+ bishopman +

I Love This Show As A Kid

2009-03-20T13:38:00.001-04:00

I heard this on a local radio station using the song a promo. It brought back some good memories. Enjoy.

And the Oscar goes to...

2009-02-20T18:12:00.002-05:00

WHO CARES!

Oscar season irritates me to no end. One thing I cannot stand is these talking heads on TV blabbing on about who is the favorite or the least favorite. It is as if they believe this garbage matters.

It is sickening to see these Hollywood types patting each other on the back for making sums of money that make pro athletes seem like paupers.

One thing I will not be doing on Sunday is watching the Oscars.

Bud Selig has Shamed the Game

2009-02-13T13:27:00.003-05:00

*

Bud Selig, yesterday, said, "What Alex did was wrong and he will have to live with the damage he has done to his name and reputation." This from an AP article.

If you have not heard, A-Rod confessed to using "performance drugs" while he was a member of the Texas Rangers. (The Democrats will probably try to blame this on George W. Bush since he once owned the Rangers, although that was before A-Rod's stint in Texas.)

The real shame on the great game of baseball is Selig. Let's review his tenure, now almost 15 years in the making:

His reinstatement of George Steinbrenner in 1993;
Canceled World Series in 1994 (Probably the Montreal Expos only shot to win one);
Marge Schott and her racist rhetoric followed by a ban then reinstatement;
The tie-game at the 2002 All-Star game;
To solve the tie-game problem, now the All-Star game "means something";
The wild card (ugh! a wild card belongs in a poker game or the NFL);
Major games (All-Star game and World Series) that start way too late on the east coast;
Moving most of the playoffs to cable television;
The NFL racing past the MLB as America's pasttime;
and the biggest mess of the Selig tenure: STEROIDS!

Ol' Bud covered his eyes and plugged his ears as players (A-Rod was far from the only one) who juiced up. Home runs went up, along with attendance and revenue. Bud has been asleep at the wheel for a decade and a half now.

It's time, Bud. Get out. Just leave! Bud Selig's tenure as commissioner should have a giant asterisk (*) next to it. If A-Rod is suspended, so should everyone else. Selig should be suspended for dereliction of duty and ruining the grand game of baseball.

I Admire a Pot Smoker

2009-02-09T13:35:00.002-05:00

Do not get me wrong. I think smoking marijuana is an awful thing to do. It messes up the brain. Michael Phelps exhibited horrible judgment when he decided to light up.

I admire him because he came out and admitted that what he did was wrong. He did not equivocate ala President Clinton: "I didn't inhale."

Phelps said of his ban:

"It's not my decision. It's theirs," Phelps said of USA Swimming's decision. "I have nothing to say, but if that's they want to do, that's their choice. It's something that USA Swimming came up with. It's fair. Obviously, for a mistake you should get punished."

He later said:

"It was bad and stupid judgment, and something I'll always live with," Phelps said.

(These quotes are from an ESPN article.)

Thank you, Michael Phelps for manning up and taking responsibility for what you did. You made a bad decision, but you did not blame someone else or deny the charges. We all mess up, and the best thing we can do is stand up and take responsibility for them.

Gingrich v. Lauer

2009-02-06T14:01:00.002-05:00

Newt Gingrich absolutely cleaned Matt Lauer's clock on the Today Show today. I love: Obama in danger of becoming Jimmy Carter rather than Ronald Reagan. Also note that Gingrich states that the recession of the late 1970s and early 1980s was worse than what is going on now.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

One More Thing to Worry About

2009-01-31T15:35:00.000-05:00

Are you tying your shoes properly?

Techno Stuff I Don't Have

2009-01-24T10:50:00.003-05:00

I am not technologically savvy. I am still trying to figure out how blog on my Smith Corona typewriter.

It amazes me all the techno stuff that is out there, and I have very little. Following is a list of the techno stuff (at least the stuff that I am aware of) that I don't have:

I-Pod (or any such MP3 player); I do have a cassette tape walkman with an AM/FM radio.
GPS device; I use the old fashion GPS device--it's called a Rand McNally Atlas.
Digital TV; I do have two converter boxes so I can continue to melt my brain after the big digital conversion.
PDA (or Palm Pilot); I have never been very good with paper organizers, so why bother?
Bluetooth; it sounds painful, I prefer white teeth. Seriously though, I do know what bluetooth is. I have an "ear-bud" for my cell phone, but it doesn't fit my ear.
Cell phone add-ons; I don't text message (I fail to see how this is more efficient than actually talking). I don't have Internet access or e-mail on my phone.
Cable/satellite TV; see above.
Digital camcorder; the tape one broke. My digital camera does have a video feature.
Facebook/MySpace; several people have requested that I join, but I don't see the point. I have never been very social, but cyber-socialization seems impersonal. (I do have this blog, which about 1-2 people read.)

Maybe I am stuck in the late 1990s (is Clinton still president?), or maybe I am getting old.

Snow Day

2009-01-22T14:10:00.007-05:00

One of the best things about having kids is that you can play in the snow as an adult and not look like a goofball. Here are some things from our recent snow days, which has not happened in almost five years.

What's Wrong With the One We Already Have?

2009-01-17T18:33:00.003-05:00

President-elect Obama said we need a "new Declaration of Independence." Here is the quote from MSNBC: "He promised to bring the country 'a new Declaration of Independence.'" (Link to the story.)

What's wrong, I ask, with the Declaration of Independence that we already have?

Looking at 2012

2009-01-10T09:24:00.005-05:00

As the fumes of the 2008 presidential election fade, political junkies are sizing up the potential field for 2012. Barring some major event, Barack Obama will be the Democratic nominee. What about the Republicans?

Let's look back before we look forward. Who wins presidential elections for Republicans? Who loses? Since the end of World War II, every senator that the Republicans have nominated have lost: Barry Goldwater (1964), Bob Dole (1996), and John McCain (2008). In fact senators do not do very well in general. Only two senators have been elected since WWII: John F. Kennedy and Obama. I suggest that the Republicans not go down that road, again.

Who wins? Since WWII, Republicans have elected a war hero general (Dwight Eisenhower), two former Vice-Presidents (Richard Nixon and George H. W. Bush), and two governors (Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush). The only Republican governor to lose was Thomas Dewey to Harry Truman in 1948.

Look at the success of Republicans, what can we expect in 2012? War heroes? Unfortunately, there are none the caliber of Eisenhower. Colin Powell (a nominal Republican, at best) lost all credibility with the party when he endorsed Obama. There are simply no other high profile generals out there (sorry, Stormin' Norman Schwarzkopf).

What about former Vice-Presidents? By 2012, the living VPs will include George H. W. Bush, Dan Quayle, and Dick Cheney. Bush has already been President. Dick Cheney has stated he will not run, and with his heart condition probably should not. Quayle has never recovered from his seemingly boyishness in the job of VP. (I would vote for him.) The whole "potatoe" thing has dogged him, despite the fact that Obama had no clue about how states were in the United States. VPs are a no go.

That leaves us with governors. One needs name recoginition. Here are few:

Sarah Palin: She is great, but I think she will suffer the same fate as Dan Quayle. No matter what, she will always be considered a lightweight. This is unfair, as is the case with Quayle, but that is life.

Jeb Bush: I think he would be a stellar candidate and an excellent President, but I think we have Bush-fatigue. I am also not convinced that he is conservative.

Tim Pawlenty (Minnesota): He just seems like a slick used car salesman.

Bobby Jindal (Louisiana): A little young (will be 41 in 2012). A great VP choice, though.

Mit Romney: Where does he stand on the issues today? He is to wishy-washy.

Here is my early pick: Haley Barbour, governor of Mississippi. He has national experience as leader of the Republican Party (like the elder Bush). He handled the Mississippi side of Hurricane Katrina expertly. The only thing against him is his age (he will be 65 in 2012). It may resemble the youthful Clinton versus the aging Dole in 1996. If he were to pick Jindal as VP, that would offset the age difference.

Here is my early pick for 2012: Haley Barbour - Bobby Jindal.

A Few More Things That I Have Done

2009-01-06T15:47:00.002-05:00

In addition to the previous post below, there are a few other things "that I have done."

Visited the World Trade Center Site - a moving experience.
Been to the top of the Washington Monument - what a view.
Been to Mount Rushmore - Several times, including the spectacular lighting ceremony.
Done mission work in a foreign land - Haiti 2002.
Stood in the Mississippi River - At Lake Itasca State Park in Minnesota. It is not recommended to stand in the Mississippi River anywhere else.
Been in a hurricane
Been in an earthquake
Been to the top of Pike's Peak

Some things I would like to do that were not on the previous list:

Visit Alaska - preferably in the summer.
See the Golden Gate Bridge
Spend one to two months on the mission field with my family

Things That I Have Done

2009-01-03T08:33:00.003-05:00

I saw this list over at Hardly the Last Word. Items in bold are things that I have done. There are some intermittent comments as well.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity - This is one that I really wish I could bold, but I am a bit greedy, like most Americans. As Americans, we really don't know what charity is because we have so much. We also don't know (thankfully?) what poverty is.
7. Been to Disneyland - Does Disney World count?
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo - I used to sing with my mom in church, and there were parts of the song that I had to sing myself. I hated singing.
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch - When I was doing the website as a pastor, I learned some html.
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty - When I was there (2006) it was closed. I would have if I could have.
18. Grown your own vegetables - My wife and I attempted to grow some tomatoes and peppers in big pots on our porch a few years ago. Now that my mom lives next door, she has a vegetable garden that we help maintain and enjoy the the produce.
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight - One of the many joys of parenting.
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort - Growing up in the great state of South Dakota, this was required.
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon - I once ran 13 miles with a friend.
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run - Tee ball was so very long ago. I must have been 8 the last time I hit an official home run. I was never a power hitter.
32. Been on a cruise - Thanks to my in-laws.
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language - I tried to learn some New Testament Greek with the aid of a book.
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied - I am satisfied. God provides my needs, even if I don't get all I want. Again, Americans don't understand the value of money.
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing - As a teenager, our youth group went to Colorado, and I did a little there.
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen - Everyone who calls themselves a Christian should do this.
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma - But just for the free Coke and cookies.
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial - Awe-inspiring.
71. Eaten caviar - Not a fan of it.
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square - I've been close.
74. Toured the Everglades - On an air boat.
75. Been fired from a job - Thankfully, no. As a pastor, I sensed some (many?!) in the congregation thought I should be fired.
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone - I intend to keep it a "no."
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper - Playing junior high sports in a small town is the best way to get one's picture in the paper.
85. Read the entire Bible - It took a while, but I have done it.
86. Visited the White House - I've been to the visitor's center, but I assume that doesn't count.
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating - I have seen my mom do this with chickens. It kind of put me off to doing it.
88. Had chickenpox - Fourth grade, but not too seriously.
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury - Twice, once as an alternate.
91. Met someone famous - Does the local weatherman count?
92. Joined a book club - The History Book Club (thrice), the Conservative Book Club, and the IVP Book Club.
93. Lost a loved one - Both grandma's.
94. Had a baby - My wife has. They are mine.
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a mobile phone - Who hasn't in this day and age.
99. Been stung by a bee - Yellow jackets, yes. Bees, no.
100. Read an entire book in one day - Graduate school will almost require this.

What about you?

Happy New Year

2009-01-02T19:00:00.001-05:00

Happy new year. As usual, I am not making any resolutions (or revolutions, as my son calls them).

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T08:02:00.005-05:00

My eight year old son reads the Christmas story:

Merry Christmas to all!

At Least We're Not in Seattle

2008-12-24T14:09:00.003-05:00

My friend and fellow blogger has been bemoaning the pitiful year of the Detroit Lions. At least it's not Seattle. Can you imagine? The best thing they had going was a mediocre WNBA team. I was not aware that the WNBA was still in existence. Check out this video from a beleaguered Seattle sports fan posted on ESPN. Let's all say a prayer for them.

Warm Christmas Memories

2008-12-22T16:43:00.002-05:00

Everyone has those memories of Christmas that warm hearts.

My memory happened when I was a teenager. My mom, dad, and I had just sat down at the table for Christmas dinner when a knock on the door was heard by all. My dad rose to his feet and strode to the door. As he turned the knob to open the door, he let out a hearty, boisterous "MERRY CHRISTMAS!" that would have made St. Nick jealous. The two interlopers clear their throats and muttered an uncomfortable, "Well, uh, yes." The two members of the Jehovah's Witnesses were obviously uncomfortable as my dad engaged them in conversation. My mom was getting upset as the potatoes began to assume room temperature. My dad never shied away from engaging someone on spiritual matters.

How about you? Do you have any warm Christmas memories?

Happy Non-Sectarian, Non-Denominational, Politcally Correct, Non-Offensive, Ultra-Generic Winter Holiday(s)!

2008-12-19T10:30:00.005-05:00

So as to be inoffensive to everyone, enjoy:

When I think about it, this video still leaves out Buddhists, Hindus, Shintos, Taoists, Communists, atheists, agnostics, Jehovah's Witnesses, and a multitude of smaller tribal--but no less "valid" in their own beliefs--religions. It does not mention Wiccans and their celebration of the winter solstice.

Lest we forget the real reason for and meaning of the season, the great theologian Linus Van Pelt reminds us:

We Got Our Daughter a TV for Her Room

2008-12-18T07:54:00.002-05:00

For several years now, our 12 year old daughter has been begging for a TV in her room. Well, we did it. We gave her a TV of her very own for her bedroom. Now, you may be thinking we are cool parents for this, or you may be thinking we are idiots.

As Paul Harvey used to say, "Here's the rest of the story."

Several years ago, my wife won a TV. It has been used in various places around the house. The thing only has a 4 inch screen. It is black-and-white. It gets only 3 or 4 fuzzy, grainy channels. Oh, and by the way, after the digital conversion next February, it will be useless. The antenna is built in, so no one could hook up a converter box. I guess it won't be entirely useless, as it does have a radio feature.

Needless to say, she thinks it is pretty nice having her own TV.

Who's Next for a Bail Out?

2008-12-16T13:03:00.002-05:00

As our elected representatives debate the wisdom of freely spending money confiscated from their constituents to bail out the auto industry, other industries continue to suffer. Now the Arena Football League has canceled the 2009 season. The Arena Football League is the league where they play football in basketball arenas. No one really pays attention, but people are losing their jobs. These people are suffering. Why can't we bail them out, too?

Read this book...

2008-12-12T20:36:00.003-05:00

I bought this for my wife a few months back. We had seen Diane Sawyer's 20/20 interview, and I was intrigued. Being in grad school, I simply did not have time to read it, but my wife loved it. She quotes from it frequently.

With the end of the semester, I found time to read it. It took about 5 hours to read all 206 pages.

Every human being should read this book. Pausch, dying of pancreatic cancer (he died a little while back), offered a "last lecture" at Carnegie Mellon University, in Pittsburgh, where he had taught. The insights are powerful, practical, and penetrating.

If you are literate, read it. If you are illiterate, go to Youtube and watch the video. But, as always, the book is better than the movie.

Some of the book may seem trite, but the advice is good. We need to hear these things every once in a while. My wife has read some religious motivational books--and I have read a couple--and this has no where near the sap that oozes from them.

Here is the Youtube video:

A Valuable Book

2008-12-12T14:24:00.003-05:00

The most valuable book that I read this past semester had nothing to do with the subject I am studying, which is history. It is a slender volume entitled The Elements of Style by William Strunk and E. B. White (of Charlotte's Web fame). This is a book that should be mandatory reading for anyone taking any class that has anything to do with writing. Pastors, teachers, business people, and anyone else would do well to peruse the hundred or so pages of this book to ensure that their writing is crisp and clear. If you are concerned about a bunch of dry rules of English, let me assure you that there is plenty of humor in this book. At times, I found myself chuckling or laughing.

Whew! It's Over!

2008-12-10T15:11:00.002-05:00

Well, my second, and much more challenging, semester of grad school is behind me. I had two tough classes, and did not have time to blog much over the last couple months.

For both of you who read the blog (Thanks, mom. [Actually, I don't think my mom knows what a blog is.]) I will try to post a little more over the next month.

A few thoughts

2008-11-05T15:16:00.002-05:00

It has been ages since I posted, but thought I needed to vent a little on the election.

Some thoughts/predictions:
- The people have spoken.
- The country voted for change, and that is all we will wind up with in our pockets: change.
- By the time of the mid-term elections (Nov. 2010), gas will be approaching $6 per gallon.
- If the Republicans develop a solid conservative leader (like Reagan or Gingrich) the landslide in 2010 will drastically dwarf the Republican revolution of 1994.
- Hillary Clinton will be a Supreme Court Justice. (A huge payoff for keeping her mouth shut.)
- Again, a wishy-washy Republican flames out.
- The last truly conservative nominee to lose the presidency was Barry Goldwater.
- The last "moderate" Republican to win was Eisenhower.
- Jimmy Carter will no longer be considered the worst president in the last 100 years.

A Plea to Department Stores

2008-09-15T19:13:00.003-04:00

To all the owners/managers/CEOs of department stores:

Here is an idea. Put a "man room" in each store. If you want to men to be patient while the wife shops. A man room should contain a large screen high definition television and a big couch.

Come on, guys, let's do this thing.

How We Spnd Our Time

2008-09-03T14:59:00.003-04:00

Being in graduate school has made me focus on time management. This semester I am taking two classes, with about 8 gazillion pages to read each week, along with various writing assignments. I am not complaining, but time has been precious, which is probably why I have not blogged in a while.

When I pastored a church, I had to find time for the duties that I had, preaching being the primary consumer of my time then. When I worked a cubicle job, I had to manage my time as well.

It is interesting that we are so focused on wealth in this country, because every single person, rich or poor, has the same amount of time each day: 24 hours, or 1440 minutes, or 86,400 seconds. There are certain things we need to do: eat, sleep, bathe. These take time, but not all our time. How do we spend the other time we have? With family? Mindlessly surfing the Internet or watching brain eating TV?

I used to spend a great deal of time at TheOoze, which is a nice website, but a complete waste of time. I used to watch hours of mindless TV. I have decided this semester that I will limit my TV intake to two main shows: Prison Break and The Office.

How do you spend your time? Are you productive or mindless?