Statements, perhaps funny

Antrim, Belfast, Northern Ireland (photo from trekearth.com)

I will not attend a wedding reception unless invited to the wedding. I never enjoy being the fifth wheel. What do you think of my view?

Friends of mine have three cute and sweet little girls, and one of them that is 3 and a half-years-old is quite the character.

I was joking with her as she sat in my lap and I asked her why I did not have three cute little teddy bears (girls) like her parents. She stated ‘Your belly is too fat, and you should eat less’. I smiled and stated that I did not eat much, had a lot of stomach muscle and had sleep apnea.

I was playing on the floor with her and her older sister and grabbed their dolly to tease them and make them jealous, showing them how much the doll ‘loved me’. The 3 and a half-year-old stated, ‘You are too fat to have a baby’.

Daddy was holding baby sister in hand and knocked over some food on the floor. The 3 and a half-year-old and the older sister were asked to clean up the mess. The older sister complied, but the 3 and a half-year-old stated, ‘Why don’t you clean it up yourself’! Daddy had a huge grin on his face, and then had to go into Daddy/discipline mode.

I had not seen the girls in a few weeks, I asked the oldest, ‘Did you miss me’, she smiled and said ‘yes’. I asked the 3 and a half-year-old, and she stated, ‘No, you stink’!, within a minute they were both jumping and crawling over me.

I found the profile of a young woman on Facebook that I used to be attracted to that was not attracted to me. She does not look near as good now, and I am somewhat pleased. I guess I will not be up for any nice guy blogger award now.;) As if I was in the running with these blogs...

With God's help I aim to be good rather than nice, although I try to be both. The pursuit and discussion of truth can sometimes lead to hard feelings, and that cannot always be helped, but I attempt to stay on good terms with everyone.

I have a friend at church that I respect very much since he is over 80 years old and still works. He teases me about a few things, and one day we were talking about films. I asked him if he remembered his first 'talkie'. He laughed hard.

This is weird. My Mom just sent me the following set of photos. This is supposedly from off the coast of Orange Beach, Alabama.













Thanks to Casa Di Pace in my links for presenting this hilarious UK advertisement featuring Mr. T.

Satire on You Tube

I have not seen this United Church of Christ video in Canada, but noticed it on You Tube months ago. The clip claims that God does not reject people, and yet from a Biblical perspective in John 1:12-13 those who receive God, become children of God, but not by the will of the flesh, or of man, but of God. Leon Morris writes that people by their own efforts cannot enter into the heavenly family. Morris (1989: 128-129). It is God who takes the initiative to save sinners. Morris (1989: 129). Francis Foulkes explains that in Ephesians 1:4, God does predestine individuals to believe in Christ, but this does not oppose human free will. Foulkes (1989: 55). Foulkes presents the idea that God offers salvation to all, and those that accept are elected. Foulkes (1989: 55). I disagree. Cranfield explains that human beings in their fallen state do not fear God, and persons live as practical if not theoretical atheists. Cranfield (1992: 67). Mounce in his Romans commentary points out that although many people seek a type of religious experience, that according to Romans 3, no person seeks God, who must take the initiative in the human salvation process. Mounce (1995: 108-109). I conclude that for those that God does not take this initiative, they will remain rejected by God, as they reject God in sinful choices resulting from a corrupt, fallen nature. God does not force or coerce persons to believe in him or reject him, but must regenerate persons in order for belief in Christ and God to occur. In the process of regeneration, I reason that God enables persons to, with a limited free will, believe in the Biblical God.

Within the context of the people attending a Biblical Christian Church, members and those in leadership should not judge whether or not God will save those who attend who do not live a life according to Biblical standards, and do not claim to believe in Christ. The Christian Church should be a safe place for non-Christians to attend and to hear the gospel message and receive love and respect. Church membership should be left for those that are seemingly willing to live a life based on Biblical standards and will follow the particular essential doctrines of each individual denomination, or church, if it is non-denominational. I view essential doctrines as ones concerning the nature of God as triune, the exclusivity of Christ for salvation, a trust in the Bible as an accurate copy of the original inspired letters, and a related devotion and desire to obey Biblical commandments, even though they are contrary to our corrupt human nature. The church member must show signs of being guided by God's Holy Spirit.


Okay, granted she was probably nervous, but for a televised event, one would think she would be better prepared, but fatigue may have been factor. She provides an another opportunity for people to believe and spread the dumb blonde myth. She may be a very intelligent person that had a battle with nerves, but probably many out there will not give her a break, which is too bad.

CRANFIELD, C.E.B. (1992) Romans: A Shorter Commentary, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

MORRIS, LEON. (1989) Jesus is the Christ: Studies in the Theology of John, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

MOUNCE, ROBERT H. (1995) The New American Commentary: Romans, Nashville, Broadman & Holman Publishers.


The Vick jury.

thekingpin68 in Florida

Fort Myers, Florida

Restoration Why Later

I had the vitrectomy and lens replacement please see section D of post above.

June 21, 2012

Hello from Orlando, in Central Florida. This will mean little to new readers, but those that have read this blog for awhile will realize that I live in Greater Vancouver in British Columbia. I am here receiving medical treatment for the eyes in South Florida, in the nice town of Fort Myers. The surgery involves laser treatment for vitreous eye floaters. The large floater in my right eye is gone and there shall be more treatment to get rid some of the smaller floaters. The left eye was treated once with few laser strikes, as it does not have serious floaters and the ones it has are not very dense, hard to shoot and near the retina. The main problem was the large floater in the right eye, and that is gone and I now hope to have as few floaters left as possible. It is easier to type this type of article without the massive floater in the right eye. Here is the link for Dr. Scott Geller.

http://www.vitreousfloaters.com/

Additional from August 22:

I am back in BC now. The surgery was successful in eliminating the large floaters, but I have several small floaters which the laser cannot strike, or the floaters are too close to the retina. Dr. Geller is an excellent surgeon, and a nice man with a good sense of humour. He did the very best he could with four sessions to eliminate the floaters he could safely remove. He has the knowledge and laser to safely remove viewable floaters and ophthalmologists need to investigate his techniques. As Dr. Geller stated and as I knew previously, a vitrectomy is an option in the process. I now shall pursue a vitrectomy locally to rid myself of the numerous small floaters which are filling my right eye.

http://www.stlukeseye.com/Surgical/Vitrectomy.asp

Vitrectomy

Overview

The vitreous is a normally clear, gel-like substance that fills the center of the eye. It makes up approximately 2/3 of the eye's volume, giving it form and shape before birth. Certain problems affecting the back of the eye may require a vitrectomy, or surgical removal of the vitreous. After a vitrectomy, the vitreous is replaced as the eye secretes aqueous and nutritive fluids.
A vitrectomy may be performed to clear blood and debris from the eye, to remove scar tissue, or to alleviate traction on the retina. Blood, inflammatory cells, debris, and scar tissue obscure light as it passes through the eye to the retina, resulting in blurred vision. The vitreous is also removed if it is pulling or tugging the retina from its normal position.

Quick points:

-Central and South Florida are humid, as is the Lower Mainland in BC. It is much warmer here in Florida though. I ran a bit the other day and it was a challenge in this weather.

-It is interesting how in the midst of very warm humid days here in Florida that it can rain very hard, harder than it does in the Lower Mainland for the most part. I was soaked traveling to my car from the surgeon's office. But, I would quickly dry off in the car.

-The water here has been good, and the food as well.

-It has been interesting, even with the long 6 hour round trip drives between Orlando and Fort Myers, to experience the landscape of Florida, and for the first time in my life, the tropics, in South Florida.

-It was very nice to see the Gulf of Mexico for the first time. As I expected, it looks to have much scenic potential.

-The drivers here can be quite aggressive, and some persons view it as alright to drive on the grass off of the freeway. Overall, I think Florida drivers are probably slightly better than ones from BC, but that is just an impression. The speeds here are higher and I deduce the driving skill level is as well. The drivers here remind me somewhat of UK drivers, although the speeds are less here. I drive in the fast lane mainly to avoid the many large trucks here! I drive at 80 miles per hour, and in the UK did about 90-110 miles per hour. In BC, 70 miles per hour on a freeway is probably my maximum typically.

-The people here seem generally quite friendly.

-It is good to see Mr. and Mrs. Documentary Man again. I am staying with them in the Orlando area. They are kind of like a Christian version of Meathead and Gloria from 'All in the Family'.;) They are good, intellectual friends.


Facebook graffiti

Predictions, but not mine!

In my view, the predictions below should make one seriously consider the ramifications of human finite knowledge, and the need to rely on the infinite, omniscient, Biblical God, based on Scripture.

Russ;)

http://baetzler.de/humor/predictions.html

"I have always found strangers sexy."
- Hugh Grant, six months before he was arrested with stranger Divine Brown.

"That rainbow song's no good. Take it out."
- MGM memo after first showing of "The Wizard Of Oz."

That one makes me snicker.

"Radio has no future."

"X-rays are clearly a hoax."

"The aeroplane is scientifically impossible."
- Royal Society president William Thomson, Lord Kelvin, 1897-9.

"No imaginable commercial value. Who would pay for a message sent to nobody in particular?"
- David Sarnoff's associates in response to his urging investment in the radio in the 1920's.

"You ought to go back to driving a truck."
- Concert manager, firing Elvis Presley in 1954.

"Forget it. No Civil War picture ever made a nickel."
- MGM executive, advising against investing in Gone With The Wind.

"I'm just glad it'll be Clark Gable who's falling on his face and not Gary Cooper."
- Gary Cooper, after turning down the lead role in Gone With The Wind.

"Can't act. Can't sing. Slightly bald. Can dance a little."
- A film company's verdict on Fred Astaire's 1928 screen test.

"Very interesting, Whittle, my boy, but it will never work."
- Professor of Aeronautical Engineering at Cambridge, shown Frank Whittle's plan for the jet engine.

"There will be one million cases of AIDS in Britain by 1991."
- World Health Organisation in a 1989 report. It over-estimated by 992,301 cases.

It is a good thing that this prediction was incorrect.

"We don't like their sound. Groups of guitars are on the way out."
- Decca executive, 1962, after turning down the Beatles.

Well, I wish most of them were out, but there have been a few very good bands over the years.

"The atom bomb will never go off - and I speak as an expert in explosives."
- U.S. Admiral William Leahy in 1945.

"All saved from Titanic after collision."
- New York Evening Sun, April 15 1912.

The Academy Award winning film, was more successful than the ship.

"Brain work will cause women to go bald."
- Berlin professor, 1914.

This statement is insulting, and goes even further than the 'dumb blonde idea' below.

"Television won't matter in your lifetime or mine."
- Radio Times editor Rex Lambert, 1936.

It is too bad that televangelists matter in our time!

"Everything that can be invented has been invented."
- Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, US Office of Patents, 1899.

"And for the tourist who really wants to get away from it all, safaris in Vietnam."
- Newsweek magazine, predicting popular holidays for the late 1960s.

"Stocks have reached a permanently high plateau."
- Irving Fisher, Professor of Economics, Yale University, 1929

"There will never be a bigger plane built."
- A Boeing engineer, after the first flight of the 247, a twin engine plane that carried ten people.

"There is not the slightest indication that nuclear energy will ever be obtainable. It would mean that the atom would have to be shattered at will."
- Albert Einstein, 1932

"With over 50 foreign cars already on sale here, the Japanese auto industry isn't likely to carve out a big slice of the US market."
- Business Week, August 2, 1968

"I think there's a world market for about five computers."
- Thomas J. Watson, chairman of the board of IBM.

"I have traveled the length and breadth of this country and talked with the best people, and I can assure you that data processing is a fad that won't last out the year."
- The editor in charge of business books for Prentice Hall, 1957.

"But what [...] is it good for?"
- Engineer at the Advanced Computing Systems Division of IBM, 1968, commenting on the microchip.

"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home."
- Ken Olson, president of Digital Equipment Corp. 1977

Yes, who needs theology blogs?

"So we went to Atari and said, 'Hey, we've got this amazing thing, even built with some of your parts, and what do you think about funding us? Or we'll give it to you. We just want to do it. Pay our salary, we'll come work for you.' And they said, 'No.' So then we went to Hewlett-Packard, and they said, 'Hey, we don't need you. You haven't got through college yet.'"
- Apple Computer Inc. founder Steve Jobs on attempts to get Atari and H-P interested in his and Steve Wozniak's personal computer.

"This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication."
- Western Union memo, 1876

"Who wants to hear actors talk?"
- H.M. Warner, Warner Brothers, 1927.

I have an 81 year old friend at church and I asked him if he remembers his first 'talkie'.

He laughed.

"Airplanes are interesting toys, but they are of no military value whatsoever."
- Marechal Ferdinand Fock, Professor of Strategy, Ecole Superieure de Guerre

"No matter what happens, the U.S. Navy is not going to be caught napping."
- U.S. Secretary of Navy, December 4, 1941

"While theoretically and technically television may be feasible, commercially and financially it is an impossibility."
- American Radio pioneer Lee DeForest, 1926

"The concept is interesting and well-formed, but in order to earn better than a 'C,' the idea must be feasible."
- A Yale University management professor in response to Fred Smith's paper proposing reliable overnight delivery service. (Smith went on to found Federal Express Corp.)

"Professor Goddard does not know the relation between action and reaction and the need to have something better than a vacuum against which to react. He seems to lack the basic knowledge ladled out daily in high schools."
- 1921 New York Times editorial about Robert Goddard's revolutionary rocket work.

"Drill for oil? You mean drill into the ground to try and find oil? You're crazy."
- Drillers who Edwin L. Drake tried to enlist to his project to drill for oil in 1859.

"Louis Pasteur's theory of germs is ridiculous fiction."
- Pierre Pachet, Professor of Physiology at Toulouse, 1872.

"The abdomen, the chest, and the brain will forever be shut from the intrusion of the wise and humane surgeon."
- Sir John Eric Ericksen, British surgeon, appointed Surgeon-Extraordinary to Queen Victoria, 1873.

No surgeon would operate on my friend Bobby Buff's chest, since it would cut up a muscular 'thing of beauty'...snicker.;)

"640K ought to be enough for anybody."
- Bill Gates, 1981.

"What can be more palpably absurd than the prospect held out of locomotives traveling twice as fast as stagecoaches?"
- The Quarterly Review, England, March 1825

"The abolishment of pain in surgery is a chimera. It is absurd to go on seeking it. [...] Knife and pain are two words in surgery that must forever be associated in the consciousness of the patient."
- Dr. Alfred Velpeau, French surgeon, 1839

"Men might as well project a voyage to the Moon as attempt to employ steam navigation against the stormy North Atlantic Ocean."
- Dr. Dionysus Lardner, Professor of Natural Philosophy and Astronomy, University College, London, 1838

"You'd better learn secretarial skills or else get married."
- Modelling agency, rejecting Marilyn Monroe in 1944.

I have wondered, did Marilyn Monroe make the 'dumb blonde idea' famous?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumb_blonde

Like many popular-culture stereotypes, the origins of this concept are murky. The 1925 Anita Loos novel Gentlemen Prefer Blondes: The Illuminating Diary of a Professional Lady (later used as source for a film by the same name made by Howard Hawks and starring Marilyn Monroe) featured the character Lorelei Lee, a beautiful but empty-headed singer. While some look to this as the source for the concept, in fact, it might be far older.

The following are some predictions from the Jehovah's Witnesses.

http://www.carm.org/jw/false_prophecies.htm

1897 "Our Lord, the appointed King, is now present, since October 1874," Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. 4, page 621.

1899 "...the ‘battle of the great day of God Almighty' (Revelation 16:14), which will end in A.D.

1914 with the complete overthrow of earth's present rulership, is already commenced." The Time Is at Hand, page 101 (1908 edition).

1916 "The Bible chronology herein presented shows that the six great 1000 year days beginning with Adam are ended, and that the great 7th Day, the 1000 years of Christ's Reign, began in

1873." The Time Is at Hand, page ii, (forward).

1918 "Therefore we may confidently expect that 1925 will mark the return of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the faithful prophets of old, particularly those named by the Apostle in Hebrews 11, to the condition of human perfection." Millions Now Living Will Never Die, page 89.

1922 "The date 1925 is even more distinctly indicated by the Scriptures than 1914." The Watchtower 9/1/22, page 262.

1923 "Our thought is, that 1925 is definitely settled by the Scriptures. As to Noah, the Christian now has much more upon which to base his faith than Noah had upon which to base his faith in a coming deluge." The Watchtower, page 106 4/1/23.

1925 "The year 1925 is here. With great expectation Christians have looked forward to this year. Many have confidently expected that all members of the body of Christ will be changed to heavenly glory during this year. This may be accomplished. It may not be. In his own due time God will accomplish his purposes concerning his people. Christians should not be so deeply concerned about what may transpire this year." The Watchtower, 1/1/25, page. 3.

1925 "It is to be expected that Satan will try to inject into the minds of the consecrated, the thought that 1925 should see an end to the work." The Watchtower, Sept, 1925 page 262.

1926 "Some anticipated that the work would end in 1925, but the Lord did not state so. The difficulty was that the friends inflated their imaginations beyond reason; and that when their imaginations burst asunder, they were inclined to throw away everything." The Watchtower, page 232.

1931 "There was a measure of disappointment on the part of Jehovah's faithful ones on earth concerning the years 1917, 1918, and 1925, which disappointment lasted for a time...and they also learned to quit fixing dates." Vindication, page 338.

1941 "Receiving the gift, the marching children clasped it to them, not a toy or plaything for idle pleasure, but the Lord's provided instrument for most effective work in the remaining months before Armageddon." The Watchtower, 9/15/41, page 288.

1968 "True, there have been those in times past who predicted an ‘end to the world', even announcing a specific date. Yet nothing happened. The ‘end' did not come. They were guilty of false prophesying. Why? What was missing?.. Missing from such people were God's truths and evidence that he was using and guiding them." Awake, 10/8/68.

1968 "Why are you looking forward to 1975?" The Watchtower, 8/15/68, page 494.

Matthew 24: 23-24 points out that false Christs and prophets shall arise. Jesus states that they should not be believed.