misc/i_beat_anorexiaI’ve decided to start doing a “photo of the week” to find the best of the photos I see in a week. I’m starting off with one I saw a few months ago, but recently appeared elsewhere today, and wanted to share it.
I will do my best to give attribution to the photographer, and if a photographer thinks I’m violating their copyrights, please let me know. Also, make sure you click on the thumbnail to see the full-sized image.
Posted on February 19th, 2005 in Tom | No Comments »
Find out whether you’re a Yankee or Dixie on this easy quiz. It’ll take you 5 minutes to get through, and you’re learn some interesting regional terms and pronounciations. I’m 45% Yankee (“Barely Yankee”).
(via Palm Tree Pundit and The Paragraph Farmer.)
Posted on February 18th, 2005 in Tom | No Comments »
Microsoft has posted a guide to “133t5p33k” (aka “elite-speak”). Now, you parents can understand why Johnny keeps saying that the IRS has o\/\/n3d you.
It totally rox0rs, d00d!
(via Slashdot)
Posted on February 18th, 2005 in Tom | No Comments »
I added a new plugin that will automatically link scripture references to The Bible Gateway. Below are a couple tests to see if they link up correctly.
Romans 1
1 John 1:1
1Tim 3:16 <- This doesn’t work. There needs to be a space between the “1″, and the “Tim”.
Gen 1:1-15
Posted on February 17th, 2005 in Tom | No Comments »
This is good for a laugh. I’m sure this’ll upset a few friends and one or two relatives, but it’s still pretty danged funny. Without further ado, here is The Semi-Pelagian Narrower Catechism.
32. Q: What is baptism?
A: Baptism is the act whereby, by the performance of something that seems quite silly in front of everyone, I prove that I really, really mean it.
Posted on February 16th, 2005 in Tom | 1 Comment »
This is a pretty neat tool I found out there. It’s an interactive java tool showing name trends over the last century. Turns out my name is on the decline, but Aiden and Micah seem to be trendy. I hate being trendy.
Posted on February 16th, 2005 in Tom | No Comments »
WordPress released version 1.5. I have a psychological need to run the latest version of any software, so I upgraded. Now I need to move over the custom stuff I had on the old version. As it is, the site is functional, but generic. I’m also typing with one hand because I have a baby in my other arm.
album10/IMG_0244Awesome! Micah Stephen Albrecht introduced himself to our family this evening. Both Sarah and baby are doing just fine. Sarah was amazing! We got to the hospital at 5:30, and she started experiencing heavy labor around 6:15. Micah was born 77 minutes later, at 7:33pm.
Here are the stats for those who keep track of these things:
Date of Birth: February 14, 2005
Time of Birth: 7:33pm EST
Weight: 8lb, 2oz
Length: 21in (I think!)
You can check out the pictures in our photo album.
Posted on February 13th, 2005 in Tom | No Comments »
misc/item_cheesesteakI didn’t know until very recently that Philadelphia has two sandwiches vying for official Philly sandwich. Of course, one is the Philly Cheesesteak, that wonderful, greasy sandwich made from steak sliced thin and fried up on a griddle, and covered with Cheese Whiz, fried onions, and maybe some sauted mushrooms and peppers, and all served on an Amoroso roll. Pure Heaven!
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Posted on February 13th, 2005 in Tom | No Comments »
The Fare Inspectors tried to prevent me from taking photos under threat of citation. When I refused to stop, they tried to cite me but couldn’t find any relevant code, regulation or law to cite me. Enlisting the aid of the SFPD and BART Police officers also yielded now results. No citation was issued.
An amazing account of a photographer, Steve Malik, taking pictures in downtown San Francisco. As he was waiting for a subway, he decided to snap some pictures of the crowd waiting with him. That’s when our modern police state stepped in… the Fare Inspectors could not cite and law that the guy was breaking, so, they did what any decent American would do… they called the cops!
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Posted on February 12th, 2005 in Tom | No Comments »
Another parable blatently stolen from Doug Wilson:
Once there was a man who would not write anything down. This was only a mild nuisance when it came to things like grocery lists, but it was a significant problem in his extensive business dealings. He would make agreements, as he put it, “the way his grandpappy did,” with a smile and a handshake. “We are all Christians,” he would say to those who had requested a written agreement, lease, work contract, whatever. And with that, his questioners went away feeling slightly disapproved of. Some of them sometimes wondered how something like regeneration could make your memory perfect, but none of them ever said anything. Of course, it was not long before his dealings were all in a perfect snarl. One day, while crossing the street at an intersection, he objected to a written message that, when summarized, read something like, “Don’t Walk,” and he was struck and killed by a UPS truck. His widow spent a number of years and many thousands of dollars sorting everything out, and at least three attorneys lived happily ever after.
The moral of this story is that contracts and covenants on paper, whether in business or in marriage, are not a bad thing.
BridalShower/IMG_0233Kate’s bridal shower was this afternoon! Great Grandma Trudy, Becky, Liz, Diana, Tabitha and I all rode up together.
The winding and bumpy roads failed to put me into labor, and we listened to “Disney Princess” songs the whole way there for Tabitha’s sake. She was upset that we were taking grandma’s car and not our car — until grandma put in the music. “I like grandma’s car!” she said.
The shower was a surprise. Kate had overheard a phone conversation where her mom had said something about the 12th of February, and guessed that she was talking about a shower. Then, her mom had plans for a dinner on the same day – so Kate talked herself out of thinking it was the shower date. She worked in the morning until 2pm, and then came home. Still suspecting a shower, she looked around back to see if there were cars parked behind the house — but the guys had cleverly hidden them down the street. Again, she talked herself out of thinking there was a shower. When she opened the door, all the little girls pretty much attacked her with “SURPRISE!” She didn’t jump, but she was surprised.
During the whole shower, these same little girls, Tabitha included, all took turns carrying the presents around and showing them to the other party guests. Kate received two silky night gowns, and the girls were ooo-ing and ahh-ing over them and telling the guests to “feel how soft” they were.
Matt Albrecht and Kate McCarter plan to be married April 2, 2005.
More quality discernment from our Mississippi brethren:
Additionally, leading pastor-theologians in the Reformed and evangelical world have raised concerns over the unbiblical and anti-confessional views of the NPP, NTW, NS and the AAT/FV theologies. Sinclair Ferguson, Al Mohler, Doug Kelly, Don Carson, Rick Phillips, John Piper, R.C. Sproul, Cal Beisner, Frank Barker and more have publicly indicated their disapproval of the theological program of some or all of these various figures and groups.
The NPP would refer, in part, at least, to N.T. Wright, an ordained Anglican. I would hope that ordained Presbyterians like Ferguson, Sproul, and Beisner would be able to find disapproval of some “theological programs” of the Anglican Church.
Also, is it really that shocking that an Episcopalian would find himself out of accord with the Westminster Confession? Why do they keep repeating the obvious statement that some of what Wright teaches is anti-confessional?
For that matter, aren’t Al Mohler and John Piper both Baptists and also anti-confessional? Or are we merely picking and choosing which anti-confessional parts we don’t like?
Mississippi Valley Presbytery has unanimously adopted this study (WARNING: PDF) of the Ad Hoc Committee on the “New Perspective on Paul”, “Federal Vision”, and Norman Shepherd.
Auburn Avenue Presbyterian Church has written up a response to the report, which the MVP notes in it’s final version of their report as adopted.
UPDATE: Joel Garver has also written up an initial response.
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