out here in the middle
christianity, cycling, music, culture
christianity, cycling, music, culture
out here in the middle...
Blessed. Thankful.
Hope you have a great Thanksgiving. If you're like me, you're taking stock of all the things you're thankful for. More than anything on this earth, I am thankful for my sweet family.
Overweight Students Don't Like Being Told What To Do
You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him take a fitness class to lose weight.
No one wants to be told that they are overweight and out of shape. But the fact is that many people are. And like any life change, it is hard to force people to get in shape. But Lincoln University in Pennsylvania is going to try.
Many 2009-2010 seniors at the college are angry that they will not be allowed to graduate unless they take a course on fitness. But there is a catch. Not every student has to take the class. Only those students who are obese have to take it. Hmmmm....
Now, they've known since they were freshmen that they need to take this class. And many of them have not done it. With May 2010 looming, and only one semester left, many students are feeling the pressure to take it. And they're not happy.
You can read all about it here.
There are a lot of issues that need addressing here, and I'm not going to bother with most of them. We all know that obesity is epidemic among our society, and heart disease kills more people in the USA than anything else. There are a lot of fat, lazy people in this country, and many of them do not care, and don't want anyone telling them to diet and exercise. Since many parents don't seem to care enough to teach their children about fitness and a healthy diet, it would make sense for the schools to do it. But physical education programs are being cut in many schools, and once a person gets to college, they don't think anyone can tell them what to do.
There are about a million things wrong with Lincoln's plan here. For one thing, the BMI index is not very reliable. Many people have a fairly high BMI, but they are not really obese. I would want to use a more reliable scale to determine is someone is obese.
Also, a person can be skinny, and very unhealthy. We've all known skinny people who are lazy and out of shape. It seems to me that a lot of people can benefit from a fitness class.
My advice to Lincoln University is to make all students take the course. After all, some people who are skinny in college will get fat after graduation. They could benefit from the class. So make them all take it. Don't just single out the ones who are big now.
That's just wrong.
Want a Flu Shot?
Everyday, when you watch the news, you hear about the swine flu. Or, to be politically correct to swine, H1N1.
More specifically, we're hearing a lot about the H1N1 vaccine. News footage from across the nation shows desperate people waiting in long lines, hoping against hope to get the shot. It reminds me of those disaster movies, where there are thousands of people being left to die, while only a few people are saved. And since every good story has to have an antagonist, the news blew a story out of proportion about Wall Street firms who received shots for their employees, even while hospitals were running out.
It has gotten so bad that I usually just change the channel as soon as they start talking about swine flu. But recently, something struck me. The news was interviewing a lady who was lined up to get her swine flu shot, and she was aggravated that they ran out before her number came up. She had waited for over two hours, but she would be back to get her shot the next time around.
I wondered, what are the odds that this woman is going to die of H1N1? Don't know—statistics are not that readily available. But what we do know is that the chances that she will die of H1N1 are lower than dying of the regular flu. And the odds that she will die of the regular flu are 1 in 304,000. To put it into perspective, the odds that I would die from my relatively minor heart procedure earlier this year were one in 1,500. The odds that you will die from a lighting strike are one in 79. The odds that you will die from taking a prescription drug are one in 3,000 (meaning that you're more likely to die from an adverse reaction to the flu shot, than actually dying from the flu?). Point is, most people have a lot more to worry about than dying of the flu.
What are the odds that she, or any other woman in America, will die of heart disease? 1 in 10. Heart disease is the number one killer of women in America. It is caused by any number of things, most of them preventable. Smoking. Obesity. Inactivity. High cholesterol. High blood pressure.
On television, I see a lot of people lining up to get the H1N1 vaccine, and some of them are quite obese. I don't see these same people lining up to have a chance to join a gym, or go for a run. I don't see them waiting in line for the chance to eat more fiber, or to consume fewer calories. I don't see people getting angry at big American corporations because they lost out on a chance to drink less alcohol, eat fewer french fries, or smoke fewer cigarettes.
Granted, there is some evidence indicating that obese people are more likely to be affected by the swine flu than non-obese people. See this article out of Salt Lake City.
To be clear, the chances that an adult woman in the United States will die of heart disease is one in ten. The odds are even greater for obese women. But aren't worried about that, they're panicked about getting a flu shot, when they are more likely to die from a lightning strike than from the swine flu.
I suppose that if they made a shot that would cause a person to lose weight, quit smoking, and overcome all the poor decisions about diet and exercise we make, people would be lining up for that, too. It is hard work to reduce the risk of heart disease. Quitting smoking is not easy. Changing your dietary habits is hard. It takes more work to ride a bicycle than to sit on the couch and watch TV. Reducing the odds that you'll die of heart disease is not easy, but it can be done. And when the odds are so stacked against us, why wouldn't everyone want to try?
Right?
More specifically, we're hearing a lot about the H1N1 vaccine. News footage from across the nation shows desperate people waiting in long lines, hoping against hope to get the shot. It reminds me of those disaster movies, where there are thousands of people being left to die, while only a few people are saved. And since every good story has to have an antagonist, the news blew a story out of proportion about Wall Street firms who received shots for their employees, even while hospitals were running out.
It has gotten so bad that I usually just change the channel as soon as they start talking about swine flu. But recently, something struck me. The news was interviewing a lady who was lined up to get her swine flu shot, and she was aggravated that they ran out before her number came up. She had waited for over two hours, but she would be back to get her shot the next time around.
I wondered, what are the odds that this woman is going to die of H1N1? Don't know—statistics are not that readily available. But what we do know is that the chances that she will die of H1N1 are lower than dying of the regular flu. And the odds that she will die of the regular flu are 1 in 304,000. To put it into perspective, the odds that I would die from my relatively minor heart procedure earlier this year were one in 1,500. The odds that you will die from a lighting strike are one in 79. The odds that you will die from taking a prescription drug are one in 3,000 (meaning that you're more likely to die from an adverse reaction to the flu shot, than actually dying from the flu?). Point is, most people have a lot more to worry about than dying of the flu.
What are the odds that she, or any other woman in America, will die of heart disease? 1 in 10. Heart disease is the number one killer of women in America. It is caused by any number of things, most of them preventable. Smoking. Obesity. Inactivity. High cholesterol. High blood pressure.
On television, I see a lot of people lining up to get the H1N1 vaccine, and some of them are quite obese. I don't see these same people lining up to have a chance to join a gym, or go for a run. I don't see them waiting in line for the chance to eat more fiber, or to consume fewer calories. I don't see people getting angry at big American corporations because they lost out on a chance to drink less alcohol, eat fewer french fries, or smoke fewer cigarettes.
Granted, there is some evidence indicating that obese people are more likely to be affected by the swine flu than non-obese people. See this article out of Salt Lake City.
To be clear, the chances that an adult woman in the United States will die of heart disease is one in ten. The odds are even greater for obese women. But aren't worried about that, they're panicked about getting a flu shot, when they are more likely to die from a lightning strike than from the swine flu.
I suppose that if they made a shot that would cause a person to lose weight, quit smoking, and overcome all the poor decisions about diet and exercise we make, people would be lining up for that, too. It is hard work to reduce the risk of heart disease. Quitting smoking is not easy. Changing your dietary habits is hard. It takes more work to ride a bicycle than to sit on the couch and watch TV. Reducing the odds that you'll die of heart disease is not easy, but it can be done. And when the odds are so stacked against us, why wouldn't everyone want to try?
Right?
Meet Brooke Phillips, Friend of Jesus
This is Brooke Phillips, also known as Hayden Brooks, prostitute.
Ms. Phillips has been one of the prostitutes featured on an HBO series called "Cathouse," which follows the lives of women who work for the Bunny Ranch, a legal house of ill repute located in Nevada.
She was discovered murdered in Oklahoma City on Monday, along with three other people, shot to death, then burned in a fire that was intentionally set. Ms. Phillips, who was 21 years old, was a native of Oklahoma City. The district attorney has determined that six people died in the fire, since two of the victims were pregnant at the time of their deaths (Ms. Phillips was one of the victims who was pregnant).
I read the story on the online version of the Tulsa World, and as usual, there were several comments from readers. Among them was "William42," who said the following:
"And her mom and dad must have been so proud. That sick lifestyle cost her her life."
Readers called William42 to task for this comment. They chastised him for being devoid of compassion. Then he identified himself as a Christian, when he said this:
Everyone knows what this girl was. I hope God has mercy on her, but that wouldn't be biblical either.
WHAT?! It wouldn't be biblical for God to show mercy on a prostitute? What Bible is this guy reading?
I also commented on the story, and suggested to William42 that Jesus was friends with people like Ms. Phillips. Not that He gave these women a free pass—He always challenged people to be better.
I also suggested that William42 had forgotten how depraved his own heart is.
His last comment was to say that Ms. Phillips died totally lost, unless she managed to ask for forgiveness, which he apparently doubted had happened, because in a very smug way, he said, "this woman was a pregnant prostitute."
Couple things here, William42, and everyone else.
God doesn't send people to hell because they are pregnant prostitutes. He doesn't send people to hell because they are killers, or rapers, or stealers. He doesn't send people to hell because they are gay. Or because they don't go to church enough.
God sends people to hell who reject the gracious gift of the life of His son. That's it. That is the only sin that will send a person to hell. Now, ideally, once a person turns to Christ, they will abandon their sinful lifestyle. But not all of us are very successful at that. Some people really struggle with giving up the old ways.
One thing that William42 pointed out was the verse in the New Testament which says, "and you will know them by their fruits" (Matthew 7:16). In other words, when a person becomes a Christian, their actions (fruits) will prove that their conversion experience was genuine.
I agree.
However, many people in the church have changed the definition of what these fruits are. They may not say it out loud, but they seem to believe that the fruits of the Spirit are
I'm sure there are others we could add to this list of fake fruit. My point is the New Testament does tell us that true believers will bear fruit that indicates their conversion is genuine. But they have little to do with the above list. If a person has had a true experience with their Creator, it will be evidenced by:
Ms. Phillips has been one of the prostitutes featured on an HBO series called "Cathouse," which follows the lives of women who work for the Bunny Ranch, a legal house of ill repute located in Nevada.
She was discovered murdered in Oklahoma City on Monday, along with three other people, shot to death, then burned in a fire that was intentionally set. Ms. Phillips, who was 21 years old, was a native of Oklahoma City. The district attorney has determined that six people died in the fire, since two of the victims were pregnant at the time of their deaths (Ms. Phillips was one of the victims who was pregnant).
I read the story on the online version of the Tulsa World, and as usual, there were several comments from readers. Among them was "William42," who said the following:
"And her mom and dad must have been so proud. That sick lifestyle cost her her life."
Readers called William42 to task for this comment. They chastised him for being devoid of compassion. Then he identified himself as a Christian, when he said this:
Everyone knows what this girl was. I hope God has mercy on her, but that wouldn't be biblical either.
WHAT?! It wouldn't be biblical for God to show mercy on a prostitute? What Bible is this guy reading?
I also commented on the story, and suggested to William42 that Jesus was friends with people like Ms. Phillips. Not that He gave these women a free pass—He always challenged people to be better.
I also suggested that William42 had forgotten how depraved his own heart is.
His last comment was to say that Ms. Phillips died totally lost, unless she managed to ask for forgiveness, which he apparently doubted had happened, because in a very smug way, he said, "this woman was a pregnant prostitute."
Couple things here, William42, and everyone else.
God doesn't send people to hell because they are pregnant prostitutes. He doesn't send people to hell because they are killers, or rapers, or stealers. He doesn't send people to hell because they are gay. Or because they don't go to church enough.
God sends people to hell who reject the gracious gift of the life of His son. That's it. That is the only sin that will send a person to hell. Now, ideally, once a person turns to Christ, they will abandon their sinful lifestyle. But not all of us are very successful at that. Some people really struggle with giving up the old ways.
One thing that William42 pointed out was the verse in the New Testament which says, "and you will know them by their fruits" (Matthew 7:16). In other words, when a person becomes a Christian, their actions (fruits) will prove that their conversion experience was genuine.
I agree.
However, many people in the church have changed the definition of what these fruits are. They may not say it out loud, but they seem to believe that the fruits of the Spirit are
- church attendance (whenever the doors are open)
- sexual abstinence
- no drinking
- no smoking
- heterosexual (at least in public)
I'm sure there are others we could add to this list of fake fruit. My point is the New Testament does tell us that true believers will bear fruit that indicates their conversion is genuine. But they have little to do with the above list. If a person has had a true experience with their Creator, it will be evidenced by:
- Love
- Joy
- Peace
- Patience
- Kindness
- Goodness
- Faithfulness
- Gentleness
- Self-Control
These are the things, according to Galatians 5:22-23, that indicate whether a person is a Christian. Hopefully the presence of these nine things will result in a change in sinful behavior. (It is that darn self-control part that gets me).
Jesus was especially good at loving people. The reason people followed Him then, and follow Him now, is because He is your friend. He isn't barking at you to give up your way of life. Don't get me wrong—He will tell you to give up your sinful lifestyle. Remember the woman caught in adultery? The men of the city brought her to Jesus, and told Him that they were going to stone her, because the law said they could. Jesus told her that they could stone her if they liked, and the first stone was to be heaved by the one who was without sin. LOVE that. They walked away, starting with the oldest, and ending with the youngest. Jesus then said, "woman, where are your accusers?" Then He said, "neither do I condemn you. Go, and sin no more." That was it. Go, and sin no more. No shouting, no condemnation. Just a loving admonition. His love is so powerful, that no matter what He asked you to do, you'll do it. People abandoned everything to please Jesus. They still do.
The sad thing is that often, the people who have the most difficult time with the forgiveness of God are the most "religious" people. It was true when Jesus walked the earth, and it is true today. We all struggle with sin, but people inside the church often struggle with sins that are typically more easily hidden: pride, self-righteousness, gossip, etc. Religious leaders struggle with the same sins as everyone else—sexual immorality comes to mind. But those people are quickly cast aside, so we can get on with the business of condemning all the "real" sinners.
Religious people like William42 think that religious pride and self-righteousness is not as bad as sexual immorality, but they are wrong. It is still sin, and it is still destructive. And it proves that none of us have made it, none of us have arrived, none of us are perfect. It proves that we have all sinned, and fallen short of the glory of God. It proves that all of our "righteousness" is like filthy rags, compared to the goodness of God.
I can relate much more readily with Brooke Phillips, the pregnant prostitute, than I can with William42. And that doesn't bother me. I used to be like him. Now, when I look back at how I was, I'm ashamed. I thought that because I was in church every Sunday, because I didn't drink or smoke or chew, that I was better than people who did. I thought that because I wasn't a prostitute or a crack addict, that I was more attractive to God. But I was wrong. Jesus would be more likely to be friends with Ms. Phillips than with me, because people like Ms. Phillips KNOW that they need help. I didn't think I needed any. It was only after I hit rock bottom that I figured out how dark and depraved I really was. And it was only after recognizing the depth of my own depravity that I began to relate to people like Brooke Phillips.
Ms. Phillips was raised here in Oklahoma. Maybe she attended a church youth group. Maybe she went to Falls Creek. Maybe she gave her life to Christ. Maybe she was a very loving and decent person, but went down the wrong path when it came to her lifestyle. I hope that when she died, she knew her Maker. And I hope that today, she is in Heaven, fully aware that her lifestyle was wrong, but thankful for a merciful Savior.
If you believe Luke 18:9-14, it is a more likely scenario than William42 being there. Because self-righteousness is a bad, bad thing.
Even worse than being a pregnant prostitute.
Now Is The Time For Diligence
It is that time of year, the time when we eat like there is no tomorrow.
What is it about the holiday season that makes our resolve fly out the window? I read somewhere that 51% of the weight we will gain during the year will be gained between Thanksgiving and Christmas. That is a remarkable statistic. And it should make us stop, think, and control our actions, even if just a little bit.
Here are some suggestions to help you get through the next six weeks without blowing it too bad.
What is it about the holiday season that makes our resolve fly out the window? I read somewhere that 51% of the weight we will gain during the year will be gained between Thanksgiving and Christmas. That is a remarkable statistic. And it should make us stop, think, and control our actions, even if just a little bit.
Here are some suggestions to help you get through the next six weeks without blowing it too bad.
*Don't let the weather keep you from getting in your exercise.
Weather is the main excuse people give me for not riding or running. Sure, it can get cold this time of year. But with the right kind of clothing, it isn't that bad. And remember, you generate your own heat when exercising. Think about the fact that your body temperature is nearly 100 degrees. If you're bundled up right, you can keep much of that hundred degrees close to you. That will warm you up in a hurry. If you spend 60-90 minutes on the bike, then get home and into a warm shower, you will feel twice as good as you do when you ride during the warm weather months.
Dress warm
*Use the extra days off to squeeze in a ride.
The holiday season means extra days off from work. Use those days to sneak in a bike ride. I suggest getting an early start, though. On colder days, the longer you wait, the harder it is to make yourself get out. And because it gets dark early this time of year, you might just procrastinate yourself into missing an opportunity. On Thanksgiving Day, we always go to Lisa's mom's house. Lisa's mom lives right by the Creek bike trail. So I always bring my bike along. When we're done eating all that turkey and pie, and when everyone else is passing out on the couch, I slip out and go for a bike ride. It feels good, knowing all that food is melting away.
Load up your bike
*Set manageable goals for exercise.
This is a busy time of year. In addition to all the stuff you have to do, it is dark by 5:30, and the weather is unpredictable. So when the weather gets cold, I shoot for three to four days a week. If I can be on my bike three days out of seven, I'm not going to beat myself up. Set your goal to ride at least three days a week, from now until the end of the year. Or, set a mileage goal. You should be able to get in 600 miles between now and December 31. Keep a log, so you can monitor your progress. And you can bet that your weight won't creep up like it does every other year.
*Eat what you want, but stop when you begin to feel full.
I like food, especially holiday food. My mom always bakes chocolate, apple, and pumpkin pies. Since I like all three, I don't pick just one. I'll usually eat at least two pieces at holiday dinners. If you're going to do that, knock yourself out. But when you get full, stop eating. That's one of the cardinal rules for weight loss: eat what you want, not what you think you should, but as soon as you begin to feel full, stop eating.
While they play football, go for a ride.
*Ask friends and family to help hold you accountable.
Maybe you could ask your riding buddy if he is available to go for a spin on Thanksgiving or the day after Christmas. That way, you're committed, and are less likely to skip out. Ask your family to help you when it comes to eating. Work out the details ahead of time, or you'll be less likely to do it.
*Don't beat yourself up if you miss some days.
The fact is that you're going to fall off the wagon. You're going to miss some days. You're going to eat too much. And you might even gain a couple of pounds. Don't give up completely, though. Just take it a day at a time. If you miss a couple of days, just get back on and start again.
Just because most people gain weight during the last two months of the year, it doesn't mean that you have to. Don't wait until New Years to make a resolution to lose weight. Make a resolution now to not gain it in the first place.
What are you doing on Thanksgiving? Want to go for a ride?
Freegans? Really?
If you know me at all, you know that I love to save money. I like free. Free is good. And I like to buy things that are on sale. Cheap isn't as good as free, but it is still good. Don't get me wrong—I don't think you do yourself any favors by buying cheap things, just because of the cost savings. But if I can find quality things on sale, or free, well, life is good.
So when I was watching the National Geographic channel recently, I was intrigued by a documentary on the phenomenon referred to as "freegan."
Freegans are people who strive to get everything they have for free, in an attempt to drop out of the culture of consumerism in western society. And how do they accomplish this? By taking it from other peoples' garbage. They are dumpster divers. I had never heard of this before seeing the documentary, but apparently they have gotten their fair share of attention. Even Oprah did a show about it. Of course, I almost never watch Oprah, so I'm not surprised that I missed the story.
Freegans are not necessarily poor. They are not necessarily homeless. They are not necessarily unemployed. In many cases, they are quite well off. But they have made a conscious decision to check out of the economic system as much as possible. And to be pretty gross as well. If you're interested in learning more about freegans, you can go here. Or you can go here to read the blog of a living, breathing freegan. Here is the last installment of a 31 day experiment by a young lady who tried being a freegan, covered in Newsweek.
One of the misconceptions regarding freegans is that they are cheap. Some of them may be, but many freegans live this way because of their objection to the massive amount of waste in America. According to the documentary, Americans throw away enough trash every year to cover tens of thousands of football fields, six feet deep. That's a lot of trash. Much of what is thrown out is food, and much of that food is still edible. I read someplace that grocery stores in America throw away $30 billion a year worth of food. For various reasons, it is illegal in many places to give away this food to the poor. Grocery stores will throw away food when it reaches the "sell by" date, even though it may still be safe to eat. Freegans learn when these stores throw stuff out, and they pounce on it. They're not picky—they'll take whatever is dumped. Beef, pork, chicken, fruits, vegetables, clothes, furniture, whatever they can get their hands on. My point is that freegans do what they do for a number of reasons, but mainly they are checking out of the consumerism and capitalism that they so object to. They don't think it is "fair" that there are hungry people in the world, when westerners throw away so much food.
I don't really know what to say. When I told Lisa about the program, I got the feeling that she thought maybe I wanted to sign up. It is interesting to me, but I don't see myself becoming a dumpster diver. It would be great to save the money though—we spend $800-1000 a month on groceries. So maybe...NO. I'm not going to do it. It isn't worth the taboo issues, and I like having friends.
I suspect that there are many things we say we would never do, but most of us have never been tested. I mean, really tested. Oh, sure, there have been times when I've been broke. It wasn't that long ago that I was scraping change from the cushions of my couch, so I could go to the grocery store for a gallon of milk and a loaf of bread. But that isn't really being tested.
If times were really hard, and you were hungry, and broke, you'd eat food taken from the dumpster, right? Freegans insist that their lifestyle isn't as bad as you think. In fact, they think its pretty darn good. The meat they take is usually still frozen. The fruits and vegetables they bring home are thoroughly washed in a water-bleach mixture. And the ones featured in the documentary insist that they have never gotten sick from eating the food they gather.
One couple lives in a nice urban apartment, well-furnished. And everything they own was taken from trash. It didn't cost them a penny. One man lives in his van/RV.
I love the idea of simplicity. I like how they don't have to give Wal Mart $12,000 a year. And I like the way they are willing to reduce the amount of waste that is sent to landfills. If it just wasn't garbage.
What do you think about this phenomenon? Is it gross? Would you eat trash?
So when I was watching the National Geographic channel recently, I was intrigued by a documentary on the phenomenon referred to as "freegan."
Freegans are people who strive to get everything they have for free, in an attempt to drop out of the culture of consumerism in western society. And how do they accomplish this? By taking it from other peoples' garbage. They are dumpster divers. I had never heard of this before seeing the documentary, but apparently they have gotten their fair share of attention. Even Oprah did a show about it. Of course, I almost never watch Oprah, so I'm not surprised that I missed the story.
Freegans are not necessarily poor. They are not necessarily homeless. They are not necessarily unemployed. In many cases, they are quite well off. But they have made a conscious decision to check out of the economic system as much as possible. And to be pretty gross as well. If you're interested in learning more about freegans, you can go here. Or you can go here to read the blog of a living, breathing freegan. Here is the last installment of a 31 day experiment by a young lady who tried being a freegan, covered in Newsweek.
One of the misconceptions regarding freegans is that they are cheap. Some of them may be, but many freegans live this way because of their objection to the massive amount of waste in America. According to the documentary, Americans throw away enough trash every year to cover tens of thousands of football fields, six feet deep. That's a lot of trash. Much of what is thrown out is food, and much of that food is still edible. I read someplace that grocery stores in America throw away $30 billion a year worth of food. For various reasons, it is illegal in many places to give away this food to the poor. Grocery stores will throw away food when it reaches the "sell by" date, even though it may still be safe to eat. Freegans learn when these stores throw stuff out, and they pounce on it. They're not picky—they'll take whatever is dumped. Beef, pork, chicken, fruits, vegetables, clothes, furniture, whatever they can get their hands on. My point is that freegans do what they do for a number of reasons, but mainly they are checking out of the consumerism and capitalism that they so object to. They don't think it is "fair" that there are hungry people in the world, when westerners throw away so much food.
I don't really know what to say. When I told Lisa about the program, I got the feeling that she thought maybe I wanted to sign up. It is interesting to me, but I don't see myself becoming a dumpster diver. It would be great to save the money though—we spend $800-1000 a month on groceries. So maybe...NO. I'm not going to do it. It isn't worth the taboo issues, and I like having friends.
I suspect that there are many things we say we would never do, but most of us have never been tested. I mean, really tested. Oh, sure, there have been times when I've been broke. It wasn't that long ago that I was scraping change from the cushions of my couch, so I could go to the grocery store for a gallon of milk and a loaf of bread. But that isn't really being tested.
If times were really hard, and you were hungry, and broke, you'd eat food taken from the dumpster, right? Freegans insist that their lifestyle isn't as bad as you think. In fact, they think its pretty darn good. The meat they take is usually still frozen. The fruits and vegetables they bring home are thoroughly washed in a water-bleach mixture. And the ones featured in the documentary insist that they have never gotten sick from eating the food they gather.
One couple lives in a nice urban apartment, well-furnished. And everything they own was taken from trash. It didn't cost them a penny. One man lives in his van/RV.
I love the idea of simplicity. I like how they don't have to give Wal Mart $12,000 a year. And I like the way they are willing to reduce the amount of waste that is sent to landfills. If it just wasn't garbage.
What do you think about this phenomenon? Is it gross? Would you eat trash?
Words I Am Tired Of Hearing
I'm picky. I admit that.
And I have a slight problem with obsessive compulsive disorder.
I'm the guy that counts how many times the guy says "our Father" during the prayer at church.
For some reason, I find myself noticing when certain words work their way into the vernacular. And it drives me crazy. So I am using the wide scope of this blog to call for an end to the use of some of these words.
Now, I've already covered the use of the word "literally." It doesn't seem to have helped, I still hear it all the time. I've also covered the phrase "at the end of the day." I seem to be hearing it a little less now.
In Kansas City last week, I sat in a meeting, compiling a list for this article. Hey, I had to do something to stay awake. Here you go, a list of words to be banished from popular language.
Absolutely. This word is way overused. Sitting in my meeting last week, I heard one presenter use the word fifteen times in forty-five minutes. Every time someone would ask him a question, if the answer was affirmative, he would say, "absolutely." If the answer was negative, he would say, "absolutely not."
Watch interviews on shows like the Today Show, especially reporters, when they are interviewed by the host as a follow up to a story. They'll use the word several times, even in a short segment.
The word is used mostly to impress people, I think. Otherwise, people would just say "yes." After all, "absolutely" has four syllables, "yes" has just one. Poly-syllabic words are always more impressive than mono-syllabic words. And let's face it, words are an important way for us to make other people believe that we are smarter than we really are.
And that is why people say "absolutely" so much.
Please stop it.
From now on, if you feel the need to say "absolutely," there are plenty of alternatives. How about saying "positively" or "surely?" Or what about saying "unquestionably," or "right on?"
From now on, when I feel tempted to say "absolutely," I am just going to say, "yup." Feel free to join me.
Exactly. I hear this word used all the time. Listening to Dr. Laura recently, I heard a caller use the word five times in a thirty second period. People use this word when they are in agreement with something someone says. I hear it a lot when people are involved in a heated discussion over something they feel strongly about.
"Health care reform is too expensive, and it is going to bankrupt our country."
"Exactly."
But you have to put the emphasis on the right part of the word, in order to make it count. "ExACTly." On tv and radio, you'll hear it all the time. I mean, ALL the time.
How about we use the word "precisely?" Or we throw back to the 90s, with, "totally?" I say that a lot. My friend at work uses the word "seriously" instead of "exactly."
Surreal. HATE this word. Somebody went to college for three semesters, and in one of those semesters, they attended a philosophy class, and the professor used the word "surreal." They thought, "cool word!" Then they dropped out of college, and have been using it, or should I say, over-using it, ever since.
The word means "dreamlike." It is the opposite of real.
"What was it like at the fair?"
(talking like a person who is high) "Oooohhhh, it was just sooo surreal."
Yup, college dropout.
Amazing. It's like, all the young people got together and said, "we're going to have one adjective to describe every great event that ever happens in our lives, from now on."
And it is going to be aMAYzing. See, you have to say it like that, a-MAAAAYYYY-zing. The more amazing it was, the more emphasis you put on the MAAAAYYYY. It works, try it.
"How was your date last night?"
"Oh, it was a-MAAAAYYY-zing."
"Yeah? Did you enjoy the movie?"
"Oh, it was so a-MAY-zing." (slightly less amazing than the overall date).
Yes, amazing is way overused.
How about this instead? "It was pretty good." Or, "yeah, it was great." Great's a good word. At just one syllable, though, you're not going to impress anyone.
Basically. People say this a lot. It is a stalling tactic. If someone asks you a question that you don't know the answer to, in order to stall until you can come up with a good load of crap to say, you say, "basically..." This word has been creeping into the vernacular of athletes lately, I've noticed. I heard one football player start every single sentence with that word, in a single interview. Every sentence.
A good alternative to the word "basically" would be just to say nothing at all. Nothing wrong with that. Just sit there, looking contemplative. Works every time. Then you follow up your silence with a "that's a good question."
Kinda. Oh man, people are saying that word a lot. I think it is an attempt at false humility, like people who say "ummm" a lot. Of course, it is a perversion of the phrase "kind of."
"Did you have a good day at work dear?"
"Kind of."
But we have smushed it all together, and say "kinda." And we use it in sentences, when we're talking about things we're supposed to know a lot about.
Listen for it, and you'll hear it all the time. And maybe it will drive you as crazy as it does me.
So there you have it. My list of banished soon-to-be-banished words. From now on, we're going to...kinda...basically stop using these words all the time. It might feel surreal, but when we're done, it will be aMAYYYYzing. Will it be hard? Absolutely! But at the end of the day, I think we can do it. And if we don't? My head is literally going to explode.
And I have a slight problem with obsessive compulsive disorder.
I'm the guy that counts how many times the guy says "our Father" during the prayer at church.
For some reason, I find myself noticing when certain words work their way into the vernacular. And it drives me crazy. So I am using the wide scope of this blog to call for an end to the use of some of these words.
Now, I've already covered the use of the word "literally." It doesn't seem to have helped, I still hear it all the time. I've also covered the phrase "at the end of the day." I seem to be hearing it a little less now.
In Kansas City last week, I sat in a meeting, compiling a list for this article. Hey, I had to do something to stay awake. Here you go, a list of words to be banished from popular language.
Absolutely. This word is way overused. Sitting in my meeting last week, I heard one presenter use the word fifteen times in forty-five minutes. Every time someone would ask him a question, if the answer was affirmative, he would say, "absolutely." If the answer was negative, he would say, "absolutely not."
Watch interviews on shows like the Today Show, especially reporters, when they are interviewed by the host as a follow up to a story. They'll use the word several times, even in a short segment.
The word is used mostly to impress people, I think. Otherwise, people would just say "yes." After all, "absolutely" has four syllables, "yes" has just one. Poly-syllabic words are always more impressive than mono-syllabic words. And let's face it, words are an important way for us to make other people believe that we are smarter than we really are.
And that is why people say "absolutely" so much.
Please stop it.
From now on, if you feel the need to say "absolutely," there are plenty of alternatives. How about saying "positively" or "surely?" Or what about saying "unquestionably," or "right on?"
From now on, when I feel tempted to say "absolutely," I am just going to say, "yup." Feel free to join me.
Exactly. I hear this word used all the time. Listening to Dr. Laura recently, I heard a caller use the word five times in a thirty second period. People use this word when they are in agreement with something someone says. I hear it a lot when people are involved in a heated discussion over something they feel strongly about.
"Health care reform is too expensive, and it is going to bankrupt our country."
"Exactly."
But you have to put the emphasis on the right part of the word, in order to make it count. "ExACTly." On tv and radio, you'll hear it all the time. I mean, ALL the time.
How about we use the word "precisely?" Or we throw back to the 90s, with, "totally?" I say that a lot. My friend at work uses the word "seriously" instead of "exactly."
Surreal. HATE this word. Somebody went to college for three semesters, and in one of those semesters, they attended a philosophy class, and the professor used the word "surreal." They thought, "cool word!" Then they dropped out of college, and have been using it, or should I say, over-using it, ever since.
The word means "dreamlike." It is the opposite of real.
"What was it like at the fair?"
(talking like a person who is high) "Oooohhhh, it was just sooo surreal."
Yup, college dropout.
Amazing. It's like, all the young people got together and said, "we're going to have one adjective to describe every great event that ever happens in our lives, from now on."
And it is going to be aMAYzing. See, you have to say it like that, a-MAAAAYYYY-zing. The more amazing it was, the more emphasis you put on the MAAAAYYYY. It works, try it.
"How was your date last night?"
"Oh, it was a-MAAAAYYY-zing."
"Yeah? Did you enjoy the movie?"
"Oh, it was so a-MAY-zing." (slightly less amazing than the overall date).
Yes, amazing is way overused.
How about this instead? "It was pretty good." Or, "yeah, it was great." Great's a good word. At just one syllable, though, you're not going to impress anyone.
Basically. People say this a lot. It is a stalling tactic. If someone asks you a question that you don't know the answer to, in order to stall until you can come up with a good load of crap to say, you say, "basically..." This word has been creeping into the vernacular of athletes lately, I've noticed. I heard one football player start every single sentence with that word, in a single interview. Every sentence.
A good alternative to the word "basically" would be just to say nothing at all. Nothing wrong with that. Just sit there, looking contemplative. Works every time. Then you follow up your silence with a "that's a good question."
Kinda. Oh man, people are saying that word a lot. I think it is an attempt at false humility, like people who say "ummm" a lot. Of course, it is a perversion of the phrase "kind of."
"Did you have a good day at work dear?"
"Kind of."
But we have smushed it all together, and say "kinda." And we use it in sentences, when we're talking about things we're supposed to know a lot about.
Listen for it, and you'll hear it all the time. And maybe it will drive you as crazy as it does me.
So there you have it. My list of banished soon-to-be-banished words. From now on, we're going to...kinda...basically stop using these words all the time. It might feel surreal, but when we're done, it will be aMAYYYYzing. Will it be hard? Absolutely! But at the end of the day, I think we can do it. And if we don't? My head is literally going to explode.
Greatest War Movie Heroes
I've been a fan of war movies for as long as I can remember. To this day, there are some movies that I watch every time they are on. This week, one of my favorites was on. It was late at night, it was on commercial television (I hate commercials), and I had to get up and go to work the next day—all good reasons to not watch. But I couldn't help it. I watched the whole thing, and didn't get to sleep until 1:00am.
It got me to thinking about the main characters in war movies. Admittedly, I haven't seen every single war movie ever made. But I've seen a lot of them, and it seems like a good idea to rank these heroes. Keep in mind that I'm not ranking the movies themselves. That might result in a different outcome. This is a list of the greatest heroes from the greatest movies.
Ladies, go on about your business. Gentlemen, let us talk of these things now.
13. Sergeant J.J. Sefton (William Holden), Stalag 17, 1953
Sgt. Sefton was the classic anti-hero in this film. Set in a German POW camp, we're led to believe early in the story that Sefton is giving information to the Nazis. His fellow prisoners despise him. In the ultimate show of cool, Holden doesn't defend himself, or try to prove that he isn't the mole. He just starts giving the real mole (played by Peter Graves) a little rope, until he has enough to hang himself. The big moment is where Holden outs Graves as a Nazi, and Holden is vindicated.
12. Captain Hilts (Steve McQueen), The Great Escape, 1963
The "kind of" true story of a group of POWs held in Germany during WWII. Steve McQueen played the stereotypical bad boy, motorcycle riding soldier.
Great movie, with more than a few heroes (including the man who spoke at my college graduation ceremony), but McQueen stole the show.
11. Major Reisman (Lee Marvin), The Dirty Dozen, 1967
A dramatization, of course, but a good story. Twelve misfit soldiers, all sentenced to death for various reasons, who are picked by Lee Marvin to complete a mission that will most likely result in their deaths anyway. Great ensemble cast, and Lee Marvin is awesome, as usual.
10. Captain Harry Clark (Treat Williams), The Eagle Has Landed, 1976
I always liked this movie about a plot to assassinate Winston Churchill during WWII. What always struck me about the story was that this Captain, out ranked but not out classed, stood up and took the mantle of leadership after his superior's lack of leadership got them killed (Larry Hagman, for example). The viewer sees it. And the German officer played by Donald Sutherland saw it too.
I saw it as a ten year old boy, watching the movie for the first time. What I didn't realize at the time was how Treat Williams stole the show from a lot of quality veteran actors. I mean, we're talking about a who's who list of award winning movie stars, like Sutherland, Robert Duvall, and Michael Caine. A great, heroic performance by an otherwise unknown actor in only his fourth role.
9. The Sergeant (Lee Marvin), The Big Red One, 1980
Lee Marvin makes the list twice, this time as a mysterious, quiet military officer who commands a group of young soldiers. We find out as the story unfolds that he is haunted by his experiences in WWI, which turn out to be very similar to his experiences in WWII. Great performances by Mark Hamill and Robert Carradine.
8. Lt. Colonel Mike Barnsby (Harrison Ford), Force 10 From Navarone, 1978
Love this movie. Other than the oddly placed Carl Weathers, it is outstanding. The scene where they blow up the dam, and take out the bridge, is a Hollywood classic. Not to mention the scene where they figure out who the spy is.
7. Major Jonathan Smith (Richard Burton), Where Eagles Dare, 1968
What kind of acting chops does it take to upstage and outclass Clint Eastwood? Richard Burton, that's who. To me, this movie would come to represent a "passing of the torch" moment in Hollywood. Burton, the classic tough-guy actor in the waning years of his career, passing the torch to Eastwood, who was making only his third film for a major domestic movie studio. Burton had all the answers in this flick, while Eastwood just stood and looked confused. The ultra-hot Mary Ure (who, it turns out, was older than my dad, and died only seven years after the making of this film) didn't fall for Eastwood, but for Burton. Remarkable. The scene where Burton outs the spy on the airplane ride home, and allows him to jump out of the plane with no parachute, shows what a studly character this was.
6. General Maximus (Russell Crowe), Gladiator, 2000
Some might argue this doesn't belong on the list, since Roman battles against barbarians do not usually come to mind when we mention war movies, but General Maximus is a true soldier, and at its heart, this is a war movie. All that matters to Maximus is that he do his job and go home to his wife and son. At least in the beginning. Later in the film, all that matters is that he exact vengeance for their deaths.
5. Admiral Chester Nimitz (Henry Fonda), Midway, 1976
This movie is a little too much like a soap opera for me (Charlton Heston is a little cheesy). But Fonda is remarkable as Admiral Nimitz. I love the scene between him and Hal Holbrook, upon learning that the American Navy had disabled three Japanese aircraft carriers:
Holbrook: "Three enemy carriers burning! Hallelujah!"
Fonda looks contemplative, but not overly happy.
Holbrook: "Three enemy carriers burning, sir, isn't that worth at least a 'hot diggity damn?'"
Fonda: "Yeah, Joe, but there's still that fourth carrier to deal with."
Holbrook: "You know, Admiral, we've already won a great victory. Yamamoto's still got a tremendous fleet out there. Shouldn't we get our people out?"
Fonda: "You mean break off, run for home?"
Holbrook: "Yes sir, before we get hurt."
Fonda: "Well, that might be the smart play commander. Trouble is, I WANT that fourth carrier."
4. Lt. Colonel Kiley (Henry Fonda), Battle of the Bulge, 1965
It is hard to go wrong with Henry Fonda, and he delivers in this movie. He plays an officer who was a cop in civilian life. He is the one who, using his skills as a detective, figures out that the Germans are running out of fuel. There are several great actors in this movie (Robert Ryan, Robert Shaw). The higher ranking officers are not too sure what to think of this draftee, but ultimately they realize that he is right. The most compelling scene is when Fonda, badly injured from a plane crash, limps up to the fuel depot, just before the Germans get there, and yells, "Burn it! Burn it all!" By the way, that's a great line to throw into everyday conversation, in case you are so inclined.
3. Captain John H. Miller (Tom Hanks), Saving Private Ryan, 1998
This is where it gets dicey. The top three could go in any order. As far as overall movies are concerned I might rank the top three differently. But as far as protagonists go, I'll stick with this order. Captain Miller, played by Hanks, manages to survive D-Day, only to be sent on a mission to save a soldier whose three brothers have all been killed in action. One of the greatest movies ever made, and serves as a reminder to a younger generation of the sacrifices made by "the greatest generation." The best line of the movie? Hard to say, but two scenes come to mind. Captain Miller, grabbing Private Ryan (Matt Damon) by the shirt collar, saying, "earn this." Wow. And Private Ryan as an old man, looking at his wife, standing at the grave of Captain Miller fifty years later, asking his wife to tell him he has been a good man. I don't care what kind of tough guy you are, if you don't tear up at that scene, you're just heartless.
2. Major Richard Winters (Damian Lewis), Band of Brothers, 2001
Another true story, written by an actual historian. This is my all-time favorite war movie (it is a mini-series, actually). It follows the lives of Easy Company, of the 101st Airborne Division, as they prepare for the invasion of Europe in WWII. The stories of each character are compelling, but none more so than Major Winters, played by British actor Damian Lewis.
He starts the film as a second lieutenant, who is a major threat to his superior officer (played by David Schwimmer). By the time the invasion is in full swing, we see what a natural born leader looks like, as Winters' talent and intelligence become evident.
1. Lt. Colonel Hal Moore (Mel Gibson), We Were Soldiers, 2002
I'm not much of a fan of Vietnam war movies, but this one stands out. It is the true story of the first major battle in America's involvement in the Vietnam war, and is based on the book written by Col. Moore himself. As a history minor, I appreciate that. I love a good story, but I mostly love a good true story. This movie is loaded with remarkable acting talent, including Greg Kinnear, Sam Elliot, Chris Klein, and Madeleine Stowe, who plays Mrs. Moore. The story is told from several different angles, not just from the front lines. The war is viewed from the perspective of the American soldiers on the battlefield, but also the Vietnamese soldiers, and the wives back home.
As Col. Moore prepares to take his men into battle, he meets one his young officers, Jack Geoghegan, in the chapel, praying before he ships out. Jack is afraid that Col. Moore will think that he is weak, not realizing that Moore is a devout Catholic who is there to make prayers of his own. So together, on their knees at the altar of the chapel, Col. Moore offers this prayer:
Our Father in heaven, before we go into battle, every soldier among us will approach you each in his own way. Our enemies too, according to their own understanding, will ask for protection and for victory. And so, we bow before your infinite wisdom. We offer our prayers as best as we can. I pray that you watch over the young Jack Geoghegan, that I lead into battle. You use me as your instrument in this awful hell of war to watch over them. Especially if they're men like this one beside me, deserving of a future in your blessing and good will. Amen.
Oh yes, and one more thing, dear Lord, about our enemies. Ignore their heathen prayers and help us blow those little bastards straight to hell. Amen.
The co-author of the book was Joe Galloway, who had been a reporter for UPI during the war, and who was on the battlefield for entire battle. He serves as the narrator for the story. After the fighting is over, he approaches Col. Moore.
Moore says to him, "I'll never forgive myself."
"For what?", Galloway asks.
With his lip stuck out and tears in his eyes, Moore says, "That my men...that my men died and I didn't."
Galloway then says to Col. Moore: "Sir I don't...I don't know how to tell this story."
Moore looks him in the eye, tears welling up, and says, "Well you got to Joe. You tell the American people what these men did here. You tell them how my troopers died."
Powerful moment, portrayed brilliantly by Mel Gibson, and I'll bet you can't find a man anywhere without a lump in his throat.
So there you have it, my list of the greatest war movie heroes. What do you think? Who do you like?
It got me to thinking about the main characters in war movies. Admittedly, I haven't seen every single war movie ever made. But I've seen a lot of them, and it seems like a good idea to rank these heroes. Keep in mind that I'm not ranking the movies themselves. That might result in a different outcome. This is a list of the greatest heroes from the greatest movies.
Ladies, go on about your business. Gentlemen, let us talk of these things now.
13. Sergeant J.J. Sefton (William Holden), Stalag 17, 1953
Sgt. Sefton was the classic anti-hero in this film. Set in a German POW camp, we're led to believe early in the story that Sefton is giving information to the Nazis. His fellow prisoners despise him. In the ultimate show of cool, Holden doesn't defend himself, or try to prove that he isn't the mole. He just starts giving the real mole (played by Peter Graves) a little rope, until he has enough to hang himself. The big moment is where Holden outs Graves as a Nazi, and Holden is vindicated.
12. Captain Hilts (Steve McQueen), The Great Escape, 1963
The "kind of" true story of a group of POWs held in Germany during WWII. Steve McQueen played the stereotypical bad boy, motorcycle riding soldier.
Great movie, with more than a few heroes (including the man who spoke at my college graduation ceremony), but McQueen stole the show.
11. Major Reisman (Lee Marvin), The Dirty Dozen, 1967
A dramatization, of course, but a good story. Twelve misfit soldiers, all sentenced to death for various reasons, who are picked by Lee Marvin to complete a mission that will most likely result in their deaths anyway. Great ensemble cast, and Lee Marvin is awesome, as usual.
10. Captain Harry Clark (Treat Williams), The Eagle Has Landed, 1976
I always liked this movie about a plot to assassinate Winston Churchill during WWII. What always struck me about the story was that this Captain, out ranked but not out classed, stood up and took the mantle of leadership after his superior's lack of leadership got them killed (Larry Hagman, for example). The viewer sees it. And the German officer played by Donald Sutherland saw it too.
I saw it as a ten year old boy, watching the movie for the first time. What I didn't realize at the time was how Treat Williams stole the show from a lot of quality veteran actors. I mean, we're talking about a who's who list of award winning movie stars, like Sutherland, Robert Duvall, and Michael Caine. A great, heroic performance by an otherwise unknown actor in only his fourth role.
9. The Sergeant (Lee Marvin), The Big Red One, 1980
Lee Marvin makes the list twice, this time as a mysterious, quiet military officer who commands a group of young soldiers. We find out as the story unfolds that he is haunted by his experiences in WWI, which turn out to be very similar to his experiences in WWII. Great performances by Mark Hamill and Robert Carradine.
8. Lt. Colonel Mike Barnsby (Harrison Ford), Force 10 From Navarone, 1978
Love this movie. Other than the oddly placed Carl Weathers, it is outstanding. The scene where they blow up the dam, and take out the bridge, is a Hollywood classic. Not to mention the scene where they figure out who the spy is.
7. Major Jonathan Smith (Richard Burton), Where Eagles Dare, 1968
What kind of acting chops does it take to upstage and outclass Clint Eastwood? Richard Burton, that's who. To me, this movie would come to represent a "passing of the torch" moment in Hollywood. Burton, the classic tough-guy actor in the waning years of his career, passing the torch to Eastwood, who was making only his third film for a major domestic movie studio. Burton had all the answers in this flick, while Eastwood just stood and looked confused. The ultra-hot Mary Ure (who, it turns out, was older than my dad, and died only seven years after the making of this film) didn't fall for Eastwood, but for Burton. Remarkable. The scene where Burton outs the spy on the airplane ride home, and allows him to jump out of the plane with no parachute, shows what a studly character this was.
6. General Maximus (Russell Crowe), Gladiator, 2000
Some might argue this doesn't belong on the list, since Roman battles against barbarians do not usually come to mind when we mention war movies, but General Maximus is a true soldier, and at its heart, this is a war movie. All that matters to Maximus is that he do his job and go home to his wife and son. At least in the beginning. Later in the film, all that matters is that he exact vengeance for their deaths.
5. Admiral Chester Nimitz (Henry Fonda), Midway, 1976
This movie is a little too much like a soap opera for me (Charlton Heston is a little cheesy). But Fonda is remarkable as Admiral Nimitz. I love the scene between him and Hal Holbrook, upon learning that the American Navy had disabled three Japanese aircraft carriers:
Holbrook: "Three enemy carriers burning! Hallelujah!"
Fonda looks contemplative, but not overly happy.
Holbrook: "Three enemy carriers burning, sir, isn't that worth at least a 'hot diggity damn?'"
Fonda: "Yeah, Joe, but there's still that fourth carrier to deal with."
Holbrook: "You know, Admiral, we've already won a great victory. Yamamoto's still got a tremendous fleet out there. Shouldn't we get our people out?"
Fonda: "You mean break off, run for home?"
Holbrook: "Yes sir, before we get hurt."
Fonda: "Well, that might be the smart play commander. Trouble is, I WANT that fourth carrier."
4. Lt. Colonel Kiley (Henry Fonda), Battle of the Bulge, 1965
It is hard to go wrong with Henry Fonda, and he delivers in this movie. He plays an officer who was a cop in civilian life. He is the one who, using his skills as a detective, figures out that the Germans are running out of fuel. There are several great actors in this movie (Robert Ryan, Robert Shaw). The higher ranking officers are not too sure what to think of this draftee, but ultimately they realize that he is right. The most compelling scene is when Fonda, badly injured from a plane crash, limps up to the fuel depot, just before the Germans get there, and yells, "Burn it! Burn it all!" By the way, that's a great line to throw into everyday conversation, in case you are so inclined.
3. Captain John H. Miller (Tom Hanks), Saving Private Ryan, 1998
This is where it gets dicey. The top three could go in any order. As far as overall movies are concerned I might rank the top three differently. But as far as protagonists go, I'll stick with this order. Captain Miller, played by Hanks, manages to survive D-Day, only to be sent on a mission to save a soldier whose three brothers have all been killed in action. One of the greatest movies ever made, and serves as a reminder to a younger generation of the sacrifices made by "the greatest generation." The best line of the movie? Hard to say, but two scenes come to mind. Captain Miller, grabbing Private Ryan (Matt Damon) by the shirt collar, saying, "earn this." Wow. And Private Ryan as an old man, looking at his wife, standing at the grave of Captain Miller fifty years later, asking his wife to tell him he has been a good man. I don't care what kind of tough guy you are, if you don't tear up at that scene, you're just heartless.
2. Major Richard Winters (Damian Lewis), Band of Brothers, 2001
Another true story, written by an actual historian. This is my all-time favorite war movie (it is a mini-series, actually). It follows the lives of Easy Company, of the 101st Airborne Division, as they prepare for the invasion of Europe in WWII. The stories of each character are compelling, but none more so than Major Winters, played by British actor Damian Lewis.
He starts the film as a second lieutenant, who is a major threat to his superior officer (played by David Schwimmer). By the time the invasion is in full swing, we see what a natural born leader looks like, as Winters' talent and intelligence become evident.
1. Lt. Colonel Hal Moore (Mel Gibson), We Were Soldiers, 2002
I'm not much of a fan of Vietnam war movies, but this one stands out. It is the true story of the first major battle in America's involvement in the Vietnam war, and is based on the book written by Col. Moore himself. As a history minor, I appreciate that. I love a good story, but I mostly love a good true story. This movie is loaded with remarkable acting talent, including Greg Kinnear, Sam Elliot, Chris Klein, and Madeleine Stowe, who plays Mrs. Moore. The story is told from several different angles, not just from the front lines. The war is viewed from the perspective of the American soldiers on the battlefield, but also the Vietnamese soldiers, and the wives back home.
As Col. Moore prepares to take his men into battle, he meets one his young officers, Jack Geoghegan, in the chapel, praying before he ships out. Jack is afraid that Col. Moore will think that he is weak, not realizing that Moore is a devout Catholic who is there to make prayers of his own. So together, on their knees at the altar of the chapel, Col. Moore offers this prayer:
Our Father in heaven, before we go into battle, every soldier among us will approach you each in his own way. Our enemies too, according to their own understanding, will ask for protection and for victory. And so, we bow before your infinite wisdom. We offer our prayers as best as we can. I pray that you watch over the young Jack Geoghegan, that I lead into battle. You use me as your instrument in this awful hell of war to watch over them. Especially if they're men like this one beside me, deserving of a future in your blessing and good will. Amen.
Oh yes, and one more thing, dear Lord, about our enemies. Ignore their heathen prayers and help us blow those little bastards straight to hell. Amen.
The co-author of the book was Joe Galloway, who had been a reporter for UPI during the war, and who was on the battlefield for entire battle. He serves as the narrator for the story. After the fighting is over, he approaches Col. Moore.
Moore says to him, "I'll never forgive myself."
"For what?", Galloway asks.
With his lip stuck out and tears in his eyes, Moore says, "That my men...that my men died and I didn't."
Galloway then says to Col. Moore: "Sir I don't...I don't know how to tell this story."
Moore looks him in the eye, tears welling up, and says, "Well you got to Joe. You tell the American people what these men did here. You tell them how my troopers died."
Powerful moment, portrayed brilliantly by Mel Gibson, and I'll bet you can't find a man anywhere without a lump in his throat.
So there you have it, my list of the greatest war movie heroes. What do you think? Who do you like?
Financial Industry Bonuses: So What
If you believe the network news, the recession is over. They practically invented the recession, to create dissatisfaction with the Bush administration. If I recall correctly, under W we had less than 3% unemployment, and about 3% inflation—about as close to perfect as you're going to get. Now, inflation is twice that, and unemployment is closing in on 10%. And they say the recession is over?
Financial headlines have been dominated by news of the big banks and their plan to hand out bonuses in the coming weeks. The White House is livid. And NBC News is trying to make you livid too. How COULD they? After WE bailed them out. "What can the government do," they ask? The White House says there isn't much they CAN do, because most of these banks have already paid back the bailout money from the government.
What??
You mean, we bailed them out, and then they gave us the money BACK? And we think that gives us the right to tell them what to do?
A lot of people predicted that this would happen. You let the government in your bed, and they think they can start dictating what color the sheets are. They're just as bad as the mafia.
The reason that people are so angry over bank executives receiving bonuses is that they don't understand how these people are motivated. Sure, they're motivated by greed, just like most of the rest of us. But what gets them working hard is the incentive. It is knowing that if they accomplish the goals set before them, they're going to have a huge pay day. In exchange for that, they're going to give up the guaranteed money.
Most people want to know exactly what their paycheck is going to be. But a fairly small percentage of people are bored by that. They know that their talents and abilities can produce a financial win-win. They are willing to bet a regular paycheck that they can make more on commissions and bonuses. They give up the security, they rely on their abilities. To do anything else would bore them to tears.
I once knew a guy who was being interviewed by a small company. His salary demands were too high for the company to afford, and he knew it. He told the owner of the company, "pay me minimum wage, and not a penny more. If I don't double your revenue in the first year, then minimum wage will be all I will earn. But if I do double your revenue, I get 10% as a bonus."
His goal was to double the company's revenue in the first year. His incentive, if he makes the goal, is ten percent of the company's revenue. What does the owner have to lose? Only the cost associated with paying an employee minimum wage. If that guy makes his goal, the owner makes a ton more money. The company grows. And that guy earns a massive bonus. Win-win.
And that is exactly what he did.
Banks are posting profits. The stock market is headed up again—by 53% since March of this year. The economy seems to be headed in the right direction. These guys did what they promised they would do, and now it is time to reward them for it. So why are people making such a big deal about it?
On the news this morning, I heard one guy (a reporter for the New York Times) say that banks aren't loaning money. Of course, he offered no proof. I think he is full of crap. I don't know what banks he is referring to, but our banks are loaning out tons of money. Every bank I know of is loaning out money. Sure, lending criteria is more strict than before, but that's okay. We don't want to loan money to people who aren't qualified anyway—that's part of what got us into this mess in the first place. So don't believe all the stuff spewing from the Times, and from network TV. Here in the trenches, money is being lent out every day.
This morning, as I was watching the reaction of people to these bonuses, something occurred to me. Where is the outrage over salary bonuses in the sports world? Tiger Woods recently passed the one billion dollar mark. Dude plays golf, makes a BILLION DOLLARS. LeBron James didn't even go to college, and he has earned over $40 million. Peyton Manning, $30 million. In the sports world, you don't even have to prove yourself. If you were good in college, you're going to get a signing bonus in the tens of millions of dollars, before you even try on the uniform. Why are people not outraged over that?
It seems to me that the liberals in Washington, who happen to currently be running the asylum, are trying to get the middle class all amped up over how unfair it is that some suit that works for a bank makes so much more money than they do. Lisa put it best. She said that when she decided to become a teacher, she knew she wouldn't make much money, so she is not going to get upset because someone else makes a lot more. She is happy, she is doing what she loves to do, and she has summers off. All the money in the world cannot replace being in love with what you do.
And now the White House is setting limits on how much money bank execs can earn. This might very well be the most stupid and dangerous thing they can do. Why? Because this is a highly competitive industry. You pay the most money to the best people, the people who are most likely to help you maximize profits. If their salaries are capped, the best talent will just go to a company where the salaries are not capped. This move by the White House "pay czar" (a scary term) is going to hamstring these companies, preventing them from returning to profitability. Which may be exactly what the White House wants to do—keep them from returning to profitability, thus increasing their dependence on the government.
Now I don't care how much money you make. If you earn it, it doesn't matter to me. But don't get all bent out of shape because someone makes a few million dollars more than you. Don't fall for White House tactics, trying to start a class war. First, because you could always make that much or more if you wanted to. And second, because people tend to earn money based on both the level of risk they are willing to take, and the amount of return they bring to the people with the money.
And there's nothing wrong with that, either on Wall Street, or on the playing field, or anyplace else.
What If There Were a Facebook Site For Men Only?
Hey guys. Sometimes, do you find yourself wanting to update your Facebook page, but you don't, because you know that the women on your friend list will see it, and be grossed out by it?
I know I do.
That got me to thinking, what if there were a social networking site, designed for men only?
What would such a site look like? And what would you call it?
Facebro? ManFace?
And what would be some status updates you would expect to see? Be honest.
about the author
Jason is an investment advisor, and a former pastor, who never made very much money as a writer. He is married to his best friend, and has five of the best kids you'd ever want to meet. He is a near-daily bicycle commuter. The biggest challenge he faces in life is how to live out the two commandments.
