Wednesday, September 29, 2004

Friday, September 24, 2004

Derek Webb on his new album - I See Thing Upside Down

“What are the things that we American Christians value in our culture and how is that different, and often ‘upside down’ from true Kingdom values? I’ve found that often success looks more like failure, riches more like poverty, and have found that real life often feels more like death, as the Christian life is very literally the process by which we are killed.” - Derek Webb

U2 - Vertigo

The first single has dropped!
I heard it on the radio yesterday.

HERE IT IS!

After listening a few times, I think I am getting the gest of the song. It seems to me to be about the unrest in the world and the possability of hope in God.

"In a place called vertigo,
its everything I wish I didn't know.
But you give me something I can feel."

"I can feel you teaching me how,
your love is teaching me how to kneel"

Thursday, September 23, 2004

New U2 Album Info

I have been waiting for this for about a year now. Here is the latest info from U2.com

Ok, so the wait is nearly over and the new album is on the way. So what do we know... and what do we not know!
There’s still a lot to be revealed in the coming weeks, but, when you pull it all together, quite a few of the vital statistics are already out there. We figured it might be time to separate some of the facts from some of the wilder flights of virtual imagination and online chatter. Of course, some of these outrageously speculative stories may yet turn out to be bang on the money - others will fade within days into the obscurity of rock'n roll trivia quizzes.
So here’s our top ten checklist to guide you through the jungle of rumour and speculation.

1. U2 have been recording a new set of songs over the past two years. Set for release on November 22nd, the album is called How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb.

2. According to Edge, at least one of them is called All Because of You. Or at least that's what the track was called when they were recording it. But what we do know for sure are titles of six other tracks on the album. Check them out here.

3. A handful of influential people - outside of the band - have heard some of these songs. The unanimous verdict seems to be that it's a pretty dang hot collection. Take Bill Flanagan, sometime U2 biographer, who says: 'I've heard it, it's great. It's the best album they have ever done. It's going to knock them out!'

4. In case you were hibernating or holidaying on Mars, earlier in the summer some of the new material went missing during a photo shoot with the band in France. 'A large slice of two years work lifted via a piece of round plastic.' reflected Edge.'It doesn't seem credible but that's what's just happened to us....'

5. The first single will be on air before the month is out. It’s called Vertigo and comes complete with a Kraftwerk cover and live studio performance. Complete story here.

6. The album has been produced by Steve Lillywhite, his first time at the desk for a whole U2 album since he produced the bands' first three albums, Boy, October and War. But others have been in the studio too - including Flood, Jacknife Lee, Nellee Hooper and Chris Thomas.

7. Any clues about the sound of the record ? Lillywhite says, 'I've heard some great songs. The Edge is playing some really great guitar.' Time Magazine, which also claims to have had an ear to the studio wall, is delighted that 'there's no crunk-style rapping, no gospel choirs or techno experiments.' 'Instead, this as-yet-untitled album is just full of confident, expansive guitar rock from the masters of the form.'
It will, according to Bono, ‘be our first rock-n-roll album'.

8. Oh yes, the title. Well, in case you missed it above - the album is called How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb.

9. When Vertigo goes to radio later this month, expect to find U2.Com undergoing its own revolution in look and content. When the album arrives, expect even more startling changes.

10. Plans to tour are also underway - the date of the tour will be 2005. (Rest assured, you’ll have the dates first from U2.com, just as soon as they’re buttoned down.) Paul McGuinness says the tour will be defined by ‘the character of the new album and the new production.’ So we can speculate more on the tour, when we've heard the album!
(Throughout September and October U2.Com will be posting official confirmation of all new U2 releases - as and when we get it!)

OH, I CAN"T WAIT!

Wednesday, September 22, 2004

Political Compass

http://www.politicalcompass.org/

I know we have all done these tons of times, but I find it interesting each time, and I like to see how i have changed over time.

My Score

Economic Left/Right: -6.38
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -5.23

I scored similar to Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, and the Dalai Lama

WOOT!

Wednesday, September 15, 2004

Prayer Request

Some of you may know I have a brother-in-law, Jon, in Iraq. I just got this e-mail forwarded from my sister-in-law. Please pray for these men and all the service men and women in Iraq. It makes me sad, then angry that lives are being lost, they could use all the prayer they can get.

I received the following email from Jonathan early Wednesday morning.
You may want to be sure you have a few min. available to pray before
reading the following.
Crystal Tolson

Jonathan Tolson wrote:

So my old platoon got shot up in a drive by shooting yesterday. One
of the guys was killed (he got to the platoon about a week before I
left, so I didn't know him other than talking to him in passing). His
name was SGT Jacob Demand, was divorced, but had a child

Scott Thorne concerns me the most. He had neural surgery in Baghdad,
but the fact that he made it through surgery and made the 3 hour
flight down to Baghdad is good signs. Still too early to tell. He
had a daughter just about a month ago when he was on leave. As you
know, I've prayed for him and he has asked me to pray for his family
in the past.

PFC Majors was in my platoon, but I did not know him that well...he'll
probably be partially paralyzed, also critical condition.

Will Duran and James Wingate, who wrote you during NTC you may recall
, had some serious wounds, but are both in stable condition and should
make a near full recovery. I got to see both of them at the hospital
yesterday, which was very good.

Another guy, Mullins, who i didn't know also got injured but is doing
well along with Duran and Wingate.

Chris McCracken was the only guy there who left without a physical
scratch. Well, him and the interpreter that was with them. He
concerns me as he's taking it really hard.

"Bon Bon" Bonjiorno, the Platoon medic is also taking it fairly hard
since he treated them all.

It has also hit the squadron fairly hard since Corey Harris, Greg
Mills, Ray, and Scissons and others that knew them from the platoon
are now at Squadron.

I don't feel like sending this out to my usual prayer list, but you
can and I'll let you decide what should be filtered. For now I'm
doing fine, although I'm sure it will hit me in a day or two. If you
do tell people at church, my parents, etc, please stress to them that
I do not want them to pray for me until they have prayed for the above
people, their families, and the other soldiers of B Troop. Only then
do I want them to pray for me in this regard. These people need the
prayer more than I do. I have Christ, many of them don't.

Your shook up, but loving husband
Jonathan

I will only add a request to pray for their wives and families as
well. Scott Thorne's Wife is Theresa, I believe. I do not think any of
the other gentlemen were married. These guys are all due home soon and
that feeling of "so close" can easily leave you unprepared for
something like this.

Crystal

Tuesday, September 14, 2004

p00p

I was talking to my wife the other day about the word "poop". I decided its my favorite word.

1. It is funny to those of all ages, for a test say it around a 4 year old, they love it.
2. It makes me laugh, go ahead, say it outloud.
3. It looks cool.
4. Over the Rhine sings about it here
5. You can spell it backwards and it still says the same thing.
6. and best yet, when you turn it upside down it says "boob".

*TOAST: to the word "poop"

Friday, September 03, 2004

JR - The Motion Picture Soundtrack Vol. I

I got this idea from Michaela (Ass Machine Lobos), and I have no problem with blatantly ripping it off.

Here is the song track of my life:

Opening song: “Beautiful Day” - U2
Waking up: "Welcome to the Cruel World" - Ben Harper
First date: “I Want to Hold Your Hand” - The Beatles
First kiss: “Casual Affair” - Tonic
Heartbreak (relationship 1): "Song for the Dumped” - Ben Folds Five
Heartbreak (relationship 2): "Screaming Infidelities" - Dashboard Confessional
Heartbreak (relationship 3): "Better Off As Friends" - The Waiting
Heartbreak (relationship 4): "Glass" - Five O'clock People
Recovery from relationship 4: “Halloween” - Dave Matthews Band
Falling in love with Jenny: "The Luckiest" - Ben Folds
Still Falling in love with Jenny: "When You Say Love" - Over the Rhine
Driving fast: “Open Road Song” - Eve 6
Guys Night: “Don't Mug Yourself” - The Streets
Romancing the Wife: "If You Wear That Velvet Dress" - U2
Alone with God: "Somewere North" Caedmon's Call
Missing Jenny: “Angle" Dave Matthews Band
Summer vacation: “Sail Away" - David Grey
Traveling: “Into the Great Wide Open" - Tom Petty
Thinking of Friends: "Bowl of Oranges" - Bright Eyes
Christmas time: “Oi to the World" - No Doubt
Falling asleep: “Lullabye” - Over the Rhine
Closing song: "In My Life" - (Johnny Cash version)

Thursday, September 02, 2004

Brennan Manning - The Relentless Tenderness of Jesus

Wow, What a great book. I am only on the second chapter but I am loving it. My wife and I are leading a small group were we are reading this book, I highly recommend it to everyone. My experince is that it is hard to find a book that says anything I havn't already heard, being someone who has grown up in the church, but this one really got me thinking about my view of God.

Here is one of the quotes that really stood out to me:

The old religious image of a vindictive, mean, and jealous God gives way in Jesus to the God of faith who cherishes people, all people, and has made his abode with them. Jesus presented a God who does not demand but gives; does not oppress but raises up; does not wound but heals. A God who forgives instead of condemning, and liberates instead of punishing. Woe then to those who demand, opress, wound, condemn, and punish in His name. It can only be said that they do not truely know him."

Wow, sometimes the truth cuts deep.