Don't Vote Obama

Go vote Huckabee if you are Republican, just to let McCain know conservatism is alive and well. More importantly, vote Clinton if you are a Democrat to help show that empty promises of “change” do not mask a poor and strongly liberal record. Nor does it cover up interactions with extremists such as Obama mentor Jeremiah Wright, not to mention Louis Farrakan. Nor does it forgive wild promises concerning Iraq. Obama is wrong for American — I believe the worst of the major candidates to run in either party. Candidates who cause Messianic feelings amongst people should cause the wise person concern not joy. Given Huckabee's unfortunately low polling numbers, I am inclined to say even Republicans should go vote Clinton tomorrow, because it is critical that Obamamania is deflated, if such is even possible at this point.

(Humorous bits like the two mock debates from the past two weeks of SNL, available with a little searching online, may help as they show how biased the mass media is towards Obama, but even that may be too little, too late.)

Meanwhile, check out a very good article by my friend Dennis E. Powell. He has some amusing anecdotes about the primaries tomorrow.

It’s an interesting campaign in terms of the process, if not so much the outcome. In one party, there is someone who has campaigned based on the religious fervor of his followers and an old warhorse who feels through years of service entitled to the nomination. The Republicans have a couple of candidates, too.

Notes

Well, first, I should note that yesterday was the second time I had an opportunity to blog on my blog on a leap day! How exciting. I intended to say something particular about that, but did not! Oops.

Also, I realized my blog's birthday went by without observation. Yes, it was in the last week of February 2002 that the site eventually known as asisaid came alive. I need to bump up my “years blogging” meter on the side column to six!

Finally, it seems fitting, then, to wish a VERY HAPPY 30th BIRTHDAY to Christopher, one of my oldest blogging buddies. Hope you had a good one, Mr. WIT!?!?!

Affinities with Barth

The topic of Deconstruction and Barth is one I've dabbled with before, and I'm wondering if somehow I can link it to Barth's doctrine of election in the independent study I am in. I've been meaning to read Of Grammatology for sometime. Perhaps now is the time to do some of it.

I may have to stretch the connection because, primarily, it seems like Deconstruction works in conjunction with Barth's rejection of natural theology, not his work on the topic of soteriology. Nevertheless, something flickers in my head just beyond my reach as of yet that suggests there is a connection here that I am missing. So perhaps I shall pursue it a bit.

What I would like to spend more time, in general, is connecting twentieth century literary and theology movements. The other key affinity in my mind is that of T.S. Eliot with Barth, particularly the Eliot of “the Wasteland” with the early, Crisis Barth. Both the Wasteland and Der Römerbrief come out of the first World War. What other similarities appear? To what extent does modernist literature interact with Barth's neo-orthodoxy?

Can You Write?

Have something you've been itching to say and been wanting someplace beyond your blog to say it? I'm itching to publish it. Open for Business is looking for article contributions on a wide variety of subjects — current events, politics, religion, philosophy, culture, book reviews, and even fiction — and your piece could be featured on its pages. I would love to publish pieces from some of my esteemed blog neighbors, either as a one-off type thing or, should anyone be interested, a continuing contributor basis.

Unfortunately, right now Open for Business is not able to provide payment for contributions, but we will link to your site in the bio at the bottom of your piece, so it provides you with some exposure (and bragging rights). OFB, in case any of my readers are not familiar with it, has been in online publication since 2001; featured on Slashdot numerous times and even once linked to from the Washington Post's web site, it has at times attracted over one million hits per month, and on a regular month attracts tens of thousands of visitors reading new articles and returning to the archive of content.

As it says on the site:

Open for Business accepts commentaries and other works on technology, current events, politics, philosophy, business and other relevant matters for publication. Commentaries should be 600-800 words in length, other works vary but should generally be kept to less than 1500 words. If you think you would like to contribute, contact OFB's editor, Timothy R. Butler.

C'mon, give it a try.

Discouragement

One of the weird paradoxes of Covenant has been that it has been one of the most encouraging and discouraging experiences I've ever had. Encouraging in seeing the professors and students live the Gospel, encouraging in the wonderful opportunities to learn and be stretched, encouraging in the wonderful people I have met, encouraging in the common sense of mission, encouraging even in how I've learned I like homiletics classes!

But it is discouraging too. A lot of that is in the overwhelming workload. This semester is the first semester ever that I have fallen behind in reading for classes at the beginning of the semester. A few classes have drawn so much time that the others have had to play second fiddle. I don't like that — it makes me uncomfortable and it makes me feel like I really cannot do my best work.

I'm hoping it will improve in the coming weeks. But tonight I feel discouraged.

Digital Note Taking

I've resisted taking notes on a computer for years. Through college, I stuck to my trusty five subject notebooks, which I would usually fill double sided in each section by the end of a semester. I like the feel of taking notes by hand. It keeps my penmanship up a bit, is an active way of embedding the content being talked about in my mind, and allowed me to stare at a computer a few less hours each day. Oh, and, if I really must admit it, I liked being able to doodle in the margins too.

But, all good things must come to pass. Last fall, I was in a small group at Covenant and learned that Microsoft Word:mac has an exclusive to Mac “notebook” mode which records audio as you type your notes. What is really amazing is that every time you press return to move to the next line, Word denotes the time on the audio recording and keys that line to the audio timeline. After you finish taking notes, you can click on any line in the document, hit play, and hear the audio from that point. This is so incredibly useful that I have become a convert to typing my notes.

I say all this because people are use to me complaining about Microsoft. When the folks in Redmond get something right to the extent that they did this feature, they deserve some major kudos! If you find yourself in a class or meeting that goes well with note taking, and you own a Mac, you really should check this out.

I Believe Change Can Happen in the Future...

Hat tip: Credit goes to none other than the man who ties half his brains behind his back just to make it fair, the lovable, harmless, fuzz-ball, the all seeing, all knowing, all feeling Maha Rushie. Yes, El Rushbo himself. That's a clip that has been playing on the Rush Limbaugh Show before EIB Obscene Profit Center breaks. And yes, using all that EIB jargon has just made me admit I listen to America's Anchorman a bit too much… but, don't fear, I am not a Rush 24/7 subscriber, and I do not listen to the Weapon of Mass Instruction every day. And, no, I do not go to Rush for my political opinions. If I did, I wouldn't support Huckabee and I would never vote for McCain.

Writing, Writing, Writing

Over the span of five days, starting today (Thursday), I have five papers or sermons of varying sizes due. I've been facing writers block of a sort again lately, so it was with much joy that tonight I was able to start writing fairly quickly again. I filled in (at least in rough form) four of the six sub points in my sermon project and even came up with one illustration.

I just hope God will keep me cruising through the pages tomorrow. If I can keep up at the same rate, I could have rough drafts of my two largest projects fairly complete tomorrow. That would given me a little wiggle room to edit and rewrite as needed.

An Open Letter to KMOX and CBS Radio

I sent the following letter to KMOX's general manager, Dave Ervin, as well as CBS Radio's Dan Mason and Greg Strassell, after learning KMOX canned host Paul Harris in an effort to cut costs. Taking one of their best personalities off the air because AM radio's audience is shrinking and hence ad rates are dropping seems like a sure fire way not to improve revenue but to accelerate audience losses. Mr. Ervin's e-mail is publicly available, so I linked to it above. I encourage anyone reading this blog who is a KMOX listener online or on the radio to send him a note telling him this was a bad idea.

From: Timothy R. Butler
To: Dave Ervin
Cc: Dan Mason, Greg Strassell, Paul Harris
Subject: Paul Harris and KMOX's Future

Dear Mr. Ervin,

I have been a loyal KMOX listener for as long as I can remember. I grew up listening to Charles Brennan and Kevin Horrigan on “the Morning Meeting” when possible, and often went to sleep listening to “the Big Bumper,” Jim White. I am part of the younger demographic (I am 24) that is always said to be desirable to radio stations. To me, KMOX holds a mystique that places it with key St. Louis institutions such as the Gateway Arch and Ted Drews — KMOX is part of what makes the City of St. Louis great.

What makes KMOX itself great is its personalities, and the station suffered a lot over the last decade or so, especially after the launch of the station now known as KTRS and its initial draw of many favorite KMOX personalities over to its airwaves in 1996. Just a short time ago I was discussing with my family how it seemed that KMOX had finally returned to its former greatness by filling the entire lineup from the morning drive time through the evening with personalities truly of the caliber that the Mighty MOX was built on. One of the personalities that has been so important to this is Paul Harris, and I am incredibly dismayed to hear that he has been taken off the air. Frankly, the lure of satellite radio, online news and other media options like podcasts makes listening to AM radio less and less of an attractive option; it has been people like Paul Harris that keep me turning my dial to 1120 AM. During the day, I happily start my day with TI-AM and the Charlie Brennan Show, I enjoy Rush Limbaugh, and on the way home it has been a delight to hear Harris's unique, thoughtful spin on things as well. I do not agree with any of them all of the time, but I appreciate the quality and diversity of opinion that characterizes the KMOX lineup. This quality lineup has allowed me to turn on KMOX without the need to contemplate first whether something good was on — I knew there was something good on.

I realize that money is tight and that sometimes it is necessary to cut costs. But, Mr. Ervin, the way KMOX makes its money is through its listeners, and the reason we listen is not because KMOX is the only choice, but because it has been the BEST choice, precisely due to people like Mr. Harris. Without “the Paul Harris Show,” more than likely, I will not tune into KMOX in the afternoon. If Mr. Harris goes on another station, I will — for the first time — become a regular listener to a different local news/talk station. If he does not, I would rather find something good on my XM Radio than tune into “the Mark Reardon Show.” I have nothing against Mr. Reardon, but Paul Harris is in a different league. I presume that is why Harris was the one to go to the cutting block. But, if, in trying to cut costs, you lose more of your audience and thus your ad dollars, will this not make the balance book even worse off than before?

I realize it would be a difficult and unusual move to reverse a decision such as the one to fire Mr. Harris. However, I urge you to do just that. Prove to people like me, the listeners that make KMOX possible, that KMOX and CBS Radio actually care about their audience by bringing back “the Paul Harris Show.” KMOX as a St. Louis institution deserves to be preserved, and the only way it can be is to insist on the excellence that made it great. Excellence will keep your audience tuned in and patronizing your
sponsors into the future.

Best Regards,
Timothy R. Butler

Go Huckabee!

Mike Huckabee has already taken Kansas today. If you are in a state voting this weekend, consider voting for the best and last conservative standing for the 2008 Presidential nomination. Huckabee is the only true outsider, the only one with innovative plans to reform government and is the only candidate to survive as a major player despite the mass media constantly trying to show him as an also ran. Send a message to the nation that this race isn't over yet!

Also, consider helping me reach my $100 for Huckabee goal by donating through this link to MikeHuckabee.com.

Let's tell American we like Mike!