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February 27, 2004

Yoikes!

Just looking at this makes my knees hurt....

More on The Passion

Gregg Easterbrook, as usual, provides an interesting take on the new Mel Gibson flick.

February 25, 2004

News and Notes

Lots of little, diverse items this morning....

First, we got word at the office from our employers that our group will not be moving from downtown. Woo hoo. In fact, since we have some extra offce space, Ciber may move a few folks into our space.

Other work news -- I was just given a fairly involved web services project to work on. I've got plenty of time to do it, and it should be pretty interesting (it will have two component -- the web service itself and a client application to use the service to transfer and manipulate data.

Subaru has unveiled the 2004 Impreza WRC, which will make its competitve debut next month in Mexico. The team made quite a few changes in the overall package, and the directors feel the car will allow them to compete with Ford and Citroen.

A few thoughts on Bush's support for a constitutional amendment defining marriage. First, if you are not a Christian and you support this (I'm not saying Bush isn't, but there are plenty of people who aren't), what is your justification. The "sanctity" of marriage is a religious concept. If you were married in front of a justice of the peace, what is the foundation for believing that marriage is exclusively reserved for man and woman? And for the Christians that are fighting so hard for this amendment -- why put the cart before the horse again? You're trying to allow Christianity to creep into politics by only supporting a "popular" movement.

Mel Gibson's The Passion opens today, and I must admit, I'm not interested. I think Gibson is quite earnest in his intentions in making this film, but otherwise I don't really care. People will think what they will. I will say this much -- I think the Christian right is being a bit hypocritical since they aren't decrying the level of violence in this film. And we can't be too quick to focus so much on Christ's death, as it's what happened three days later that truly defines what Christianity is.

February 21, 2004

Where the Christian Right Went Wrong

As I've mentioned previously, I've begun to rethink some of my political positions in the light of re-reading the Gospels. What I've found so far has shaken the foundation of some of my political beliefs (again, as I've mentioned before). This change in thinking has afforded me some interesting conversations with friends about my faith and how it is (and should) direct my political thinking, and how other Christians direct their political thinking.

My first observation? Many Christians (especially those in the Christian Right) put the cart before the horse -- that is, they have two circles of thought and opinion when it comes to religion and politcs, and they look for the intersection of those circles. Their faith does not completely inform their politics. This observation came about through discussions with several people about my post regarding Matthew 20. Specifically, people have pointed out a single verse there (15'Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?' ) . They point out that the landowner understands the free market economy -- he can do what he wants with his money. But is that really what this selection is about? Isn't verse 16 ("So the last will be first, and the first will be last.") the whole point of this passage?

Let's apply that verse to the political concept of the free market economy (I won't refer to that as "capitalism" since a friend pointed out that the term was used in a derogatory manner by Karl Marx). The whole point of a free market economy is that anyone can succeed. You are free to do business as you please, and you are free to make as much money as possible. An extension of this line of thought is that it is up to the individual to take care of themselves as there is ample opportunity to do so. You got fired from you last job? Well, get another. You're not making enough money to support your family? Find a better job, or get the training you need to get a better job. It's all there for the taking. Help yourself.

But, doesn't this passage turn that concept on its ear? Sure, there are the workers who put in an honest day's work for their wage, and the owner wants the freedom to do as he pleases with his money, but what those people who only worked for an hour, yet still received a full day's pay? What's the point of that? Didn't these workers essentially get a free handout? Isn't the point of this passage to say that the lowliest among us will the greatest in God's eyes?

Apply this to the free market. If God (the landowner in the passage) is willing to give out equal shares of His riches to everyone, regardless of a person's "qualifications", shouldn't Christians be willing to do the same? I'm not advocating some radical switch to communism or socialism here, but why do conservative Christians want to throw people off welfare and make them fend for themselves? Why do conservative Christians fight against the concept of living wage? Shouldn't Christians want people to be treated fairly and equally, since that's what God does?

So, here's where the cart is before the horse. Christianity has been tied to conservatism based on two things:

1. Conservatism has fought for "family values" and "morality," clearly things that Christians should fight for as well.
2. Conservatism seeks to minimize government intervention. People should not rely on the government for their needs.

Item #1 sounds quite noble on first glance, but let's look a little closer. Currently, there are two moral battlegrounds in this country -- homosexuality and abortion. Let's look at the former a bit. As I've pointed out in the past, homosexual behavior is quite plainly listed as a sin in the Bible. But remember, it's listed along with just about every other sin, and it is not given any greater weight than other sins. Sin is sin is sin is sin in God's eyes. Yet, the Christian right is waging a fierce crusade against homosexuality, while aligning themselves with the right on issues like gun control. Murder is a sin (and a crime, you might point out). But if the Christian right is so zealous about morality, why not try to limit the choice of weapons available to the murderer? Sure, people will kill each with paper clips if they need to, but why don't more Christians speak out for gun control?

Or what about other sexual sins? Why isn't the Christian right crusading against a stiffer adultery law? Or perhaps a law banning pre-marital sex? Those sins are listed right up there with homosexuality. The Christian right wants an amendment to the Constitution defining marriage as between man and woman, but they don't want to extend that definition to claim that sex outside of marriage is wrong. Why? Because it may dilute that base of non-religious conservatives?

What about item #2? This is the issue that is really shaking the foundation of my political beliefs. If you are a politician who counts him or herself as a Christian, how can you support the idea that welfare is a bad thing? As a Christian, you should be seeking to do God's will in every aspect of your life. Look at Matthew 25. Here's the most interesting bit:

37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Why do people on the Christian right think this doesn't apply to the government? How can you call yourself a Christian, yet vote to limit (or cut off) the amount of assistance available to people? These people are allowing their political beliefs (limited government and personal responsiblity) rather than their faith to direct how they act.

So, it seems that Christians are faced with a choice regarding their attitudes towards government and politics. As I see it, there are three choices:

1. Submit to the authority of the government (as it is established by God regardless of who is in office). Biblical support? Matthew 22:15-22, Romans 13:1.

2. Allow faith to direct political thinking, regardless of whether or not it crosses party lines. As Christians, we live in a modern Babylon. This is not a Christian nation. But that doesn't mean as Christians we can't do God's will in all aspects of life, including government service. There is no perfect political party for a Christian -- we like to draw lines with homosexuality and abortion, but the issues go much deeper, and suddenly we are blinded by issues of morality when there are people who truly need help. It's time for Christians to put down their swords and get their hands dirty helping people. See the above references in Matthew.

3. Fight to change the political system and the Constitution so that Christ is identified as our King. This is a noble cause, but again, it's putting the cart before the horse. If the citizens were primarily Christian, this would be the right thing to do, but that's just not the case. We would be fighting for a few words on a piece of paper while ignoring the people who need help.

An I advocating socialism? Well, no. Is there something Biblically wrong with being rich or successful? No. But I can't be comfortable with putting something else before my religious beliefs. Am I advocating that every Christian become a democrat? No. Obviously, both political parties have their warts. But I am advocating letting your faith guide your political decisions. If that means crossing party lines on issues, so be it.

Also, it's easy to dismiss applying many of the passages to politics. "Jesus was speaking about individuals, and as a conservative, I'm all for the individual helping his neighbor," someone might say. But my response is simple: do these lessons not apply to you when you enter politics? Can a politician say they're truly trying to do God's work in the government, yet support limiting welfare, increasing defense spending, and ignoring the ever-increasing gap between the haves and the have-nots?

February 20, 2004

Taste of Spring

What a fine, fine morning. I wasn't going to ride to work today, as my knees weren't happy with my slightly different ride home last night (I tried to minimize the hill on Stanton by cutting up and across some side streets, but left me with a short and very steep climb that I stupidly rode up -- I just can't swallow my pride and push), but the weather is so nice I couldn't resist. The temperatures were perfect to be slightly underdressed (cold enough to push hard and not sweat, but not be completely frozen).

I've been riding a bit taller this week, thanks a compliment I received on my bike. On Tuesday I found a flyer attached to my bike for an alleycat here in the 'burgh (an alleycat, btw, is an underground scavenger hunt/race usually run for/by bike messengers). Handwritten on the top of the flyer was "PS -- Hot Bike!!" grin.

Other interesting news -- Seb is starting to "walk" with our assistance (holding on to thumbs and moving his feet Frankenstein style). He also got to come downtown yesterday and have lunch with me. Woo! He seemed to have a really good time taking in the sights and sounds, yelling loudly, and paying more attention to the other diners in Phnom Phen. Jen said he also got a kick out of going across the Smithfield Street bridge and watching the traffiic below on the Parkway.

February 18, 2004

Political Compass

I've been struggling a lot lately with my political compass -- which side of the aisle I'm sitting on. I'm not going to say much about that right now, mostly because I've been working on a longer post on the subject, but this post by Gregg Easterbrook on his New Republic blog really got me thinking about the state of things. I think his critique of America's middle class is right on, and it makes me lean a little more to the left.

February 16, 2004

Cold Scorchin' Again

I discovered this morning it is actually possible to be overdressed for the ride to work when the windchill is below zero. Here's the shortlist of what I was wearing:

* Dufold longjohns
* Tights over longjohns
* Cotton pants over tights
* Neoprene shoe covers
* Expedition weight top
* Second expedition weight top
* 100 weight fleece vest
* Shell
* Fleece hat
* Balaclava
* Liner gloves
* Lined overmitts

And I was never cold. My fingers got a little chilly, but that's to be expected. I probably could have done without either the vest or the first layer on top. Then I wouldn't have sweat much. But at least I wasn't freezing, eh?

February 12, 2004

House News

Just a little update on the progress with the new house....the home inspection turned up a few minor issues, and we gave the sellers a letter outlining what we wanted them to take care of -- and they agreed. So, as long as the interest rates don't spike (there's a clause in the sales agreement that will allow us to terminate the contract if the rates climb above a certain point) we'll be closing the deal on April 23.

In other news...the boy is nine months old today.

February 09, 2004

Subversion Part II

In case you need more proof that Jesus was all about subverting the state of things in the world, take a look at Matthew 20:1-16. This passage doesn't sound very conservative to me -- in fact, it sounds downright socialist.

February 08, 2004

Swedish Rally Wrapup

Sebastien Loeb has made history by winning the 2004 Swedish Rally -- he is the first non-Scandinavian to win the event. In addition, Loeb is the first driver to win the Rallye Monte Carlo and Sweden back-to-back. Thanks to the consecutive wins, Loeb has staked himself a seven point lead in the championship race with only two rallies down. Marcus Gronholm tried his hardest, but he couldn't close the gap on the Frenchman. With only 96 competitive kilometers on the final day, the Finn didn't have hope. Petter Solberg had a solid rally, finishing on the podium on third. Ford's snow specialist Janne Tuohino held off a charge by Carlos Sainz for fourth place. There were a few surprises lower in the points -- Petter Solberg's brother, Henning, took sixth in a customer-spec 2002 Ford Focus. Marrko Martin, who lost the rally lead after a meeting with a rock on day two, managed to leave Sweden with two championship points, taking seventh. Daniel Carlsson, also in a customer-spec Ford, rounded out the points positions. Mikko Hirvonen, finishing ninth, brought home a few manufacturer's points for Subaru, thanks to Carlsson's and H. Solberg's non-points cars.

There was some interesting talk floating through the rally news this weekend regarding Peugeot. Corrado Provera, the team's manager, seems to be unhappy with the signing of Freddy Loix, and Loix's retirement on day two didn't help matters. Provera quickly pointed out Loix was to be the team's third driver when he was signed, and it was only when the new points rules were announced that he was made number two. There's now talk of letting Loix go, and either bringing Harri Rovanpera back (who, if you remember, fell out of favor with Provera last year), or trying to woo Colin McRae off the desert rally circuit. There are clearly some managemet issues at Peugeot. Recall the team's handling of the Richard Burns situation last year -- Burns was told his contract would not be renewed because they were unhappy with his performance. At the time, Burns had the lead in championship race, and would have had a good shot at winning the title were it not for a brain tumor.

The championship moves to North America next month, with the Rally Mexico. This is the first running of this event as a championship event, though several production drivers have run the rally (it was won last year by Harri Rovanpera). The first gravel event of the year should be a good test for the new Peugeot 307 -- it's obviously quick, but its reliability has yet to be tested. Look for a full preview at the end of the month.

February 07, 2004

Swedish Rally Day 2

It was quite a day in Sweden, as there were several shakeups in the top 8. Let's start at the top. Rally leader Markko Martin smashed the rear suspension on his Ford Focus during SS11. Martin was able to coax the Focus back to service, but he lost over five minutes to the leaders, and he now sits in eighth place overall. Marcus Gronholm bounced back from car troubles, winning four stages and moving into second place overall. Perhaps he could have been closer to taking the lead, but a spin and crash on SS12 (which removed most of the front bodywork from his 307) cost him some time.

Petter Solberg had turbo problems earlier in the day, but he finished the day well, and is holding third place at the moment. It would take errors by Gronholm and rally leader Sebastien Loeb for Solberg to move up in the standings, though. Ford's lone point scorer, Janne Tuohino, is holding fourth, though he had a terrible run through the spring on SS13, losing almost 9 seconds. Carlos Sainz is only a few seconds behind Tuohino, so expect there to be a good battle for fourth tomorrow.

February 06, 2004

Swedish Rally Day 1

It's been a generally quiet day in Sweden, with all of the top works cars still in the rally. The conditions have been variable, with lots of patches of bare gravel to test the drivers. Sebastien Loeb, who was worried that heavy snow could hamper his chances since he was running first as current championship leader, found that the conditions suited him, as the snow/ice/gravel combination got heavily rutted after a few runs. He got to run on relatively clean and smooth roads, and he currently holds second place.

Markko Martin holds first place at the moment, with a cushion of 23 seconds over Loeb. He's been pleased with the Focus so far, and he made his moves on the two long (50+ kilometer) stages in the middle of the day. Reigning champion Petter Solberg is happily in third, having put his foot down during the long stages as well, moving up from an earlier seventh place. He's only a second behind Loeb, so he's in the thick of the battle of the top podium spot.

Carlos Sainz is currently in fourth, another 20 seconds adrift of Loeb and Solberg, followed closely by Ford's Janne Tuohino, who was nominated as Ford's second points car ahead of Francios Duval. Marcus Gronholm has slipped into sixth place, after some power steering issues in the new 307. Gronholm started well, winning SS1, but he ran into problems during the long stages and lost over a minute to the leaders. Subaru's Mikko Hirvonen and Ford's Francois Duval round out the points positions.

Expect an exciting day tomorrow, with the leaders so close to one another at the moment. This could turn into a race of attrition, which favor Seb Loeb in the Xsara, which has been supremely reliable.

February 05, 2004

On Prayer

Gregg Easterbrook has an interesting take on the National Prayer Breakfast. The nail he hits on the head? He quotes from Matthew 6:5-8 -- Jesus telling his disciples that prayer is a private thing, and should be kept behind closed doors, lest you look like a hypocrite. The Prayer Breakfast is huge in many religious circles, as it gives the impression that members of our government are God-fearing Christians, but it's hard to argue with Easterbrook's logic here....

February 03, 2004

Swedish Rally Preview

After only ten days break, the factory teams will be at again in Sweden this week. The rally has been moved further north in hopes of having consistent snowpack on the roads -- conditions have been variable over the past few years, with loads of ice and frozen gravel instead of the usual snowy bobsled runs. This is another specialist event, as only Swedes and Finns have won the rally since it's inception in the 50s. It's also a quick rally, posting the second fastest average speed, just behind the grand prix that is Rallye Finland. Good drivers know how to use the snowbanks to keep speed through the corners, but any lack of concentration will leave you beached in four feet of snow.

The favorite going into the event is Marcus Gronholm. He's won in Sweden multiple times, and the new 307 was quick in Monte Carlo, so it should be quick in Sweden. A win this weekend would really kickstart Gronholm's title campaign this season, especially with a string of gravel events coming up. Freddy Loix should also be fighting for a spot in points for Peugeot as well.

Citroen has a good chance of sweeping podium spots on this rally. Carlos Sainz, though he's never won, can be counted on for a point performance, especially after a disappointing retirement in Monte Carlo. Sebastien Loeb has admitted that this isn't his best event, but he set several scratch times last year, so he can be quick on the snow. He'll be competing for a podium spot for sure.

Subaru will be a great unknown quantity in this event. Petter Solberg, despite growing up just over the border in Norway, doesn't have much experience on snow. Teammate Mikko Hirvonen has more experience, and can be counted on to fight for a finish in the points. Both drivers will be aided by Tommi Makinen, who has stayed on at Subaru as a "coach" for the young drivers. Solberg will no doubt drive all out this weekend in hopes of starting a defence of his title.

The Ford drivers will also be dangerous this weekend. Markko Martin hopes to build on his fourth place finish last season, and Francois Duval seems to have matured since last season with his fine drive in Monte Carlo. The Focus is fast enough to win here, and I think Martin will fight Gronholm for the win.

Despite the fine performance in Monte Carlo, Mitsubishi can't expect much in Sweden. Gilles Panizzi is far from comfortable on snow, and the new Lancer has had little loose surface testing. If the car runs as well as it did at the Monte, second driver Kristian Sohlberg has a shot at the points. I think, however, that Mitsubishi is just waiting for Sweden to end so they can better prepare for Mexico in March.

My Top 8
1. Marcus Gronholm
2. Markko Martin
3. Sebastien Loeb
4. Petter Solberg
5. Carlos Sainz
6. Freddy Loix
7. Mikko Hirvonen
8. Kristian Sohlberg

February 02, 2004

Work Thoughts

Since I'm currently waiting for a client to approve some changes to a site I'm building for them, I'd thought I'd take a few minutes to talk about my new work environment and what I think about it so far (after two weeks).

So far, so good.....

There are roughly 13 programmers in the office. Some function more as project managers and analysts, others are strictly interface developers, and rest of us do a little of everything as needed. Everyone is within five years of my age, and nearly everyone is a dad (which, by inference, means that this place is a member of the Get Rid of Slimy girlS club). Everyone here understands what everyone else is dealing with at home. And topics of conversation include jumpy seats, exer-saucers, and how much sleep your child got last night (though I stay out of those discussions since the boy sleeps 8-10 hours most nights).

The other thing I really like about the office so far is the attitude. The last time I worked at a client-driven office, it felt like a trauma room. Everyone was completely stressed by the work, and when a client wanted a change, or a deadline was approaching people ran around like headless chickens. Overtime was rampant. Not here. Unless something is really going down, this has been a 9-5 shop. My longest day, caused by an issue with a site we were pushing into production, was 8.5 hours. And we left before the issue was resolved. "It can wait til morning" my manager said as he was leaving. Wow! I thought nothing could wait til morning.

I realize this probably won't always be the case, but like I said, so far, so good. There's been precious little overtime worked by anyone since I started. Everyone gets on quite well. The work is interesting. What more could I ask for?

More Scorchin'

I felt like a big tough guy for riding to work in the middle of that cold snap last week...until I read this post. Guess I'm not so tough after all. I would feel pretty tough riding this bubblegum pink CrossCheck. I think it's awesome that Canada's top cyclocrosser uses a CrossCheck. Most national level cross machines are super-duper lightweight composite frames, but here's someone winning races on a heavy-ish steel frame.