The McCain Surprise

Here is a gut/fear/strategy that I am going to predict about the upcoming election. McCain will dump Palin (or she'll quit or whatever) and choose Huckabee or Romney at the last minute. And, I am thinking this has been planned all along. The Republicans will be so thrilled that there will be a massive and collective sigh as they hope for McCain's entrance into the White House.

Just you wait.

A Tribute: Paul Newman

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

In light of the recent economic woes, I offer this brief break. Here is Jason Castro (remember him from American Idol?). This is the studio version of the song he sang during the show.




This is the shorter version you may remember from American Idol.

Your Urgent Help Needed

Dear American:

I need to ask you to support an urgent secret business relationship with a transfer of funds of great magnitude.

I am Ministry of the Treasury of the Republic of America. My country has had crisis that has caused the need for large transfer of funds of 800 billion dollars US. If you would assist me in this transfer, it would be most profitable to you.

I am working with Mr. Phil Gram, lobbyist for UBS, who will be my replacement as Ministry of the Treasury in January. As a Senator, you may know him as the leader of the American banking deregulation movement in the 1990s. This transactin is 100% safe.

This is a matter of great urgency. We need a blank check. We need the funds as quickly as possible. We cannot directly transfer these funds in the names of our close friends because we are constantly under surveillance. My family lawyer advised me that I should look for a reliable and trustworthy person who will act as a next of kin so the funds can be transferred.

Please reply with all of your bank account, IRA and college fund account numbers and those of your children and grandchildren to wallstreetbailout@treasury.gov so that we may transfer your commission for this transaction. After I receive that information, I will respond with
detailed information about safeguards that will be used to protect the funds.

Yours Faithfully Minister of Treasury Paulson

***
Priceless humor from Angry Bear and a h/t to Daily Dish

Hunting for Sermon Material

I am working on a sermon for this coming Sunday based on the lectionary readings of Philippians 2:1-13 and Matthew 21:23-32. The first reading from Philippians is a passage about having the attitude of Christ in our treatment of one another. The second reading contains a parable about two sons, one who did what he said he wouldn't do and the other who didn't do what he said he would. As I am trying to get my head and heart about these passages, I have jotted down some initial notes and reactions. This is what I have so far:

Having the proper attitude can be interpreted differently depending on who you ask and who is doing what needs to be done. Take Matthew’s text for example, there tax collectors and prostitutes acted more holy than the venerated priests and elders of the synagogues. Having the proper attitude also implies (according to Jesus) that the attitudes will motivate proper behavior. What particular attitudes accomplish this feat?

What are some ways we can be Christ-like? Can this be subjective?

What are some ways that are definitely NOT Christ-like?

Find some examples of ne’er-do-wells who did good things to the consternation of what others may have expected.

* * * *

So, I decided to Google the word 'ne'er do well' and see what I came up with. I found this gem on Urban Dictionary.com that made me laugh out loud. Mind you, it's very offensive and contains vulgarity. I doubt that'll worry anyone who reads this blog but in the event you can't even look at vulgarity, then don't follow the link there. However, if you don't care, maybe it'll be funny to you.

Anyways, so I have lots to think about this week and will begin writing my draft on Thursday. This is how I usually prepare for my sermons: I draft a sermon and lectionary prep 3-months in advance that selects the Scriptures for the particular Sunday. I then come up with a working sermon theme, and then, the week before the sermon is due, I begin to let the sermon ideas formulate and froth in my head. I am at the frothing stage now.

A Critique of the Madness

Here's a good post over on the Bilerico Project about the mass hysteria of our financial crisis on Wall Street.

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson has put forward a proposition to bail out the finance industry with a price tag at $700 billion.

The plan comes with near-dictatorial power granted to the executive branch, with a huge raid on the treasury with no means of paying for it, with a petulant demand of "Now, now, now!" coming from the Bush Administration, and with no plans for oversight (this time, actually, there's a specific ban on oversight written into the bill).

No plan for an end game, an endless blank check for private companies who have well-placed friends, and more power for the executive branch, all sold by typical Republican hysterics that the sky will fall if their bill isn't passed immediately... what does that remind us of? To me, it sounds a whole lot like the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF), the bill that authorized the Iraq War. (read more)

Republican Re-Orientation

Here's a cheeky flash-card skit:



h/t Bilerico Project

Today Is My Birthday

So yeah, today I am 43 years old. I've not done anything today but lay around watching tv, napping, playing on the Xbox and surfing the web. Not doing anything on my birthday is such a treat.

While surfing on the net just now, I discovered something else cool about September 19. Today is International Talk like a Pirate Day. Here is a joke I just read about today:

Q. What is a pirate's favorite kind of music?

A. "Arrrrr and B."

Hilarious SNL Skit

Perhaps you've seen this already but in the event you haven't, here is last week's SNL skit featuring a dialogue between Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton.



h/t to Towleroad

Christian Musician Comes Out

Wow, who'd've thunk it? Ray Boltz is gay.

I just love this song.

The Scary Palin Interview

...in case you missed it. Follow the link for videos and transcripts.

http://shakespearessister.blogspot.com/2008/09/sarah-palin-speaks.html

This is kinda painful to watch...

...it's the Backstreet Boys meets Jerry Falwell sorta thing. And, it's also kinda funny too. ;)



h/t to Religion in American History

A Town Called Dobson

I've started reading a new online comic as passed along through the Bilerico Project that I find hilarious. This is today's comic.

(You can click the picture to see a larger version of it.)

Go here to see other ones.

The Show that Changed my Life

This past Sunday, the long-running Broadway musical Rent, ended its 12-year, 5,124 performances, run. Of all the shows I've seen on Broadway, this was by far my favorite. The show has been rumored to be closing for quite some time...and each time, as the last show was scheduled, there was an extension. During one of its supposed closings, I wrote a post* about why I love the show so much. The love I have had for that show hasn't changed much and I still listen to the cast album on my iPod or watch the movie, that was made a few years ago about it.

Here is a song from the show. I hope you enjoy it.

(*Update: I forgot to include the link to my previous post although I had intended to do so but forgot to.)