Filed under: Music, Religion | Tags: Christianity, Happy Easter, He is Risen, Holidays
Matthew 28:1-10
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
video via @pgkstj
Filed under: Developing Nations, Environment, Freedom, Heartwarming, Sports | Tags: Ashol-Pan and Her Eagle, Hunting With Golden Eagles, Mongolian Kazakhs
Here is a remarkable look at a thirteen-year-old Mongolian girl hunting with a golden eagle, from the BBC. Beautiful photography, beautiful young Mongolian girl, and a glimpse of her school, and the beauty of Mongolia. Enjoy.
Filed under: Entertainment, Environment, Global Warming, History, Humor, Junk Science, Movies, Science/Technology | Tags: A Second Chance?, Environmentalism as Religion, The Culture Wars
I have not seen Noah, nor do I intend to. Saw the trailers, and Noah as an environmentalist and vegetarian with really bad dialogue left me thinking there were better ways to spend my time.
This summary of, um, “creative interpretation or heretical imagination” — or Noah’s top five environmental intrusions into the biblical textual account convinced me that, much as I like Russell Crowe, I would pass on this one.
The environmental notions of the movie show the extent of the culture wars.
- Man’s primary sin is that of destroying the environment.
- God prefers animals to humans.
- Man is an unwelcome intrusion on the environment.
- Taking dominion over the earth means ravaging it.
- Man’s task is to reduce his environmental footprint.
The explanations of each theme are here. The author says:
Aronofsky himself sees the movie as an environmentalist sermon of sorts, with anthropogenic global warming as our latest evil to combat. “The water is rising, and we already saw it once,” he commented to CNN on the supposed climate effects predicted by the United Nations. “We are living the second chance that was given to Noah.”
Sounds like a religion to me. The culture wars are getting exceedingly strange.
Filed under: Domestic Policy, Environment, Art, Intelligence | Tags: Henri - Paw de Deux, Charmless Companions, A Day Like All Days
Filed under: Entertainment, Freedom, Heartwarming, History, Humor, Music | Tags: Celtic Music, St. Patrick's Day, The Clancy Brothers
And this new little fellow certainly qualifies. (click to enlarge)
Filed under: Entertainment, Movies, Music, News of the Weird, Television | Tags: Celebrating Themselves, The Oscars, The Pretty People
I am not watching the Oscars. I am only grateful that it marks the end of the seemingly endless exercise of the glitterati congratulating themselves for the remarkable wonderfulness of their contributions to the world’s culture. Oscars and Emmys and endless awards, borrowed dresses and borrowed jewelery and borrowed makeup. I don’t care who wins what. I don’t care who wears what. I am not interested. There are more important things going on in the world. And it may be astonishing, but there are way more important people, more important ideas and more important events.
Filed under: Domestic Policy, Entertainment, Pop Culture, Religion, Sports, Television | Tags: Seattle Seahawks, The Super Bowl
Had an appointment at the hospital yesterday, and it was fun to see all the receptionists in Seahawk tee shirts. There were some women, who clearly were not former cheerleaders, who seemed to be wearing extraordinarily large lime-green pompoms on their heads, and wearing a strange variety of homemade costumes. The grocery store was wall-to-wall appetizers, and beer of course.
Go Hawks!
43-8 !
Filed under: Democrat Corruption, Freedom, Humor, Politics, Pop Culture, Progressivism, Statism, Terrorism | Tags: Government Series II Les Paul, Mockery Is The Best Weapon, The Gibson Guitar Raid
The Gibson guitar company in Nashville Tennessee was raided by the Feds in February 2012, with a SWAT-team who shut the whole company down, allegedly for possessing illegally imported wood. I wrote about it at the time because it was so absurd. A federal agency flexing its muscles — because they could. The agency experienced no restraint from the executive, who made it clear that war on the right was the mode of the day.
They confiscated stocks of tonewoods from the factory on dubious grounds, and Gibson eventually settled for a $300,000 fine, a “community service” payment of $50,000 to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (?), not to mention lost business from being shut down, and legal fees. Do read the article on the settlement to see just how absurd the federal actions were. Gangster government indeed.
This is another reason why the economy has not recovered. Business does not know what the federal government might do next. What new regulations? Every agency seems to have their own SWAT team. Who is next, and on what grounds? Uncertainty.
The Feds have returned their wood, the case is resolved, and Gibson is celebrating the end of the investigation with the introduction of a striking new guitar: The Government Series II Les Paul.
From its solid mahogany body with modern weight relief for enhance resonance and playing comfort, to its carved maple top, the Government Series II Les Paul follows the tradition of the great Les Paul Standards—but also makes a superb statement with its unique appointments. A distinctive vintage-gloss Government Tan finish, complemented by black-chrome hardware and black plastics and trim, is topped by a pickguard that’s hot-stamped in gold with the Government Series graphic—a bald eagle hoisting a Gibson guitar neck. Each Government Series II Les Paul also includes a genuine piece of Gibson USA history in its solid rosewood fingerboard, which is made from wood returned to Gibson by the US government after the resolution.
I love the “distinctive vintage-gloss Government Tan finish.” A nice drab bureaucratic style. (click to enlarge)
Filed under: Art, Environment, Freedom | Tags: Busy Bees, Spring Will Be Coming, The Beauty of Pollination
What could be sexier than pollination? With the weather freezing in much of the country, our weather here in the Puget Sound area is mild, but nippy (in the high 40°s) and it’s been foggy for days. Still, a nice pollination video is just what the doctor ordered. Reposted from last year.
