Thoughts On Image & Reality Television

Czarnohora, Ukraine (trekearth)

A&E

A. Thoughts On Image

I can respect this young woman for the willingness to go out into public with this condition for which there appears to be no treatment or cure. She is still attempting to deal with what might possibly be at times the very intense pain of negative comments online and offline because of her image. She attempts to treat herself with respect. Without doubt a Christian position should be to treat a person like this with respect and love. Christians should love neighbour as one loves self in Biblical terms (Matthew 22: 37-40, Mark 12: 28-34) with an attempt at understanding the condition as opposed to gawking as many in the world would do.

I can only relate to this type of struggle with self and image on a small scale in comparison, as with my sleep apnea. It is now virtually cured with metabolism pills as I continue to scale down in size to what I should naturally be as I work out 1-2 hours a day and eat quite moderately. I have always lived that type of lifestyle since I can remember, as far back as four years old. I am quite muscular and although cardiovascular ability does tend to decline as one leaves their twenties I am most certainly stronger than I was in my teens or twenties and probably ever. By God's grace this has been accomplished by eating moderately and responsibly and through the use of martial arts bag work, sparring and weapons, dumbbells (30-50 pounds, no I am not a dumbbell thankfully) long walks and and some running. My goal is to be biologically ten to twenty years younger than my age for decades and so far according to my medical records I am succeeding, despite sleep apnea.

However, when the sleep apnea was at first undiagnosed it was difficult. Then when it was diagnosed the Medical Doctors were experimenting with CPAP and then the Klearway dental appliance and my appearance, although not horrid at all, in photos was not what I would like. To me it also serves as a practical lesson within the problem of evil, philosophically that one at times can do most things correctly, and not many things wrong, and yet nature, in my case my three stage, neck, jaw, and nose (sleep) apneic nature, outside of my limited freewill, and these aspects of nature still contributed significantly to my 'Kingpin' frame.

In regard to the young woman, she as well did not choose the nature of her condition with the use of limited free will.

The song 'Oh Lord it's hard to be humble' may be semi-serious. But, actually is is not hard to be humble is this fallen world.

As noted previouiously on this blog, besides the metabolism pills I have also had a UPPP surgery done in British Columbia, which is uvulopalatopharyngoplasty that is intended to enlarge the airway by removing the uvula and removing the tonsils and adenoids. As well because in Manchester, England, Uncle Chuckles and I were attacked December 24, 2000 by three men in a group of thirty approximately and when the three could not beat me up one of them that I had hurt with a round house kick and ran off then ran back, and cursed me out with the 'f' word and threw a wine bottle at me in the face breaking my nose and two front teeth. I could not move out the way quick enough as two other guys were hitting me. Therefore, I needed to have had nasal reconstruction and tip reduction, a rhinoplasty when I came back to British Columbia.

Well, I did have a slight overbite previously. The UK dentist stated 'Instant orthodontic' as she gave me crowns. They were eventually done again in British Columbia because of swelling.

Although I technically won the fight against the three men, getting in the better shots, taking in no serious hits, because I was bottled, after the incident, in the next few years with further study and dialogue with a couple of former professional government operatives online and study, I realized that my approach had been somewhat wrong in the battle. I fought too defensively in order to avoid being stabbed by a knife or screwdriver, and should have had more techniques to take out three men sooner. I did not factor in being struck from distance while surrounded.

I heard a report on Talk Sport radio (UK) that there are an estimated 50, 000 underage criminals in the UK and that was the environment I was living in for two years. While I lived in the Manchester area a neighbour was murdered...beaten to death in a chair. I have more of these techniques now as well as more training with weapons. This type of issue is actually a problem with much traditional martial arts in that they often have some technical value but they often fail to train for real life street fighting situations.

I know, I know, it is sad for a Christian to have to think in those terms but when one is attacked in that manner one has to seriously consider if there is a 'next time', and I am one who fully intends to learn life lessons. I think sometimes what would have perhaps happened to a couple of young ladies in that same situation that night.

Some of my conclusions about image are very similar to a Pastor I heard at Northview Church on the weekdays that a few of us used to attend during my Bible school and seminary days. Basically concerning image one should do the best with what he/she has and live for
God.


Lake of Solonets, Ukraine (trekearth)

B. Thoughts On Reality Television

Reality Television from Wikipedia

To paraphrase Wikipedia:

Reality television is modified, highly influenced, and sensationalistic in order to attract an audience and gain advertising revenue. Persons are placed in strange situations, in scripted situations to create and illusions of reality.

In my terms it is theatrical reality as opposed to a true documentary reality. This should be understood for those that claim 'fake' etc. It is theatrical. It is not always entirely fictional but is often non-fictional with theatrical aspects. At first other than 'The Apprentice' I was rather closed to the genre, however when my brother visited from Arizona in 2011 for seven weeks I watched some of his programming and now I watch some more of it. Here are some reviews:


2004-Present (Wikipedia)

Donald Trump demonstrates some business skill and presents good lessons on how to succeed in life, especially in 'The Apprentice' series. 'The Celebrity Apprentice' lacks the business quality programming but has more comedy material as celebrities although playing for charities are generally wealthy and really do not need the job as the Apprentice. This shows in their comedic and bizarre actions. An annoying aspect of the second show is an overemphasis on money raising. At times I receive the implication from the program that being able to raise more money means one is more successful in life in it entirety. Financial success is just one aspect of success in life.

Consider:

Matthew 19:16:30 (English Standard Version)

16 And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” 17 And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” 18 He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, 19 Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 20 The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

23 And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” 26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” 27 Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” 28 Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world,[a] when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold[b] and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

Mark 10:17-31 (English Standard Version)

17 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” 20 And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” 21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

23 And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is[a] to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him,[b] “Then who can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” 28 Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” 29 Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, 30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

Luke 18:18-30 (English Standard Version)

18 And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” 21 And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.” 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 23 But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. 24 Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” 27 But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” 28 And Peter said, “See, we have left our homes and followed you.” 29 And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers[a] or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”

A reasonable Biblical and Christian approach is to work for, and ask God for financial success while at the same time placing greater emphasis always on spiritual issues of God, family and others.


2011-Present (Wikipedia/A&E)


(A&E)

I keep reading and hearing online that Moe looks like the man with the fake glasses and mustache I must admit when I first saw him he made me laugh so hard I texted my brother in Arizona and he had not seen this Storage Wars spinoff yet, but Moe does seem to know his business.

I also think that quite a few members of the cast may need to consider contacting their MD in regard to metabolism pills...

I also doubt that they under eat and swing 15 pound martial arts clubs or aluminum bats...

I still prefer the original series to the second one because the first has more seasoned buyers, and Barry Weiss is the main star.

With both of the Storage Wars programs there is something intellectually interesting about the history of collectables, antique furniture and other findings within a storage unit which can be quite educational.


2010-Present (Wikipedia)


2006-Present (Wikipedia)

This show (stated somewhat in the shows intro) fictionalizes and makes theatre of actual repossessions that have occurred over the years. Actors are used to portray supposed actual events in fictional form. The result is a very funny program as long as the show does not take itself too seriously.

September 14, 2012

Testing out new white dress shirt for US/Vancouver wedding party I am in this month. Seems good. Please note I am not affiliated with any religious organization particularly associated with white shirts or door knocking.