The Karl Show

2005-08-19T15:53:00.000-07:00

IPIP-NEO/Political Compass MemeWho are you? Find out for yourself. IPIP-NEO survey here. Political Compass survey here. Change the bio results to fit your own experience, then key in your results from the surveys between the dotted lines below. ---------------------- Survey:Age: 22Gender: MaleLocation: Turlock, CA, USReligion: Agnostic/SpiritualOccupation: Freight/CargoBegan blogging

2005-08-16T23:42:00.000-07:00

SENSELESSTaize’s founder stabbed to death during serviceLYON, France - Brother Roger, one of the 20th century’s leading ecumenical figures, was stabbed to death by a woman during a service on Tuesday at the Taize community he founded in eastern France, local police said. Police said a woman stood up during a religious ceremony attended by some 2,500 people and stabbed Brother Roger three times in

2005-08-14T00:50:00.000-07:00

DEATHI've got death on my mind. Why are we so troubled by the cessation of life? Not just in humans, but in animals -- even plants. I remember being very careful to not step on any bugs as a child. I would often scold my sister, who seemed to make a habit out of crushing ants."Sarah Naslund! Don't you dare hurt those poor ants!"Ah, if only there were some cosmic big brother to tell all the jerks

2005-08-11T22:52:00.000-07:00

THE KARL DIET1) Walk one or two miles a day2) Eat lessThats the plan! I've been doing it for about two or three weeks now, and I *think* that I'm seeing some preliminary results. Granted, it's not a FEEL THE BURN LOOSE 50 POUNDS IN THREE WEEKS!!!!! diet plan, but I think the methodology is sound. Burn more calories, take in less calories. Pretty logical, if you ask me.My goal is to get under 200

2005-08-10T00:19:00.000-07:00

UNTITLEDGrandma passed away around 7pm on Monday. As per my prediction, it still hasn't "hit me". I feel strangely numb to her passing, as if someone elses' grandma had died. I feel like a monster for feeling nothing at all.Maybe I just need to give it time? Maybe I'm just dead on the inside....I dunno.The memorial is on the 20th, so maybe I'll be compelled to feel something then. One can only

2005-08-08T17:30:00.000-07:00

MOVING DAYYesterday, my sister and her husband moved out of the house, supposedly for good. They have their own condo across town now, while this house is absent two people (and a lot of noise).Today, however, is the real moving day. Why? Because today is the day that it's really beginning to sink in. "That Sinking Feeling" is weird. Something traumatic will happen, a death, a birth, a breakup,

2005-08-07T02:41:00.000-07:00

IN RECENT NEWS...Had lunch with Jake today. Worked in the office until almost 1am trying to get our weekend sale out of the way. Fun stuff.In other news, Jake has turned me on to Morrissey.Is it wrong to like Morrissey?Is it wrong?

2005-08-05T00:17:00.000-07:00

IT'S OFFICIALWe got our very first Christmas products at work today.Our first Halloween products came last week.*sigh*.

2005-07-31T23:01:00.000-07:00

LAKES AND MARRIAGE Yesterday we went on a picnic at Pinecrest Lake, near Strawberry, CA. It was hot and crowded. Nuff' said.Today is my sister's first wedding anniversary. One down, a lifetime to go.All in all, I think they're doing a good job so far. Most truly fragile marriages end within the first year (or is it two years? I can't remember)...so perhaps their not out of the woods yet. Are any

2005-07-27T11:51:00.000-07:00

Yet...Warning: Long post belowI'll have to admit that I'm of two minds regarding just about everything. Sometimes it feels as if there is literally two or ten different men living inside of me, each one battling the other for supremacy. "Two" minds doesn't even do it justice. I'm a plethora of feelings, thoughts, emotions, impulses, fears, desires, needs, wants and neuroses all wrapped together

2005-07-21T23:51:00.000-07:00

WATER, WATER, EVERYWHERE......and many drops to drink! It just occured to me how much I love water. I mean, I drink the darn stuff every day. Several times a day, in fact. Sometimes I'll just be laying around, doing nothing in particular -- when, quite suddenly -- I'll be overcome with a tremendous urge to just guzzle me some H2O. Sometimes I feel like I couldn't live without it. Perhaps I'm a

2005-07-17T14:35:00.000-07:00

*SIGH*My life is just one sigh after another right now.This morning my little sister was admitted to the hospital with uncontrollable vomiting and abdominal pain.As of right now, I don't know what the verdict is, but apparently my sister is feeling a little better -- which is good to know. Knowing is beautiful, you might say.I'll keep you all updated as I learn more.UPDATE: My sister is

2005-07-16T04:20:00.000-07:00

Lifeis a terrible thing to waste.When do you decidethat your life is a failure?At what point does the truthcome knocking?And what if the truth(like a terrible houseguest, or your nasty cousins)refuses to leave?I think I need to go for a walk or something. Existential angst and crappy quasi-poetry is good for nobody..

2005-07-13T22:34:00.000-07:00

UNTITLED (AGAIN)I'm beginning to wonder if I've spent 90% of my recent posts apologising for not posting enough.Yesterday I was told that my great-grandmother is dying. Were all dying, of course, but she is going rather quickly. She's under Hospice care and probably won't last more than a few months -- weeks, even. It comes as quite a shock, and I'm still digesting all the particulars, so don't

2005-07-04T10:42:00.000-07:00

FIREWORKSNASA probe strikes comet Temple 1

2005-07-03T14:02:00.000-07:00

BACKI'm back from my sojurn to Southern California, and I must say that I am very, very glad to be back. My mind is currently scattered all over the place -- I'm trying to absorb a million points of data and make sense of them in a single moment. It's not easy. Maybe I'm just over stimulated?Probably.Gosh, I must be the only guy in the universe who comes back from vacation even more frazzled than

2005-06-26T12:59:00.000-07:00

SUMMER VACATIONThis blog is going on haitus for the next week or so. Not that any of you would notice, of course. I do realize that I post much less now than I have in the past, and knowing this does trouble me greatly. I feel like I should be writing more, but I just can't bring myself to do it.Maybe I'm in a "learning" and "discovery" phase of my life, rather than a "writing" phase.I'll be in

2005-06-20T01:52:00.000-07:00

UNTITLEDWell, things have been interesting lately.Starting on Saturday, I helped some friends move into their brand-new apartment here in town. It was exhausting work, but personally, I had a blast. Nothing is quite so cool as just hanging out with friends, even while hauling a television set down from a second-story room. What would life be like without friends? Not worth living, if you ask

2005-06-13T09:23:00.000-07:00

I ACTUALLY FACT-CHECKED THIS QUOTE, JUST TO BE SURE."We want that democracy in Lebanon to succeed and we know one cannot succeed so long as she is occupied by a foreign power . . ." -President Bush.

2005-06-13T07:13:00.000-07:00

TAGGED LIKE A WILD ANIMALI've been drugged and "tagged" with a radio-collar so that scientists can track my movements and migratory patters over the summer. I knew this would happen one day. Total number of films I own on DVD/video: About three dozen, all VHS. Most of them are cartoon series from the 80's (I get terribly nostalgic), others are Mystery Science Theatre 3000. Hopefully, it's an

2005-06-12T02:12:00.000-07:00

MONEY 'N FISSION, YO.I'm hoping to take on some more responsiblities at work soon -- hopefully I'll get some more hours and more of that badly needed green currency that seems to be in such short supply lately.While you're here, check out Natural Nuclear Reactors in Oklo, Gabon. I guess humans arent the only ones who like to play with atoms. Bacteria do it too..

2005-06-09T05:08:00.000-07:00

THERE IS NO JUSTICEI, for one, can't believe that Kevin and Sandra are moving. I mean, nobody -- and I mean NOBODY -- else can even begin to understand our long conversations on the nature of reality. I feel like I'm loosing the only other person in Turlock who understands that "Reality" (including emperical observation) is merely a homo-sapien-specific neurolgical construct.Oh, why must the

2005-06-06T03:46:00.000-07:00

HERO WORSHIPSorry for not posting in so long. I've been busy doing absolutely nothing, and I must say that it's quite refreshing.I got to thinking tonight about the way that Americans worship. It's occurred to me that Americans have many more gods than just YHWH, although this isn't a very surprising observations to my more urbane Christian friends. I would argue, however, that even good

2005-05-30T01:26:00.000-07:00

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!"Now I look at the war as a sportsman. It's a matter of choosingThe decentest way of losing.Heads or tails, losers or winners,We all loose, we're all damned sinners.And I'd rather be with the poor cold people at the wall that's shotThan the bloody guilty devils in the firing line, in Hell and keeping hot.""But what right, Dooley, what right," he cried,"Have you to say the Lord

2005-05-28T23:36:00.000-07:00

THE LITTLE THINGS COUNTIt looks like I passed my Nutrition class....by six points.It's times like these when I'm thankful that I didn't skip "that little 10-point homework assignment"..

2005-05-27T20:16:00.000-07:00

FINALLYFinals are over, and I have nothing to do for the rest of the summer.Suggestions?.

2005-05-22T05:06:00.000-07:00

.R.E.M WROTE A SONG ABOUT MY SITUATIONLet's talk about scripting. For a brief overview (and a good example) of scripting click here and read the whole thing. I left a comment at that post, and I'm still thinking about it.For those of you who don't know (or those of you that I haven't told), Scripting is exactly what it sounds like: unconsciously pre-planned human behaviors used in social

2005-05-20T14:34:00.000-07:00

I THOUGHT WE WERE AMERICANS?From the NY Times:"Even as the young Afghan man was dying before them, his American jailers continued to torment him. The prisoner, a slight, 22-year-old taxi driver known only as Dilawar, was hauled from his cell at the detention center in Bagram, Afghanistan, at around 2 a.m. to answer questions about a rocket attack on an American base. When he arrived in the

2005-05-19T19:09:00.000-07:00

APOLOGYFinals are coming up, and I need to get crackin'. I haven't forgot about all my adoring fans, of course. I have some ideas for new posts coming up, so do stay tuned.So how 'bout them Yankees?.

2005-05-13T20:00:00.000-07:00

WHOOPSThat survey took up waaaaay too much margin space. Sorry folks.Also, as Kevin said:"That quiz sucks. The wording is downright poor and it attempts to distill very complex issues into 1 of 5 discrete positions."So true. Leave it to Kevin, of course, to let Logic get in the way of fun. Darn you, Kevin!BTW,It looks like our torture tactics are coming back to bite us in the butt. What goes

2005-05-10T23:50:00.000-07:00

MO' MONEYGood news everybody: I've gotten some more hours at work. I'll end this week with close to thirty hours on my paycheck. This is a much needed windfall, as I have several bills due very soon, and at least one bill thats already late. The money I get from the extra hours should be able to take care of my financial problems -- for now.In other news, I have a hankerin' to visit the San

2005-05-06T15:31:00.000-07:00

UPDATEFor those of you who are following along:My dad has resurfaced this afternoon, thankfully. I don't know where he's been for the past 18 hours or so, but I'm glad he's back -- sort of.He hasn't told us if he intends to stay with us another night. He may leave again, but now that I'm not as worried about his saftey, I think that maybe some alone-time for him and mom might be a good thing.I'll

2005-05-04T10:56:00.000-07:00

TRUE LOVE HURTS?From The Detroit Free Press:Young adults who as teenagers take pledges to remain virgins until marriage are just as likely to contract a venereal disease as people who don't make the promise, according to a new study. Teens who take the pledge are also more likely to take chances with other kinds of sex that increase the risk of sexually transmitted diseases, the study of

2005-05-03T06:12:00.000-07:00

AN HONEST QUESTIONI've had to ask myself an honest but difficult question."Am I loosing my faith, or am I loosing somebody else's faith?"This is critical, I think. Critical as it may be, I still don't know the answer. Is it really possible to have a faith apart from the Faith-Bearers and Gate-Keepers? Would "my" faith be any more "real"? Would it contain any more "truth"? How would I know? What

2005-05-02T14:59:00.000-07:00

SCIENCE MARCHES ONI have a new comments script here on The Karl Show. Its the Blogger internal script, which means you'll need to register with Blogger to post comments on my site from now on.And yes, this is a blatant ploy to get Dan on blogger.Come join the grownups, Dan.By the way, I've also made some subtle changes to the margins on the right. Nothing too drastic, of course..

2005-05-02T07:55:00.000-07:00

BAY AREA NOTES I took a long overdue trip to the Bay Area on about two weeks ago.My first stop was the old library where I used to work. Actually, they tore down the old library and built a gigantic new facility in it's place. I liked the old place a lot, but I must admit -- the new place is growing on me (It even has a borders-style Cafe'!). Click here for a fancy slide show of the new digs, and

2005-04-28T11:43:00.000-07:00

SORRYApologies for being tardy over the past week or so. School has been hectic, and the computer has been on the fritz as well. I'll think of something to write about eventually, though..

2005-04-22T08:41:00.000-07:00

FINALLYMy months-long struggle with the bureaucracy at Stan State is finally over. I called this morning to check on the status of my complaint:"Do you want the good news or the bad news?" said the counselor"Bad news first, please." I said, swallowing hard."The bad news is, you're talking to me on the phone right now." he said.(silence)"The good news is," he continued, "is that your refund has

2005-04-20T01:12:00.000-07:00

WHILE YOU'RE WAITING......in honor of His Holiness' Benedict XVI's election to the See of Peter, I present you with an astonishing collection of Photoshopped Romance Novel covers. (safe for kids and work).For teaching and edification only, of course..

2005-04-19T09:54:00.000-07:00

EGGS BENEDICT?I don't see what the big deal is. The guy has been Pope for the past couple years anyway.Hooray for the Inquisition..

2005-04-15T04:42:00.000-07:00

TIME OUTI need to mull over Brad and Kevin's contributions to my discussion about Young Faith below. I also need to get some homework done.In the meantime, check out my new "sloganizer" above. Its like marketing, but for people! I feel degraded already!Also, I've taken a Unitarian Universalist Jihad name.You can get one too.My name, you ask?"Brother Neutron Bomb of Enlightened Compassion.".

2005-04-13T15:23:00.000-07:00

YOUNG PEOPLE AND FAITHBrad posted a link to this article by Keith Drury. I have a lengthy response, but I decided that it would be nicer to post it here on my own blog instead of polluting Brad's blog with it. I mean, I do have my own blog, after all. No sense in hemorrhaging my thoughts all over Brad's space.Here goes:Keith offers several reasons why young people stray from the faith: Realizing

2005-04-12T09:29:00.000-07:00

WOWI think I just pulled my first "all-nighter" and my first "all-morning-er" back to back.I'd celebrate if I wasn't brain-dead from mental exhaustion.yay..

2005-04-11T07:18:00.000-07:00

LETS DISCUSS.....Epistemology!Begin!.

2005-04-09T03:08:00.000-07:00

ITS THE END OF THE WORLD!!!The Apocolypse of John, Anime Style.Why do I find it so amusing? Maybe its because the AoJ becomes so obviously absurd when you take it "literally".Enjoy..

2005-04-07T01:26:00.000-07:00

YOU CAN'T JUDGE A HERO BY HIS SIZE...Remember "Teeny Weeny Little Superguy" from Seasme Street? The guy who lives in a plastic up? (Or on a plastic cup, I guess?)Here's a more "modern" take on it:sweatshop unionI like it. Good music too, if you like Indy Rap, I suppose.Not bad for a bunch of Canadians..

2005-04-04T04:02:00.000-07:00

THE EVER-HUNGRY BEASTI find myself getting angry at my dad often -- mostly because he's fairly slothful and quite obese. It may be that I find him so distasteful because I see so much of myself in him. People often mistake us for one another over the phone, and it wont be long before my hairline and waistline make us indistinguishable in person as well.Tonight I was miffed that he decided to stay

2005-04-03T22:37:00.000-07:00

HELP!I can't think of anything to write about. Any ideas?.

2005-04-02T20:02:00.000-08:00

NON EST AD ASTRA MOLLIS E TERRIS VIAGiovanni Pablo II 1920 - 2005†

2005-04-02T02:17:00.000-08:00

FIRSTS Today I saw a Kohl's commercial for the first time.I also experienced my first April Fool's day without being seriously hoodwinked.I had my first serious heart-to-heart talk of the year,and the first sense of true freedom in a long, long time.First things are always interesting, aren't they?===Oh, before you go -- something for reflection:If seeing is believing, does that mean that

2005-03-28T16:52:00.000-08:00

FINANCIAL TROUBLEAm I the only man in the world who crosses himself before he opens his bank statement?.

2005-03-27T22:02:00.000-08:00

FREUDIAN SLIPPAGE?While driving south on the 99 towards Merced last week, I noticed the following sign on one of our local Fundamentalist Freeway Churches:BACKSLIDERS COME HOME!!I probably had less than a second to read the whole sign, but in that short moment, I was absolutely sure that it read:BACKSLIDERS GO HOME!!Ironically, I think that my misconception is probably closer to the actual

2005-03-27T12:08:00.000-08:00

BLAGHIt's morning in America. Early morning to be exact.I think I went to the Sunrise service today, but honestly I can't remember that well. I recall being very cold and seeing my friend Kirk, so I guess I really did go.Speaking of Kirk, he's heading back to Sand Yego today. Kirk and I are best of friends, and it's always difficult to find things to do when he's not around. I'm going to miss him

2005-03-27T06:52:00.000-08:00

Indeed..

2005-03-25T13:01:00.000-08:00

GOOD FRIDAYI'm troubled today. Today is Good Friday, but I don't have many sacred thoughts to give you. I think I'm running a quart low on the Holy Spirit or something.THE HOLY SPIRIT, NOW WITH VALVOLINE!Whatever. It would be tempting to mix the sacred with the profane today. I have a few articles that I'd like to share with everybody, but I just can't. It would be like Moses wearing his sandals

2005-03-22T18:09:00.000-08:00

NOAH WOULD BE PROUDGreetings from the computer lab at Merced JC. Greetings from the DISASTER AREA that is Merced County. I don't have time to go into all the details right now, but lets just say that I almost didn't make it to school today. I came very close to stalling my car in three or four feet of water.Also, I need a print card to print out my homework - but the student store which sells

2005-03-22T03:54:00.000-08:00

OBLIGATORY CONTROVERSIAL POST Yes, it's the story that you would love to stop hearing about.I think that Terri Schiavo may end up becoming the next Elian Gonzalez - and I say that not out of snarkyness or sarcasm, but sadness and fear.My thoughts, you ask?Well, I don't see the issue itself in black and white terms. I don't see it as The Evil Greedy Fornicating Husband versus The Concerned Loving

2005-03-20T00:21:00.000-08:00

LINKS AND THINGSFirst, a "painting" that I made. It may take a few minutes to load.Secondly, do you recognize some of these people? Do you recognize yourself?I recognize myself.The sad thing is, most of these personality types carry over into "real life" as well. Maybe the internet is really just a microcosm (or macrocosm?) of the real world. Human insecurity writ large, if you will.End

2005-03-18T14:32:00.000-08:00

NEWSFLASHYesterday was St. Patrick's Day. Yesterday we got our first Fourth of July shipment. Granted, it was only small trinkets and doodads with American flags pasted on them, but still - the boxes said "SEASONAL - FOURTH OF JULY" on them.I suspect we'll be getting Christmas supplies soon.Also, while you're here, check out Fr. David's musings on the place of the church. Quote:"In my experience,

2005-03-16T21:09:00.000-08:00

NO WORRIES!The ice cap on Mount Kilimanjaro has melted for the first time in 11,000 years.Al Gore may have not invented the internet, but was he wrong about global warming?'End transmission

2005-03-15T01:35:00.000-08:00

AN AMERICAN PSALM FOR AN AMERICAN GODHail, Mighty Dragon!Who hath brought usforth in painful childbirthWho hath gone before usand wiped the lesser onesaway.Let us worship you this dayin your Five-Sided Temple.Let us sacrifice our childrenand mingle their blood with oil.A crude sacrifice.The billowing smoke risesever into your black nostrils.It pleases you to see suchpurity of heart. It pleases

2005-03-11T14:23:00.000-08:00

EVIL OVERLORD DO'S AND DON'TS...for the purpose-driven Overlord.Here and here.220. Whatever my one vulnerability is, I will fake a different one. For example, ordering all mirrors removed from the palace, screaming and flinching whenever someone accidentally holds up a mirror, etc. In the climax when the hero whips out a mirror and thrusts it at my face, my reaction will be "Hmm...I think I need

2005-03-08T22:35:00.000-08:00

LET'S GIVE IT A TRYI ended up not giving blood yesterday. My blood pressure was too high (for me, not for them) so I asked if I could be excused at the very last minute. They literally had me strapped down and ready to go when I asked them to stop.I ended up getting the points anyway.100 points.Out of 500 points for the whole class.One fifth of my total grade.For not giving blood. For not doing

2005-03-06T22:44:00.000-08:00

MEFI ROUNDUPIsrael Defense Force blacklists guys who play D&D.Now, if only the US Military would take a clue from our Israeli friends - I won't even need to move to Canada when the draft comes!But why would I worry about serving in Our Military? Well, for one thing, they don't take free thinkers very well:The Incentive For SilenceMeFi is a public service. Kinda like Fark but without the nudity

2005-03-06T04:44:00.000-08:00

FLOW"Do you know what time it is?"Two hairs past a freckle."Thats not funny."Why?"Because you are not funny."Why?"Do you really want to know?"Yeah!"All right, then. It is because you mix old-person's humor with a kind of forced post-modern cynicism. You are like a fat, depressed version of George Burns. Like George Burns if he was fat, depressed and born in the 1980's. 'Two hairs past a freckle'

2005-03-04T08:16:00.000-08:00

FOR YOUR ENJOYMENTFirstly, old-computers.com - a veritable trip down computer memory lane, if there is such a thing. This fantastic model first flew off the assembly line the year I was born - yet I remember using them throughout my school years right up until Junior High. Ah, for the days when computers were made by companies like Mitsubishi, Raido Shack, Xerox and "Videoton". Those were the

2005-03-01T23:37:00.000-08:00

"FREE" POINTSSomething shocking happened in Art History class today.Firstly, there was no test like I had mentioned yesterday. I swear, this prof has lied, forgotten or perhaps forgotten to lie about more promised tests and quizzes than I can count.Secondly, before class could even begin, a man who bore more than a passing resemblance to William F. Buckley grabbed the podium and made a

2005-02-28T17:42:00.000-08:00

TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE #209We all know that many modernist and post-modernist doctrines threaten to obscure the Truth of the Bible.Evolution, Historical-Critical scholarship, Free Inquiry, the Printing Press, Lightbulbs - they're all damnable baubles created by the devil and supported by heretics. But do you know that the most insidious heresy really is?Heliocentricity. It's true! It all started

2005-02-25T10:33:00.000-08:00

RANDOM THOUGHTSI felt a strange feeling as I walked into work on Wednesday. (Say, don't you think that "wednesday" is a funny word? I do. I mean, just look at it!) Anyway, I felt kinda strange as soon as I walked through the door - something was amiss - something was in the air. It took me at least another forty five seconds to figure out what was making my spider senses tingle. When I finally

2005-02-23T15:18:00.000-08:00

UGHTommorow I head off to Merced and face the dreaded Nutrition Mid Term. I swear, I've never participated in such a poorly run class. Some people just shouldn't be teachers, I think.*sigh*

2005-02-22T03:00:00.000-08:00

MATTER IS TO ANTI-MATTER AS LIFE IS TO WHAT?So,You've seen the Dragon?You've seen his face?Well, I have seen it too.I saw it in the mirror oncethose charcoal eyes. those ashenhorns.that watchful gaze over a thousandGehenna hills that burning trash heapburningburningand a flame that never goes outthose eyeslifeless,not with death - mind youbut

2005-02-20T23:23:00.000-08:00

Psalm 146 1 Praise the LORD!Praise the LORD, O my soul! 2 I will praise the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God all my life long. 3 Do not put your trust in princes, in mortals, in whom there is no help. 4 When their breath departs, they return to the earth; on that very day their plans perish. 5 Happy are those whose

2005-02-16T02:14:00.000-08:00

ITS TWO AM. DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR KARL IS?Do you know what this is?Its the Wilderness. Thats where I am right now.An appropriate place to spend Lent, yes? Yes, except that this is my forty days in the desert - mine along with Jesus'. The truth is, the sad truth is, I'm very tired. Mentally, spiritually tired. Maybe a tad physically tired too. I'm tired of Lies and Truth. I'm tired of Lies

2005-02-14T00:43:00.000-08:00

ABOUT FIVE MINUTESMy Lenten sacrifice this year: stop thinking about girls.How long was I faithful?(see above)So what do you do when your Lenten disciplines fail? Try again and shoot for ten minutes?

2005-02-11T11:25:00.000-08:00

THE TRANQUIL REPOSE OF A SAINTVi Martinson, age 102, has entered into rest.I remembered first meeting Vi when I took a job at Covenant Village of Turlock. I think, although I'm not sure, that she was my first "customer". I was a receptionist you see, a desk jockey. My job was to take care of any and all clerical needs that the residents might have. I'll admit that sometimes it was less than fun -

2005-02-10T13:05:00.000-08:00

ON A LIGHTER NOTE... Please, please, please check out Spamusement.com It's a website where a gifted artist takes the subject lines from spam and literally represents them on the drawing board. I didn't think it would be very funny at first, but honestly, this is one of the few websites that I've actually "laughed out loud" at in a long time. A few samples: If you die tonight, what happens to

2005-02-09T13:53:00.000-08:00

LENT Ashes to Ashes All I have is Doubt Ashes to Ashes All I am is Failure Ashes to Ashes Is there any hope? Ashes to Ashes All that I have is Ashes

2005-02-07T14:02:00.000-08:00

WHERE TO GO FROM HERE? I'd like to thank everybody who posted a comment in my Free Will/Determinism section. I have lots of homework in my Art History class, so I won't be able to answer any of your questions right now. Rest assured I will be thinking about them, however. In the meantime, let me share something with you. The other day I took my grandma on her weekly trip to the store. I'll be

2005-02-03T10:53:00.000-08:00

CHOICE (or, get ready for a headache) What is choice? Do we have a choice? Is everything chosen for us? What does it mean to "choose"? Let's discuss. I think that when we say the word "Choice", we really mean a conscious, informed assent to one particular option over another particular option. When someone lacks one of the elements above (.i.e, if a child is to young to be conscious, or

2005-01-31T14:16:00.000-08:00

DISTURBING My dad just signed up for the Showtime cable package. For an extra five dollars a month, we get about a dozen extra premium cable channels - complete with shocking violence and full frontal nudity! Hooray. On second thought, I don't think it's such a good idea. I've got two siblings who are young and impressionable. I've also got a brain of my own that dosen't need the extra

2005-01-30T01:40:00.000-08:00

LATER THAT DAY... As I said in my previous post, Adam came over tonight. We rented "A Mighty Wind" - and this would be the second time that I've seen it. This was Adam's first, however, and he kinda liked it too. My only wish is that he could have been a bit more enthusiastic. I mean, this flick was made by the same guys who did Spinal Tap! Then again, Adam said that he never saw Spinal Tap in

2005-01-29T13:41:00.000-08:00

MIDWINTER DOLDRUMS Brad and Dan are having a blast in wintery Chicago, meanwhile I'm stuck here doing homework. I probably shouldn't complain, as my homework is 1000 times easier than the kind that most other college students are working on right now. Adam and I are probably going to do something later on today. That'll be fun. I don't really have anything else to say. Curse you, writer's

2005-01-25T22:57:00.000-08:00

SPONGEBOB AND NUDE MODELS Forget Spongebob. The real cartoon homosexual has been exposed. While I was at school today, I noticed a new ad up on the community bulletin board. Apparently, there's an open position for male nude models in the Art Department. On the flyer is a drawing of an anatomically correct "David"-looking titan, complete with many squiggles of NEITHER REGION HAIR. I wonder if

2005-01-25T01:17:00.000-08:00

www.SKYNET.gov So what happens when these little killers decide that they don't need us anymore?

2005-01-23T08:51:00.000-08:00

? Are you our father in heaven? What is your name? Where is your kingdom? What is your will? Will you give us some bread today? Will you forgive our debts? (assuming that we forgive others as well?) Will you save us from the time of trial? Will you deliver us from evil? Is the the kingdom, the power and the glory really yours? Now and forever more?

2005-01-19T13:22:00.000-08:00

THE DEVIL'S BIBLE! Ladies and gentlemen, I have an important story to tell you. Gather 'round your computers and listen carefully to this tale. I promise you that your life will be changed forever. I was once a quasi-liberal postmodern Christian, so naturally I was excited when Zondervan released it's much anticipated TNIV Bible. I ordered a trial copy so I could see for myself what kind of new

2005-01-18T23:29:00.000-08:00

OILED STEAKS SOLD HERE! Today was my first official day of classes. History of Art from the Ancient through the Middle Ages. And yes, my professor is Norwegian and completely insane - as if those weren't synonyms already. On the way home, I spotted an old restaurant on the side of the road. It was built way back in the day when all sinage was done in Neon for some reason. Their neon sign

2005-01-17T15:25:00.000-08:00

A VOICE IN MY DREAMS "All children will be your mother's children. All daughters will be your sister's daughters. All sons will be your brother's sons." What do you suppose it means?

2005-01-14T19:31:00.000-08:00

AMAZING Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Titan: You're looking at ground that no human eye has ever seen. A land that has been forever beyond our grasp. There it is! It's ours to explore! Do you know what those squiggly lines are? They look like rivers. They look a lot like rivers. But what flows on a moon where the average temprature is -179C? Methane, perhaps? Who knows? Were going to

2005-01-14T16:17:00.000-08:00

GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE? "...love rather than almighty power is the primary perfection of God" -Pinnock, The Openness of God (114). Brad says that my thoughts on Theodicy resemble those of an Open Theist or perhaps even a Process Theologian. Personally, I'm more comfortable with Open Theism than with Process Theology (the latter being endorsed by the Claremont Schools). Granted, any of these

2005-01-14T16:06:00.000-08:00

LIFE IS FRAGILE I went to school with this kid, although I can't say for sure that I remember him. It dosen't mention anything in the report, but I've heard that Eric was shot nine times. Four of those nine bullets apparently struck him in the head. I'm not a cop, but this seems a little overkill to me. I hope that there's a full investigation into the shooting.

2005-01-13T23:42:00.000-08:00

EXHAUSTED Sorry for being absent over the past few days. I just got back from Placerville, where my cousin sucessfully delivered her first baby. Little Madison and her mom are doing just fine, but I'm exhausted. Hopefully I be able to do a little lighter posting (lighter in both form and content) pretty soon.

2005-01-12T09:36:00.000-08:00

WHOOPS Oh, darn! But hey, whats a thousand dead GIs between friends? I mean, at least we gave it our best shot 'n everything.

2005-01-11T20:21:00.000-08:00

AN EXAMPLE This is the kind of the monstrous theology that I'm currently struggling with, courtesy TitusOneNine: Their are two types of disasters in the world. The ones we directly create, and the ones typically called Acts of God. Romans I tells us that God is in control of both kinds, as he controls mens hearts. The truth is if God did not allow disasters to humble us we would just create

2005-01-11T04:46:00.000-08:00

THEODICY (PART II continued below) Well, I suppose that you've all been wondering how Mr. Karl is mulling over God's involvement in the Tsunami disaster. You're all my friends and loyal readers, so I guess you all deserve some sort of an answer. Firstly, let me say that my thoughts and feelings are completely provisional. I'm a young man, so I think it would be surprising if my beliefs didn't

2005-01-06T14:14:00.000-08:00

FIRE RECON I took my grandma out today on her weekly shopping trip. As we pulled into the parking lot at WalMart, I noticed something rather strange. An RV parked towards the edge of the lot was smoking. I mean, black smoke was wafting up and out of the windows. I thought that this was kind of odd, so I drove a little closer to get a better look. I saw an elderly couple standing outside the RV,

2005-01-05T23:04:00.000-08:00

EVERY MAN'S BATTLE It's true that I struggle with this terrible sin constantly. Thankfully, there is hope for me and people like me. If you're struggling with this depravity like I am, leave a message in the comment box and maybe we can start a support group or something.

2005-01-04T23:09:00.000-08:00

WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN? 10,000 Americans wounded in Iraq. According to this article, our wounding-to-death ratio is about 10:1 - which is a good thing, I suppose. It obviously has been much higher in previous conflicts where injuries were much more life-threatening. Still, I can't get over the fact that so many of our men and women have been injured or killed. I mean, 10,000 is a big number. A

2005-01-03T18:55:00.000-08:00

UNBELIEVABLE Wow. You'll never guess what happened to me today. Believe me, it was something really great. I had no idea that I was entitled to free tuition because my father is disabled. I think you can imagine my surprise when I learned that this was the case. I filled out the forms, copied the necessary documents and delivered them to the Financial Aid office today. Their response was

2005-01-01T18:48:00.000-08:00

PSALM 151? I was small among my brothers, and the youngest in my fathers house; I tended my fathers sheep. 2 My hands made a harp; my fingers fashioned a lyre. 3 And who will tell my Lord? The Lord himself; it is he who hears. 4 It was he who sent his messenger and took me from my fathers sheep, and anointed me with