Silly

Kacie and her friend have been doing this goofy exercise video from the 1920s, called Callanetics. I honestly do not know anything about it, except that watching them do it was pretty funny. I found a video of it and this is exactly what they were doing, quite funny.

Girlfriend of the Week

This week's GOTW belongs to Carla Gugino. You might be asking who? But, she is one of the hot chicks in Watchmen and she was also the hot, naked chick in Sin City. Since Watchmen opens in a week, I figured it was time to show some pictures of one of it's stars.

Lost: Episode 507

This was the episode where we find out what Locke was doing off the island. And also we learn about how he died. Those previews from last week were quite deceiving...

Start
The episode starts with Caesar searching through the Hydra station (which means they are on the smaller island), he finds some Dharma paperwork and then a small, sawed off shotgun. Ilana comes in (she was the chick escorting Sayid) and tells Caesar that another passenger has been found, but that no one remembers him.

When they ask him his name, he says John Locke and we see that it truly is him. I predicted this last week, so obviously, I was not shocked. Ilana asks him how he got on the island since no one remembers him and why he is dressed so nice. He tells her that he does not remember, but if he were to guess, these were the clothes they were going to bury him in.

The Flashback
Locke then remembers his time off the island. He ends up in Tunisia with a broken leg. There is a camera there and then some guys pick him up and take him to the local hospital where they fix his leg. When he wakes up he has a very pleasant visitor: Charles Widmore. Charles is amazed at how good Locke looks since the last time they met.

Widmore tells Locke how he wants to help him get everyone back on the island. He lends him Matthew to help him out. From there things do not go so well. Everyone turns him down. Ben kills Matthew. Locke then attempts to hang himself. Ben bursts in and talks him out of it. Locke explains that he knows how to get back, they must find Hawking. Upon hearing that, Ben strangles Ben and makes it look like a suicide.

Back on the Island
Locke goes inside the Hydra station and sees Caesar reading some Dharma files. Locke tells him that the Dharma Initiative used to run experiments on the island. Caesar asks him how he knows and Locke tells him that he spent over one hundred days on the island. Caesar is confused and asks if he was one of the people who disappeared. He explains that a big, curly haired guy just disappeared before the crash. Other people disappeared too. Everyone is accounted for except them.

Locke goes to the injured camp and finds an old friend unconscious: Ben. Locke tells Caesar "that is the man who killed me."

Thoughts
-I was glad to see Walt back, even though he will not be returning the island with the rest of the gang. He is still creepy.

-Locke telling Jack about his father was great. Jack looked like he was a bit strung out on the pain pills at that point. Only a matter of time before he goes on his drunken bender...and then visits a dead man.

-Hurley thinking Locke was just another dead person from the island visiting him was awesome. How long before we find out that Charlie tells him to get on that flight?

Anyways, that's about all I got. I want to know what this "war" is that's coming to the island and why is Locke so damn important? Any ideas...

Ahhh. . . . College. . . .

Last week I decided to try to gather all my college Facebook friends who have been popping up into one place. I started a Facebook group for the 40 or so folks who've been reconnecting after our days spent in the mid-to-late 70s beside Western PA's scenic "Beaver Vale." I'm a Geneva College grad. As our alma mater says, it's "the college where I spent such happy days." We've been having some fun reminiscing and we're only getting started.

Thinking about my college days is somewhat bittersweet as my memories are serving to emphasize the contrast between what once was, and what now is. College is not an easy place for anybody these days. The pressures, challenges, expectations, choices, opportunties, and problems are sometimes over the top. That reality is what drove us here at CPYU to establish our College Transition Initiative a few years ago. With every year that's passed and every conversation I have (with college students and their parents), I become more and more convinced of the necessity and value of what our College Transition Initative Director Derek Melleby is doing.

Another few days and we're into March. For those of you - both parents and youth workers - who have high school seniors finalizing plans, graduating from high school, and getting ready to head off to school next fall, you've got a few months left during which you can turn up the volume on being proactive in the college preparation process. And I'm not talking just about academics. There's much more to the college experience than that.

Derek's done a great job putting together a host of resources you can use. You can read more about them on the CTI section of our website. What I will directly encourage you to do is think about scheduling Derek to come in and present our College Transition Seminar with the juniors and seniors you know and love. We've still got some dates available this Spring.

And in case you aren't convinced that your kids need to be prepared for the college transition, let me point you to a new music video from Asher Roth that released in mid-February and is now one of the most viewed and requested at mtv.com. I haven't put it here to alarm you. . . . just to show you how folks in popular culture are defining, viewing, and living the college experience. If this is the kind of stuff that's preparing your kids for college, don't you think they might need to hear something else?

Asher Roth - New Music - More Music Videos

Heroes: "Building 26" and "Cold Wars"

Let me just say that I had no desire to really watch these two episodes. After watching 24, I was bored and decided to give them a shot. There were good aspects and some very bad ones.

Thoughts
-The Sylar & Luke dynamic has been entertaining. Anyone think it will turn out they are brothers? I also love how easily Sylar can deal with the agents they send after him. You would think the government would have a better plan of attack for him. Obviously not though.

-The Indian girl that Hiro and Ando met was pretty hot. How come Hiro does not use his cool fighting abilities he learned from his father? Just pick up a sword and be badass. Being able to sword is not dependent on teleportation.

-Wow, finally a character with a different power: the ability to breath underwater. If I were him I would set up an underwater kingdom, and call myself either Namor or Aquaman.

-Daphne is alive. Matt must go after her. His reading Mr.B's memories was pretty cool, although to much like season one when we learned about his past through black and white. Quit trying to relive what was successful the first season.

-I have a feeling "Rebel" is actually Mr.B. How else would this guy have such detailed information about who will be picked up next. Something tells me Hunter will have some secret reason for hating these freaks.

-They need to find a way to have Peter go back to being able to use multiple powers at once. Him flying around all the time is pretty lame. Same goes with Hiro, give him his powers back. And please, for the love of god, stop having him shout "Yatta!" This has gotten old and we are not seeing the future Hiro we saw before. Granted, maybe the future no longer exists, but I think everyone will agree that the idea of watching him grow into that character would be much better.

-I really wish they would use some common sense about Tracy's power. Unless she can only freeze things with her hands, which makes her insanely weak. But, even then, she could still freeze the air molecules touching her hands, pushing them further out and constantly freezing more (see where I am going with this?) Maybe she just needs more practice. Hopefully at some point she will be a bit more badass like Iceman from X-Men.

-Just kill Suresh at this point. In fact, kill most of the characters. Just have a show about Sylar going around killing people. That would be awesome. Have him acquiring new powers each time, really crazy ones. And then have him go after President Nathan Petrelli.

Well that is all I really have about these two episodes. Did anyone else even watch them?

24: 5:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m.

Alright, the season is over. The crisis has been averted. Good job Jack! How did all this happen? Well let me explain.

Du-BAK-u's girlfriend messes with the driver causing him to crash. She dies, but not before Agent Walker pulls a gun on Jack to try and force him to help save her. Du-Bak-u is captured and Jack discovers a disk drive implanted under his skin. Would the electrical shock of the paddles do damage to the disk? Apparently not.

The FBI recovers the drive and Chloe begins to do whatever tech people do on this show. Sean and his hot office fling are both part of the conspiracy. She makes all the servers reformat, causing the disk to be erased. Sean then shoots her and then himself in the arm.

Fortunately, Chloe is able to recover the file and Sean is arrested. Bill asks the President to talk to the evil Senator about Jack. She says maybe. Then the evil Senator gets a call that the President wants to speak with him about Jack Bauer.

Outside the Capitol Building, Jack reflects on his day. Tony appears out of nowhere and says that it is not over. Juma will strike some place in DC in a last ditch effort to hurt America. Tony wants Jack to join him.

Evil Senator's aide is supposed to accompany the evil Senator to the White House, when he gets a text that says the operation is on schedule. He looks very nervous now (oh yeah, he was in on the conspiracy). Something tells me the next target is the White House.

The episode was good, and it's always great when someone (especially a hot redhead) stands up to Jack. I only wonder why Jack was being such a jerk to Tony. Six hours ago he was all excited that Tony was actually alive. Now he wants him in jail and does not want to speak with him...

The above photo is of the President's hot daughter...

A Little Something

For those of you who are interested, the writer of With Leather has moved to a new site called Warming Glow . It's all about TV and pretty much delivers the same hilarious jokes as With Leather and Film Drunk. I put a link over in the Funny Shit section.

And do not fear, I would not waste your time with a meaningless post without including a picture of a hot chick...

Ugly people don't have problems. . . .

Okay. . . . this is another one that just might get me into some hot water. . . but I think there's a strong need to speak up. . . especially after last week's blog on helping kids discern the unspoken yet loud messages that come across in marketing's visual barrage. What you might or might not realize is that book covers are a marketing tool. I've been privy to the process for a few years and I know that great time and thought are put into how to sell books based on the cover. There's nothing haphazard. Everything's by design.

So this morning I opened up a catalog of upcoming releases from a prominent Christian publisher. We get these catalogs regularly here at CPYU from lots of different publishers. We love it because we love to read. For us, it's like getting the old Sears and Roebuck Wishbook! As always, I paged through the catalog. And, as always I found lots of great and interesting titles that I want to add to my "need to read" list. Those pages are already dog-eared. But that wasn't all. In addition, I - as usual - leafed quickly through the "fiction" category. There was nothing new and usual this go round. There were loads of titles geared to the ladies who feel guilty reading anything with Fabio plastered on the cover or "Harlequin" printed on the spine. Of course, that's something that's always cracked me up and grieved me about "Christian" publishing. We churn out lots of the same type of stuff you see in the mainstream. . . . with very similar covers. . . . only void of the cleavage and unbuttoned wind-blown shirts.

And it sells. My oh my how it does sell. . . . which is extremely distressing as well. Don't get me wrong. There's nothing wrong with writing or reading good fiction. But when the fiction is an attempt at creating a sanctified and "safe" version for Christian consumption (sort of like. . . . near-beer), and then it sits prominently on the first display to greet you when you walk through the door. . . because it's also at the top of the Christian-book best-seller list. . . well, could something be wrong? And if this is what we're reading, and it, by default, becomes our theology and worldview shaper. . . well, then, it might not be such a good thing. As Bill Cosby says with a tone of pleading disgust, "Come on people!"

Can't we do better than this? Can't our choices lead to best-sellers that might not only feed our minds and souls, but reflect some depth to a watching world?


So what set me off this morning? It was a book and it's cover. Now just in case some of you want to flood me with reprimands, please understand that I've never read a Beverly Lewis book and I'm in no way passing judgment on her skill as a writer, the integrity of her stories, nor the ability of those stories to take people deeper into the things of God that are good, true, right, and honorable. I'm simply saying that the cover of one of her latest books is the cover that sent me over the edge. . . . and I've been teetering there for a long, long time based on a growing number of covers from a large pool of authors and publishers. I'm not picking on Beverly Lewis. I'm picking on us. . . . for the feeding frenzy we've created that gets marketers and cover designers creating stuff like the cover for The Secret.

So what's the problem? Take a look. What do you see? Well, I live in Amish Country. Amish women are deliberately plain and don't desire to draw attention to themselves. This gal looks like a super-model for the latest Spring fashion releases from Oscar De La Stoltzfus. Perhaps that's enough said. Speaking from the perspective of .
current cultural standards of beauty. . . well. . . that's one good-looking Amish woman! And the cover of The Secret is not the only example. How about the gal on the cover of Rachel's Secret? And it's not just the genre of Christian Amish fiction. These are just two small examples.

Perhaps my greatest frustration with stuff like this is that I would never be considered for a spot on the cover of a book. Ads have told me for years that I don't measure up. Now, Christian fiction is doing the same. Maybe there is a silver-lining. . . it's always the good looking people on the covers. Then, you start to read about their problems. Maybe the good news is that ugly people - like me - don't have problems!

Old vs. New

I have not written a good comic book post in awhile. Usually just a plethora of reviews. This goes back to the idea of really lame comic book debates. This one happens to be whether Barry Allen or Wally West should be the Flash. I have read this debate before, and it turned up again over at the Comics Should Be Good blog. For those of you who do not follow, allow me to break it down.

Barry Allen
The people who yearn for the days of Barry as their Flash say things about how his and Wally's origin are the same. That they have turned Wally into Barry over the years, so why not just have Barry back. They argue that Barry comes from the Silver Age, and he defines what a hero should be.

Wally West
Wally became the Flash when Barry died. He was young and inexperienced (even though he had been the Kid Flash for years). He was hot headed, a complete man whore, arrogant, and basically a jerk. To most of the West fans, this made him interesting. They watched him mature and turn into a great hero. The Anti-West folks say that DC just made him into Barry, so what point is there of keeping him around.

My Thoughts
Personally, I like Wally West as the Flash. Have you ever read any of the old Flash stories? Barry Allen was boring. I always think about some of the funny JLA stories, where in the middle of a battle, Wally would stop and make a joke. Like the time Superman is fighting an angel, and Wally stops and looks at the readers and says something like "This coming from the guy who wonders if he is good enough? Now he's wrestling an angel."

It is why so many people think Ryan Reynolds would make a perfect Flash. I agree with people that over the years Wally has become a bit dull. Maybe they can get rid of his wife and kids, maybe have a brand new day...

The best Flash stories usually center on him trying to live up to the legacy of Barry. I remember when JLA first debuted, Wally and Kyle were both new to the team. They did not like each other. Wally felt like Kyle was not worthy to be the new Lantern.

Anyways, those are just my thoughts on it. Obviously DC will continue to kill and bring back Flashes every few years. There is no point in worrying about it. I give it a year before Bart Allen shows back up in the main DCU.

Girlfriend of the Week

This week's GOTW is a girl from myspace, Ana Aesthetic. She does a ton of modeling as comic book characters, which is pretty hot if you ask me. Here are some of my favorites.

Deedlit:


Emma Frost:


Jean Grey:


Normal Hot Picture:

Lost: Episode 506

I honestly did not think they would bring the characters back to the island this quickly. I figured they would milk it out for another four or five episodes. Good to see they were thinking clearly.

The episode begins with Jack waking up on the island, then hearing Hurley screaming. He runs toward the voice and finds him in a lagoon. He dives in and saves Hurley, then sees Kate on the bank. After making sure she is okay, we have a flashback that says 46 hours earlier.

We go back to the church and Ms. Hawking explains that there are windows that will allow them to reach the island. They must be on Ajira Flight 316 to Guam. Desmond says that he will not be part of it, brotha. Hawking gives Jack a suicide note written by Locke and informs him that he must give Locke something of his father's. Apparently they have to recreate the original flight.

On the plane, they see Sayid on board, in custody of some law enforcement lady (just like Kate with her US Marshall dude). Hurley is on board, with Charlie's guitar. How did he know to be on the flight? Ben seems quite shocked to see him.

During the flight, they learn that the captain is Frank. Jack wants to talk to him, and Frank sees everyone and says that they are not really heading to Guam...later, Jack reads Locke's suicide note, it says "I wish you had believed me." The plane starts to shake and we see the flash of light like the time jumps. The group then wakes up on the island where the show started. Apparently none of them remember a crash. Then a Dharma van pulls up and a guy jumps out with a gun. It turns out to be Jin. He is going to be pissed when he finds out Sun is somewhere on the island.

-What happened to Ben? Who kicked his ass? Was it Sayid? Is that how he got arrested?
-Did Charlie tell Hurley to get on board the plane? It was cool of Hurley to buy all the remaining seats.
-What happened to Aaron? I bet she was forced to give him to Claire's mother. Anyone else have ideas?
-I got way too excited seeing the Y: The Last Man Hurley was reading at the airport.

Apparently next weeks episode is about John Locke during his time off the island. I liked that in the preview we see him going to hang himself, with Ben at his feet saying thank you (that was Ben, right?)

Let me know what you folks thought of the episode.

Something worth talking about. . . .

Here's a question for you: Just when you thought it couldn't get any crazier than the edgiest ad you've already seen, what's the edgiest ad you're now seeing? Yep. The envelope is always getting stretched. That's something we've learned here at CPYU during our years of studying youth culture. Stuff not only changes over time. But over time, the stuff that changes changes us. In other words, the stuff that used to make us grimace 15 years ago is now, relatively speaking, somewhat tame.

While it's not a pleasant thing to be reminded of this, it's nonetheless something we need to be reminded of. You see, if we don't know what's in the soup that our kids swim in everyday, we can't address it. And if we can't address it, they'll keep swimming in it and thinking that it's a normal part of life in this world. The reality is that if we want to instill in our kids a way of looking at and living life from a biblical perspective, we've got to be checking the soup of youth culture and talking with them about the rapidly changing ingredients we find.

My thoughts were prompted by a series of Flirt Vodka Valentine's Day Ads found and sent to me by Ty Houge, a youth pastor working with kids in Western Michigan. Ty actually emailed me the ads while he was sitting in the back of the room last Friday night while I was speaking to a group of parents about marketing and teenagers. The ads are one more reminder of the need to help kids think Christianly and biblically about everything in their media-saturated world. . . . especially the ever-present world of marketing. Remember, ads do sell product. But their most powerful influence comes through their ability to sell not product, but to sell a way of looking at and living life (a worldview). Which is why I spent some time last Friday night telling parents about their need to train their kids to filter all marketing through what we here at CPYU call "The Simple Seven Ad-Filtering Questions."

Here they are:

What product is this ad selling?
What, besides the product, does this ad sell? (ideas, lifestyle, worldview, behaviors, etc.)
What’s the bait, hook, and promise?
Complete this sentence: “This ad tells me, use_________ (the name of the product) and ____________ (the result the ad promises).
Does the ad tell the truth? What? How?
Does the ad tell a lie(s)? What? How?
How does this ad and its messages agree or disagree with God’s truth and what does that mean for me?

So here are the four ads for Flirt Vodka (A bulgarian brand that has developed quite a following for its online campaign here in the US) that serve to shape the way kids look at life, love, gender, sexuality, etc. I'm warning you that they're over the top and the envelope has indeed been stretched.























How would your kids respond to these ads? Will they look and laugh? Will they look and grieve? Will they look and flatline in terms of a response? Each one of those responses and every response in-between tells us something about who they are, what they believe, what they value, and what they hold near and dear in their hearts.

Now that you've seen these ads, go ahead and comment. . . . pointing us to an ad that you've seen that you think warrants evaluation and discussion. We're always trying to build on our archive of print ads that can be used to discuss God's way and will for His world. And just so Derek doesn't steal all our book giveaway thunder over at cpyubookshelf.blogspot.com, here's the deal: next Wednesday we'll pull a winner from all those who post an ad worthy of discussion. The prize is a treasure. It's a copy of our friend Sam Van Eman's book On Earth As It Is In Advertising. The bad news is that the book is out of print. The good news is that I've got a brand new copy of this wonderful book on marketing to give away.

24: 4:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.

Another good episode. They focused mainly on Jack and Agent Walker, which always helps. Here is the gist of what happened.

Jack and Walker find an apartment number linked to Du-BAK-u. They go there and find his girlfriend. Jack threatens her, then seduces her into meeting the bad man while they track her. On their way the cops pull Jack and Walker over and arrest Jack. Turns out that a mole at the FBI put up a warrant for their arrest. Who could it be? Well it looked like Janine Garafalo's character was guilty, but as a surprise twist, it was the annoying dude who bangs the blond girl. She made a really bad choice though, trying to hack against Chloe, why would you risk being fired to find out why some consultant is in the building?

Some funny side plots, Chloe being at the FBI. Ridiculing their system, when it was Agent Moss who set it all up. Plus she is some kind of hacker celebrity there. The whole Agent Walker becoming Jack Bauer thing is cool, but Larry is freaking out a bit too much here. Quit being lame dude, the POTUS wants results, not lectures about ethics or whatever.

Sorry this is so short, I am on my way back home for a few days. I will probably watch Heroes up there and post about it tomorrow.

Truths to make your head spin. . . .

Is it really possible that there are places in this world where there's a higher concentration of thinking Christians? Yes. I was at one such place over the weekend. The Grand Rapids, Michigan metro area is a place I've grown to love over the years. Populated years ago by Dutch Reformed Christians, Grand Rapids is jokingly referred to by some as "GRusalem." There's a high concentration of churches, schools, and Christian colleges (Calvin, Hope, Cornerstone, Kuyper, etc.). I was out there to spend time with parents, youth workers, and youth ministry students thanks to guys I've come to know and love over the years like Duane Smith, Ty Houge, and Brian Telzerow. My visits are always filled with encouraging and thought-provoking conversations and encounters. . . enough to make my head spin. This visit was no exception, with my head spinning several times. . . four that I'd like to recount.

#1. There was my early morning roundtable with youth workers at the Panera in Holland (by the way. . . a small town with the most beautiful main street I've ever seen in my life). So we're sitting around chatting about the state of youth ministry. . . joys, hopes, victories, struggles, frustrations, etc. While locked in the midst of talking about the bigger and better youth ministry cycle that we've come to believe is normal and right, one of the guys asked, "How can I compete with MTV?" How many times have I heard that question?!? "MTV" has come to represent all the flashy time-consuming and attention-grabbing technological and entertainment advances that fill our kids' time, hearts, and minds. We try to keep up, don't we? Trust me, I know. I've been into some pretty fancy big-church youth facilities (note: we now call them "facilities" and not "rooms"). The little-guy with the youth room gets frustrated. I'm happy to see that more and more of the big guys are getting frustrated as well. They realize that even though they've done a pretty good job of competing with MTV when it comes to all the flashy accouterments, spiritual growth hasn't been the result. What we've accomplished is getting and holding youthful attention. . . until they look away to the next thing. So the original question made my head spin. . . and then it stopped spinning on this. . . "We can't compete with MTV. Only the Gospel can. . . and the life-giving Gospel trumps it big time." It made me think about something I hear Duffy Robbins say all the time: "What we win them with is what we win them to."

#2. Still sitting around the table at Panera. As I listened to what everyone was saying regarding their frustrations, lack of spiritual growth, etc. I couldn't help but go back to the 3-word mantra I heard in a 1976 college Youth Min class that was taught by a Geneva College Bible prof who had no youth ministry experience at all. He taught right out of the only youth ministry textbook that had ever been written at that point in time. That book still sits on my shelf. It was creatively titled. . . . Youth Ministry and it was written by Larry Richards. The 3-word mantra that still holds true today but has seemingly been forgotten is this: "people not programs." Hmmm. If only we had listened. What is it that we've focused on? And "programs" includes buildings, equipment, etc.


#3. I go straight from Panera with Ty to a large Christian bookstore that sits nearby. I'm looking for some Thank-You cards so that I can send out notes to a few of our CPYU supporters. Ty and I are looking through the stacks of Thank-You cards and he tosses me one that has me doing a double-take. There printed on the front is a quote that makes my head spin: "May the Lord repay you for what you have done." I wouldn't send that one to anyone other than an enemy. I would be quaking in my boots if I received that card in the mail. Everything I've done is deserving of death. I don't want the Lord repaying me for that. Thank God for his grace and the gift of his son. Thank God I'm getting what I don't deserve.

#4. I arrive at Kuyper College and walk into the chapel. Immediately I look up and see an amazing hanging light that's been made by the school's president. It is absolutely beautiful. The words on it make my head spin for the fourth time that day. Shaped like a compass and crafted out of wood from every continent, the light is encircled by that profound quote from the college's namesake, Abraham Kuyper: "There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is sovereign over all, does not cry. . . " and then carved in large letters in the middle of the light. . . . "MINE!"


I leave Western Michigan encouraged, refocused, and reassured. It's good to be with thinking and loving Christians.

The Death of Children's TV

Something that makes me despair nowadays is the sight of early morning TV on a weekend.

Rarely am I at home on a Saturday morning, such is the pull of work, but on the rare occasions that I am, I'm probably one of the minority that berates the sight of yet another cookery programme!

My childhood weekends usually revolved around getting up early to watch my favourite Children's TV programmes before going off out on some farmyard adventure with my neighbours. Looking back now, it's incredible what the pull of good quality children's TV could do to a kid. I mean, I'd voluntarily and quite happily get up before 8am on a weekend to watch such morning classics as the Racoons or Chip'n Dale Rescue Rangers or Ducktales (I can still sing the Ducktales theme tune almost off by heart - scary or what!).

For those to young to remember, or perhaps...to old to remember...here's a little reminder...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwH1taatvyM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2e5q6ubDlZE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXsjzcC4Jdw

What it all led to, for me, on a Saturday morning, was the magnificent, unmissable, 'Live & Kicking'. I was slightly behind the curve in that I was to late for 'Going Live' but in in Live & Kicking, you could find my childhood wrapped up in one, simple, superb programme for children.

I've always been a 1992-1993 kinda person. Much of my striking memories from my childhood coming from those cross-over years between going from primary to secondary school. Nothing was ever more striking than 9am on a Saturday morning, listening to those opening chords of the Live & Kicking theme tune!

Here it is from that first ever episode with Andy Peters and Emma Forbes back in 1993!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AP0jgD0POOs&feature=related

It makes the shivers run down my spine just listening to it now! All the components made it a hit. Whether it be Trevor and Simon ('We Don't Do Duvets') or the launching in the UK of what become that houshold name (and quite tight too for they were and indeed still are, awesome!), The Rugrats, this was a copper kettle hit from start to finish. From 9am until 12.15pm you knew where you could find me - on the sofa with a bowl of Corn Flakes with Ani, Emma & co.

Indeed from 12.15pm onwards, I didn't move much as my afternoon was then consumed by Grandstand. Again, those striking opening chords meant that my afternoon had arrived! My despair of the loss of children's TV is almost matched by my despair at the loss of decent quality sport on the BBC - thus making Saturday afternoon watching nowadays on the BBC mediocre at best.

Here's another link...to those fantastic Grandstand opening titles of the mid 1990s...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qf9qi8Q1tg&feature=related

But I digress, as is often my way. Back to the Children's TV...

So Saturday morning was usually a good old BBC day for me. Sunday morning though usually had a good bit of Channel 4 and surprisingly (for me), a fair bit of decent US children's TV. Whether it was 'Saved by the Bell', 'Sister Sister' or 'Clarissa Explains It All' (was that a Sunday morning programme?!), I usually had plenty to watch. The climax to my morning viewing (before switching back to Channel 4 to watch 'Little House on the Prairie') was Grange Hill, old style, back on BBC2. I always preferred watching the earlier Grange Hill on a Sunday (having been to young to watch it first time round) than I was to watch the then 'current' version during the week.

Children's TV was, to pardon the pun, alive and kicking. But now quite frankly, I feel sorry for children of my nephews and nieces age. Yes if you have Sky TV or digital, there's plenty of children's TV channels to choose from. But the weekend, 'terrestrial' vintage, has long gone. The 'SMTV' generation is no more. What we have now is fractured and shows no semblance to what went before.

Weekday children's TV has also suffered. Where's the likes of Fun House, Finders Keepers and Knightmare now? Where's the overall programme that held all the component parts together? Perhaps those rose tinted glasses are shining especially brightly right now but it seems to me the something has been lost and my generation of children perhaps should be thankful for what we had.

Such is life and everything moves on. But for this little boy, the era of early 90s Children's TV, lives on.

Girlfriend of the Week

In celebration of Valentine's Day weekend, there can only be one GOTW. And no, it is not Christopher Lambert...This week's lucky winner is our first repeat: Kacie McClintic. As I searched online of all the pictures of us together, I came to the realization that there were very few of us actually together. Mostly she takes pictures of me being drunk and stupid, or I am not around when the camera is out and pictures are being taken of her. So, if anyone has pictures of just us two, please send them to me. Or post them on facebook or myspace and tag one of us...Anyways, here is another of the beautiful Kacie:

Lost: Episode 505

This show just keeps getting better. Or at least some of the ideas I have for where the show might be going has me super excited. I will explain later.

The Jin Story
Jin and Rousseau's team go in search of the radio tower that broadcasts the numbers. On the way they run into the smoke monster, which carries off one of the guys into an ancient temple, the dude loses his arm in the process. Did anyone notice the hieroglyphs on the temple? Not saying they are Egyptian, but my theory about the island being Atlantis could be right...or not.

The rest of the group goes into the temple after the guy, but Jin tells Rousseau not to because of the baby. He time jumps two months ahead and sees Rousseau shoot her boyfriend who she believes caught some sickness in the temple. She tries to shoot him as well, but then he jumps again, and runs into the rest of the group. The jumps continue to happen more frequently, and the group tries to make it's way to the Orchid.

Charlotte's condition grows worse and they decide to leave her behind. Daniel stays with her. Someone asks the question of what they should do if the Orchid is not there in whatever year they are currently in, Charlotte says to use the well.

They arrive at the Orchid and immediately time jump backwards, well before the station was built. They find the well and Locke begins to climb down the rope. They time jump forward and Locke plummets to the bottom, hurting his leg. He finds the wheel that Ben turned and also finds Christian (Jack's dad), who says that Locke was supposed to turn the wheel, not Ben.

As Locke turns the wheel, before he leaves the island, Christian tells him to say hello to his son. Daniel and Charlotte talk about her memories of the island and she says that a crazy man told her to forget the island and never to come back. She says that the man was Daniel.

That explains something: remember when we saw them building the station, Daniel was one of the people there, but he is not getting sick from over exposure to the island, plus he did not age at all. I am guessing when he leaves the island, he goes back in time, and tries to convince a child Charlotte not to return to the island. Why would he do that? Well she dies at the end of the episode, that's why.

Also, before Locke leaves, Jin gives him his wedding ring and tells Locke not to bring Sun back to the island. Tell her that he is dead and that his body washed up on the island.

Off the Island
Sun is about to shoot Ben, when he says that Jin is still alive. He gives her the ring, which he says Locke gave to him. Jack says that Ben told him he never went to see Locke, but Ben replies that Locke came to see him, so therefore he did not lie to Jack. I love Ben.

Ben says that there is a woman who can explain everything and prove that Jin is still alive. Sun and Jack agree to go see her. Unfortunately Sayid and Kate want nothing to do with this and leave. They arrive at the church at the same time as Desmond, who says he is searching for Daniel's mother. They go inside and we find Eloise Hawking, who says that Ben did not bring the rest of the group...

I was a little disappointed with the ring as being what they showed to Sun. It would have been cooler if they had a time jump where Jin meets/helps Ben at a younger age. Ben then tells Sun that the reason Jin cannot be dead is that he met Jin before when he was younger.

I am also convinced that the time jumps will also explain the whole Ben/Henry Gale thing. What happened to Gale, and how did Ben get caught by Rousseau? I would imagine that the group will time jump and witness it or be somehow involved.

Will we ever see what is inside the temple? I hope so.
Anyways, let me know what your thoughts were on the episode, and any theories you may have.

Heroes: "Trust and Blood"

I have a feeling this season will continue much of the stupidity of last season (not that this was unexpected)...Like last season, there were still cool moments in the episode.

For example, Sylar is such a badass. He has pretty much went batshit crazy. I love it. What will happen when he joins forces with Peter and his gang of idiots? Will they overthrow the government? Will Sylar find a way to help restore Peter's "only one power at a time" problem? Probably not, but one can hope. If I was Peter, I would absorb Sylar's power...problem solved I guess.

The whole Claire thing has gotten old. I want to be special and help the world. I want to be normal. Blah blah blah. Stop whining. It must run in the family, Nathan and Peter are the same way.

Although, I like Peter in the leader role. This transformation has definitely been happening since season two, where he takes control of situations and has a more badass demeanor. This is the Peter we saw in the future...

How the hell will Hiro get his power back? I bet they find out that the Ganges can heal him...probably not, it's like the grossest river in the world. I think I spelled it right.

Daphne died. I liked her. I am sure that will not last. I liked Parkman controlling the shooter and taking everyone out. About time they realized that one dude with mind control abilities would be almost unstoppable.

Anyways, that's about all I feel like talking about right now. Lost starts soon, and I have had a shitty week. I apologize.

Being a Twit. . . .

So I'm walking through our church foyer the other week when I'm flagged down by a couple of mothers of teenagers. They wanted to know my opinion of Facebook. They weren't the first to ask. It seems that it's one of the first questions to pop up everywhere I go. . . . . "What should I do about Facebook?"

How do I answer? I begin by telling them that I'm already on it, that it's not a bad thing, and that it is a wonderful tool for connecting with and ministering to people. It's also a God-send to parents who want to keep track of what's going on in their kids' lives. I also tell them that it can be a really, really bad thing if it's used in the wrong way. . . . just like just about everything else that's a part of life in this sinful and fallen world.

For example, I'm looking right now at the WKRP in Cincinnati mug that sits on my computer desk. It's a great thing if I want to have a cup of coffee. It's a horrible thing if I choose to use it as a weapon and throw it at one my kids. It's not the thing, but the sinful inclination of my heart that makes it potentially bad in the way that it's used. Jesus talked about that, remember?

It's about this time that I explain Facebook - and the rest of life for that matter - using some great terms Al Wolters uses in his book, Creation Regained: Biblical Basics for a Reformational Worldview. Wolters helpfully differentiates between structure and direction. Structure, he says, refers to "the order of creation, to the constant creational constitution of any thing, what makes it the thing or the entity that it is." He continues, "Structure is anchored in the law of creation, the creational decree of God that constitutes the nature of different kinds of creatures." Here's where it gets interesting. . . . it's the direction that we should be concerned about. You see, the direction can point to God's Kingdom order and things that are good, true, right and honorable, or it can point in a direction away from God and towards the world, the flesh, and the devil. Therefore, Facebook shouldn't be condemned as a structure. We should, however, be concerned about the direction that our use and the use of our kids points to. . . which, in the end, calls us to prayerful diligence in monitoring our use and our kids' use of this wonderful new technology.

Which brings me to Twitter, the relatively new and rapidly growing micro-blogging social networking technology that we jumped on board with here at CPYU just a few days ago. Have we lost our minds? We're trying not to! Rather, we want to employ the Twitter structure in a direction that brings honor and glory to God. We don't want to spend growing amounts of time sending Twitter updates that chronicle our every move as if anybody really cares. That's the problem with Twitter. . . . it could feed our inclination towards self-absorption, narcissism, and the growing sense that there are and should be people in this world who care about when I get up in the morning, when I eat, what I eat, when I go to the bathroom, and when I go to bed. As an aside, there are people who do want to know when I'm not at home. . . . thereby affording themselves a greater ability to break into my house and rip me off! In the latest edition of Relevant magazine, Brett McCracken has an article entitled "The Problem of Pride in the Age of Twitter." McCracken got me thinking about how we waste our time, waste other people's time, encourage voyeurism, become obsessed with status, view ourselves as brands, and feed narcissism when we use the Twitter structure (and numerous other new technologies) in the wrong direction. He writes, "We've become addicted to a strange sort of connectivity - a connectivity that maintains a comfortable balance between distance and proximity, anonymity and overexposure. We've become addicted to hyper-controlled, self-appointed 'just how I like it' communication. In this McDonald's-meets-Macintosh world, we're endowed with the ability to be even more self-obsessed than ever before. . . . Our lives have suddenly become much more dramatic, worthy of being 'performed' on a stage visible to millions." I understand how easy it is for kids to fall into this type of thinking because of where they're at developmentally. But what about those of us who are young adults and older adults? If this thing runs its course we might all wind up living in a world where every Twitter message we send simply says, "I'm now on Twitter!"

And while the jury is still out on where this is taking us as a culture, I don't think it's to any place too good if we become consumed by using the Twitter technology 24/7. One of the marks of today's culture is the seeming daily development of new communication and entertainment technologies. Our options increase minute-by-minute. . . and we grab it all up with great enthusiasm and very little thought or discernment. Now is the time for Kingdom-people to be thinking critically and Christianly, not so we can condemn and flush structures, but so that we will employ them with proper motivation and moderation in a direction that is glorifying to the One who has given them to us, and exemplary to a watching world.

So that's what we're trying to do with Twitter. . . .and if you want to follow us to get the latest updates on what we've got for you to use at CPYU, you can do so here.

24: 3:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.

So I am really tired and just finished watching last night's episode of 24. It was pretty awesome. Let me give you some of the highlights.

-The President gives Jack and Agent Walker permission to rescue her nine-fingered husband. Jack naturally has a plan. He has Walker go to the SS agent's house and threaten to torture his family. Jack then gets the hideout from the agent. Then kills him.

-Du-BAK-u's girlfriend's sister learns that he is not who he says and wants him to breakup with her sister. Obviously Du-BAK-u cannot do that, so he will just go to her house and shoot her. Seriously, if you are a terrorist, why would you try to have a girlfriend? Just get some hookers or something.

-Speaking of the girlfriend, she calls him and says that she is making dinner, and then he cancels on her. Apparently planning terrorist strikes against America takes longer than a few hours, just like shipping invoices.

-Why do the terrorists always work within 10-15 minutes of CTU (and now the FBI)? That's just poor planning. Why not set up your base of operations somewhere remote, Crafton...

-Who is the mole in the FBI? How about the White House? My guess is the blond chick that banged the annoying tech guy. My White House guess is the guy who may be in charge of NSA or something like that...

Anyways, I am going to bed.

Hulk Vs.

I finally got a chance to watch the Direct to DVD Hulk Vs. today. Let me just say it was absolutely kick-ass! What else could you want from something like? 80 minutes of just bone shattering battles. Here are my thoughts on each one, and there will probably be spoilers.

Hulk vs. Wolverine
This starts out with Department H flying Wolverine into Canada where the Hulk has just rampaged a city. Wolverine catches up with him and they get right to work fighting away. This must take place right after Banner has changed because Wolverine knows nothing about him, plus the Canadian government suspects the U.S. Military of covering something up about the Hulk.

After a quick fight, a few of Logan's friends show up, Weapon X (Sabertooth, Deadpool, Omega Red, and Lady Deathstrike). They capture both, and the plan is to wipe both the Hulk's and Wolverine's memories and reprogram them into weapons. Needless to say, Wolverine escapes and finally frees Hulk, which causes a hilarious rampage, especially any scene involving Deadpool.

Also, if you are watching it, fast-forward through the credits, there is a nice little Deadpool clip at the end.

Hulk vs. Thor
There is a bit more story involved in this one. Without getting too much into the story, let me just say this: Thor gets his ass handed to him. Hulk at one point has him pinned against a mountain, punching him over and over. Hulk punches him through the mountain, but not in the usual cartoony way of just one punch. It takes awhile to work their way through it. Creating a nice tunnel.

Plenty of the Asgard mythology shows up, and like I said, the story is pretty cool. With a nice touching moment at the end. I almost shed a tear.

So, if you are looking to pick something up that will entertain you, I recommend checking this out.

Comic Book Movie Grade: A (does this really count? I never did any of the other Marvel cartoons...)

Books that freak out my kids. . . again. . . .

Last week I blogged about sending my 16-year-old son over the edge by laying on the couch and reading Twilight. This weekend I tried to be a bit more covert in my reading by hiding out in a corner of the living room with the latest book on my list. I figured that if I sat on the couch in the room least-frequented by my kids, I'd be safe. Not so. One of them caught a glimpse of the book's title as it sat unattended on the end table. It wasn't long before word of what I was reading and resulting waves of disgust spread through the little community known as my four kids.

This weekend's little book was one I found on the "new books" shelf at our church library a few days before. I was the first one to sign it out, meaning that for as long as the little book lives, my name will be inscribed in ink for all to see on that little white card that sits in the manila sleeve on the back inside cover. More reason for my kids to be embarassed!


The book I'm talking about is one that I'm going to be recommending widely. It's C.J. Mahaney's Sex, Romance, and the Glory of God: What Every Christian Husband Needs to Know. Another in Mahaney's series of thoughtful and biblically-sound little books, this one packs a major corrective wallop that needs to be heard both by our sex-worshipping culture, and a contemporary church that's allowed itself to be informed on all matters sexual more by the world, than by the Word. This is a book that reminds us that every "whatever" we do, should be done to the glory of God. We exist for Him, and His wonderful gift of sexual intimacy brings glory to Him and great satisfaction and pleasure to ourselves when we experience it as He intended it to be. From his first chapter ("Great Sex to the Glory of God") on, Mahaney calls his readers to love their wives by embracing God's best for their sexuality. This is a little book that I'm going to have my sons read. At the end of the book, Mahaney's wife Carolyn writes a helpful word to wives on the same subject. In a world that winds up getting everything so incredibly wrong, this is a phenomenal book.

But don't stop with Sex, Romance, and the Glory of God. I'm looking forward with great anticipation to the May 1 release of a wonderful new book on the same subject by my friend Dennis Hollinger. Dennis allowed me to read his new book, The Meaning of Sex: Christian Ethics and the Moral Life, several months ago. In this wonderfully deep yet incredibly accessible and practical treatment of sex and sexuality, Dennis combines Biblical studies, theology, ethics, sociology, and a timely understanding of contemporary culture in what I believe is just what's needed in today's world. Even though the book isn't out for a couple of months, I'm already recommending it to parents, youth workers, and college students as a must-read.




As Dennis Hollinger writes, "we live in a sex-crazed world." Like the ancient Athenians whose landscape was littered with and covered by phallic monuments to their idolotrous sexual practices, we too are worshipping the Creator's good creation more than the One who made those good things. That's certainly true for sex and sexuality. By doing so, we take a wonderfully good thing in terribly bad directions. . . . and it's killing us.

For those of us who are older and who should be wiser, start reading. And who cares if your kids see you. . . they need to. Don't just read this stuff. Talk about it. And then someday, your kids will be able to disgust your grandkids!

A Very Sad Day

As most of you are probably aware, Alex Rodriguez has been outed as a steroid user. The great hope against Barry Bonds has been found just as guilty and just as evil. It makes me want to cry. I never thought in a million years that he would do steroids. However, he can still save himself, and here is how:

What To Do A-Rod!
1. Hold a press conference. Do not have your agent or a PR person issue a statement.
2. Apologize. Be sincere, tell America that you made a mistake.
3. Promise to never do it again. And by promise, I mean, issue a challenge to MLB. Say that you will be willing to be tested everyday to prove that you are clean.
4. While being tested everyday, have a fantastic season. .300, 35-40 HRs, 100 RBIs.
5. Do not mention during the press conference that the test samples were obtained illegally, and violated the deal between MLB and the Players Union. That just makes you sound more guilty.
6. Do not say that your trainer gave them to you and you had no idea what they were. Take the blame, people will be more forgiving.
7. Make a sizable donation to some charity, something like DARE, or another kids anti-drug campaign. When I say sizable, I do not mean $1 million, I mean like a year's salary. You can afford it.
8. Lead the Yankees to the World Series. Hit above .400 in the post-season, maybe break the record for HRs. Have some amazing defensive play. Seriously, if you bring the WS back to NYC, Yankees fans will be quick to forgive you.


Okay A-Rod, if you need any help with this, just give me a call or drop me an email. I only require a small fee to help you out.

What Happens Next?
Moving away from A-Rod, the question is, what happens next? Apparently there were 104 names on the list of positive tests. Who will be the next big name to be leaked out? Why did MLB not destroy these names or these samples? Once they had their data and decided that drug testing needed to be put in place, they should have done something to make sure these names stayed anonymous. I am not saying that it excuses any players who used steroids, but they agreed to be tested because they felt there would be no repercussions.

Anyways, I just wanted to get all that off my chest. I must go cry now.

Girlfriend of the Week

This week, I have decided to make my GOTW another beautiful comic book girl from the DC Universe: Zatanna Zatara. Don't know who she is? Well you should, she's a hot magician, who says her spells backwards. Pretty much whatever she says backwards happens, for example "NAMTAB POTS!" And that pretty much forces him to stop...

Speaking of stopping Batman, she was the one who once erased his mind. He held a grudge for a bit, but ya know what? She found a way back into his good graces, and definitely wanted to check out the seats in the Batmobile, if ya know what I mean...way to blow that one Batman (R.I.P. haha, I'm clever.)

Lost: Episode 504

Sometimes I swear the writers have a direct connection to my brain. I make comments about Claire, and she's in the episode. I say something about how it is funny that no one mentions Shannon or Boone, and next thing you know Locke is reminiscing about them.

Off the Island
The story focused a good bit around the Oceanic Six. Sayid gets attacked in the hospital, and he finds an address in the guys wallet. It turns out to be Kate's. Jack goes to her, while Ben and Sayid go for Hurley.

Kate and Jack follow the lawyer back to a hotel where he is supposedly meeting with the client who wants the maternity test. Jack recognizes the woman as Claire's mother. He goes and talks with her, and discovers that she is only there because she is suing Oceanic Airlines, and that man is her lawyer.

Jack and Kate head to the docks, where Sun is waiting with Aaron. Ben and Sayid meet them there as well. Kate suspects Ben of being the one to force the maternity test (the lawyer is the same one representing Hurley, and believes he can have him out by morning). Ben says that it was him. Sun prepares the gun to go out and shoot Ben...

On the Island
Charlotte's headaches, nosebleeds, passing out fits get a little worse. Miles also begins to develop a nosebleed. Daniel says that he believes people who were on the island the longest begin to get "jet-lag" from all the time jumping. Miles says he has never been to the island, but Daniel asks if he is sure about where he was born. By the end of the episode Juliet begins to experience them too.

Locke says they need to go back to the Orchid, so that he can do whatever Ben did and try to get everyone back to the island. They jump around in time a few more times, once to the future, where they find the camp, but it is deserted. They steal some canoes and then get shot at. They teleport to the past (more on that in a second), but the coolest jump was only back a few months for everyone.

They see a mysterious beam of light, and Sawyer naturally wants to go check it out. Locke says they should go around. They hear someone scream and Sawyer runs to investigate. It is Claire giving birth and Kate helping her. Sawyer watches and then turns away.

He and Locke talk about it, and Locke says that the beam of light came from the Hatch, the night that Boone died. He felt that it was a sign from the island, but later realized it was just a light that Desmond must have turned on...Sawyer asks why Locke does not go and talk some sense into himself, and Locke replies that he had to learn from his later mistakes.

The final part of the episode shows the group escaping the bullets by going back in time to a really bad storm. Another boat crashed and the survivors all speak French. They find a body on the beach. JIN! A pregnant lady tells him that her name is Rousseau...

Okay, I was not actually that surprised Jin was alive. I held out hope because he is always one of my favorite characters. I also love that in the preview Ben says that Jin is alive to Sun. I bet that will help convince her to come back to the island.

When will we learn more about Walt and his amazing super powers? I figure the writers must read my mind, so I issue demands now! Do it BKV.

Twilight. . . .

What's the most humiliating thing a father can do to his 16-year-old son? I think I figured that out. It went down last week. I'm laying on the couch in our family room. My head is propped up on two fluffy pillows. I've got a nice fleece throw keeping me warm. There's a crackling fire in the fireplace. It's a little bit snowy outside. I'm reading a novel. Perfect.

Then, Nate walks into the room and flips out. . . . humiliated. You see, he catches a glimpse of the cover of the book. Twilight. Paralyzed, he's not sure whether to report me to the police or throw me out of the house. All I remember is that he rattled off a series of fast-paced sentences laced with disgust, all of them starting with "I can't believe. . . . .!" In between there were accusations thrown around about my intelligence, my manliness, my use of time, and comparisons between me and three-quarters of the female population at his high school.

Yes, I read and just finished Stephanie Meyer's best-selling Twilight, the first in a four-book series about teenagers and vampires. Can I say that I was finally bit by the urge to read the book after weeks and weeks of seeing it on front and center book racks everywhere I turned, and hearing it come up in conversations too numerous to count. I resisted for a long time. . . after all, when was I going to be able to carve out the time to read the book? Eventually, I realized that if I was going to continue to study youth culture, the microscope had to land on this literary phenomena.

I got a little more serious about the endeavor about a month ago, when I sat down for lunch with a seminary president. Before talking about theological education, he asked me what I thought of Twilight. Pleading ignorance was all I could do as I typically refuse to comment on things I haven't experienced first-hand. He told me that his teenage daughter was fascinated by it all, and he and his wife were wary, if not fearful. I gave him the standard "read it and discuss it with her" answer, but walked away knowing that sooner or later, I would have to hit the couch with the book in hand. So, I picked it up and started reading it on a flight to Orlando. . . which of course, made me look a bit odd to my fellow passengers.

I was heading to Orlando to speak at a Christian School. I was speaking to students about making good media choices and developing media literacy skills. I was speaking to parents about their kids. I mentioned during my talk with the students that its important to read, listen, and watch critically, and to evaluate everything from the perspective of a Christian world and life view. To illustrate, I mentioned that I had just started reading Twilight on the flight down. Ripples of reaction went through the room. The reaction from the guys proved that my son Nate is a very normal 16-year-old male. The girls appeared validated and most likely saw me as, well, one of them. The majority of my follow-up conversations with students that day were about Twilight and what I thought of the book. Not surprisingly, many of my conversations that afternoon and evening with parents focused on my comments to the kids. One alarmed mother even accused me of telling her daughter it was okay to read Twilight. She calmed down after I had a chance to put my comments in context.

So, what do I think of Twilight? Keep in mind that I've only read the first book and that I have yet to see the movie. . . a fact that I'm embarassed to admit. After reading the book, I can see why it's a best-seller, especially among female adolescents. It's a story about adolescent struggles, confusion, and love. But it's also a book about good and evil and the human struggle to do what's right. I asked several girls who had read the book and wondered what I thought about what they thought of the book and its message. To a girl, each one said it's a book about right and wrong, choosing to do what's right, and sexual abstinence. It doesn't glorify vampires. They are correct. You see, my concern with something like this is what readers take to the book, and then what they take away from the book. Without a strong Christian world and life view and without having skills in thinking Christianly and critically about media, young readers most likely will not take away from the book what I took away from the book. For them, it's just a riveting love story. But when reading this story as one caught up in God's unfolding historical-redemptive story, there is much to celebrate in the book. For me, I was reminded of the fact that even though God has adopted me as a son and made me over, my depravity is still kicking at the door and wanting to rear its ugly head. I'm in a battle. . . something that the Apostle Paul talked about constantly. And to win the battle, I have to recognize that the battle does indeed exist. That's just one theological truth that the book drove home for me. And by the way, it was a bit difficult to put down. Can I admit that?

So what do we do with Twilight? My simple answer is this: if you're a parent or youth worker who's got kids interested in the book or who have read the book, read it yourself. . . and then talk about it with them. What a great opportunity to think with your kids. What a great opportunity to model how to bring the light of God's Word to bear on everything in life. What a great opportunity to seize a teachable moment. If you're a youth worker who's ministering to loads of Twilight fans - and if you're a youth worker you most likely have lots of Twilight fans in your group - why not get a Twilight discussion going? Again, this is a great opportunity to get talking about life, good, evil, right, wrong, and the need to exercise Biblically-informed media discernment. My great fear is that if we simply make the assumption that this should be avoided (book + vampires = evil), then we will not only miss a great opportunity, but we'll be sending our kids off to process the book without the benefit of our guidance and direction.

Have any of you read Twilight? And, what do you think? What have you done with the kids you know and love in response to Twilight?

Oh, and by the way. . . I want to be a reponsible youth culture watcher. That said, how humiliated do you think Nate will be when the UPS man knocks on the front door to deliver the box from Amazon containing the other 3 books in the series that I ordered?!? I'll let you know how it goes.

Funny Facebook Notes

My brother recently did one of those Facebook notes where you do random facts about yourself. With his permission, I am copying his original and my responses, for all of your enjoyment.

ADAM
1. I'm a Denver Broncos fan. Stop asking me why I like them and not the Pittsburgh Steelers. I do, however, like the Pittsburgh Penguins... not sure why. Get past it.

2. I think growing up is depressing. I hate that I see my friends less... and less... and less.

3. I'm really into movies, but I haven't seen them all. I hate when I get, "YOU'VE never seen (insert movie title here)?!?!?!" That's really annoying. It also annoys me that I used to go see like 2 movies every week, and now I only go see like 1 a month.

4. I don't like coffee or any kind of tea. Stop offering.

5. I don't really like when girls call me Croyle.

6. I love everything about the beach. I wish I could go on a beach trip once a month.

7. Bars are a hundred times better than clubs. I have a pie chart that proves it.

8. I drink light beer and I couldn't care less if you think "light beer's for bitches". And if you also drink light beer, but it's not the same kind I drink, don't talk smack. That's just dumb.

9. I like the Spanish language. That's why I took 4 years in high school. And even though I look somewhat Hispanic, I'm not, and I don't speak fluent Spanish. Stop asking me any time you hear or see something in Spanish if I know what it means.

10. I spend way too much time on IMDb (Internet Movie Database for those of you who don't know) looking up really obscure things.

11. I don't understand why so many people find it strange that I live in Philipsburg but in an apartment and not at home with my parents. What I wanna know: how are so many people in their mid-to-late twenties keeping their sanity still living at home with their parents?

12. I hate writing in pen. I'd much rather use a pencil.

13. I love peanut butter, but I'm not a big fan of peanuts.

14. I could live on junk food (preferably anything from Little Debbie).

15. I have a really hard time following the news or politics.

16. I'm not an animal lover, so don't be offended when I don't drop to my knees and let your dog lick my face.

17. Hunting sucks. I have a pie chart that proves this as well.

18. I'm stealing this one directly from Lindsey: "I’m no grammar expert but it absolutely makes me cringe when people misuse they’re, there, their, your, you’re, and to, too, and two. Aghhh." To add to what she said, I hate when people type "What are you up too?" YOU ONLY NEED ONE 'O'. This has annoyed me for years.

19. I'm an extremely regretful person. And I hate hearing people say that they have no regrets in life... for 2 reasons. 1) The "in life" part is redundant, and 2) It's impossible to not have ANY regrets. (for example, everyone has eaten at a Chinese buffet and regretted having that last plate about 20 minutes later).

20. I hate meatheads and tools.

21. I'm a night person... big time. I hate mornings. I hate alarm clocks. I hate hearing birds sing in the morning. I hate morning frost/dew. I hate coffee. I'm not a big fan of sunrises. Hell, I don't even like hearing people say, "Good morning." And stop telling me that sleeping in is "a waste of the day".

22. Ladies, bangs are not attractive. They never were. They never will be.

23. I hate shaving. If you have a problem with facial hair, I'm not the man for you. Maybe you should find yourself a nice 11-year-old... or Jon Cook.

24. People in central Pennsylvania complain too much about the weather. In the winter, "It's so damn cold outside. I should just move down South." In the summer, "It's so damn hot outside. Ya can't do anything out in that humidity!" Please stop.

25. When I get drunk, you don't hafta tell me the next day. I can usually figure it out. In fact, when I drink, getting drunk is usually my goal.

26. Why is there an obligation to talk to people from your hometown when you run into one another away from home even though you wouldn't talk if you ran into one another in your hometown? I worded that very awkwardly. I apologize. I think you know what I'm trying to say, though.

27. It's sexy when girls have their nose pierced. And I'm pretty sure all guys are in agreement with this.

MY RESPONSES
The real question is, are you a Golden State Warriors fan?

Growing up is not depressing, but getting close to 30 is really depressing.

WAIT, you have never seen Cube Zero!??

I just made a pot of coffee, would you like some, then maybe some iced tea?

What about gay guys? Can they call you Croyle?

England has beaches Avi...

I find that a club is much more useful to beat someone to death with. A bar just does not have the right swing to skull crush ratio to satisfy me. Oh wait, we are not talking about murder weapons. Damn. I agree then, clubs suck. Unless its the Slovak Club.

Keystone Lite sucks, Miller Lite all the way! (I sometimes drink IC Lite, it's made from the piss of Mean Joe...I hope that's not really true).

How do you say "where are the $3 hookers? I would like to see a donkey show."

How tall is Michael Cera?

Why don't you live with dad? that would be a rockin' good time.

I prefer writing with Crosby instead of Cross. Get it? One is a Penguin, the other is a brand of pen...yeah, it was the only thing I could come up with.

I love french toast, but I hate the french.

Just get all your news and political information from Bill Mahr.

I agree with this one. I find that I am more of an animal hater. Don't get mad when I punt your cat into the next room.

No, being out in the woods when it is freezing cold sucks. Hunting would be cool if it was in the summer. And instead of deer, you could shoot something cool. Like a woodpecker...

Your being way to judgmental on peoples grammar. Their just not that smart and need too be gived brakes.

I regret deciding to comment on every single on of these.

Yeah, when I see a guy with a pound of salami on his head, I get pissed. Also, screw saws.

I am more of a mid afternoon to some point around dusk person.

Also, braiding your leg hair is extremely unattractive. That is directed towards the ladies, my braided leg hair is sexy.

But I love shaving my...nevermind.

Everyone who complains about summer should be executed. I cry when it drops below 60.

Dude, you were so drunk last night! Do you remember swing from the chandelier? No, we left the bar and went to the Yacht Club in Phoenix. You don't remember that? Let me tell you what else you did. You definitely dropped your pants in the middle of the street and took a dump in a trash can. You made such an ass of yourself...

I understand exactly. You should watch where you are going. Running into people is rude.

Especially if they have it pierced with a giant meteor rock.

ADAM'S RESPONSE
hahaha, wow that was an amazing response... if i do a 27 f-ffayt part 2, #1 will be, "i'm a big smart-ass, but my older brother, josh, is an even bigger smart-ass"...

but to respond to a few of those...

no, i haven't seen cube zero

michael cera is 5'10"

living with dad would give me lung cancer or emphysema

i pretty much do get my news and politics from bill maher

i laughed hysterically when you said you're an animal hater and that you punt cats

hunting woodpeckers is overrated, and pap croyle doesn't appreciate that... i would know

"Your being way to judgmental on peoples grammar. Their just not that smart and need too be gived brakes." -> i hate you

i regret commenting on your comments

The Why
It's not that any of you really care about any of this, but this occupied a large part of my night, and made me laugh for a good long bit.

ARE....YOU....READY? LET'S....PLAY...Snooker?!

As an avid sofa supporter of pretty much every kind of sport going (although I admittedly have little time for flat season racing and boxing), I've been greatly intrigued by the recent thinking about 'modernising' snooker by 'jazzing it up' a little, to make it a more eye-catching sport for us mere mortals to watch.

I think it's the great Ronnie O'Sullivan who has started the recent round of fevered debate on this issue by explaining his opinion that if snooker is not going to fade away and die as a spectacle, it needs to take a leaf out of the Darts handbook to survival.

As a likewise fan of darts, I find it an intriguing idea, but one at the end of the day, which might just be slightly flawed.

For me, snooker is all about those hushed tones in an auditorium. The whispered commentary of Ted Lowe and now more recently of Clive Everton (whose commentary I randomly, but jubilantly bumped into whilst surfing the myriad TV channels in Phuket in Thailand last February!), John Virgo et al along with the real sense of fair play that is rarely seen in sport nowadays (apart possibly, from the golfing arena) makes it a rather unique sporting experience. I say this as one who has as yet, been unfortunate to have not yet witnessed a live professional game of snooker in the flesh. But I'm sure when that day comes as it inevitably will (it really would have to be in the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield really), it'll only enhance my sentiments. I don't really like to think of myself as having the same thinking as Stephen Hendry but on this, we have worryingly similar views.

Having said that, a problem with snooker which Ronnie O'Sullivan alludes too, and quite rightly so, is the fact that the 'modern game' has not got those great characters that were ever present during snooker's greatest decade - the 1980s. The era of Alex 'Hurricane' Higgins, Kirk Stevens, 'Big' Bill Werbeniuk, Ray 'Dracula' Reardon and Dennis Taylor has long gone. These were real characters.

But where are the characters in today's game? The current generation are yonuger, more professional and it must be said, much more adept in larger numbers than their older contemporaries. But apart from Ronnie, there's no obvious 'big names' who can catch the public's imagination. It's not necessarily the players fault, but it is an edge that has been lost in recent years. Losing the charms which make snooker, snooker, will only be to its detriment in the long run I feel. But if we could energise the young whipper-snappers playing now into being perhaps, slightly more entertaining around the table, it would do no harm!

To see a true genius in action, here's a clip of Ronnie O'Sullivan's unbelievable record-breaking 147. In just 5 minutes and 20 seconds!


But for Snooker at it's very, very best, here's a clip from the climax of that incredible, legendary final of finals from '85 when our Dennis humbled the great Steve Davis on the final black in the final frame, to win his 1st and only ever World Championship.



Ted Lowe's commentary alone makes it compulsive viewing! This, at the end of day is what makes snooker the incredible spectacle that it is. The players play their part of course, but it's the sheer tension and drama in an arena where you could hear a pin drop that makes it a wonderful, absorbing experience!

Bringing in the darts style introductions, whilst great for darts, just wouldn't cut the mustard here. This is snooker after all! Let the action speak louder than anything else!

Still loving those glasses Dennis! Even after all these years!