not miss california

way too early

So Benji decided that he needed to wake up at way too early o'clock to study, but needed to snooze his alarm twice.

Guess who decided to stay up late studying, but then can't get back to sleep?

So i'm up blogging, facebooking, and listening to Dire Straits



I'll probably go park in Deet's and start a coffee fueled statistics marathon a couple hours earlier than I'd planned.
ugh.

EDIT: The Killers (heard of them, don't think I've ever heard them except maybe on Pandora) covered Romeo and Juliet. It is TERRIBLE. There is no passion in the vocal or edge on the guitar. Those are the two things that make the Dire Straits version good. WTF? Don't listen to it. It's not worth it. How did they get famous???

Good read

I found this interesting.

it’s the same old stuff religious apologists have been croaking out since the days of Bertrand Russell — namely that because science is inadequate to explain the mysteries of existence, faith must be necessary. Life would be meaningless without religion, therefore we must have religion.

I actually heard him on ESPN talking to Bill Simmons earlier in the week, and he's a pretty interesting guy. I disagree with a number of his arguments, but still found them to be worth considering. I may try and respond later, but I still have seven chapters of Acts and about half of Hebrews to study before hockey.

I will give you an argument about logical arguments as a form of evangelism written by David Kinnaman in a book I'm reading right now, which I highly recommend.

Most people, by personality, are not logical thinkers and are not likely to change their beliefs because of elegant argumentation or apologetics. Of course, some outsiders are wired this way, and thoughtful responses are particularly important for articulating Christianity's remarkable ability to address all aspects of life. Culture is shaped by ideas and worldviews, so do not underestimate the proper role of good thinking, logic, and intellectual engagement. However, most people do not become Christians because of the overwhelming evidence.

I'll try and expand this later

Benji

So I think benji is explaining to me how bobby jindal is going to save the republican party. I'm listening to hockey on my earphones and have no idea what he's saying, but he's still talking.

Eric Staal just scored. 4-1.

Jussi Jokinen is my homeboy.


EDIT: Tripp Tracy just said that Tim Thomas has been left on a castaway island. I'm glad I finally got a feed of John and Tripp instead of roll-on deodorant Pierre McGuire. Oh, how I've missed them.

Divisiveness

I read a hockey message board. It's a nice break from studying, besides facebook, youtube, and wikipedia (Don't worry, mom, I think my test this morning went really well).
The Hurricanes have some siren thing that they get some kind of celebrity to sound before each game. Tonight, it will be Sid Lowe, NC State's Basketball Coach. This was someone's response:

Couldn't we find someone less divisive locally? Maybe John McCain, Sarah Palin, Barack Obama, Barney Frank, Rush Limbaugh, Governor Sleazely, Ahmadinejad, etc, rather than making us choose sides among ACC coaches?

I'd go ahead and add Dick and Hitler to that list.

The only problem with this one is that I anticipate the Carolina fans liking him more than State fans because he keeps State sucking. Think Al Groh.

After The Goldrush

Well, I dreamed I saw the knights
In armor coming,
Saying something about a queen.
There were peasants singing and
Drummers drumming
And the archer split the tree.
There was a fanfare blowing
To the sun
That was floating on the breeze.
Look at Mother Nature on the run
In the nineteen seventies.
Look at Mother Nature on the run
In the nineteen seventies.

I was lying in a burned out basement
With the full moon in my eyes.
I was hoping for replacement
When the sun burst thru the sky.
There was a band playing in my head
And I felt like getting high.
I was thinking about what a
Friend had said
I was hoping it was a lie.
Thinking about what a
Friend had said
I was hoping it was a lie.

Well, I dreamed I saw the silver
Space ships flying
In the yellow haze of the sun,
There were children crying
And colors flying
All around the chosen ones.
All in a dream, all in a dream
The loading had begun.
They were flying Mother Nature's
Silver seed to a new home in the sun.
Flying Mother Nature's
Silver seed to a new home.

-Neil Young, 1970

"Economics...

...is a tool to shape the kind of society we want to live in. It's not a straight jacket"

Prof. Nick Tideman

I've really come to this view lately, but my Public Finance professor articulated it extremely well. I think Americans and especially the GOP would do quite well to come around to this way of thinking as well, rather than constantly pushing growth at all costs. Wealth is certainly desirable, but so are a lot of other things. When we are Richer, we have more freedom, more power, and more opportunities, all things that are excellent if used responsibly. However, If we are not making money ethically or as a society boxing people out of productivity, then we might want to take a second look at that action. Does that make me a Marxist? Hell if I know. I don't really care that much. More Americans have heard of him than Smith and Keynes combined.