopped at the spot where just one week earlier, President Ronald Reagan asked Mr. Gorbachev to "tear down this wall." The tour guide was in tears as were many of us, as he quoted the great speech in front of the Brandenburg Gate. The Berlin Wall was truly a monument to the focus of evil in the modern world. It belongs on the ash heap of history.<br />
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No, it belongs in museums. It belongs in the public view, in free cities, reminding us that freedom cannot be taken for granted, that our fellow human beings are capable of the most ruthless things. And its not just the communists or the ones everyone already call "bad guys." Hitler was elected freely and legally by the people. Even after it was clear he was a crazy thug and had consolidated power to himself, the shortsighted and selfish electorate still voted to approve his policies to a tune of 85%.<br />
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The memory of the wall should remind us of a simple truth:<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Ideology has consequences. </span><br />
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It matters what our leaders actually believe. Tyranny and war follow when smart people don't ask independent questions they know need to be asked, but are afraid the answer might contradict their academic position or political gambling. So they don't ask, figuring its not really about life or death, its about who wins and who loses. Until everybody loses.<br />
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So, here's to those leaders in the 20th century, and there are several, who had the courage to question and expose the ideology of the enemy for what it was, in the face of controversy and criticism. They are why the Wall came down.<br />
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I wonder what leaders will do that in the 21st century? I hope those people come onto the scene soon.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJe5vV6q664vJuWDvL9p-VgZWny-GYaTmG5zVNc77dm4MbJdSn2anybXHlyjHmRn1-mX14b8Wxnyg5NAEbAk35M_ySmBmChm1n7qOh2iBqu33saWN2sQNzYyaxJQnrwM-TAdMRANRAKBMG/s1600-h/berlinwall1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402611148267654322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJe5vV6q664vJuWDvL9p-VgZWny-GYaTmG5zVNc77dm4MbJdSn2anybXHlyjHmRn1-mX14b8Wxnyg5NAEbAk35M_ySmBmChm1n7qOh2iBqu33saWN2sQNzYyaxJQnrwM-TAdMRANRAKBMG/s400/berlinwall1.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 311px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
SCFAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11522322647759389420noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6665039919930304473.post-85656158196174384242009-11-09T16:46:00.001-08:002009-11-09T17:22:32.659-08:00Fall of the Berlin Wall Anniversary: Reagan and Kennedy SpeechesAs we celebrate the 20 year anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, I thought it would be great to review two of the greatest American speeches of all time. I'll post separately about my personal thoughts (I got to see and experience the Berlin Wall and East and West Berlin in 1987), but here, see President Reagan's and President Kennedy's speeches at the Berlin wall.<br /><br />Unabridged.<br /><br />President Ronald Reagan - June 12, 1987<br /><br />(Transcript is below video - Don't miss Kennedy video below as well)<br /><br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5MDFX-dNtsM&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5MDFX-dNtsM&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br /><br /><blockquote>Chancellor Kohl, Governing Mayor Diepgen, ladies and gentlemen: Twenty-four years ago, President John F. Kennedy visited Berlin, speaking to the people of this city and the world at the City Hall. Well, since then two other presidents have come, each in his turn, to Berlin. And today I, myself, make my second visit to your city.<br /><br /> We come to Berlin, we American presidents, because it's our duty to speak, in this place, of freedom. But I must confess, we're drawn here by other things as well: by the feeling of history in this city, more than 500 years older than our own nation; by the beauty of the Grunewald and the Tiergarten; most of all, by your courage and determination. Perhaps the composer Paul Lincke understood something about American presidents. You see, like so many presidents before me, I come here today because wherever I go, whatever I do: Ich hab noch einen Koffer in Berlin. [I still have a suitcase in Berlin.]<br /><br /> Our gathering today is being broadcast throughout Western Europe and North America. I understand that it is being seen and heard as well in the East. To those listening throughout Eastern Europe, a special word: Although I cannot be with you, I address my remarks to you just as surely as to those standing here before me. For I join you, as I join your fellow countrymen in the West, in this firm, this unalterable belief: Es gibt nur ein Berlin. [There is only one Berlin.]<br /><br /> Behind me stands a wall that encircles the free sectors of this city, part of a vast system of barriers that divides the entire continent of Europe. From the Baltic, south, those barriers cut across Germany in a gash of barbed wire, concrete, dog runs, and guard towers. Farther south, there may be no visible, no obvious wall. But there remain armed guards and checkpoints all the same--still a restriction on the right to travel, still an instrument to impose upon ordinary men and women the will of a totalitarian state. Yet it is here in Berlin where the wall emerges most clearly; here, cutting across your city, where the news photo and the television screen have imprinted this brutal division of a continent upon the mind of the world. Standing before the Brandenburg Gate, every man is a German, separated from his fellow men. Every man is a Berliner, forced to look upon a scar.<br /><br /> President von Weizsacker has said, "The German question is open as long as the Brandenburg Gate is closed." Today I say: As long as the gate is closed, as long as this scar of a wall is permitted to stand, it is not the German question alone that remains open, but the question of freedom for all mankind. Yet I do not come here to lament. For I find in Berlin a message of hope, even in the shadow of this wall, a message of triumph.<br /><br /> In this season of spring in 1945, the people of Berlin emerged from their air-raid shelters to find devastation. Thousands of miles away, the people of the United States reached out to help. And in 1947 Secretary of State--as you've been told--George Marshall announced the creation of what would become known as the Marshall Plan. Speaking precisely 40 years ago this month, he said: "Our policy is directed not against any country or doctrine, but against hunger, poverty, desperation, and chaos."<br /><br /> In the Reichstag a few moments ago, I saw a display commemorating this 40th anniversary of the Marshall Plan. I was struck by the sign on a burnt-out, gutted structure that was being rebuilt. I understand that Berliners of my own generation can remember seeing signs like it dotted throughout the western sectors of the city. The sign read simply: "The Marshall Plan is helping here to strengthen the free world." A strong, free world in the West, that dream became real. Japan rose from ruin to become an economic giant. Italy, France, Belgium--virtually every nation in Western Europe saw political and economic rebirth; the European Community was founded.<br /><br /> In West Germany and here in Berlin, there took place an economic miracle, the Wirtschaftswunder. Adenauer, Erhard, Reuter, and other leaders understood the practical importance of liberty--that just as truth can flourish only when the journalist is given freedom of speech, so prosperity can come about only when the farmer and businessman enjoy economic freedom. The German leaders reduced tariffs, expanded free trade, lowered taxes. From 1950 to 1960 alone, the standard of living in West Germany and Berlin doubled.<br /><br /> Where four decades ago there was rubble, today in West Berlin there is the greatest industrial output of any city in Germany--busy office blocks, fine homes and apartments, proud avenues, and the spreading lawns of parkland. Where a city's culture seemed to have been destroyed, today there are two great universities, orchestras and an opera, countless theaters, and museums. Where there was want, today there's abundance--food, clothing, automobiles--the wonderful goods of the Ku'damm. From devastation, from utter ruin, you Berliners have, in freedom, rebuilt a city that once again ranks as one of the greatest on earth. The Soviets may have had other plans. But my friends, there were a few things the Soviets didn't count on--Berliner Herz, Berliner Humor, ja, und Berliner Schnauze. [Berliner heart, Berliner humor, yes, and a Berliner Schnauze.]<br /><br /> In the 1950s, Khrushchev predicted: "We will bury you." But in the West today, we see a free world that has achieved a level of prosperity and well-being unprecedented in all human history. In the Communist world, we see failure, technological backwardness, declining standards of health, even want of the most basic kind--too little food. Even today, the Soviet Union still cannot feed itself. After these four decades, then, there stands before the entire world one great and inescapable conclusion: Freedom leads to prosperity. Freedom replaces the ancient hatreds among the nations with comity and peace. Freedom is the victor.<br /><br /> And now the Soviets themselves may, in a limited way, be coming to understand the importance of freedom. We hear much from Moscow about a new policy of reform and openness. Some political prisoners have been released. Certain foreign news broadcasts are no longer being jammed. Some economic enterprises have been permitted to operate with greater freedom from state control.<br /><br /> Are these the beginnings of profound changes in the Soviet state? Or are they token gestures, intended to raise false hopes in the West, or to strengthen the Soviet system without changing it? We welcome change and openness; for we believe that freedom and security go together, that the advance of human liberty can only strengthen the cause of world peace. There is one sign the Soviets can make that would be unmistakable, that would advance dramatically the cause of freedom and peace.<br /><br /> General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!<br /><br /> I understand the fear of war and the pain of division that afflict this continent-- and I pledge to you my country's efforts to help overcome these burdens. To be sure, we in the West must resist Soviet expansion. So we must maintain defenses of unassailable strength. Yet we seek peace; so we must strive to reduce arms on both sides.<br /><br /> Beginning 10 years ago, the Soviets challenged the Western alliance with a grave new threat, hundreds of new and more deadly SS-20 nuclear missiles, capable of striking every capital in Europe. The Western alliance responded by committing itself to a counter-deployment unless the Soviets agreed to negotiate a better solution; namely, the elimination of such weapons on both sides. For many months, the Soviets refused to bargain in earnestness. As the alliance, in turn, prepared to go forward with its counter-deployment, there were difficult days--days of protests like those during my 1982 visit to this city--and the Soviets later walked away from the table.<br /><br /> But through it all, the alliance held firm. And I invite those who protested then-- I invite those who protest today--to mark this fact: Because we remained strong, the Soviets came back to the table. And because we remained strong, today we have within reach the possibility, not merely of limiting the growth of arms, but of eliminating, for the first time, an entire class of nuclear weapons from the face of the earth.<br /><br /> As I speak, NATO ministers are meeting in Iceland to review the progress of our proposals for eliminating these weapons. At the talks in Geneva, we have also proposed deep cuts in strategic offensive weapons. And the Western allies have likewise made far-reaching proposals to reduce the danger of conventional war and to place a total ban on chemical weapons.<br /><br /> While we pursue these arms reductions, I pledge to you that we will maintain the capacity to deter Soviet aggression at any level at which it might occur. And in cooperation with many of our allies, the United States is pursuing the Strategic Defense Initiative--research to base deterrence not on the threat of offensive retaliation, but on defenses that truly defend; on systems, in short, that will not target populations, but shield them. By these means we seek to increase the safety of Europe and all the world. But we must remember a crucial fact: East and West do not mistrust each other because we are armed; we are armed because we mistrust each other. And our differences are not about weapons but about liberty. When President Kennedy spoke at the City Hall those 24 years ago, freedom was encircled, Berlin was under siege. And today, despite all the pressures upon this city, Berlin stands secure in its liberty. And freedom itself is transforming the globe.<br /><br /> In the Philippines, in South and Central America, democracy has been given a rebirth. Throughout the Pacific, free markets are working miracle after miracle of economic growth. In the industrialized nations, a technological revolution is taking place--a revolution marked by rapid, dramatic advances in computers and telecommunications.<br /><br /> In Europe, only one nation and those it controls refuse to join the community of freedom. Yet in this age of redoubled economic growth, of information and innovation, the Soviet Union faces a choice: It must make fundamental changes, or it will become obsolete.<br /><br /> Today thus represents a moment of hope. We in the West stand ready to cooperate with the East to promote true openness, to break down barriers that separate people, to create a safe, freer world. And surely there is no better place than Berlin, the meeting place of East and West, to make a start. Free people of Berlin: Today, as in the past, the United States stands for the strict observance and full implementation of all parts of the Four Power Agreement of 1971. Let us use this occasion, the 750th anniversary of this city, to usher in a new era, to seek a still fuller, richer life for the Berlin of the future. Together, let us maintain and develop the ties between the Federal Republic and the Western sectors of Berlin, which is permitted by the 1971 agreement.<br /><br /> And I invite Mr. Gorbachev: Let us work to bring the Eastern and Western parts of the city closer together, so that all the inhabitants of all Berlin can enjoy the benefits that come with life in one of the great cities of the world.<br /><br /> To open Berlin still further to all Europe, East and West, let us expand the vital air access to this city, finding ways of making commercial air service to Berlin more convenient, more comfortable, and more economical. We look to the day when West Berlin can become one of the chief aviation hubs in all central Europe.<br /><br /> With our French and British partners, the United States is prepared to help bring international meetings to Berlin. It would be only fitting for Berlin to serve as the site of United Nations meetings, or world conferences on human rights and arms control or other issues that call for international cooperation.<br /><br /> There is no better way to establish hope for the future than to enlighten young minds, and we would be honored to sponsor summer youth exchanges, cultural events, and other programs for young Berliners from the East. Our French and British friends, I'm certain, will do the same. And it's my hope that an authority can be found in East Berlin to sponsor visits from young people of the Western sectors.<br /><br /> One final proposal, one close to my heart: Sport represents a source of enjoyment and ennoblement, and you may have noted that the Republic of Korea--South Korea--has offered to permit certain events of the 1988 Olympics to take place in the North. International sports competitions of all kinds could take place in both parts of this city. And what better way to demonstrate to the world the openness of this city than to offer in some future year to hold the Olympic games here in Berlin, East and West? In these four decades, as I have said, you Berliners have built a great city. You've done so in spite of threats--the Soviet attempts to impose the East-mark, the blockade. Today the city thrives in spite of the challenges implicit in the very presence of this wall. What keeps you here? Certainly there's a great deal to be said for your fortitude, for your defiant courage. But I believe there's something deeper, something that involves Berlin's whole look and feel and way of life--not mere sentiment. No one could live long in Berlin without being completely disabused of illusions. Something instead, that has seen the difficulties of life in Berlin but chose to accept them, that continues to build this good and proud city in contrast to a surrounding totalitarian presence that refuses to release human energies or aspirations. Something that speaks with a powerful voice of affirmation, that says yes to this city, yes to the future, yes to freedom. In a word, I would submit that what keeps you in Berlin is love--love both profound and abiding.<br /><br /> Perhaps this gets to the root of the matter, to the most fundamental distinction of all between East and West. The totalitarian world produces backwardness because it does such violence to the spirit, thwarting the human impulse to create, to enjoy, to worship. The totalitarian world finds even symbols of love and of worship an affront. Years ago, before the East Germans began rebuilding their churches, they erected a secular structure: the television tower at Alexander Platz. Virtually ever since, the authorities have been working to correct what they view as the tower's one major flaw, treating the glass sphere at the top with paints and chemicals of every kind. Yet even today when the sun strikes that sphere--that sphere that towers over all Berlin--the light makes the sign of the cross. There in Berlin, like the city itself, symbols of love, symbols of worship, cannot be suppressed.<br /><br /> As I looked out a moment ago from the Reichstag, that embodiment of German unity, I noticed words crudely spray-painted upon the wall, perhaps by a young Berliner: "This wall will fall. Beliefs become reality." Yes, across Europe, this wall will fall. For it cannot withstand faith; it cannot withstand truth. The wall cannot withstand freedom.<br /><br /> And I would like, before I close, to say one word. I have read, and I have been questioned since I've been here about certain demonstrations against my coming. And I would like to say just one thing, and to those who demonstrate so. I wonder if they have ever asked themselves that if they should have the kind of government they apparently seek, no one would ever be able to do what they're doing again.<br /><br /> Thank you and God bless you all.</blockquote>Ronald Reagan - June 12, 1987<br /><br /><br />President John F. Kennedy - June 26, 1963<br /><br />(Transcript is below video)<br /><br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/HdmtyFxO4ME&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/HdmtyFxO4ME&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /> <blockquote>I am proud to come to this city as the guest of your distinguished Mayor, who has symbolized throughout the world the fighting spirit of West Berlin. And I am proud to visit the Federal Republic with your distinguished Chancellor who for so many years has committed Germany to democracy and freedom and progress, and to come here in the company of my fellow American, General Clay, who has been in this city during its great moments of crisis and will come again if ever needed.<br /><br /> Two thousand years ago the proudest boast was "civis Romanus sum." Today, in the world of freedom, the proudest boast is "Ich bin ein Berliner."<br /><br /> I appreciate my interpreter translating my German!<br /><br /> There are many people in the world who really don't understand, or say they don't, what is the great issue between the free world and the Communist world. Let them come to Berlin. There are some who say that communism is the wave of the future. Let them come to Berlin. And there are some who say in Europe and elsewhere we can work with the Communists. Let them come to Berlin. And there are even a few who say that it is true that communism is an evil system, but it permits us to make economic progress. Lass' sie nach Berlin kommen. Let them come to Berlin.<br /><br /> Freedom has many difficulties and democracy is not perfect, but we have never had to put a wall up to keep our people in, to prevent them from leaving us. I want to say, on behalf of my countrymen, who live many miles away on the other side of the Atlantic, who are far distant from you, that they take the greatest pride that they have been able to share with you, even from a distance, the story of the last 18 years. I know of no town, no city, that has been besieged for 18 years that still lives with the vitality and the force, and the hope and the determination of the city of West Berlin. While the wall is the most obvious and vivid demonstration of the failures of the Communist system, for all the world to see, we take no satisfaction in it, for it is, as your Mayor has said, an offense not only against history but an offense against humanity, separating families, dividing husbands and wives and brothers and sisters, and dividing a people who wish to be joined together.<br /><br /> What is true of this city is true of Germany--real, lasting peace in Europe can never be assured as long as one German out of four is denied the elementary right of free men, and that is to make a free choice. In 18 years of peace and good faith, this generation of Germans has earned the right to be free, including the right to unite their families and their nation in lasting peace, with good will to all people. You live in a defended island of freedom, but your life is part of the main. So let me ask you as I close, to lift your eyes beyond the dangers of today, to the hopes of tomorrow, beyond the freedom merely of this city of Berlin, or your country of Germany, to the advance of freedom everywhere, beyond the wall to the day of peace with justice, beyond yourselves and ourselves to all mankind.<br /><br /> Freedom is indivisible, and when one man is enslaved, all are not free. When all are free, then we can look forward to that day when this city will be joined as one and this country and this great Continent of Europe in a peaceful and hopeful globe. When that day finally comes, as it will, the people of West Berlin can take sober satisfaction in the fact that they were in the front lines for almost two decades.<br /><br /> All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of Berlin, and, therefore, as a free man, I take pride in the words "Ich bin ein Berliner."</blockquote><br /><br /> President John F. Kennedy - June 26, 1963<br /><br /><br />SCFAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11522322647759389420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6665039919930304473.post-65742688252399117212009-07-04T11:18:00.000-07:002009-07-04T15:39:19.423-07:00A Document Forgotten, Due to the Fatiguing of Us into Compliance with Their MeasuresI wonder how many of us have read this whole thing? Very few I'll bet. It's clearly no longer all that important, at least, not as important as certain trips to Argentina, obsessions over someone with 8 kids and a selfish marriage, the <span style="font-style: italic;">enchantment</span> of the First Family, and of course Michael Jackson in general.<br /><br />Since we know our government officials are no longer interested in reading legislation, even important life-altering legislation known to everyone to be "bad", perhaps We the People ought to do some reading. Those of us who can still read, anyway.<br /><br />If you are in representative government today, this long forgotten museum piece ought to give you pause, maybe even the willies. I encourage you to read it as well. Those of you who can read, anyway.<br /><blockquote><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8kiikUjSMYRQ6ddhhVmxZDhKwcKD0PsJhisnO1DV5EupS9shgSyv3Ian3Cwj-lini6Rc55QN24vRM5irlNSxqF4XY5v02CwqlE2KW-Sxwtlyec6pqRVL1uERsLN3pudktoYo-YO1jawzP/s1600-h/USA_declaration_of_independence.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 162px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8kiikUjSMYRQ6ddhhVmxZDhKwcKD0PsJhisnO1DV5EupS9shgSyv3Ian3Cwj-lini6Rc55QN24vRM5irlNSxqF4XY5v02CwqlE2KW-Sxwtlyec6pqRVL1uERsLN3pudktoYo-YO1jawzP/s200/USA_declaration_of_independence.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354672657065731426" border="0" /></a><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/">IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776</a><br />The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America<br /><br />When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.<br /><br />We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.<br /><br />He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.<br /><br />He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.<br /><br />He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.<br /><br />He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.<br /><br />He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.<br /><br />He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.<br /><br />He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.<br /><br />He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.<br /><br />He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.<br /><br />He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.<br /><br />He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.<br /><br />He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.<br /><br />He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:<br /><br />For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:<br /><br />For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:<br /><br />For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:<br /><br />For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:<br /><br />For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:<br /><br />For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:<br /><br />For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies<br /><br />For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:<br /><br />For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.<br /><br />He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.<br /><br />He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.<br /><br />He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.<br /><br />He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.<br /><br />He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.<br /><br />In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.<br /><br />Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.<br /><br />We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.<br /><br />— John Hancock<br /><br />New Hampshire:<br />Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton<br /><br />Massachusetts:<br />John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry<br /><br />Rhode Island:<br />Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery<br /><br />Connecticut:<br />Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott<br /><br />New York:<br />William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris<br /><br />New Jersey:<br />Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark<br /><br />Pennsylvania:<br />Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross<br /><br />Delaware:<br />Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean<br /><br />Maryland:<br />Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton<br /><br />Virginia:<br />George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton<br /><br />North Carolina:<br />William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn<br /><br />South Carolina:<br />Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton<br /><br />Georgia:<br />Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton</blockquote><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7cFPGaEpkiIrxInN_gpMI6KdXELrtvQEePC-wcpJQIta_mCh8ezE0dA5XAkWL98pYYsdxt7hckbucWyPp_r97q4HQxZjdMQICoSRoSL90QqF4SAHYAz79omz5CNYP9ehyphenhyphenwSD1s2CshO5_/s1600-h/declaration-of-independence-signers.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 256px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7cFPGaEpkiIrxInN_gpMI6KdXELrtvQEePC-wcpJQIta_mCh8ezE0dA5XAkWL98pYYsdxt7hckbucWyPp_r97q4HQxZjdMQICoSRoSL90QqF4SAHYAz79omz5CNYP9ehyphenhyphenwSD1s2CshO5_/s400/declaration-of-independence-signers.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354673779409611378" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Happy Independence Day!</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />SCF</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11522322647759389420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6665039919930304473.post-46099498848332829422009-06-08T09:00:00.000-07:002009-06-08T09:21:53.164-07:00Obligatory Bible in 90 Days Plug<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDzJgfGMyRheASphL7lFQXoSkPJe-w0f9_6P-JfyqX7kvIEg5r9MF1hVN1N3a29qxv3KvTolkfiOMfDrjDhqRKwFTW6psRYGH77sBepjG298I_CFnEcISLWTYaGUijrVo2B4S6E0FEcdOg/s1600-h/BIND.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 222px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDzJgfGMyRheASphL7lFQXoSkPJe-w0f9_6P-JfyqX7kvIEg5r9MF1hVN1N3a29qxv3KvTolkfiOMfDrjDhqRKwFTW6psRYGH77sBepjG298I_CFnEcISLWTYaGUijrVo2B4S6E0FEcdOg/s320/BIND.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344718200789464098" border="0" /></a>According to a recent poll, 75 million Americans have a lifelong goal of reading the entire Bible. Its a worthy goal for anyone - not just people to go to churches that teach the Bible. After all, its the best selling book of all time, its the most researched document there is, and it is the foundation of western thought.<br /><br />Did you know that in less than an hour a day, you can read the entire Bible, cover to cover in 90 Days? 12 pages a day. That's it. The whole thing. 3 months and you are done.<br /><br />I've asked our church to do this with me. Starting yesterday, June 7, by the Labor Day weekend, people who keep up will have read the entire Bible (you can start anytime you want of course.) Not a bad answer to the question <span style="font-style: italic;">"What did you read this summer?"</span><br /><br />Too many Christians never bother to read it, which is why they misuse it and fall for the tricks of the TV preachers... and worse. Every person who claims to be a Christian needs to read this book, which shouldn't have to be said, but it has to be said. Christians who do read through the Bible experience amazing life change, sometimes dramatically.<br /><br />The troubles and errors of the Church in history do not come from the Bible; they come from a misreading and misapplication of the Bible, usually caused by a fruit salad approach to it - pulling verses you like out of context to make a point or defend a bad position. This is also the source of most people's trouble with the Bible who don't believe it. They take a verse here or there out of the greater context and make a falsely informed decision about God. Sometimes they believe a Christian's interpretation that is wrong in the first place. The book is meant to be taken as a whole, not as a collection of glib religious suggestion and gobbledygook.<br /><br />And for my agnostic friends out there - you can't be a good agnostic and not read the Bible. Don't be a hypocrite agnostic! Read it.<br /><br />Atheists? Well, a recent <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,370588,00.html">Pew Research poll</a> suggests 21% of atheists believe in God. No joke. Guess you better read it too and then decide whether you are an atheist who believes in God or not.<br /><br />A few years ago, someone gave me a <span style="font-style: italic;">Three Year Bible</span>. I was instantly amused... and somewhat disturbed. The advantage of the 90 day approach is that you can enjoy the story that is told all the way through the Bible, rather than a disconnected bits and pieces you would get in a 3 year approach. When read straight through, its an epic drama, with heroes and villains, sex and violence, fall and redemption, struggle and victory. And in the end, good defeats evil - love wins!<br /><br />The Bible is a scholarly book, but it isn't written for scholars. Its a collection of stories and history and poems and songs written most often by the worst of sinners. So, while some of it is hard to understand, most of it is easy to understand. Reading quickly, you can just keep moving - the story has its slow moments, but there is a great payoff for each difficult passage.<br /><br />As well as a good story, this is a book that also makes bold and certain claims about God and our relationship to him, purpose and meaning of life, and eternal destiny. At minimum, its worth an open read, wouldn't you say?<br /><br />So, this is not intended to start a debate or even to push buttons. Its just to say that this is a great way to read through the Bible, a goal everyone has a good reason to accomplish.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Here are some helps:</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.fbcsd.com/images/M_images/biblein90days/bindbookmark3.pdf">A daily reading plan bookmark</a><br /><br /><a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=211701430">My own 3 minute daily podcast with my reading reflections (cheesy music included!)</a> <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">(iTunes required)</span><br /><br />You can use any Bible translation you want, however, lots of Bibles have study notes and small fonts and other things that make the task seem much bigger. Additionally, a modern translation will help so you don't feel like you are reading Shakespeare for 90 Days. Please note that "<span style="font-style: italic;">The Message Bible</span>" is not a Bible, its a commentary, so it doesn't count. I recommend the <span style="font-style: italic;">New International Version</span>. <span style="font-style: italic;">(If you are using a Catholic Bible, the "apocrypha" is not included in the 90 Day plan, so you could tack on another month if you really want to.)</span><br /><br />There is a Bible published that is specifically designed for the 90 Day plan, reading plan included, as well as some other supplementary material (audio versions, group study materials, etc.) I am setting up a link for these items through our church that will pay a commission that we will donate 100% to a San Diego charity, likely the Rescue Mission. <a href="http://www.hortonbell.com/store.htm">You can find these items here for the time being.</a><br /><br />Enjoy your summer reading... let me know if you have any questions.<br /><br />SCFAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11522322647759389420noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6665039919930304473.post-29288195779859273852009-06-06T08:29:00.000-07:002009-06-06T22:25:06.766-07:00D-Day, Eisenhower's Mom, and Tribute<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLywMffE9_VtyDQxNoBJH8bomc7aEotkPkOsU8QMtQLjrxFaHUk47oikPVpPzg0PKKRDVx4Cz5ENjs9LjfrNtcG-4bu_79N1ujrg8HSn0qEQFLhyDv6ENDu1LKv6dMhHHfQ3FwJ0GG1H88/s1600-h/IkeStatue.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLywMffE9_VtyDQxNoBJH8bomc7aEotkPkOsU8QMtQLjrxFaHUk47oikPVpPzg0PKKRDVx4Cz5ENjs9LjfrNtcG-4bu_79N1ujrg8HSn0qEQFLhyDv6ENDu1LKv6dMhHHfQ3FwJ0GG1H88/s400/IkeStatue.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344238334675492050" border="0" /></a>Its always quite moving for me to watch the D-Day memorials and festivities, especially on the special anniversary events that are staged at the memorial in Normandy every 5 years. It was a good show today, 65 years after the invasion.<br /><br />I love visiting the official Presidential Libraries. They are an incredible way to learn about our history and leadership. President Eisenhower's Library is located in Abilene Kansas.<br /><br />This statue of Ike is in the middle of the Eisenhower Center, which is in the middle of a wheat field, which is in the middle of Abilene Kansas, which is in the middle of nowhere.<br /><br />The statue is perched upon a pedestal that has 5 sides, each one boasting official Seals of different offices this man would earn. He would become a 5 Star General, Chief of Staff of the US Army, Supreme Allied Commander, Supreme Commander of NATO, and President of the United States. Not a bad resume for a kid who grew up in the middle of nowhere.<br /><br />The house he grew up in is still there, and it remains furnished mostly the way he would have remembered it. His mom lived there until a few years after the war, and they have kept the house the way she left it. There is something very interesting about seeing the roots of a person who would grow up to do amazing things.<br /><br />My favorite thing in the house is a rocking chair, perched next to a radio. Its likely that this is exactly the place that Mrs. Eisenhower would sit and listen to news reports of her son's activities. In particular, she would have sat there listening to reports of D-Day, 65 years ago today.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiTjhNuGAOFXIIr9ZRZ6icSG-3HP8On5SwUKCXPhBa7vac2la23TJAB32PCVxa5KfN8S19VPCcpZfh6O-IPk9_Vh8yPyJrFE84tXgpPZbLcR3xCQNPPKHmgWp3xEiyAWm2g8T8KgKSINe6/s1600-h/IkeRockingChair.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiTjhNuGAOFXIIr9ZRZ6icSG-3HP8On5SwUKCXPhBa7vac2la23TJAB32PCVxa5KfN8S19VPCcpZfh6O-IPk9_Vh8yPyJrFE84tXgpPZbLcR3xCQNPPKHmgWp3xEiyAWm2g8T8KgKSINe6/s400/IkeRockingChair.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344244605808753346" border="0" /></a><br />Ike's mom, Ida, had seven sons, with Ike in the middle as the third child. All of them were successful in their own right as leaders in various institutions. Shortly after D-Day, Ida was asked by reporters on the porch of this house about the events of June 6, 1944 and the success of the invasion. When asked "Are you proud of your son?", she gave one of the best mom answers she could give. "Yes, I am very proud of my son. Now which one are you referring to?"<br /><br />I love that.<br /><br />Now that I am a parent, I can imagine even more how amazing and surreal it must be to see what your kid actually accomplishes. Few accomplish the things Ike did, but each kid can accomplish great things in his or her world. I am also strangely moved in a new way as I watch the D-Day festivities today and look at my newborn son, and realize that sacrifice of that day was for his freedom as well as my own.<br /><br />Its a moving day, and I appreciated the ceremony today. But with respect to contemporary speakers, there is still no tribute better than President Reagan's in 1984.<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/eEIqdcHbc8I&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/eEIqdcHbc8I&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br /><blockquote>The men of Normandy had faith that what they were doing was right, faith that they fought for all humanity, faith that a just God would grant them mercy on this beachhead or on the next. It was the deep knowledge — and pray God we have not lost it — that there is a profound, moral difference between the use of force for liberation and the use of force for conquest. You were here to liberate, not to conquer, and so you and those others did not doubt your cause. And you were right not to doubt. - <span style="font-style: italic;">President Ronald Reagan, 6.6.84</span></blockquote><br />It is truly a different era that we live in today. Full of doubt and threats greater than any day in the last 65 years in my view. But I believe and pray that rising from our doubt, we will soon have a renewed hope.<br /><br />SCFAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11522322647759389420noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6665039919930304473.post-334095964337641502009-03-18T07:00:00.000-07:002009-03-18T13:24:06.758-07:00Blogging Angst<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiigrp500GyjH3bXDYbxJ9DLkR-SdxT6mRWfiQdXRTYROpe2unutVqWx-jSw7OOQuk1GaJtcX-wnCqRbs7m466wts4r37OqV5wHcpRzZuHO_gsyNDMrH3V-Ngmd0WE0ejs8lg4cYskCWhlg/s1600-h/itoldyouso"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 281px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiigrp500GyjH3bXDYbxJ9DLkR-SdxT6mRWfiQdXRTYROpe2unutVqWx-jSw7OOQuk1GaJtcX-wnCqRbs7m466wts4r37OqV5wHcpRzZuHO_gsyNDMrH3V-Ngmd0WE0ejs8lg4cYskCWhlg/s400/itoldyouso" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314400666387884002" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><div style="text-align: center;"><blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;">Angst - |a ng (k)st; ä ng (k)st| noun</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />a feeling of deep anxiety or dread, typically an unfocused one about the human condition or the state of the world in general. <span style="font-size:78%;">(from whatever dictionary is loaded onto my MacBook)</span></span></blockquote></div><br />I have angst. I've had it for nearly a year. Its not the worried or stressful or hand-wringing kind of angst. Its not causing me to lose sleep and its not creating distraction in a detrimental way. Its not the kind that results in not trusting God. But there is a constant angst in me caused by discernment which seems to be suggesting some very big things are afoot.<br /><br />I appreciate this definition above because my angst is "unfocused." I can't exactly put my finger on it, but it <span style="font-style: italic;">is</span> related to the human condition and the state of the world in general. That's a big subject. And there are very big things going on. I believe a lot of people have this same angst right now.<br /><br />I think this angst is somehow related to the fact that while I believe most people have this angst to some degree, and most people also believe that most people share this angst, it doesn't seem like anyone knows how to effectively discuss and respond to this angst over these big things going on, and the people who should be talking about these big things going on don't seem to have a clue that big things are going on. Someone needs to address this angst in a productive way. It seems to just linger, like a storm visible off shore threatening to create destruction, yet promising to relieve drought; but the weather channel won't acknowledge its presence.<br /><br /><a target="_blank" href="http://twitter.com/scottfurrow">Are you following me?</a> If so, it can only be because you have this angst too. I think this angst is emotional and spiritual. There are big things going on.<br /><br />Why am I telling you this, my faithful yet dwindling blog audience?<br /><br />I think this angst of mine is the biggest block to my blogging. Because it is unfocused, it is difficult to even know where to start working it out. Every day, I have something I feel like I could blog about, but its difficult to get started because of focus - where do I start? It gets overwhelming and time consuming. My blogs could easily be thousands of words on a subject, whatever it is, and I don't have time to type all of that. This makes it especially hard to blog on serious subjects where I want to be thorough. If you know me, you understand that I can be a bit wordy (I recently preached a sermon that clocked in at an hour and six minutes. <span style="font-style: italic;">Take that Rob Bell!</span>)<br /><br />Another block is that some of my readers are people from my church where I pastor, which means some readers will take very seriously things I have to say about serious matters. So I need to becareful to post disclaimers, indicating whether my thoughts are strong conviction or mere speculation or commentary, especially when dealing with unspoken angst that many people are feeling but not expressing. Have no fear, remaining faithful readers, I'll still post some fun and an eventual exhaustive explanation about why Lost is the best show on TV.<br /><br />I have some angst that Lost is not going to end well next year, but that's another issue.<br /><br />Why am I inspired to blog now all of a sudden?<br /><br />Well, another blogger, another pastor, found a way to express some of the angst he is feeling about changes coming to the church world. This is only a part of the angst I feel, but its relevant to it and a good place to start. Even if you aren't familiar with church terms or how church works, the issues discussed impact our culture significantly, whether you go to church or now. This relatively unknown blogger posted an article was picked up my major news magazines and websites and has caused a lot of buzz, especially in church circles. So I thought I would use his articles, entitled <span style="font-style: italic;">The Coming Evangelical Collapse</span> to spur some writing of my own. We'll see if this works...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Disclaimer:</span> These articles will cause you to think about your angst. Also, I don't necessarily agree with all of what is written, and my perspective is more optimistic - the changes he suggests are coming will lead to very good things in my view. But change is a comin', and I don't mean the political slogan tomfoolery we think of currently.<br /><br />You can read all three parts at the link below. Feel free to comment on my blog if you wish to express your angst. I'll use this to inspire some blogs in the coming days.<br /><br />If I can keep it short...<br /><br /><a target="_blank" href="http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/the-original-coming-evangelical-collapse-posts">http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/the-original-coming-evangelical-collapse-posts</a><br /><br />SCF<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">PS: "Tomfoolery" was not in my MacBook dictionary. A moment of angst about whether I should have stayed with a PC soon followed, but was quickly resolved.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11522322647759389420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6665039919930304473.post-50685638166942038512009-01-27T14:02:00.000-08:002009-01-27T16:54:33.028-08:00Yes, I Am the Guy - Here's the Answers to your QuestionsYes, I am the guy.<br /><br />If you don't know what this is about, then don't worry about it. If you do, keep reading.<br /><br />It will matter more to you if you live in the UK anyway. I am posting this because I am getting inundated with email and I don't have time to respond to all of it - so I'm thinking people may get what they need here...<br /><br />If you do know what this is about, here are the answers to the questions I have been receiving today. I hope this will suffice...<br /><br />1.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Yes, I am the guy.<br /><br />2.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Yes, the company later contacted me. They were rude and inconsiderate as usual, and offered absolutely nothing. Not even an apology. I thought might get some kind of discount coupon on an oil change or something. Nope. Nothing. They told me that they "forwarded it to the engineering department." I was surprised to learn that such a department actually existed.<br /><br />3.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Yes, I did send it to all the people listed as copied at the end. They received it via US Mail. None of them responded. However, I imagine I was investigated and my phone was tapped, and there may have been some restraining orders against me I was never made aware of. This happened before the 2000 US election, so I was covering my bases.<br /><br />4.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I eventually "sold" the car; but I had to barter it actually. Seriously, I traded it to some kid for a bunch of cell phones and other items that I could sell on eBay. That is absolutely true. (The cell phones were legit, I checked into it, just in case you bought one from me.)<br /><br />I considered donating the car to a local radio station for one of those fundraisers where people give $50 per swing for a chance to take a baseball bat to the car. Apparently, there is much fun in that and much money to be raised. But the radio station decided they needed a more well built car that could sustain more hits so they could raise more money for their charity. They figured my car would only earn them about $175 before it collapsed or disintegrated, so they went with another make, a Yugo probably.<br /><br />5.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The car never did explode while it was in my possession, unfortunately. However, the kid I sold it to never changed the registration and the car was impounded and resided in some police lot for months. I spent a considerable amount of time with the impound lot and the Department of Motor Vehicles trying to convince them that it was no longer my car and I am not paying for its impound. Can you believe it? Just when I think I'm out, they keep pulling me back in! Eventually, they left me alone. For that kid's sake, I hope he never got it out of impound either, and is now, as one person suggested, being used as a doorstop or paperweight somewhere.<br /><br />6.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I currently own one Honda Accord and one Toyota Corolla, both made in the USA by American workers in an American factory in the great states of Ohio and Tennessee. They have had zero mechanical defects and all of the paint is still shiny and still on the car. I have written the current US government informing them of my opinion on which US auto maker should NOT be saved by a federal bailout.<br /><br />7.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I estimate that by the time I paid for repairs and paid off the debt accumulated in part because of my crucible with this $13,000 vehicle, it cost me over $50,000.<br /><br />8.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Yes.<br /><br />9.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>There was a class action suit, but it fell apart because there were so many problems with the car, they couldn't establish a consistent pattern of failures which, for whatever reason, was necessary for a successful suit. My story was not unique.<br /><br />10.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>No, never again.<br /><br />Again, if you don't know what this post is referring to, just let it go, I'm not going to explain it. I'll post something else relevant soon.<br /><br />SCF<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Scott Clifton Furrow - Chrysler Neon Complaint Letter UK telegraph FARK</span></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11522322647759389420noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6665039919930304473.post-67729648792908243402008-11-17T11:26:00.000-08:002008-11-17T15:46:14.940-08:00Truth - Independent from IdeasI have much to write about concerning issues observed during our recent election. Mostly, I an troubled with how unconcerned we are about what is actually true, and how reality governs what actually happens. I recently made this statement in an email conversation with a similarly concerned person in my church:<br /><blockquote>"With the decline of investigative journalism, the politics of scientific funding, and the corruption in the education system, “truth” is left to be revealed only by consequence rather than wisdom and aforethought. Sadly, the Church has not risen above the culture in these matters, and the truth remains hidden until it wreaks havoc with people and the nation."</blockquote>I'll write more on this, particularly on the role of the Church in society at a later date (read: as soon as I have time to get my thoughts together on this.) Below is a video someone sent me that illustrates this point to some degree. Looks like Peter Schiff took a lot of heat for being right.<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2I0QN-FYkpw&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2I0QN-FYkpw&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br /><b></b><center style="font-style: italic;">Truth - "conformity with fact, or reality."<br /><br />Reality - "something that exists independently of ideas concerning it."</center><br /><br />SCFAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11522322647759389420noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6665039919930304473.post-88135592541163628712008-11-10T22:03:00.000-08:002008-11-10T22:05:27.916-08:00Obligatory Lost Announcement<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/MgvkoD4z6qE&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/MgvkoD4z6qE&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />LOST - Catch up by January 21, 2009...<br /><br />SCFAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11522322647759389420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6665039919930304473.post-89467830463564428302008-11-04T09:00:00.000-08:002008-11-17T15:48:37.301-08:00Election Predictions 2008[<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Please note:</span> This is <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">not</span> an endorsement of any candidate and does not necessarily indicate how I have personally voted or what I think about issues. This is simply a prediction from a retired political hack, based on polling data, personal contacts, and a really big guess.]<br /><br />Well, a lot of pressure this year, as some of you know, this political hack got all 50 states correct in 2004. This year, its much harder to tell. Too many wildly varying polls, too many undecided voters, and too many unknowns. But, most simply, incumbent parties lose in difficult economic times. Any Democrat would likely beat any Republican for that reason alone this year. Obama’s get out the vote efforts are well funded and likely better this year than McCain’s, and that will make the difference in close states, and perhaps turn some unexpected states blue such as Georgia. Because of overwhelming victories in highly populated states, such as California, Obama will win the popular vote, regardless of whether or not he wins the Electoral College and the Presidency.<br /><br />Early signs that I am way off: If McCain wins Virginia and North Carolina, then be ready for a closer election than my guess here. If McCain wins New Hampshire, then we could be seeing a Dewey Defeats Truman moment.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-VxV8f5v5kCNQxLnodmk5pX-n-ipV4tdW54FxOrNR9N48BdqZIKY5Ym8FLbUDx98bDUOmbNt2VB2uTXvMo18GLmtwKRF-J3bhoya8jVYNNHls1iYxdCDJfKk8_z9V4nYsUe7VgGvWUZdi/s1600-h/OBAMA-PALIN.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 299px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-VxV8f5v5kCNQxLnodmk5pX-n-ipV4tdW54FxOrNR9N48BdqZIKY5Ym8FLbUDx98bDUOmbNt2VB2uTXvMo18GLmtwKRF-J3bhoya8jVYNNHls1iYxdCDJfKk8_z9V4nYsUe7VgGvWUZdi/s400/OBAMA-PALIN.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264850440091665090" border="0" /></a>We could also see a tie. There are several scenarios in this election where a tie is possible, especially if John McCain wins New Hampshire.<br /><br />Whever there is no majority winner in the Electoral College (270 votes needed to win), the election decided in congress, with the house voting for the President and the Senate for VP. Lots of great scenarios there, including realistic possibility of the House voting for Obama for President, and the Senate voting for Palin as Vice President, creating an Obama/Palin Administration.<br /><br />Before the financial crisis that has given Obama the huge advantage, I was actually set to predict this situation with a tie, 269-269. There has never been a tie, and there hasn't been an election decided by the congress since 1824.<br /><br />Ignore exit polls, early Pennsylvania and Florida returns, and anything at all reported on MSNBC.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Predictions:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Electoral Votes (EV)</span><br />Obama – 379 McCain – 159<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Popular Vote:</span><br />Obama 54.2% McCain 45.6%<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">MAP:</span> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/maps/obama_vs_mccain/?map=1&save=3-3-3-3-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-3-1-3-1-3-3-3-1-1-1-1-1-3-1-3-3-1-1-1-1-1-1-3-1-3-1-1-1-3-3-3-3-3-1-1-1-3-1-3">Click here to see my predictions on a map.</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">State Numbers:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">State - Winner - Electoral Votes - Popular Vote Margin</span><br /><br />AL – McCain EV: 9 - +19%<br />AK – McCain EV: 3 - +21%<br />AZ – McCain EV: 10 - +8%<br />AR – McCain EV: 6 + 5%<br />CA – Obama - EV: 55 +18%<br />CO – Obama - EV: 9 +7%<br />CT – Obama - EV: 7 +15%<br />DE – Obama - EV: 3 +28%<br />DC – Obama – EV: 3 +28%<br />FL - Obama - EV: 27 +2%<br />GA – Obama - EV: 15 +2%<br />HI – Obama - EV: 4 +39%<br />ID – McCain - EV: 4 +38%<br />IL – Obama - EV: 21 +20%<br />IN – McCain - EV: 11 +4%<br />IA – Obama - EV: 7 +9%<br />KS – McCain - EV: 6 +18%<br />KY – McCain - EV: 8 + 14%<br />LA – McCain - EV: 9 + 10%<br />ME – Obama - EV: 4 +12%<br />MD – Obama - EV: 10 + 22%<br />MA – Obama - EV: 12 +19%<br />MI – Obama - EV: 17 + 9%<br />MN – Obama - EV: 10 +8%<br />MS – McCain - EV: 6 +14%<br />MO – Obama - EV: 11 +3%<br />MT - McCain - EV: 3 + 6%<br />NE – McCain - EV: 5 +21%<br />NV – Obama - EV: 5 +4%<br />NH - Obama - EV: 4 + 5%<br />NJ – Obama - EV: 15 +14%<br />NM – Obama - EV: 5 +7%<br />NY – Obama - EV: 31 +22%<br />NC – Obama - EV: 15 + 1%<br />ND – McCain - EV: 3 + 5%<br />OH – Obama - EV: 20 +3%<br />OK – McCain - EV: 7 +22%<br />OR – Obama - EV: 7 +17%<br />PA - Obama - EV: 21 +4%<br />RI – Obama - EV: 4 +21%<br />SC - McCain - EV: 8 + 5%<br />SD – McCain - EV: 3 + 6%<br />TN – McCain - EV: 11 +21%<br />TX – McCain - EV: 34 + 7%<br />UT – McCain - EV: 5 +23%<br />VA – Obama - EV: 13 +7%<br />VT – Obama - EV: 3 + 19%<br />WA – Obama - EV: 11 +14%<br />WV – McCain - EV: 5 +11%<br />WI – Obama - EV: 10 +11%<br />WY - McCain - EV: 3 +22%<br /><br />SCFAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11522322647759389420noreply@blogger.com2