For My Sister!

This guy is a total tool, but this post is pretty stinking funny. Enjoy, Donna!!

Nanotechnology freaks me out

This little video details some of the changes in nanotechnology that will no doubt be realities in the not-too-distant future. This will make the iPhone seem as out-dated as the Commodore 64.  I particularly like the part at the end where the device is color-coordinated to the girl's outfit by snapping a pic and watching the device morph into the picture's design.  Crazy!!

Mandles: The Scent of a Man

This is too funny!! I could create several of these in my own private laboratory (a.k.a. "The Crapper"). I'd like to see new scents such as "Mentho-lyptus" or "Toe Cheese". If I know my readership like I think I do, I'm almost positive some of you guys could come up with a few choice new fragrances as well!!

Watch and enjoy!!

Rambo, John J.

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I went to see the latest installment of the Rambo franchise last week, and - I gotta say - I really liked it!

First Blood introduced us to the reclusive John J. Rambo, a post-Vietnam wanderer with a serious mean streak. When pushed, Rambo strikes small town America with shock and awe the likes of which Baghdad can't even imagine. His superior officer, Colonel Troutman, gives us some context into this ticking time bomb when he tells the local sheriff, "Rambo's a killing machine... Trained to eat things that would make a billy-goat puke. He won't stop... ever." Troutman's prophetic words hold true, and Rambo leaves a trail of destruction like only a billy-goat eating, Medal of Honor winning, killing machine can.

Verdict: I loved every minute of it. From the prison camp flashbacks to the rat-infested mine shaft, to the emotionally charged, nearly inaudible rant at the end of the film, First Blood is still a favorite. Can't wait for the sequal!!

Rambo: First Blood Part II was perhaps one of the most hyped movies of the 80's. Sylvester Stallone resumed the Rambo character, but this time Rambo had been in prison for some time, and making big ones into little ones had further refined this born killer into something far more viscious: a body builder. Rambo rarely wears a shirt in the sequal, and his gaping physique reveals what we all fear to be true: prison gives the criminal element the rare opportunity to work out all day long, thereby making the dangerous even more dangerous. Rehabilitation never looked better!!

The government, in need of a public relations boost (imagine that!), decides it'd be a good idea to send a maniacal ex-green beret - who also happens to be incarcerated - into the Vietnam jungles to search for POW's. Ahhh that military intelligence! But Rambo, not the type to let POW's rot in the jungle, starts an all out war against the Vietnamese, the Russians, and even the corrupt Murdock, leader of this incredibly well thought out use of taxpayer dollars. Armed with a bow and arrows, a gigantic knife, and his heaving pectorals, Rambo rescues the POW's and thwarts his enemies in a series of very plausible combat scenarios. Let's face it, the guy's a tactician.

Verdict: Amazing!! We want more!! Rambo, you not expendable!!!

Rambo: First Blood Part III was a very forgetable film. This time Rambo finds himself in Afganistan fighting against those old cold war pinata's, the Russians. After all, American hero's + Russian commies = box office success!!

I don't really remember much about this movie, but it seems to me that Rambo demonstrates that he is like the mail man of military combat: neither rain, nor sleet, nor Vietnamese jungles, nor Middle Eastern caves can stop this guy from delivering the goods. We also see that although Rambo hasn't been to prison in a while, he is still ripped like a Greek god. Must be that diet of billy-goats and foreign enemies.

Verdict: The franchise has jumped the shark (that's pop-culture lingo for "this movie sucked, and the Rambo name has run its course").

But wait... In the distance voices are heard speaking of a new hope... What was once lost is now found... Rambo returns!!

The latest film, entitled simply "Rambo", takes us back to that ruggedly quiet wanderer we fell in love with in the very first film. We realize, very early on, that Rambo's new home offers more than small town America or prison could ever hope to give... Steroids!! Rambo is now a genetic freak who catches cobras for a living. We learn, without even hearing a word from Rambo's genetically altered lips, that he is still one bad mofo! If you handle cobras, what's overthrowing a genocidal regime gonna do? Scare you? It's a cobra, dude!

Anyway, we also see that this film is very different than the others. This movie is serious. Rambo, regardless of his veiny, swollen appearance, sheds light on one of the most heartbreaking realities of war: genocide. We are taken into a graphically brutal world of random occupation, rape and mass murder. It is sobering. Even the violence, which at one time in my life made me think that war was a cool thing, was gruesome and nauseating. The evils of war were clear, and the internal struggle for Rambo's soul was real and conflicting.

In the end, like always, Rambo wins, but you get the feeling that winning for Rambo is the most overrated thing in the world. He is beaten, lonely and so full of pain that he seems sub-human. Only at the very end of the film are we presented with the hope that change could be a possibility for this war torn veteran.

Verdict: Stallone has managed to take a character that had become a charicature, and turn him into a great character again. The man deserves some credit.

In all, the world's a better place because of Rambo. Thanks for the memories you bloated freak of nature!

New LSU Championship Shirt!

My good friend, Marc McCartney, brought me a shirt back from the National Championship game. For those of you who have forgotten, LSU won that game by whipping Ohio State like a rented mule.

Check out my sweet shirt!!

2008 Hooters Calendar!!

Some of you may find this very offensive...






If you're scared of graphic photography, you may want to look away...







I'm warning you, these pictures are hot.....

Clinton or Obama... Obama or Clinton...

Now that I'm back in the blogging game, I'd love to know your thoughts on the Democratic Party's nomination of a presidential candidate. John McCain pretty much has the Republican nod tied up (Personally, I like Huckabee better, but what the heck do I know?). In light of that, if you had to vote today, would you pull the lever for Clinton or Obama? I'll give you my answer later.

New Post!! More to Come

So, I haven't posted in a while. Honestly, I've just been very busy, and have gotten out of the habit.

For my first post in a long time, I'd like to share this little gem with you from a Japanese game show. If only I'd have known about this game when I was a youth pastor!

I love pie... charts!

Thought this was funny. Always wondered how death was distributed throughout the Death Star. Now I know!




This one's funny too!!




Posted from: Gizmodo

Hope for Home

I grew up in the great state of Louisiana, but have since bemoaned the fact that the state looks more gruesome these days than great. Hurricane Katrina underscored the mess of politics and societal issues that have plagued Louisiana for years, and although the state will always have my heart, I have given up any ideas of ever being able to live there again.

This article, however, gives me hope for home. I long for the days when Louisiana is known for more than food and football. I long for the days when it is known as a great place to live, raise a family and make a life. Good luck to our new Governor. May he usher in a greater hope for home.

Most Important Sports Equipment in History?

Heard this debate on the radio this morning, and it cracked me up. They were talking about the invention of the hockey mask, and made the bold declaration that the hockey mask was the most important piece of equipment in sports history. Later they had a guest on the show who disagreed with them and proclaimed the cup the most important piece of equipment in sports history. So, which is it? Would you rather take a hockey puck to the face or get hit with a hockey stick in the marriage tackle? You decide, sports fans!

Students Today

I work with College students, so I found this video totally fascinating. It still cracks me up when people tell me that life for today's students is the same as it's always been. If you think that, you're so out of touch that you probably won't understand this video. I know things have changed a ton, because when I was in college, my biggest distraction was doodling. Just think of what I could've done on a laptop!! And, to think, I only graduated from college 10 years ago!

Where Ya Been?

It's been a long time since I've posted on this silly blog, and I apologize for that. I'm still here, and I plan on continuing to post and maintain Cajun Roast Beef, but life's been a bit hectic, and I've taken a little break.

Here's what's been happening since we last spoke:

• My boss went on sabbatical for 3 months, and I've absorbed his workload, which includes Bible Communities, Single Parent Ministries, Young Adult Ministires, Car Care Ministiry and Toolbox. Phew!
  
• My wife went back to work for the first time in 6 years. She is teaching Science at First Baptist Academy in Downtown Dallas. She's also coaching the 8th grade girls basketball team (Did I mention that she was the point guard for the 1988 Louisiana State Champions?). And, yes, she's still a Mother of 4 young children (that part doesn't change!)
  
• Our two oldest children, Trent (8) and Cale (6) played an entire season of football. Both boys played like future LSU Tigers, and we're very proud of them!
• I coached Trent's football team. All that means is that I was busy two nights a week with practice, and was at games every Saturday. It was totally worth it!!
• I (along with a lot of help from some very gifted people) organized a 5K run/walk benefitting Water is Basic, an organization committed to providing clean water in Sudan. The race attracted 563 runners and raised more than $12,000 for Water is Basic.
• Jillian, my baby girl, turned 3 years old. Man, is she special!
• Pierce, my Autistic wonder child, continued his therapy, and is now saying several words very clearly. I know it doesn't sound like much, but this is tremendous progress!!

So, if I haven't posted in a while, I hope you'll understand that life has been a bit overwhelming, and I'm just taking a few moments to catch my breath. Thanks for reading. Stay tuned for more frequent postings!!

My Trip to Tigerland

Marc McCartney and I loaded up the Honda CRV at around 10:30am and headed toward Baton Rouge with hopes that we might make it to the Tiger Cage before the Golden Band from Tiger Land marched down the hill. We spoke nothing but LSU Football for the first three hours, and then we hit a stretch of land between Natchitoches and Lafayette that made us feel like we might never arrive in Baton Rouge. Marc got sleepy, and I got really groggy and uncomfortable. Crazy, irrational thoughts started flooding my mind. What if we had miscalculated and were going to arrive after the game had already started? What if our tickets weren't waiting for us like we had planned? What if Va. Tech - inspired by their recent tragedy - played their hearts out and beat LSU?

By the time we reached the Atchafalaya River Bridge, my thoughts had settled, and I was ready for some Tigerbait!! I woke Marc up as we crossed over the Mississippi River and noticed the enormity of Tiger Stadium on the horizon. The scoreboard, emblazoned with a huge "LSU Tiger Stadium" nearly brought a tear to my eye, and ignited a sense of awe and wonder in Marc. We had made it!! Saturday night in Tiger Stadium would be our reality!!

We parked about two miles from the stadium and began to notice that every available space - every blade of open grass, every free segment of concrete - was filled with a canopy, under which the LSU faithful gathered for a tailgaiting feast. It was as if pioneers were settling the vast LSU campus and had set up thousands of tents in which to live until permanent housing had been constructed. I've seen this site many times in my years, but I'm not sure I've ever seen the campus so alive.

We made our way through these villages of tailgaters until we finally reached the Tiger Cage. Along the back wall of this sprawling new habitat lay Mike VI, a two year old Bengal Tiger. What a beautiful animal! It's always good to see the symbol of LSU athletics resting comfortably between the Football Stadium and the Basketball Arena. His new habitat, by the way, is a paradise. It's a beautiful addition to the campus.

Marc and I moved on to the rounded ramp that leads to the Pete Maravich Assembly Center (The PMAC), and watched as the crowd gathered for the Band''s triumphant march down the hill. It looked as though someone had stepped on an ant pile and thousands of purple and gold insects had crawled out. The place was covered with the Tiger faithful, a rabid bunch who were out in full force to take in the unique environs of LSU on game day. The band eventually descended down the hill, and the crowd was stirred to a frenzy as they played "Hold that Tiger!"

We made our way to our seats for the game, and there's not much to say about what happened next. Total domination. This team is good... Real good. The environment, as always, was loud, fun and full of the kind of spontaneous insanity that only Tiger Stadium can offer. It was awesome.

Thanks, Marc, for a great trip! Let's do it again sometime, buddy!!

The New Mike the Tiger

So, I wrote a few months back about how LSU's mascot, Mike V, died during surgery. Well, they finally have a new mascot, and he's awesome! Mike VI is now in his new habitat, and he looks quite foreboding. Check him out:

Whoa!! Imagine the kind of pain that sucker could inflict upon Nick Saban!!

Speaking of LSU and Tigers, I think this new ESPN commercial is hilarious! Watch and enjoy:

Geaux Tigers!!!

#2 LSU Rolls!!

Well, my Tigers came out a bit flat last night, but they still butchered Mississippi State worse than Miss Teen South Carolina answering a geography question. Still, there are some improvements to make, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Check out this hit from last night's game. Ouch!!

This Amazes Me!

When I was younger, my friends and I would pull stunts when our folks were out of town. We mostly did harmless, goofy stuff. One time we invited a friend over and hid in the bushes. As soon as he reached the front door, we shot him with a paintball gun. It was fun stuff, but it was nothing like the stunt these guys pulled. Check out this video and be amazed!

Clothes for Causes

I love it that many young entrepreneurs are using their hobbies and interestests and tying them to worthwhile causes. Statattack is one such effort. At Statattack, a t-shirt line based on statistics that people should be aware of (the design above tells us that, in Angola, 19.2% of infants will die before they turn one), every shirt you buy goes to help some aspect of world relief, not only by educating people, but contributing 20% of the sale to an orphanage in Mozambique. Here's a quote from their website:

Since Mozambique was the country that inspired all of this, the Sons of Stolen are putting 20% of the money from the sale of the shirts towards building an orphanage in Mozambique. Instead of giving the money to a charity, we will go to Mozambique with a group of volunteers from the design industry and build an orphanage from the ground up.

Very cool! I think I'll buy one!

Ever have one of those days?

Yes, this picture is real. It's of a $1.5 million yacht falling off its sling while being loaded into a cargo ship for delivery in Dubai. If you didn't notice, yes, there's a dude on the back of the boat as it goes down, to give you a sense of the size of the 55-foot vessel (he was fine).

Link

Welcome to the New World!

I think people love to downplay the rapid amount of change that our society is currently experiencing. Every once in a while you'll hear someone say, "You know, things are no different than they were when I was a kid." I always laugh at such statements. The video below will show you why.