“Hello, I'm Shepard Smith for FOX News. While there has been much talk lately of the economy, the housing market, and inflation, our sources say that yet another sector has been hit with amazing rates of inflation. But this is not your ordinary economic inflation; in a surprising twist, it seems that the worth of pictures has increased beyond all precedented market values. Colin in Nebraska has the story:”
Colin: “Good evening, Shepard. That’s right, pictures have jumped to nearly 30 times their historical value. As I’m sure you well know, pictures have been, from time immemorial, worth a thousand words, neither more nor less.
Well, our sources were surfing blogs a number of days ago, and came across a blog post entitled ‘About a million words’ worth of pictures (more or less).’ Further investigation revealed that there were only 35 pictures. By the old picture standard, this would be worth 35,000 words. To value them at anything approximating a million words would require each picture to be worth, well, to be exact, it would be 28,571.4 words. Actually, those digits repeat infinitely.”
Shepard: “Wow!”
Colin: “Yes, wow! The worth of pictures has jumped by a factor of 28.5714!”
Shepard: “So what does this mean for the economy of pictures and words?”
Colin: “Well, it’s hard to say at this point, but naturally those advocating the word standard are dumbfounded and slightly peeved by this discovery. To decrease the value of words in their proportion to pictures is, to them, unacceptable. To those with digital cameras, however, this development is one to be greeted happily, and forget the troglodytes, they say.”
Shepard: “Fair enough. Well, keep us updated.”
Colin: “I will. Thank—“
Shepard: “Colin? Colin? Hmmm…the link seems to have been lost. In other news, authorities have reported an outbreak of the dread disease ANS—coincidentally, in the area from which Colin was just reporting. It stands for Acute Nerd Syndrome, and is brought about by long-term book deprivation and preparations for college, symptoms being logorrhea, sesquipedalianism, compulsively executing long division problems, irritability, etc. Most susceptible are those with a history of addiction to litteras and those with a personal or family history of CNS: Chronic Nerd Syndrome.
Oh, and look, our link is back.”
Colin: “NO!!!! YOU CAN’T TAKE ME!!!! JUST BECAUSE I ACTUALLY BOTHERED TO FIGURE OUT HOW MANY WORDS IT WAS PER PICTURE!!!! ON PAPER!!!!! WITHOUT A CALCULATOR!!!! AND I READ LES MISERABLES FOR FUN!!!!! AND I LIKED LORD OF THE RINGS!!!!! AND I WAS HOMESCHOOLED!!!!!!!”
Shepard: “It appears one of our reporters has just been taken into custody and quarantined, having shown severe symptoms of ANS.
Anyway, stay tuned. Soon our sources will have a report on a recent Army ROTC training camp, complete with pictures and funny stories.”
Showing posts with label somewhat random. Show all posts
Showing posts with label somewhat random. Show all posts
22 July 2008
01 June 2008
Humorous Interlude
A visitor to my house yesterday afternoon would have seen a very muddy Colin trudging into his driveway after a 2-mile hike with a 23-pound pack, taken for exercise and to break in his boots for the upcoming ROTC summer course. But yesterday was dry and sunny here in Eastern Nebraska, so why the mud?
Well, to discover the reason, he must retrace Colin's steps about a half mile to the west, where he would find a small bridge (maybe 10-15 yards long) across a stream. An examination of the dirt beneath it would yield the conclusion that boots had climbed down from the road on the west side, stopped beneath the bridge a few yards from the bank, then reappeared on the eastern bank.
With the knowledge that, on his return leg of his two-mile runs and hikes on that route, Colin has been in the habit of hanging from one of the steel girders beneath the bridge and swinging across, the investigator could accurately surmise that Colin had done the same in this case, but would perhaps be confused by the reflection that Colin does not return from those runs so muddy.
So this is what happened...As usual, I jumped up and swung from the girder, making my way across. It had rained heavily two nights before, so the stream was somewhat higher (and a little wider) than usual, and the opposite side was a nasty bank of mud for a yard and a half beyond the edge of the stream.
If I had not had the pack on my back (and I usually don't) I would not have swung about so violently and had to expend as much energy in getting across.
If I was not still sore from upper-body exercises the previous day, I would have had a better grip on the girder.
If, when I felt my grip slipping, I had released with the forward swing instead of trying to hang on for one more reach, I would have fallen further forward.
As it was, all of those are purely hypothetical. My hands just beyond the eastern edge of the stream, I dropped from the backward swing; though I landed on my feet and hands, the mud was deep, and I sunk in to my knees and elbows and did a face-plant (my glasses stuck in the mud-bank aforementioned).
Since I rinsed off a bit at the stream, I don't know how bad I looked, but I can say that when I got back to the house and called inside for a towel, I still was nasty enough that my youngest brother could only ask "Colin! What happened?!"
I'd say the boots are pretty well broken in now. :-)
Well, to discover the reason, he must retrace Colin's steps about a half mile to the west, where he would find a small bridge (maybe 10-15 yards long) across a stream. An examination of the dirt beneath it would yield the conclusion that boots had climbed down from the road on the west side, stopped beneath the bridge a few yards from the bank, then reappeared on the eastern bank.
With the knowledge that, on his return leg of his two-mile runs and hikes on that route, Colin has been in the habit of hanging from one of the steel girders beneath the bridge and swinging across, the investigator could accurately surmise that Colin had done the same in this case, but would perhaps be confused by the reflection that Colin does not return from those runs so muddy.
So this is what happened...As usual, I jumped up and swung from the girder, making my way across. It had rained heavily two nights before, so the stream was somewhat higher (and a little wider) than usual, and the opposite side was a nasty bank of mud for a yard and a half beyond the edge of the stream.
If I had not had the pack on my back (and I usually don't) I would not have swung about so violently and had to expend as much energy in getting across.
If I was not still sore from upper-body exercises the previous day, I would have had a better grip on the girder.
If, when I felt my grip slipping, I had released with the forward swing instead of trying to hang on for one more reach, I would have fallen further forward.
As it was, all of those are purely hypothetical. My hands just beyond the eastern edge of the stream, I dropped from the backward swing; though I landed on my feet and hands, the mud was deep, and I sunk in to my knees and elbows and did a face-plant (my glasses stuck in the mud-bank aforementioned).
Since I rinsed off a bit at the stream, I don't know how bad I looked, but I can say that when I got back to the house and called inside for a towel, I still was nasty enough that my youngest brother could only ask "Colin! What happened?!"
I'd say the boots are pretty well broken in now. :-)
12 May 2008
Counting Down
2 exams and 1 paper down, 1 exam (Geometry) and 1 paper (Freedom's) to go...Hua!!!
***
I'll be done with the semester by Wednesday, and am planning to go up to Carlos O'Kelly's today to see about working again for them over the summer, starting next week.
***
So...plans for the summer: work, go to LTC, spend as much time as possible with Nebraska friends (guys, I want to go hiking!!!!), leave around August 12th or so to drive out to Virginia.
***
I recently remembered a debate on the Civil Rights Act from US History...the Civil Rights movement was indubitably good, but the Act itself was debatably so, definitely on constitutional and arguably on political grounds. That is probably going to turn into a post, and one on which I'd like discussion.
***
On that note, please read this speech by John McCain on his philosophy of the judiciary. It is very encouraging to hear this, and I completely agree with it.
***
Summer reading list:
--Les Miserables (I finished Martin Chuzzlewit last week)
--Getting the Gospel Right (and discussing that with the friend who is graciously allowing me to borrow it)
--Pick Death of Death in the Death of Christ back up, and finish it.
--Finish The Perfectibility of Man
--Finish Calvin's Institutes...hopefully.
--Finish the Hornblower Series? Possibly?
--Finish Lone Survivor, on a Navy SEAL fighting in Afghanistan.
***
Mother's Day was great--the men made a church breakfast for the ladies, which was quite fun.
For the service, we had an "open letter to my Mom" day. I had not written out a letter beyond the card I got her (and gave her the day before), but I wrote down some points and practiced my extemporaneous speaking (Dr. Tallmon would be proud).
***
Mother's Day morning: My mom was playing Command and Conquer: Renegade, and picked up a flamethrower, when I insisted she wanted a more long-range weapon. So then I took the open elevator to the next floor (past the sniper who was stuck facing a wall), but it didn't go all the way up. I had to jump up and pull myself out of the shaft--but while I was trying to do so, my brother climbed on my back and clambered over me. All the while the bad guys on the next floor were looking at me with rather bemused expressions.
But I climbed up and started flaming the baddies with my own flamethrower, except they didn't fall. I realized that my hands were empty and I was making the "whoosh" sound with my mouth. The people didn't even look like bad guys anymore, but were still looking at me funny.
Then I woke up.
The weird thing is that I don't even play Renegade (let alone my Mom): I prefer the strategy style C&C games.
Anywho....
***
Something else kind of weird:
I think I went from being a covenant credobaptist with paedobaptist sympathies to a covenant paedobaptist with credobaptist sympathies Sunday afternoon...I have yet to awaken from that one. I'm still searching the Scriptures on that, but I think it finally sort of clicked.
By "covenant" baptist, generally, I mean the idea that baptism is a sign and symbol (signifying the spiritual reality) of God's covenant with His elect, the covenant of grace, which we receive by imparted faith. I still reject regenerative baptism of all sorts (Lutheran and Romanist) and think that the idea that baptism is a statement of the "commitment we've made to Christ" is just really shallow theology...
The difference between covenant credobaptists (Reformed Baptists) and paedobaptists (Presbyterian/Reformed) is fundamentally on if the children of believers are in some sense comprehended under the covenant of grace and are part of the visible church. The credobaptists say they are not in any sense under the covenant if they are not elect. The paedobaptists would not say that the children are necessarily elect, but are still a part of the covenant, much like all the Israelites were under the covenant without all being elect. In fact, they often draw a comparison between circumcision in the OT and baptism in the New (that's the part I'm still checking on).
***
I was asked last Monday if I believed in Limited Atonement or Unlimited Atonement. And I didn't realize until then how frustrating a question that is...phrased in those terms, there is no short answer. I would agree with Spurgeon that it is the atonement unlimited in extent that actually limits the effect of the atonement, so calling "Particular/Definite Redemption" "Limited Atonement" rather weights the question.
Short answer (free of the terms governed by polemical history) is this: I believe Christ died to redeem His spiritual Israel (the church), and He accomplished His purpose at the cross. I take this view from Scripture as a whole: from the Old Testament prophecies and the New Testament teaching on the intent and accomplishment of the atonement. Granted, there are several NT passages speaking of "all" and the "world," but the Greek words are not consistently used in a universal sense. On the contrary, in most of the passages that are not under debate, they are NOT used in a universal sense...in the context of the clear OT and NT teaching on election, and the teaching on God's purpose in the atonement, and in the context of the verses themselves, it is perfectly acceptable (I believe) to take the more specific application of the Greek words.
That said, I do believe that Christ is truly offered to "whomever will believe." The extent of the atonement one way or the other is never made the basis for NT evangelism, so the argument that we ("Calvinists" so-called) can't evangelize because we believe Christ did not die for all doesn't hold. Everyone (in this particular debate) agrees that everyone who believes is redeemed and everyone who does not believe does not receive the benefits of Christ's death. Though we disagree on the order (redemption or belief, and regeneration or belief), we agree on that much, at least.
Okay, I'm going to stop before I write another paper on this....
***
I'll be done with the semester by Wednesday, and am planning to go up to Carlos O'Kelly's today to see about working again for them over the summer, starting next week.
***
So...plans for the summer: work, go to LTC, spend as much time as possible with Nebraska friends (guys, I want to go hiking!!!!), leave around August 12th or so to drive out to Virginia.
***
I recently remembered a debate on the Civil Rights Act from US History...the Civil Rights movement was indubitably good, but the Act itself was debatably so, definitely on constitutional and arguably on political grounds. That is probably going to turn into a post, and one on which I'd like discussion.
***
On that note, please read this speech by John McCain on his philosophy of the judiciary. It is very encouraging to hear this, and I completely agree with it.
***
Summer reading list:
--Les Miserables (I finished Martin Chuzzlewit last week)
--Getting the Gospel Right (and discussing that with the friend who is graciously allowing me to borrow it)
--Pick Death of Death in the Death of Christ back up, and finish it.
--Finish The Perfectibility of Man
--Finish Calvin's Institutes...hopefully.
--Finish the Hornblower Series? Possibly?
--Finish Lone Survivor, on a Navy SEAL fighting in Afghanistan.
***
Mother's Day was great--the men made a church breakfast for the ladies, which was quite fun.
For the service, we had an "open letter to my Mom" day. I had not written out a letter beyond the card I got her (and gave her the day before), but I wrote down some points and practiced my extemporaneous speaking (Dr. Tallmon would be proud).
***
Mother's Day morning: My mom was playing Command and Conquer: Renegade, and picked up a flamethrower, when I insisted she wanted a more long-range weapon. So then I took the open elevator to the next floor (past the sniper who was stuck facing a wall), but it didn't go all the way up. I had to jump up and pull myself out of the shaft--but while I was trying to do so, my brother climbed on my back and clambered over me. All the while the bad guys on the next floor were looking at me with rather bemused expressions.
But I climbed up and started flaming the baddies with my own flamethrower, except they didn't fall. I realized that my hands were empty and I was making the "whoosh" sound with my mouth. The people didn't even look like bad guys anymore, but were still looking at me funny.
Then I woke up.
The weird thing is that I don't even play Renegade (let alone my Mom): I prefer the strategy style C&C games.
Anywho....
***
Something else kind of weird:
I think I went from being a covenant credobaptist with paedobaptist sympathies to a covenant paedobaptist with credobaptist sympathies Sunday afternoon...I have yet to awaken from that one. I'm still searching the Scriptures on that, but I think it finally sort of clicked.
By "covenant" baptist, generally, I mean the idea that baptism is a sign and symbol (signifying the spiritual reality) of God's covenant with His elect, the covenant of grace, which we receive by imparted faith. I still reject regenerative baptism of all sorts (Lutheran and Romanist) and think that the idea that baptism is a statement of the "commitment we've made to Christ" is just really shallow theology...
The difference between covenant credobaptists (Reformed Baptists) and paedobaptists (Presbyterian/Reformed) is fundamentally on if the children of believers are in some sense comprehended under the covenant of grace and are part of the visible church. The credobaptists say they are not in any sense under the covenant if they are not elect. The paedobaptists would not say that the children are necessarily elect, but are still a part of the covenant, much like all the Israelites were under the covenant without all being elect. In fact, they often draw a comparison between circumcision in the OT and baptism in the New (that's the part I'm still checking on).
***
I was asked last Monday if I believed in Limited Atonement or Unlimited Atonement. And I didn't realize until then how frustrating a question that is...phrased in those terms, there is no short answer. I would agree with Spurgeon that it is the atonement unlimited in extent that actually limits the effect of the atonement, so calling "Particular/Definite Redemption" "Limited Atonement" rather weights the question.
Short answer (free of the terms governed by polemical history) is this: I believe Christ died to redeem His spiritual Israel (the church), and He accomplished His purpose at the cross. I take this view from Scripture as a whole: from the Old Testament prophecies and the New Testament teaching on the intent and accomplishment of the atonement. Granted, there are several NT passages speaking of "all" and the "world," but the Greek words are not consistently used in a universal sense. On the contrary, in most of the passages that are not under debate, they are NOT used in a universal sense...in the context of the clear OT and NT teaching on election, and the teaching on God's purpose in the atonement, and in the context of the verses themselves, it is perfectly acceptable (I believe) to take the more specific application of the Greek words.
That said, I do believe that Christ is truly offered to "whomever will believe." The extent of the atonement one way or the other is never made the basis for NT evangelism, so the argument that we ("Calvinists" so-called) can't evangelize because we believe Christ did not die for all doesn't hold. Everyone (in this particular debate) agrees that everyone who believes is redeemed and everyone who does not believe does not receive the benefits of Christ's death. Though we disagree on the order (redemption or belief, and regeneration or belief), we agree on that much, at least.
Okay, I'm going to stop before I write another paper on this....
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