This is just a great story!

I really like this story. You can google his name for other stuff on him.

Anyway...makes you wish you had been there. Even if you don't know the kid.

Google Calender

So I should have a whole check box for Google. You know...combing through my posts over the last 2 months I find that I really only write about 2 things. Google and relationships. And instead of breaking up with Google on Valentine's day, I actually got a Valentine's from them! Some day I'm just going to break down and start a relationship with Google so that I don't have to separate between relationship and Google posts. They'll be one and the same!

So anyway...Google calendar, hopefully coming soon. I've needed one for awhile. I've had to use Yahoo and have it send me reminders to my gmail account. I'll be interested in how they integrate it with everything else.

**Title is a link

I feel ya dogg...I feel ya...

This man is just expressing himself in a way we've all wanted to express ourselves at one time or another.




Under closer inspection, it doesn't look like the monitor is plugged in. But hey...still funny.

* The title is a link if the video doesn't appear.

Didn't think about this...

According to the post, spammers can get complete lists of all the pages indexed by Google Pages which can be used to directly infer your email address. Luckily, I registerd my new Mactactics gmail address, for which I don't care what spammers send to it. I think that makes google account number twelve for me. It's an addiction!

Dealing with breakups...

I can't imagine these were real. Maybe I'm just skeptical like that. But...funny none-the-less. I like this guy.

Friends, Some of you may remember my ex-girlfriend Sarah. I recently recieved a letter from her. I would appreciate it if you would take the time to read it and review my response. I hope all of you are well.

May 23, 2005
Dear Davey:

I have had a difficult time, over the past few years, achieving closure of our relationship. It is time for me to seek this. I have gone through the appropriate stages of anger, remorse, sadness. It is now time for me to close this chapter of my life. I am trying to recapture my life and gain a sense of identity back.

In my professional life I have done this, but my personal life struggles. For so long I/We were "Sarah and Davey", that it is hard to gain my own identity back. I am not worried about my career; I will soon succeed even my wildest dreams. I am just stunted by my personal life.

I am ready to release you from my life. I also on a weekly basis encounter people who want to tell me about you or have a discussion about you. I do not want to deal with this anymore. I do have a proposal on how to handle this.

I am ready to no longer be forced to deal with your presence. As to how to deal with it, I propose the following:

1. I've heard you have an apartment on the West side. You need to move out of the West side of Indianapolis, this has always been my side of town, I own a house here, and do not rent like you. I grew up here, and always want to live here. I would prefer if you were to leave Indianapolis all together, but I know this is more than I can ask.I do not want to risk running into you at any store.

2. We should officially divide our friends. Particularly Jim, Jillian, Amy, and Ed. You should write them, thanking them for the opportunity to be their friend and explain why you can no longer be in contact with them. I can provide you with addresses, if you need.

3. I will stay out of Republican politics. I promise not to get involved with any Republican politics, unless my father runs for judge, and than I reserve the right to work on his campaign.

4. I would like you to not have anything to do with all things Cathedral. I feel I should have ownership of the school since my mother works there and my brother and sisters went there. You are more tied to Wabash. This should be where you dedicate your alumni status. I will be involved in Cathedral. When the time of reunions comes up, I am willing to say that you can have the reunions ending in "0" years and I will take the"5" years. So you can have 10 years and I will take 25 years.

5. I will avoid Wabash contacts. The few guys from the house I still speak to on a rare basis, I will not. I will also discourage any male offspring I have from attending Wabash.

I know some of these things seem a bit harsh, but I feel they are for the best. I do not ever really wish to see you again. I know that this will of course happen beyond my control, but I think we should do our best to avoid what we can.

It is my sincere hope that you understand, and do take the time to respond. This is my last request of you.

With fondness,

Sarah
May 31, 2005


Dear Sarah,

Thanks for your letter. We broke up 3 years ago. Knowing that and taking into consideration you believe me to be a cold, career focused, ego-maniac, what on earth makes you think I would take the time to think about you or agree to your proposal? But since I clearly have taken the time to respond, please take a moment to review some comments and counterproposals I have crafted.

1. First, I will have to resist the burning urge to move RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO YOU. After that deep desire subsides, I will vacate the Westside and return to my roots: The Snooty Northside, as you used to call it. However, since I was born on the Northside and I have Northside in my veins you must abdicate all ties to the North. This includes: Living on the Northside, living on the Northeastside, walking down
North Street, being a fan of the Dallas Stars (formerly the Minnesota North Stars), wearing North Face apparel or telling your children that Santa lives at the North Pole.

1 (B). I was born in Indianapolis before you were so I should really get to determine who stays and who goes. In my benevolence I will let you exist here only within the St. Michael's Parish boundary (MLK Dr. to High School Rd. and 56th Street to 10th St.) We will call this the SarahZone. This should be acceptable for you as your family lives across the street and there is a gas station, grocery, convenience store, your place of employment and a fire station. Exceptions can be made with my expressed written consent. You will be required to display a large tag in your windshield giving you permission to travel beyond the SarahZone.

2. I haven't talked to your friends since we broke up. I think they got the message. However since we apparently are still in fourth grade, please have your friends meet me by the playground at recess so that I can tell them they have big fat heads and they aren't my friends anymore.

Do you agree? _______Yes ________No________Maybe

2 (B). One of the few times you let us do something fun, we visited some of my family friends on Geist. It was about eight years ago. We enjoyed their boat and home for several hours during a pre-500 party. Please jot them a note saying you are going to forget that ever happened. Please also offer to reimburse them for the boat gas, pool chlorine, air conditioning Freon, Dr. Pepper and anything else you consumed while you were there. I don't have their address anymore, you can look it up.

3. Please let me know when your father runs for anything. I'm going to run against him.

3 (B). Thanks for staying out of Republican politics. Your heavyweight presence in the party will be sorely missed. I am very involved in ice hockey. I play recreationally and coach a youth team in the winter. I would prefer it if you could stop being involved in all things related to ice and ice hockey . You can use those instant first aid coldpaks to cool your drinks from now on. Also, my parents have been very involved with the Indianapolis 500 Festival for nearly 20 years. The month of May is really a big month for us. While I am not able to honor your request of moving out of Indianapolis, I would ask that you just leave town during May. With 250,000 fans going to the race and 35,000 runners in the Mini-Marathon, I don't want
to run the risk of bumping into you. I know your birthday is in May, but man, I just don't care.

4. Christ, I don't have the energy for this one.

5. If any of my friends from Wabash actually still talk to you, they are fired as friends.

5 (B). I'm not going to tell my kids anything about you. But speaking of kids, it would be okay with me if my son was a crack addict, just as long as he got your kids hooked on it and became their dealer.

In closing, I will never make decisions about my life or my family based on whether I might run into you at the store. I am now convinced that if we ever do bump into each other, you will spontaneously combust. I wish you the best of luck finding a spouse. Seriously. It won't be easy to find a person who is willing to spend the rest of his life raising children and making decisions based on your crazy-ass proposal to an ex-boyfriend and your inability to act like a rational human being.

All my best,

Davey

When the apple keeps rolling and rolling...

Wow...that's really all I can say about these people. What kind of followers of Christ would ever consider this a viable means of protest, and furthermore, a viable message to send is totally and completely beyond me. And I think these Patriot Guard Riders are studs and a half! Tremendous respect for them, just from reading the article.

Phelps believes American deaths in Iraq are divine punishment for a country that he says harbors homosexuals. His protesters carry signs thanking God for so-called IEDs -- explosives that are a major killer of soldiers in Iraq.

Everyone's entitled to their opinion...unfortunately.

At least 14 states are considering laws aimed at the funeral protesters, who at a recent memorial service at Fort Campbell wrapped themselves in upside-down American flags. They danced and sang impromptu songs peppered with vulgarities that condemned homosexuals and soldiers.

Several months ago my family came in town and we took a day to visit DC. Unfortunately we picked the day of a huge, city-wide, war protest. Not that I have anything against people protesting...it's their constitutional right. I was just sad that when I took my family to see the beauty of DC and it's history, it was filled with picket signs and people yelling and exuding negativity. But...so it goes. But while we were there, some people tried to take signs up into the Lincoln memorial and were stopped saying that it was against the law to protest on "memorial ground." Basically they couldn't bring their signs up on the marble of the memorial. And of course they complained about their rights being suppressed. And I wondered for a minute about the right to protest and whether they should have the right to protest where ever they wanted. And I ultimately decided that I agreed with the legislation prohibiting it. It's a small piece of real-estate in a big city. Go protest somewhere else out of respect for the thing being honored. But if I wasn't convinced then...I am convinced now. However they shouldn't have to make a law for it. Human decency should compel you not to celebrate someone's death at their funeral (and I'm not talking about a good celebration).

"The scriptures are crystal clear that when God sets out to punish a nation, it is with the sword. An IED is just a broken-up sword," Phelps-Roper said. "Since that is his weapon of choice, our forum of choice has got to be a dead soldier's funeral."

mmm...can't argue with that impenetrable logic!

The church, Westboro Baptist Church, is not affiliated with a larger denomination and is made up mostly of Fred Phelps' extended family members.

Some people just shouldn't be allowed to breed. I am of course joking. But seriously...some people shouldn't.

Richard Wilbur, a retired police detective, said his Indiana Patriot Guard group only comes to funerals if invited by family. He said he has no problem with protests against the war but sees no place for objectors at a family's final goodbye to a soldier.

"No one deserves this," he said.

Agreed.

These are some quotes from Fred Phelps' wikipedia page.

Phelps considered the local church to be more than a place of fellowship--for him, membership in the local congregation directly corresponded to membership in the Body of Christ. Phelps may have conceded the point to be ordained, but, for forty years, his family and church members in Topeka have been controlled by his threat that, if they depart his congregation, they must carry a letter of permission from him. In addition, they must join a congregation that he approves. Otherwise...the pastor Phelps draws up the dreaded missive ordering the straying sheep to be "delivered to Satan for the destruction of the flesh."

Nutso!

And just when you thought it couldn't get any worse...

as a means of encouraging the wives and children to "submit to the father's authority in the home," Phelps began encouraging his congregants to beat them if necessary; he was once forced to bail one of his parishioners out of jail after counseling the man to punch his wife in the face until she became "subjugated." Parishioners of Eastside recall one of Phelps' sermons in particular (which ironically references his high-school boxing talent):

A good left hook makes for a right fine wife. Brethren, they can lock us up, but we'll still do what the Bible tells us to do. Either our wives are going to obey, or we're going to beat them!

And off the handle and into the deep end we go.

Christ Denied permission to drive

I got this off Hopper's blog from May, so...it's old. But it had a couple of good quotes.

It started as an expression of his faith,

I don't totally understand what he was trying to express.

Mr. Pishevar, who describes Mr. Christ as a tall, pale-skinned man with long white hair, said his client is "very private."

Similar in everyway.

"Christ is not speaking to the press at this time," Mr. Pishevar said.

Just funny.

Okay...I mainly just wanted something to cover up the last post. It was getting old.

Censorship

Follow up to the noluv4google.com stuff. This was in their FAQ.

Q: I heard Google is legally required to censor some search results in the U.S. and Europe - isn't this the same?

A: While we don't support censorship, we feel it is completely inappropriate to compare legal restrictions on websites containing child pornography (in the U.S) or Neo-Nazi hate speech (in Germany) to the suppression of information about human rights and democracy in China and Tibet. But don't take our word for it... Congressman Tom Lantos says, "in essence, [this] equates the vile language and evil purposes of Neo-Nazi groups and hate speech with content provided by the human rights activists of Falun Gong, by journalists and by democracy activists in China. There simply is no comparison between efforts of the democratically-elected government of the Federal Republic of Germany to move against hate-mongerers, and the Chinese regime cracking down on religious freedom, human rights and democracy."

I don't totally agree. You can't have it both ways. Censorship is censorship. The level of which is decided upon by a government body. To me they ARE comparable. One has decided to make certain content illegal, another has decided to make other content illegal (and a quote from a Congressman or Senator isn't always saying much). I understand the argument that one set of laws was made by a government elected by the people, and the other was made by a government oppressing a people. But it kind of reminds me of pre-civil war. A democratically elected body provided provisions for slavery. Just because it's democratically elected doesn't make it right. Now of course I think what China is doing is wrong, and I think there should be censorship on child porn (not necessarily hate speech...but...*shrug* that's just me). I guess I just don't like their argument. Call it for what it is.

Q: Isn't it better for Google to be engaged in China in this way than not at all?

A: Google was already operating a Chinese-language search portal in China and in fact enjoyed the second-largest market share as well as the highest rating from users. However, the Chinese government's 30,000 internet police and China's "great firewall" were responsible for censoring websites and sanitizing users' search results. Now, Google has custom-built a websearch platform - Google.cn - to the Chinese authorities' specifications, doing their dirty work for them, and more effectively. This will make it harder for people in China and Tibet to access real information, not easier.

Just not true. They still have access to www.google.com and can get to the same information they always could. Nothing has been taken away. Information has only been added. Now they can reach stuff that isn't censored faster and more reliably. There's a lot of information out there that isn't censored. Maybe some people thought it was important to provide those Billion people with that information reliably instead of settling for a sub par access.

Okay...this is a rant that I'm not terribly passionate about, yet obviously do have an opinion about that I realize is just that...an opinion. So...I'm pretty open to arguments from the other side (unless the other side is making dumb "break up with Google" websites). Or...feel free to just glaze over this post like the last one.

Happy Valentine's Day all!

You've got to be joking!!!

Sigh...just breathe...Freedom of Speech...it's a good thing.

"I hate it when they do this..."

This question was posed to me the other day. How much should we change for our significant other? Well, that's not exactly how it was asked. But basically the scenario was brought up of, what do you do when there is something about your S.O that you can't stand? Do you tell them? Do you deal with it? How much should the other person be expected to change? How much should the complainer just accept them for who they are?

Ultimately...I think this is very situational, and different for married couples and people just starting a relationship.

I don't want to write too much (but I'm sure I will anyway)...I'd rather hear thoughts, as I haven't thought it through all the way. But it seems to me, in a marriage or serious relationship, that it would be a little of both. The person complaining should, on one side, love them enough to accept said imperfections and learn how to deal with them, while on the other side, the offender should love the other person enough to desire to change, or modify whatever behavior irritates the other. If you really don't like that I fart in public and don't care...I hope that I would care that you don't like it, and strive to stop. While at the same time, hope that you would realize...it's not a big deal...maybe it's just who I am...and get over it (but not in a bottling it up way). And I think in the middle you find 2 people who are expressing agape to their partner. This may be a little naive and simple...but...it's my initial thought. I think just dialoguing about it, with the sincere desire to love and co-exist and sacrifice for your partner, and being careful not to attack the person, but attack the issue...I guess I would hope a compromise would be found. But overall I think relationships would be more successful if it was less, "How can I make them more like I want them." and more "How can I be a better person for them." And I'm all about wanting a woman that makes me want to be a better man.

I think it's harder with dating couples because you are evaluating whether you want to spend the rest of your life with that person. This stuff is good to know. What are their quirks? Can you deal with them? And there are some situational aspects of course. If it's something like..."I can't stand your long fingernails." My response to you is going to be..."I respect that...I'm sorry...but I need them for the guitar...you'll have to learn to deal with it." And if she can't...and she breaks up with me or something...well...we weren't right for each other anyway. But if it's something like..."I can't stand that you don't wear deodorant." I would hope my response would be to work on wearing more deodorant. Because...well...she is the one who has to smell me. So I don't think the answer comes in a...one should always change, or one should always get over it solution. Sometimes the things are going to be valid and need changing, sometimes they are going to be stupid and need getting over. I think the hardest part is just figuring out what's important. I know for me, I want to be careful about nit-picking, and just weighing things in the right perspective. I don't want to be the guy that dumps a girl because she has a weird laugh. But there are all sorts of complaints: "I can't stand that she snaps at me when she wants my attention." "I don't like when he drinks too much." "I can't stand when he wont use a coaster." "I can't stand when she nags." "I hate when he doesn't call me after lunch to tell me what he ate." "I hate that she calls me after lunch to tell me what she ate." "It irritates me when he wears those old pants with holes in it in public." I think there are things that point to heart issues, and there are things that are just quirks. The heart issues are the important ones for me. Those are the things I want ultimately deciding my relationship. Now if there are too many quirky things that get under your skin...you might find that you are really not getting along with that person. Sometimes 2 people of great character and spiritual caliber just don't have any romantic chemistry and just aren't right for each other. So I'm not discarding chemistry. It is an important and even vital component of a successful relationship. It can't be all logical. But I think chemistry moves and looks past nit-picking like, "I hate how she eats her mash potatoes," but maybe is affected by, "I don't like it when he's sarcastic, or when he makes fun of my height." Which...again, can sometimes seem more like a heart issue than a chemistry issue. I guess I figure with chemistry you'll be able to tell...it's either there or it's not. It may not be there at the very beginning (or doesn't appear to be because of the pressure of a new relationship, or just figuring out each other's communication style)...but...if you've given it ample time to appear, and it hasn't...then it hasn't. And chemistry doesn't seem like a distinctly defined term, so some might not even consider the above examples issues of chemistry. So...the short of it is...I don't really know what I'm talking about.

So...not sure if I actually said anything here. I think the topic can get very muddled and things can seem to border between character and quirks, and you have to deal with what things you are willing to fight for, and also what things should you be willing to fight for. If the girl just absolutely doesn't find you funny and you have to change your whole sense of humor...it may be admirable that you find her worth changing for...but I just wonder how much of that you even should change for her. Maybe you quit talking about how freakishly tall she is, or maybe you don't make fun of mom's because it rubs her the wrong way. But there are amounts of change that don't seem healthy. And the more I type, the more I am convinced that there is no formula and that it's one individual dealing with another, and that each relationship will be different. I'm sure there are some generic principles to adhere to (like don't bottle...communicate). But...not a lot more specific than that. And when it comes to evaluating a relationship...I think prayer and wisdom from on High is your biggest alley, followed by the advice and council from your friends.

Okay...that's all I got. I'm glad I didn't write a lot.

Chat with Gmail

This is just cool. This is why google rocks. I know some day they will dissappoint me. But today is not that day!

Links:
Google chat help
Google Blog
Other Google Blog

21 names...

Okay okay...I saw this on 2 people's blog...and honestly I just wanted to read the answers to people's questions, but didn't want to ruin it incase it ended up being interesting. So I did it. And actually wasn't totally dissappointed.

Can you name 21 people you can think of right off the top of your head?
Don't read the questions underneath until you write the names of all 21 people.

Ready, Start!

1. Ann
2. Tagaen
3. Vashti
4. Laura
5. Brian Miller
6. Brian Wolf
7. Brian Hopper
8. Brian Mcfarland
9. Brian Inak
10. Clinton
11. Stephanie
12. Kim
13. Kevin G.
14. Kelly Shannon
15. Kelly Murray
16. Suzi
17. Pat
18. Kristin
19. Seth
20. Victoria
21. Dominic

THE QUESTIONS:
1. How did you meet 14? Small Group...sometime
2. What would you do if you never met 6? Not have experienced the beauty and glory of a winter Lu' ua that's for sure!
3. What would you do if 20 and 9 dated? I would tell her not to date anyone from small group...especially since her husband attends!
4. Did you ever like 5? I've always had a crush on BMiller! Why wouldn't you. That's what I don't understand.
5. Would 4 and 12 make a good couple? Maybe if Kim liked football and Barbeque Sauce
6. Describe 8: The man! My favorite "your mom" joke recipient. All around good friend.
7. Do you think 13 is attractive? You have no idea!
8. Tell me something humiliating about 17? I had to touch his butt for like 10 minutes straight while he took down the volley ball net. He must work out.
9. Do you know any of 4's family members? I've met her mom. And since that sounds suffeciently shady, I'll leave it at that.
10. What's 21's favorite color? Pink...definitely Pink. He had a pink shirt...but...now he doesn't.
11. What would you do if 18 just confessed they liked you? ...I would start thinking about all the free health care I could receive. j/k!!!!!
12. What language does 20 speak? English
13. Who is 9 going out with? No idea...only really thought of him because he shares the name Brian and they all popped in my head.
14. What grade is 16 in? Grade Motherhood
15. When's the last time you talked to 13? Sunday
16. What is 2's favorite band? If you consider me a band...it has to be me!
17. Would you ever date 7? I would Marry 7! No questions asked. Alas...stupid state legislation!.
18. Would you ever date 12? There would have to be some getting to know each other first.
19. Is 15 single? Ummm...according to facebook
20. What is 19's last name? Guenther! Probably my favorite last name to say!
21. Would you ever want to be in a serious relationship with 2? I am her 2/3 roommate...Are you asking if I'd like to add that extra third? Well...I guess that's up to her current roommates!
22. What school does 3 go to? Saint John's
23. Where does 15 live? The great tax free state of Delaware
24. What's your favorite thing about 10? His realness...he's a very relatable and open individual.
25. Have you seen number 1 naked? Not lately. And by not lately I mean that there was that one time when I would have...but...she was wearing clothes.

Super Bowl Commercials

Sweetness! Super bowl commercials on Google Video! I
might just skip the game next year.

Freedom of Speech...

I understand why they are upset. But...I'm going to go with Free Speech on this one. I can't imagine the number of times Christ has probably been caricatured in a cartoon (undoubtedly in an unfavorable way). But they have a right to do so. And of course, those offended have a right to publicly denounce it. But...I'm not a fan of legislation preventing it. It's the beginning of the end. You outlaw hate speak, and then you've got to define what that is. And of course it will get broader and broader until you have freedom of speech...unless it might potentially offend someone. In which case...you really have no freedom of speech...because there are too many over-sensitive people. Not that the Muslims are. I'm talking about in general. Someone's always going to be offended.

What would you ask for?

That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you."

II Chronicles 1:7

So what would you ask for? I mean sure you can read on and get the right answer. But let's be honest.

...I'd ask to be a Jedi! Unless he was offering this to mulitple people and someone else asked for super human strength and speed (aka...Superman). And then I'd have to ask for the same, as Superman could totally destroy a Jedi!

Successful Dating

This question was posed to me the other night. What does it mean to date successfully? Or...what would be considered a successful dating relationship?

Any thoughts?

I think our first instinct would be to say marriage. "Well, if we get married...I say we did it right. We were successful." In which case, any relationship that didn't end in marriage was a failed relationship. Using this measurement...I would definitely not date anyone until I were pretty much sure they were the one. I mean...you want to date successfully! But is a relationship that ends in marriage the only successful relationship? To know, we have to agree on what success is. What is the point of dating? Many would say, to find a mate. We date so that one day we may find the one to spend the rest of our lives with.

Since this is the most popular, let's go with this one. So it seems to imply that success would be marriage. But if dating is the process we take in figuring out if someone is the one...wouldn't success be whether we accurately determined that fact? If you are doing something to figure out if something is one thing or another...success is just that...figuring it out. It doesn't matter which it ends up being...as long as it's been determined. So, wouldn't the goal of dating be achieved by determining whether or not someone is the one you should marry?

So for me...what makes a relationship more or less successful, is how we go about determining whether they are the one or not. It is not a matter of whether they end up being so. How do you go about determining it? Are you healthy about it? Do you set boundaries to make sure that you do not cross any lines while you figure it out? Is the relationship properly valued in relation to your relationship with God? Have you lost your identity in the other person before it is time. Have you "moved in" to a relationship that is not that far along yet? Do you justify what you know to be sin by saying that it is okay because you are in love? Have you planted your relationship firmly in community and family? Have you assessed your motives and determined them to be righteous and not self serving? Men, have you honored her and lead her as a sister in Christ with the utmost purity? These are what measure a successful relationship in my book. This is a situation where the end does not justify the means. Even a relationship that ends in marriage can lead to problems down the road if unhealthy patterns were seeded while dating.

So for me, what is considered a successful relationship? Determining whether someone is the one for you, and doing so in a way that is healthy and balanced and God-centered. Success does not mean doing so without getting hurt. But doing so without being harmed or wounded in a way that negatively affects future relationships.

Just my opinion.

Google Maps...

These are cool google map applications. I know...I'm a nerd.
Flight Tracker
Real Time Dublin Trains
Housing Market
Weather Map
Ski Map
Dig to the other side of the world
Jack Tracker

Google and China

I wasn't going to blog about this, but Laura brought it up last night. Google is getting a lot of bad press because of their decision to adhere to Chinese censorship laws when implementing their local presence in China. People say they caved in, or sold out. That they aren't adhering to US principles of freedom by allowing censorship. They say that if all the big names (Google, Microsoft, Yahoo) joined together, they'd be in a good position to change things.

What do you think?

I can see both sides...but I'm going with Google on this one (big surprise).

1. They don't have freedom of speech laws in China...so...you know..."when in Rome." You gotta do what you gotta do.
   
2. We import so much more than we export to China...I'm not sure where the money will go...but I'm all about some presence there that will help balance it out.
   
3. Look at their regime. Do you think a few software companies getting together are going to change their minds on free speech? ...I have my doubts.
   
4. Google isn't depriving them of any thing they had before. An uncensored Google is still accessible.
   
5. Google at least notifies them of when something is censored.
   
6. They aren't providing any services like chat and mail that might leave them open to having to turn over personal information to the government.
   
7. Both Microsoft and Yahoo have "caved in" to Chinese policy in some form or another...and I don't remember all the bad press.
   

So...just my opinion

When Leadership is Lacking...

Growing up in a Baptist home, you hear over and over that men should be the leaders and initiators, etc etc. And not only of the house but also the church. And so growing up I always thought that women pastors were in the wrong because the Bible seemed to clearly state that men should be the head of the church (we can discuss my accuracy in that in some other conversation). But as I was going through a study about...well...being a man in college, I began to wonder if the real blame didn't fall on the men that weren't leading. In a lack of leadership...if no man is going to step up and do the job...do we blame the woman for doing so? Or do we blame the men for not? And my question isn't really about blame, and of course there are women who in church and relationships want to take the lead before there's even a lack of it, and so I'm not talking about that either. But my question is this. In the instance of a lack of leadership...what should the woman do? Or maybe...what could she do? (in terms of a relationship)


I know of God's plan for men and women in relationships. I'm just curious how we can deal with it when we screw it up.

I Like Hondas...

So it begins...