Size Isn't Everything

Today's blog entry will be about the best Bee Gees album almost no one has ever heard about. I know, admitting I like a Bee Gees album is really dangerous in some quarters, even the the album here was not a disco album in the least. In fact, Size Isn't Everything was released in 1993, during the height of the "grunge" era, halfway between the Bee Gees' two successful "comeback" albums: 1989's "One" and 1997's "Still Waters. Yet somehow, this album did not do well. The album had two singles, the #88 "hit" "Paying The Price Of Love" and the excellent, should have been a big hit "For Whom The Bell Tolls," which failed to chart. I first became aware of this album during my sophomore year of college, when my roommate had me listen to some of the tracks from this album. I was very impressed (which is not easy), and the album is now a mainstay in my car cd changer. This album appears to be the kind of album that was intentionally crafted to be great, but obscure. At least it seems that way. Since the album, at 11 songs, is a little too long to analyze in great depth, I will choose three songs, of varying tempos (all of the songs on the album are about romantic love, usually the downside of it). In doing so, a lot will probably be revealed about me (perhaps too much). But anyway, here goes.

"Kiss Of Life"

Lyrics:

Never more aware of what you do.
I've got you leavin' me and missing you.
And me believing that you've never done right
When you've never done wrong.

You've been comin' to me late at night.
It's not the eye alone that gives you sight.
I've never given anybody my soul,
But I'm comin' undone.

I'm a survivor but I'm reaching my low,
But I'm not ready to die.

I'm here for the kiss of life.
I'm here for the kiss of life.
Just give me the kiss of life.

Watch them hold you.
Count their faces,
A never ending line.
But they're only imitations
Existing out of time.

So now you're telling me it's just a ring.
You say it's nothing but it's everything.
I'm under pressure and I'm under
Your gun and I'm fingers and thumbs.

You got the questions and the answers I know.
I'm being buried alive.

I'm here for the kiss of life.
I'm here for the kiss of life.
Just give me the kiss of life.

I can't stay here,
Lost without you.
We're strangers in the dark.
Holy angel,
Living for you,
To love and never cry.

I'm a survivor but I'm reaching my low,
But I'm not ready to die.

I'm here for the kiss of life.
I'm here for the kiss of life.
Just give me the kiss of life.

Analysis:

This is a really upbeat song, despite the rather depressing lyrics. This is a catchy song, and one of the standout tracks on this excellent album. This particular song deals with the fallout from a relationship. When things are going badly, all one wants is the kiss of life, even if one never gets it. Here we see a relationship (a marriage, presumably) falling apart with cheating and arguing, and yet there is the desire to make things right, a desire that will probably be frustrated. For some reason I like songs with depressing lyrics and upbeat, bouncy music, as weird and contradictory as that may be. This song definitely fits the bill.

"Omega Man"

Lyrics:

We set the same scene,
Circumstances different than they
Might have been.
People in two places can be
Pulled into a scheme;
Never what you're fighting for.

Life alone,
Lose a lover's arms.
Never makes it easy when you try too hard.
I wish you would define what you feel--
Hard on or letting go.

I'm the Omega Man,
Stand tall and understand.
Everybody needs a plan.
Mine is a better way.
There'll be trouble in the world:
Sex and the single girl.
I'm an over-eager man.
Find me a better way.
Find me a better way.

We share the same pain.
Underneath the covers I will set you free.
I will prove to you my love is
Older than the sky,
Stronger than the night is long.

Lord of hearts,
Leader of us all.
Let it be together if we rise or fall.
Or is it just my imigaination,
Or the light of a precious stone.
(You'll never be alone).

I'm the Omega Man,
I travel over land.
Everybody needs a plan.
Mine is a better way.
There'll be trouble in the world:
Sex and the single girl.
I'm an over eager man.
Find me a better way.
Find me a better way.

Here at the scene of the crime,
Laid in your arms I will die.
I know it's more than infatuation
That's keeping this man alive.

I'm the Omega Man,
Stand tall and understand.
Everybody needs a plan,
Mine is a better way.
There'll be trouble in the world:
Sex and the single girl.
I'm an over-eager man.
Find me a better way.
Find me a better way.

Analysis:

I can't say too much about the lyrics of this song about incriminating myself. The song is uproariously funny, sung tongue and cheek and all. This is good, considering the song itself has a lot of things to say about the dating world (see previous rant on dating in the church). Omega Man, of course, refers to being the "last man," for those who do not know the Greek alphabet, and this song certainly comments on the difficulties of romantic love. I happen to find a lot of the lyrics of this song hit a little close to home (such as "I wish you would define how you feel", and so forth). Some of the lyrics of the song (probably the ones people would focus on the most) don't apply to me or anything I've done (yet), which is a good thing, I guess. *Shrugs*.

"For Whom The Bell Tolls"

I stumble in the night,
Never really knew what it would've been like.
You're no longer there to
Break my fall.
The heartache over you,
I gave it everything but I couldn't get through.
I never saw the signs.
You're the last to know when love is blind.

All the tears and the turbulent years
When I would not wait for no one.
I didn't stop, take a look at my life,
And see me losing you.

When the lonely heart breaks,
It's the one that forsakes,
It's the dream that we stole.
And I'm using you more,
And the fire that will roar,
There's a hole in my soul.
For you it's goodbye,
And for me it's to cry
For whom the bell tolls.

Seen you in a magagine,
A picture at a party
Where you shouldn't have been,
Hangin' on the arms of someone else.
I'm still in love with you,
Won't you come back to your little boy blue.
I've come to feel inside
This precious love was never mine.
Now I know but a little too late
That I could not live without you.
In the dark or the broad daylight,
I promise I'll be there.

When the lonely heart breaks,
It's the one that forsakes,
It's the dream that we stole.
And I'm using you more,
And the fire that will roar,
There's a hole in my soul.
For you it's goodbye,
And for me it's to cry
For whom the bell tolls.

I never knew there'd be times like this,
When I couldn't reach out to no one.
Am I never gonna find someone
That knows me like you do.
Are you leaving me a helpless hcild
When it took so long to save me.
Fight the devil and the deep blue sea--
I'll follow anywhere,
I promise I'll be there.

Analysis:

This is one of the saddest songs ever. Not sad in that sappy "My Heart Will Go On" way, but said in that "this song is really depressing but I've totally felt that way before" way. This song reminds me of the situation where you have a great friend who you could have had a great relationship with, but you completely blew it and then afterwards you realize what a moron you were. Man, I hate that feeling. But it's a great song, and it should have been a smash hit.

I've Looked At Clouds From Both Sides Now...

Alright, I've wanted to write about an album I really enjoy, but I've been too tired, and the entry will be way too long. That will have to wait for later, hopefully. But anyway, I figured it would be topical to talk about hurricanes--not rant exactly, for though I could, I don't think there's much point in that. Many others have suffered from hurricanes far worse than I have. I will also try to avoid talking about the horrible after effects of Katrina, though if I feel brave enough to incur the wrath of some very well-armed people of New Orleans who have already opened fire on their rescuers, I will comment at a later time on why New Orleans should not be rebuilt. Nor will I write about the hurricane de jour, a recently intensified beauty (if hurricanes can be beautiful, a dangerous philosophical question) hovering off the coast of eastern Florida, a little too close for comfort. So, what will I talk about exactly?

When I was a child, I enjoyed hurricanes. Maybe I have always been a perverse sort of human being (not necessarily in the immoral way, just in the stubborn and contrarian way), but as a child I greatly enjoyed hurricanes. My signature to this day (originating in early childhood) contains a little squiggle below my name that represents the vertical profile of a hurricane or a huge tornado. I don't know what exactly what that means, but whatever it is, it's probably not good. As a child I enjoyed storms and hurricanes for all the right (?) reasons. I built up my grandfather's driveway with little levees to collect pools of water. I jumped off of ladders using umbrellas as parachutes. I used rocks to block the path of running water and create rockfill dams. During the "hurricane" day off from class due to Andrew in 1992 I played football in the rain (though passing was a bit difficult in the brisk conditions). As a child, I remember walking through the rains from Elena on the way to services in St. Petersburg. I must have been five years old. Some of my earliest and most enduring memories are about storms (I'm not alone in this. I hear it runs in the family). Even as a teenager, hurricanes didn't particularly worry me, for the most part.

Something changed, though. I missed the hurricane seasons of 1999-2003 while I was in college. By the time ABC (Ambassador Bible Center, for those who don't know) finished in 2004, I had not been faced with any hurricanes since Georges flew quickly by during my senior year of high school. Was I in for a rude awakening. Hurricanes may have been fun before, but they're no fun when one is a responsible (?) adult. Hurricanes may be beautiful, but they are truly works of frightful symmetry. More so than other natural disasters they carry with them dread and worry for days before they arrive, if they arrive at all. They are immense and powerful, but yet they have no steering. Some of them are strong and small, and pass one by at the last minute. Somtimes they dance around off the coast. Sometimes they stop and abruptly change direction, sparing millions of grateful souls. And sometimes they strengthen, grow to gargantuan size, and plow right through your home. Some years are good years, some are bad. There is no way of knowing. They are purposeful and yet emblematic of the chancy nature of life at the same time. They are the microcosm of human uncertainty, random chance, and irrevocable judgment at the same time. Few types of natural disasters combine the insane level of destructiveness of the hurricane with the sort of dread warning that they provide, allowing one to imagine the worst long before the storm hits ashore, occasionally fulfilling every dark nightmare.

Whether one considers storms to be agents of God's fury or natural disasters that occur based on either cyclical or global warming-influenced frequencies, they are powerful forces. The forces of wind and rain and storm surge that they inflict upon coastal areas, and even far inland, are truly a sight to behold. I've looked at clouds from both sides now, and though I can't say I understand them, I do recognize that such things cannot be taken for granted. Living in territory in risk, one has to be prepared, not just physically, but mentally, emotionally, and even spiritually. It just takes a long time to get to that point.

Traffic Rant, Part Two

Okay, this is part two of my traffic rant, and this will hopefully be shorter than the other part of my previous rant on driving around in Tampa. Alas, stupid drivers is not one of my complaints, because there is nothing traffic engineers can do about it. Ditto for drivers who break down or get into accidents in front of me while I'm in the fast lane trying to get to work/lunch/home. No, these complaints can only be something that something can actually be done about. The next two problems are somewhat related. They are traffic flow and connectivity, and it is time to turn to them.

Traffic Flow:

Traffic flow is somewhat related to connectivity, but since connectivity is a little easier to describe (at least how it's lacking in Tampa), we will begin with traffic flow. Traffic flow can be expressed as the ease of travel between one part of town and another--both in speed as well as the avoidance of stops, starts, detours, etc. Ideally, freeways should be better at promoting traffic flow than surface streets, though surface streets can be made to conform to good traffic flow as well. Since both of these are separate issues with separate problems, the traffic flow of both freeways (i.e. limited access highways) and surface streets should be discussed differently.

The traffic flow on the freeways in Tampa are pretty bad, especially considering that Tampa is not exactly the largest city in the world. In fact, it's the third largest city in the state. The Tampa-St. Pete metro area is the second largest in the state, after Miami-Ft. Lauderdale. That said, the metro area extends over three counties, some of which (Pinellas) have worse traffic problems than Tampa, and some of which (Pasco) don't have many people, but still have traffic problems due to the paucity of through roads. Construction, poor traffic planning, and poor connectivity (see below) as well as the lack of an east-west freeway north of I-4, have made travel less than pleasant. It's too late now to do more than cosmetic repairs, as the area has grown well beyond the transportation planning abilities of West Central Florida.

The surface streets are worse. The red-lights are poorly timed in many areas of Tampa Bay, leading to many delays trying to get anywhere. Some areas of town have reasonably well timed lights, but the system is dependent on timing, which means that the buisier the road, the worse the light system works, which means that the traffic flow is hampered where it is the most critical. For this reason, one needs to avoid the busier surface streets, as well as most of the backstreets (though they are useful to avoid lights if you know the right ones). I have a coworker who has a shift that starts at 7AM so he can avoid the worst of the traffic (though that's not always good enough). Traffic here isn't LA bad or even Atlanta bad, but it's still bad.

Connectivity:

Remember my rant about the river and 275 blocking off traffic? Where it hurts the most is when it comes to connectivity. Tampa has a really werid way of handling roads. There are often multiple iterations of a single road that are not continuous with each other, especially on east-west streets and numerical north-south streets. For example, North Blvd is an important street near downtown Tampa, then breaks off at the river, and another North Blvd starts north of the river and goes all the way to Bearass. Another example: Limbaugh Avenue breaks off after Dale Mabry (going eastbound) but there are a few other Limbaugh Avenues sprinkled throughout. The same is true for 50th Street, 46th Street, 30th Street, 22nd Street, 15th Street, Sligh Avenue, Hanna, and a host of smaller, less important roads. To make a long story short, you can't get there from here, and if you can, it's going to be a hassle. In addition, the lack of middle turning lanes for most streets makes the fast lane the "loser lane" many times, while the slow lane is still slow. This leads to frequent lane changes and increased danger while driving. The truth is, though, is that it doesn't have to be this way. If only there were some more through roads, and some better traffic management systems, the snarl that is Tampa traffic could be better managed. Is it ever going to be good? No, but that's the price of living where other people want to live too.

Calling Traffic Planners in Tampa

Okay, normally I don't use this bully pulpit of mine to comment on mundane affairs such as the traffic of my city, but it is past due. Today's blog entry will be about the pitiful state of traffic design in Tampa. This is not meant as a personal insult to anyone (as I assume most of the people responsible for the problem are dead, or the actions are past the statute of limitations period). That said, there are some major traffic issues in Tampa that need addressing, and that do not appear to be a high priority in my city. For those who want to read an amusing rant, go right ahead. If you're fellow residents of Tampa or a city that behaves much like Tampa, all the better.

Tampa suffers from many problems involving traffic flow and control, and these merit serious examination. Obviously, my rant on traffic cannot be considered as a complete list of even the serious transportation problems in the city. One could add public transportation to the list, but I'm referring to this mainly as a driver of a vehicle. Public transportation, itself a nightmare, can be left for others to tell, but it is even more bothersome than private transit, and perhaps more insoluble of a problem. The main issues this blog will address are: connectivity, traffic flow, continuity. In many ways, these problems may intersect (sadly, unlike many of the roads in Tampa). However, each of them is worthy of discussion in their own right.

1. Connectivity

Tampa is, unbeknownst to most people, a river city. Tampa's river is the modest, humble, and not particularly wide Hillsborough River. One would think that bridging the river would be a breeze. However, there are few roads in Tampa that cross the river. To make matters more annoying, the Hillsborough River is not particularly straight. Instead, the river goes north for a few miles, curves east, and then curves north again. North of Tampa, it curves east again and then goes northeast into some forbidding Green Swamp, from whence it proceeds. The stairstep trip of the Hillsborough River tends to greatly inhibit travel from one part of the city to another. In addition, even mundane factors such as railroad crossings inhibit travel in Tampa (which is really annoying), as do Interstates (particularly I-275) and other limited-access roads. This connectivity means only a few roads are particularly useful from east to west and from north to south. It will be the purpose of this part of the rant to detail the few roads that are useful over a long distance, and detail their weaknesses.

North-South:

I-275: Let's see, it's crowded, it's facing construction problems, and it's really slow in rush hour traffic. Also, it seems to be a magnet for stupid drivers, though all of the other streets in Tampa have that problem, and it appears nothing can be done about that. The frequent amount of merges and exit only lanes make this a hazardous, and bothersome, through-route. On the plus side, there are no stoplights.

Suncoast Freeway/Veteran's Expressway: This one is strictly of use if you live in the part of Tampa Bay from Cheval and northwards. It's pretty useful, but somewhat expensive, and if you go at the wrong time you have to pay and wait. That's a bad combination. Nonetheless, when no one is on it, this is the best way to get from Northwest Hillsborough County and points beyond to Tampa.

Dale Mabry: Ugg, this road is a pain. It's always slow, even on Sundays, and has way too many red lights. Nonetheless, it is a really long and continuous road, so sometimes you have to bite the bullet and use it. It's not a very pleasant drive, forever. Warning: This road also passes Raymond James Stadium, where the Tampa Bay Bucs play.

Armenia: Well, this road ends a little south for my tastes (it doesn't reach Fletcher), but it is a relatively solid route for much of Tampa. It becomes a 2-lane road north of Sligh, though, and this makes the going somewhat slow.

Florida & Nebraska: These two roads are different, but are parallel roads on either side of 275, and are nearly identical in going through really sketchy red-light districts, with slow traffic, and really shady characters. These roads eventually merge in the far north of Tampa, but before they do they pass some of the most unfriendly territory in Tampa, and that's saying a lot.

40th Street: This is a nice street, and relatively fast. It is a major street south of Hillsborough, but it goes north all the way to Fowler, where it enters USF. Overall, this is a pretty good route, even if it doesn't go all the way into far North Tampa.

56 Street: This is a beautiful street, going from Fletcher almost as far you can go down West Florida (it becomes US 41 all the way to Naples). It's a bit slow at parts and at times, but it's an enjoyable drive, for the most part, and passes my old high school. It morphs into 50th Street, and comes very close to where I live. Don't get any ideas, buddy.

East-West:

Crosstown Expressway: Ugg, this road is slow and expensive. Nothing more needs to be said.

SR 60: Slow, but only marginally slower than the interstate. Plus, it goes right thorugh downtown.

I-4/I-275: See above comment: It's slow, drivers are stupid, and construction. Grrr....

Columbus: The bridge over the river is closed right now, and it's right underneath the I-275-I-4 junction. This route could be in serious trouble for a long time due to the constr

MLK: This road passes right by the stadium, and through lots of ghetto territory. It's somewhat slow, and has way too many buses and trucks. Plus, it doesn't go far enough west to take it beyond Dale Mabry.

Hillsborough: This road is to be avoided like the plague. It's super-slow, and way too crowded (the two are related).

Sligh: This road doesn't go all the way through to 40th, but it's a good route through most of the city.

Busch/Waters: Neither of these two is good enough on their own, but together they are forminable across Tampa, even if they are somewhat slow.

Fowler/Fletcher: Both of these are pretty good routes, I must admit. They're really far north, though.

Sadly, due to time constraints, the other two issues will have to wait until a further rant, hopefully tomorrow...

Dating In The Church....

I have always been amused (when I haven't been annoyed) by the issue of dating within the church. It is a frequent subject in sermon messages, which are almost invariably given by people in their mid-40's (or older) who have been married for more than twenty years, and who almost without exception married an AC sweetheart when the church was a lot bigger than it is. At least I have somewhat of a sense of humor about it; probably it's because I'm still young and there are at least some decent young women my age. Many of my older single friends (and there are a surprisingly large number of these) tend to be a little more bitter about the issue, and with good reason. The pickings are really slim. As one friend of mine wisely said of the singles population, "If you're over 40 and you've been married before, there's a reason why you're single. If you're over 40 and you've never been married before, there's a reason why you're single." Actually, once you get over 30, things get really desparate.

Why is this the case? There are really several issues at play here. One is the insistence (which is biblically supported, though woefully impractical) that people within the faith should marry others who are within the faith. This makes sense, for example, if you're a Catholic, and there are a billion of you. If you are an Orthodox Christian, or even most relatively large Protestant sects, it makes no great burden on your dating life. However, the same is not the case for the Church of God. Especially if you try to date within your organization, the pickings are extremely slim. While I don't know the young ladies (if there are any of dateable age) in the Living Church of God congregation in the area, there are not half a dozen single (and by this I mean not dating or engaged) young ladies in the entire Tampa Bay area in the church of God. I have two teenage cousins (both in WCG still but who disagree with the changes) who could be considered among that group, and obviously neither qualifies as dateable.

Even where there are young ladies and young man in roughly balanced amounts (which would facilitate dating) there are still other issues to consider. For example--compatability. As an intellectual, it is somewhat difficult for me to find young women who appreciate my personality, and are interested in the sort of subjects I am ("Hey dear, read any great books on Hermeneutics recently?"). Of course, I am not the only person with this difficulty. Both from my own personal experience, and that of my friends, I see that long-distance relationships are rather common in the Church of God community, largely because there are few better options.

This does not mean that long-distance dating is without its problems. Indeed, it is a rather difficult type of relationship, and places a lot of stress on the (mostly) young people who date this way, for lack of better options. Couples see each other infrequently, and hence must keep in touch online or through telephone or (perish the thought) through letters (that's so 18th century). What this means is that young people in the church of God face severe difficulties trying to prepare for marriage. Sadly, these are difficulties that the ministry (for all of their exhortations) seem unable or unwilling to deal with. It's all fine and dandy for people to preach that young adults should date within the church, but it needs to be a realistic and practical option, and there need to be ways of doing it effectively. Without practical steps and achieveable goals, all the exhortation in the world isn't going to amount to much. And if it's that difficult for young people, it's vastly more difficult for older singles, for whom the options are even fewer and less desirable (on both sides, from what I can gather).

What can be done about this? I don't know. Both officially and unofficially, the church tries to do what it can to throw young people together. ABC is not-so-affectionately known as the Ambassador Bridal Center, which was not the case for my class, certainly, at least not yet. Camps perform a valuable function for teenagers (too bad I've never been much into camping). There is the singles cruise (which I'm booked to go on), the Family weekend, and so forth, and the feast (a classic way people get together--if anyone has heard of a feast fling, something which I have not had myself). These, though, are merely short-term fixes (of a few days or so) that do not solve the greater problem. As far as the greater problem of attracting and retaining more young people to the church of God, and building healthy congregations that can allow for greater fellowship among age cohorts, this problem didn't happen overnight, and it's not going to be solved overnight. Oh well, in life there are few easy answers. Until and unless they are, I guess the rest of us just have to deal.

Machiavelli: Right Problem, Wrong Solution

It may seem unusual that I could see anything positive in the political ideals of Machiavelli, whose political ideals have been enormously influential though frequently denigrated. In the brief space provided here in my blog, though, I will look a bit at the life and works of Machiavelli, and then look at how he saw the right problem in his society (a problem, incidentally, that I see in the society I grew up in), but, lamentably, chose the wrong solution to. In doing so, perhaps the good readers of my blog (however many you are, I do not know) may learn something in the process.

Machiavelli was, in his life, a politician of some repute, an aristocrat with superficially convential tastes in politics and literature. Coming to power with the republic that overthrew the theocracy of Savronela, Machiavelli was a very powerful figure in Florence (the city of Dante) during the period between the two rules of the Medici family. During this time he was intimately involved with the affairs of state, as well as diplomacy between Florence and other Italian states. He also found the time to write a couple of plays, which I will discuss later, as well as the Discourses on Livy, which demostrate his commitment to republican (i.e. non-monarchial) rule. He, and the republicans of whom he was a member, lost power after a seige in which a Florentine border city was taken by forces of the Medici and their allies. Machiavelli then went into internal exile, and, unhappy with this loss of power no doubt, wrote his most famous work, dedicated it to the Medici ruler of Florence, and died shortly thereafter.

The works of Machiavelli that I have read translations of are: The Prince, The Discources of Livy, Clizia, and Mandrangola. The latter two are his two "original" plays. He also wrote an Italian translation of a Latin play, but I have not read that, or his poetry. His political works are pretty explicitly political works, and while the Discources demonstrate a commitment to republican government, the Prince indicates his greater commitment was to power, by any means possible. His political works show a great cleverness in disguising their purpose and in the end demonstrating a ruthless and cynical commitment to gaining and using power without concern for any sort of morality, conventional or otherwise. This same problem is present in his plays. Patriarchy suffers heavily in his plays, as the men in charge are shown as invariably foolish, greedy, interested in women way too young for them, vulnerable to flattery, and seeking to oppress the young men while seducing the young women. Women are shown to be wise and clever, religious figures are shown to be corrupt, servants are shown to be scheming and only superficially obedient (unless their masters are wise and clever), and young men are shown to be passionate, but in need of some seasoning. Conventional morality and religion are denigraded, and eventually the young man gets the young woman, the old man is thwarted (and often humiliated as well, sometimes quite graphically), and the wisdom of Machiavellian conduct is seen to be wiser than the wisdom of the old men in charge.

What, then, is right about Machiavelli? Essentially, Machiavelli was correct in seeing patriarchy as the main problem and source of corruption in society. The same could be said of other societies that place old men in charge of everything, and do not make them accountable to the people. Such people and societies could be named, but it would not be very polite to do so. (Whoever hears, let him understand.) Why is patriarchy bad? Well, it places people in charge because of birth or age, rather than merit. That is its first problem. By placing old fools in charge of wise young men, it represents a society that is, at its core, unjust and dangerous. Furthermore, these old fools are constantly abusing their power. They cheat on their wives, seek to seduce young women to be their mistresses, or occasionally wives (if they are widowers or old bachelors, or divorcees), and in general do not treat women with respect. But then again, they do not treat anyone with respect who is not a part of their patriarchal clique, which is precisely why such societies are invariably corrupt. With no accountability, the behavior of the elites can proceed without any sort of checks (on the human plane at least), and hence there is no justice. There is, instead, a hypocritical commitment to virtue on the face of it (largely to keep the regular people, especially the young men, down) while on the inside there is all sorts of wickedness and vice. Machiavelli correctly diagnosed the hypocrisy of patriachal socities, something which existed then and exists now.

However, Machiavelli, like many others, promoted the wrong solution. Machiavelli (much like the feminists in the sexual revolution) pointed to the yawning gap between the ideal that was preached by the corrupt elites and the reality of their behavior and stated that the reality should be the ideal of all. If the leadership is permitted to act corruptly, then everyone else should be as well. Let there, therefore, be a free-for all where everyone is corrupt and where everyone behaves only with his (or her) best interests in mind. This is the easy way, and hence it is no surprise that Machiavelli and many others were led astray by it.

The right solution to the problem of patriarchy is a more difficult one, and that is forcing all (especially the corrupt elites) to meet the higher standard of virtue, through accountability and the proper setting up from society where leaders are the servants rather than the lords of the people, and stewards of the common good, rather than seeking to subvert the common good for their propserity and wealth. However, such a solution demands that the people who are being wronged act in a virtuous manner as well, even as they put the pressure (through protest and revolt) on the powers that be to change their act as well. In other words, the oppressed of society seeking to create a more just society must restrain themselves from acts of revenge against those who have wronged them. This is a difficult task, but it is what God requires. It is lamentable that Machiavelli failed to advocate the correct solution to the problem of corrupt, hierarchial elites, but he cannot be blamed for his pointing out of the corruption of unaccountable hierarchial elites (whether they consider themselves kings, aristocrats, or merely apostles and pastors and such). No, Machiavelli had the right target, he was just using the wrong ammo.

Mock Mockers After That

Come let us mock at the great
That had such burdens on the mind
And toiled so hard and late
To leave some monument behind,
Nor thought of the levelling wind.

Come let us mock at the wise;
With all those calendars whereon
They fixed old aching eyes,
They never saw how seasons run,
And now but gape at the sun.

Come let us mock at the good
That fancied goodness might be gay,
And sick of solitude
Might proclaim a holiday:
Wind shrieked - and where are they?

Mock mockers after that
That would not lift a hand maybe
To help good, wise or great
To bar that foul storm out, for we
Traffic in mockery.

The preceeding was part of a poem ('Nineteen Hundred And Nineteen') by William Butler Yeats, and it is a worthy poem to reflect upon when one looks upon the issue of mockery and respect. Why is it that mocking is so popular? The wisest among us, I suppose, have the most to legitimately mock, but if they are wise they will refrain from using that privilege except when it is necessary. It is, after all, all too easy to mock the great, the wise, and the good, who set their standards high and act in ways that are difficult to fathom and understand for common humanity. It is interesting, then, that part of this poem appeared in an essay about one of my favorite plays by Shakespeare, Trolius and Cressida.

'Trollius and Cressida' is an interesting play, combining the elements of mockery (mocking, for example, the epic poetry of Homer's Illiad, as well as Chaucer's own 'Trolius and Cressida'), while also containing within it a genuine respect for the heroism of the characters themselves. Since respect and mockery come from contradictory grounds, and it is difficult to reconcile the two, the play has been (in my opinion unjustly) forgotten by many who read plays. The tension between mockery and respect is with us a lot, and it is not without reason that 'Trolius and Cressida' is widely considered a 'modern' play due to its moral complexity. Sometimes as a writer, I myself feel that pull between demands of hagiography and satire. Surely there are many times that call for both. But all too often, I guess, one ends up with both at the same time. Surely we all deserve to be mocked, but who has the grounds to mock us other than ourselves? After all, every critic will themselves be worthy of criticism in some way. Do all then criticize all? Or do we avoid criticism at all, even though it is necessary at times? If we mock the great, the wise, and the good, and then the mockers. Who is left to mock and be mocked? Perhaps we have not come to that point, and perhaps we never will, but it is something worth considering anyway. Consider the poem, the play, and the spirit of mockery behind them to be food for thought. For if we do not lift a hand to help the great, the wise, and the good, we are surely worthy of being mocked ourselves.

The War of Southern Stupidity

I am constantly amused by those who are supporters of the southern cause in the Civil War. It's amazing to think that after 130 years, a lot of people who defend the doomed and wicked cause of the South still do not have the sense to admit defeat, or even to look rationally at the wickedness of the Southern antebellum society that merited defeat. Obviously, this subject has inspired many books, and is far too large of a subject for the modest scope of this blog, but it is a worthy subject to at least broach. In my many arguments with the misguided spiritual descendents of this wicked tyrants who sought to rebel from the United States and earned their just rewards for unrighteous rebellion (not all rebellion is justified), there have been a few arguments that come with regularity.

Lincoln was an unconstitutional tyrant.

This argument appears perhaps the most often, and is usually argued by either libertarian or closet-rebel people with a modicum of knowledge in constitutional law, but with a minimum of common sense. For example, Article I, Section 9 of the Constitution clearly grants the federal government the right to suspend the writ of habeas corpus in cases of rebellion. Only the most fatuous of southrons would claim that Southern actions were not acts of rebellion. Furthermore, the Constitution bans stats from levying their own troops without federal permission, and allows the federal government to arm any forces necessary to supress insurrections and enforce its laws. Constitutionally, the rebels don't have any ground to stand on. It is interesting that many laws temporarily done in the Civil War for constitutional reasons (the draft, income tax) later became used for illegitimate reasons later on. However, the Union was fighting for survival, and sometimes desparate measures are necessary to ensure survival. Lincoln can hardly be blamed for the 20th century. Jefferson Davis dealt with the same problems in the south, and had many of the same solutions to it. I don't think he can be blamed for the 20th century either. Raising and crushing rebellions is desperate business, and does not set a precedent for normal governmental procedure.

1776 = 1861.

This is another common argument, where would be southern Patriots equate their rebellion against a just government with the rebellion of the United States against British colonial tyranny. There are a few major problems with this equation, however. The first is that the American colonies were colonies in 1776, without any vote in Parliament, and with a government that not only did not consider them equal citizens, but declared the right to pass any laws it wanted, regardless of the consent of the colonists. That is a pretty serious insult. On the other hand, the south was a wealthy region that was, if anything, overrepresented in Congress in 1861, and was in no danger of losing its representation, only its predominance. The patriots in 1776 fought for liberty and justice for all. The rebels in 1861 fought for the freedom to oppress others, whether that was poor whites, black slaves, or anyone who disagreed with the political ideals of the slavocracy. That's no freedom anyone ought to stand for. As a note, in the period after 1776, half of of the nation (that with fewer slaves) saw the proper extension of liberty and ended slavery voluntarily. The other half of the nation became rigid in its immoral defense of a wicked form of tyranny.

Black people didn't/don't deserve to be free.

Usually, at the base of these arguments is a certain racist assumption that only certain peoples are blessed enough to be able to enjoy the fruits of democracy. Certainly, a certain amount of wealth is necessary before democracy can be truly enjoyed (people who can barely survive are not likely to appreciate the need for freedom). However, there is no genetic marker for democracy. It is a solemn responsibility, and one that many people take for granted and misuse, but misuse of the freedoms of the US is a moral issue that is not causually related at all to race (though racial politics itself contributes to the misuse of freedoms and of government in general). Most of the time, this is an implicit part of the argument, but sometimes it is stated directly. We are all God's children alike, and we ought not to judge each other by such superficial qualities.

The Civil War wasn't about slavery at all.

This particular argument will often be advanced if the foregoing arguments have not gone so well. There will be comments about "economic determination" and "state's rights." Each argument is interesting, but rather pointless. The latter is the more important in the case of coming up with fabrige egg arguments to disguise the unpleasant truth. Defenders of the south will argue that their rebellion was over state's rights, against the tyranny of increasing federal power. This is completely flying in the face of the historical record, however. The Dred Scott decision in 1857 was an unjust expansion of federal power against the pillars of virtue in the US equal to Roe vs. Wade in its deletrious effects, if not even more severe, and with the same intent. Roe vs. Wade said fetuses could not be considered human by any law any state (or the US) tried to pass. Dred Scott said a black person could never be considered human by any law that the states or federal government could pass. The harsher Fugitive Act of 1850 was a great expansion of federal power in the protection of tyranny, and was rightly protested as such in the North. During the War of 1812 and the 1850's, there were many northern abolitionists who wished to seceede because of the evil of slavery. Until the election of Abraham Lincoln, northern free-soilers and abolitionists were the foremost state's rights supporters of all. The same is true of all minority parties. When a party is in control of the federal government, they are for the expansion of federal power. When they are out of power, they are for states' rights. Anyone who would pretend differently is profoundly ignorant of America's political history. The other argument--as to economic reasons for the civil war--mostly involve the consequences of plantation monoculture and its effects on industry, technology, and society, and are secondary effects of slavery.

In the end, the case of the south is without merit.

Leadership Conference

Alrighty, as I mentioned in my previous post, today is a 2 post-day. This post, however, will not deal with the news (which was dealt with before). I am planning on attending a leadership conference in Wisconson (which I have never been to before, actually) over Labor Day weekend. One thing I find interesting--it's a rather outdoorsy type of event, and I'm not that much of an outdoors person. Most people who know me (or who read what I write), realize that I am an indoors person, preferring conversation or reading or writing (all of which can be done indoors, and some of which are more difficult to do outdoors). Besides being a bit of a klutz, I am rather allergic to a lot of things (like poison ivy, mangos, certain plants my stepfather has in the yard--in particular the miniature (or dwarf) schefflera, which causes my skin to break out in hives). Nature doesn't like me, so I don't have much reason to like nature. It's beautiful and all, but at the very least it makes me sneeze. However, that notwithstanding, I think it's a good thing to go to a place I've never been, hopefully meet some people I don't know (though a few familiar faces would always be nice), in one of those atmospheres where I don't tend to go very often and hence would consider a relative weakness. I guess you could say I'm a glutton for punishment. Besides, there will be plenty of seminars as well as a service opportunity, things I am more familiar with. The pontoon ride sounds interesting, though I'm a bit worried about any other kind of boating, because I'm not really into canoeing or rafting or anything like that (don't get me started on that--suffice it to say I'm not particularly strong in the arms, I'm not very coordinated with a paddle (or anything else for that matter), and I've ended up in water a few times, which I'm not fond of). I've even had my canoeing skills made fun of by people who were freeloading off my labor before, which I always find irksome (if you don't like how I do it--do it yourself and leave me alone). However, other than boating, the other activities strike me as very nice, and the accomodations may even be pleasant, which is inversely proportional with how rustic they are. I don't know why camping is such a big deal in the church of God, but such it is, and that must be dealt with. The singalong sounds nice though--perhaps I will be able to sing "Seven Stars," my favorite Appalachian folk song.

Why is the news always bad?

Okay, this is (hopefully) the first of two posts for today. I have been remiss in updating this particular blog, largely because I don't have much time to write about subjects in sufficient detail (I've been a bit hurried, with minimal internet time, in recent days). This post will deal with two pieces of bad news--one largely of local intrest (since I am a Floridian), and the other is of global interest. First, there is much to say about the London bombing (which I found out about when I got to work today). Second, I would like to speak about Hurricane Dennis (repeating a refrain from the early days of this blog--during last year's disastrous hurricane season).

In London, several bombs simultaneously exploded, and a radical Islamic group affiliated with Al Qaeda has claimed responsibility for it. As far as the news for it, it has been forthcoming from various news sources, and little more needs to be said about it from that aspect. There are really two legitimate lessons that can be drawn from this from a Christian, Western perspective. One, while this event should be taken as the "Tower of Siloam" type of disaster and not as a sign of impending doom for the planet, it is clear that in this mortal life time and chance happen to us all. Nothing in the physical life is guaranteed and certain, except for death. I will leave the specious prophetic speculations to others (who will no doubt be willing to enter the fray). I would like to focus mainly on the second lesson--the civilized world must stand together against the barbaric bullies who would seek to prey on our fear so that they may commit evil without fear of earthly justice. After the initial solidarity of September 11th faded, most of the Western world was hostile to America's desire for a reasonably secure existence. The rest of the Western world (minus Britain and a few other willing nations) was willing to let America fight itself. However, the entire Free World is under potential threat from these third world bullies. Wherever a nation is threatened by these Luddites, let America stand by its side in defense of freedom and liberty. Humanly speaking, a free and democratic society where no one rules without accountability is the best we can hope for. Let us all stand in defense of that, for when one people are threatened with the loss of freedom and safety, all of us are in danger. Fear knows no boundaries, and neither does freedom or human dignity. Okay, enough of that.

Second, Hurricane Dennis is spinning around in the Caribbean south of Cuba, and is expected to make landfall along the Florida-Alabama border (where Hurricane Ivan hit last year). Lots of insurance companies have temporarily stopped issuing home insurance to Florida residents. We'll see where this storm goes, but it's expected to make landfall late this weekend as a category 3 hurricane of about 120 miles per hour. I don't want to rant about this for too long, but I really hate hurricane season. Hurricanes are uniquely horrible as far as natural disasters go in that you dread their coming for several days, and then if they hit you have to deal with their aftermath for a long time. For months one has their eyes glued to maps of the Middle Atlantic, Gulf, and the Caribbean, wondering whether a storm will strengthen, what its track will be, when one's power will return, etc. Okay, let's just say that last year was a bad year, and this year isn't looking so good either.

Live 8 and Intergenerational Respect

Long after Live 8, the misguided attempt by Irish rocker Bob Geldof to "raise awareness" in the minds of political leaders of the G8 nations (which, for some perverse reasons, includes Russia, a nation not particularly great in anything except pride) will be remembered for its generational snobbery. In an act of Baby Boomer arrogance, Geldof has decided to go mainly with aging Baby Boomer rockers on the declining edge of their musical ability in order to appeal to the aging Baby Boomers who are ruling over the free and unfree world. Ah, the irony. Just call me when it's over, okay? I don't want to listen to a bunch of fifty-year olds who can't hold a tune in a bucket try to belt out songs that were hits thirty years ago. That just isn't my cup of tea. Obviously, Mr. Geldof decided against trying to appeal to younger people. Perhaps he thought that the retreat acts, for the most part, from Live Aid would have enough cred to appeal to young people without trying to get recording acts who have been successful in recent years. I personally think they're wrong, but they're probably trying to appeal to power-mad middle aged people anyway, not people like yours truly.

Now for my second rant about Live 8. What is the point of wasting a bunch of money on Africa? Bono and others are whining on behalf of Africa that the continent needs its debts forgiven and that it is unable to bear its burden. Well, no one (save Africa's own leaders) forced that debt on Africa. They have brought their disaster on themselves--through environmental degredation, civil conflict, a lack of democracy, culture that frowns on personal responsibility or respect for women and children (those nations who fail to properly respect their youth soon face the music), and the belief that they are entitled to everyone else's money. That sort of attitude doesn't do anyone any good. Let Africa show, through their deeds, that they are a worthwhile investment and not a lost cause, and then we will see about mercy. At this point, though, giving Africa aid and the chance to borrow freely is like giving a drunk a prepaid card at the local pub. It's a recipe for disaster. Sorry, Bob Geldof and you other bleeding hearts, but Africa isn't worth saving until it makes some major changes for itself. Then come and see us again. Until Africa can demonstrate the capacity to govern above the tribal level, proper respect for youth and women, sensible policies concerning agriculture and mining and forestry, a commitment to human liberty and dignity, and personal responsibility (rather than graft and dependence on charity), then it has no business asking anyone for help. And that is my rant for the day.

Order and Chaos

Many have said that creativity only comes from chaos, while others are paranoid about anything chaotic (and hence anarchic) whatsoever. I am a mildly chaotic person (but not excessively so), and am a relatively creative and productive person at the same time. The trick is to balance the order and the chaos. You see, in order to be creative, one must have some sense of chaos so the mind is free to wander and create anew. The problem is that the mind must wander within some sort of boundary. If the mind wanders anywhere and everywhere, the results are often less than pleasant (trust me, I know this from personal experience). God's law, if nothing else, places boundaries on our behavior and thoughts. Therefore, in order to be truly creative and productive there must be some structure to the chaos. However, too much structure is as damaging to creativity as too much chaos. Just as too much chaos gives the mind too many possibilities and not enough focus to complete any of the ideas, too much order stifles the creativity and stops the spring of ideas. That's just my two cents of the matter. It's an interesting discussion, though, but time forbids me to say more at this time.

The Importance of Having Your Own Seal

For those who are unaware, I am a civil engineer. Civil engineering, like most professions, is a "guild," where there are three layers to being a civil engineer. I am currently in the "apprentice" level, which is (of course), the lowest level of engineer. As an "apprentice" engineer, my job is to increase my knowledge, start trying to pass some exams (like the FE/EIT in October, more on that later), and move up to the next stage. After passing the FE/EIT (Fundamentals of Engineer/Engineer-In-Training Exam), one becomes a "Journeyman" engineer. As a journeyman, the wages get better, the skills are more easily transferrable, and there are more tests to take. During this level engineers often take other tests in various minor specialties and seek to further increase their own personal marketability. Often graduate school (an MBA or some other degree) comes into play during this stage (I'm shooting for at least one degree during this stage), as well as a host of other certifications (like GIS, Building Inspector, and so forth) which are transferrable personally as well. After at least four years of being an FE/EIT, one moves on to the ultimate level of the profession, which is the professional engineer.

And what's so big about being the "master," or the "professional?" Well, for one, you get the cool initials P.E. after your name, which mean you can sign your own drawings. You have CEU (continuing education unit) requirements, but the ability to be recognized for your work is a good one. One of the fringe benefits of being a professional engineer is the seal. The seal is the sign of reaching the level of competence to being a professional. Until you have the seal, you are not truly an engineer. Perhaps such a lesson is applicable in other areas of life as well. The seal cannot be bought (though it costs a lot of money). It is earned through hard work, practice, knowledge, wisdom, and character, and is maintained through continual effort. In many ways, the life of a Christian is much like that of an engineer, even if most Christians aren't as "nerdy" as engineers tend to be, nor is engineering a particularly religious profession (though as designers there is certainly some comparison between engineers and those who strive after the divine in their spiritual lives). Anyway, it's something to think about, at least.

Writing Projects...

Okay, for those who want to know how I keep busy when I'm not working (which takes up a lot of time) or studying for the GRE, read on. I enjoy writing. Of course, I have a lot of writing projects that I'm not very good at keeping track of or making progress on. Some of the more prominent ones on my queue are the following.

Plays:

Learning How To Speak Corporate (This is a short, humorous (I hope) play taken loosely from personal experience involving speaking with my brother.)

Sagecraft: Secrets of the Past (This is part four of an epic play I have been writing this year about a young man who seeks to save the world from the consequences of arcane studying into dark arts. In this part of the epic, the young eponymous sage and his friends explore the world looking for ancient history books.)

Original Sin (This play is about the slave trade in England, told by a young man kidnapped in Liverpool to serve on a slave ship as a doctor, set in the late 1700's. This book is also a dramatization of "Bury The Chains" from Adam Hothschild.)

A Palace Coup (This play is set in the misty days of the Old Kingdom of Egypt, as told by a recent National Geographic article about the tombs of Saqarra.)

Prose Fiction:

Chevalier (This short story/short novel is to be the first in the "War Games" series, where a young man who tests virtual reality games is pitted against an old enemy in a deadly virtual enactment of a Civil War campaign.)

The Imperial Marines (This short story continues the Secfenia Dark story, looking at the stumbling, bumbling exiles from the first class of the Imperial School.)

Prose Nonfiction:

The Implied Social Contract of Romans 13 (I'm almost finished with this paper, which is an analysis of Romans 13 as a tract against tyranny, rather than as an apologetic for absolutism, as it is often false interpreted to be.)

Deuteronomy 17: The Law Concerning Kings (Probably my next paper, after I finish the Romans 13 paper, this work explores the consequences of Deuteronomy 17 as to the system of constitutional rulership the Bible requires for just government, which places strict limitations onto the activities of leaders.)

Lessons From The Jerusalem Conference (This paper looks at Acts 15 and its lessons as to participatory government, resolution of doctrinal issues, and communication between members and the ministry, and between leaders themselves.)

Melchizedek Priesthood (This paper is a look at what separates the Melchizedek priesthood from the Levitical priesthood, and analyzes the resulting lack of a recognizable human priesthood in the Church of God, since only Jesus Christ is our priest today.)

Some Long-Term Writing Projects:

Rules of Interpretation (This paper, which will have to wait on research, is a look at the subject of hermeneutics, and will seek to establish and defend a system of rules for sound biblical exegesis. Of particular importance will be a look at how to interpret the Bible properly, using such methods as context, harmonization, literalism, and so forth.)

Canonicity (This paper, another rather scholarly work, is awaiting research on the differing views over the books of the Bible, and will seek to defend the canon we possess, without unnecessarily denigrating the apocryphal works (some of which are actually good reading, for historical purposes at least.) )

Obadiah and Nahum: Prophets of Destruction (This paper will compare the two biblical odes to destruction, the short books of Obadiah (a book on the destruction of Edom), and Nahum (a book on the destruction of Assyria), looking at their historical fulfillment and prophetic importance for us today.)

Romans Project (This will include an exegetical analysis of the chapters of Romans and the book as a whole. This project will take awhile.)

The Twelve Apostles Project (This will include an analysis of the twelve apostles, and will also take a long while.)

Okay, I'll be busy writing these for years, and more will no doubt be added to the list as time goes on...

Remember The Days...

The title for this entry comes from the song Remember The Days (...On The Radio) by Nelly Furtado, the only single I remotely enjoyed from her first album, and that with serious reservations about its lyrics. That said, the song adequately reflects the two sermon messages given today by Mr. Veller and Mr. Treybig, and hence the title will stand and will be explained in more detail below. Suffice it to say that on this most "Church History" of Holy Days that remembering the days of our own past in the Church was front and center, more so than it usually is. I would have called the two messages nostalgic, only that they dealt with events that I find impossible to be nostalgic about, as I was a bright, attentive, and very concerned 13 year old at the time I had to deal with the historical disaster of 1995.

The first sermon was by Mr. Veller on the subject of dealing with the fight when it comes to you. As a part of his sermon, he commented on the ubiquity of heresies in the history of the Church of God throughout recorded history. Of course, while I cannot remember HWA, I remember 1995 all too well. It happened at that rare moment where I was becoming aware of what was going out without yet being able to have any remote control over it. It was a delicate time, to say the least. To watch authority crumble before your eyes in a living example of Acts 5:29: "We should obey God rather than men" was a painful and scarring experience, one that I am still dealing with the reverberations from. One cannot invoke the sacred right of rebellion without paying the long-term costs of having to establish a new order when one has knocked out the support of tradition and human authority. And it is important to note that rebellion is a sacred right, but a very dangerous one to invoke. Anyway, to put it mildly, as a pioneer in the Tampa Bay United congregation (if a young one), I'm not too keen on having to relive those awful and chaotic times. There was a sense of strength and relief at joining together with others of like mind who also fought against the heresies, but I wouldn't want to have to go through it again, as it was a major crisis of "place," as I tend to have on occassions where I make massive shifts in my life and do not know exactly how I am supposed to behave or what role I truly have. I guess I think way too much about these things, but I have to try to make some sense of what happens. Mr. Veller commented on the early days of long question an answer sessions, alternate services, and private bible studies, days I remember very well.

The afternoon sermon by Mr. Treybig was a similar, though not identical message. Comparing the events of the early church in Acts with his own 1995 experiences as the pastor of Spokane, Washington. He commented, obliquely, on his own problems as a UCG pastor with local boards in Spokane, without going into a great deal of detail as to the issue. Methinks he protested too strongly. It was interesting to see how he dealt with the changes in 1995, and how it was predicated on the good of the congregation, as well as his own personal and professional sense of virtue and brotherhood with fellow ministers and elders. Obviously, that is not a perspective I have personal experience with. It is intriging that he tried to focus some of his comments on those of us who were under 30 (about 1/4 to 1/3 of the audience), who were too young to remember HWA personally. Those younger than myself may not have had the same sort of painful experiences from 1995, but I belong to the middle group of young people--those who do not remember HWA or have any sort of personal nostalgia for the "good old days" of HWA, but rather remember the negative effects of the hierarchial system that HWA set up. Perhaps it's a bit unkind or unfair, but such is the life. The end result of tyranny is anarchy and the end result of anarchy is tyranny. Those of us who seek after wisdom realize there must be a better way that avoids either, a pitiless and narrow road. The events of 1995 are a natural result of the tyrannical system of hierarchy practiced by those who were in high positions in Worldwide during HWA's time. Hopefully the ministers who have remained with the truth have not, as the Bourbons of France (post-Napoleon) "learned nothing and forgotten nothing." That would be a tragedy yet to be written. Only time will tell if these days augur well or ill for the future. Perhaps that is the reason why it is good, in such an anniversary time as this, to reflect on the past. With that, I take my leave.

On The State of Baby Boomer-Gen X relations...

Alright, I had a conversation with a friend in the local congregation (and a former employer actually), and a large part of the conversation related to the difficulties between communication between Baby Boomers and Gen Xers. He, a late cchort Baby Boomer (born in the same year as my mother, and Sputnik), is seeking dates (in the Church, of course) with women between 25 and 35 years of age. These women would all be members of Generation X. The younger ones would be in my cohort (at least to the extent that I am considered a Gen Xer), and the older ones would belong in the first cohort. His attempts have not been very successful, largely because he is a typical Baby Boomer (more on that later), and they are more-or-less typical Gen Xers. Those two generations get along like Hitler and Stalin, or cats and dogs, or oil and water. You get the picture; it's not pretty. And why do the generations not get along so well? Well, I wrote about 40 pages on the subject in my "Generations Study" paper. Many more illustrious scholars (with a better ability to speak dispassionately on the subject) have also written extensively on the subject. In particular I enjoy reading the books from Strauss and Howe.

The typical qualities of Baby Boomers are a moral zeal that overcomes all rational sense, a certain smugness towards youth (who are never as mature as they are), an arrogance about their importance and place in society, and an implacable hatred towards that which falls short of a pitilessly impractical ideal. In short, Baby Boomers are idealists (as a general rule), and leave others (see Generation X, the Millennials) to pick up the pieces of the inevitiable moral/physical/economic breakdown. Wherever Baby Boomers go, and they always seem to go in mass, destruction and gridlock seems to follow just as surely as night follows the day. This isn't to say that Generation X is a perfect generation either. As a matter of fact, I myself am a cusper, and as a practical consideration, I tend to claim whatever generation is the least popular at time time (sadly, this a common Gen Xer trait). Gen Xers are usually bitter about their fate, and I can't blame them (obviously, I sympathize and empathize). Gen Xers are the perfect foils for Baby Boomers, and vice versa. Gen Xers often show a complete lack of concern for the ideal, and gain a well-earned reputation for immaturity, materialism, bitterness, lack of self-esteem (if you were constantly upbraided by Baby Boomers, it would happen to you too), survivalism, cynicism, lack of respect for authority, and so forth. Since Baby Boomers are the quintessential implacable moralists, and Gen Xers loathe hypocrisy and seek the easier road (in general) of avoiding the appearance of morality than striving after the reality of it, the results of Xer-Boomer interactions are often tragic. My friend ought to rethink his dating interests. Sadly, the perfect match for a Baby Boomer is the Millennial, but I would not suggest that option to my friend, given the age disparity. Come to think of it, I have a great level of appreciation in the virtues of young ladies of the Millennial generation. That said, my friend should stick with the Baby Boomers. Unfortunately, it is the curse of Baby Boomers to not get along so well with other Boomers. Putting two equally self-righteous, smug, hypocritical, and arrogant individuals who disagree on "values" (*cough,* as I loathe that term) is an especially rewarding sight for those with bullet proof vests and helmets, and who happen to be behind barricades of some impenetrable kind. Come to think of it, that sounds like loads of fun. Unfortunately, many Baby Boomers think I am "very bright, but need to mature." This is undoubtably true. However, it might charitably be pointed out that the same is also true for them, as it is for us all. If we were perfect, there would be a host of other theological issues we would have to deal with. Life would also be much less amusing, or frustrating for that matter.

Politics in the family...

Ugg, I hate the fact that my family is so political and so hypocritical about it at the same time. I vote (not all the time, but at least occasionally, whenever I can, as I'm an absentee voter for California, and it's not always easy to get the ballot in a timely fashion). My brother is a registered "independent," but he really leans more towards leftist politics (though he doesn't want to commit to a party, a classic move). The discussion started (surprisingly enough, I don't bring up the subject of politics all that often in my family. I prefer to write about it.) when my brother brought up the goth music he likes to listen to, in particular, the song "B.Y.O.B." (The title stands for "Bring Your Own Bomb," and it's a shaft job on our current president). Among my family members, I am the only one who has views that are right of center, even if they are moderately conservative in nature (very conservative on "moral" issues, but with a greater concern for social welfare and equality than can be found by most conservatives). The argument, thus launched, continued into a wide variety of fields. My brohter made all the standard left-wing whiny comments about Bush's lack of intelligence (Bush has an MBA, my brother has no degree, and a lesser capacity for the English language at times), his mistakes in invading Iraq, and so forth. I let him have it with both barrels smoking about Roosevelt's frienship with Stalin leading to the subjugation of many millions of Eastern and Central Europeans. He tried to compare Iraq to Vietnam, which I had to correct him on (as well as defend the US involvement in Vietnam, which was a just involvement, if badly mismanaged from the start). He also tried to make the claim that Clinton did a better job at avoiding foreign entanglements than Bush. I reminded him of Bosnia, Haiti, Somalia, and Kossovo. Some people just never learn. If you want to play partisan politics, don't play them with me. Personally, I see places where our president has made mistakes (and I'm not usually slow to comment on the mistakes anyone makes, not even myself), but certainly he is far better than the alternative. In the real world, where we live our daily lives and have the responsibility to make as decent as possible (realistically, of course), we have to be aware that no one is perfect, and that the imperfectability of humanity does not mean we should fail in either of our obligations towards those in power: reminding them where they fall short (for they often do), and reminding them that they are our servants, are responsible to us, and can be voted out at our leisure (well, except for those Supreme Court Justices, but that's another rant) or should be voted out at our leisure.

Updates on activity/Call for papers...

Okay, this post is divided into two parts. The first is an update on the activity in my life. Since my last entry where I commented on how busy I was, I have since begun work (today, my shift for right now is 9AM-6PM), and I have added another activity to the list. On June 11th (Pentecost Eve) I will be attending the annual Tampa Bay choir appreciation dinner hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Treybig at their place (now, if only I could remember how to get there, I know it's over near where I work somewhere on the West side of Tampa).

The second update is on my future writing projects. I finished "Servants, Leaders, and the Class System of the Church of God" a couple of days ago, and since a few friends asked to read it, I sent it to them. The rest can read my other blog (www.livejournal.com/users/nathanalbright) in order to see an outline of it. I needn't duplicate the post here. The next paper I will try to work on is a paper on Deuteronomy 17, to go along with the one I am slowly writing on Romans 13 (as both passages are truly companion chapters on the limitations of rulership, a subject of major interest to me). If anyone has written their thoughts on Deuteronomy 17 before, feel free to send them my way. I have an idea of what I want to write, but it's always interesting to see what others think about this momentous text, which demonstrates beyond the shadow of a doubt that absolutism is bibically impermissible as a form of government. So, before I become too remiss in my updating of this blog, I beg my rest for today. Life is too busy for me to write as much as I would otherwise...

Reflections on the Political Development of a Loyal Oppositionist

Yesterday I completed a short essay entitled "Second Thoughts on the IB Exception," which is a reflection on my first political document, called the IB Exception. The essay looks at the circumstances that surrounded my first (but not the last) foray into pampleteering and political discourse, a protest against school authorities seeking to increase discipline when they were unable to fulfill their basic responsibilities to educate, provide textbooks, and so forth. Those who cannot handle the power they have do not deserve more power and control over others. The IB Exception, oddly enough, did not get me into trouble (perhaps it encouraged my later/current efforts), and my complaints were answered in time. Why does it seem like those in power are so quick to increase the coercive powers of central government when they are so pitiful at their tasks as servants of the people?
Perhaps we are a bit too human sometimes, but I was always predisposed to be a loyal oppositionist towards those in power. While some would consider such a stand to be oxymoronic, at best, both are essential aspects of my political worldview in the broadest possible ways. The loyal part of the worldview is an active participation in the efforts of whatever group I happen to be a part of (whether that is a school, a professional group like the American Society of Civil Engineers, or the United Church of God, or even such groups as my family) as well as a commitment to obedience to God as well as an avoidance of violent and disruptive means of discontent. That part cannot be emphasized enough. However, it cannot be forgotten that in my political development I have defined myself in opposition to entrenched power, wherever or however it may be found. At the basic level, I don't trust other people--especially people with power involving me in any sort of fashion. On a more intellectual level, though, I feel the need to point out what is lacking (as, inevitably, something is always lacking in any human organization and effort) so that reform from within may lead to greater improvements and amelioration of existing conditions. By nature I tend to shy away from violent and public conflicts, but that does not make my opposition any less strong on occasion. Just because we're realistic and have to deal with the imperfections of humanity doesn't mean we shouldn't always strive for perfection and seek constant improvement of ourselves and our institutions. Such is the life, I suppose. At least it provides a lot of material to write about.

Commentary on Ladies' Night

Okay, I'm going to my speaker's club ladies night with my dear cousin Amber. If I had a digital camera, I'd take pics, but you'll probably have to be satisfied with my writing about it. Oh, I didn't mention earlier, when I was talking about how busy I'd be this month, but June 18th is the day of my next sermonette as well, which will be on "The Faith of Barak." For those of you who don't know who Barak is, check Judges 4 and 5 for a refresher. I don't know if anyone else takes their relatives to ladies' night for Speaker's Club, but it was an idea of my mom's, and a good one. Let's just say I don't want to be hearing about this for the next few months/years. People in Tampa have long memories, sometimes almost as long as mine. As for my cousin, she'll probably be angling for a few names/phone numbers/etc. And I can think of a few young members of the Speaker's Club who will be looking for hers. Just none of those scary middled aged people, alright. I'll have to break your knees if you try. So, it looks like the cheesecake is set, and everything is else is going well as well, and it's not even June yet. I like planning. Tomorrow my father turns 59 years of age. I'll give him a call in the early evening/late afternoon, when he's still awake and hopefully not out at the barn. (For those who don't know, my father's family is a farming family in Western Pennsylvania.) So, that's my update for today. From the looks of it, most of the people who look at my blogger comments are only interested in my more political rants. Too bad. :-p...

A slice of the activity in my life...

Okay, there is currently some sort of functional division between my livejournal blog (www.livejournal.com/users/nathanalbright) and this blog. My livejournal blog is to update the more prosaic details of my life, and take quizzes, and this blog is for the more serious/political discussions I have. I just got a xanga blog for the purpose of commenting on my friends who have xanga blogs. It's so difficult to keep in touch with people when you have way too many means of communication, unless you don't mind having three or four (or more) chat clients, accounts on four or five (or more) friend networks, and have at least three or more blogs. It's all madness to me. But, to get to the point, I'm a busy man. Since my personal sort of activity is detailed elsewhere in greater detail, and I don't have the time to desire to be redundant, here goes my weekend activity for the next month or so:

May 28th: I get to show the Lifenets Charity Auction DVD to some friends from church visiting Tampa from Seattle, as we have a mutual friends who helped me co-write an entertaining skit.

June 4th: UCG wide church fast, Tampa Bay Family Weekend, lots of eating (after 5PM that is), dancing, and talking (sometimes the last two simultaneously).

June 5th: Well, I'm going to try to find reasonable housing in Wildwood, NJ, and I might (repeat, might) go to the beach event at Ft. Desoto Park, and pay $5 for lunch to hang out with some friends of mine who like the sunlight a little more (okay, a lot more) than I do.

June 12: Pentecost. Well, we're having a lovely lunch to celebrate the 10th anniversary of UCG, with lots of photos (it almost pains me to think of what photos they have uncovered to show us...I'm not a big fan of having pictures or videos taken of me). I'm also singing in the choir, as usual, for special music. Ironically enough, my family officially joined United (we had been a part of the independent congregation that later became United from the beginning) the Sabbath after Pentecost of 1995.

June 18th: Ladies' Night at Speaker's club. So far I'm responsible for the cheesecake (though that might change, since I reminded our acting president that we had forgotten a bread course, it's a guy's cookout sort of event, so I might end up being responsible for that as well). And I don't know who my "guest" will be for the event. It's not like there is an overabundance of young ladies in Tampa/St. Pete, but the ones there are nice and friendly enough, and certainly worthy guests. The problem is that there just aren't enough of them, given the fact that there will be over a half dozen single guys all looking for, at most, 5 young women in both congregations. Actually, this should be entertaining to watch, more entertaining if I wasn't involved.

That's it for now, but before I leave I'd like to make some comments on yesterday's sermon we had from our Pastor (Mr. David Treybig). I have to admit, I wasn't so psyched at the title (a closer look at the Second Commandment). But I warmed to the sermon rather quickly. It didn't take too long to appreciate that one of the best ways to fight against idolatry was to be a literate person (I read for enjoyment at least once a day, whereas it appears most people have trouble reading for fun once a week). Obviously, such a message found very fertile ground. Of course, a large part depends on what we choose to spend our time doing. Even among reading, not all books are created equal, or even close. Reading the Bible for fun is obviously an important part of maintaining a close connection with God. Reading nonfiction material of a morally uplifting nature is also an aid to mental (and occasionally spiritual) development as well. Other reading is not so valuable for intellectual/spiritual purposes. However, the mental activity involved in reading stimulating nonfiction material is a good thing. Watching tv (to the exclusion of other forms of entertainment) and receiving only mentally passive entertainment is not mentally productive, and can make us more susceptible to images, and thence the emotional reaction characteristic of idolatry. It was an excellent message, and one much appreciated by yours truly.

We're Very Concerned

The title for this entry comes from "Leminy Snickett's: A Series of Unfortunate Events." Today's blog will be about the sermon messages from Mr. Holladay and Mr. Kilough, since the day has held little else of interest besides those messages and endless permutations of interpretation of those messages (particularly Mr. Kilough's, which will take up the majority of this rant) afterwards. So, without any further ado, here goes.

Mr. Holladay's message was good. I had only minor quibbles about the message, but overall I was pleased by his focus on the programs that United has offered for its membership, especially the youth. Also, showing appreciation to the membership (for their service) and the elders (for theirs) was much appreciated. The only quibble I had about the message was his comment that members were the greatest asset of the United Church of God. I take umbrage to that, because I am not owned by the corporation that is UCGia, and hence I am not an "asset." Perhaps it was meant as a compliment, but I take it as an insult. That was, however, a minor annoyance, relating as it did to a different language spoken by managers and employees.

The message by Mr. Kilough was more problematic. His incessant focus on the need in the church for more zeal was not reassuring, and I had no clear understanding of the end to which he sought our greater zeal. I was also very nonplussed by his call for a fast (a fast about what, exactly), and I was not sure as to the point of his message, or whether he was aiming more to being the next Nehemiah or being the next Rehoboam. I guess time will tell. I sent an e-mail to him, though, expressing my concerns. I hope he takes it for the best...

New UCG President

Mr. Kilough was chosen to be the fourth president of UCGia during its 10-year history, according to reports from www.ucg.com, following Mr. Hulme, Mr. McCullough, and Mr. Holliday. The last two in particular have been devoted and able servants of UCGia, and Mr. Kilough will be stepping into some big shoes. I would like to congratulate Mr. Kilough on his new position. He and his family will apparently be moving soon from Sacramento, California to the Home Office in Cincinnati. Since he previously served as the chairman of the Council of Elders, he will have to resign that position, and someone else will be chosen to fill the spot. Hopefully his sermon to the GCE on Sabbath will provide some hint as to his plans for the three years that he will more than likely have to head UCGia.

Grad School Planning

How strange it is, that as soon as I finish with one academic endeavor that I immediately begin work on the next. I suppose some of us are well suited, if belatedly, for permanent academic study. Not that this sort of thing bothers me--if anyone knew what books I tend to read as a regular basis they would rightly assume that my interests are very scholarly, perhaps too much so. I am reminded of the comment in Acts said to Paul, "Much studying has made you mad." I'm trying to work out my grad school plans right now, though. Right now it looks like the contenders are down to the M.B.A., M.E.M. (or M.C.M.) and M.Geog. The reasons for the first two are that they relate very strongly to my field of Engineering, with a lot of potential for employer compensation for the work. The third is because I happen to know, and been one of the best students, of the chair of the department of Geography at USF. Never underestimate good connections. We'll see how that progresses.

Job found

Alright, so far today has been a good day...I'm about to finish my last project for USC (it should be done within the next half hour or so), and I just got a job that will start either May 16th or June 1st, depending on when the boss gets back from surgery (I didn't ask). To all of those who have been asking about my job situation and all, thanks for your prayers!

The Wisdom of Silence

There are unfortunate consequences of being intelligent and being extraverted, namely thinking out loud rather than doing one's thinking silently. To add to what appears to be a semi-regular feature on this blog, humorous definitions of serious terms, this entry's definition is about wisdom. Wisdom: n. measure of the distance between the brain and the mouth. Ant. folly. Syn. discretion, savvy. Perhaps a worthwhile future study of mine (so much to study, so little time) would be to look at the manifestations of wisdom. Certainly Solomon was not a fan of thinking out loud, or at least he did not wish his son (presumably Rehoboam) to do so. There are constant comments about even the wise appearing to be fools when they speak too much, a serious concern. I've always disliked the cliches about speech being silver and silence golden. There's something wrong with holding in one's speech and having to be concerned about what other people are going to think. I can certainly appreciate the results of the wisdom of silence, but it's not something I have any native skill or inclination in. That said, advice from others in this regard is always appreciated. If you've got something to say, feel free to tell me. I don't appreciate such commentary as much when it comes from third parties, however. There may be some who have the power to tame the tongue, but I am not one of those people yet. However, since I know that, I'm not too inclined to be hostile on those who point it out--gently--on occasion...

See, I told you so (Part One)...

Okay, this is for all of you blog-haters out there who said I didn't know what I was talking about when I handicapped the UCG race. Out of the five listed contenders, I picked the following as the three favories: Mr. Franks, Mr. Kilough, and Mr. McCullough, and those are the same three the council picked for the second round of interviews before making a choice. We'll see who is chosen on that side. As for other matters, the job interviews are going well, but it doesn't look like I'm going to be able to make Kansas City (no $$$ = no trips).

Writing and job hunting...

Today has been a good day so far. Amusing nonfiction books and the successful running of errands always makes me feel better. Hopefully I can get an interview or two scheduled this week. That would be nice. Oh, and I've started writing the next installment of Sagecraft (it's a series of plays about a group of young people who are off to save the world). Anyway, I'm relatively happy today, which is nice. I'm hoping to be productive reading as well as writing...Cheers!

Ulterior Motives and Baby Boomer Codes

Today's entry will deal with the Last Day of Unleavened Bread services yesterday in Largo, Florida. I was pretty tired, and rather puzzled by both sermons (the morning sermon was from Mr. Veller, and the afternoon one from Mr. Treybig) . In both messages there was a heavy amount of taking someone to task. It's not really my business (unless I was among those being taken to task, but I don't think I am). What made it particularly mystifying was that both messages were heavy on ulterior motives (unless I'm just paranoid, which is possible) and had large amounts of baby boomer codes (which I really dislike...it's a generational thing). Mr. Veller's message ended well, with a rousing account of the First Day Unleavened Services from the same Largo Cultural Center back in 1995 (which I was a part of as a precocious 13-year old). However, the sermon contained lost of HWA quotes, which really bother me. I'm not a particular fan of HWA, who I consider to be rather tyrannical, anti-intellectual, and idolized in the Church of God community to an unhealthy extent. Besides, he's been dead for almost 20 years. As far as I'm concerned, if you bring up HWA in a sermon, you might as well bring up Polycarp or Polycrates. It's about as relevant to my life. That sermon was full of sarcastic references to those who post secret articles online (I didn't see that as involving me, because not much that I write is a *secret*) or who think they "know" a lot and who have been to 25 or more feasts (again, that's not me, because I haven't been alive that long). Still, it was annoying. I called Mr. Veller and left a message, because I want to talk to him and find out why there have been so many Sabbath harangues lately, rather than edifying sermons for the entire congregation. Mr. Treybig's sermon contained a lengthy digression on those who don't tithe because they're in debt. Personally, I don't tithe right now because I don't have an income. I don't know who he was talking to in this case, but I can't stand those who use the term "values." The term "values" reeks of baby-boomer moral relativism. One should use terms such as "morality" or, better yet, "virtue." I'm assuming that both people were trying to talk to Baby Boomers of various stripes, either in the St. Pete congregation, or, more likely, Tampa. Still, as a Generation Xer it bothers me when ministers use baby boomer linguistic codes in sermons, since I abhor them greatly, as they strike my ears as condescending and self-righteous. Of course, when I speak (or, more often, write) in Generation X lingustic codes, as I tend to do, it sounds rather rebellious to said Baby Boomers. Words such as "accountability" and "personal responsibility" and "democracy" and "local church government" tend to alarm people who are in power in centralized beaurocracies. That's not a slam, that's just the way it is. When it comes to politics, we see things as we are, not how they are. Only God has the sufficient perspective to rule properly, and he hasn't been giving that gift out in spades to those of us on earth right now, not since Abraham Lincoln anyway (that's another rant, for another time perhaps). Still, there is something rotten in the state of Denmark, and I'm not sure what it is. But I'd appreciate sermons that edified the congregation instead of bashing certain members. Perhaps that's a matter of personal taste, but admonitions for "unity" when repeated several times in the past two months in messages from the pulpit strike me as somewhat self-serving, and very troubling. If there are people in congregations who are serving to be divisive, one should talk to them privately, and not speak anonymously but insultingly from the pulpit. Like I said, though, I called Mr. Veller so I can speak with him about the matter personally. I'm pretty sure he doesn't intend to come off badly, and he may not even realize that what he takes for granted as a baby boomer who went to AC and knew HWA while he was alive does not translate very well to the next generation, who doesn't know (and, for the most part, isn't particularly interested) in HWA. Perhaps ministers should try to speak without using annoying Baby Boomer codes, especially if they intend to reach people who don't share their particular language, or outlook. Just a thought.

If You Can't Take The Heat...

Over the last few days, I've been rather annoyed by the stupidity of people on forums. Of course, forums are loads of fun until strangers who don't know what they're talking about start bashing on you. It's a lot more enjoyable to talk about other people's problems than to have people eviscerate you for your own. Furthermore, it's vastly easier to do works of destruction than construction on such places. I know, I've done both. Of course, it remined me of a definition I thought of for a theological term. Legalist: noun, perjorative. Someone who believes in a part of the bible you disregard. I think we're all legalists in some ways. Where we are stronger, or where our knowledge is greater, or both, we tend to be stricter in our actions, and hence we judge people as lacking when they do not meet up with our standards. Of course, we are all weak in some areas too, and we tend to dislike it when other people are strict or nasty towards us and fail to apply mercy. It's a nasty sign of human nature rearing its ugly head again (although, to be fair, human nature is not entirely evil, just a mixture of good and evil that represents the sum potentiality of humankind for either good or ill unaided by God). Truly, God holds us responsible for every idle word we say. The internet just gives us opportunity to say more idle words than we could before. I don't imagine I'd get in half as much trouble if I had to write everything with pen and paper. Not that anyone could read my writing anyway, so they'd be unlikely to assume the worst, unless they were just bad people to begin with. Still, life would be a lot more boring without the internet. That's for sure. It's made everyone who can type and has a passable vocabulary an expert. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing, I'm not entirely sure.

Just Another Day

So far today has been pretty dull, but it's the morning. Soon I'll start writing, doing some structural deisgn work (I know you're waiting to hear all about that...) and relaxing. So far there hasn't been anything too controversial to report on. I was browsing around www.kubrik.com (good site), and I noticed Mr. Grieder's book for sale. It's a little expensive for this currently unemployed civil engineer, but I was curious as to the extent in which the Home Office allows ministers to moonlight as authors. In the past, some ministers of WCG got in trouble for selling nonfiction work. However, as far as I'm concerned, if the book had a paperback in the ~$8-10 range I would consider purchasing it. If anyone has read Mr. Grider's book on America: Ruin or Renewal, I would like to see some report on it, to see if it's similar to the book my friend Dennis Fischer wrote called "It Came Without Warning," and which, by the way, is offered free of cost at www.blowthetrumpet.org and www.eternalcog.org. That book too deals with the issues of America's moral decline. Just plugging for my friends, after all. In case you don't already know, my play "Even After All These Years" is being published online at www.aviarpress.com for the much more reasonable price of $6.90. Cheers!

Some people have all the luck...

Well, in my random blog searchings, I came across the blog of a friend of mine. She will remain nameless, but she loves skinny guys with glasses and doesn't do so well bowling after drinking martinis. I don't think she reads this blog either, oh well. Reading her blog, I was aware of how lucky some people are. Her blog is linked to a lot of really racy people (I know, I lived in LA myself as well, and have lots of friends like that too). She and I are both prolific article writers with some skeletons in the closet, and seeing the material in her profile makes my blog look G rated (her friends have even more entertaining blogs that remind me of some old short stories of mine). Some people have all the luck, I guess. Today I had an interview in Ft. Myers, which meant that I drove for about 4 1/2 hours today (really tiring work, especially with all of the traffic on I-75 Northbound in Sarasota County). The interview didn't appear to go very well, and I still have a major headache, but that's life, I guess. For those who have recently started looking at my blog, I don't gamble. I don't drink either, and that's because I don't particularly enjoy either activity. As a kid I was always the pitboss, making sure the game was fair.

On another note, I made some changes to the settings of my blog based on some complaints. No, I'm not into astrology, at all. I found out why blogger was making my blog look pagan, and I dealt with the situation by removing my birth information from the settings, so it no longer tells people I'm crabby and chicken. It's not that they wouldn't know that already...

Finally, a new post...

My apologies, watchers of my blog (which have increased due to a matter I will discuss shortly), but I have been unable to post onto the blog recently due to the connection being too slow. There are some who have complained about my last blog, considering it immature and in poor taste, as well as slandering of the reputation of the five good men who have accepted the office of President should they be voted in by the Council of Elders. Since I can post again, I can answer some of those comments. This blog, when I write to it (which is not often), is often a wry reflection on my life. Often this means comments on hurricanes or going to the library, or writing, all of which happen a bit too often, perhaps.

My last entry, however, was a bit of a departure, as it was a spoof of the Roman Catholic polls on the election of the new pope. In that case, the political and conservative Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the putative favorite, was chosen to be the head of the Catholic Church. I have no idea how my odds will fare. However, it was not my intention that any of the five men who are up for the office suffer at all in their reputation due to my humble blog. They are all, as far as I know, good men. Of the five I know Mr. Franks the best, and he is a fantastic instructor at ABC of a difficult subject (the Fundamentals of Belief, Part One), besides having a great interest in Church of God history (which I share). I know Mr. Kilough a little bit, having friends who are always talking him up. My grandmother, who was a registered nurse before retiring, once worked under Mr. Kilough while serving at a feast site, and commented especially on how good of a boss he was. I am sure that others who have served under him would share similar comments. I know Mr. Dean only a little, but that is because I have missed chances to talk to him in greater detail when he visited the congregations I attended while I was away. Some of my friends know him rather well, though, and I think my parents know him a little. By all accounts he is an open, honest, and considerate person, who learned a lot from his years as the personal assistant of HWA (patience, forebearance, etc.). I don't really know Mr. McCullough all that well, but I thought he served in an excellent manner in his first run as UCG President, and I said so. Coming in at a difficult time, the departure of Mr. Hulme, he led a steady course and relatively smooth sailing for three years. I don't know Mr. Bradford much at all, either personally or by reputation, so there's not much I can say about him. However, as far as I can tell, there are no power-hungry autocrats or would-be dictators in this bunch of people, which is a good thing. And, as a member of United, I can feel good about that. After all, I could not in good conscience go to a church if I did not have some respect for the leaders of it. And with that, I will leave my next oddsmaking, a joke about myself.

Which degree will Nathan get next?

M.B.A.
Favorite (5:1 odds)

The classic next step from a bachelors in civil engineering, the MBA provides business education for the engineering manager (or would-be manager) in us all. Possible programs include Regis University, or something around where I live.

M.C.M.
Dark Horse (10:1 odds)

The M.C.M., or Master's in Construction Management, is a dark horse not because I don't like this major, but because few universities have it. Also, my unwillingness to draw on large amounts of student loans to get a master's degree would work against this major, unless a fellowship or something like that can be found.

M.Geog
Dark Horse (10:1 odds)

The M.Geog, or Master's of Geography, is a possibility because of my native inclination in the subject, which is a lot like history, only with maps. Woo hoo! Um, those who know me well have heard my comments on the Urban Geography class I took last semester at USF, and how much I liked it. I got an A+ in the class, and if I can find a good fellowship for the major, I will definitely look into it. It would be a good major, with an interest perhaps in political geography (maybe I should quit while I'm ahead)...

M.Hist
Dark Horse (10:1 odds)

A Master's in History is a possibility mainly because I minored in history and enjoy the subject so much. As with Geography, though, this would be a useful degree only if it led to a Ph.D., which is going to take a lot of work and study, and something I am not interested in running up huge debts to do. However, it would be a subject that suits me, at any rate, even if the prospects of a white male historian finding tenure-track positions in academia are rather daunting.

M.S.C.E.

Longshot (100:1 odds)

A Master's in Civil Structural Engineering is not going to happen. Microstructural analysis? I don't think so.

And there you have it, my latest blog entry.

New UCG President...

As a member of the United Church of God, I figured it would be good to post my odds for the election of the new UCG president, based on the current five candidates for the job. The name, odds, and a short analysis of each candidate follow:

Jim Franks
Favorite: 3:1 odds
The favorite even before the official name was listed, Jim Franks is a politico whose savvy has attracted a great deal of support from the United Home Office elites. His work in researching CoG history (which he shares with the CoG7), as well as his excellent instruction at ABC (which I know from personal experience) give him major credibility both in outreach with related organizations as well as the ability to instruct members. However, given the support he has from such luminaries as RP, it is doubtful that he will serve to make the necessary reforms UCG needs to avoid falling into the WCG government trap.

Clyde Kilough
Dark Horse: 5:1 odds
Like Jim Franks, Clyde Kilough is a politically savvy and well-connected HO insider. A genuinely nice man, he would seem to be best suited for behind the scenes work (which he has done as the current Chairman of the CoE) due to his noteworthy lack of inspirational speaking style. He has an enthusiastic supporting lobby (especially in Northern California, where he pastors) and is a good judge of character. Like Jim Franks, though, it would appear that Mr. Kilough would represent a rather conservative choice, even if a compassionate conservative one.

Les McCullough
Dark Horse: 5:1 odds
Having already served in this office, without incident and in a difficult time (similar to that right now), he has already shown his bona fides and his capability for the office. Perhaps the most capable President that UCG has had thus far, he would represent a rather moderate choice, neither pressing for reforms nor acceeding to the demands for further centralization. As a peacemaker, he would present a compromise (and a decent one) between the left and right of UCG. However, the fact that he previously served would make him less desirable, as UCG has made a point of refusing to continue even capable leaders in this post to prevent a strongman. Thankfully, Mr. McCullough shows no sign of being a dictatorial strong man (a la Hulme). His election as President would also allow him another chance of keeping his promise to step down from the CoE if elected.

Aaron Dean
Longshot: 10:1 odds
Aaron Dean is somewhat of a longshot due to his status as an unpaid elder (he has refused, out of principle, to receive a salary from HO). Mr. Dean, however, has a lot going for him. He appeals to two dramatically opposed groups: disaffected liberals who seek sweeping reforms and those who want to emphasize the connection with HWA (often highly conservative). Where the real Aaron Dean stands I do not pretend to know, but his political survival skills were no doubt honed by his time as an understudy to Stanley Rader. He would most likely, in the climate of United, represent the reformers (at least we can hope so), but what he did in power would be difficult to tell in advance.

Bill Bradford
Longshot: 10:1 odds
Possibly the upset choice of the bunch, Bill Bradford comes from the Australian work as the representative of the least HO submissive of the national churches. It would be a very big upset for him to be chosen as president, as he would be most likely to receive his support from the reforming wing of UCG. His election would signify a major defeat for certain centralizing HO staff. Little more can be said about him, as he does not have the same kind of historical baggage or known political experience as most of the other choices. His inclusion is a surprise, and perhaps represents some of the international areas seeking a leader of their own.

Since I last wrote...

I'm not a very good blogger. I write religiously in my pen and paper journal, but my blog gets shortchanged. Oh well, there is much that has happened since my last post, but it is either uninteresting, rather dated (my frequent trips to the library, for example) or just rather bad news (my job situation, for example, or the recent shooting tragedies). However, at least my writing has gone mostly well. I've completed a play and lots of essays since I last wrote. They're all too long to post here., but they can be read on www.fictionpress.com. In the meantime, I will attempt to be a better blogger in the future. If only my life were that interesting...