Posts

Showing posts from July, 2006

Am I expecting too much?

All I want is for the mornig news program to deliver, well, news. In one hour of network telvision there are at least 20 minutes of commercials, right? So we are down to 40 minutes of show. This morning, in the 7 o'clock hour of Today , fifteen mintues were doveted to the earth shattering stories of a young starlet's troubles with studio execs and showing up to work; and an equally troubled Hollywood bigwig's weekend encounter with the sheriff's department. Twenty-five percent of the hour ( that's one fourth, for those of you in Rio Linda ) devoted to this crap. Um, isn't there something else going on? Did I imagine it, or are we at war? Am I delusional, or are there dreadful events going on in places of terrific historical and political significance? I expect this drivel from Access Hollywood and Entertainment tonight, but Today? I can't stop shaking my head. I guess I don't really miss anything by being at work at 6:30 each morning.

Four minutes well spent...

Image
Thanks to Gerry Charlotte Phelps , I have been introduced to MEMRI . The Middle East Media Research Institute monitors and provides English translation and analysis of Arabic and Farsi news outlets. The best part-- it is free. You and I can access their resources via the web. I guess that there will be less home cooking around the Wolske house for a few days, as I continue to peruse this treasure trove. This video is the first one I watched. It is a clip from a February interview on Al Jazeera. English subtitles. Dr. Sultan is well spoken and her arguments are thoughtful and provocative. If you are so inlcined, the transcript is here . It is worth the time.

Wow. All I can say is I will be in good company...

One of my fellow posters over at Worshiptogether.com directed me to a link. It is an essay by Dr. C Matthew McMahon, pastor of Christ Covenant Reformed Presbyterian Church is Florida. The website is "A Puritan's Mind," which was my first tip off. Then I read the title if the essay: The “god” of Arminianism is Not Worshippable Wow. That pretty much lays it on the line, doesn't it? I will no rehash the essay, you are more than capable of reading it yourselves. I do, however, want to point out something that really bugs me. While Dr. McMahon gives a good history of Arminianism and the sunsequent declarations of its heresy at the Synod of Dordt, he does some creative Scripture parsing in the seventh paragraph. The verse in question is that bane of sports show producer everywhere, John 3:16. Note: The Bible, in refuting this, teaches quite a different God. God has predestined only the elect to salvation. These are those for who He “so loved” and “ga

This is only a test...

Image
J dusted off the old Canon and decided to see if it still works. In goes a roll of inexpensive film, and off we go to the strip. One trip to Wal-Mart later, we find that the camera does indeed work, and J even got a few good shots. Not too bad for someone who hasn't picked up this camera in five years or more! Above is a model of the Castle (at the Smithsonian Institution) on display at the Bellagio. The conservatory is changed several times each year, and this summer's theme seems to be Americana. Trojan horse at the entrance to FAO Schwartz. It is fun to prowl around there, but oy! the prices! Again at the Bellagio conservatory. This tree was destroyed by lightning and weighed more than 53 tons. Workers salvaged a preserved what they could, and it has since been the centerpiece of several exhibits here. Gerberas, my favorite. Dale Chihuly glass installation in the registration are of the Bellagio. It is something to behold! Now that he knows the camera is working, J

Me Mudder

Image
Doesn't she look thrilled? She'll be even more thrilled when she finds out I posted this pic. Today is my Mom's day. Yep, she was born the day after her mother's birthday. What a nice birthday present, right? I think so. I cn't be there to celebrate with them, but I am sure there will be cake. And ice cream. And silliness. Because that is what happens when we are all together. (For the first hour, then comes the bickering. We are a family, after all) This was taken the last time we were all hanging out, Memorial Day weekend. My mom and I have never lived in each other's pockets, but I have to say that it really sucks being this far away. I miss the Wednesdays I could pop over to her school and help out, I miss girls' nights out. I miss sitting next to her in church Sunday mornings. I miss the way she rubs her hand in circles on my back when she hugs me-- just like she did when I was little. Most of all, I miss seeing her. Talking on the phone wil

My Gram

Image
Gram Originally uploaded by TheBassPlayersWife . Today is my Grandmother's birthday. She was born 84 years ago in New Westminster, BC . 1922 saw some big changes in our world. Egypt became independent, construction began on Yankee Stadium, and Michael Collins was assassinated. Mussolini came to power, the USSR was formed, and J. R. and Evelyn McLellan brought Madge Iris into their life. Crazy year! I am driving down to Yuma tomorrow evening to spend the weekend with her, sans J. We will play cribbage, maybe some Scrabble, and go to church . One of the things I love about going down there is that we can relax and just be. Gram doesn't mind if I snooze for a little while in the afternoon, and the cell phone doesn't ring every thirty minutes. If I am REALLY lucky, I can get her to sit down, too. She was a Klamath Falls Commando and a USN wife who raised a family of four on an enlisted man's salary. She spends her time with hopsice, Emmaus, and any friend who

I promise I am not kidding...

The teaser for our local channel 8 news was as follows: "How to combat dry itchy eyes. Tonight on first news at five." Um, isn't there a war going on somewhere? Or something?

It is with some trepidation...

... that I even post this. However, my grin wins out. Wuzzadem has solved our energy "crisis" AND our immigration "crisis". Cute stuff.

Slow night at the Wolske house...

Image
Oh, come on and play along. you know you want to... HT: Shannnon at Rocks in my Dryer

YRUFAT?

Image
(With sincere apologies to Mr. Simmons) There has been much talk of and work on weight loss at the Las Vegas Wolske branch office. Thanks to a "Works for me Wednesday" post by Holymama, we have discovered Sparkpeople . Heck, we have become sparkpeople. I admit to being a sucker for silly gimmicks (like Sparkpoints), and Sparkpeople does have some helpful tools. The fact that the food journal is web based is super, and their database is pretty extensive. So, we signed up, set some short term goals (like getting enough sleep EVERY night and at least a little bit of cardio EVERY day), some long term goals (40 pounds by the end of the year), and we are off! (BTW, in case someone actually reads this, I will state my three daily goals: Get ten minutes of cardio, pack my lunch, and tell someone about my goals. Check, check, and check!)

Wow. I am feeling pretty darned ignorant about now...

I guess you learn something new every day . So, my break for fixing whatever fluke freaky thing happened to Quickbooks was not in vain.

To the zit at the lower right corner of my mouth...

You are the very definition of perseverance, little guy. You have survived what no other blemish could. Through Neutrogena , Ten-O-Six , and Clinique; even Differin , Doxycycline , and Retin-A , you have fought the good fight. Now you are faced with a new enemy -- one which has felled all of your brothers. You are there, the lone pimple, keeping on. Sometimes, I think you are gone, starting to fade, but then-- there you are again! Strong as ever! Don't you think it is time to call it quits? I mean, really, the strain has got to be getting to you. In fact, I think you are looking a little dried out and tired around the edges. And with the arrival of the new white hand towels , your brief reprieve has ended. Tonight you will once again face the sulfur masque. It doesn't have to be this way-- the choice is yours. After the masque comes the glycolic acid, then, the piece de resitance -- the 5% benzoyl peroxide. That's right, I am playing hardball, just like Norah O

What lies beneath...

I think I am in a serious post kind of mood. Mostly because there is something on my mind, but also because there is some merit to my concerns. Aside from the odd person here and there, most people who read this know me personally. Several others may even know my family. I would think, then, that people safely know my voice and know when I am serious or not. This, of course, will somewhat offset the inflection, facial expressions, and other subtleties which are lost. J received a piece of mail (first class, incidentally) which advertised weight loss surgery. It was from the hospital down the street and had been forwarded from our old address. We had a bit of a chuckle with it, accompanied by a little irritation at their gall. No big deal. Until he blogged about it. That has started a mini tempest. And so, in light of this, I offer a few suggestions for reading/writing blog posts and comments. 1) Err on the side of grace- When reading posts and comments, if you are unsure about

Smile...

Image
Love love love this guy's work!

Gold star-vation?

Image
Cindy Sheehan was on Hardball yesterday. She is such a study in contradictions. Soft spoken, with smiling eyes, she resembles the favorite homeroom mother. However, I don't know many homeroom mothers who stand next to Hugo Chavez and call our president the "biggest terrorist in the world." If you are so inclined, the video is here . I don't understand hunger strikes, really. I understand prayer and fasting, but the Bible is pretty clear that we are to do that in private. Cindy Sheehan is a Christian, so I think she might already know that. O‘DONNELL: Cindy, you have just begun a two-month hunger strike. Isn‘t this really just more of a publicity stunt? SHEEHAN: No, actually it‘s not. It‘s a moral reaction to an immoral war. Thousands of people all over the world are joining us. And hunger strikes have proven to be effective tools in civil disobedience and changing policy. I am pretty sure, however, that a hunger strike is not civil disobedience. As to the

My favorite Independence Day tradition...

Image
And no, it doesn't involve beer or charcoal. It is NPR's annual reading of the Declaration of Independence . It is usually in the 6 o'clock hour of Morning Edition, and I have listened as long as I can remember. (We have always been early riser, my dad and I) Last year was the first year without Bob Edwards, and I admit to a certain sense of loss there. However, it really is all about the language. There was a line in the movie National Treasure that comes to mind. Something to the effect of how "people don't speak like that today" No matter how many times I hear the words, they move me. Language is power, and those who can command language can change the world. (Good thing POTUS has speechwriters, eh?) Look at the Lee Resolution, proposed a month earlier, which was the reader's digest version, if you will: Resolved, That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to

Charity begins in Omaha?

Image
Unless you have been living under a rock these last couple of weeks, you know that Warren Buffett has made an unprecedented donation to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation . Next month, the Foundation will receive the first installment of the approximately thirty billion dollar pledge. Fan-freaking-tastic, man! According to Dwight Burlingame , professor of philanthropic studies at Indiana University, private giving, even with Mr Buffett's gift, hovers around 2% in this country. He was a panelist on monday's Talk of the Nation , along with Pablo Eisenberg and Jill Manny . I have been mulling this program over for the last week, primarily because one statement caught my attention. The first caller, Joe, expressed concern over what he called the "privatization of charity." He went on to say that there are many memebers of the "conservative evangelical movement" who belive that "charity is not the place of the governement." This "greatly

Ok, so they aren't what I originally intended...

Image
... But they are cute, and they were on sale. In fact, I was able to get a pair of flip-flops for the pool and still come out ahead. Anyway, I am now the proud owner of my first pair of Birkenstock sandals. Yes, I too thought they were reserved for smelly dutchmen and granola types. I still have my reservations, but these look darn cute with a pedicure. They have the added bonus of actually being good for my feet and holding in check my terribly fallen arches. Tonight, however, my feet are screaming. It is a differing pain than my plantar faciitis-- more sore than anything else. I think it is a matter of getting the muscles and bones to cooperate. I still want the pink Dansko, but I will settle with these for now. (I need something more practical next) J is just worried I will start hugging trees...