Monthly Archives: July 2007

Movies, Popular Culture, The Simpsons

Best. Episode(s). Ever.

I just had to say it.

We caught the midnight showing of “The Simpsons Movie” last night. I don’t think I have laughed as hard during any other movie this summer. I’ll have to watch it again to make sure that my sleepy little eyes didn’t miss anything.

One of the things that stood out in the movie was the incredible heart-felt moments shared between Marge and Homer, Bart and Flanders, and Homer and Bart. Of course any fan of the show would know that these heart-warming moments are the rule and not the exception in the Simpsons universe. I for one was glad that they included these moments in their big screen debut.

Buisness, News, Popular Culture

I Called It

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In February, I wrote a rather lengthy post on my misgivings about the proposed XM/Sirius Satellite Radio merger. You can read that original post here. In that post I zeroed in on my least favorite item of the original merger announcement: a la carte channels. I argued that allowing consumers to choose a small number of channels on a sliding price scale would take satellite radio from innovation and freedom and turn it into the new cable television. It seems as though I was right on the money. (It’s my horn and I’ll toot it if I want too)

Here is part of a Yahoo! news article released today:

NEW YORK (AP) — Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. and XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. said Monday the companies plan to offer a la carte plans to consumers starting at $6.99 for 50 channels.

The two radio satellite operators, which are merging in a $4.7 billion deal announced in February, also plan to introduce two family-friendly plans that will block adult-themed programing.

The companies are filing on Tuesday joint reply comments to the Federal Communications Commission, which is considering whether to approve the merger of Sirius and XM Satellite. The deal, which has faced opposition from lawmakers and consumer groups, also requires approval by the Justice Department.

Under the a la carte option, customers will be able to buy additional channels for as little as 25 cents each. A second a la carte option will allow subscribers to choose 100 channels and will allow Sirius customers to select from some of the best of XM’s programming and XM subscribers to choose from some of the best of Sirius’ programming.

In total, the companies plan to offer eight plans costing up to $16.99 per month. Currently, the companies offer programming options costing from $12.95 to $25.90 per month.

A la carte programming will be available beginning within one year following the merger, and the other programming options will be available beginning within six months following the merger.

“The a la carte options and other packages unveiled today demonstrate that consumers will be the beneficiaries of this merger,” said Mel Karmazin, chief executive of Sirius Satellite. “The efficiencies of the merger will allow the combined companies to save hundreds of millions of dollars a year and give us the opportunity to increase the number of programming options available to subscribers.”

Can you hear that? It is the sound of satellite radio in the midst of its death throws. After reading this announcement I still stand by my original argument against this merger:

Without competition economic growth will slow and customer care will wane. Look back at cable television. You can argue that cable tv faces opposition from movie theaters, DVD, satellite tv, as well as iPods, computers, and game consoles. Yet, rather than meet these challenges head on with great programing, awesome customer service, and revolutionary technology cable tv providers treat consumers with no respect. They act as electronic Don Corleones making us lose-lose offers that we can’t refuse. They control content and only allow us a peak at it with high costs and sliding price structures that change at their whim.

I hate having to chose channels and wade through my cable bill. I’m afraid that the fate of satellite radio will closely resemble this antiquated enterprise.

If the FCC allows this merger to proceed rather than paying a flat fee for a great service you will have to decide which price structure you want and with which channels and with which service. By the time you figure it out they will have changed the price structures yet again.

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

Books, Popular Culture

Can You Point the Way to Deathly Hallows?

I am on my way back home from New Braunfels. According to UPS my copy of Harry Potter should be arriving on my doorstep sometime this morning. I can’t wait.

Now I can finally read a HP book as fast as I want and not have the feeling that I should have paced myself better.

Before I have read them in a day or two and immediately thought, “Well… two more years until the next one. Way to go man.”

Spilling Personal Secrets

8 Things About Me

My friend Tyler Wiggains (a really good band director) recently tagged me to write 8 things about myself. This is my first time to be tagged so bear with me. Here we go:

1) During my junior year of high school I watched “Braveheart” every Thursday night. I had a small 13 inch (sometime) color television but I rocked those VHS tapes in widescreen. That’s how I roll.

2) Most people who know me know that I’m a big U2 fan. But the boys from Ireland aren’t the only band that I have all the official releases from. I own the complete catalogues for two other bands. I have every release from Coldplay and… wait for it… Counting Crows. Bet you didn’t see that one coming.

2.5) My favorite album in the world is Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On. Bet you didn’t see that one coming either.

3) I hate fish. The smell, the look, and the taste all send me running for the hills. In Greece a restaurant place a whole fish in front of me: eyes, gills, fins, scales. I managed to avoid ralphing all over everyone but my tolerance level has come way down since then. Sandy will have eaten a small tuna sandwich for lunch and I can smell it when I come home hours later.

4) Which brings us to my sense of smell- it is amazing! Most times it is humorous. I can smell and identify brands of deodorant that people are wearing around me. On one of my first dates with Sandy I began smelling a distinct smell in my car as we drove to the movies. The smell grew stronger and I realized what it was. “Are you wearing Degree deodorant?” I asked her. Bingo! It happens all the time. While that’s a great parlor trick my sense of smell is no fun when people aren’t wearing deodorant or if there are unpleasant smells around.

5) I was the only person present when our above-ground pool fell apart and the only one there when our trampoline bounced its last bounce.

I was just a small kid lounging in an inflatable donut when the aluminum sides of our pool tore open and the next thing I knew I had washed up onto the back porch. My family opened the back door and gave me their best Chris Farley “What-did-you-do!?!?” look.

Fast forward a few years to my first first trip home from college. I told my mother that I wanted to jump on the trampoline. She told me that I should change clothes first but I assured her that I was just going to jump for a few minutes. Unbeknownst to me no one had jumped on the trampoline since I had left for school and it had begun to dry-rot. On the third landing I heard and saw the trampoline tear open at the seams as it shot me into the air. I landed flat on my back and the force of the landing knocked all the air out of me. I staggered into the house still trying to breathe. The first thing my mother said to me was, “I told you that you should have changed clothes.” I love you mom!

6) I have two copies of An Introduction to Gospel Preaching

7) When I was a kid I had a crush on two girls- Annette Funicello and Haley Mills. Keep in mind that I grew up in the early 1980s (not the 1960s). I would watch “The Parent Trap” and “Merlin Jones” and dream about one day marrying one of my dream girls. Admitting my problem is the first step to recovery.

8) I have a scar on my stomach from jumping over a fence at Six Flags to recover a hat that had fallen off of a rider on the Shockwave. I cleared the fence easy the first time but on the way back over a security guard started yelling at me and I lost my balance causing me to become one with the fence. Oh, yeah… I was with my youth minister at the time. Would you believe me if I told you that the scar tingles when the students in my youth group think about doing something reckless?

Well now that I have embarrassed myself it is your turn. If you are reading this consider yourself tagged. Remember to comment so that I can read where you’ve posted the 8 things about you.

Book Review, Ministry, Parenting

Cross-centered Focus

Tony over at The Shepherd’s Scrapbook recently commented that it is difficult to find children’s books that are specifically cross-centered. There are hundred of titles that focus on the “adventures” of OT heroes such us Daniel, Joseph, Moses, and David but very few storybooks focus on the life of Christ. Almost none seek to responsibly describe the importance of Christ’s sacrifice in terms that children can understand.

Since reading Tony’s post my reticular activating system has been working overtime. (When you buy a red car and then you begin to see red cars all over the place- that’s your RAS)

Everywhere I look I have been surveying children’s books to see if they are cross-centered or merely moral tales of values and ethical behavior.

I have only found one book so far that fits the criteria of being a) a children’s reading book and b) focused upon all aspects of Jesus’ life, teaching, ministry, and sacrifice.

The Book of Jesus For Families (Bethany House, 2002) is a great little book that would dutifully serve countless hours of reading and teaching time for you and your child. The book is divided into 7 “chapters” or sections categorized by different points in the life of Jesus. Chapter Six is titled “When Jesus Died” and Chapter Seven is titled “The Big Surprise”. When was the last time you saw a children’s book deal with the sacrifice and resurrection? Each chapter has a variety of different essays ranging from one to five pages written by some of history’s greatest writers.

From the dust jacket:

Calvin Miller presents The Book of Jesus for Families, a keepsake collection of stories, songs, parables, and poems about Jesus Christ. Writings by Charles Dickens, Walter Wangerin, Pearl S. Buck, Calvin Miller himself, and many others depict the life of Jesus, his teachings, and the amazing things he did. Lavish, full-color illustrations bring the stories to life.

The selections, some original to this collection, have been especially chosen for a young audience to help parents introduce their children to the greatest man who ever lived and help children identify with Jesus as a real person, not just a character in a story.

Whether enjoyed together as a family or alone, The Book of Jesus for Families is a treasury of literature and art that will inspire and delight readers of all ages.

Unfortunately, it seems that the book might be out of print but maybe you can find it somewhere. It would be well worth the search.

Youth Ministry

Where Ministry Happens

Can ministry happen outside of a church building? Yes.
Can ministry happen in a van during a 10 hour road trip to New Mexico? Definitely.
Can ministry happen at a camp? Yeah.
Can ministry happen at a water park? Yep.
Can ministry happen playing soccer with inner-city kids? Most def.
Can ministry happen over lunch with students? You bet.

Can ministry happen at video game store midnight sale of NCAA 2008 and an all night playoff? I’ll let you know tomorrow.

Books, Popular Culture

Last Week of Peace for Harry

His hand closed automatically around the fake Horcrux, but in spite of everything, in spite of the dark and twisting path he saw stretching ahead for himself, in spite of the final meeting with Voldermort he knew must come, whether in a month, in a year, or in ten, he felt his heart lift at the thought that there was still one last golden day of peace left to enjoy with Ron and Hermione.

Tomorrow (July 17) at noon is your last chance for July 21 delivery of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

If you come looking for me on Saturday you shall not find me.

D'oh!, Discipleship, Movies, Popular Culture, Stories, Youth Ministry

*Blink* It’s July

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Can you believe that it is July already? I can’t. The summer is nearing the half-way point and I am already gearing up for the fall. I have been away from home for the past three weeks. I called the bank to see if I still had to pay the mortgage even though we didn’t use the house this month. They informed me that I still had to pay. Bummer.

I haven’t had time to update as often I would like this past month. Let’s play catch up.

3 States in 3 Weeks
On June 16 I flew out to Washington, DC. We arrived back home on Friday, June 22. At 6:30am the next morning we left for Ruidoso, New Mexico for our high school mission trip. The trip was a great success and I cherished the time I was able to spend with some of our high schoolers. We drove back to DFW on Wednesday, June 27 (Due to weather and our jonesing for some Chili’s we actually arrived at 12:30am Thursday morning) and were able to sit and rest for a full day! We left for Uplift in Searcy, AR on Saturday, June 30. After a great week of camp we returned safe and sound on Thursday, July 5. 3 weeks, 3 states. Whew!

Beep, Beep
So, as we cross into New Mexico I’m feeling pretty good. The trip has gone well and we have passed the halfway point. I feel like east NM looks a whole heck of a lot like west TX. It’s flat, dusty, and OH! A Road Runner has just walked out in front of the van. Ok it’s turning around. Not enough! Get out of the way!!! Is it is making eye contact with me? *dump-dah*

Yeah, I hit the state bird of New Mexico with our giant rental van.

Uplift
For the second year I taught a class at Uplift. This year’s class was entitled Involvement, Ministry, and Leadership. Anytime I can talk about leadership issues I jump at the opportunity. As we were planning for the class we wanted the students to leave camp with an idea of what they were gifted in and how they were going to impact their ministries back at home. Later this summer I hope to post what we did for the class and I want to expand what I taught into some sort of eBook. If you are interested, drop me a line and I’ll put you on the list to receive a copy.

Transformers
Metal-on-Metal action reminded me that I am a boy and that I love robots, explosions, rock ‘n roll, and Optimus Prime. Popcorn movie to the max!

Seriously- better than Spidey, Jack, and Shrek. It was so much fun that I want to see it again.