Busy week for me, so if this HT's too short... look at
last week's! And do remember the
Abidingt HT Realities.
- Say... I may know what's been happening with your mail:
- Commenter David (no profile) points us to a very cool Pomplamoose Christmas video. (Unfortunately, can't embed it without also embedding a lengthy commercial, so... here you have it!)
- Senate Dems and RINOs fail to force the perversion du jour on the military. For now.
- So we have a tax deal for now. What do I think? I don't know. On the one hand, I think extending jobless benefits another 13 months (A) was probably politically necessary (or the entire GOP would be painted as throwing the poor out into the streets on Christmas eve), but (B) was the wrong thing to do. Who's to pay for this? Why not extend them another ten years? If they haven't gotten a job in all this time, shouldn't they maybe consider another career, or state? Plus, would it help the GOP in January to have "throwing the poor out into the snow" as its first act of the new Congress? It may just be a least-worst resolution.
- One the other hand, think of it: thin-skinned child-president Obama — the great unifier who likened his partners in negotiation to "hostage takers" bent on harming America — is so peeved at the far-left's temper tantrum that he will never compromise again. That means that in 2012 he will necessarily be running on a platform of punishing job-producing wealth-creators with higher taxes. If a GOP candidate can't leverage that, (s)he doesn't deserve to win.
- Unconvinced? David Freddoso will help.
- Byron York explains why O's rabidly-left supporters have reason to be angry with him, and to wonder what he will fight for. The problem is that it was a bad campaign-promise to begin with.
- As usual, Thomas Sowell helps clarify everything, including the issues of "tax breaks for the rich" and extending unemployment.
- Thoughtful as always, House Democrats immediately swung into action reminding America why they just got soundly and roundly fired.
- Whew. That was all pretty serious. So look at this!
- And now, just because there aren't nearly enough repulsive bugs that can haunt, bite, and envenomate you... the pseudoscorpion! It is a spider that looks like a scorpion, and has venomous claws. Nightmare? Maybe. New discovery? Ayup. And right here in my home state. Land of Democrats... and pseudoscorpions.
- There is an almost startlingly positive profile considering the possible presidential aspirations of former Senator Rick Santorum in, of all places, the Washington Post. He's a good guy, ideologically, and I'll always appreciate him for getting in Barbara Boxer's face over live-birth infanticide (he opposed, she adores). But he's the Friday guest-host of Bill Bennett's radio show... and I always turn it off. He comes across with the personality of a baked potato. As such, does he have a chance?
- Just hope it's not Romney.
- The meme that never dies: thanks to reader RealityCheck, we now can know Hitler's reaction to the GOP house victory. (Two mild swear-words.)
- Don't try to tell a Russian that you're "snowed in." (Thanks, Paula.)
- And thanks to Paula again, we have the merry, jolly, delusional Atheist Christmas Coloring Book.
- At least they didn't say "Xmas."
- You know, I'm pretty sure I know what they were driving at... but, dude, whoa.
- Then again, maybe we're happier not knowing.
- Mike Westfall noticed a report about researchers who may have discovered a gene that favors a propensity to sexual infidelity. They caution that it cannot be used as an excuse...but is there any doubt that it will be so used? Christians are already there: all men have innate propensity for sin, and there is only one sure way of deliverance.
- From that sublime reality to...Hamukah.
- Okay, now... this is, I think, the strangest music video I've ever seen. I mean, dude — it's got Roger Moore, Mickey Rourke, Pamela Anderson, Robert Englund ("Freddy Kruger"), Dee Snider, Fab Morvan ("Milli Vanilli"), Tonya Harding, Lou Ferrigno, and a guy billed as "Spaghetti Western filmer," and another guy billed as "movie star." And a couple-dozen other people. Something to do with promoting a Norwegian television show. You'll never be the same.
- Reader Jacob Jaby says don't forget kitty this Christmas.
- Don't be too politically optimistic about America. There are truckloads of people who have not learned one teeny thing from the past two years, who actually think that the problem is that President Obama is not aggressively liberal enough. Not kidding.
- Is it evil of me that this cracks me up? If so, blame reader Gil Sebenste for the link.
- And if it isn't funny to you, try imagining it with a bunch of tiny little Wilhelms every time a duckling rides the wind.
- Don't tell my dear family but, as a rule, I hate board games. (Family: "Noooooo!") If it takes more than about 90 seconds to explain the rules to me, I'll roll my dice, move my piece, watch you play, and maybe pray or review memory verses or the Periodic Table. Which I don't know. So all that to say this: anyone familiar with Settlers of Catan?
- Last week I gave you a list of the 25 best burgers in America. Now here is a list of the supposed 25 best pizza spots in America. I've been to none, though I'd have loved to do the research for the piece. Here is one that should have been on the list. (My family likes my pizzas.)
- "What... no Legos?" Thanks to reader Al yes, Legos — in a very intricate Lego invention modeled after an ancient Greek invention.
- Then, as always, this:
Posts
67 comments:
It's funny that you are talking about much of the public wanting to move things further left. I'm listening to a sermon on Daniel interpreting Nebuchadnezar's first dream and the pastor spoke about how somebody had studied democracy and the path that democracies follow before winding up in ruin because the people figure out they can vote for money for themselves by voting for people who will support entitlement measures and "creating" jobs back home. Eventually they wind up in a dictatorship. I definitely see a strong resemblance of the pattern in the course of the growth of America. that's sad when I think of the future fro my children, but hopefully it will purify the Christian faith if that comes to pass here.
Settlers of Catan is fantastic. I just got into it and it was a blast playing with family during Thanksgiving. If you REALLY hate turn based board games then it's not likely that Settlers with change your mind. But there is much more opportunity for interaction between the players when it isn't their turn than with something like Monopoly. It has a barter/trade system that is essential to winning the game and the same system prevents a strong player from running the board and ending up with the other players losing interest.
Try it online before you buy it. It should only take one or two games to get proficient with the rules:
http://www.playcatan.com/
Settler of Catan maybe the most addictive board game I have ever played!
Settlers of Catan is the new staple of Canadian Bible Colleges. It's where I learned to play, and it's rampantly addictive. It's best in its original format.
My favourite aspect: it cannot be played the same way twice. Simply mathematically impossible. It'd be like, say, if life as we knew it all came from some sort of goo that somehow became alive.
But that's another topic.
So it's really big with people named "Chris."
Only with ones who spell with a "CH", apparently, because I'm not a fan of the game.
Quite a study we've got started here.
I love Settlers, and my name's not Chris!
Am I the only one who first read that as: the only sure deliverance from sin is ham?
Ouch. Fair enough. Unintended.
I added a bit of a buffer. Better?
I wonder if anybody called that pastor and asked him what he wanted them to do. Good message, but really poor delivery.
Settlers of Catan is great. Played it with wife and 8 yr old. Requires 3 to play. First heard about it on a Mark Dever blog post. Great for family night and homeschooling lessons :) Plan to try an upgrade soon, like the Knights and Castles addition.
Great H&T offering, and I haven't even hardly clicked on any links yet! (We savor it all weekend long, you know.)
But I'll weigh in on the Settlers game: Go for it. It's like a cross between Risk and Monopoly with none of the animosity. Great game to play with friends. Best with at least four players and a large bowl of stove-popped popcorn.
There are two kinds of people:
...the ones who turn every board game into a high-stakes, hours-long negotiation session similar to the Middle East peace talks and suck the life out of every game
....and the ones who play for fun.
Ducking!
@Robert - That was Francis Schaeffer's thesis.
@DJP: The tax compromise is not yet a certain thing. Democrats are talking big about stopping the legislation.
This gene study is a bunch of horse manure. The thing that seperates us from animals is that we can control our impulses. I'm proof positive that you can control yourself.
@mikeb: Cities and Knights = outstanding. Seafarers = not worth recycling the cardboard.
Here to help.
@DJP: Are you saying you wouldn't play a game of Stratego with me?
Nobody I know will play monopoly with me...something about me being a ruthless capitalist.
And definately not PIT. I singlehandedly brought the game to a stalemate.
Does it take more than 90 seconds to explain how to play?
1. Settlers is a lot of fun. My 7 year old son beat me for the first time the other day...if you don't like board games it might be worth a try because it's not really like any other board game.It does take more than 90 seconds, though if you are familiar with probability I might be able to explain it in that. It's very much a play and see game. Personally I prefer playing it on the iPad because I don't have to worry about all the set up. Just load and play.
2. I want that gun puzzle for my kids.
And I'm a Mike...so there goes your study :)
I think there's a lot to like about Santorum (I think he's a solid social conservative), but I also think he can be blindly loyal to the GOP. He famously backed Arlen Specter over Pat Toomey in PA and has taken shots at O'Donnell and Angle, saying they'r not really representative of the Tea Party.
He also has a lower rating than Lindsey Graham from the American Conservative Union.
The more I hear from Mike Pence, the more I like him. When both Gary Bauer and George Will like a potential candidate, people ought to take notice. He has solid social conservative cred. I recently watched a tour of his office and he has C.S. Lewis and Jerry Bridges on his book shelf as well as a well-worn and heavily written-in Bible on his desk. His wife is on the board of National Right to Life and said he got into politics "because of the life issue."
He also has solid fiscal cred. He didn't vote for any of the bail-outs, didn't vote for the Medicare RX drug thingy, didn't even vote for No Child Left Behind! The ACU lists him as a "standout" with a 100% rating.
However, he's going to be up against Romney's endless supply of cash. The GOP is addicted to candidates with money and big-tent, content-free candidates.
...though if you are familiar with probability I might be able to explain it in that.
Probably not.
Paula, that makes Pence sound pretty great.
I just hope Romney isn't our next Dole / McCain / ok-it's-my-turn guy.
@DJP: not really....I like to win so the less I tell you the better for me.
@Paula:
And from what I've read, Romney has really worked to put his fundraising mechanics into place for the next election cycle.
Amazing: we were just thinking of having you all over for a board game soon...
Honey...if you get this please put up the poster of the periodic chart in the guest room. Then we can play Settler's with his dear wife and kids.
That's exactly what I'm afraid of. History is on the side of that happening.
An atheist Christmas, eh? A coloring book even?
Where's the coloring book for the Hanukkah ham?
Or the one for square circles?
Oh, and put the X back in X-mas!
Fruitcake is one of my favourite Christmas treats--but it has to be my dad's dark fruitcake, made from his mother's recipe. Then there's my mom's Christmas pudding, served with drip (warm butterscotchy sauce) and hard sauce (somewhat like a semi-solid eggnog). Yummy!
Any game worth playing takes more than 90 second to explain! But if you learned NT Greek, learned BW8 and Logos, I think you'll okay if it takes 5 minutes to explain :P
Yeah, but those things are rewarding and important. And I don't get beat at them.
Dan,
Settlers is a great game. Takes MUCH longer than 90 sec to explain. Usually you spend your first game frustrated with not knowing what to do. But the second game is always better. Part of the hazing required to play.
But it is worth it.
Magister
Serious evangelism going on here today. This is why we don't like to play with you people. You take your gaming waaaay too seriously. Seriously. We can't be converted.
In regards to the Atheist "Christmas" coloring thingy:
I will never understand their "celebrate reason this season" mantra. How exactly does one celebrate "Reason" (or, I suppose, Reasonmas)? Do we exchange Reason gifts? Put up a Reason tree? Reason lights? Eat a Reason ham? Sing Reason carols? Go to a Reason Eve service? Watch the Reason Day parade?
Can you imagine the fireside conversation? All the adults and children, drinking hot chocolate, snuggled warmly around their Festivus Pole:
"Isn't human reason wonderful?"
"Yes it is!"
"Let's celebrate it!"
"Ok. How?"
"Um...well, let's talk all about what human reason has done!"
"That's the ticket! Oh, Reason. How we love thee."
"Let us count the ways!"
"For trains, planes, and automobiles."
"For penicillin and laser eye surgery!"
"For human government and faceless bureaucracies!"
"For laser-guided smart bombs and nuclear weapons."
"For mustard gas and torture chambers..."
"For ghettos, racism, and concentration camps..."
"..."
"..."
"...More Reason ham?"
"Yes, please."
All kidding aside, even if one wasn't religious, one would still feel that "celebrating Reason" sounds like a bare-boned, stuffy affair compared to Christmas.
That, of course, begs an important question: Why is it a bare-boned, stuffy affair? Why is there no great history of celebrating Reason? Why don't we have things like Reason carols and Reason ham? What is it about Reason that people haven't and still don't feel the need to give it a grand hoo-hah, and what is it about Christ that people did and still do feel the need?
Food for thought.
I've played Settlers a few times.
Hated it.
It takes about 1 hour to play if you don't play too slowly...and it takes about 10 minutes to know which 2 of the 4 players have a shot at winning.
About another 15 to know who will win. Then you just play it out to make it official.
I'm beginning to think that Settler's of Catan is almost a required homeschool course, in this neck of the woods. (I haven't played, but the boys always join a game at church game-nights.)
And Dan: the gun puzzle. I SO would've bought that when my boys were younger!
I didn't know this until recently, but "Xmas" is not taking Christ out of Christmas, as R.C. Sproul explains:
"First of all, you have to understand that it is not the letter X that is put into Christmas. We see the English letter X there, but actually what it involves is the first letter of the Greek name for Christ. Christos is the New Testament Greek for Christ. The first letter of the Greek word Christos is transliterated into our alphabet as an X. That X has come through church history to be a shorthand symbol for the name of Christ."
Settlers of Catan; what's that about?
We're still playing Oregon Trail here.
Jon, thanks, I've heard that one (too much), and it just doesn't work.
Find me ONE pagan who pronounces it "Chi-mas," and not "Ex-mas." I'd wager 99.9% who write "X-mas" haven't taken Greek a day in their lives, and are not writing it out of reverence for (let alone even awareness of) the Greek Christos.
It's either sheer laziness, or snotty irreverence.
To make a cover for it is, I think, not helpful.
I hope it's not Romney either, but you know he wants it real bad, and had not Huckabee been in the election 2008 to spoil Romney's chances, he would have been the nominee.
According to Gallup, there's no clear frontrunner yet. Romney, Huckabee and Palin are tied in the high teens.
Personally, I would be for Mike Huckabee (kidding), I would be for Mike Pence or Newt Gingrich or Palin.
The poor duckies!!!
Dan & Jon,
Yeah I read the thing about X-Mas as well.
http://www.ligonier.org/blog/why-is-x-used-when-it-replaces-christ-in-christmas/
I think it was Challies who linked to it the other day. While I felt a little better that it "technically" could be harmless... who are we kidding... no one is using that X for any of the reasons Sproul gave. I was actually a little surprised that he made such an argument.
Halcyon,
The real problem for me when it comes to Atheist celebrating "reason" is it makes about as much sense as them talking about what’s right and wrong. How about they come up with some kind of basis for these things in the first place.
Dan, Paula, Sir Aaron & CR,
Pence sounds good to me as well but I have to admit I don’t have as many problems with Romney as so many here apparently have. What don’t I know about him? I know his stance on abortion has been questioned and his health plan in MA didn’t work well, although I’ve heard him blame others for that and of course the Mormon thing isn’t what I would prefer but what else?
My biggest concern for the Republicans is that the best of the bunch don’t manage to cancel themselves out and we end up with a dud again as our only choice.
From my son's Facebook tonight (at Hillsdale College): "The Dawn Treader in 3D and the Settlers of Catan Seafarers and Knights. Amazing night."
Sigh...I've raised one of "those people."
@CR...About that Mormon thing...don't you think as Christians we should consider the implications of continuing to "normalize" this cult in American life? This year alone, with Glen Beck's goofy spiritualizing and religiosity, we've seen perhaps millions of people confusing Mormonism with true Biblical Christianity, saying, "he believes what we do!"
It has really disturbed me to see thousands of Christians praying with Beck, thinking they're all praying to the same God. We're not, and this syncretism is very dangerous stuff. For that reason alone, Christians should think long and hard before throwing their allegiance behind a member of a cult (though they do have the nicest families!).
RC- He just simply, like his father, can't be trusted to be a conservative. I think he is an opportunist and that's why he changed his abortion stance, I believe. He is to blame for MA healthcare and those that voted for it. Would I vote for him over Obama? Yes. But clearly we have better choices with proven "governing" records. I don't mind when people, even adults change their mind. The power of God unto salvation via the gospel is proof positive that it happens. But a politician having an change in heart over abortion within 4 yrs while in office - I don't think so.
Paula - Romney's Mormonism is secondary for me. If he was rock solid conservative with a proven record I would have no qualms about voting for him. But you raise an excellent point. Glen Beck - when he opens his mouth and talks about God and "faith", that kinda talk is more vile than the most rank homosexual foaming from the mouth liberal. Because people are confusing his faith with biblical Christianity. And it's frightening.
Oopsie! I mixed up RC & CR in my comments. Sorry about that! I meant to address my comments to RC.
Hey Paula, (& CR)
I agree with CR when it comes to Romney’s Mormonism. It wouldn’t stop me from voting for him but I want to pull my hair out when someone suggest (especially “Christians”) that Mormons are Christians.
David Wheaton, over at “theChristianWorldview.com”, had a nice series of shows dealing with this issue and Glenn Beck starting with this show:
http://thechristianworldview.com/tcwblog/archives/4210
Like CR, my concern with Romney would come down to just how conservative he really is. I know that there are some issues, as I mentioned, but I was wondering what others things people here know about him that I don’t know.
If Romney is on the ticket I will NOT be voting for president. The man is a habitual liar. He is a statist. He had too many political changes right before running for president. His anti-christian Mormonism is significant to me as well. He is very comfortable lying about his beliefs when asked about specific doctrines. He deliberately misstates Mormon beliefs so as to see more mainstream.
I fully plan on celebrating reason this Christmas - by not becoming futile in my thinking and allowing my foolish heart to be darkened. I won't commit the inexcusable evil of denying what is plain and clearly perceived, and I'll offer to God the reasonable act of worship. Thanks for the encouragement, atheists - it's nice of you to remind us not to become like you.
I haven't played Catan very often, but I've thoroughly enjoyed it every time.
Is your name, perhaps... Chris?
There are some who call me... Tim...
“If Romney is on the ticket I will NOT be voting for president.”
Ah Stan… I gotta say, I think that’s a mistake. At the very least you need to vote to cancel a vote on the other side. Do you think Obama noticed all those votes that McCain didn’t get just because some on the right didn’t think he wasn’t conservative enough? Obama just laughed all the way to the White House and now look where we are.
I’m hoping for the best conservative possible… but if we end up with someone like Romney… he’ll get my vote.
Have a great Lord’s day.
RC, Rather than not vote I would vote for a suitable write-in or third-party candidate. Romney is a pro-abortion, pro-state socialist.
"Being right in the sense of being correct is not sufficient to win. You don't win just because your heart is pure, even if you can prove logically that you are right." Morton Blackwell.
True story.
David Faustino, Right Said Fred, and Forest Gump, really?
Sorry Stan, but with all due respect, voting for someone who cannot win is pretty much the same as not voting at all and certainly any write-in candidate or third party candidate isn’t going to win… at least not in 2012.
As I said before, I want the most conservative person we can get but if I can't have that, I’ll settle for stopping Obama. IOW, Obama vs. Romney??? I’ll take Romney everyday of the week and twice on Sunday.
RC, No. It is not (necessarily) the same as not voting. Romney and Obama being statists and pro-abortion, notwithstanding Romney's statements to the contrary, I would prefer to not reward a Republican with my vote.
And what's wrong with not voting if there aren't any decent candidates?
“And what's wrong with not voting if there aren't any decent candidates?”
Well, for 1) I think we have a responsibility as Christians to vote and 2) when it comes down to a Obama vs. whoever… are you honestly saying you would rather see Obama for another four years? I remember when McCain announced he was running again, I actually laughed out loud I thought it was so ridiculous, but guess what… I voted for him when it was him vs. Obama.
Romney may not be as pro-life as he says he is but we know Obama is 100% pro-choice. In fact, if I remember correctly, both Boxer and Naral weren’t against the baby born alive act but Obama was. Technically that would make him more pro-choice than 100%... go figure.
Romney may have blown it with health care in MA but I bet his motive was that he thought it was a good idea vs. creating a larger dependent class like Obama.
Look, I want a true conservative as much as you do, and I think us all talking about this stuff now is a good way to vet the candidates and hopefully get the right one nominated, but when it is all said and done,… I want Obama gone, gone, GONE!
Late poster here. Regarding Settlers, your objection of having nothing to do off-turn is nullified: you have to be on your toes during other turns to collect resources (the primary mechanism of the game) and trading resources between turns with other players is half the fun. Lots of yelling and begging. As for the previous comment about knowing who the winner will be early-on: yeah, in some games. Each play-through is so completely different that it varies wildly. And strategies for winning are as diverse as can be.
By the way, another fun family game that (to me) bucks the usual "bored game" (pun intended) trend: Dominion. It's card-based, fast-paced, and player-interactive.
RC, Big difference between McCain and Romney. McCain got my vote because he is pro-life. Romney is not and will not get my vote.
1) I think we have a responsibility as Christians to vote
Really? OK. Try this one: Hitler vs. Stalin. Who gets your vote?
2) when it comes down to a Obama vs. whoever… are you honestly saying you would rather see Obama for another four years?
I would not rather have Obama in office under any circumstance. That said, as to whether or not whoever gets my vote is dependent upon what whoever stands for. If the choice is between two baby killers, whether there is an "R" or a "D" after the candidate's name matters little or nothing to me.
Ultimately, the survival of the United States, and the babies conceived therein, doesn't depend on our voting for the right person. We are doomed as a nation apart from a mighty work of God in the hearts of Americans. We're not going to vote God into action. We deserve Obama and worse. Personally, I think the federal government needs to be abolished but that's another story.
That's my take. Your mileage may vary.
If you want to continue this discussion please contact me personally.
“If you want to continue this discussion please contact me personally.”
Considering I think you jumped the shark with the “Hitler vs. Stalin” comment… I’ll pass.
Take Care.
Finally got to H&T today.
1. Re the strange music video "Let It Be":
First, I actually enjoyed it.
Second, I came to a realization (some will say "duh", of course) that the thing that all those varied stars have in common is what we commonly call [non-theologically speaking] "Charisma". That mysterious "something" which is both Providential and almost indefinable.
BTW, one of the singers was from Milli Vanilli, and I think I caught him lip-synching.
2. I laughed at the ducklings, too.
3. I know of no [likely] Presidential candidate who is not at heart a statist. That is, one who thinks that most or all problems are to be solved by the Government.
(D) or (R), to greater or lesser degree, they all embrace the concept of stealing which the Bible teaches against and socialism and Robin Hood advocate.
And those who are somewhat opposed to such stealing come firmly down on the side of the military-industrial complex, which has sorta perfected American war by keeping it going for nearly a decade with only a "few" American casualties here and there, the only casualties they [theoretically] care about.
Maranatha, baby.
Aside from the rampant hatred of Obama (have you ever been jobless out of your control for more than 4 months?)... SETTLERS OF CATAN!!! I never thought I would like board games, but I really enjoy Settlers cause it's FUN and it builds friendships better than Monopoly (the death of families) and explaining it doesn't take half an hour (like other games)!
Whoa - someone here hates Obama?
Then let me say plainly: it would be a sin to hate Obama. He is a lost man with a horrible and destructive ideology, and we should pray for his conversion, his salvation, and for the complete failure of his attempts to ruin America. But hate him? Never!
Sure, I've been out of work. It's horrible. I had to make a drastic and unwanted career change at one point because of it.
How does my (or anyone's) being out of work empower the government to point a gun at someone and demand that he support me for three years? If three, why not five? Ten? Why not all my life?
You know I've seen people in other countries unemployed because of things beyond their control. I've never seen anyone in America "jobless" for more than four months because things are out of their control. Things aren't out of your control. There are jobs all over this country. You may have to pick up and move. You may even have to take a job you don't want. But there is no excuse for being unemployed for four months as things stand now. Much less reason for being unemployed for three years!
... ok, do you believe in any kind of support payments for people with a disability?
Lenny,
We already have numerous such programs. One of which is called welfare. That's not unemployment.
However, to answer your question directly, I would have to answer in the negative. With few exceptions, taking care of the poor and downtrodden is the role of charity. IMO, of course.
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