Two brothers joining forces to practice the three R's of blogging: Ranting, Raving, and Reviewing about anything that catches their eye or gets their goat.
Another offer that sounds too good to be true? Not exactly, the new Microsoft Live Search cash initiative isn’t much different than a credit card the offers reward points for usage.
Nearly every single credit card has some type of “reward” program. Whether it be points for air travel, points towards gifts you can select from their catalog, or good old cash back just for using the card to make a purchase. Microsoft’s Live Search cash back program is basically the same. Sign up for an account with Microsoft, use Live Search to find products, and purchase an item tagged with the cash back icon. A percentage of the purchase goes into your account and once your account crosses the $5 minimum threshold, you can cash out. For complete details visit the Microsoft Live Search site.
A few months ago, I came across the band Superchic[k]. Expecting to hear just another cookie cutter Christian band attempting to sound unique, I was surprised to find a group with a different sound altogether.
Most rock bands that get labeled as “Christian” bands seem to spend their entire startup investment on the artwork for their first CD. They put together some tough group pose in an alley or other harsh environment to give themselves that “we’re bad” image. Then, when you pop in the CD, the only thing bad is the music. However, Superchic[k] brings the whole package to the table along with a positive message that both believers and non-believers can appreciate.
Their most recent CD “Beauty from Pain” promotes the message of inner strength. With songs like “One Girl Revolution”, which was featured in the movie Legally Blonde and “Anthem” selected as the theme song for MTV’s Real World/Real Rules Challenge: The Gauntlet 2 the lyrics deliver a message of being your own person and not following the crowd.
Superchic[k]’s style is all over the map with hard hitting rock to soft ballads. I recently told a close friend that Superchic[k] was a mix of Evanescence, No Doubt, and Avril Lavigne. There is definitely something for everyone, but don’t get hung up on their being tagged a Christian rock band. While some may criticize that not a single song on this CD has the word “Jesus” in it, the lyrics still speak to the soul. To those critics, I say that passing out music CD’s to your non-believer friends isn’t going to get them saved. Nothing will ever replace one-on-one personal evangelism.
Never fear…I’m not going to try my hand at preaching an Easter sermon. However, just last week I spoke about the need to get the message of Jesus to your Youth. Well, here’s some of those teens who got the message and are now helping to spread it to their peers.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE watch the video to the end. You will definitely be cheering in the last few moments. This is how Christian drama should be done. If this video speaks to you, please leave a comment and pass the video on to others. HAPPY EASTER!
I don’t have a problem admitting that it’s been 3 decades since I was in high school, but I do have difficulty in fully understanding the issues and pressures that teenagers today face. To be honest, I haven’t given their struggle much thought until we opened our home this past school year to a foreign exchange student, which means getting involved in the business of high school. Now, these teen issues have moved to the forefront of my consciousness and I find myself consumed with thinking of the welfare of my nieces, nephews and friends in this age group.
I’m sure there’s a better analysis than mine, but it appears that there’s this constant push to satisfy the physical desires of the body in hopes that it will fill an even greater void in one’s spiritual being. Teens have always experimented with sex and drugs, but where it once was something done with an element of secrecy it’s now being done in plain view and in group settings with no concern for the consequences. Got pregnant? No problem. Just make a quick visit to the local abortion clinic and have it removed like a rotten tooth then go back out clubbing with your friends like nothing happened. As for AIDS, STD, and HPV there is more public information on these diseases than ever before yet again caution is thrown to the wind and our young people roll the dice with every encounter.
“Cutting” is another physical act that just floors me. Why would anyone want to mutilate their own body by slicing their skin with a razor? The final extreme is suicide when all of the above fail to bring any real fulfilling happiness and a sense of worth. The Center for Disease Control reported last year that the suicide rate in the 10-24 year old age group is up 8%, which is the largest single year increase in over 15 years. As young as 10 years? If this cry for help doesn’t get our attention then I don’t know what will.
Our young people are searching for unconditional love, acceptance and a sense of purpose for their lives. The answer won’t be found in a fleeting physical relationship, drugs, alcohol or self-execution. The answer can only be found in Jesus Christ! That’s right…Jesus.
I’m not talking about doing the Sunday Christian zombie thing where you file into the sanctuary; sing a few choruses; drop a few bucks in the offering plate; listen to a mail-order sermon; and then drive like a maniac to beat the Baptists to the buffet restaurant where you gossip about how bad the choir sounded. No, I’m talking about a sincere personal relationship with the Son of God.
While I hope I didn’t describe your place of worship, I have a feeling that most of us can relate to my description of church in America, and it’s this stereotype that has our teens heading in the opposite direction. So, how do I get my teen to experience the love of Jesus against such odds? Well, one option is to attend an Acquire The Fire event.
Acquire the Fire is a weekend-filled ministry of outstanding Christian bands with styles to please everyone’s musical palette, and music seems to be the one medium that teens respond well to. There are outstanding speakers and drama to minister the Gospel in a way that captivates the listener and counselors to talk one-on-one with them.
Acquire the Fire will make 30 tour stops across the US this year with 3 new venues added in Winston-Salem, NC, Dallas, TX, and the Greater New York City area. For our readers who live in Winston-Salem and the Triad, Acquire the Fire will be at the LJVM Coliseum on March 28 and 29.
Acquire the Fire isn’t a substitute for talking with your teen, but it could help initiate a dialogue about Jesus that’s been long overdue.
Around this time last year I blogged a couple of times about the infamous Sanjaya from American Idol season 6. How someone so inept at singing made it so far in a “singing competition” (as Simon insists on calling it) baffled countless viewers. I claimed the voting was fixed, while others gave credit to VFTW and Howard Stern for Sanjaya’s success. Whatever kept Sanjaya on the show no longer matters. He had his 15 minutes of fame, and now it’s over — at least until he appears on a special episode of True Hollywood Stories. So, if season 6 gave us Sanjaya, what does season 7 have in store for Idol viewers?
If you make the rules, then you can bend, break, and ignore them as you deem fit. While Idol claims it’s a “singing contest” it’s a television show first. Ratings are everything, and therefore the rules will always be adjusted in the name ratings.
Some rules are implied whether American Idol likes it or not
While Idol might not review the specifics of their rules “on-air”, the show does indirectly imply the existence of certain rules because it helps paint the picture of a “fair” competition. Here are a few examples to help explain what I mean:
Contestants are undiscovered amateurs: Idol likes to paint a picture of young talented singers toiling away their simple lives flipping burgers and waiting on tables. This impression is far from the truth. A couple of this year’s contestants aren’t new to “the biz.” Nevertheless, Idol prefers to focus on contestant’s humbler sides and conveniently leave out the details of previous successes.
All entries get their shot in front of the 3 judges during the city wide searches: Do the math. Idol has thousands of applicants turn out for the cattle call auditions. It’s impossible to see that many people in a period of 2 days per city. Some talented people are turned away in favor of freakish applicants because, remember, ratings are everything. Yes, it was funny in the first few season but now it’s just embarrassing.
The best singers will advance: This one is debunked in one word: Sanjaya. Face it folks, votes can be manipulated. There is nothing to stop anyone from voting numerous times for their favorite contestant. Large numbers of people can easily be united behind one contestant regardless of talent. Furthermore, who knows how Idol tallies the votes and if they actually count them all. Again, ratings drive everything.
Like it or not, American Idol is a television show looking for ratings and therefore the rules that guide the show are molded to help reach objective number one: increase ratings in order to charge top dollar for commercial spots.
Join the anti-American Idol movement and support VFTW
Idol walks a fine line with its loyal viewers, and for many of us the backlash has begun. If you find yourself disappointed by American Idol, or simply tired of it duping America into thinking it’s a fair contest, then join the anti-American Idol movement orchestrated by Vote for the Worst. These guys select the worst possible contestant available and then rally the troops to vote in force to help keep this person on the show for as long as possible. They have been credited for keeping season 6 oddity, Sanjaya, on the show. Hopefully, VFTW remains powerful and can push another Idol oddity far into the season, and maybe far enough to win it all (think Taylor Hicks, Ruben Studdard, and Fantasia Barrino — Idol winners today, Idol footnotes tomorrow).
How can you help bring Idol to its knees? First, stop watching — I have. Second, head over to VFTW and make sure you help vote this season’s favorite as far into the season as possible. Maybe then Idol will stop referring to itself as a singing competition and admit it’s really just a television show masquerading as a singing contest.
I never thought I’d want to watch a movie on a video capable iPod. With such a tiny screen, how could anyone actually enjoy watching a movie? Well, the day my kids got their video iPods, my opinion changed. That screen, that I thought was too small, wasn’t that bad. I actually could watch a movie on that device. But was there a way to put movies I already owned on my iPod without buying them a second time from the iTunes store? The answer, yes — and it can be done with free software.
Why purchase something you already just to get it in the format you want?
The obvious choice for putting movies on your iPod is to buy them at the iTunes music store, or from Amazon Unbox (nice to finally have an alternative to the iTunes store). If, however, you already own a movie on DVD, and want to watch it on your iPod during your morning commute to work or in some other place where you sit idle just killing time, then there is a free software solution that can help you out.
3 Part series explaining how to copy a DVD to your iPod is available at TechTraction
I wrote a complete 3 part article at my other blog, TechTraction, where I walk you through locating the necessary free software, installing and using that software, and then adding the newly copied movie to your iTune library. If you’ve ever wanted to put movies on your iPod but just didn’t know how, or you know someone in this situation, then take a look at these 3 articles at TechTraction.
Links to how to rip (a.k.a copy) a DVD to your iPod
DVD rentals — the television oasis during the writer’s strike
Topping the list, in my opinion, as entertainment alternatives during the strike has to be DVD rentals. And, I’m not talking about movie rentals but rather television series rentals. I’m sure everyone can think of a couple television series they wished they had watched while they were popular but didn’t. Now is the time to catch up on some of those great shows, and it might even change the way you watch television once you get started.
Over a year ago my wife and I decided to start watching Lost. We were a full season behind so in order to quickly catch up we rented the entire first season from NetFlix. Since watching that first season we’ve found a whole new way to watch television: commerical free and on our schedule. Since starting this trend, we’ve discovered some great television series that we never had time to watch when they were originally aired. Here’s a short list:
The West Wing: I never watched this series when it was on but heard it was a good show. Well we’re now into our third season of it and loving every episode. Also, it’s a pretty good pick for the whole family if your kids are teens.
24: What can I say? Jack Bauer is the new MacGyver. The show has an interesting format where each episode represents 60 real minutes. While the format is different, you do have to suspend reality during each episode because it’s hard to believe that much action can take place in 60 real minutes and that Jack’s daughter can be that insanely stupid. One final warning about 24: do not move from one season to the next without a break from the action. Too many seasons in a row and the show becomes very predictable and somewhat annoying.
Alias: From the makers of Lost the series weaves an elaborate plot centering around Sydney Bristo (Jennifer Gardner) and her life as a spy. The plot is different, entertaining, and action packed. I watch it with the whole family but must warn you that the torture scenes become more frequent as the seasons progress.
The Sopranos: Don’t have HBO? That doesn’t mean you have to miss some of their great series like The Sopranos. It’s a interesting series about mobsters in New Jersey. Not a show for everyone and definitely NOT a family show, but my wife and I have enjoyed each season and are finally starting part 2 of the final season. Can you believe I still don’t know how it ends?
It sounds like we watch a lot of television in my house but we really don’t. I work at home which affords me the luxury sit down with my wife and watch an episode with lunch. Do the math and that’s 5 episodes of some series a week. What used to take 5 weeks of viewing takes me 1. Also, once you remove the commercials a 60 minute show is 40 minutes and a 30 minute show is 20. If you’ve never watched a television series on DVD, you don’t know what you’re missing. Sure, you have to pay for something that is normally free, but for the cost of a single movie rental you get 4 to 6 episodes that you can watch on your schedule without commercials disrupting the flow of the show.
Writer’s strike, bad reality television, and few new shows getting aired — who cares? I’ve got plenty of television in my Netflix queue to keep me entertained for a very long time.
An Iowa Mother told her son there were only two rules about having his own car that he could never break:
Always lock the doors
And no alcohol in the car
Well, Mom meant exactly what she said because when she found some alcohol in the car, she took back the car and put it up for sale. And let me tell you, the ad she placed wasn’t the slightest bit shy about why the car was up for sale.
Car for sale in Iowa
“OLDS 1999 Intrigue, Totally uncool parents who obviously don’t love teenage son, selling his car. Only driven for 3 weeks before snoopy mom who needs to get a life found booze under front seat. $3,700/Offer. Call meanest mom on planet.”
You gotta love it. It’s one thing for the parents to enforce their rules, but these folks enforce the rules with flare. Kudos to them!
Some actually disagree with Iowa parents
I actually heard some parents say they thought these parents from Iowa went too far. I suspect those types of parents say things such as, “Follow these rules or else.” Someone breaks the rule, and these types of parents fail to ever follow through on the “or else” part of their statement.
I support these parents from Iowa completely! They made two rules that were very clear and very easy to follow, and when rules are broken there are consequences.
Their example sets new rule in my house
When I saw this story on CNN, I was quick to drag my kids into the room to see it for themselves. I told them we would implement similar rules when they started driving and the consequences for breaking the rules would be exactly the same: break the rules and I sell the car. Of course, that assumes I’m going to buy them a car.
When I took a road trip with my 6-year old daughter in June 2007, I became very concerned about what would happen if one or both of us were to become injured or separated during our trek. My daughter knows how to use a basic cell phone and dial 9-1-1, but could she provide the basic information to emergency personnel. While my driver’s license would probably give them quite a bit to start with in that scenario, what about a situation when we are on one of our bike rides around Salem Lake and I don’t bring my wallet along. That’s where a new product called Road ID comes to the rescue.
A recent public opinion poll from The Onion indicates that Presidential candidates could benefit greatly from piling on more useless information to boost their campaign. Despite being a satire, the clips isn’t far from the truth.
(nice to finally have an alternative to the iTunes store). If, however, you already own a movie on DVD, and want to watch it on your iPod during your morning commute to work or in some other place where you sit idle just killing time, then there is a free software solution that can help you out.
An Iowa Mother told her son there were only two rules about having his own car that he could never break: