Mac's Monthly Miscellany

Ehm, a couple of month ago we went in a WH in Alab...

2012-04-12T16:19:47.370-07:00

Ehm, a couple of month ago we went in a WH in Alabama, smoke in the whole restaurant. I think it is only smoke free in the "non smoking states".

Thought provoking post. I enjoy hearing or reading...

2012-03-14T21:56:01.468-07:00

Thought provoking post. I enjoy hearing or reading people grappling with big complex issues even if (or even especially if) they cannot immediately arrive at a nice clean and neat answer/resolution. I love to see the things we consider when we are willing to look beyond the easy answers.

I have recently found a community that grapples with and discusses these types of questions in a way that I generally find uplifting and thought provoking. Perhaps you may enjoy the topics raised and their podcasts:

http://mormonmatters.org/

Cheers!

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2012-02-29T19:37:50.879-08:00

Valuable information and excellent design you got here! You are a true talent, Regards!

Also from the wiki, which will help explain some o...

2012-01-30T09:28:17.202-08:00

Also from the wiki, which will help explain some of the hard to find road names - "Geoff Mack's music publisher offered the song to Canadian-born country musician Hank Snow in 1962. Snow thought the song had potential for the Canadian and American markets, but only if the place names were adapted to North America. At his publisher's urging, Geoff Mack consequently re-wrote the song using a North American atlas supplied to him by the publisher. The North American version starts: I was totin' my pack along the dusty Winnemucca road. Below are the places mentioned in this version of the song, most of which are in North America, but a few of which are in Central and South America, e.g. Costa Rica and Argentina:
First verse
Reno, Chicago, Fargo, Minnesota,..." So you can see here, that Johnny cash did NOT place Reno at the beginning of the list.

I see you like Johnny Cash, as do I. Just one smal...

2012-01-30T09:06:14.201-08:00

I see you like Johnny Cash, as do I. Just one small problem here, besides the slight errors in the lyrics.
"The song "I've Been Everywhere" was written by Geoff Mack in 1959 and made popular by the singer Lucky Starr in 1962.
The song (as originally written) listed Australian towns. It was later adapted by Hank Snow for North American (predominantly United States) place names and by John Hore (later known as John Grenell) with New Zealand place names (1966).
The song was a number 1 hit in Country Music in November 1962 in the United States for the recording artist Hank Snow.[1] The song was also recorded by Lynn Anderson (USA 1970), Asleep At The Wheel (USA 1973), Johnny Cash (USA 1996),...." - quoted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I've_Been_Everywhere
It just HAD to be pointed out by somebody. Hank Snow wrote the American road names, which is why he is credited in the insert for the CD album "The Legend Of Johnny Cash(Geoff Mack is Credited also, in the back, with the song list). Also from that insert - "1994s American Recordings album set the tone, mixing new tunes with traditional fare like "Delia's Gone." To Cash, a good song was simply a good song, regardless of who wrote it...." - Rich Kienzle
So, although it MAY be true, that the man in the song was running (he may have just been a serial killer who hadn't been caught), it was nothing more than coincidence that Reno was mentioned in a Johnny cash song 3 years BEFORE "I've been Everywhere" was written by Geoff Mack - just sayin'

The Economy matters most to me as well, My father ...

2012-01-22T12:06:28.759-08:00

The Economy matters most to me as well, My father owns a sole proprietorship and in this economy no one pays for services such as Carpet Cleaning (my fathers business). His revenue was >100,000 in 2001 and was turning away work; however he faced bankruptcy in 2009-2010 because of the economic collapse, but by the grace of God he pulled through it. He backs Newt Gingrich 100%.

I believe both Mitt and Newt would be an improvement in the oval office.

Despite my father's beliefs, I'm not sold on anyone yet.

Brenden, The economy matters most to me.

2012-01-20T20:52:07.675-08:00

Brenden,

The economy matters most to me.

Why Romney over the others?

2012-01-20T16:56:49.785-08:00

Why Romney over the others?

http://www.economist.com/node/13237193

2012-01-18T12:39:08.253-08:00

http://www.economist.com/node/13237193

The punishments for low-level mules are pretty sev...

2012-01-17T18:12:43.929-08:00

The punishments for low-level mules are pretty severe. 10 year minimums for first time offenders. No one tells these guys how much time they are looking at when they sign up for some quick cash. I can't imagine how much more severe the punishments would have to be to stop the illegal drug trade.

I grew up in Tampa, FL. When the Challenger blew u...

2012-01-11T20:34:31.651-08:00

I grew up in Tampa, FL. When the Challenger blew up, I was 10, and at school. My class was outside for Phys.Ed. that day. In Tampa, when its clear out, you can see the shuttle in flight, and I actually SAW it explode with my own 2 eyes. I pointed it out to my teacher and some friends, but none of them believed me till they announced it over the intercom, and we all took a moment of silence. I remember 2 of these jokes from back then, one of which I haven't seen here. I heard the Need Another Seven Astronauts one, and the other was: Q. What were Christina M's last words? A. What's this button? Crude, but as mentioned earlier, the height of hilarity at 12 (or 10).

Anonymous, Thank you for some perspective on the ...

2012-01-11T10:57:17.969-08:00

Anonymous,

Thank you for some perspective on the matter.

I appreciate your frustration with your church. B...

2012-01-11T10:32:24.266-08:00

I appreciate your frustration with your church. But if you think everything is perfect in Southern Baptist country, think again. That goes for any and every church, too. Every church has its problems. We usually put on our smiling, happy faces when people come to visit. There are hurting people in every church being ignored while all these wonderful programs are going on.

Mary, Other LDS chapels have exactly what I'v...

2012-01-11T07:04:21.817-08:00

Mary,

Other LDS chapels have exactly what I've requested. My desire is to have something adequate for our ward to hold functions. Additionally, you always ask for more than you need when a bureaucracy controls the funds.

There's no vanity in my effort, and I find it odd that you attribute this idea to a covetous keeping-up-with-the-Joneses mentality. Please think about how dismissively insulting that sounds on my end.

Your response to my post is what I expected from members who think that everything is fine in the Church. It is not. Activity and conversion rates are plummeting because the Church is not responding to the changing demographics of its membership and potential converts. While you see my ward as an aberration, I see your Montana ward in an equal light. I know many LDS people all over the world who feel the same way as I do, and I feel that change doesn't come without agitation.

I state, not specifically to you, but to the world, that dissension is not sedition. Agitation in our church is a good thing.

I understand your frustration, but I guess as a fe...

2012-01-10T22:11:29.757-08:00

I understand your frustration, but I guess as a fellow "person who has an opinion about everything", I feel I must make a rebuttal to your claims.

I'm sorry your ward/stake seems to be lamely uninvolved in the community, but I think it's an unfair assessment to say that the church as a whole has "gone from a finding-truth charismatic church led by Joseph Smith to the Corporation of the President with the sure signs following of bureaucracy and epistemological elite."

I served my mission in Montana, and there were wards of all different flavors. There was one in particular that did just what you described and had a nativity night, where people of all Christian sects could contribute by bringing their different nativity scenes and display them. People in the whole community came, and they do it every year. That same ward held a community Christmas concert every year, anyone in the community could be in the choir. The different churches in the community rotated who would be in charge of directing the music -- but they always used the LDS building because it was the only one big enough to hold all the people that came.

I could come up with many other examples of wards reaching out to the community in fellowship and service, some I've been able to participate in myself (much of was when I was a missionary – sorry the missionaries in your area are slacking in that category). I guess what I'm trying to say is: while church doctrine and policy is the same everywhere, every ward seems to have its own little culture. Some ward cultures are more favorable and inline with the gospel than others.

This church isn’t built to entertain the youth with Xboxes, drums, and disco balls. Those are nice things that those churches have, but they’re not essential. I don’t want my children going to church because they think it’s cool. I want them to go so they can know the truth, feel the Spirit, so they can learn how to serve and learn how to deal with people who are imperfect.

Which brings me to what I think is the root of your problem. Your ward and stake are filled with imperfect people. Maybe they haven’t read the handbook and their focus isn’t right. Maybe it is right and it’s just a different agenda than what yours would be. Maybe the problem is in the home. Perhaps your view of what's going on in your own ward is incomplete.

I have to say I laughed when I saw that you requested a pavilion to be built with a gas BBQ pit, ceiling fans. Jeez, you don’t need all that to have a community get together. Just borrow someone’s grill, park it in the grass and party! Sure it may not be as fancy without the disco ball, but community fellowship isn’t about keeping up with the Joneses, now is it?

This is an absolutely beautiful picture -- thank y...

2011-12-22T20:31:17.169-08:00

This is an absolutely beautiful picture -- thank you so much for sharing.

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2011-12-19T23:46:35.629-08:00

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Just submitted this to the ABC Family feedback pag...

2011-12-16T12:35:28.779-08:00

Just submitted this to the ABC Family feedback page (http://abcfamily.go.com/site/feedback):

Numerous commercials aired during the Christmas specials for children are blatantly and OUTRAGEOUSLY inappropriate for the target audience of the program (graphically sexual, violent, crude, etc.). If you would like me to log the examples, dates and times, and why the content of these commercials is so objectionable, I would be happy to give you detailed information. Until this issue can be corrected, your network will be blocked from all of the televisions to which my child has access (so that I don't inadvertently record a program we would otherwise want to share with our son). The impression both my husband and I have gotten from this demonstrated lack of judgement is that your network would benefit from this type of feedback.

Thank you so very much in advance for any time or consideration given to these concerns.

he's right dude, you got half of your interpre...

2011-11-18T15:31:45.230-08:00

he's right dude, you got half of your interpretations wrong.

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2011-10-21T06:25:34.126-07:00

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I am an English Dpt Chair. and one of the teachers...

2011-09-29T11:39:59.855-07:00

I am an English Dpt Chair. and one of the teachers states that the students are complaining about this book and how it has noting to offer. I have not read it, but I have heard great things about it. Could you possibly provide some information about how you taught the book? My email address yvetteh@camden.rutgers.edu. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

please explain the BUDlight Challenger joke...

2011-09-26T13:15:37.991-07:00

please explain the BUDlight Challenger joke

The joke is a reference to a Budweiser ad campaign.

Try watching this Bud Light ad on YouTube for an idea of the joke. (The campaign itself was based on jokes, so it was natural for kids to extend the campaign to tragedy.)

please explain the BUDlight Challenger joke --- I ...

2011-09-13T07:24:04.551-07:00

please explain the BUDlight Challenger joke --- I ~ Just CAN'T get it...! Please. It's frustrating me.

Here's one I remember from back in '86; a really terrible one---
Q: Why the Challenger blow up at 73 seconds?
A; 'cause after the first minute, they let the black guy drive.

This is the second time I've somehow landed on...

2011-09-02T17:24:21.021-07:00

This is the second time I've somehow landed on your blog through some means or another, and unless I'm just imagining it, I remember being driven to comment the first time, too. I love this commentary on Christmas. As a church musician, I help our pastor choose hymns throughout the year. Every year at Christmas (and Easter), we both reflect on how insane it is that these songs and these topics are culturally restricted to a certain time of the year, when the whole entire point of every day of life is to celebrate Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. So many "Christmas" hymns would be beautifully meaningful all the other days. However, when we do go off the wall and choose them in the middle of August, we have to say something like, "I know this is a Christmas hymn, but listen, it's really relevant."

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2011-08-22T23:20:34.165-07:00

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