Hither and Thither 6/1/2012

OK gang, here's what I've got, from progressively warming Houston.

We'll begin with a graphic depiction for what it is sometimes like for people, the first time they here a thorough, sound presentation of the Biblical doctrine of God's sovereignty in salvation.

• One of my children is thinking of growing watermelons. Well, Son, here you go.
• Is it too late to ask? Familiar with the contents as I am, I think either or both The World-Tilting Gospel and God's Wisdom in Proverbs could make terrific graduation gifts. If you agree, write a decent post on your blog making that case, and I'll feature it.
• Or, for that matter, Father's Day gifts?
• Here is a very thought-provoking list of ten reasons to self-publish. Two matters the article doesn't deal with do come up in the comments: cover art, and the need for good editing. Beyond that, I think self-publishing does still carry the same onus: "Not good enough for a real publisher, eh?"
• An artist made nine Star Wars portraits in splatter-paint style. (Warning: article uses a word we wouldn't allow our kids to use.)
• The Dark Knight Rises trailer... in sausages.
• "Perfect food"? Er, no.

• Not this, either. (Fred Butler)

• But maybe this:

• Mm-mm. (Yurie Hwang)

• This one might be a perfect food, except for being too light on the mayo:

• Staying with food, honing in on it's a health food -- what else? Coffee! (Chris Harwood)
• One of the creators of Veggie Tales is having second thoughts — and, I think, rightly so. Sounds as if he got his world tilted. Better late than never; better sooner than late.
• You will love this solution to the need for an endless energy resource.
• Sigh. So They have decided to re-do a decades-old superhero, and make him an unrepentant sexual pervert. And They expect to be celebrated and lauded and congratulated for their "bravery."
• Want to see "brave"? Reboot a major superhero and make him a pedal-to-the-metal Biblical Christian. That would be bravery.
• Never happen this side of the Millennial Kingdom.
• And no, I'm not even going to link to a story about the latest ploy to corrupt children.
• Where's Admiral Ackbar when you need him?

• Kevin DeYoung put out a very good post giving ten commitments for Christian churches in relation to homosexuality. Do yourself a favor, and don't bother with the comments. Kevin doesn't believe in  (or probably does not have the time for) interacting too extensively in his metas, and the inmates often take over the asylum. Fairly common on some TGC blogs.
• Just...oh dear. (Curtis Sheidler)
• Kerry Allen smuggled out an exercise video for our coming robot overlords.
• Lego ninjas? (Dwayne Warren)
• Gee, Mayor Bloomberg; whatever happened to "My body, my life, my right to decide"? (Chris Carney)
• Nancy Barlass alerts us to the Duct Tape Diner.
• To help my boys with the teen years. Well, and beyond.

• I made no secret of the fact that Romney was just about my last choice. "Just about." My last choice is Barack Obama, in the sense of the word "last" which means "even if you point a gun at my head, I'm not making that choice." So I am happy to read John "Rocket Man" Hinderaker's optimistic essay, These aren't your father's Republicans.
• The Romney campaign just needs to study the Dole campaign and the McCain campaign — and do the opposite (apart from the brilliant selection of running-mates). I hope they're smart enough to know that the media defines "mean" and "nasty" and "dirty" as any GOP candidate who doesn't roll over and play dead, and I hope they're ready to deal.
• The bottom-line was spelled out nicely for me in a Tweet by Frank J. Fleming, who said: "Mitt Romney really wants to be president. I really want Obama not to be president. Seems like we can form an alliance."
• And, winding to a close...
• So did you stumble this week, even badly? Well, here you are still alive. God's given you another chance. Go for it.

• And these lovely parting gifts:

THE USUALS WILL BE OBSERVED

Monday music - "Frankenstein," by Edgar Winter

Among the fun rock that came out in the 1970s is Edgar Winter's synthesizer-fest, "Frankenstein."

Monday music - "The Fox," by Nickel Creek

Staying in the countryward (progressive bluegrass, in this case) direction: years ago I heard some music from Nickel Creek and so liked it that the name stuck in my head. Here's a lively, artful performance of "The Fox":

Hither and Thither 5/18/2012

Dear friends, today I offer you, at the very least, that which I hope is better than nothing.

• We have some pretty rowdy wildlife in Texas. But not all the rowdy wildlife.

• I don't love rap, but Iran's "you rap, you die" policy goes too far. (Chris Carney)
• Need to waste some time? Sure you do! Dawn Lewis has some help for you.
• An All Religions Serve the Same God (Yeah, Sure) Update: Hindu priests throw babies off a roof. (Chris Carney)
• Kerry Allen found us Wicked Laser light-sabers...for-reals!
• Randy Talley has a promising entry for this week's Perfect Food category.

• Well, then, there's this:

• And:

• Reader Blaine Moore offers an extremely helpful video on how to survive a robot uprising. (Note: some cartoonish bloody violence.)
• For Frank and any other Dr. Horrible fans: an orchestra serves up a Dr. Horrible Medley.
• An odd thing about human nature that I've never gotten over is people's tendency immediately to validate an unwanted criticism. You know, like when you tell someone he seems angry and he snarls back "I am not!"? So a girl and her mom blog that a church seems cult-like... and the pastor responds by filing a lawsuit. Yeah, well, I guess that shows her just how wrong she is! (To say nothing of that whole 1 Cor. 6:1-8 thingie.)
• For the record, btw: the story doesn't necessarily give me the impression that the mom and daughter are any great heroes of the faith, either. Don't know enough to say. (Link from Chris Carney)
• I proudly drive a Hyundai Santa Fe. I'm sure whatever you drive is nice... but the question is, "Is it monkey-tested?" (Chris Carney)
• Yep. Readers James and Marlene Joyce found us Paul's thorn in the flesh:

• Mother's Day is past. We gave the ladies in CBC this. I know they're loving it.
• Father's Day now looms. We won't be giving this... but it's kinda cute. (I wouldn't want it, but lots of men would.)
• Ooh, lookie: The Avengers trailer... in Legos.
• Here's a very different "life of Julia."
• Gollies, did I miss where the MSM made a lot out of this story? Because it is really terrifically huge good news.
• L, I B! Turns out 0bama really is a uniter!
• And in close, as a perfect coda to our opening animation: all pastors fear angry sheep.

• And finally these:

THE USUALS WILL BE OBSERVED

Monday music: three Linda Ronstadt collaborations

While I was doing initial phone interviews with the good folks at CBC, I asked: "If I come to Texas, will I have to like country music?"

Though I got an enthusiastic "Yes!", no one's pressed me. So in gratitude, here are three country-flavored tunes featuring the great Linda Ronstadt. Like Ann Wilson, there was nothing that Linda Ronstadt couldn't sing.

Here's Linda with Johnny Cash:

Then, Ronstadt with the Eagles:

Finally, stepping away from country into the borderline bizarre... Linda and the Muppets, with her beautiful "Blue Bayou":

Monday music: 25 or 6 to 4 as you've never heard it

Having heard the studio version of 25 or 6 to 4, one of Chicago's classic hits from their second album, you'd think there was no fresh way of hearing it — certainly not of hearing that same version.

And yet...

Monday music: a Joni Mitchell extravaganz-o, and a surprise

Joni Mitchell has had a very varied career, from the sixties on, through many changes (folk/rock/??/jazz).

Here are just a few flavors.

Among the earliest I could find is "Me and My Uncle," from 1965 (mentions Texas!):

A few years later, one of her earlier hits in her sweet young voice: "Chelsea Morning"

Then a favorite of mine, in a live performance, "Free Man in Paris":

Now a more mature Joni delivers a very jazzy, playful tune that showcases her range, in "The Dry Cleaner from Des Moines":

Unfortunately there's no video to this, but Joni's voice lends itself nicely to a lovely version of "Why Do Fools Fall in Love?"

Finally: not a big Elton John fan, but here at a Joni Mitchell tribute he turns in a good, somewhat more melancholy cover of "Free Man in Paris":

 

Hither and Thither 4/27/2012

Probably shouldn't take the time, but I owe you. I mean, really, on one level, if it weren't for y'all, I wouldn't be so busy doing what I love right now. I don't forget my friends. So here, enjoy!

• Is there a Bible verse about this?

• Mm, let's see: "When the lamb shall chase the Dobie..." Eh, not exactly.
• Twitter follower "Rather Dashing" tweeted me this vid of a Burger King burger... with 1050 pieces of bacon added. The burger makes it, the erstwhile consumer doesn't.
• Yearning to make bacon cupcakes, but just don't know how? Thanks to reader Martin Pitcher, now you do.
• But this, Kerry Allen, is going too far.
• DAOD (and others) commend this, for obvious reasons:

• Now, combining favorite themes, Julie Garrett Merrilee Stevenson (heavens, sorry!) found us a Lego pizza delivery saga. Frankly, I could only justify the time to watch part one, but you'll see other parts in the sidebar. If Julie recommends it, it should be OK (— and now that is on her, bwahh-hahaha).
• Our friend from across the pond (soon to be on this side of the pond) Anthony Forsyth found us this:

• You won't, however, thank Anthony for inflicting Baby Monkey on us all.
• Reader Kerry Allen gave a logical progression on why the world will end in 2012: "Dick Clark died. You can't have New Year's Eve without him. It will always be 2012. Therefore, the world will end in 2012."
• Well, makes better sense than anything Harold Camping has said.
• Relatedly (sort of), good news for sci-fi fans: Fringe has been renewed for a fifth and final season.
• However, relatedly, my dear wife has a calming thought:

• Toto, I Don't Think... Oh, Wait, We Are In Kansas update: guess what state is thinking of forcing churches to rent facilities to homosexuals, among other violations of religious freedoms? Kinda already gave that one away, I guess. (thx Chris Carney and Robert Sakovich)
• I am really looking forward to The Avengers, mainly because Joss Whedon directed it. He is a savvy, clever, creative genius who loves turning tropes on their heads. He doesn't mind departing from convention; for instance, his TV series Firefly was one of few sci-fi efforts that acknowledged the fact that there's actually no sound in space. So I love this quotation from Whedon, acknowledging reality when it comes to filming The Avengers: "Sometimes I would try to obey the laws of physics and that would be the weakest footage. Finally I just had to accept that everytime a car is hit by anything, it blows up and rolls over. A hamster could do it."
• Ziggy, a bit deeper than usual:

• Have you gotten your thank-you note for paying for President Obama's re-election campaign trips? Yeah, well, it's probably in the mail.
• Never too early to be thinking about Christmas? Fred Butler has a suggestion for the hardcore Trekker in your life. (Hm; have to arrive early for the first-ever Phillips Christmas Eve Pizza, Texas-style!)
• Michael Beck found a useful dupe for our Coming Robot Overlords who doesn't even seem to notice that his "pet" attacks him several times. (Diane "My Hair!" Sawyer is a better sport than I might've anticipated.)
• Kid pulls a deft, understated photobomb on a CNN reporter.

• Susan found a heartfelt plea from a nurse in Taiwan urging the US to turn back from nationalizing healthcare.
• "Offensive"? They keep using that word, but I don't think it means what they think it means. (thx Chris Carney)
• Chris also found this comparison of dog and cat people which, I think, is just odd.
• This from Julie Garrett could have so many titles. Hers is "another reason to homeschool," which is a good one. I'm thinking "Children Are Our Future (And We're Doomed)." Another would be how Government Reeducation Camps are turning out more future Democrat voters.
• Rebecca held a giveaway for The World-Tilting Gospel. Evidently the winner is Terry-Thomas, which is...interesting.
• BTW, Monday is when the winners of the ECPA books of the year awards are announced. You'll recall that TWTG is a finalist.
• Now have a happy weekend, safe in the knowledge that technology has finally made us all safe from the Evil Balloon.

• And these:

THE USUALS WILL BE OBSERVED