Collideoscope

Posted by: David Bunch

Okay, now that I've returned from getting a fresh cup of joe lets get back to our discussion. (This New Orleans blend is great...)

Both Stu and Jared responded to my Bono comments with much verve and insight. In Stu's case you'll need to know some sort of Latin/French hybrid, but Jared made most of his comments in the mother tongue.

I can totally relate to Jared's comments having grown up in an Apostolic home as well (we did have Nintendo but I had to go next door to watch Scooby Do). I agree that guys like Bono can help guys like us understand the questions by framing them in a relevant way. And if you have the slightest penchant for things literary and/or cool, how can their music not be a major draw?

The only thing I'll add is that I've learned to be very careful in my music choices. And please note, this is just me-it may not be such a big deal to others. But I've found that I'm very susceptible to music and my mood and attitude can be greatly affected by what I'm listening to, even as an adult. So that's why I tend to err on the side of caution when it comes to music selection. As much as I love to dive into the pensive/moody/poet persona, I've found that I have to really channel that carefully because it can be destructive to God's work in me. So I guess what I'm saying is that there is a balance to be achieved.

And on that note, and to change the subject slightly, I don't know if you've all been introduced to this song Sweetly Broken by Jeremy Riddle, but I think its one of the best Christian songs to come out in a while. Very fresh lyrics and a great sound. I was very please to discover that he has a solo project debuting the first week in March!

Posted by: kdc

So the date has been set - and it must be a good one because it's the middle of Sweeps month - for February 12, 2007.







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Posted by: Denelle

New information to pass along to you from Kent re: Wife Swap on ABC.

I've been having trouble posting for a week so Denelle's helping out.

The Mid-Missouri Pentecostal Wife Swappee has returned home, tireder but optimisitic, and most of the filming has ended (I'm told by ABC). ABC says the show will air in 4-6 weeks. All interview requests must go through the network, always closer to air time, so we're hopeful they'll grant an interview or two in February/March.

Not sure we'll have much news until then, but thought we'd give you the latest.

Posted by: Denelle

Navigating your way through your 20s is one of the most difficult things you can ever face. Figuring out career and education choices can be overwhelming. Add to that the pressure of finding and falling in love or of getting married and making it last; while both of you continue to change and grow and it is almost enough to cause a nervous break-down.

In fact, it's caused more than one of us to endure a "quarter-life crisis". (hey, think of it as preparation for that mid-life crisis)

But you are not alone. In fact, it is a growing field of study. And now you have an opportunity to get involved and share your stories.

Christine Hassler, author and life coach for 20somethings is compiling stories for her newest book, The Twenty Something Manifesto. While her first book, Twenty Something, Twenty Everything, was directed toward women this new work is geared toward women AND men who, in their 20s, have experienced what Hassler calls "an expectation hang-over". Here is some additional information:

The format of the book will include stories from twenty-something’s in a blog type, almost stream of consciousness OR story-telling format followed by commentary by me which highlights aspects of the story, offers suggests, and or provide an action-plan inspired by the story. I WILL NOT criticize, make fun of, embarrass or degrade anyone’s story. In my books, writers can also be anonymous. I am looking for stories about disappointment, struggle, making change, learning a new behavior, drama, triumph, laughter, and so on. Stories submitted to me do NOT have to have a beginning, middle, and end. The writer can be in the midst of something or telling the story from a hindsight perspective.

If you are interested in submitting your story or would simply like to share your opinions in an effort to help Hassler with the direction of the book please take a moment and fill out the following survey. It only takes about 10 minutes and is totally anonymous. Based on your answers Ms. Hassler will contact you if she feels your story will fit into the framework of the book.

SURVEY - Click Me

Additionally, Christine is co-editing Chicken Soup for the Twenty Something Soul. Check out the Chicken Soup website for information and guidelines on submissions.

I can't wait to see your submissions in print!

Posted by: David Bunch

Our Month in My Life blogger, Jared, brought up a really interesting topic yesterday regarding Bono and his band, U2. I've decided to weigh in (yea I'm even compelled to weigh in) but please take my comments in the spirit of lively discussion and not as an attack on Jared, Bono, or anyone else. Let this be, shall we say, the cyber equivalent of a little chat at the coffee shop.

I have long been fascinated with Bono and as he is from Dublin (the place to which my family and I will be moving to work as AIMers), I have additional interest in what he's all about. He makes incredibly good music, writes phenomenal lyrics, and goes around holding audience with Popes, Presidents, and just about anyone who has a cause of some kind. But I, along with millions of others, still cannot pinpoint exactly what he's all about.

I confess that on more than one occasion I have reached out to purchase U2's greatest hits cd that softly calls my name each time I buy a cup of coffee at Starbucks, but each time I feel checked by the Holy Spirit not to go there. In a quick one sentence summary, I don't believe all music has to necessarily be "Christian" but it is extremely important to me to know what a singer, musician, and band stands for and how they behave behind the scenes for me to buy into their music. I still haven't figured out who Bono and company are (though I have listened to some of their stuff before, and I have given How to Dismantle An Atomic Bomb a once over).

In my quest to see what they are all about I have come across two important articles. The first was written in 2005 by a Christian recording artist by the name of Tara Leigh Cobble. She attended a U2 concert and stated that Bono chanted "Jesus, Jew, Mohammed-all true" to the crowd (this has been disputed by others). The action left her feeling let down and she even asserts that Bono could be a type of anti Christ. What is interesting about this is that the Christian community lashed out at Cobble for daring to speak against Bono, and I even heard a pod cast where Derek Webb railed on her and defended Bono (I would link to it but it has since been taken down). Why the defense of Bono? I get the feeling sometimes that the public in general wants to hear no negative words about him.

The second article was written in late 2006 and is called "I Have Forgiven Bono". While I'm sure he's delighted to know that he has found forgiveness from this person, it is interesting to note that even in one of the few negative articles I've ever seen on him, the author is "forgiving" him, thus invalidating the criticism. Also, the editors of that particular website preface the article to make sure that all readers know that they like U2 and do not necessarily agree with the author. Why all defensive?

To me, the bottom line on Bono is this. Yes, he asks some probing spiritual questions in his lyrics. Yes, he sings about the spiritual quest we are all on. Without a doubt his songs have spiritual overtones and even when the do not they are usually about some worthwhile cause. But Bono never offers an answer! And that is the key (the song "Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" comes to mind). Bono asks the right questions but doesn't offer any answers. And that is a shame because the mass, worldwide appeal that he has gives him the opportunity to offer the hope of Christ to millions, maybe even billions. And it is an opportunity he misses.

Having said that I likely will at some point again check out "Yaweh" to give it a listen with Jared's words in mind. And yes a class combining OT theology and U2 song lyrics sounds fascinating. But to buy in to U2's message and send them straight to my mp3 player?

They still aren't what I'm looking for.

Posted by: David Bunch

20 worshippers of Zeus got together for a ceremony this week in an effort to bring back an ancient religion.

A clutch of modern pagans honored Zeus at a 1,800-year-old temple in the heart of Athens on Sunday — the first known ceremony of its kind held there since the ancient Greek religion was outlawed by the Roman empire in the late 4th century

Ellinais was founded last year and has 34 official members,mainly academics, lawyers and other professionals. It won a court battle for state recognition of the ancient Greek religion and is demanding the government register its offices as a place of worship, a move that could allow the group to perform weddings and other rites.

To this I reply with a selection from Acts 17, in which the Apostle Paul responded to the very same mindset of the Athenians of his day.

Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent.

Posted by: David Bunch

The afore mentioned Jesus Freak Hideout has an announcement about a forthcoming audio dramatization of the New Testament that will feature the vocal performances of Jim Caveazel and others. There's even a link to download a free sampling.

Posted by: Denelle

I know I've been MIA the past week or so but every time I sit down to do one of these my brain just shuts off. I think it is directly proportional to the amount of Political Economics I'm cramming in. We had nearly 700 pages of reading for that one class alone this week. I make no promises regarding how much of it I will actually retain.

So, since grad school has temporarily made it impossible for me to have an original thought, I am sharing with you part of an email I received and found amusing and enlightening.

Life in the 1500s . . . Did You Know . . .

* Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May, and still smelled pretty good by June. However, they were starting to smell, so brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odour. Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married.

* Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children. Last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the
saying, Don't throw the baby out with the Bath water.

* Houses had thatched roofs-thick straw-piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the
roof. Hence the saying. It's raining cats and dogs.

* There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how canopy beds came into existence.

* The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence the saying, Dirt poor. The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until, when you opened the door, it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entranceway. Hence the saying a thresh hold.

(Getting quite an education, aren't you?)

* In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while. Hence the rhyme, Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old.

* Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man could, bring home the bacon. They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and chew the fat.

* Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.

* Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or the upper crust.

* Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky. The combination would sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up. Hence the custom of holding a wake.

* England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a bone-house, and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive. So they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the graveyard shift) to listen for the bell; thus, someone could be, saved by the bell or was considered a dead ringer.

Now how can anyone say that history is boring?

Posted by: David Bunch

Occasionally I like to share interesting links that I have discovered of late. Here are two that I'm exploring this week.

Even though it actually has nothing to do with the Jesus Movement or dcTalk, Jesus Freak Hideout is a really great resource for all news Christian music genre. Spanning all styles it gives artist spotlights, album release dates and latest buzz.

On a completely different note John Maxwell has a great site for leadership resources. Of particular interest to me is the leadership assessment tests he offers to help you pinpoint your leadership strengths and weaknesses.

Enjoy.

Posted by: David Bunch

Ireland and poetry, two topics I enjoy discussing. So check out this news about the Irish poet Seamus Heaney's award for his latest collection of poems.

District and Circle was widely seen as a return to form from the poet Robert Lowell called "the best Irish poet since Yeats". The collection is full of darkness and foreboding, danger ever-present in the warp and weft of ordinary life - a journey on the London Underground, the swing of a sledgehammer, a turnip-snedder. It is a world in which conflict is inescapable, war omnipresent.

Posted by: David Bunch

The curtain is quickly falling on your opportunity to participate in 90&9's 2007 reader demographic survey. Cruise on over and take a few minutes to tell us about yourself. Hurry though-time runs out this Sunday.

Posted by: Denelle

I would like to ask all of you to once again hold my family up in prayer.

My dad's brother Cecil passed away last night. He'd been battling cancer for about nine months and he took a sudden turn for the worst yesterday morning. I know this would be hard for my dad no matter what but it is especially hard since my grandfather just passed away last month.

Sometimes, it's true, when it rains it pours.

Posted by: David Bunch

The curtain is quickly falling on your opportunity to participate in 90&9's 2007 reader demographic survey. Cruise on over and take a few minutes to tell us about yourself. Hurry though-time runs out this Sunday.

Posted by: David Bunch

The curtain is quickly falling on your opportunity to participate in 90&9's 2007 reader demographic survey. Cruise on over and take a few minutes to tell us about yourself. Hurry though-time runs out this Sunday.

Posted by: Denelle

While the the myth of casual sex comes as no surprise to Christians it is still amazing to see the staggering number of our own that buy into the deception. I don't know if I could even begin to count the number of friends, let alone acquaintances, that have discovered that "free love", "friends with benefits", and even "sex with the one you love but aren't married to" is nothing more than a set-up for heartache.

In the article "Casual Sex Is A Con" (an excerpt from The Thrill of the Chaste), Dawn Eden describes her journey from free love - as a groupie and music historian, to chastity - and the peace that accompanies this choice.

I've pulled some of the parts of this article that I feel are the most relevant, that hit the closest to home and speak the loudest to our culture as a whole:

I was determined not to get hurt the way I had seen my mother hurt. Having premarital sex seemed like a surefire way to get burnt. So I decided early on that I would not have sex until . . . marriage? That would be great. However, I didn’t think I could wait until then. Instead, I resolved that I would wait to have sex until I was really “in love” — whatever that meant . . .

As a teenager with no moral foundation for my resolution to save my virginity for Mr Right — other than a fear of being hurt by Mr Wrong — I felt free to push the envelope. No, more than free. I became one of those mythical virgins who does “everything but” . . .

Whatever Greer and her ilk might say I’ve tried their philosophy — that a woman can shag like a man — and it doesn’t work. We’re not built like that. Women are built for bonding. We are vessels and we seek to be filled. For that reason, however much we try and convince ourselves that it isn’t so, sex will always leave us feeling empty unless we are certain that we are loved, that the act is part of a bigger picture that we are loved for our whole selves not just our bodies . . .

Our culture — both in the media via programmes such as Sex and the City and in everyday interactions — relentlessly puts forth the idea that lust is a way station on the road to love. It isn’t. It left me with a brittle facade incapable of real intimacy . . .

The champions of the sexual revolution are cynical. They know in their tin hearts that casual sex doesn’t make women happy. That’s why they feel the need continually to promote it . . .

I commend Ms. Eden on being willing to go against the flow of culture today and tell the truth about the pain that promiscuity inflicts.

In a world that tries with every magazine, every t.v. show, every movie, billboard, cd, and advertisement to convince us that sex is the way to happiness it is VITAL that people - especially people who have lived that life and can speak from experience - be just as loud in proclaiming the reality.

Posted by: Denelle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9OhnEK6g88

Oh the JOY!!!

Posted by: David Bunch

90&9 breaking news: ApTube is on the way!

Check out this week's cover by Kent Curry for all of the details on a contest in which $300 of prize money is up for grabs!

Posted by: Denelle

I'm a few days behind in posting this news on here but in my defense I have to say that I am not the world's biggest tech junkie so while I knew it had been introduced, I wasn't fully aware of exactly what all was involved . . . until now.

This past week Apple unveiled the all new iPhone. A handy new gadget that incorporates all the functions of your cell phone, iPod (iPod video, no less) and PDA/hand-held computer into one device.




Most of the information available on Apple's site regarding the cool things this phone does is over my head with the tech-speak. So, I thought I'd highlight a few of the things that I (as a regular Joe) think are awesome:

1. No stylus needed. If you've ever used a PDA that needed a stylus you can appreciate that. The widetouch screen of the iPhone allows you to use your fingers to perform all of the functions you need. Just like in Star Trek. LOVE.IT.

2. When viewing a web page or other media, the iPhone automatically detects when you turn the phone from portrait to landscape:

then automatically changes the contents of the display, so you immediately see the entire width of a web page or a photo in its proper landscape aspect ratio

3. The iPhone can also detect when you lift it to your ear to use the cell phone function. It then turns off the screen so that you don't accidentally hit a button you didn't mean to and you save power. Likewise, it automatically adjusts the screen brightness to compensate for the light levels around you. Obviously, the phone is smarter than I am.

Say What?

Of course, as with all things that stand to change the way the world communicates and/or functions (*coughGooglecough*) controversy has already reared its head as Apple and Cisco Systems prepare to do battle over the name "iPhone".

Cisco filed a trademark for "iPhone" in 2000 and until earlier this week were in talks with Apple to be the manufacturer of the new device. Cisco's Lynksis division has been selling internet phones under the brand iPhone for over a year. Apple claims that their name refers specifically to a cell phone while Cisco's phones are internet based.

But CNN claims that the fight is really over the future of phones as we know them.

Here's where it gets interesting: Today cell phones and Internet phones are essentially different kinds of devices. One day soon, however, these two devices are going to be virtually indistinguishable - and that's the future Apple and Cisco are fighting over.

Most people use a regular handset to make calls at home, cell phones to make calls on the go, and special software or hardware to make calls on a personal computer. But as more calls move onto the Internet - a shift to technology called Voice over Internet Protocol, or VOIP - those distinctions are disappearing.

So whether or not Apple's iPhone remains the iPhone is uncertain.

However, it is certain that the entire "Geek-World" is, well, geeked-out, about this phone and will probably stand in line for 72 hours to get their hands on the first ones when they become available later this year (shoot, considering that they're going to retail for only about $500 I may stand in line for one - an iPod Video will run you $250 all by itself).

Need more proof?

The best quote I've read about this gadget (really, can we call it a phone? that just seems to limit everything it can do) comes from PVPOnline.com (which I actually read in the Chicago Sun Times): "Jesus has come back, and he's a phone now."

Yeah, I'd say they're over the moon.

Now me, I'll be excited when they come up with the thing they had on Star Trek and used in the sick bay that could perform surgery just by passing it over your body. No incision, no doctor to screw it up, a recovery time of a few hours. That's what I'm looking for.

The ball's in your court Steve Jobs. Get on it.

Posted by: David Bunch

The David Crowder Band has been named MSN's artist of the year for 2006! They won against the likes of Christina Aguillera, Kenney Chesney and INXS.

This has tremendous implications regarding the cultural impetus that Christianity is building through continued positive exposures in the media. DCB has proven that Christians can bring a straight forward message about faith while still maintaining artistic relevance (think Chronicles of Narnia, etc.). It also demonstrates culture's increased acceptance of Christians in the mainstream. And that can only be good news for all of us.

From the press release:

During the voting period, MSN also lauded David Crowder Band, saying, “While Crowder is unafraid to make direct and straightforward pledges to his savior, he seems extremely restless creatively and tries his hand at any style that suits him. Even Crowder's fans in the Christian music community had to be blown away by the album A Collision or (3+4=7), a literate, pensive and complicated album about death. It won the Dove Award for Best Rock Album, and has even secular fans wondering what’s up next.”

Capturing the attention of such significant media as the New York Times, CNN, FOX News and more, David Crowder Band was the first Christian artist to foster a partnership with M-Audio/Propellerhead’s Reason software and Crowder is the namesake behind premiere guitar maker Tom Anderson Guitarworks’s Crowdster Acoustic and the DCB-inspired guitar, The Atom.

Here's hoping that 2007 continues to bring such positive exposure to Christianity in the media and in the culture.

Posted by: Denelle

We've been experiencing some technical difficulties with our "Month In The Life" blog at ninetyandnine.net. So in the meantime we've relocated the blog to http://www.ninetyandnine.com/month . Take a minute and stop by and check out this month's blogger. Jared is an OT Bible scholar, a teacher at Gateway College of Evangelism and a soon to be first time father. His blog is sure to be full of interesting and exciting information.

And while we're pointing out things that you should check out and fill out, 90&9's Annual Demographic Survey. On top of being an interesting read once the results are calculated, it helps those of us here at 90&9 get a feel for what topics and items are of interest to all of you so that we remain relevant. It only ten questions and takes no time at all. So do it now!

Posted by: Denelle

I know, I'm a week (and almost a half) behind but I've finally settled on a few resolutions for 2007.

That being said here they are, in the hopes that you will all hold me somewhat accountable. This means that I expect to get an email from time to time asking if I'm keeping up/staying on track. If I fail to hold these until the end of the year, I will hold all of you accountable. And you wouldn't want that on your conscience would you?

Denelle's 2007 Resolutions

1. I heretofore endeavor to read the following books during the following time periods:
- I Wish To Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed ... - January/February
- The Collectors - March/April
- French Women For All Seasons - May/June
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - July/August (I love that this is released just in time for my vacation to Hawaii!! JK Rowling must love me.)
- Suite Francaise - September/October
- Tuesday's With Morrie - November/December (because I've never gotten around to reading it)

Because I'm starting school I don't know what else I'll be able to get in but I figured this was a managable goal.

2. To handwrite at least one card/letter per month to a friend/family member. As a society we are becoming too dependent upon electronic means of communication. And while I love my email and my cell phone dearly and can't imagine life without them, nothing is as touching as getting a letter or a card delivered by the mailman. I want to share that joy with the people I love.

And that's it. I have a couple that are more private and I am relatively new to the whole resolution thing so I didn't want to overdo it. Am I alone in the resolution making category this year? Or have all of you made resolutions you'd be willing to share?

Posted by: David Bunch

"Plutoed" is the 2006 word of the year.

"Plutoed" was chosen 2006's Word of the Year by the American Dialect Society at its annual meeting Friday. To "pluto" is "to demote or devalue someone or something," much like what happened to the former planet last year when the General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union decided Pluto didn't meet its definition of a planet.

Now go and use your new word on your friends.

Posted by: Bradley McDonald

Howdy, folks! Your favorite Collidescope sports reporter here, checking in with all the latest football action.

It's been an amazing bowl year so far with a few upsets and quite a few good games.

Boise State
Did anyone see The Greatest Game Ever Played in this year's Fiesta Bowl? No one gave Boise State much of a chance versus #7 Oklohoma, even though Boise State was undefeated and ranked #9. To be honest, I didn't think they could compete with the Cowboys, either.

But compete, did they! The Broncos pulled out to an 18 point lead before Oklahoma pulled off a remarkable comeback, going up by a touchdown in the last few minutes.

Then Boise State pulled out an unbelievable "hook and ladder" play on a 4th and 18 with just seconds to play that went for a touchdown! That's the old play everyone works on in the backyard where one receiver catches the ball, takes off one way and then pitches the ball to a teammate running the other way. I don't think I've ever seen it run as successfully as Boise State that night.

And they weren't through with their tricks! In overtime, after Oklahoma had went up by a touchdown, BSU scored and decided to go for two, to either win it right there or lose it! And won it, they did, on another slick play where the QB faked a throw but had the ball behind his back the whole time and the RB took it and ran off in the opposite direction.

If you haven't seen the highlights of that game, you need to. Oh, and then the Broncos' running back asked his cheerleader-girlfriend to marry him during a post-game interview!

BCS Blowouts
As I mentioned before, there were also a few blowouts this year, including two in the BCS games.

USC totally dismantled Michigan, a team a lot of people through should be playing for the National Championship. USC, of course, was coming off a loss in their conference championship game to UCLA. I was cheering for USC in that game, for once, because if the Trojans would've beat the lowly Bruins, my LSU Tigers would've played in the Rose Bowl in Cali and I was making plans to attend.

So, LSU ended up playing a heavily over-matched Notre Dame team and it wasn't close. The Tigers scored at will during the second half and ended up with a 41-14 win.

NOTE TO POLLSTERS: whatever you think Notre Dame should be ranked, add ten points to that and that should be correct. The Irish are over-ranked every year, which is why they've lost 872 bowl games in a row.

Anyway, LSU looked good and would probably have a good shot at the National Title, if there were a playoff system.

Saints
Speaking of playoff systems, the New Orleans Saints are sitting in a nice position after earning a first round bye. Hopefully, that'll result in some success in the playoffs for an organization with only one playoff win in it's history.

South Louisiana is fired up about the Saints and I have to admit I'm kinda excited, too. To use a popular chant for Saints fans: "Who dat? Who dat? Who dat say dey gon' beat dem Saints?"

Posted by: David Bunch

For those of you who are interested in keeping up with the Bunch Family and our adventures in preparing to go to Ireland as AIMErs, we have set up iBunch- a blog to keep in touch with everyone.

So check it out and let us know what you think!

Posted by: kdc

ABC is filming tonight and tomorrow at our Midwestern Pentecostal Wife's home, getting a feel for their normal routine, etc. (No doubt they are also doing this at whatever home she's to be swapped into as well.) I called her tonight just as they were arriving, so we barely got to talk.

On Monday morn/Sunday night, she'll be tossed into that other home, where she'll live their lives before they follow her rules, all while being taped of course. It's over on Friday or Saturday. The episode is slated to appear in February, though that's always subject to change.

It's my understanding she'll be given a safe room to spend the night in and unwind, but no communication out until it's over. (Though I'm not positive about that last part.)

More soon (I hope).

Posted by: David Bunch

Lake Superior State University has released its annual list of banished words.

According to a Fox News report, the folks at Lake Superior State University, north of Detroit, have released their annual "List of Words and Phrases Banished from the Queen's English for Mis-Use, Over-Use and General Uselessness," containing 16 words or phrases for particular scorn by language purists.

Among the targets: "Ask your doctor," that annoying catchphrase from pharmaceutical commercials, which the list terms "the chewable vitamin morphine of marketing." As for the celebrity combo names, one contributor to the list termed it "so annoying, idiotic and so lame and pathetic that it's 'lamethetic.'

Posted by: kdc

Need a good laugh?

Then you just gotta watch Trunk Monkey in action!

Posted by: Denelle

My first resolution of the New Year . . . not to get sick. And I'll start working on it as soon as I get over this lousy cold I have. My head hurts, my chest is congested, my throat is sore. Is there some categorical imperative that illness follows the holidays? If so, who do I see about getting that changed?

Since I've spent most of the past four days under the influence of various medications I haven't had much motivation to come up with any resolutions. However, I am mulling them over and plan on coming up with a few by the end of the week.

In the meantime, I thought we'd take a look at 2006 celebrity news in review (hey it's mindless and at least mildly entertaining). So without further ado and in no particular order:

2006 Celebrity Happenings

Paris Hilton dated Paris, dumped Paris, dated Stavros somebody and dumped him, was arrested for DUI, released a really, really, really bad album that pretty much no one bought and generally contributed in no way to the betterment of society.

Britney Spears had baby number two, celebrated baby number one's birthday, dumped her joke of a husband but then took up with Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan (bad choice). Since then she's flashed her lady-bits on more than one occasion, danced half dressed on more than one bar and passed out from "exhaustion" at a club. Me thinks she needs to slow down and take care of her kids before someone takes them away from her.

George Clooney won an Oscar, was named sexiest man alive for the second time and managed to remain Hollywood's most eligible bachelor.

Lindsay Lohan had more wardrobe malfunctions that can possible listed, told the world that she wanted to win an Oscar by the time she was 30 and then was promptly publicly scolded by a movie producer and her co-stars for her lack of professionalism because she was too busy partying to show up for work. She also had a 10K bag and tons of jewels stolen when she foolishly left it laying on a luggage cart in a London airport. And after multiple reports of out of control drinking Lohan started attending AA meetings.

Tom Cruise/Katie Holmes, Brook Shields, Gwen Stefani, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Rachel Weisz, Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Pitt/Angelina Jolie all had children. Thereby significantly increasing the number of beautiful children likely to take over Hollywood in approximately 20 years.

Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn broke up. Which was really not a surprise to anyone.

Jessica Simpson had what equates to a year long nervous breakdown while her ex-husband moved on to a new love.

Aaron Spelling died ending an era in television and leaving his daughter so broke she had to sell her stuff in a yard sale just to make a few bucks.

Other stuff happened too (David Beckham resigned from the UK team, Rosie and Donald fought over everything, Johnnie Depp brought Captain Jack Sparrow back to our screens, etc...) but the drugs are kicking in again and I'm simply to tired to focus on the shallowness of the pretty people any more.

My one prediction for 2007 is that Britney Spears will end up in rehab because of "exhaustion" and will then make the come-back of the year because for better or worse everyone is obsessed with her.

Posted by: David Bunch

Yahoo is featuring a couple of news items of note today.

First, Starbucks is transitioning to a non trans fat menu.

Starting Wednesday, all donuts, muffins and other treats sold in half of Starbucks Corp.'s standalone U.S. stores will be completely free of trans fats, the company said.

Next, check out the new Ping Pong for 3.

TriPong uses an odd-shaped table at regulation ping pong height and Plexiglas "nets" that divide the table into three wedges, each with a neutral zone and scoring zone.

Last, take a gander at the best asked questions of 2006.

Posted by: David Bunch

The webzine, 90&9, has some great stuff this week. Don't miss it. And I can't help but mention that I wrote this week's cover article! Check it out and let me know what you think (thanks Stu, for the mention).