Collideoscope

Posted by: kdc

So actually it's David's fault.

He wondered if perhaps "The Bench Warmers" should cast a wider net, to comment not just on sports, but the culture at large as there's just so much happening during this particular period of history. (And yes, I'm one of those who believes the culture is superheated at the moment and will eventually cool into a new normalcy sometime soon - historically speaking. Moments of rapid, irrevocable change generally last up to 50 years.)

Good idea, says I.

Then we need to change the name of the blog, says he. It won't just be about sports.

And the contributors, says I.

Your New Bloggers
So after almost 2 months of on-again, off-again brainstorming, we have our major contributors in place - we're keeping Bradley despite his Don Quixote-ish support of the overhyped Astros and his tendency to disappear for stretches when they start losing (some say he's out pouting but I'm inclined to believe he's on his knees in prayer again), and...well, it was David's idea, so booting him wouldn't have looked good (besides, he's willing to work for free), and then we needed a foil, a counterpoint, a dissenting third...and Denelle Burns (currently of New York, New York, lately of the City of Angels) seemd the perfect choice. Three bloggers, dissecting and commenting and examining what the media declares is important or seems to purposely overlook. (Read: Quality and/or Christian material.)

So the new mandate is the culture at large - what's happening, what's not happening, what should be happening and what it all means. We need a place to post when roving reporters end up at cultural events with exclusive photos and commentary.

More importantly, this is not about reporting on what any gossip site can whisper, nor is it worshipping the gods of today (celebs and sports stars and executive editors of web zines) by giving them even more attention from our little zine - instead it's about engaging the culture around us as Christ might. I still love author Andy Stanley's evaluation, "Culture is not our enemy, it is the context that you minister in." That's what we hope to do.

So that's where we're morphing.

Expect a new design this week.

Send us your ideas for topics.

Contest Anyone? Prizes Anyone?
The problem is we still can't decide on a blog title. We've tried every variation of "three," "tri," "triple" that you can think of that would incorporate 3 bloggers engaging Western culture. Nothing works for us.

So we're opening it up to you, gentle reader. Name this blog and we'll shower you with prizes! Yes, prizes! Real live prizes! If we choose your submission (we will be enforcing a strict limit of 100 entries per person), a pithy amalgam that encapsulates this blog's new mission and the 3 major contributors (all of whom have blogged here), you will:

• DISCOVER what poor taste in music Bradley has, as he will send you 3 CDs from his personal Goth Metal Oldies collection.
  
• RECEIVE David's autograph on a book of beautiful poetry that David did not write.
  
• WIN an exclusive 90&9 T-shirt (probably in your preferred size, unless that size is sold out) hot off the presses!
  
• BE proclaimed the bold winner and be feted throughout blogdom! (Or at least by Lee Ann at Duct Tape, Dixie, and Me.)
  
• ENJOY a personal phone call from Denelle sharing the startling truth that you are, in fact, the winner and all-time champion of Unnamed Blog Naming! Your fame in Pentecost will be assured.
  

What human could possibly ask for anything else? So start submitting today at DBunch@ninetyandnine.com! (We won't let him go to sleep until he has the first 500 entries in hand!)

Deadline for entries: midnight, CDT, Friday, May 12, 2006.

Excited about the future, I am...

Ever So Humbly,

Kent d Curry
Executive Editor - Content
ninetyandnine.com