You are currently browsing the monthly archive for November, 2008.
I saw this on a few of the blogs I read and thought I should hop on the bandwagon.
And on the trivial, humourous side of this blog comes this story:
A new microwave appeared at work recently. This equipment has far more features than a microwave ought to have and its control panel looks like that of a graphing calculator. However, I thought the most peculiar thing was that when the microwave was done the display screen ran the message, ‘Enjoy your food.’
I was immediately reminded of the motto ‘Share and Enjoy’
“Share and Enjoy” is the company motto of the hugely successful Sirius Cybernetics Corporation Complaints Devision, which now covers the major land masses of three medium-sized planets and is the only part of the Corporation to have shown a consistent profit in recent years.
The motto stands—or rather stood—in three mile high illuminated letters near the complaints Department spaceport of Eadrax. Unfortunately its weight was such that shortly after it was erected, the ground beneath the letters caved in and they dropped for nearly half their length through the offices of many talented young Complaints executives—now deceased.
The protruding upper halves of the letters now appear, in the local language, to read “Go stick your head in a pig,” and are no longer illuminated, except at times of special celebration.
—The Restuarant at the End of the Universe—Douglas Adams
The message reminds me of the Genuine People Personality Feature of the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation, of which the depressive robot Marvin was a prototype. Other machines with GPP were the friendly ship’s computer and the neurotic elevators. Why do I need a microwave to tell me to enjoy my food?
Will our machines eventually have something similar to GPP? Probably not, as even Microsoft learned from Clippy’s failure. However, one hopes that manufacturers read satires of their products and trend in appliances.
Yesterday at Desert Springs Presbyterian Church, our pastor was out of town and Rev Shaynor Newsome preached on 1 Samuel 17: the story of David and Goliath.
Now, since becoming Reformed, I know that all of Scripture (including the Old Testament) points to Christ. I have even read this story and how it fits into the redemptive-historical narrative. But hearing it in a sermon is quite different. How thankful I am that I am not to ’slay the giants in my life’, but that the anointed one has won victory for me and defeats all his and my enemies.
Here is the link to the sermon audio.
Today is this blog’s anniversary. While I have not yet posted part two of “Revelation and Epistemology“, I have obtained Michael Poylani’s book, Personal Knowledge: Towards a Post-Critical Philosophy and it is high on my list of books I plan to read.
In the the previous year, many interesting and wonderful things occurred that I did not foresee. Primarily, I became a father. I have observed Charles develop from a unknown twinkling in my eye, to a 10-pound newborn, to a 2-month old active infant. We bought our first house, and are slowly transforming it into a more beautiful place. True, not everything has been peachy or on (my) schedule, but looking back on the past year, I must say God has blessed us very much.
To celebrate, I have changed the name and look of this blog, and hope to add to the widgets on the side soon (most improvements are planned to add links to media I find enjoyable). If you know of any cool items you’d like to see on the sidebar or think I’d be interested in, let me know. Also, feel free to comment on the changes.
Well here’s a look back and a look ahead:
Some of my favourite posts of last year:
Locust, the BBC, and Repentance
Xenophobia and Talk Radio
A Small Story in a Day
Pædobaptism: A Sign and Seal of Covenantal Grace
Ibid, the Greatest Unsung Writer
Carbon Offsets: The New Papal Indulgence
And upcoming posts:
Marvin and the Microwave
Planet Narnia
Bourbon: Not Just a County in Kentucky (Matt, I probably could use your help researching this post)
John Calvin, the Quinticentenary
Revelation and Epistemology Part II
If you’re interested (and 5% of my readership is, along as I’m included as part of my readership), here is a list of names my wife and I brainstormed while trying to find a new name for this blog. I apologize for the less than optimal resolution, but rest assured that a higher resolution would not hinder reading my chirography any more than the current resolution.
C T Hall Brainstorms a New Blog name.
Heather and I were browsing iPhone apps and saw an ad for Urbanspoon.com. Not having an iPhone, we went to the website and found it was fairly cool. The site contains reviews of restaurants (written by critics and users), and allows you to vote on if you like or dislike the restaurant. The city of your interest is divided into neighbourhoods and a feature even allows you to search close to an address. Next time we want to find a good close restaurant, we’ll be sure to check it out.
I’ve come across some interesting blog posts concerning election and politics:
On the Virtue of Spoiling Ballot Papers
[Thoughts on]President-Elect Obama
Natural Law, the Two Kingdoms, and Homosexual Marriage
For more information on Natural Law, q.v., Natural Law and Light in the Reformed Confessions and Is Natural Law “Theocratic”?
Some Initial Thoughts on Praying for President-Elect Obama
A Four-Year-Old and the Presidency
I hope you enjoy.
I thought you, readers in my section of the blogosphere, would especially enjoy this Demotivational Poster.
Never before have so many people with so little to say said so much to so few.
