Sunday, December 28, 2003

Sad.

Sad. Why this hatred against a free-elected, free-speaking, free-believing state? This is the hatred of Luther, Hitler, Stalin and Bin Laden... it is focused upon... Zion.

Iranian Leaders to Victims: Better That You Die Than We Accept Israeli Help

Iran took time out from dealing with its tens of thousands of earthquake casualties to spew forth more hatred towards Israel - even at the expense of its own dead, wounded, orphans and homeless. "The Islamic Republic of Iran," announced the country's official news agency IRNA, "welcomes all the humanitarian aid being offered by various countries and organizations - except for that from the Zionist entity."

Despite the above, Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom issued a statement of condolences, saying, "The Government of Israel and the people of Israel feel the pain of the human tragedy being experienced by the Iranian people. Amidst all our differences, what is required at these moments is total mobilization by the international community to help the families of the dead and injured."

It should also be noted that during the height of recent Greek-Turkish hostilities, the two countries sent aid to each other when they both suffered earthquakes a month apart in 1999.

Private and public Israeli groups are attempting, despite the Iranian government's hostility, to help ease the enemy country's human suffering, via third parties or other unofficial channels. "This is not a political question," said Dr. Mike Naftali, Chairman of the Topaz Humanitarian Fund of the Israeli Kibbutz Movement. "Tens of thousands of children are suffering terribly, and it is incumbent upon us, as human beings, to help them."

Saturday, December 27, 2003

Zion and Bam

The world is suffering in deep pain again... the apple of God's eye, Jerusalem, and her cities are being accosted and threatened with 50 (count 'em) terror threats.

One terrorized (by PLO & gangs) terrorist freak blew himself up and killed 4 beautiful souls in Tel Aviv...

And the horrible tempest in nearby Iran? Not many hours after threats of the genocide of Israel by leaders in Iran (Gen. Seyed Reza Pardis, Minister of Defense Ali Shamkhani and President Mohammed Khatami)... thousands of people are suffering in Bam, Iran.

In response to Israel's Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz on Israel Radio's Persian-language broadcast last week implying a possible pre-emptive attack Iranian nuclear plants, unwise leaders said horrible things, you see.

"We will strike Israel with all weapons at our disposal, if the Zionist regime ventures to do so..."

"Israel will be swept away."

It is pure speculation on my part and may be a small coincidence. And I shudder to make such a gruesome connection. But doesn't He seem to say as much in many passages of scripture?

Micah 4:11 "And now many nations are assembled against you that say, 'Let her be defiled, and let our eye see our desire upon Zion.' 12 But they know not the thoughts of Jehovah, neither understand they His counsel; for He has gathered them as the sheaves to the threshing-floor."

People don't realize how deep this "Zion" thing goes. This is a dream of the God of the Bible that He will fulfill.

The meaning of Zion is this - a place for perfect love on earth.

And God will clear the landing pad of all things that hinder love.

It's a serious thing to threaten Zion with genocide.

Thursday, December 25, 2003

RTFM (or) Christmas/Chanukah - Reason for the Season?!

Ok... it's Christmas day and I'm playin' my favorite (FREE!) online video game and chatting with my online racing companions: keshutsu, wallywallwacker, louie, kawasaki, war monkey, etc. And kawasaki is admitting that he's (maayyybeee...) not as good as wally and wally sez (ever so humbly) "RTFM." My acronym-challenged brain took fewer seconds to respond than the first person to answer my question - "RTFM?" - but was unable to type a clever followup when (almost) everyone on the grid responded, "read the f...n (freakin) manual." In other words, wally wacks walls coz wally studied the manual and learned all the ins and outs of the game (and he practiced a whole lot!).

So... on a day when there's a WHOLE buncha confusion about "Santa" and shopping... and not enough questions asked about the babe in the manger... and not enough worship offered in response to His valiantly gentle, supremely vulnerable initial physical appearance to us on terra firma... I just wanted to offer some of what the Big Manual has to say about Him.

He is Yeshua (to his mother) and He is both Creator and Savior of our humble spinning rock.

It so happened that "armagoshdarn," the most famous Tron grid of all time, has (today only) featured a cycle named "Jesus" who is "unmanned" - signified by a yellow "chat" jewel that hovers above the helmet of the cycler. This has caused many interesting comments, most of which (interestingly enough) were respectful and thoughtful.

After the valiantly-named "bot" (auto-pilot, chat-mode rider) "chose" wrongly and turned into a wall, thus shattering, another player asked, "Why did Jesus sacrifice himself?" I had to respond...

"because He made the universe..."

"and it got broke..."

"and that was the only way He could fix it..."

And that's why the Baby came to a "manger" in Beitlechem ("House of Bread")... in a feeding trough for animals. To address both man and beast with the answer to our fallen state... "bread or manna from heaven - the bread of life..." the One who can fulfill the need within.

Micah 5:2-5 - "You, Bethelehm Ephrathah, are too small to be included among Judah's cities. Yet, from you Israel's future Ruler will come for Me. His origins go back to the distant past, to days long ago. That is why the Lord will abandon Israel until the time a mother has a Child. Then the rest of the Lord's people will return to the people of Israel. The Child will become the Shepherd of his flock. He will lead them with the strength of the Lord, with the majestic Name of the Lord His God (Yeshua means "God - our salvation!"). They will live in safety because His greatness will reach the ends of the earth. This Man will be their peace."

[Note: These prophecies cover two distinctly different eras - His 1st coming (as a babe, and a savior) and His promised 2nd coming (as warring conqueror). Scripture here uses a "prophetic pause" the same as Luke's account (4:17-22) of Yeshua's reading of Isaiah 61:1-2a. He actually stops mid-sentence... a sentence that spans 2 millenia of human history!]

Another verse from Isaiah provides more directions for this Christmas/Chanukah season -

Isaiah 9:2-7 - "The people who walk in darkness will see a bright light. The light will shine on those who live in the land of death's shadow. You will expand the nation and increase its happiness. It will be happy in Your presence like those who celebrate the harvest or rejoice when dividing loot. you will break the yoke that burdens them, the bar that is across their shoulders, and the stick used by their oppresor, as You did in the battle against Midian. Every warriors boot marching to the sound of battle and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel in the fire. A child will be born for us. A Son will be given to us. The government will rest on His shoulders. He will be named: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace. His government and peace will have unlimited growth. He will establish David's throne and kingdom. He will uphold it with justice and righteousness now and forever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts does this!"

And in the Gospel of John we see Yeshua consumating the meaning of Chanukah - the festival of lights - the festival of the Temple Rededication in John 10:22-31.

The following (from VineyardoftheLord.org) clarifies further "instruction" from the Manual -

"Even though this is a very great historical moment in history, should we celebrate it? Yeshua is our example so let’s see what he did.  In John 10:22 “Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter and Yeshua was in the Temple area walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.”

"The very fact that Yeshua was attending a post-Mosaic festival shows that He used it to set forth some hidden truth. At this time Yeshua taught the parable of the sheep. Inverses 19-21 show that at that time the people were divided over what he had said. Some said that he was a devil.  At this time the Jews challenged him to clearly and plainly tell them if he was the Messiah. Yeshua reminded them if they were his sheep, they would hear the voice of the Shepherd. This very fact that they did not hear the voice proved that they were not of his fold. The words of Yeshua spoke loud enough for all of Israel to hear, if they had ears that would and could hear the word of the L-rd. The people then took up stones to stone him; however he escaped out of their hands.

"At the Temple the people were commemorating the history of Chanukkah. They were honoring Judah Maccabee calling him the Temple Cleanser and the Illuminator. How much more was Yeshua this? Yeshua had cleansed the Temple, but they had rejected his cleansing. Yet, they kept the Feast of Dedication, but sought to stone the one to whom the Temple had been dedicated. They had missed him at another feast. The Word says the Feasts had become the Feast’s of the Jews, rather than the Feast’s of the L-rd. They had kept the letter, but missed the spirit. They had fulfilled the ritual and missed the reality.

"As we read on in Luke the angel Gabriel appears to Mary, to tell her of the conception and birth of Yeshua to come. So if Elizabeth got pregnant in June that would place this time in December; six months later. In verses 32-35 we see another prayer that Jews pray even today at Chanukkah. “May the Holy Spirit come upon you and the power of the Most High over shadow you.” So what may we conclude from this? Yeshua was conceived at Chanukkah. We believers should know as far as G-d is concerned life begins at the moment of conception. So, at the darkest time of the year, the light of the world came. This would bring the birth of Messiah at the end of Sept. or October. This would place his birth at Sukkot."

Wednesday, December 24, 2003

Self-righteousness, the mind killer.

If we were honest with ourselves, we'd never dare to hold our righteousness... or "goodness"... in comparison to the Maker-Servant-Redeemer-King of the Universe. But, alas, we do, don't we? A lot.

Since fear and self-righteousness (I think) are related (and because I love the books/movies so much) here's a quote from Frank Herbert's "Dune" on this matter:

"Fear is the mind killer. I will not fear. I will face my fear and let it pass through me." The same can be said of self-righteousness... a daughter of fear and it's attendant insecurities.

In some phases I operate more by love than by fear, but, for the most part, I find myself comparing others to my own imagined and lofty ideal of "perfect" life & living... and seeing if they stand a chance against "almighty me."

And yet, when I do that, love suffers. And since abundant life and creative thought and out-reaching love all go hand in hand, my eternally-growing mind also suffers.

Why can't I just admire the differences in the people around me... not to the exclusion of a sublime sharing in worship of the Creator... but pointedly delighting in the uniqe vision and personality before me... now? (thereby apprehending a more vital microcosm - previous blog.)

Ol' Solomon said, "Have you met a person who thinks he is wise? There is more hope for a fool than for him." (from Proverbs)

And Paul added, "If any man thinks he knows anything, he hasn't understood yet. But if any man loves God, then God knows him!" (1st Corinthians 8:2) The emphasis of knowledge (and, specifically, OWNERSHIP of that knowledge) is upon God's knowing... we are only rightly concerned with our quality of LOVE! We don't hold onto something that we created within ourself or somehow achieved by ourself, but heave our being into the simple, passionate and sentient loving... of the Giver of all good and perfect gifts... and of the people He also loves.

"for a man receives NOTHING unless it is first given to him from above." (James 1:17)

Tuesday, December 23, 2003

The Microcosm... shall flow...

The Microcosm shall flow with RIVERS of "living water"...

Yeshua introduced, on a day when water was traditionally poured out as an offering of praise to God (the Feast of Sukkot, or Tabernacles), the concept that, if a person would drink from Him - His life - His joy and peace... that person could be filled to overflowing!

Check out this passage from the Bible in the Gospel of John, chapter 7, verses 37 thru 39:

37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, "If any man thirst, let him come to me, and drink. 38 He that believes in me, as the scripture has said, 'out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.'" 39 (But this he said of the Spirit, which them that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

Point being this: We are much more capable of expressing a life filled with the cool refreshment of an eternal perspective... if we -

First: See Yeshua as our only Source (every other source is ultimately fallible - wihout His intervention and undergirding)

Second, see Yeshua as filling our lives and affecions from the inside... not just as a source "outside" of us!

The "Microcosm" I refer to is that single closest sphere of our affections - the loved ones closest to us.

That's our Microcosm - our sphere of influnce!!! If we focus that energy on ANYTHING ELSE... we're probably not going to be feeling a "river of living water" pouring out on others from the inside of us.

For us to experience the eternal, fresh, flowing life of God in our lives (in abundance)... it must come from the sphere within... flowing out of the center of our being!

The greek word for "belly" in John 7 is "koilia" (koy-lee´-ah). It stems from koilos (hollow)and means a cavity, specifically the abdomen; figuratively, the heart, belly, or womb.

What's flowin' from my center right now?

Friday, December 19, 2003

Never Give Up

Never Give Up
The following is forwarded from Naomi Ragen.

If you've forgotten, the USA is also at war with this same Wahabist terrorism. Sad but true.

See how a 13 year old girl processes that reality when it hits home monthly, weekly, even daily...

NEVER GIVE UP

By Cegal Ilan

I want to talk about Israel
and living in this crazy place
What we do, how we act,
And the reality we face

First of all, I need to say
We're not a desert with houses of sand
We live here like you do there
Just in another land

We have houses, big and small
We have normal schools
We work in hi-tech companies
And pray to God in shuls

We go out at night to have some fun
We don't just sit in bed
We carry on with our lives
Though we've seen so many dead

We're now more careful
Look around where we hang out
We try to let our lives move on
Though our heart is full of doubt

Israel is strong
It is glued together
Israel is strong
And will stay so forever

60 years ago the world was blind
They didn't see what was hidden behind
Now there's hope, now there's glue
From every car and home flies the white and blue

We mourn each life that's lost
We cry for peace out loud
We're paying a giant cost
To stay free, strong and proud

Copyright CEGAL ILAN
(reproduced with permission of the author)

Born in 1988 in Columbus, Ohio, USA. Moved to Israel with her family when she was six.

She always felt connected to being Jewish. When she was 13 she wrote Never Give Up in response to many family and friends asking her what it was like living in Israel.

She is now in her first year of High School in Ra'anana, Israel and plays on the high school volleyball team.

She hopes her words inspire you to see life goes on as normal, although we are living through difficult times.

She would like to hear from you.

cegalilan@yahoo.com

Monday, December 15, 2003

Wise People Still Seek Him! (vlog02)

Vlog #2 by AtomSound Media!



Check it out. Boinx iStopMotion hooked me up!!! This program will allow you to use your camera as a stop-motion film factory! Granted, our first endeavor as the AtomSound family of creative entrepreneurs (including 4 yr old Josiah and 3 yr old Grace!) are only beginning... but, hey! Not bad production values, I'd say!

[This was retroactively added to the Internet Archive and to this blog - but proof of posting can be seen via the "wayback machine" on the Internet Archive HERE. (see "other goodies" url ref.)]

Wise Men Still Seek Him - Atomsound Original (vlog02)

Friday, December 12, 2003

Ta-Da!

We... er, SHE did it! Praise the God of Life and Creation and Happiness and Wonder!!! (The same One who took upon Himself flesh and was born to us, Savior of the World He made!!! Isaiah 9:6-7)

Thursday, December 11, 2003

How could I freakin' possibly resist?!?

OK... Naomi Ragen (respected Jerusalem-ite Authoress & Columnist) sent me this. How could I resist sending it out again for the free world to rejoice in... and for speakers everywhere to support wholeheartedly?

Do you understand what this means? People WANT democracy! People DON'T want the Wahabist Terrorism that now spans the globe (Wahabism comes from Saudi Arabia and is the source of all "Jihadist" ideology)! People WANT freedom of speech! Everywhere!

And for those of you who fight for dullened eyes and stopped ears to be opened, don't let the bastards (popular media & commercial/political spin-masters) grind ya down on this fact!

Observe our friends, the Iraquis. And give a special thought to what Naomi Ragen suggests the Palestinians do (although some have tried, but they tend to get strung up and chopped into bits when they do)...

Naomi:

Now, if only the Palestinians would wake up and throw off the leadership that has stolen their money and sent their children to commit murder/suicide. If only they would march in the thousands against terrorism and for peace and democracy...

Peter Jennings, are you reading this? CNN?

Dr. Walid Phares:

Iraqis for the "Occupation"

FrontPageMagazine.com | December 11, 2003


Yesterday's demonstrations in Baghdad and other Iraqi cities were a benchmark: Iraq's resistance to terrorism has begun. Ironically, the first TV station to report such a revolutionary development was none other than al-Jazeera, the jihad channel across the Arab world. But the exclusive airing of such footages was not so innocent. The Qatar-based media understood much faster than Western networks the real dimensions of these marches. Therefore it decided to report it first, and, through condescending coverage, demean it in the eyes of Iraqi and Arab viewers, a traditional-yet-efficient subversive tactic. But whatever were the desperate attempts to pre-empt the unfolding realities, the latter rolled on.

Almost 20,000 men and women - twice the number reported by al-Jazeera - marched across central Baghdad, while others repeated the move in different cities of Mesopotamia yesterday. The demonstrators, from all walks of life and from all religions and ethnicities of Iraq, shouted one slogan in Arabic: "La' la' lil irhab. Na'am, na'am lil dimucratiya." That is: "No, no to terrorism. Yes, yes to Democracy!"

Taking the streets of the former capital of the Ba'athist prison, Iraqi Shiite, Sunni, Kurds and Christians bonded together against the "enemies of peace." Responding to the call of the newly formed "Popular Committee against Terrorism," tens of thousands of citizens slapped Saddam and his former regime in the face. Speakers at a central square declared clearly:

"We will resist the return of the dictatorship to power. With or without the Americans, we are now a resistance against the Baath and the foreign Terrorists."

The masses, finally taking their courage in their hands, have exposed their deepest feelings. Many intellectuals, writers, women activists, students were seen in the front lines of the demonstration. "We will not allow the remnant of the intelligence service of Saddam destroy this new experiment of democracy and freedom," said one leader live on al-Jazeera television. The scene was more reminiscent of Prague and Budapest than any other recent battlefield.

More significant yet was the open participation of labor unions. Unexpectedly, Iraqi workers were the most excited participants in the march against Wahabi and Baathist Terror. "We need factories, we need peace, no fascists, no fanatics," sang the laborites, as though they were in Manchester or Detroit. But there was even a more significant element in the marches. Cadres from the "Hizb al-Dawa al Islamiya" - a rather conservative Islamic "movement" whose members were walking under the same banners of resistance to terrorism. Why? Well, we need to understand the Shi'a drama. By the day, mass graves are being uncovered with
thousands of bodies of men, women and children, all massacred by the Saddam security. How on Earth would the Shiite majority ever accept the return to power of the Sunni-controlled Ba'ath Party?

Let's note two matters about these demonstrations. First, they were almost not reported in much of the Western media. Until late last night in Europe and the Western Hemisphere, news focused on the operations against Coalition forces. But the Iraqi people's genuine calls for democracy were not heard, not seen, and not factored in the game. The BBC and CNN downplayed the events, while al-Jazeera mislead the Arab world about them. The jihad network spent more editorial energy undermining the objectives and the credibility of the event than reporting it.

The anchors, to the disbelief of many viewers in the Arab world, said the marchers were "expressing views against what they call terrorism" (emphasis added). Al-Jazeera evidently reserves to itself the definition of terrorism. Since September 11, the network has systematically added "what they call terrorism" to each sentence reporting terror attacks by al-Qaeda, other jihadist factions and the Saddam. In sum, that is not terrorism, but a Western view of what is legitimate violence. But al-Jazeera's sour surprise with the first steps of popular resistance to jihadism in Baghdad took the network by surprise. As it was airing the segment, its anchors lost linguistic balance and added this time:

"The demonstrators are criticizing what they call violence!" Hence, the editors in Qatar were trapped ideologically. They couldn't even accept the idea that Arabs could be marching against violence, so they described tens of massacres and bombings as "alleged violence," (ma yusamma bil unf). The al-Jazeera debacle was probably the most important victory of the demonstration.

But two others ironies were also hanging over Baghdad last night. One was the link between President Bush's drive to push for democracy in Iraq and the region, and the other was the silence of those who were supposed to drive that wagon around the world. Observers drew my attention to the fact that yesterday's march came after another smaller one, which took place the day after the U.S. President visited their city. They also noted that many of the banners were pasted from Bush's speeches to the Arab world last month. I was invited to make a link. Eventually I saw it. The workers, women and students in Iraq didn't mention the name of the Presidential visitor, but they heavily quoted his words. What's the message here? You can read it on the mushrooming underground websites in the region. People want freedom and democracy, even at the hands of aliens (what the Left calls "occupation" and the Iraqis call "liberation").

This leads us to the second irony. While the underdogs are barking freely in the streets of Baghdad, challenging the Ba'athist shadows and the jihadist terrorists, human rights and democracy groups in the West lack the courage to come to the rescue of their fellow progressive forces in the Middle East. As a group of Iraqi students told me, "Isn't it terrible to see that Western elites
came here to demonstrate in support of Saddam against the Coalition, and when we took the streets to demonstrate against the Saddam war crimes, they didn't show up?"

Yesterday was a benchmark in Iraq. Maybe a small step in the long journey toward human dignity, but all genuine marches for freedom are of eternal value.

so... watcha doin' with that film script of yours?

Theory of Relativity

Honest Reporting asks "Why the Calm?"

A show on tv this morning posed this - "If you were to take ONE SENTENCE from popular media outlets regarding the Palestinian situation, you could peal back layers of deceit and misleading information regarding the concern." I challenge you to ask if that could be true...

Popular (Oil-owned) Media has a "theory of relativity." Everything's relative to their agenda. But is their agenda really based on honesty?

The following is from HonestReporting.Com:

"The major news outlets have determined that since there has not been a successful Palestinian suicide bombing for awhile, Israel is now in a 'period of relative calm':

- Christian Science Monitor (11/25): 'Israel is enjoying a period of relative calm - there has not been a Palestinian suicide bombing in seven weeks.'

- BBC (12/1): 'Our correspondent says Israelis never stopped making arrests during the recent period of relative calm.'

- Reuters (12/10): 'Signals that Israel is getting ready to impose its own arrangement have increased pressure on the Palestinians at a time of renewed interest in the road map, thanks to a spell of relative calm and a new Palestinian government.'

This description is highly misleading, for it implies that Palestinian terrorists have made a recent, peaceful gesture to 'calm down.'

In fact, the head of the IDF Intelligence Corps states that no less than 25 (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) suicide bombing attempts have been made in recent weeks ? all but one foiled by the tireless efforts of Israeli security forces. Events such as these two recent IDF intelligence successes receive little media coverage:

12/8 (two days ago, by our clock): Israeli security caught a 40-year-old Palestinian MOTHER OF SEVEN trying to carry a BOMB BELT for a suicide bombing in Rosh HaAyin. The Tanzim militia, exploiting IDF humanitarianism, recruited her to smuggle the bomb from Nablus because IDF soldiers rarely do body searches on women.

12/3: Two suicide bombers (both members of the PA security forces) were en route to attack Israeli schoolchildren in Yokne'am (near Haifa) when they were captured by Israeli security forces while hiding in a West Bank mosque.

[For a longer account of attempted terror attacks against Israeli civilians since the Oct. 4 Haifa restaurant bombing, click here.]

By describing this as a 'period of relative calm,' the media suggest Palestinian terrorist efforts have abated. They haven't ? IDF diligence has simply won out.  But foiled bombings don't make headlines.

A more accurate term for the past few weeks: 'A period of thwarted terror'" [end quote from HonestReporting.Com]


THIS is why there's 'Relative Quiet'... because Israel is at WAR... and as long as their hands are untied... they will win. People REALLY like to forget... but America is at war, too.

Rest in the God of Israel... who (alone) fights for Israel... he will fight for you and your house, too... if you put your trust in Him (and maybe even if you don't!).

Isaiah 54:5 - For your Maker is your husband; Yahweh of Hosts is his name: and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; the God of the whole earth shall he be called.

Tuesday, December 9, 2003

And God created Soap...

Howdy.

I WAS gonna write about the Geneva Initiative by good ol' Yossi Beilin, former MK of Israel, present liberal leftist winey-boy... and how he and one of the world's chief terrorist leaders and PR Specialists are being encouraged and supported by our own Colin Powell... and how really amazingly cruel the whole thing is to people living in Israel (only 18% of Israelis on the street support it)...

But I thought... you know? There are sometimes less interesting things that just have more "stick-to-the-wall" power than the first...

So!

I'm intrigued by the notion my wife told me someone told her and I have too little motivation (perhaps because of the aformentioned New World Order madness... I don't know... possibly) to do the quick Google research and find out for sure...

But that HAIR... when it's NOT washed for over a month... actually develops a heavy-duty sheen that repels bacteria & parasites (it would HAVE to, eh?!!) and has a beautiful natural scent, is not overly-oily and also strengthens the hair and folicles. Hm!

So the friends of my wife were close friends with a girl who read the report and actually DID it! And it worked.

And that makes perfect sense to me.

I don't think God, when He made males and females in His image (bunny trail fodder: ...male and female... His image... does that mean God is both male and female?), that He said, "Ah... humanity is very good - now let's make SOAP!"

Just a thought... to distract you from REALLY thinking.

Sunday, December 7, 2003

If the atom inside me were in tune...

So I added a new section to "devote" on the site today. It floored me that I hadn't thought of it at the beginning of the site! "Atomsound - why atoms?"

Anyways... these scientists seem to think there's a good reason for tuning up the little buggers.

I just really think that this whole universe is meant to be sparkly and beautiful... not just certain little milky ways here and there. I think the whole thing is meant for exploration and for the good ol' "be fruitful and multiply" mandate laid out by the God of Israel a ways back.

I KNOW we're meant to do more with our brains than teach our children how to blow themselves up.

So why not let them learn to live in harmony with the planet they've been given... to live underwater... underground... above ground... even outside our atmosphere - in the really wild west - in space somewhere.

The Who's "Gettin' in Tune" would be a good soundtrack for them -

ARTIST: The Who
TITLE: Gettin' In Tune

I'm singing this note 'cause it fits in well
With the chords I'm playing
I can't pretend there's any meaning hidden
In the things I'm saying

But I'm in tune, right in tune
I'm in tune and I'm gonna tune
Right in on you, right in on you, right in on you

I get a little tired of having to say
Do you come here often
But when I look in your eyes and see the harmonies
And the heartaches soften

But I'm in tune, right in tune
I'm in tune and I'm gonna tune
Right in on you, right in on you, right in on you

I've got it all here in my head
There's nothing more needs to be said
I'm just bangin' on my old piano
I'm getting in tune to the straight and narrow
Getting in tune with the straight and narrow
Getting in tune with the straight and narrow
Getting in tune with the straight and narrow
Yeah, I'm getting in tune with the straight and narrow
Getting in tune with the straight and narrow

I'm singing this note 'cause it fits in well
With the way I'm feeling
There's a symphony that I hear in your heart
Sets my head a-reeling

Baby, with you, baby with you
Baby, with you, baby with you
Baby, with you

Thursday, December 4, 2003

Hey, Mr. President!

The Media (capital M - meaning corporately-controlled media) has been singing and dancing (with stars, presidents and heads of state all singing along) about "The Geneva Initiative". It's not gonna be pretty if the world pushes it through... (* read the article to find out why.)

So I typed up the following email to some heavy hitters I know...

Subject: Will you please STOP the USA's OK of Geneva Initiative?

Dear President Bush, Vice President Cheney and Secretary Powell,

Regarding Secretary Powell's obstinate support of The Geneva Initiative, our President and our State Department must not ignore the fact that a top official, the Secretary of State, is planning to meet this week with an unauthorized group who have created an unauthorized plan, circumventing Israeli-elected Knesset Members' wishes in favor of entertaining a gang of thugs and terrorists called the Palestinian Liberation Organization!

For the Secretary of State to honor these terrorizing, self-serving non-officials is demeaning not only to Israel but also to our own country.

We believe this is the wrong way to formulate foreign policy and it completely ignores the real threat that the PLO sustains with their terrorist activities and terrorist training camps for children which engender the famed "suicide-bombing cult" Palestinians are so famously known for!

Signed,

Tom & Michelle Chaffer
Kansas City, Missouri
USA

...and I sent it to them ( pres & veep - secretary). You been active lately for what you believe in? Every little bit helps, I believe. It's relatively easy to be active... just read about what you care to preserve... or to rescue...

Evil prevails... when good peeps don't utter a peep. Be the voice.

Wednesday, December 3, 2003

chilluns, pop music & snowflakes

This morning we wake up with the children and discuss manliness. We talk about how my Dad (blessed be his remembrance - warrior and writer, most excellent father the Viet Nam Offensive ever tried to stop) was absent in post-traumatic stress syndrome for many years.... and about how my Mom did what she could to fill the gap for Dad. And how I've followed in my father's footsteps, somewhat, re: absenteeism. And... about how the chilluns need the mornings from us both... and that, if she's not willing to face the day at 6:20 am... then it's gotta be my turn. And... we talked more about responsibilities.

So it's been my morning with the chilluns. We've been doin' breakfast, snow-watching (first day of snow in MO) and DANCIN'!

Ain't nothin' like today's pop music, I'll tell ya. Such a groovy blend of soul, funk, pop-sensibility, alternative gloom (witness David Guetta's Just a Little More Love - now playing on m1live.com. That's what I'm talkin' about. Disco, House, R&B vocals... actually. Today's Pop is all about R&B... that's where disco and funk came from. Thank God for Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder!

So we've been dancin' around - they've been dancin' - while I've been TRYING to put together a plan for finishing the garage...

Here's some more "pop" (a song from the 90's resurrected with a kickin' dance beat)... some interesting thoughts about the creative urge within us all...

SLEEPING SATELLITE - Aurora f/ Naimee Coleman:

I blame you for the moonlit sky and the dream that died with the eagle's flight
I blame you for the moonlit night when I wonder why are the seas still dry?
Don't blame this sleeping satellite. Oh yeah, don't blame this sleeping satellite.
Did we fly to the moon too soon? Did we squander the chance?

In the rush of the race, in the reason we chase is lost in romance.
And still we try to justify the waste for a taste of man's greatest adventure.

Chorus - Have we got what it takes to advance? Did we peak too soon?
If the world is so green then why does it scream under a blue moon?
We wonder why the earth's sacrificed for the price of it's greatest treasure
Oh yeah, oh yeah, don't blame this sleeping satellite...

And when we shoot for the stars, what a giant step
Have we got what it takes to carry the weight of this concept?
Or pass it by like a shot in the dark, miss the mark with a sense of adventure

Oh yeah, oh yeah, don't blame this sleeping satellite.

Like to mix that one up for a bumpin, jumpin crowd o' worshippers some day... or maybe a song about a snowman-builder like Josiah...

Saturday, November 29, 2003

Tomasound... in your earhole.

Powered by audblogaudio post powered by audblog

47 seconds of poetic syllables poppin'... what more can ya ask! And it's free! (one) Great idea, too, i might add..

so here's the entire poem (written about 10 minutes ago)

atomsound poppin
granting blank checks for innovative missives
flowing through cellular membranes
cleaning the human machine

soul flow, in fact, building
massive wanton explosions
of music imploding stingy structures
that don't resonate the heavyweight nucleate

it's the essence of living
the ultimate meaning - to procreate
to give life and power and love
to impart ... to another ...

all you can

all you are

all you hope to be

and to see created before your eyes
in this blazing, wandering, hoping world
an end to lies - a beginning to hopes realized
the final frontier - human expression unexploited

by big business.

Thursday, November 27, 2003

Thanks!

Today is such a rockin' holiday... (Mostly... Native Americans may have a hard time with it's historic significance... and that's very understandable and lamentable.) But just the act that is encouraged during this day is such a cool thing!

I think of Natalie Merchant's song when I think about thanksgiving. She says the beautiful words over and over in such a beautiful way...

And how often can we say thanks to God who made everything, who laments over the wrongdoings of people and their demons, and who sent His very Son to bear the evil of a world...

And how often can we say thanks to our parents... to our loved ones... to our friends who believe in us and in what we're doing (or attempting to do) with our breath and strength...

Lalalalalala...

You've been so kind and generous
I don't know why you keep on giving
For your kindness I'm in debt to you
For your selflessness--my admiration
For everything you've done
You know I'm bound--I'm bound to thank you for it

Lalalalalala...

Hey, hey
You've been so kind and generous
I don't know why you keep on giving
For your kindness I'm in debt to you
And I never could have gone this far without you
For everything you've done
You know I'm bound--I'm bound to thank you for it

Lalalalalala...

Oh I want to thank you for so many gifts
You gave me love and tenderness
I want to thank you
I want to thank you for your generosity,
The love, and the honesty that you gave to me
I want to thank you, show my gratitude,
My love and my respect for you
I want to thank you

Oh, I want to thank you, thank you,
Thank you, thank you,
Thank you, thank you
Thank you, thank you,
Thank you, thank you,
Thank you, thank you,
Thank you, thank you,
Thank you..

(Post-post thought: Michelle - my most beautiful wife for whom I am eternally grateful - sat down to read this just now and her eyes got big and she said - "That's SO WEIRD! Not even an hour ago, the chorus to this song was going through my head... and I thought to ask you about it, but I thought you wouldn't be able to figure it out... that's God!) and it is.

Monday, November 24, 2003

Robes of Light

Thinking tonight of how grand it would be if the lust of my youth gave way (died, shriveled up and blew away) to a holy reverence and (purely childlike) enjoyment of the people around me.

Reading this passage on my PocketPC bible makes me wonder how rich the fellowship of light can be...

Philippians 4:1-8 (From the God's Word version of the Hebrew scriptures.)

"So, brothers and sisters, I love you and miss you. You are my joy and my crown. Therefore, dear friends, keep your relationship with the Lord firm! I encourage both Euodia and Syntyche to have the attitude the Lord wants them to have. Yes, I also ask you, Syzugus, my true partner, to help these women. They fought beside me to spread the Good News along with Clement and the rest of my coworkers, whose names are in the Book of Life. Always be joyful in the Lord! I'll say it again: Be joyful! Let everyone know how considerate you are. The Lord is near.

"Never worry about anything. But in every situation let God know what you need in prayers and requests while giving thanks. Then God's peace, which goes beyond anything we can imagine, will guard your thoughts and emotions through Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, keep your thoughts on whatever is right or deserves praise: things that are true, honorable, fair, pure, acceptable, or commendable."

So I had to write about the concept that we look at each other with MTV eyes most of the time... filled with selfish thoughts... and how cool it would be if we only saw the glory and potential for the paradigm shift into world peace and world joy - no more exploitation of the childlikeness! Childlike dance, childlike laughter, childlike humor, and, most of all, childlike wonder... are so precious... that's why MTV devours it all so.

What if we were all robed in light and only our faces and hands showed through... then, whether they were wrenched with grief... or lifted in praise... or moving intensely with anger... or passion... the baser (albeit necessary) emotions would be interpreted within the sanctity of our glorious potential.

And Compassion would call forth things that are not (developmentally) as though they were.

Because "it IS finished." Yeshua (Jesus) HAS won the battle against death and the grave.

We're just not looking for the light in each other. We're clinging to the shadows -

...where joy is only imitated.

Jacob's Ladder

Listening to BT's "Light Speed."

At church tonight, Mikey (Mike Bickle) was talkin' about Yeshua (Jesus) on the hill in Matthew 5, 6 & 7 - the infamous "sermon on the mount."

His point was that the church of the western world has moved SO far away from the principles of the King in this passage! He focused especially on service to the helpless (6:1-4), prayer (6:5-13), forgiving & blessing "enemies" (6:14-15) and fasting (6:16-18).

So that's giving, praying, forgiving and fasting.

I'm inclined to agree with Mike - these are fundamental to the true walk of the believer. These are things that Yeshua did... shouldn't we do the same (Matt. 5:48) by the power of His Spirit in us? (Philippians 4:11-13)

Even my CAT fasts when he's battling toxicity in his system!

Mike went as far as saying that churches and individuals who don't embrace and practice these fundamentals (often viewed as "radical" or "fanatical") won't be ready to discern the coming world-wide deception by the anti-christ.

I'm inclined to agree on that tip as well... Yeshua followed up by saying, "Therefore, everyone who hears what I say and obeys it will be like a wise person who built a house on rock. Rain poured, and floods came. Winds blew and beat against that house. But it did not collapse, because its foundation was on rock." Matthew 7:24-25

Friday, November 21, 2003

Whittlings

Making a studio, I get to cut a lot of wood. I get to use power tools. And because power tools cut and mangle things permanently, I get to scribble on the wood with a pencil to plan my cuts.

So I'm whittling on my pencil tonight to make a really sharp (satisfying) point of lead ... and I have a minor epiphany: whittling is fun!

It's also extremely wholesome and satisfying to work on your own home to make it better. I'm beginning to get the feeling that this room - atomsound studio - is gonna turn a mystical dial just so... that the arrangement will be a combination that sets tumblers and open a vault of satisfaction. It's like, "that throw rug, those beads, that lava lamp and this chair... are gonna just... flow."

Sidenote: Saw the Matrix III last night with my wife, Michelle. Great romance. Romance times 3, actually! Very cool special effects. Easily the best super-hero stuff EVER put on screen... and not bad writing and acting (tho that did suffer a little... but with all that flash and fanfare... WHO CARES!). :-D

There are also some pretty blatant and coersive references to Buddhist and Christian (particularly gnostic Christian) theology which we found passionate and thought-provoking. More on all that later!

The Matrix series DOES rock... so you might want to go see it before it is totally overshadowed and upstaged by the movie of the century about the REAL Messiah... "The Passion!"

Here's a bit of the buzz goin' on about it - put an ear to the ground.

So, altho Neo provides an interesting parable of a futuristic Messiah... I bid you peace in the one-n-only, real-deal Messiah, Yeshua (Jesus) from ancient Israel. Later.

Thursday, November 20, 2003

Bringing back the bassline...

I've been happy to discover an interesting game online called, Armagetron. It's quite the hip thing... you use 2 buttons... you play with people from around the world... I like Armagetron... a LOT. In fact, my name online is "diggin" ... for how much I dig the game!

One person who goes by "Ozone" in the grid (Tron-speak) has challenged me quite thoroughly. He's a buddhist from New York city who is also a talented musician who is also quite adept at moving body limbs in an various body-limb-moving artforms (Capoeira, Le Coque, break-dancing, mime, etc.)... and, not just because he values self-expression, but because he is expressing with such style, I find myself hankerin' even more to get the studio done...

Ah, the studio... All the stuff in that pic on my site (and much more) will be nicely fitted into a room which I'm presently manufacturing out of our garage... Michelle's about to give birth to little Elijah, so I'm doing my part to "nest" for the little guy.

And that will bring back self-expression in a way that I've been longing for all my adult life (starting at about 18).

That will bring back the bassline.... and I'll feel like I have more to share with people like Ozone!

Wednesday, November 19, 2003

manic mechanic

This is my little boy... He's quite the zinger when it comes to expressive behavior... totally and completely inherited from me. Wow. What a handful... I feel sorrier and sorrier for what I put my Mom through EVERY DAY! (lol!)

If it isn't manic heights of joy and creativity, it's the smack-down opposite of poetic melancholy. Those valleys used to come fast and hard in my teens and 20s... (and 30s! crap!) but, boy, I'll tell ya, they sure don't zing me like they used to...

And with the children now, not only in my face (with the most magnificent graces), but in my consciousness and perception, the turnaround is just quicker... like theirs!

You get tripped by your brother or sister, and you cry and then you get back up and make the best of it (mostly - they're actually blessed with a sense of forgiveness and patience, thank God). And that works really well in adult life, actually.

Monday, March 24, 2003

Tumbling Tower (vlog01)



Click the pic for a look at my first actual vlog! This is a retroactive post but I've included a link to the proof on the wayback machine here - Proof - see the "see a fun home video" link?

So does this make me old school enough??

BOO YAH!!!

Tumbling Tower - an Atomsound Flik (vlog01)