Happy General Conference weekend everyone!
Like I do with all General Conference weekends, Scripture Sunday will not be posted. The prophets and apostles don't need my competition.
God bless and enjoy!
Saturday, September 30, 2017
Friday, September 29, 2017
Album of the weekend
Sublime-Sublime
Combine punk rock and ska and you get Sublime. A great band that never got a lot mainstream acceptance and success until the very end of their career. Two months before the release of this album the lead singer, Brad Nowell, was found dead of a heroin overdose. Extremely tragic-and this album shows that they could have been much bigger if only he could have controlled the demons. Very sad.
This is not a positive, peppy album even though the sound of it is oddly optimistic. The content of the songs is actually quite dark. From underage promiscuity to drug use to taking revenge on those involved in a failed romance-this album is like Johnny Cash singing ska-punk. For such a dark album it's ironic to me that one of my favorite memories is singing Santeria at a bar in Downtown Disney, the happiest place on earth.
Santeria is one of many great songs. "Wrong Way", "What I Got", "Caress me Down" and many others make this album an absolute must have. It has the same southern California sound as Social Distortion. A punk-ska-ish style that hasn't been replicated since.
Combine punk rock and ska and you get Sublime. A great band that never got a lot mainstream acceptance and success until the very end of their career. Two months before the release of this album the lead singer, Brad Nowell, was found dead of a heroin overdose. Extremely tragic-and this album shows that they could have been much bigger if only he could have controlled the demons. Very sad.
This is not a positive, peppy album even though the sound of it is oddly optimistic. The content of the songs is actually quite dark. From underage promiscuity to drug use to taking revenge on those involved in a failed romance-this album is like Johnny Cash singing ska-punk. For such a dark album it's ironic to me that one of my favorite memories is singing Santeria at a bar in Downtown Disney, the happiest place on earth.
Santeria is one of many great songs. "Wrong Way", "What I Got", "Caress me Down" and many others make this album an absolute must have. It has the same southern California sound as Social Distortion. A punk-ska-ish style that hasn't been replicated since.
Thursday, September 28, 2017
Hugh Heffner
Hugh Hefner has passed away, and this time it doesn't look like a hoax.
This post might seem odd, coming from a blog that is at least partially religious in nature. Of course it won't be vulgar, but I do want to talk about him. No apologies, you can read it if you want or not.
At least partially, I admire him. At one point in his life, he idolized Ayn Rand before he found out she was a :: gasp :: a Barry Goldwater Republican. He also respected Sigmund Freud, another famous mind I greatly admire as well. For obvious reasons, I don't "approve" of everything about his life nor do I agree with everything he did or how he lived his life. But how he recreated himself, his devotion to free speech, his refusal to quit, his business sense-yes, in some ways I still admire him.
For men my age, before the internet was popular, Hugh Hefner was the introduction we had to sex. I still remember where I was when I saw my first issue. The kid hiding it-and I'm dead serious-hid it behind a picture of a rabbit jogging. It was incredibly taboo-we knew if we were caught we'd be in serious trouble-but it seems very quaint today. I'm going from memory here, but I believe the pin ups in Playboy were just nude, they weren't engaged in sexual acts. Playboy wasn't Penthouse or Hustler-which showed women in much more lewd and disgusting ways. Playboy was rated R, Hustler and Penthouse was rated XXX.
He seemed very normal. Apparently in some ways he was the idol for men age 18-39. Not just because of he dated attractive women-(trying to keep this PG-13 folks)but because he brought a certain "class" to "pornography". I do not consider Playboy pornography, for the record.
Hefner seems antiquated in the age of hook ups. and instant gratification. Heff invited women in for a conversation on Picasso, jazz, Nietzsche and sex. It was safer for women to be a Playboy bunny then a Hustler girl-Flynt seemed like a rapist who would use force and Guccione the type who would talk you into bed, make you pay for dinner then cab fare the next day. Hefner was "the type" who you could trust. If you said no, he knew it meant no.
His first wife cheated on him, and it's widely thought that he never got over it. In fact, you can put on your psychologists hat and say that perhaps this affair caused him to never look at women the same way-maybe he lost trust in fidelity and faithfulness. Perhaps when he slept with each one of his girlfriends he was taking it out on his ex wife. His two divorces might imply that he has some issues with trust.
His life also seems incredibly shallow. I feel sorry for him, not envious. Sex with thousands of partners-and lets face it-he had thousands of them-doesn't seem as meaningful a stable relationship. He's been left behind by the movement he started.
His last few years he's been suffering with OCD and has become a bit of a recluse. Several Playboy bunnies have talked about his habits and personality and it has been far from flattering. The Mansion has gone into great decay and much like the man who lived there, it seems like it belongs in a different era. Hugh Heffner has become Howard Hughes.
I didn't always live an LDS approved lifestyle so I'm not holding myself up as the model of chastity and decent behavior. Just some thoughts on the passing of a man who, like it or not, was a front runner in the sexual revolution but now seems to be a victim of it.
RIP.
This post might seem odd, coming from a blog that is at least partially religious in nature. Of course it won't be vulgar, but I do want to talk about him. No apologies, you can read it if you want or not.
At least partially, I admire him. At one point in his life, he idolized Ayn Rand before he found out she was a :: gasp :: a Barry Goldwater Republican. He also respected Sigmund Freud, another famous mind I greatly admire as well. For obvious reasons, I don't "approve" of everything about his life nor do I agree with everything he did or how he lived his life. But how he recreated himself, his devotion to free speech, his refusal to quit, his business sense-yes, in some ways I still admire him.
For men my age, before the internet was popular, Hugh Hefner was the introduction we had to sex. I still remember where I was when I saw my first issue. The kid hiding it-and I'm dead serious-hid it behind a picture of a rabbit jogging. It was incredibly taboo-we knew if we were caught we'd be in serious trouble-but it seems very quaint today. I'm going from memory here, but I believe the pin ups in Playboy were just nude, they weren't engaged in sexual acts. Playboy wasn't Penthouse or Hustler-which showed women in much more lewd and disgusting ways. Playboy was rated R, Hustler and Penthouse was rated XXX.
He seemed very normal. Apparently in some ways he was the idol for men age 18-39. Not just because of he dated attractive women-(trying to keep this PG-13 folks)but because he brought a certain "class" to "pornography". I do not consider Playboy pornography, for the record.
Hefner seems antiquated in the age of hook ups. and instant gratification. Heff invited women in for a conversation on Picasso, jazz, Nietzsche and sex. It was safer for women to be a Playboy bunny then a Hustler girl-Flynt seemed like a rapist who would use force and Guccione the type who would talk you into bed, make you pay for dinner then cab fare the next day. Hefner was "the type" who you could trust. If you said no, he knew it meant no.
His first wife cheated on him, and it's widely thought that he never got over it. In fact, you can put on your psychologists hat and say that perhaps this affair caused him to never look at women the same way-maybe he lost trust in fidelity and faithfulness. Perhaps when he slept with each one of his girlfriends he was taking it out on his ex wife. His two divorces might imply that he has some issues with trust.
His life also seems incredibly shallow. I feel sorry for him, not envious. Sex with thousands of partners-and lets face it-he had thousands of them-doesn't seem as meaningful a stable relationship. He's been left behind by the movement he started.
His last few years he's been suffering with OCD and has become a bit of a recluse. Several Playboy bunnies have talked about his habits and personality and it has been far from flattering. The Mansion has gone into great decay and much like the man who lived there, it seems like it belongs in a different era. Hugh Heffner has become Howard Hughes.
I didn't always live an LDS approved lifestyle so I'm not holding myself up as the model of chastity and decent behavior. Just some thoughts on the passing of a man who, like it or not, was a front runner in the sexual revolution but now seems to be a victim of it.
RIP.
Wednesday, September 27, 2017
The remake of It, part II
I've already mentioned my thoughts on the remake of It. I was dragged to see the movie this weekend.
Clowns, like everything else in life, are only scary if they seem innocent at first. Think of it this way-if you see a guy in a t shirt holding a sign that says "I am a serial killer" are you going to go up and give him a hug? Of course not. If you see a person with a bloody ax walking down main street and asking for a ride to McDonalds, are you going to pick him up? That's the issue with scary clowns. Most kids would run away screaming, balloon or not. If you, as a six year old, saw a clown lurking in the sewers-what would you do? That's one of the many flaws in this movie. If you have an antagonist who looks like a blood thirsty maniac, you better put the characters in a situation that they can't get out of. If they have the opportunity to run, they'll run. Anthony Perkins in Psycho is scary because he looks harmless.
I'm a feminist. I know that's odd because I'm not a woman and I'm not a liberal. But yes, feminists can be of all political stripes and all genders. In this movie, the only woman is basically a damsel in distress and used only to be kissed by every single boy in the group. That's not reality, especially at that age. The book is much worse, she's basically passed around like a joint. It crosses the line from "bad taste" to "offensive".
I could go on. I could talk about the bullies being stock characters with no real motivation other than to be bullies. I could talk about the crazy parents. I could talk about how no one in this movie aside from the kids is a decent person. The only thing missing that would make it a typical Stephen King movie is the insane fundamentalist religious person who is to blame for everything.
Other than that, I loved the movie.
Clowns, like everything else in life, are only scary if they seem innocent at first. Think of it this way-if you see a guy in a t shirt holding a sign that says "I am a serial killer" are you going to go up and give him a hug? Of course not. If you see a person with a bloody ax walking down main street and asking for a ride to McDonalds, are you going to pick him up? That's the issue with scary clowns. Most kids would run away screaming, balloon or not. If you, as a six year old, saw a clown lurking in the sewers-what would you do? That's one of the many flaws in this movie. If you have an antagonist who looks like a blood thirsty maniac, you better put the characters in a situation that they can't get out of. If they have the opportunity to run, they'll run. Anthony Perkins in Psycho is scary because he looks harmless.
I'm a feminist. I know that's odd because I'm not a woman and I'm not a liberal. But yes, feminists can be of all political stripes and all genders. In this movie, the only woman is basically a damsel in distress and used only to be kissed by every single boy in the group. That's not reality, especially at that age. The book is much worse, she's basically passed around like a joint. It crosses the line from "bad taste" to "offensive".
I could go on. I could talk about the bullies being stock characters with no real motivation other than to be bullies. I could talk about the crazy parents. I could talk about how no one in this movie aside from the kids is a decent person. The only thing missing that would make it a typical Stephen King movie is the insane fundamentalist religious person who is to blame for everything.
Other than that, I loved the movie.
Tuesday, September 26, 2017
Gene Simmons "Vault' experience
Got $2,000 to throw away?
If you do, you can buy a special Gene Simmons box set. Complete with your very own, um, vault. I know a lot of Kiss fans but I don't know anyone who can drop $2,000 on this monstrosity. If you can, great. Go for it. It's a free country and I'm a naked capitalist so how you spend your money is none of my concern. If you buy this you also have the opportunity to invite Gene into your home. That might be interesting for some Kiss fans, but to me the thought of Gene Simmons sitting on my couch and petting my dog is sickening. How he avoided serious STDs in his life is beyond me. It's not funny, it's disgusting. I'd want to burn my couch down after him sitting on it.
I find his behavior offensive. Him thinking every girl out there wants to sleep with him (I saw him flirting with girls in their 20's, younger than his own daughter. Disgusting) just because he's in a band is archaic. I'm not sure if he's ever been sued for sexual harassment. If he hasn't, he should take it as a win and move on. The worst part about him is that he's a smart man (maybe even a brilliant man) and should know better.
The end is near for Kiss and Gene Simmons. The guy is 68 years old and he's insinuated that he won't be in Kiss forever. This is what he'll be doing for the remainder his time on earth-hawking products like a guy on Saturday afternoon infomercials.
If you do, you can buy a special Gene Simmons box set. Complete with your very own, um, vault. I know a lot of Kiss fans but I don't know anyone who can drop $2,000 on this monstrosity. If you can, great. Go for it. It's a free country and I'm a naked capitalist so how you spend your money is none of my concern. If you buy this you also have the opportunity to invite Gene into your home. That might be interesting for some Kiss fans, but to me the thought of Gene Simmons sitting on my couch and petting my dog is sickening. How he avoided serious STDs in his life is beyond me. It's not funny, it's disgusting. I'd want to burn my couch down after him sitting on it.
I find his behavior offensive. Him thinking every girl out there wants to sleep with him (I saw him flirting with girls in their 20's, younger than his own daughter. Disgusting) just because he's in a band is archaic. I'm not sure if he's ever been sued for sexual harassment. If he hasn't, he should take it as a win and move on. The worst part about him is that he's a smart man (maybe even a brilliant man) and should know better.
The end is near for Kiss and Gene Simmons. The guy is 68 years old and he's insinuated that he won't be in Kiss forever. This is what he'll be doing for the remainder his time on earth-hawking products like a guy on Saturday afternoon infomercials.
Monday, September 25, 2017
My baseball bet II
It's not looking good for me.
Back in April I made a bet with my friend about baseball. If the New York Yankees finished with a better record than the Tampa Bay Rays, I'd have to write a check to the Democratic National Committee. If the Rays had the better record, he'd be writing the check to the Republican National Committee. The post where I first mentioned the bet is right here.
The Rays had a great first half but really sputtered in the second, so barring a total collapse from the Yankees I'll be writing a check to the DNC. I hate losing more than I enjoy winning, and this one is a real pain in the ass to write. Thank God it's only five bucks.
Back in April I made a bet with my friend about baseball. If the New York Yankees finished with a better record than the Tampa Bay Rays, I'd have to write a check to the Democratic National Committee. If the Rays had the better record, he'd be writing the check to the Republican National Committee. The post where I first mentioned the bet is right here.
The Rays had a great first half but really sputtered in the second, so barring a total collapse from the Yankees I'll be writing a check to the DNC. I hate losing more than I enjoy winning, and this one is a real pain in the ass to write. Thank God it's only five bucks.
Sunday, September 24, 2017
Scripture Sunday Alma 7:15
In order to join a Christian church you need to be baptized. Baptism is many things to many different denominations. While I understand why Orthodox/Catholic/Lutherans baptize children, I'm much more sympathetic to the other protestant denominations that only baptize adults. No, that is not an insult to those religions who baptize infants, it's just my personal, subjective opinion.
It's obvious why a parent would raise a child in their own religion (if you believe their eternal salvation is at stake, obviously you'll raise them in your religion), but I think religion is such a personal thing that we should only make the choice to be religious or not as an adult. After all, many people are only religious to make their parents happy and keep family harmony together. Baptism should be an adult making an adult choice to follow the religion.
This passage reminds us that in order to be properly baptized, we need to make certain covenants and keep commandments. We put down our old life and become new people. You become a new person and a new witness by entering into the water of baptism.
It's obvious why a parent would raise a child in their own religion (if you believe their eternal salvation is at stake, obviously you'll raise them in your religion), but I think religion is such a personal thing that we should only make the choice to be religious or not as an adult. After all, many people are only religious to make their parents happy and keep family harmony together. Baptism should be an adult making an adult choice to follow the religion.
This passage reminds us that in order to be properly baptized, we need to make certain covenants and keep commandments. We put down our old life and become new people. You become a new person and a new witness by entering into the water of baptism.
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