Clean Energy?

The production of normal light bulbs will cease soon...or already have.  So, we will be forced to stock up on what is in the stores or switch to CFL Bulbs...which save a lot of energy compared.

The pros and cons seem obvious.  The old bulbs are a dime a dozen and the new bulbs are 2 to 5 dollars or more a piece.  However, CFLs do run about six times as efficient as old 60 watt bulbs.

When you break an old bulb you're like, "Oh, darn it.  I broke a bulb.  Then you get out the broom, maybe some tape to pick up broken pieces and throw it away.  When you break a CFL bulb......well, here is what you are suppose to do:

1. Put on rubber, nitrile or latex gloves.
2. If there are any broken pieces of glass or sharp objects, pick them up with care. Place all broken objects on a paper towel. Fold the paper towel and place in a zip lock bag. Secure the bag and label it as directed by your local health or fire department.
3. Locate visible mercury beads. Use a squeegee or cardboard to gather mercury beads. Use slow sweeping motions to keep mercury from becoming uncontrollable. Take a flashlight, hold it at a low angle close to the floor in a darkened room and look for additional glistening beads of mercury that may be sticking to the surface or in small cracked areas of the surface. Note: Mercury can move surprising distances on hard-flat surfaces, so be sure to inspect the entire room when "searching."
4. Use the eyedropper to collect or draw up the mercury beads. Slowly and carefully squeeze mercury onto a damp paper towel. Place the paper towel in a zip lock bag and secure. Make sure to label the bag as directed by your local health or fire department.
5. After you remove larger beads, put shaving cream on top of small paint brush and gently "dot" the affected area to pick up smaller hard-to-see beads. Alternatively, use duct tape to collect smaller hard-to-see beads. Place the paint brush or duct tape in a zip lock bag and secure. Make sure to label the bag as directed by your local health or fire department.
6.  OPTIONAL STEP: It is OPTIONAL to use commercially available powdered sulfur to absorb the beads that are too small to see. The sulfur does two things: (1) it makes the mercury easier to see since there may be a color change from yellow to brown and (2) it binds the mercury so that it can be easily removed and suppresses the vapor of any missing mercury. Where to get commercialized sulfur? It may be supplied as mercury vapor absorbent in mercury spill kits, which can be purchased from laboratory, chemical supply and hazardous materials response supply manufacturers.
   Note: Powdered sulfur may stain fabrics a dark color. When using powdered sulfur, do not breathe in the powder as it can be moderately toxic. Additionally, users should read and understand product information before use.
7. If you choose not to use this option, you may want to request the services of a contractor who has monitoring equipment to screen for mercury vapors. Consult your local environmental or health agency to inquire about contractors in your area. Place all materials used with the cleanup, including gloves, in a trash bag. Place all mercury beads and objects into the trash bag. Secure trash bag and label it as directed by your local health or fire department.
8. Contact your local health department, municipal waste authority or your local fire department for proper disposal in accordance with local, state and federal laws.
9. Remember to keep the area well ventilated to the outside (i.e., windows open and fans in exterior windows running) for at least 24 hours after your successful cleanup. Continue to keep pets and children out of cleanup area. If sickness occurs, seek medical attention immediately. View information on health effects related to exposures to vapors from metallic mercury. For additional information on health effects, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) provides a Mercury Fact Sheet that also presents information on health effects related to exposures to vapors from metallic mercury.

Based on the comparison of CFL bulbs and our old bulbs it seems as though this can be equated to the comparison of nuclear energy with coal.  Nuclear energy is "clean" energy.  Very little if any pollution with nuclear plants.  They will provide energy for years while keeping our environment clean.  Coal will pollute our environment over those same years and spend our fossil fuels.  And coal plants can be dangerous.  All that coal dust is very combustible and has exploded in the past. however, the towns people near by will probably be alright.

Nuclear plants don't have coal dust, so the threat of coal dust explosions aren't there.  There is that problem with meltdowns though.  yeah.  If that happens because the cooling system shuts down it will do more than just harm the people near by.  The plant will explode...nuclear radiation leeks into the ground, the water, the air...spread for thousands of miles in the atmosphere....be caught in rain clouds that will later rain down radioactive rain on another country on the other side of the world....the power plant will be forever useless, requiring thousands and thousands of tons of concrete and boron for encasing the reactor building....cause near by towns to evacuate becoming ghost towns (as was seen when Chernobyl melted)...and thousands of people will die up to decades later from the radiation.

Seems to me like all these new ideas for "clean" energy have more than a few cons in the "pros and cons" list. 

Pending War

What is going on in this world and why doesn't anyone seem to notice? 

It has been told for centuries that the world would turn against Israel.  I am still young and I have not lived through past conflicts Israel had to struggle against.  I  know what the Bible says though and never in my life (before 2010) have I realized, as much as I do now, how obvious the signs of the truth of which the Bible speaks are.

America is in danger too.  Or perhaps just America as we know it.  It sounds like a conspiracy theory,and I will try not to sound like a conspiracy theorist, but the evidence is all around.  I believe things are set in action for another war...a war on a massive scale.  Now let me present my reasoning to you, backed up with factual resources.......

As a Christian I must point out again that the Bible says every country will turn against Israel, that there would be wars and rumors of war.  That being said, pay attention to the following:

-In early 2011 Russia announced to the world it would spend $600 BILLION dollars from 2011 to 2020 to revamp their military.   http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12567043

-A "super" committee was asigned the task to solve 1.2 TRILLION dollars in cuts and, should they fail the result would be sequestration, automatic cuts of which 600 billion dollars would be from American defense.


-Earlier in 2011 the Arab Spring began.  Egypt's new regime threatened to end the peace with Israel as the muslim brotherhood took over the country. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/151278#.Txg3HG_lM64

-The crisis and fighting among Israelis and Palestinians continues.

-In November of 2011 the "super" committee failed  to agree on a way to make cuts to the national budget and the sequestration began, threatening to cripple our military.  http://articles.cnn.com/2011-11-21/politics/politics_super-committee_1_deficit-reduction-republicans-committee?_s=PM:POLITICS

-Not three days after the possibility of at least 600 billion dollars being cut from our military does Russia threaten to destroy (yes, physical act of war) our European missile defense site. http://www.theblaze.com/stories/russia-threatens-to-target-u-s-defense-sites-with-nuclear-missiles/

-Recently Iran has told the world they are going to enrich uranium...and for what else but a bomb?  http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/10/world/middleeast/iranian-plant-is-enriching-uranium-inspectors-confirm.html

-In late December of 2011, Russia made the announcment that they will begin making a 100 ton ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile).  What a turn of irony, after threating our missile DEFENSE system.  http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/envoy/moscow-eyeing-u-missile-defense-plans-announces-100-194904097.html

- After the UN and America threatened to place an embargo on Iranian oil, making it difficult to make shipments of the oil, Iran threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz (of which most of the worlds oil distribution is shipped through) so that everyone suffers.

-This year, America has refused to move ships from the Strait of Hormuz despite Iran saying they will not tolerate US Navy ships in the strait.  America and other European countires have said that they will not let Iran have the bomb.  Because of these things it is being theorized and expected that a conflict may arise among Iran and the USA.  In reaction to this, Vladimir Putin, Russia's democratic communist, PLEDGES to finish Irans reactor and THREATENS to ALLY RUSSIA with IRAN, should a conflict develop,  http://www.theinsider.org/news/article.asp?id=2637

These things tell me that there is something deeper at work in the world.  Its as if the world can't wait to war, making excuses trying to find a reason.  I don't get why Russia has to cause trouble for everyone and I don't know why they want Iran to finish there nuclear program.  Russia is known for its corruption.  Russian citizens protested because of voter fraud in their 2011 Presidential election.  In short, Russia's government still acts as crooked as the old USSR and Putin seems he would like to run it as such.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2072427/Russian-protests-2011-Vladimir-Putins-louse-say-demonstrators-alleged-election-fraud.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16122524

Iran has expressed a deep hatred for the west and Israel.  (Mainly, the United States of America and Israel)  How could any peace be developed with a country that hates us so.  They hate us because of Islam.  Islam, regardless of what peaceful muslims preach, is a violent, hateful religion.  As long as a government is run by a hateful set of beliefs they will never be at peace with anyone who opposes those beliefs.  They don't want peace, they want the world to be conformed.

While Christ wants us to strive to be as He is, which is a type of conformity, He does not want us killing those who will not conform.  I mention this in proactive defense should anyone reading this think to use my conformity to Christ belief against me.  Conformity is not bad if what you are conforming to is salvation and love.

One reason for such disdain towards America is for its policing of the world.  I don't agree with our troops being spread around the globe because it doesn't seem safe to spread thinly.  It seems the war in Iraq and Afghanistan were a waste of money, supplies, and lives.  The war in Iraq put Iran in a better position.  Before we wiped out Saddam Hussein's regime Iraq and Iran would feud over their beliefs.  They were of different sects of Islam in disagreement with one another and showed it violently.  Because of our involvement the world has lost its buffer zone between the rest of us and Iran.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/iran-iraq.htm         http://articles.latimes.com/2006/aug/27/opinion/op-nasr27
http://www.unc.edu/depts/diplomat/item/2006/0406/rubi/rubin_sunnishia.html


While America seems loud, fat, rich, selfish, and controlling it is also friendly, compassionate for people, a safe haven for refugees, and a voice of reason. Our country is not a perfect one, nor is its government (obviously), but there is reason to love it.

It appears the world is being prepared for the largest war in history.  I pray that God saves me and my loved ones from enduring these things.  Hopefully they will not happen for decades.  Regardless, my prayers are God's protection from the worlds issues.


For those of you reading this who may not share my social and political views most of my resources are from liberal leaning sites.  This way my article has not been bias.

Be blessed and seek salvation from the Heavenly Father!

Destorying American Economy

San Fransisco raises minimum wag to $10.24 an hour.  Please answer this question: A kid flips burgers for $7.25 an hour for a period of time and then has his pay raised to $10.25 an hour but the quality of his work does not improve.  If the quality of his work stays the same but he is paid more money for it, does that stand to reason the money he is paid is worth less? 





Here is my theory.  Keep in mind that I am not an economist and I do not fully understand all of the causes of inflation:

MINIMUM WAGE RAISES DESTROYS THE VALUE OF THE DOLLAR AND A LESSER DOLLAR CREATES INFLATION.  THIS WILL HURT JOBS AS EMPLOYERS WILL RISK USING LESS EMPLOYEES TO SAVE MONEY.

This, along with the Obamacare manditory insurance, is causing employers to struggle to keep employees.  Why?  Because a great number of employers are "small businesses" who cannot afford to pay a double digit minimum wage and pay for insurance programs.  Nor can they afford the fine the government will charge them if they do not offer their employees insurance.  In order to stay in business they are going to chance working harder with less employees so they save money, or rather break even. 

There are so many things ruining this country.  I won't get into all of them, but minimum wage is one thing.  I agree with the need for a minimum wage but NOT for the wraise of minimum wage. 

AMericans are not going to work for less than what they think their work is worth, we know that.  They will go on strike, the unions will go crazy.  So, the argument that employers would take advantage of employees by refusing to pay a god wage is worthless, to a certain degree, especially if there is a union.  We can have a consistant minimum wage to keep companies from using employees for cheap labor, but don't raise it...unless inflation caused by sources OTHER than the raise of minimum wage requires it.

I don't go around looking for sorces of inflation so I don't know them all.  However, the only one I know I have noticed is minimum wage increase. 

A few years ago the minimum wage where I live was raised.  That summer I noticed prices everywhere raise significantly.  The public transportation prices more than DOUBLED (which I will let slide considering fuel prices), the bread I buy increased a few cents, the cereal I bought increased by 11 cents, and one day when I went to the movie theater , WHERE THEY PAY MINIMUM WAGE, I noticed a 50 CENT increase in ticket prices.  I asked about it and the employee selling the ticket said, with what seemed like contempt, "Good old minimum wage."

So, it seemed the most significant raise in prices were at the companies that paid most of their employees minimum wage.  This seems to back up my theory that employers will raise prices to compensate for the raises.  I am not a CEO, but I bet that the corporate employees and the employers themselves do not see any changes to their incomes when minimum wage is raised. 

The CEO's, Presidents, CFO's, etc of these companies simply raise prices to compensate so their profits are not affected.  It is the little guy like you and me who are hurt by raise in minimum wage.  We have to pay more for goods and services whenever it happens, but the big guys who control the prices simply raise them so they don't have to lose out on money.

Anyway.  here are some links on some of my points:

http://dontletmestopyou.blogspot.com/2007/02/minimum-wage-and-inflation.html

http://www.oregonlive.com/hovde/index.ssf/2009/06/oregons_minimum_wage_law_adds.html

 http://www.independent.org/newsroom/article.asp?id=1749

 http://www.house.gov/jec/cost-gov/regs/minimum/50years.htm

Our Safety In Peril

Our military has been sold out by our government.  When Regan was President of the United States he spent big on our military and since then our might has been seen and felt around the world.  Some have been thankful for our support and some have hated us for it.  Regardless of how you feel, this country has made the world a safer place to live.

Without any doubt, the defense funds over the last 30 years have been huge.  One website, seen here in parenthesis ( http://www.globalissues.org/article/75/world-military-spending#USMilitarySpending ), claims that our country has spent 43% of all the money spent on military by all the countries in the world.  From my research I have conducted over the months this seems about spot on.  And rightfully so.  Is there anyone else out there trying to keep as many people as safe as possible?

While the United States has spent what seems to be an atrocious amount on defense none of us have suffered at home for it.  If any spending has hurt us domestically its the poorly handled issue of the housing market and the bailouts of "too big to fail" businesses.  NOT the defense budget.  So why are we cutting from the defense budget at least HALF of the $1,200,000,000,000.00 (thats 600 BILLION DOLLARS) the automatic sequestering caused by the EPIC FAIL of the "sub-par" committee assigned to find the same amount of money in cuts?  Why does this sequestration not involve cuts to spending on dead ends like Solyndra, orFannie and Freddie?  And if President Obama is a true patriot why does he vow to veto any acts of Congress to stop the automatic cuts to our military ( http://www.military.com/news/article/2011/obama-promises-veto-to-maintain-dod-cuts-pressure.html )?

I don't think I'm a conspiracy theorist.  I think I am reasonable, at least most of the time.  However, it seems as though there is a grand scheme to dismantle the United States as a "world superpower".

While we have spent more money on our defense then most countries combined, earlier this year Russia announced that it was spending $600 BILLION to "revamp" its military, the same amount of money we are cutting over the next ten years (at LEAST the same amount).  Here are some links proving this: http://rt.com/news/military-budget-russia-2020/      http://www.defence.pk/forums/military-forum/73510-russia-modernize-army-600-billion-till-2020-a.html      http://www.military.com/news/article/russia-to-purchase-600-planes-100-ships.html. )

Earlier, this summer, a "Super Committee" made of 6 Republican congressman and 6 Democrat congressman, is formed to solve 1.2 trillion dollars in spending cuts.  Should they fail, 1.2 trillion will be automatically cut from government spending, of which, as I have already established, half is cuts in defense.  Everyone, even Bill O'reilly, trusted the "Super Committee" would accomplish this.  No one ever seem concerned.  But, as midnight of November 23rd loomed, the Committee's deadline, people began showing concern.  And then the bell tolled.  The Committee announced there EPIC FAILURE.

While I had not begun to pay attention towards the "Super Committee" til the last week or so one thing stuck out in my mind, "How many congressman and women are there?"  That question should be in everyone's mind.  Why?  Because there are 435 (plus another 100 in senate).  That's right, 435.  SO, WHY WERE ONLY 12 APPOINTED TO SOLVE 1.2 TRILLION IN CUTS???????????  It seems to me that the more thinkers you have the better ideas would evolve.

I won't get involved in the particulars as to why they couldn't reach a deal, but the other thing poking my minds eye with a hot needle is the fact that the Republicans are so bent on refusing a raise in taxes they were willing to jeopardize our defense!

To continue with my conspiracy theory; after Russia's massive military budget increase and the "Super Committee's" failure, resulting in what former Defense Secretary, Robert Gates, says could be "catestrophic" defense cuts, the very same week Russia finds the gull to threaten the Unites States Missile Defense program in Europe with actual military ATTACKS.  They might as well declare war if they kill US service men.

With the rise of the new body wash, Arab Spring, the developments mentioned above (Russian military spending, U.S. military amputation of funds, Russian threats, etc), Iran very possibly and probably building nuclear weapons, and more nations turning against our most reliable ally, Israel (I don't care what you think, Israel IS our most reliable and, if you read the Bible, our most important ally) it DOES NOT seem the right time to cut spending AT ALL!.

Adding to all of this, our government can't even honor our servicemen with a descent life.

I fully support drawing out of Afghanistan and Iraq.  However, if we are going to withdraw then lets do it right.  Instead, the government is practically throwing people out on the streets after bringing them home or cancelling deployment orders.  As this link shows ( http://news.yahoo.com/war-drawdowns-wreak-havoc-guard-soldiers-lives-082140985.html ) many of our National Guardsmen and Reservists are SOL.

Those who have cancelled plans to enroll in another semester at college because they had orders for deployment and then were told their orders were cancelled or changed to a stateside location are now with at least one wasted semester.  The soldiers who left their jobs because they were going to Iraq or Afghanistan and now are staying home after months of training are now without jobs, that is if their employers don't take them back.  Soldiers who ended lease agreements with landlords are homeless now...and so on.  

This is a disgrace.  There is no class in our government.  HONOR OUR MILITARY SERVICEMEN WASHINGTON!!!!  They were obviously willing to lay there lives down for this country and whatever cause our government sent them overseas for, whether the individual believed in that cause or not, and now the government is discarding them.

Celebrities, social views, and remembering to LOVE

I find myself attached to certain characters in television shows.  When I become interested in a show I take time to watch it.  If I find that the show connects with me on a level of my interests, then I invest in the characters.  When I invest in the characters, caring about what happens to them in the story, I also find myself feeling highly of the actor playing that character.  When I feel highly of the actor I tend to follow them on Twitter, follow them in the world of television and movies, and favor them over other celebrities.  They actually gain an emotional place in my heart.  I begin to pray for them and care about them in real life.  Even if I do not know someone I can feel compassion for them and feel the need to pray for that person.

As you can see, a simple television show can result in the intercession of a complete stranger.  I develop a bias for these actors even when I do not know what kind of personal life they lead.  When I find them speaking things in favor of blatant sin and social liberalism it saddens me, and more so than I feel it should, being that they are a stranger.  However, in looking at the issue deeper, I find that the affect on me caused by their beliefs, which go against all I believe, don't stop at the actual person/actor, but in fact, reflects back to their character and when I return to that tv show or movie I find myself disconnected with character...it is more difficult to enjoy the show. 

An example of what I mean is this:  I am a Stargate fan.  At first I wasn't, but I like scifi, so I gave Stargate SG1 a whirl.  Then, just as described above, began an attachment process...one that eventually led to my research of the actors playing the characters I grew fond of.

Richard Dean Anderson (some know him as MacGyver...don't know if I spelled that right) played Lieutenant General Jack O'neal.  The show started out with Anderson's character, Oneal, as a Colonel.  As all TEN seasons (thats right I watched all ten...in two months...not including watching all of the seasons of Stargate Atlantis) progressed, those of us who enjoyed Stargate SG1 witnessed our beloved Colonel O'neal promoted to Brigadier General, then to Major General, and then later on to Lieutenant General.  We saw our little Jack grow up and in doing so became attached to Anderson's character.

General O'neal was a grouchy, comical, morally conservative man.  A man who brought balance to the mild liberalism brought to the table by Michael Shanks' character, Doctor Jackson.  When someone was threatening the life of an SG1 personnel, Doctor Jackson would want to assess the situation with an open mind, but our beloved General O'neal expressed his understanding of the importance of human life over anything else and was willing to end the conflict and save life, by force if need be.  And during the times when he didn't have to be so abrupt and serious, the General would bring us comedy in a way so unique it still hasn't been duplicated....and in reality, this was all done by the talent of Richard Dean Anderson.

After allowing General O'neal to grow on me, I wanted to see the man behind the Stargate character succeed in real life.  I wanted him to be a child of God, one who loves God....I actually cared about a complete stranger.  So, I researched Richard Dean Anderson.

I found out what he was about, what he believed in, what active roles in real life (activism, religion, politics) he was involved in.  I found him on Twitter and began to follow him.  Shortly after following Anderson on Twitter he made a liberal comment, to which I thought the words, "To each his own."  But, later a comment in support of New York passing the law allowing same sex marriage, and yesterday, two different slams on Congress Majority Leader John Boehner, who is a conservative Republican.  It was obvious to me that Anderson was a typical liberal celebrity.  I feared that he may be one of those actors who has let the security of money get in the way of what is really important, but I don't know him.  He may truly have deep hearted beliefs in his statements.

It pains me, in my heart, to find that someone I wanted to be as they had portrayed for more than ten years in three different television series and two movies (dvd/tv movies) was totally different.  A mildly conservative caring and funny role model in front of the camera and behind it, in the real world, a seemingly misguided, outspoken liberal person, in favor of sinful social laws, a controlling government, and probably not a Christian.  (A fact I want to commend Anderson for is his support of the protection of nature and wildlife.  I am a huge nature lover and I believe we have the responsibility to treat that which God has blessed us with care and accountability.  So for that I say well done Mr. Anderson.)

Many ceebrities are liberal people.  They don't seem to be in reality.  They speak out against conservative ideas and support causes in a way that screams ignorance.  Are they just blissfully ignorant because they can afford to be or do they honestly believe the garbage that the leftist politics they follow feed them?

One example is tax hikes on the rich.  These liberal celebrities are rich themselves, but most are not employers of the middle class.  It stands to reason that being rich without having to pay for anyone but yourself and maybe your family affords someone the ignorance to support paying more taxes then their fair share, which they are already doing.  But for those "rich" who own businesses and have to worry about others, its not as easy.  Celebrities who say, "I admit, I am rich, but I support raising taxes on the top 2% because I am there with them, and I can tell you that it won't hurt us top two per-centers."  Well, I ask them this:  "Are you aware that the small business owner is considered a top per-center because his BUSINESS makes enough to be in that category?  Did you know that this same small business owner, who's company may make a million a year, only takes home about 50,000 dollars for himself?  Are you a small business owner, do you have to worry about the income needs of others, or the costs of supplies?"  This is one example, I will not get into others.

As I was waking up this morning, I realized something.  If I do not have love when I voice my opinion or try to have others view things as I do, even if it is not to turn them, but only to open them up to the whole spectrum of life, then I have become a noise making machine.  All anyone hears when someone without love rants is rantings.  So, I must remember to have LOVE.  Remember to love one another and preach, profess your beliefs, and debate in LOVE.  If you do not, it will be a difficult, long winded debate and in the end you will walk away with frustration, never have been convincing or touching the heart of anyone.

I don't believe I chose my conservatism, meaning, that I cannot find when I made the choice to be a conservative.  It just happened that way.  I use to be a liberal, or a mild liberal.  I use to think abortion was acceptable because its the woman's body, the government should give me more!!!!...you get the picture.  As I grew older and more mature and began to get serious about life.  My views and what my heart felt changed...or perhaps what was already in my heart was revealed, once the layers of misguided social views had crumbled off.  I can no longer to afford not being serious in life and to just act on what feels good.

With all this liberal vs conservative talk I feel I am losing focus of what is the real importance in life.  Actually, in the last five paragraphs the most important thing has not even been in my head.  It doesn't matter if I am liberal, a hippie, a Democrat, a Republican, or a conservative if I don't have God.  Believe whatever politics ore social view you want...but at least love God.  In the end that is ALL that matters....this is a fact.  

One final thought.  I asked myself, "Why did you write this post for your blog?  Out of anger and resentment for those who have strange beliefs, because you are angry that celebrities let the security they feel allow themselves to be motivated by superficial reasons?"  I realized the answer:  I do feel anger towards people who let financial security guide them in morality, I do feel anger towards the idea that people are letting themselves be ignorant to the entire truth...but most importantly the reason I write things like this is because I CARE ABOUT PEOPLE!  I am truly distraught within my heart when I know people are doing and believing things that, in my center, I know are wrong.  But more importantly, I fear for them and mourn when I am certain God is not a part of their lives....it makes me very sad.

While I have been a noisy symbol in my past blogs due to a lack of love, I will remember not to be in the future...or it will be a waste of my time.  I pray for you who have read this....BE BLESSED!

What do you think of Harry Potter?

Recently, on Facebook, I discussed with my favorite author, a Christian fantasy novelist, the pros and cons of Harry Potter.  He had posted something written by a Christian that was in favor of the books.  I immediately responded with a hostile tone with my belief that Harry Potter is evil and blatant witchcraft.

Over the course of a night there were about 30 comments, back and forth, to and from.  Many people participated, I was the only person against Harry Potter.  As far as I could tell, most of the people in the conversation were Christians.

They argued that Harry Potter is just a fantasy tale, the witchcraft described in the books is not the same witchcraft in the Bible, Rowlling's is a Christian herself, there are themes that teach Biblical principles to children in the books, etc.  Tried as I might I could not bring myself to the side of seeing Harry Potter as benign or good.  Perhaps, I was halted from doing so by my bias against the books.

My argument was that whether or not the witchcraft in the Harry Potter books was the same witchcraft in the Bible, children would not know the difference if they were not properly told.  I argued that God can use anything, but just because a Godly or Biblical principle is portrayed in the books, the books teach how to love, forgive, or lay down your life for someone, it doesn't justify the use of witchcraft.

One person said that it could be argued that things in Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, Narnia, and even his own books could be evil if Harry Potter was evil.  I acknowledged there are things in stories I enjoy which contain things I don't agree with, things I label as evil.  An example is the mind melding in Star Trek.  In some of the stories and movies I enjoy there are mythological gods with powers.  I know that there is only one God.  My faith is not challenged by any of the things I enjoy and I know the truth, so I don't feel I am in danger. 

However, I am willing to admit this: I have no certainty that some of the things I enjoy are harmless.  In some cases I am exposed to hours of different religions and therefore it could be harmful, for all I know.  Because my faith does not waiver and I do not feel challenged I don't think I am in danger, but I am willingly to accept God's correction.  That is what I ask of Harry Potter fans.  If you feel those books are okay, then at least be willing to question it, admit that you don't have absolute certainty, and be willing for God's correction.

(7/21/2011)  I have decided to add more to this blog.  Here is an example I can use from my own life to help make my case.

I enjoy Avatar, an anime tv series that was aired on Nikelodeon.  The show is about a world consisting of four major nations, each nation dedicated to one of the four elements of nature.  About 1 in 4 people from each nation are known as benders and have the ability to bend one of the elements to their whim using a series of martial arts techniques.  The Avatar (a young boy named Aang) is a messiah like figure who has the ability to bend all four of the elements, each one he must learn.  The Avatar is a reincarnated being able to speak to his past lives for help when he needs too.  He is considered the bridge between our would and the spirit world.

This show is loaded with Eastern religion, reincarnation, multiple paths to enlightenment, etc.  All of it points to the betterment of oneself.  There are many lessons that teach self sacrifice, the giving of one's life for another, praying and finding peace for your enemies, choosing the path of meekness and peace, and there can be parallels drawn between Avatar and Jesus.  It can be argued that Avatar is the representation of Christ, each one of the abilities to bend an element is a gift from God and whether we choose to use it out of love or evil is a lesson that can be interrpreted throughout this series.

However, anything can be used by God to reach someone.  But, I am certain Avatar was not purposed by its creators as that.  We can find a good teaching in a lot of things, especially when we want to and in many cases it IS their to be found.  But, I am not going to justify the use of false religions and gods as a means of teaching something good just because it DOES teach something good.  The false religions is bad and that is that.  Just as there are things about other stories I enjoy that are wrong, there is no justifying the use of those things.  Let us admit when we are wrong and when we are right.

Some scriptures to consider:

Deuteronomy 18:10-14
"¹⁰ There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, ¹¹ or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. ¹² For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD; and because of these detestable things the LORD your God will drive them out before you. ¹³ You shall be ^[a]blameless before the LORD your God. ¹⁴ For those nations, which you shall dispossess, listen to those who practice witchcraft and to diviners, but as for you, the LORD your God has not allowed you to do so".

Leviticus 19:31

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

 ³¹ ‘Do not turn to ^[a]mediums or spiritists; do not seek them out to be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God."

Ephesians 5:11
"And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them."

Transformers 3: Reveiw and Conservative Themes

Today I went to see Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon.  By now there have been many reviews written about this movie.  Some in favor of, some opposed to, and some neutral.  Most are better than this one will be, but I had to do this for my own therapy.

I had discussed it (the movie) earlier with my cousin and we both agreed on the idea of not going to see it because of all the advertising in the movie.  Actually, my cousin was who told me of all the advertising and this reinforced my lack of interest.  I had originally planned to avoid it because of how sexually perverted and "off topic" the second movie was.

I will say this:  Transformers 3 disappointed me, bored me, and....surprised me.

I won't do a chronological play by play of this movie.  Instead, I will focus on issues and things that "made" the movie, to me.

It started out with the Apollo 11 landing on the Moon and how that was a cover up for the real mission which was to recon a crashed alien vessel.  Their was a computer generated JFK (badly generated, I might add), old news reels, vintage footage of the lift off and splash down, etc.  After about 20 minutes of space race reminiscing we open up to 2011, with a butt shot of Rosie Huntington-Whiteley in what looked like a bikini under a short...short...short dress.  That's' Bay for you...no respect for the young ladies.

As far as sexual stuff in the movie this third installment was much more toned down than the second movie and about on par with the first.  Sam Whitwicky's (Shai Lebouf) mother is, once again, a perverted loud mouth who has to make her opinion known.  She is not in the movie much, so she is forgotten soon after her parts.

The movie is filled with technological advancements and the latest real world computers and vehicles.  In fact, what my cousin said about the advertising in this movie was spot on.  This movie was almost a two and a half hour long commercial for cool cars, Chevy, and Lenovo.  Multiple times throughout the movie the camera pans in on the back of computers with the name LENOVO stretched across the screen in the foreground...out of focus just enough, but still OBVIOUSLY a badly placed advertisement enticing us to go out and by a new Lenovo computer after the movie is over.  The same thing happens with the Chevy, GMC, and Mercedes emblems numerous times.  But, that shouldn't be a surprise because the Transformers take on the disguises of modern day vehicles to fit in.  After all, Bumble Bee, one of the main Autobots, is a Chevy Camero.  This whole franchise has been one big hot spot for Chevy from the beginning for this reason.  However, what did surprise me was Waste Management.

While tearing through the very heart of downtown Chicago we get multiple up close shots of Waste Management's dumpsters and garbage trucks.  A few of them are trampled during the war between the Autobots, our military, and Decepticons.

With all the advertisement it was hard to stay focused.  I admit, I was on the lookout for "secret commercials" after the discussion with my cousin, but the amount of commercialization in this movie was noticeable anyway.  It made it hard to take the movie seriously and I felt much more disconnected from the characters than in the first Transformers movie.

Oh and I did mention Chicago.....there is no way I can go without writing about that.  So often we see cities get destroyed and rampaged by war, aliens, terrorists, robots, superheros and villains, etc.  It is no big deal and adds for realism.  Most of us are not from those cities so we often don't even think about it.  However, I am from the Chicago-land area and I know the city well.  So, this time around all of the urban devastation hit home.  I have been around and in so many of the buildings that were turned to rubble and it was so surreal.  What must it have been like for the people who who actually live in these buildings while they were watching this movie?  Must have been strange.  My uncle has actually installed cabinets in an apartment in one of the two buildings of Marina City, the two twin towers on the Chicago River.

I did very much appreciate HOW the city of Chicago was shot.  Movies like to generalize and show us well known landmarks...like the Statue of Liberty...or Chicago's Navy Pier...but this movie showed us streets and angles of the city you would only recognize if you had been there before.  I appreciate that level of a personal experience it gave the audience with Chicago.  While it did not subject us to one devastated landmark after another...like Independence Day or any other cliche 90's scifi flick, it did bring in the Wrigley Building, Hotel 71, 35 East Whacker Dr, Trump Tower and Willis Tower (Sear Tower).

Being from Chicago and as an admirer of its architecture I certainly did not mind this.  Another reason this was acceptable was the sky diving and wing suit action...which was actually REAL footage of stunt men jumping with the suites.  They actually jumped off of these buildings in real life for the sky diving scenes.  A link at the bottom of this blog will show you what the scene looked like in real life before special effects.  Any other well known places were purely background, save for one:  Lincoln Memorial.  Megatron actually blasts Abraham Lincoln off of his thrown and takes a seat.

The robot action was alright.  We had our usual Autobots, with one or two new bots added somewhere between the second movie and this one, and a whole army of Decepticons.  It was difficult to see what was happening in some of the fights as twisting turning metal flied across the screen...but it wasn't overwhelming.  The robots bled too, something I didn't notice in the first two movies.  It added to the fight scenes.

One thing I thought was goofy was how scratched up the Transformers were in their humanoid form and when they would transform into their car form their paint was flawless and they were beautiful machines.  They'd transform again into their humanoid form and all the sudden their paint was scratched again...even before any fights.  It was like when a cartoon character gets blown up and in the next scene he is fine...and in the same clothes he was blown up in...but that is okay...it added to detail and made them look more hardcore while they were on two legs and when they were rolling down the highway they glistened.

(SPOILER ALERT)  One of the Autobots, Sentinel Prime, who was salvaged from the crashed Autobot spaceship on the dark side of the moon (hence the title) and who turned out to be a traitor , was voiced by Leonard Nemoy!  I thought that was cool.  Nemoy did a swell job and his voice fits well for a wise old Autobot/Decepticon wanna be.  Something I thought was clever is how they slipped in a "word cameo" (a new term I just came up with to describe a famous line from one movie showing up in another) where Nemoy's character says, "The needs of the many out weigh the needs of the few."  This was a line Nemoy's Star Trek character, Spock, used in Star Trek II:  The Wrath of Khan.  So, I enjoyed that and wondered how many other people caught it.

Another important thing, which as a conservative, was a pleasant surprise, was a couple of what seemed to be pro-Republican/conservative themes  Sam Whitwicky is looking for a job and in one interview he explains he was given a medal from the President.  The interviewer asked if it was "Obama".  When Sam said yes the interviewer explained that most of the people there were Republicans.  Later, Bill O'reilly made a cameo appearance in a manner that only made him look good.

The last thing I noticed at the end.  While a wounded but proud Optimus Prime was giving a speech about defending the Earth we see shots of Bumble Bee stoically standing in front of a war tattered American flag flapping gracefully in the wind.  It made for a patriotic end and an end to the movie which gained my respect.

Now on a deeper note, I do think there is a message in this movie.  As one review I read clearly points out, the Presidential Administration is clearly established as the Obama Administration in this movie.  During the movie the government quickly dispels the Autobots after threats by the Deceptions and quickly hands America over to the enemy.  Megatron, one of the main villains, destroys the Lincoln statue at the Lincoln memorial and sets his-self in Lincolns throne, as if to make a declaration that he has prevailed.  But, in the end, the good guys win and the American flag flaps proud in the wind behind our heroes, while Optimus' speech speaks about days when our allies turn against us and wars will come....but with an overtone of hope and victory in the end.  America is in a hard time.  Our government continues to fail us and many of us feel like we have been betrayed.  We seem to be losing any hope of recovery in this country and we need a hero to help us out of this mess.  I am glad to know someone with the power to bring issues to light in front of millions of Americans is working in Hollywood, even if I do disagree with some of  his movie making.

Don't forget to watch the wingsuite special below:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

http://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?p=transformers+3+wingsuit