Game On!

Things that have come up since I went on hiatus:

• Why are people amazed that there is a religious studies section at OSU that allows you to focus on the Bible. I recently got this question, "Can you do it without all that 'Liberal' stuff?" I answered, "Yeah, you can, but I'm a bit liberal myself, so we all get along." I told Jaime this and she came back with, "What do you mean by liberal?" Then it occured to me--What do they mean by liberal? That I disagree with them or that I disagree with the Bible? By liberal, do they mean that I focus on caring for the poor, needy and outcast of society at the expense of alleged personal righteousness? Like Jesus, right, who was called a drunkard and a sinner, because he kept such good company? If you mean liberal like that, then yeah I'm a liberal. That might smack too much of sarcasm...oh well. Why is liberal a bad word anyway?
• How can Christians vote for the Democrats, don't they just want to do the job that the Church should be doing anyway? This question kinda' sat in my craw for awhile. I used to think that way, but just gave up on turning my back on the poor. I couldn't get the Church to do anything, but I felt like I at least had a voice in the government, that could vote and say, poverty is wrong and we need to take care of it. But thinking about this question, I realize that it's making a distinction that I don't make personally anymore, and maybe that's why it's so hard for me to answer. That is, isn't any endeavor taken up by Christians (a distinction that I'm not quick to make; cf my Good Samaritan post) in any arena, a church related endeavor? Or in another way, isn't anything that seeks to alleviate poverty following Jesus' way and thus a Christian endeavor regardless of the environment within which it occurs?
• On a new blog I'm checking in on was a link to this test. This was to see how bad of a christian you really are (bad is good in this case). This is for some fundi-organization. I scored a 15, placing me in the socialist world view, and thus a bad christian! Yay! I knew I had it in me. *sniff*
• I really like George Clinton and the P-funk all stars. I would like to say that my parents were all cool and introduced me to the Parliament Funk, but no, I wouldn't become aware of them until I saw the movie PCU...I need to see that movie again.
• While looking for the clip of George Clinton in PCU, I found this instead:

For Brice

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
(turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-changes
Dont want to be a richer man
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
(turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-changes
Just gonna have to be a different man
Time may change me
But I cant trace time

Nizlopi Start Beginning Tiscali Session

These guys are my new musical obsession...also check out their JCB video here (oh and yes, he's beat boxing...cool...)

This Swinger Rocks!

For those of you who aren't familiar with Paul Anka, the man's a crooner. He's kinda' got that Frank Sinatra feel to him, that typical Jazz male vocalist that I usually don't get into. So when Jaime handed me this album in the library I was sure I was going to hate it.

Why you ask? Because it's cover songs. You would be justified in pointing out that most Jazz is interpretating someone else's songs, esentially covers. But on this album Paul Anka covers rock tunes. Let me clarify: on this album, Paul Anka covers Bon Jovi, Van Halen, Sound Garden, and my personal favorite Smells like Teen Spirit by Nirvana.

Normally, this kinda' move sounds horrible. The guy can't sing, the band is cheesy, it just doesn't work. But this is somehow different. I admit that when I first heard the words:

Load up on guns and bring your friends
It's fun to lose and to pretend
She's over bored and self assured
Oh no, I know a dirty word

crooned on top of a swingin' big band, I couldn't help but laugh, but once you sit back and just take it in it's really amazing...and the man pulls it off! Anyway, I'm tipping my hat off to Mr. Anka for one of the most intriguing and different cover album ever. This should go up there with Johny Cash's American IV: The Man Comes Around.