Old Duty Pics

National Treasure

@ the movies week 2

Best run ever

Since June 2008 I've been trying to run on a semi-regular basis.

I figure I've run well over 500 miles. I've completed my first half marathon in May.

Yet today I went running for 2.1 miles (32 mins) with my fourteen year old daughter. This was by far the most enjoyable run yet.

There is nothing for a Dad like getting some uninterrupted relaxed time with his teenage daughter.

Odds and Ends

First, to truly appreciate the GFR song you have to have a sound system that can handle the bass. The bass is incredible on a good system.

Finished hammering out AM and PM. Both are on the church.

AM Premise: The church is special to God. There are special expectations upon those who want to be known as the church.

PM Premise: Church @ Pergamos. Interesting things: Recognition of city demographics.
Is the overcomer the one who overcomes the church corruptions and/or the temptation and attacks of Satan? Food for thought.

Ran a hard five miles. Rolling hills and decent hills. Felt pretty good.

New Fave Song

I've been listening to this one VERY loud in my office while studying...

Back after a couple of weeks off...

Books read...
*The Soul of a Leader: Although about political leadership I found it a good read.

*The Case for Historic Pre-Millenialism: A set of essays on Post Trib Rapture and a challenge to the Left Behind position. A good subject. The essays were a mixed bag.

*The Darwin Awards: Who can't get a guilty pleasure of reading how creatively and stupidly a person can remove themselves from the gene pool.

~ Having finished my goal of the 1/2 marathon I am working towards a full marathon next year. Covered 10 miles today. Slow and difficult.

~ Movie review: Star Trek: 3 stars. Loved the beginning. Like the new guys playing the characters. It entered into predictability at warp speed by the half way point. Good but not great.

Sun Clip

Like it...

Apr 26 opening video

Alice Cooper and his faith

Some years ago Alice proclaimed a saving experience in Christ. Having listened to AC since the mid-70s such news interested me. Unfortunately you hear of these things from time to time such as Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton "conversions".

Listening to his new CD 'Along Came a Spider' I wondered if his faith would be reflected. The CD is pretty typical AC, not a musical masterpiece but pretty standard fare of what he has produced over the last 40 years.

Then I came across 'Salvation'. It is hardly an Isaac Watts tour de force but for someone with his rep over the years this is a very straight forward claim to faith in Christ.

So for your listening pleasure (?) Here is salvation by Alice Cooper.

All 451 degrees: Book #21 ~ #14 for Tweety Pie

Finished 451 Fahrenheit by Ray Bradbury. Really amazing and insightful.

Happy 14th bday to Alyson aka to her Dad as Tweety Pie. She makes me happy.

DVD and .05 book review

Doubt Review: I wanted to see this in the theaters but never did. I was glad to find it on DVD yesterday. Here is my review: I DOUBT if it was worth the $1.06 it cost me to rent it. I DOUBT if I would ever recommend anyone to waste 90 mins of their life on the movie. I have no DOUBT that the cast, writers and directors were very smug and self congratulatory on what a clever artistic movie it was. Thus I DOUBT they understand why it was and is such a goose-egg. I have more I could say but I DOUBT it is worth my time to do so.

On the other hand Fahrenheit 451 is EXCELLENT!! I'm only half way through but the whole premise of how books and thus ideas and the life of the mind is done away with to be replaced by giant wall TVs and days filled w/ fun and entertainment is so relevant. Again, excellent.

Reviews...DVD and book #20

DVD: Bella. Good movie. I'm not sure why. I think it had some weightiness.

Book: Who Stole My Church...It is a fictional acct of a pastor who attempts to bring an out of date church into the 21st century.

The thing I liked about the book was it was written by a 65 year old actual pastor who sees the necessity of a church being able to thrive in this generation.

Otherwise it was fairly predictable.

For Sun AM...

Using this Sun as an example of leadership/influence

Nayv Seals creed embodies leadership

In ongoing thought about leadership I have found the Navy Seals Creed to be instructive concerning the fabric of leadership.

DVD Review...Expelled

I have toyed with watching Expelled for a number of months. I was having trouble getting motivated. Nevertheless, I mustered the energy and plunged in. So here is my brief review:

Premise: Those in professional academia find themselves punished if they don't fully adhere to Darwinian biological evolution.

To this end there are a number of interviews and examples.

Premise 2: The questioning of Darwininsm and the entertaining of Intelligent Design is not an adherently religious issue. Creationism is definitely alluded to as junk science.

Characters: Some of the characters are charismatic. Ben Stein is very charismatic in his own calculated dweeby uber-smart way. There is also a scientist who is interviewed in France. Very well spoken. These characters allow the viewer to see the issue as personal as well as scientific.

Arch enemy of all things anti-Darwin Richard Dawkins comes off as reactionary. For the record I detest Dawkins anti-religious views. But creative editing had to be used for such a smart man to always appear in such a negative light.

Conclusion: I would give Expelled a C+. I like the premise of the movie. I like Ben Stein. But like my review on Sicko by Michael Moore, it is clear that the intent was not to enter the marketplace of ideas but to denigrate one side of the argument.

I agree that there is a propaganda machine behind the Darwin position but my suspicion radar goes off when everyone on the other side is portrayed as wrong and reactionary. Smart people come to their conclusions for reasons. Those reasons may be wrong but they have reasons.

I do agree w/ the section which pointed to the real heart of the issue: It's not about science alone. It is about the worldview that becomes the filter for the science.

Leadership focused...

My posts and book choices have reflected a renewed interest in leadership. Oddly, this new interest was birthed out of a renewed interest in an old childhood TV favorite: Star Trek ~ the original series.

Traditionally, I have been a Spock fan. But lately I've have admired the scripted leadership of Capt Kirk. The man has got his leadership moves down.

~ He loves to lead from out front.
~ He is approachable w/o ever losing the air of command.
~ He is smart.
~ There is no doubt the crew and the success of the mission comes before himself.

Now you know.

Book #19 for 2009

I just finished the 'leadership' classic 'The Prince.'

Machiavelli wrote this some 500 years ago in the context of Middle Ages rulers and their leadership. So some of the quotes are far from what a business man or contemporary leader would adhere to but the principles are still very relevant.

Some quotes...

"He who wishes to be obeyed must know how to command."

"Never was anything great achieved without danger."

"The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him."

The Prince being just a little more than 100 pages is well worth the short investment of time