Month: January 2010

  • And Tonight’s Meal Will Be …

    Chewy always says that when she’s on travel I tend to not eat well.  I have no clue why she would say that.  There’s no evidence of it.  So what if on Tuesday I had a sausage, egg and cheese McGriddle with hash brown for breakfast and a Whopper with bacon and cheese with a large fries for lunch.  I was on business travel.  Someone brought doughnuts in the other morning so what if I had a few of them. Or spreading out a box of Popeye’s fried chicken between Thursday and today.  It’s not like I had cereal for dinner.  Oh wait.  I think I had that on Monday night.   

  • A Little Bit of Heaven …

    Or nirvana.  Or karma.  Or next level of reincarnation.  Or whatever it is.    On our  last trip to Costco, Chewy noticed this package of Rasmalai for sale.  The delicious dessert that my Indian friends introduced to me during all their various Indian parties. I just can’t get enough of this stuff.  I could eat the whole container because it’s so good.  After finishing my third Rasmalai disc, Chewy then tells me one serving is one disc and that one disc is 230 calories.  230 calories of deliciousness times three!  At least there’s one gram of fiber serving. 

    Why can’t the Chinese make some decent desserts that aren’t made up of red beans or other funky stuff like that.

  • I Think I Finally Get It …

    Yesterday marked another anniversary of the legendary Roe v. Wade court decision.  The metro was filled with various protesters making the trip back home from work somewhat crowded and ultimately slower since these new people just don’t know how to ride on metro (the doors are not elevator doors, they do not bounce back open so you and the rest of your party can try and squeeze into the overcrowded train).  There are a few things I try not to comment on but being who I am I like to see both sides of the coin.

    Breaking it all down I find the argument comes down to: Pro-Choice believers feel it is the right of the woman to make the choice for another – to carry the baby or abort the baby.  Pro-Life believers like to preserve life.  That make sense.  For those that like the ability to choose whether the baby lives or dies basically don’t mind if one person goes into a store and shoots and kills the store cleric for the cash register money.  The shooter made a choice to end the life of the cleric.  That apparently is fine with Pro-Choice people.  It’s not the baby or the cleric ever had a say in whether they want to live or not.  That is because Pro-Choice folk believe in ability for a person to make a choice for another.  Whereas, Pro-Life folk think all human life is sacred and should be treat with respect, well probably to some degree.  Doesn’t one seem more selfish than the other?  After coming to this conclusion I can see why there would be protests every year.  Who likes murder anyways?

  • Time Flies …

    When you’re in-laws are in town doesn’t it seem like time just flies by.  It’s not like I don’t get along with my in-laws but since they don’t live here it seems like there’s this idea of having to entertain them.  Though all we did was eat and eat and eat and eat and then went to a buffet and then ate some more.  As my father in-law said at Tysons Buffet that he felt a tad guilty because there was all this food and places like Africa or South America or Haiti lack food.  It’s true.  I had the same thought while getting my second of five plates.  And this was during lunch too.  Ugh. 

  • Reliable Haiti Relief Aid …

    It’s obvious people are generous and want to reach out to the Haitian people.  However, I know some are skeptical about whether the money donated will actually make it to the people and not absorbed into some abyss of managing costs or corruption.  Unlike Hurricane Katrina where people could send any type of aid to the area since incident happened in the United States it probably best serves the Haitians to send money to a group that is able to maximize the amount and provide actual support to those in need.  It is with this idea that President Obama has enlisted the help of former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush to help organize those donations to the Haitian island. 

    From the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund information page:

    The earthquake that rocked the coast of Haiti killed or injured a devastating number of people. Even more were left in need of aid, making this is one of the great humanitarian emergencies in the history of the Americas. In the aftermath of the disaster, President Barack Obama asked President Bill Clinton and President George W. Bush to raise funds for immediate relief and long-term recovery efforts to help those who are most in need of food, water, shelter, medical care, and support. In response, the two Presidents established the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund (CBHF) to identify and fulfill unmet needs in the region, foster economic opportunity, improve the quality of life of those affected over the long term, and assist the people of Haiti as they rebuild their lives and country. Presidents Clinton and Bush oversee the CBHF through their respective nonprofit organizations, the William J. Clinton Foundation and Communities Foundation of Texas. One hundred percent of the donations made to the Clinton Foundation go directly to relief efforts. Ninety-nine percent of the donations made to the Communities Foundation of Texas go directly to relief efforts.

    I’m guessing because Clinton’s Foundation has been around longer he’s got the infrastructure in place to ensure 100% of the donations go to the people.  Bush is just getting started with his foundation. 

    Go ahead and make a secure donation and be ensured that it’ll go to help the people that need it the most.

  • When Tragedy Happens …

    Horrific events around the world typically generate sympathy, prayers and monetary generosity from the United States.  The country definitely has the heart and capability to help those in need especially during these emergency situations when lives are endangered or uprooted.  Whether it’s food, man-power or machinery it’s nice to know we as a country typically responds quickly to other nations. 

    That said, we have to also look at the flip-side to all of this.  I think O’Reilly puts it best.  Some have called him mean spirited or callous but really isn’t there truth to what he’s saying?  For all the money we give to these countries to help the poor, to help the government how much of it is wasted by corruption.  Should we not give anymore?   No, I don’t think that’s his point but a dose of reality in terms of accountability.  The same could be said for our government.  Three days to respond verse three hours.  I’m sure he was just getting his facts during those three days and not itching to play golf.

  • Love Him or Hate Him, That IS Michael Steele …

    Sure he makes some stupid comments sometimes and seems lost but hey you gotta luv the GOP Brother!  He’s right though.  Even if the Republicans start winning more seats are they really ready for it?  It’s nice to puff out one’s chest and crow a bit but I can’t say I’m all that impressed with any of their political strategies or ideas.  Is that Michael Steeles fault or is it the old GOP trying to grasp onto the old ways.  I’m just really surprised that a ton of old school Democrats are retiring or not running for re-election.  What does that say about Obama and what he’s trying to do?  Would they really want to give up their cushy lifestyle than support the Big O?  Apparently so.  Something ain’t right here. 

  • OH NO THEY DIDN’T …

    Actually they did.  Poor goofball Gilbert Arenas.  He has now been indefinitely suspended, without pay, for his actions of having firearms on NBA properties, have firearms in D.C. and his stupid finger gun actions during last nights Philadelphia game.  David Letterman even made fun of the him and the team.  I’m just glad Abe Pollin wasn’t alive to see all this happen.  The reason he changed the name from the Bullets to the Wizards was because of crap similar (and yes worse) stuff like this. 

    On a side note I have to give some props to Brit Hume.  Though when I first heard his comment I thought it sounded funny only becomes it seemed like you only convert to Christianity because it makes others forgive you.  But really if you take it from a more positive approach he shows how true redemption can only come from Christ our Savior.  No other religion does that.  Sure it wasn’t the most elegant approach but hey it still works.

    This story just scares me.  Actually it makes me wonder why it’s always “virgins.”  I get how cults work and from the kids perspective all these things sound so much better (yeah virgins! ) than what their current situation probably is.  Sorta sounds like Tiger Woods life …. zing!  (only a few weeks late)

    That’s when I saw this posed question: Do the wealthy have an obligation to help the poor?  Most will say “yes” they do.  They should pay more taxes.  They should help the less fortunate.  They should help me.  But when is it helping those less fortunate verse developing a dependency on the help.  I think Governor-Elect Bob McDonnell said it best recently: What we do best here in Virginia is not to make guarantees through government, but we provide the maximum opportunity for people to use their God-given talents to pursue the American dream. 

    Were all the wealthy wealthy to begin with?  Most likely not but they used their God-given talents to improve themselves and through that talent and wealth I’m sure a significant portion help those in need.  Even still, how would people feel if instead of helping the poor in the United States they began to help those in need overseas?  How would that go?  Probably not as well but technically they would still be helping the poor out.  Apples and oranges?  Or not?

  • The Last Papa John’s Redskins Touchdown Pizza of The Season …

    Alas, the season has ended.  No more Papa John’s pizza until next football season when hopefully Papa John’s sponsors the Redskins touchdown deal again.  Please, oh, please Papa John’s have a pizza deal.  Even with four wins they couldn’t even win their last game for their gone-by-mid-season coach but they at least scored two touchdowns.  That’s one mighty fine pineapple and ham pizza.

    The inevitable happened.  The Washington Redskins fired Jim Zorn at 4am after two years of being the teams head coach.  Is two years really long enough to make a difference?  Sure Zorn was over his head but some of his ideas I thought were good.  Did he really have a team built for his modified West Coast offense?  Probably not.  Did he quality depth behind all the so-called superstar starters?  Nope.  Personally, I liked the guy.  He talked frankly and honestly and as the season went on you really saw what type of resolve the man had.  Good luck to Zorn with whatever your future holds.  You’ll always be remembered for your quirky Special Team TD attempts!

  • The 2010 Sugar Bowl …

    I was able to catch a few snaps of this years Sugar Bowl featuring #4 Cincinnati Bearcats and #5 Florida Gators the other night and noticed something interesting.  Other than the smackdown the Gators were laying on the Bearcats, Tim Tebow, Florida’s QB, had marked up his anti-glare eye patches with 1 Tim 1: 15-16 which states:

    15Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 16But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.

    Apparently, Tebow has been doing this most of his career at Florida and “during last season’s national championship game at Land Shark Stadium, Tebow wore John 3:16 under his eyes. That night, 90 million people Googled the verse.” 

    It should also be noted that one Bearcat player (I couldn’t see his name or remember his jersey number) had marked his bicep with Ephesians 2: 8-10

    8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

    The fact that these athletes are doing this is utterly amazing to me.  It’s great to see how other Christians are reaching out and evangelizing to those among them.  Hopefully, more people will come to know Christ as their savior through whatever positive exposure all believers do.

    And how does this sound as a Christmas miracle?