Mtv has posted some pics from the latest Harry Potter flick, The Order of the Phoenix.
The pics include the first looks at Luna Lovegood and Dolores Umbridge.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is scheduled for release July 13, 2007.
Archive - September, 2006
Hog Wild Over Hogwarts
Grasping at Straws?
I would argue that Al Gore has done quite a lot of good this summer creating a dialouge in our country about creating a better and more adequate respose to the enviromental choices that we make and how they affect the planet on which we live.
However, all that goodwill looks to be forgotten now that Gore may have crossed into his “I’ll-say-anything-to-get-attention-like-I-created-the-internet” style of speeching by claiming that the Marlboro Man might be contributing to this past summer’s heat wave.
Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore warned hundreds of U.N. diplomats and staff on Thursday evening about the perils of climate change, claiming: Cigarette smoking is a “significant contributor to global warming!”
I have a hard time accepting that statement. A very hard time.
Al, you have a bad habit of engaging the country and then thowing it all way. Keep your most outladish speculations in the lock box where they belong.
link
Friday Run Down
It is Friday.
What I’m Listening To Today
Marvin Gaye is so much more than “Let’s Get It On.”
His prophetic album, What’s Going On still give me chills whenever I listen to it. Although it has been 35 years since he recorded it, the album is just as relevant and as stirring.
From “What’s Happening Brother” (War is hell, when will it end, When will people start gettin’ together again) to “Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)” (Crime is increasing, Trigger happy policing, Panic is spreading, God know where we’re heading, Oh, make me wanna holler) Gaye sense of social justive will always shine brighter than his sone sexual freedom. The entire album puts social justice firmly at feet of the broader spirtiual contexts.
His song “God is Love” is a great homily about our Father and what he expects from us.
Don’t go and talk about my Father
Cause God is my friend
Jesus is my friend
He loves us whether or not we know it
Just loves us, oh ya
And He’ll forgive all our sins
Forgive all our sins
And all He asks of us, is we give each other love.
If you haven’t ever listend to this album you haven’t lived. I mean it. Without being too melodramatic, this album will change your life. You can’t listen to it passively. It demands action.
So, wow, this weather…
It is currently 68 degrees outside today. I think once my laptop charges I’ll head to the great outdoors to finish the day.
5 days to go…
and then I’m off to Atlanta. I look more forward to the Catalyst conference than any other conference I’ve ever been too.
Andy Stanley always blows me away with his grasp of leadership ideals and his skill at apply the Word to my life. This year I am looking forward to hearing from Rick McKinley (Imago Dei), Gary Haugen (International Justice Mission), and John Stott.
Catalyst truly lives up to it’s name. Check it out!
4 days until…
The new Killers album. Oh, you know you liked the first one. Don’t lie to yourself. The new one looks to rock harder than their new-waveish freshman release. I hope to check out their performance on SNL this weekend.
Sam’s Town drops on Tuesday.
i hope everyone has a great weekend. Peace out!
Peer Review
At best, I am a novice at using Photoshop. I enjoy playing around and learning new things but I am far from being an expert at it. This coming week we will launch our weekly Bible study for our high schoolers called Chi Alpha (Christ First). Over the course of the next few weeks we will be studying about who the real Jesus is. I wanted to print up a poster to advertize the study and, more importantly, to get my students talking.
Here is what I created:
I did an image search on Google and came up with a vast array of different pictures of Jesus. One image that didn’t make it on the poster but did make the desktop wallpaper I created was a native American Jesus. Another is a haunting line drawing of Christ on the cross. (See below)
I want to hear from you. What do you think? What is good? Where could I improve? Any other ideas?
Desktop Wallpaper (1024×768):
Out Of Darkness Comes Light
After September 11, U2 performed during the Superbowl half-time delivering, quite possibly, the most poignant 9/11 tribute ever. They brought healing to a country that was still reeling from the attacks that happened nearly 6 months before. Now comes act 2.
On Monday, U2 and Green Day will take the field at the reopened Superdome in New Orleans as they welcome the New Orleans Saints back home…
AND I WILL BE ON THE FIELD WITH THEM!
That’s right. I have been given the opportunity to join with a few hundred other fans to be a part of the pre-game mini concert. My mind is going a mile a minute here. I am waiting on the final details but right now it’s a go!!!
The concert is being given to help aid in the Music Rising project which is now moving into phase 2. Music Rising was started to help get instruments back into the hands of individual musicians after the devestation of Hurricane Katrina. Phase 2 will now focus on the churches and schools who lost their instruments to the weather. What an incredible mission.
Music Rising, the campaign launched to help bring the music back to the storm ravaged Gulf Coast Region announced an extraordinary pairing of two of the world’s greatest rock bands for a special show before ESPN’s Monday Night Football game between the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints at the Louisiana Superdome on Monday, September 25, 2006. U2 and Green Day will make an unprecedented appearance together on stage to officially re-open the Louisiana Superdome and perform for the people of New Orleans on behalf of Music Rising. The pre-game show and special performance is sponsored by RealNetworks’ Rhapsody digital music service. Music Rising is administered by the Gibson Foundation.
In the days following Hurricane Katrina, the Louisiana Superdome became a symbol of agony and distress. This NFL football game is the first event to originate from the stadium since the Katrina devastation. It will be highlighted by a special live performance by U2 and Green Day that will be televised during ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown pre-game show between 7:00pm-8:30pm EDT (performance 8:20-8:30pm). An opening video presentation showcasing the efforts of Music Rising and the Superdome will air prior to the performance by the two super-groups.
Go check out what Music Rising has been doing and then be on the look out for me during the concert on ESPN’s Monday Night Football Pre-Game.
Most. Productive. Friday. Ever.
Fridays. Everybody loves them but they aren’t usually very productive. On most Fridays I spend the bulk of the day tying up loose ends and making sure that everything is ready for Sunday. As a basic rule I usually don’t start anything new. I don’t like plowing new soil at the end of the week. Today, I did some plowing.
After over-sleeping by about 10 minutes, I was a little frazzled when I came into work. I checked my email and read the news while I ate my breakfast (I’ve been on a yogurt kick). After that I was all buisness until lunch.
I had planned on confirming the location of the fall retreat and settling on all the costs. I finished that before 9:30. so I moved on to writting the informational letter to mail out to my students. That only took me to 9:45am. Before I left for lunch I had finished the retreat schedule, written two sessions, completed the power-points for those two sessions, contacted the t-shirt guy, and completed the medical release/permission slip. Whew!
Then I had lunch with my wife. Googly eyes over fajita chicken tacos. Very productive!!!!
After lunch I returned to the office and discussed the t-shirt art work more fully. I can’t wait to see his proposal.
Then I made huge strides in my curriclum development. I even got a chance to talk with one of my deacons about my plans.
After that it was off to the bank to deposit my check. There was nobody in line at 5pm on Friday afternoon. I felt like I had won the lottery!!!!
At 5:30pm I went to see one of my students play JV Volleyball. They won.
Then it was off to the Varsity football game to watch a couple of our girls preform in the color gaurd. They did great.
Now I’m blogging this. It is time for bed but Foster’s is about to come on! What to do? What to do?
Have a great weekend.
Something to Blog About
1) Fall Is On the Way
I went for an evening workout on Tuesday and was greeted by a nice, cool night. You could almost smell Fall in the air. The same could be said for the morning drives to work. I have also noticed that I haven’t been getting sunstroke as I drive around with my sunroof open and my windows down. It is actually comfortable. This summer’s heat was, in a word, oppressive. The cooler temperatures have been a welcomed change.
2) In Cold Blood
Every year I try and squeeze a classic into my reading schedule. This year I chose Capote’s In Cold Blood. I don’t know which is more fascinating: The story of a family that was brutally killed by two sociopaths and how the were brought to justice or the story of an effeminate homosexual with a weird voice from Ny by way of Alabama that travels to Kansas to document the murders and becomes the toast of the town yet allows himself to get too close to the story and never writes another book after this one?
3) Continuum
John Mayer’s newest makes the leap from frat/sorority pop-lite fluff to great, mellow rythm and blues. Well done.
4) Water Cups
What is the deal with fast food chains offering 44oz. sodas for 89 cents and yet they can only afford to give away 6oz. water cups? They ought to just have a dixie cup dispenser on the counter right next to the register. At Quizzno’s a large drink (32oz) is $1.59. A bottle of Aquafina water (20oz) is $1.69. for those of us who like to drink big, we might as well get a large drink and fill it with water. It’s messed up.
5) Dunder-Mifflin and Lego Star Wars 2
Christmas came early this year. My wife picked me up The Office Duder-Mifflin Severance Package from Best Buy. It came with both seasons of the funniest show on TV, DM post-its, a DM note pad, and a magnet replica of Dwight K. Schrute’s buissnes card.
I returned the favor by picking up her a copy of Lego Star Wars 2. That’s right. We play video games together. We spent many hours together bonding during the first one. I used to think that canoeing with your significant other was the best way for you to learn a lot about your relationship with your spouse. I was way off. Video-gaming with your spouse will open your eyes to unseen issues that were never present before. You think you love each other until you try to jump over a pit of molten lava and fail. Character is built during these moments. We love it!!! We have a date with episode IV tonight.
That’s all I’ve got right now. Have a gret Thursday!!!
