Matthew, Mark Your Bible

I've got a friend whose main hobby is studying the Bible. He is an inspiration to me, he's one of the people the Lord has put in my life to push me and that sort of thing is a mercy. Though, I must add, my friend has an unhealthy interest in the New York Yankees but, thankfully, this has not begun to affect his personality. Yet.

One of the things Gary will do is go buy paperback copies of the Bible at the dollar store and then begin some study on a certain topic. And for multiple aspects of his study, he chooses one of these Bibles, and marks the verses that apply to the particular facet of the overall study.

Here, from the ESV Blog is another version of the same idea.

Gary is just ahead of his time.

Drive

I don’t follow the stock cars too much, but this is news. Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced that he’s leaving the racing company his father began, DEI, and will make himself, essentially, a free agent for next year. The latest talk, according to ESPN Radio, has him in negotiations with Richard Childress Racing about joining them next year. This is where Earnhardt’s dad signed on in 1981 to drive the No. 3. Junior, whose No. 8 belongs to the team he just left, may wind up with dad’s old number.

A number of interesting things were said – Junior’s stepmom, who’s running DEI, said they will thrive in the future. Junior is obviously making the move for a chance to win a championship. Everybody said they were disappointed.

OK, questions – what’s going on right now at DEI, Junior, that makes it tough to win? And Teresa, why will you win in the future if you can’t win now with one of the best of the current crop of drivers? Why do you let EARNHARDT leave Dale EARNHARDT Inc.? (It is Inc., right?)

I think, no matter which team Junior winds up with, and no matter who drives for DEI and the stepmom, the real race is off the track. The real race is which one of the two wins first, and which wins more often. This could be better than what happens on the track a lot of weeks.

Cardinals News - such as it is - Padres, Dodgers and Tigers coming up - if there's any sign of life after these next 3 series then we might be decent this year, but it's way too early yet to hope of catching Milwaukee.

Nice bit on Springfield's Joe Mather - he's stinging the ball.

Politics - The Baseball Crank also has some interest in political news makes a list of tax-raising governors and the executive from Illinois made the list - He, and we, are happy to note that the Land of Lincoln will have no more taxes - for now anyway.

Here and There -

I hate the Eastern Time Zone. I could never get used to it. It's just wrong for prime time to begin at 8 pm. It's wrong for your late local news to begin at 11 pm. Oh, you can adjust in the sense that you turn '24' on at the right time, but deep down inside you know it's unnatural. (The 9 pm slot, not the show itself) If I have trouble staying up past 10:00, just how am I going to make it to 11 pm? The answer is I won't.

During our roughly two-year tenure as Florida residents there was a great deal that chapped me about living there, none of it worth mentioning. It was during this time that I conceived the idea of a blog named for the Midwest called 'Central Standard'. As in CST. And one of the special ideas was it would deal with news from the Midwest, and more specifically, the Ozarks.

I haven't done much of that - until now.

According to the Springfield News-Leader the town of Republic has no agenda. This is a refreshing bit of honesty. Would that all our politicians, school administrators and strident activists would similarly 'fess up.

Meanwhile, Indian Point has stuff on the front burner. Looks like their police chief has issues:

Although trustees could not reveal reasons (the chief) was
fired, (he) provided the News-Leader a copy of his performance review. The
issues included high cell phone bills related to personal use, failure to learn
basic computer skills and 15 other incidents in which he did not satisfy job
requirements outlined in a 2-inch-thick procedures manual.

And, according to one resident, he was the best they've had.

And shoe manufacturer Puma is confused. I don't think there's really a problem, nobody here thinks Drury is the Pumas. University veep Brian Radecki says,

"The important thing with this arrangement is there won't be any confusion,"
Radecki said Tuesday. "We certainly don't want to have people going out to buy
Puma merchandise thinking they were supporting Drury University."

Puma officials are not sure if they were just insulted.

Fort Dix Six

Congratulations to the law enforcement authorities who worked to uncover this plot. Congratulations and thank you! Thank you to our fellow citizen who reported the suspicious activity.

Now, how long will it be before opponents of the war and the administration, in their culture-poisioning game of gotcha, try to eliminate the tools and the tactics that made this possible? How long before they deny this has anything to do with militant Islamic terrorism? How long before we hear that Bush's war caused these impressionable young men to do our soldiers harm?

Gobsmacked!

That's what I am - gobsmacked and wrong.

Apparently James Lileks, one of America's funniest and most entertaining columnists, will no longer be writing entertaining mirth for the Minneapolis Star Tribune. No, he'll be covering city hall or the mayor or the garbage strike or something. Something that most of us who've got, not a journalism degree, but about 8 hours of communications courses could do. A waste of resources.

Apparently a bunch of folks were let go, or bought out. More cuts are on the way and, as Lileks points out, he still has a job. He's very graceful about it.

I wrote yesterday that I couldn't believe it, that there had to be more to the story, but I was wrong. It's hard to imagine misusing talent this way. I understand things are hard for papers these days, but I don't think the answer is to eliminate your most unique and marketable property. It's a competitive media market and to make the decision to be no better than anyone else is not how to win.

A small number of writers do not care for Lileks and some of them expressed themselves in their typical poisionous and bitter way, once again belying the fact that they really don't understand the issue or the outpouring of support for Lileks. Hopefully this will be clear. Nobody believes Lileks is 'owed' a job or that the Trib has committed some sort of violation against him or other bloggers or Mom or apple pie or anything. No, what has us all gobsmacked is what I wrote in the previous 'graph. It's simply stupid to kill your best product if you want to stay around. Hugh Hewitt called it suicidal. It'd be the same as if Ford decided to stop production of the Mustang or if the Yankees decided that Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter shouldn't be in the lineup anymore, but should just file scouting reports on the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. (Thanks, Dave Barry)

No, the Trib can do as they please. The poisionous, bitter, crabby ones can do as they please. Lileks can do as he pleases.

And so can other competitive media searching for a great talent to add to their stable.

Say It Ain't So

Dickie told me that Jim Croce died in a plane wreck. I did not believe him. Dickie could not always be counted on for the "straight scoop". He, first of all, imagined that he was the second coming of Elliot Ness and that it was only a matter of time until all lawbreakers near and far feared the sound of his name. I mean, he really thought so. He pretended to be a cop. He lived in his own world. A fantasy world. Secondly, he had, less than a month earlier, told me that our mutual friend Tim had drowned. But, Tim had not drowned, much to my relief and that of his family.

So, naturally, I thought Dickie was pulling my leg again. I told him so and that I was tired of him doing so. Sadly, as many who followed music in the early 70's can remember, Jim Croce DID die in a plane wreck and we are left to wonder how many more musical tales he had left in him. Too bad.

I just wonder now if James Lileks is pulling my leg. This story is all over the blogosphere. Others are covering it brilliantly, notably, Hugh Hewitt, and I won't try to be some sort of analyst here. I haven't got the chops. But what I do have is the nagging feeling that something just isn't right here. Nobody, I mean, NOBODY can be this ignorant of what's happening all around them, can they? Dave Barry's got, maybe, the best line of the whole episode so far:
"James Lileks, a terrific writer and one of the best newspaper columnists in America, says on his blog today that his newspaper, the Minneapolis-St.Paul Star-Tribune, has decided to kill his column and have him write straight local news stories. This is like the Miami Heat deciding to relieve Dwyane Wade of his basketball-playing obligations so he can keep stats."
It is a perfect description of what has happened, not really exaggerated at all.

And that's what gives me pause - it makes absolutely no sense. It's like insisting the earth is flat, or the moon is made of green cheese, or that Anna Nicole Smith really did merit all that coverage.

So, while Mr. Lileks has never yanked my chain before (that I know of), I just wanted to get it out there that, maybe I'm wrong, but I'm waiting for another shoe to drop.

Whatnot

What follows is a string of paragraphs, the value of which will probably be less than the sum of its parts, if such a thing can happen outside of government.

24
I'm a fan of 24, though I'm pretty new at it. I jumped in last season, Season 5 I think it's called, about the time the Russian terrorists were blowing up the Russian president, his wife, another president's wife and the 'Hoss'-like Secret Service agent that we all like to call Aaron.

I've been reading a whole lot of griping about this year's story. I have to admit, it's not been as compelling as last year, or Season 1 for that matter, which I rented over the summer. But I've no real complaints - it is what it is. I think maybe some folks have gotten spoiled and are just griping. Some people are just gripers. You can gripe if you want. I like the show.

I think this year the writers are putting Jack through his paces emotionally. It's not so much thigh-shooting and whatnot. It's more psychological. Jack prepared to sacrifice himself, killed Curtis, tortured his brother, learned his dad is a mercenary, rekindled romance with his sister-in-law, was told Audrey was dead, found out she's alive, prepared to sacrifice himself for Audrey, learned Audrey is catatonic, and Audrey's dad (Jack Kennedy) told Jack to leave her alone - "You’re cursed, Jack,” he says, “Everything you touch, one way or another, ends up dead.” Oooh, gut-punch. I can only think of two strings left to pull - his dad and Kim.

And what's Ricky Schroeder doing there? Is this just a "I got to be on 24" moment? Or does 'Mike Doyle' (a strong name . . . like Jack Bauer) have a longer shelf life? I get the feeling Jack's going away - I have no info - I might be wrong. I'm just sayin'. (And yes, I know about the contract Keifer signed - but it wasn't just to act - he's also a producer)

Sports
Speaking of catatonic, I watched some of the Cardinals game Tuesday night. They have been through the wringer, no doubt, with the sudden death of one of their players. And, obviously, baseball is not really important in the long run. Twenty-five ballplayers will get on a plane Thursday and fly to Mississippi to bury one of their buddies. It'll be OK if they stink this week.

That said, they just looked lost on the field the other night. Eckstein and Kennedy look awkward - Kennedy doesn't look comfortable at all. Edmonds couldn't bend over for a ball, Pujols doesn't look right and Rolen hasn't lived up to his billing since he came over in '02, except for about half of '04. Pitching is either hurt or inexperienced. I think it's going to be a long year.

Is there a better nickname in sports than "Big Shot Bob"?

And congrats to Saint Louis U on the hire of Rick Majerus. I read far too many comments concerning his health/weight and his decision to leave USC after only a couple of days on the job.
A healthy and interested Majerus will make the Billikens a lot of fun to watch. Here's hoping they get moved to the Missouri Valley Conference - it'd be a good fit. They always give Missouri State fits, though.

I'm out of steam - please come back and see me another time.

Weigh Day, May Day

I do not own a bathroom scale. (I don’t have a cell phone either, but that’s probably a story for a different day) Not having a bathroom scale may be like not having a toaster – it is odd, but you can manage. Incidentally I do have a toaster. It’s a horrible one, but I own it free and clear.

So, without a scale, I have mostly gone about my business blissfully unaware of my own weight. From time to time you come across one, at the doctor’s office or, usually, at someone else’s house, (but practically never in the middle of the road) and then you can take the opportunity to find out how much you weigh. (Yikes! This is either the result of not owning a scale or the purpose of not owning a scale.)

But, as it turns out, the place where I am employed has a scale. I work for a large organization that does a great deal of shipping and mailing and they have a scale. Not a bathroom scale, mind you, but a scale the size of a bathroom! Well, maybe not as big as your bathroom, but certainly larger than my Aunt Rinda’s outhouse.

About once a week I go down to the shipping area and, real casual like, I saunter over to the Giant Scale and I stop right in the middle and check my weight. My wife and I have recently begun eating a more healthy diet and getting some exercise and so Mr. No Bathroom Scale has to go to the Shipping Department to check his weight on a Giant Scale that can handle a Forklift.

Today was Monday – Weigh Day - so I saunter down to shipping to see how I am doing flabwise. I was anticipating a not so good number because last week I fell off the wagon. All for good causes, of course. Boss buys us lunch one day and there’s leftovers the next day and then the Sunday School class picnic on Saturday and then a churchwide cookout the next day. I think there is still dried hot dog water under my nails. Fingernails.

Anyway, when I arrive at the Giant Scale there is a gang of women with about three suitcases per using it! My scale! Now what am I going to do? I can’t weigh later – after lunch – I’ll be heavier! I know what you are thinking. Why didn’t I just walk over and ask if I could step on the scale – it would only take 5 seconds? Yeah, well, how many of you weigh for the public? I’m not doin’ it.

Well, I decided to just walk around the perimeter of the basement and come back around to the scale. How long could it take to weigh a few suitcases? Boom! Put the bag on the scale, Boom! Read the number, Boom! Remove it, Boom! Another bag! And so on. What, it’ll take me five minutes to walk the basement and I’ll come back and they’ll be gone.

But NO! They are still there! And bags are open and stuff, STUFF! is being moved from bag to bag! Apparently there is some goal these bags have to meet and the owners of said bags will stay RIGHT THERE AT THE SCALE until every bag is just Goldilocks right!

So, I was licked. It was lunchtime. I went and ate my salad and made myself who knows how much heavier. When lunch was over, back down I went and weighed after the Luggage Chapter of Weight Watchers meeting had broken up. And my hot dog indulgences of the previous week had indeed punished me. The scale flashed a number I won’t repeat here and now. It was a total from two weeks ago. I’ll tell you when I have a happier number. After I, like the luggage, have moved some of my stuff.

The Missionary Heart

From the blog at Desiring God comes a touching post from a slain missionary.

Expose the Works of the Darkness

In this post John Piper, writer and pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, encourages Christians to action in the fight against the capricious destruction of unborn human beings. He exposes some of the hypocrisy of the abortionists with statements such as:
". . . it is hypocritical to speak as though choice were the untouchable absolute in this matter and then turn around and oppose choice in matters of gun-control and welfare support and affirmative action and minimum wage and dozens of other issues where so-called pro-choice people join the demand that people's choices be limited to protect others. It's a sham argument. All choices are limited by life."

Please read it all.

Those Actually Engaged With The Enemy Know You Shouldn't Help Them

As if the differences between our intelligent and selfless military personnel and liberal politicians, such as Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi, weren’t stark enough, Fox News reports another. Apparently in the military you can actually be busted for aiding the enemy.

Piper on Partial Birth Abortion

This article on the recent Supreme Court decision regarding partial birth abortion is, as is everything John Piper writes, brilliant.

Reid Recall

Harry Reid has wandered off into the land of the treasonous and any who agree with him are right there, as well. To advocate his position on the war you have to either be hoping for the demise of Western Civilization at the hands of the militant Mohammedans, or be blissfully unaware of danger these fanatics pose. I think it’s time for the good people of Nevada to get involved. Can you not recall your man, the Gray Davis of the Senate? I was hesitant to make the comparison because it may serve to besmirch the record of such a selfless servant as Governor Davis.

C'mon Osama, Dis Rutgers!

Don't you wish the Islamic terrorists would say something nasty about the Rutgers women's basketball team so the left in this country would join the fight?