Fallen into Knowledge

Forget Cosmetic....

2005-04-17T23:51:00.000-07:00

Okay, forget the cosmetic changes. This Blog has moved. It has decided to join my Website. Afterall, it was kinda ridiculous to have a website at one address and a blog at another. So head over to www.christopherlayton.org and let me know what you think of the new digs.

Cosmetic Changes

2005-04-16T22:52:00.000-07:00

I had grown tired of the look of the blog, and tired of the title; and so finally being inspired by Joyce, I decided to make a leap of Faith.
The new title is inspired by John Milton's Paradise Lost:

"Out of the fertil ground he caus'd to grow
All Trees of noblest kind for sight, smell, taste;
And all amid them stood the Tree of Life,
High eminent, blooming Ambrosial Fruit
Of vegetable Gold; and next to Life
Our Death the Tree of Knowledge grew fast by,
Knowledge of Good bought dear by knowing ill."

Bike Move

2005-04-16T22:38:00.000-07:00

Here's another picture of the bike move, this one while riding down
16th Ave.

Bike Move

2005-04-16T22:28:00.000-07:00

This Morning I participated in my first Bike Move. These events have
been happening more often of late; perhaps its catching on. If you are
unfamiliar with this, the idea is to get people (and all of their
stuff) moved without the use of automobiles. Instead, a bunch of
people on bikes, many with trailers, show up, grab all of the "movee's"
stuff, and transport it to the new Pad. It was a load of fun, and
further re-assurance that one can live just fine in the city without a
car.

Multnomah Blogroll

2005-04-12T12:41:00.000-07:00

This is a great idea
If you are attached in some way to Multnomah Bible College/Seminary and you have a blog, get on over and let people know!
Onward and Upward

The Grammar Patrol Strikes Again

2005-04-09T11:33:00.000-07:00

"March 2005
Dear Dex Media White & Yellow Page Users:

We inadvertently goofed!"

Tell me, if one goofs on purpose, is it still a goof?

If I were a book, they say I'd be...

2005-04-09T10:11:00.000-07:00

You're Ulysses!

by James Joyce

Most people are convinced that you don't make any sense, but compared
to what else you could say, what you're saying now makes tons of sense. What people do
understand about you is your vulgarity, which has convinced people that you are at once
brilliant and repugnant. Meanwhile you are content to wander around aimlessly, taking in
the sights and sounds of the city. What you see is vast, almost limitless, and brings you
additional fame. When no one is looking, you dream of being a Greek folk hero.

Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

And, yes, I have read it...

Ways to Use a Book

2005-03-30T22:35:00.000-08:00

This beautiful quote is from the introduction to Schopenhauer's "The World as Will and Representation:"

"I am afraid, however, that even so I shall not be let off. The reader who has gotten as far as the prefaceand is put off by that, has paid money for the book, and wants to know how he is to be compensated. My last refuge now is to remind him that he knows of various ways of using a book without precisely reading it. It can, like many other, fill a gap in his library, where, neatly bound, it is sure to look well. Or he can lay it on the dressing table or tea table of his learned lady friend. Or finally he can review it; this is assuredly the best course of all, and the one I specially advise."

Syllabus Shock

2005-03-30T13:58:00.000-08:00

Fortunately I have anly a few papers this term, in addition to the usual round of mid-terms and finals (read: madly fill as many blue books as one can in the alloted time)
these are not what is creating in me a sense of panic; no, what I am panicy about is my calculation that I will need to read 1000 (one tousand) pages per week to keep up. None of the reading is as hard as last semester (Kant and Heidegger), but there is a lot more of it. Yikes!
I geuss it is time to take up again that habit I broke: reading while walking. Maybe I should also learn to read while riding my bike....

Saturation Point?

2005-03-27T22:45:00.000-08:00

While playing around on the PowerBook, I discovered (via Sherlock) that there are Twenty-One (!) Starbucks locations within two (2!) miles of my house. Is this really necessary? The closest location A whole .04 miles away, and, yes, I can see it from my apartment.

Spring Break Adventuring

2005-03-25T23:00:00.000-08:00

Its Spring Break!

Adam McInturf and I went backpacking in the Trinity-Alps, in Northern California (or, as some would have it, southern Cascadia). Perhaps it would be better if I said “we attempted to go backpacking.”
We drove down on Monday, got our wilderness permit and hit the trail. In the rain. By the time we made camp for the night we were both thoroughly wet. But our gear was mostly dry and so in not-yet damp spirits we got in the tent. After all, the pictures of the lakes to which we were heading looked spectacular. About the time we decided that it would be good to break out the stove and fix dinner and tea, I noticed that the ground was starting to look white. It snowed constantly through the night that first night, and we did not manage to get any drier.
Morning on the second day we decided to head for the nearest town, Weaverville, where we hoped to consult the Rangers to see where else (with a lower elevation) we might explore within the Trinity-Alps wilderness, and also to find a laundry-mat to dry out our gear. The laundry-mat idea turned out to be a stroke of brilliance, we were dry in no time; the Ranger, on the other hand, was less than encouraging. So we headed north toward Lake Shasta, looking for drier climes, swinging by Redding on the way so as to visit the nearest IN-N-OUT for dinner.
After dinner, which was excellent as one might expect, we noticed two things: first, we were running from a mess of black clouds; and, second, we were losing. Also, we were running low on daylight. So we quickly found the first place to camp that didn’t cost us any money: Down by the railroad tracks, somewhere off the highway near lake Shasta. We both felt like characters from a John Steinbeck novel. It rained on us through the second night also, letting up only as if to tease us.
Morning Three: not as wet as before, but our spirits were dampened considerably, so we headed to Ashland to explore. We set up in Lithia park: The stage of the amphitheater was the driest spot we could find that we could set up the tent to let it air out while we ate lunch. Picture this, two guys a bunch of gear and a tent, set up on the stage of an otherwise empty amphitheater, cooking. Needless to say we attracted the attention of the local law enforcement.
The Ashland police officer proved to be quite understanding once we assured him that we were not settling down for the night there on stage, even going so far as suggesting some camping spots for the night. We chose to not take him up on the offer; we, seeing the persisting black rain clouds, decided that we had enough with getting wet and drove home.
But not before exploring Ashland, and not before I found a couple of books at Ashland’s many fine used-book emporiums. Alas, our backpacking trip did not have much in the way of backpacking. But it was an adventure; and any adventure where one both both lives and does not get arrested is a success in my book. Plus, just think of all the great stories I can not ramble on about.
Oh, by the way, I wrote this post from my reading chair, typing on my new 15” PowerBook, which I bought the day after we got back - and which I think is pretty neat.

two weeks left

2005-03-03T23:12:00.000-08:00

The amazing thing about Paul isn’t that he said and did all these wonderful things; it’s that he did it all without coffee.

– N. T. Wright, in a lecture on Romans at Regent College in Vancouver, B.C.

Two weeks left this term. Two weeks, four papers to write and seven books to read. If you are wondered if I had wandered into oblivion, I am still here. I'm feeling kinda busy, though. I'll write more when I come up again for air.

Hitchhiker's Guide ti the Galaxy

2005-02-16T09:43:00.000-08:00

I just watched a new trailer for the upcoming movie "the Hitchhiker's guide to the Galaxy." If you know what I am talking about, you are laready excited and are not reading this anymore, but have already clicked on the link below. If you are still reading, sopt and click on the link below. I mean it. Now.Amazon.com: Welcome

Royale Theme for WinXP

2005-02-15T00:12:00.000-08:00

Do you use Windows XP?
Are you tired of the stock look, but not keen about using a third party skinning engine?
What if Microsoft made a new, better looking theme for XP?
Well, they have.
They haven't officially released it yet, but it has been leaked, and you can try it out at the site linked below.
The skinny: It works like a native Windows theme (because it is), and it is a real improvement over what I have been used to.
Download Royale Theme for WinXP (leaked)

Mid Terms officially over

2005-02-13T19:18:00.000-08:00

Well, I just hit the "print" button for my last mid-term. A paper on a book that I do not understand - no fun at all. But, rejoice, it is done - even if the paper makes no sense at all, thats okay by me, since the book that it describes doesn't make sense either. Now I am making no sense. Oh well, now that I am finished, it is time to catch up on my reading in those other books (the ones that do make sense). Ahhh. the Joys of Schooling in the Fast Lane. Back to work.

Today's Dose of the Absurd

2005-02-04T18:52:00.000-08:00

Lawyers representing several record companies have filed suit against an 83-year old woman who died in December, claiming that she made more than 700 songs available on the internet.
"I believe that if music companies are going to set examples they need to do it to appropriate people and not dead people," Robin Chianumba told AP. "I am pretty sure she is not going to leave Greenwood Memorial Park to attend the hearing."
RIAA sues the dead | The Register
No comment necessary.

Welcome to the Greer-Heard Point Counterpoint Forum

2005-02-01T20:57:00.000-08:00

As a part of the Southwest Regional meeting ofthe Evangelical Theological Society, John Dominic Crossan and N.T. Wright are having a dialogue about the Historicity of the Resurrection. Sounds facinating. (anybody want to donate a plane ticket) Go here for more information.

2005-02-01T17:55:00.000-08:00

Here is an interesting article from U.S. News and World Report that I came across today. It concerns "corperate chaplians," that is, spiritual advisors who look over a workplace "flock." The interesting thing is, it is the company itself that sets this state of affairs up. Huh...I am not entirely sure what to think about this.

2005-01-28T19:45:00.000-08:00

Here is another, about half way into the ride, taken while re-grouping

2005-01-28T19:41:00.000-08:00

Here we are just before leaving on the ride - I would estimate between 200-300 people total rode.

Critical Mass

2005-01-28T19:26:00.000-08:00

I just now got back from this month's Critical Mass, and as I'm sure will be reported heavily on the local news tonite, the Mayor, Tom Potter, rode with us (as previously noted, see below). When I asked him why he wanted to ride with us, he responded that he had received conflicting reports on the movement from those who rode and the police the are inevitably our escort; so he wanted to see for himself what this was all about. He also noted that he had just planned on showing up - this wasn't supposed to be a media event. But it was - it seemed as though every local TV station was filming and reporters were present from every local newspaper. Also, since the word got out about the mayors riding with us, there were hundreds of cyclists present.
I talked with some of the people there and got the vibe that many people who want to participate in the ride haven't because of the stories of police "harassment," but given the mayors presence now felt comfortable.
It was an enjoyable, peaceful ride. I only heard a few directions from the police escort - all aimed at preventing cyclists from breaking the law - and only saw a few angry drivers, most of whom quickly had a bicycle police officer talking with them. It was a good ride! It will be very encouraging if we see people come back to do it again next month.

Photo-shoppin' Goodness

2005-01-24T23:58:00.000-08:00

On a lighter note...here is a page-full of photoshopped Mars pictures. Not all of the photos are the greatest in skill or taste, but there are some gems in thar web space. Filter wisely.

RDD Exhibition 2004

2005-01-24T00:01:00.000-08:00

The genetic modification of foodstuff is a tricky issue: clealy some modifications, like when a tomato is no longer vegetarian-friendly, can be labeled "frankenfood." But does modifying a seed to make it more resistant to disease as difference of degree or kind? How much should a consumer be told? RDD This exibit is thought provoking.

Future of the People of God talks | open source theology

2005-01-23T19:28:00.000-08:00

Here is a link to some audio files of N.T. Wright talking about the church. As if hearing Wright talk about the church wasn't interesting enough, his audience for these lectures is an Emerging Church Conference. Fascinating indeed!
Future of the People of God talks | open source theology

TIME Magazine: Grow Up? Not So Fast

2005-01-20T22:14:00.000-08:00

This is an interesting story, both in the traditional sense - the subject matter is interesting (its about people in my age group), and also in another sense - I hadn't thought of myself as too unusual in this respect. That is, the article describes the life/growing up patterns of those between 21 and 31 as being novel in many ways, but since I am in the midst of those experiences that the article describes (not only I, but also most of the people I spend a significant amount of time with) I hadn't considered my experiences to be unusual.
Why is it taking longer for us to become fully naturalized adults (married/family/financial independent/home owners)?
1. We are poorer (I, for one have never managed to break the poverty line)
2. School takes longer, is more expensive, and has less impact on our future financial well-being (and, oh, what a combination that makes)
3. Job security is harder to come by.
Those seem to be the tree main reasons that the article posits for this phenomena. Those three things are definitely true, and are certainly factors, but I think that there is something else that the article mentions in a (one) sentence that is more important than the above considerations: We have lost faith. Fulfillment, having a sense of purpose, a vocation (as opposed to a career): This is deemed more important than the finantial well being - or "entering adulthood." That is to say, I think that my generation is a generation of idealists in a world without clear ideals. We do not believe in previous generation's version(s) of success - but neither are we sure what our definition of success should be. We have lost faith, and we are determined to find it. And finding it takes time. And finding it looks to many people (including some of the people in the linked article) liike wandering. But we are not - we are dissatisfied with the world that we have grown up into, and so we are trying to shape a new world (or at least a place in the world) that we can be satisfied with/in.
the online version of this article is truncated - I advise you to find the print versionTIME Magazine: Grow Up? Not So Fast
BTW This rambling is officially a rough draft.

Kingdom of Heaven - Trailer

2005-01-19T22:32:00.000-08:00

I just finished watching the trailer for the upcoming movie "kingdom of heaven. Given the world climate right now I am less than excited about americans producing a movie about the Knights Templar, to whatever extent that the movie may or may not be based on history. No matter how we slice it, the Crusades are a touchy subject, and certianly not something the west should be glorifying. I am disturbed.
Kingdom of Heaven

Mayor to ride with Critical Mass

2005-01-18T21:36:00.000-08:00

"Portland's mayor is tentatively scheduled to ride with Critical Mass through downtown.
Less than a month on the job, the mayor will be riding with the same bunch of freewheelers who were left feeling dragged through the gear grease by his predecessor.
The monthly bicycle ride is supposed to be a celebration of Portland's bike culture and a protest of automobile dominance. But former Mayor Vera Katz and the Police Bureau saw it as a public-safety problem, in need of a serious crackdown.
No pedaling violation became too small for the dozen or so motorcycle and bicycle cops who chased the riders monthly. The Critical Mass riders say the constant torrent of tickets is harassment and a waste of limited city money.
Apparently, Potter wants to pedal with the pack and judge for himself."

[absent post]

2005-01-18T15:40:00.000-08:00

This spot marks an absent post. Someone, rightfully, objected to the post, and so I have deleted it. I had offered a link to a new site, Overheard in the Office, which in its first three days looked mighty funny, and so I linked to it so as to share the amusement. However, the quality of the humor, as was noted by the anonymous comment, deteriorated rapidly. I apologize to that reader of this blog, I did not intend to endorse humor that is crude, nor do I endorse such humor.

My brother's Blog

2005-01-16T16:13:00.000-08:00

Right now we are editing Brandon's, my brother, blog.
go here and check it out!

Urban Cycling

2005-01-07T17:11:00.000-08:00

This quote was forwarded to me via the shift mailing list:

"The dedicated urban cyclist is a new kind of pioneer. Pioneers have an obligation to those who would follow in their tracks, to show them the way. Instead of highlighting the difficulties and frustrations, instead of obsessing about conflict, get out there and show the nation how easy it already is to cycle in the city. Wear "normal" clothes for short rides. Put the superiority of the bicycle on display. Be responsible, unflappable, and polite. Ride with style grace and intelligence. Ride with fear and joy."

-Robert Hurst
The Art of Urban Cycling

Death and Taxes:

2005-01-04T23:55:00.000-08:00

This is interesting: a visual graph of just where your taxes go.
It is sure to generate some thought; like, why does the dept. of defense (read, military) get over half!?
anyway, check it out
deviantART: Death and Taxes

new year's resolution

2005-01-03T23:00:00.000-08:00

perhaps because I never make them, or because I am cynical about how short lived resolutions seem to be, I was delighted to find that I can now have a computer rendomly generate a resolution for me.

In the year 2005 I resolve to:

Learn to eat fire.

Get your resolution here

See, this way I niether have to take time making a resolution, nor will I feel badly when I fail to keep it. A win-win situation if there ever were one!

Sneak Peek At Microsoft Anti-Spyware

2005-01-03T21:54:00.000-08:00

This is interesting:
Microsoft is planning on entering the anti-spyware business.
Ironic. To date microsoft produces the only platform spyware runs under. Heh. Rather than fixing the platform, make band-aids.
Here is a picture of the Beta in action:
Microsoft anti-spyware
And the slashdot story (always good for a laugh):
Slashdot | Sneak Peek At Microsoft Anti-Spyware

The New York Times > Magazine > Questions for Jeanne L. Phillips: It's the President's Party

2005-01-03T21:42:00.000-08:00

This taken from the linked (funny) interview below:

Q: I hear one of the balls will be reserved for troops who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan.

A: Yes, the Commander-in-Chief Ball. That is new. It will be about 2,000 servicemen and their guests. And that should be a really fun event for them.

Q: As an alternative way of honoring them, did you or the president ever discuss canceling the nine balls and using the $40 million inaugural budget to purchase better equipment for the troops?

A: I think we felt like we would have a traditional set of events and we would focus on honoring the people who are serving our country right now -- not just the people in the armed forces, but also the community volunteers, the firemen, the policemen, the teachers, the people who serve at, you know, the -- well, it's called the StewPot in Dallas, people who work with the homeless.

Q: How do any of them benefit from the inaugural balls?

A: I'm not sure that they do benefit from them.

Q: Then how, exactly, are you honoring them?

A: Honoring service is what our theme is about.

The New York Times > Magazine > Questions for Jeanne L. Phillips: It's the President's Party

If YOU were in beowulf...who would you be?

2004-12-19T23:42:00.000-08:00

You scored as Beowulf. Heroic, strong, and maybe a little on the proud side--not that you don't have a reason to be. After all, you defeat THREE major evils that ravage the countryside as well as many minor beasties that get in the way before you're done in. You simply don't give up. Without you, Hrothgar's Golden Hall would still stand empty.

Beowulf

83%

Wiglaf

67%

Wealhtheow

58%

Grendel

58%

The Dragon

42%

Hrothgar

42%

Grendel's Mother

42%

If You Were in Beowulf...
created with QuizFarm.com

Lucky Guess...Or not, considering that I am a pacifist. But considering that, ther are really no right answers in this book fo me. I could be the boat that brings Beowulf to the land of the Danes

Returning to the Middle Ages

2004-12-17T22:22:00.000-08:00

I just got back from working at starbucks. It was a bummer night; we were way under-staffed. Consequently we were harried, customers did not receive the attention they deserved (or the attention we are required to give them), and we stayed an hour past when we were supposed to leave.
While I was cleaning an analogy occurred to me. Corporate America is like medieval Europe (or any other time when monarchy was the dominant form of government); many monarchies occupying the same continent, all of whom being somewhat uneasy with each other. It is not, however, the relations of nation-states that interests me, but how monarchs relate to their subjects, and how that relating affects the health and longengevity of that state. Those monarchs who served their own ends often did so at the expense of their people - they are remembered as despotic, and, more often than not, the country's glory was lessened because of their leadership. Further, as a result of the oppression, corruption increases dramatically, and dissent threatens to tear the society to pieces.
Monarchs, on the other hand, who invest inwardly; who invest in the arts, in commerce, and in an infrastructure that frees the monarchy's subjects, these monarchs are remembered for their greatness. In a country where the citizens are free to protest, dissent is diffused and does not damage the country, but, in fact, strengthens it. The glory of that country increases under the leadership of this monarch, not to mention the glory of that monarch.
The relationship between this and corporations should be obvious: corporations that place profitability as the ultimate priority (that is, the leaders act for their own interests) tend to restrict, or control, their employees: they profit at the expense of the health of their employees. This is not a sustainable situation for a corporation: employees will revolt.
The corporation, on the other hand, that makes investing in the health of their employees: giving them freedom to innovate, and an infrastructure that supplies them with needs, and trust to act significantly within the corporation - these create healthy situations for the employees, glory for the corporation itself as well as glory (and wealth) for the leadership.
well - there is my 2c. I do not expect much to change; but I have my doubt about the future health of Starbucks.

toward a christian ecology

2004-12-17T00:15:00.000-08:00

As many of you know I have been thinking alot about social justice issues as well as ecological issues. It looks like I will be sharing (teaching) some of those thoughts for Imago Dei as a part of their School of Theology. If you want information on the Class go here: christian ecology

The class is Monday nights from 7-9 starting Jan 24. and its free.
come one, come all!

I'm moving to australia....

2004-12-13T19:15:00.000-08:00

Remember the book Alexander And The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day? well, by day hasn't been that bad, but it certianly has been a series of unfortunate events. I woke up this morning at 5:30, so as to get to work at 7:00.
6:10 - Leave house on bike
6:14 - arrive at bus stop (about hawthorne and MLK Jr.)
6:15 - watch bus go by with two bikes filling the bike rack (which meant I had to wait for the next bus to come. At this point I am not worried, in fact, I left early just in case this happened)
6:30 - watch bus go by with two bikes filling the bike rack (I did not allow for two busses in a row to by full)
6:30 - start riding to work, very quickly.
6:53 - POP! my rear tyre actually makes a loud noise as it explodes. I am 1/4 mile from downtown milwaukie. At this point I realize that short of time stopping (the sun, which will not rise for another hour doesn't offer to stop, besides which I am not carrying the right staff for the job) I am not making it to work on time. I call work to inform them as much and then start walking toward the Milwaukie transit center to bus the rest of the way to work.
6:57 It starts raining. Perfect.
7:30 I make it to work.
moral of the story: lateness sometimes happens, no matter how hard one might try to prevent it.
epilogue: when I got home this evening and set to fixing said flat tyre, I noticed how torn up it is. Now, let me explain, this is no ordinary tyre - under the rubber is a layer of kevlar (the stuff used for bullet-proof vests), so popping this tyre was no easy task. The rubber is pitted in at least a dozen places from road crap. so please, next time you are driving down the road and are finished chewing on that nail, or sucking the soda residue off the broken glass bottle, don't just spit it out the window. dispose of it properly. for my sake. for my bike's sake. please.

Other than having to work at Starbucks today, the rest of my day has gone better. So perhaps I will not move to Australia just yet.

Virtual Bubblewrap

2004-12-03T14:09:00.000-08:00

Oh My! Now This is cool. Go there now.Virtual Bubblewrap - Pop Now! Pop bubble wrap online - since 1996

Question of the Week

2004-11-29T00:12:00.000-08:00

At long last, another question of the week. Or, something. So put yer thinking caps on and get yerself right on over to the Question of the Week site.

2004-11-24T11:14:00.000-08:00

Ahhh, here it is. It is amazing that a band whose first release (Boy) was in 1980 could generate so much Hype. Not that I am immune to the hype, after all, I own every album that they have made to date. You might even say that I am a fan. I suppose that it is for that reason that I am gratified by this, U2's latest release. It sounds like U2. If I shuffle this albulm with all of their music, it fits. This unlike Pop, which didn't fit. No, there aren't any songs here that will be smash hits; but this is the U2 that I had hoped would show up on this album. I am pleased.

Announcement

2004-11-15T01:00:00.000-08:00

It's officailly time for bed. I'm tired. but before I go I just have this to say: It's my Birthday. And to celebrate surviving until my 26th birthday, I am going to sleep for the first third of it. Starting now.

Iconwars

2004-11-03T20:37:00.000-08:00

Oh, while I am posting - Watch This:
Iconwars! Its funny.
(uh, Mr. (or Ms.) Tech Support Person, I think my computer has a problem....)

Electing to Leave

2004-11-03T20:32:00.000-08:00

So your canidate lost, as mine did. And you're really upset. So upset, in fact, that you intend to expatriate. Here is your guiide: Electing to Leave (Harpers.org) Turns out that its not all that easy.

2004-10-31T14:07:00.000-08:00

Today I ran my first half marathon. Good for me. The only hellish part of the run was running up Terwilliger. Who thought that was a good idea? Anyhow, it feels good to be sore.

2004-10-19T17:57:00.000-07:00

Yipee! Here is the much anticipated new commuting bicycle. It's light and fast and loads of fun - in fact, I think I'll go ride now....

Overheard in New York

2004-10-18T00:03:00.000-07:00

Oh come on, you know you want to laugh: Overheard in New York yea, feels good don't it? (unless you are at work, then you are feeling silly for laughing out loud when no one else is sharing the joke. So share.)

LoTR: Return of the King, Extended Edition Trailer

2004-10-17T15:30:00.000-07:00

I know what I want for christmas! Click Here
or, if you are worried about bandwidth, Click Here
The other two films were, in my humble opinion, better in Extended Edition, I expect this one will be also.

Slashdot | Catan Online Set to Debut This Month

2004-10-11T14:54:00.000-07:00

Oh, Boy I can just hear productivity falling through the floor! What do you think ruth?
Slashdot | Catan Online Set to Debut This Month

News that will not make the front page

2004-10-11T13:21:00.000-07:00

Jacques Derrida, the emminent French philosopher and critic, died Friday at the age of 74. He was credited with fathering deconstruction, that difficult theory that posits that all texts internally inconsistant due to the vaguaries of language itself, thus robbing texts of meaning and permanence. Though we struggle with his thought, his was surely a signifigant voice in the twentieth century.

Why I am Voting for Kerry

2004-10-02T22:27:00.000-07:00

The church is, in a real sense, an alternative political reality. When we say that Jesus is our King, we are making - at the very least - a political claim. We are God's people, in some sense, The Kingdom of God, or Heaven (Jesus uses both phrases in the Gospels to denote roughly the same thing). And while we might differ as to the content of our agenda, as a politcal body the church has an agenda which may or may not be opposed to america's political agenda. Some of the churches politcal commitments: expanding our numbers, countering injustice, being an advocate for the oppressed (in the Bible, the widowed and the orphaned), and being an Eden/Heaven-valued people. The key here, for me, is that my allegance is to Jesus; further, I use my rights as an american citizen to "smooth the path," as it were, for the churches political agenda. Notice I did not say that I vote toward "christianizing" america, or that I use my votes to combat immorality, but that I vote so as to make the world a place wherein the church can more easily live out it's purpose. Worship, missions, social justice, catholicity (ecumenical-ism); which canidate will make the world a place where we (the church) can do these things most easily?
I think the answer to that question is John Kerry. I percieve that this world grows ever smaller and it is increasingly more important (for the church, from the perspective of missions) for countries to work together and not autonomously from each other. On a global scale, the biggest perpetrators of social injustice are not nation-states (like N. Korea, poor though that situation is) but multi-national corperations, whole reach is global.
Not only that, but I am also concerned that, for much of the world, rightly or wrongly (wrongly, I would hope), Americans are equated with Christians. This equation does the church no good. Firstly, the church transcends national, geographical boundaries, and this sort of thinking (both by americans as well as by others) divides us. Secondly, when the world thinks in this way, they become confused about what the church is really about: When we (americans) think this way, we also become confused about what we are about (it makes little sense, for example, to demand moral behavior from those who are not first committed to the God by whose character the morality is derived).
Instead, what I hope for, and dream of, is a Church, catholic, as a body politic whose citizens occupy every nation in the world, and whose citizens embody the values and characteristics of thier King, and whose citizens envision and act out a world being redeemed and being renewed by means of their King acting through them. I vote to make the world a place where this vision is more likely to obtain.
(wow. I just went off. sorry, and thanks for listening, feel free to comment in a Christianly manner.)

Heres news from a junkie

2004-09-30T19:22:00.000-07:00

One Coffee a day can make you an addict (I wonder what my current coffee intake will make me?!)
Can you tell that I am plugged back in? The internet is plugged in and WHAM I am posting about the news again - as if you all don't already read the news.
That's me, a confirmed junkie.

anybody watching this piece of news?

2004-09-29T20:16:00.000-07:00

Or, at least those who know say its likely. wow.St. Helens Likely to Erupt

Matthew's Home!

2004-09-27T21:13:00.000-07:00

oh, yea. My little bro is stateside again! Here he is with his wife, Erica. Praise be!

No, I didn't run away after all (sorry)

2004-09-27T21:04:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm back.
I've finished moving (though some furniture is still needed), the internet connection happened today. I've started classes both at Multnomah and at Portland State, I finished preaching through Jonah at TRBF, and I feel like life is taking on some whirlwind-like properties.
This is, I think, a mostly-good thing, though.

2004-08-20T22:44:00.000-07:00

okay, the tape is still up (the trim will all be white - and is under the tape) but I wanted to give those who do visit a look at the progress. Repainting all the trim and painting the kitchen are the next projects. Fun.

2004-08-17T23:33:00.000-07:00

and here it is: the new pad. yes, some painting will be happening before move in day (next week sometime). The living area pictured will be a shade of red with white trim; I haven't decided on the kitchen color yet but the seafoam/teal is not staying...

I'm Moving!

2004-08-17T16:05:00.000-07:00

It looks like the waiting list for the Hinson House wasn't as long as I thought. I'm Moving. This is good. The excitement is somewhat muted by the list of things that need done. But it looks like one more peice is falling into place. Praise be to God,

G.I. Joe is a fake

2004-08-14T10:16:00.000-07:00

Salon.com | G.I. Joe is a fake
hot on the heels of the exoneration of the A-Teamcontroversy erupts! Was G.I. Joe not all he was cracked up to be? The G.I. Joe Veterens for Truth think not.
It is not suprising to see satire in the onion; that is what it does. It is more suprising to see satire like this in Salon.

2004-08-11T16:56:00.000-07:00

I went to the street of dreams (and, yes, dreamed) today, and found that the houses all (with the exception of the house pictured above) of the houses occupoed a fairly narrow design niche: NW. Hmm. I wonder why this is.

2004-08-10T11:55:00.000-07:00

This week's sign of the Apocalypse.

2004-08-09T22:27:00.000-07:00

Whilst adventuring on the world wide web, I happened upon this cool site. the skinny: aerial photography of anywhere in the united states. case in point: my house (if you wonder which one it is my blue honda is parked on the street in front of the house).

2004-08-06T11:49:00.000-07:00

Talked to my Brother last night:
" Is that thermometer maxed out ?"
"Yeah, it was about 128 that day."
"Good Lord....."

freeiPods.com

2004-07-29T15:49:00.000-07:00

okay guys, this is crazy - so crazy in fact that I thought it was a hoax until I started seeing the photographic proof that these people are actually giving away iPods. So I signed up. If you want a free one you should sign up too. But first read this and make sure to sign up using me as a referral
freeiPods.com

Okay if that wasn't enough you can use the same company to get yerself a free 27" Sony WEGA flatscreen TV FreeFlatScreens
again use my referral code

The Hitch:
1: You have to sign up for a free offer (you know how those work - sign up and cancel before they start charging you AND
2: You have to refer so many people (5-8) who each have to sign up for an offer.
Is this a pain? Yea kinda, but if it means getting a free iPod or TV out of the deal I can live with it.

Enrolled @ PSU !

2004-07-12T19:54:00.000-07:00

Today the near miraculous happened, I enrolled for classes this fall at PSU. Praise be to God (and, by the way Lord, I'm not sure how this is getting payed for yet...). So, you might ask (actually, you didn't so I asked for you) what am I taking?

PHL324 Intro to Formal Logic
ENG490U Rhetoric
ENG308U Top: Literature and the Enviroment
ENG340U Medieval Literature

BTW I have declared "Liberal Studies" as my major, which is a short-hand way of saying that I get to take pretty much what I want to take.

And there was much rejoicing.

Preaching on Sunday

2004-07-09T20:45:00.000-07:00

FYI. I will be preaching in Colton this Sunday - no, not at Colton Community Church, but next door at Canyon Creek Community Church. The Text is 2 Cor. 5:16ff. "For our sake he made hime to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (v21)

Instant Opinion Poll

2004-07-07T11:22:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder what the masses are thinking about? How about the Blogging masses. Now you can know, thanks to blogdex. This site is like a google news for weblogs. Blogdex's webcrawler pays attention to what sites weblogs are being linked to, and then posts the most popular sites. This is a pretty accurate way of "polling" what people are reading/paying attention to, since most blogs (like this one) use links to provide context for their comments. Blogdex also has a rss feed.

Sailhamer Class: Genesis

2004-06-30T16:58:00.000-07:00

It look as if the Sailhamer course at Western this summer will be held July 12-16 10am-5pm. The class will be about the book of Genesis Have you any vacation time to spare?! (having taken several classes from the Good Doctor, I say it is worth it.)

Well...

2004-06-30T16:51:00.000-07:00

According to JK Rowling's website, the Half-blood Prince is neither Harry nor Voldemort. We know that Harry is a pure-blood, but if it's not Voldemort, then who? My money's on Hagrid, who is two half-bloods; giant and wizard. I know it sounds weird, but it sounds weird enough to make sense in Rowling's world. Or it may be a new character...

And, oh man, did I just tip my hand as a geek... Though I only scored 26.4% on the test...

The Next Harry Potter Book

2004-06-30T16:14:00.000-07:00

Ah, yes; Let the madness officially begin: the Title of the sixth Harry Potter book was released today by J.K. Rowling, though no word yet as to when to expect publication. I, personally was a late-comer to the Harry Potter madness; but I did read the fifth book (Order of Phoenix) in one sitting on the day it was released, so I guess you could say I have caught the bug. Oh, by the way the title is "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" Any speculation on who this "Half Blood Prince" is?The Next Harry Potter Book

The thomas merton Prayer

2004-06-29T14:24:00.000-07:00

this has surfaced in my life several times; it surfaced again. For our mutual edification:

MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone. - Thomas Merton

For those who must have a bibliographical reference, here it is: Merton, Thomas. Thoughts in Solitude. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 1958. Pg. 83

ESV Bible RSS Feeds

2004-06-29T14:09:00.000-07:00

For those of you who use a rss reader (go here or here if you need a free one) will be glad to see a "read the bible in a year" rss feed sponsered by the ESV people.ESV Bible RSS Feeds they have verse a day at random, "good" verse a day, and several differing options on how one might read through the bible in a year all syndicated via rss 2.0. Very cool stuff.
A couple of other cool feeds: the weather forcast/report customized by you, ; the word of the day, and the feed for this Blog;
great stuff.
also, though I don't use it, there is a news reader plug in for firefox (aggreg8) as well as for Internet Explorer (pluck)

What happened?

2004-06-24T13:14:00.000-07:00

[experiencing technical difficulties] Or, at least I was. If you've wondered why posts have been lacking lately, it is because I finally chucked my Microsoft CD's out the window. I am operating on a "brand new" computer: the same hardware now running Fedora Core 2 (formerly Red Hat Linux) I don't have everything up and running yet (DVD video, TV tuner, some other things aren't configured yet) but I was pleasently suprised just how much worked "out of the box" (iPod, SATA RAID, dual head monitor/dual video cards, etc). It is looking good and running notably faster than under XP. Anyhow, I am up and running again.

Chicago Declaration of Evangelical Social Concern

2004-06-22T15:37:00.000-07:00

Some food for thought...

Chicago Declaration of

Tim recently pointed out an article to me on social/political issues in the evangelical Church. I found it thought-provoking and wanted to share. Good food for thought....

Main Article
Reader Responses

Titanic in 30 seconds with bunnies.

2004-06-11T10:16:00.000-07:00

Titanic in 30 seconds, re-enacted by bunnies. yes, you heard (or, in this case, read) that correctly.
Titanic in 30 seconds with bunnies.: "Titanic in 30 seconds, re-enacted by bunnies."

2004-06-10T20:32:00.000-07:00

This just in: Linus is moving to portland next week. Why, you ask, should you care? I don't really know. (see the preceeding post)Linus is the ubergeek, See slashdot article;

The Geek Test

2004-06-08T22:40:00.000-07:00

Okay, I laughed out loud - and (whew!) didn't score too highly (24.45759% - Geek) on the Geek test - how did you score? let me know.
The Geek Test

Question of the Week

2004-06-06T20:12:00.000-07:00

Hey, lookie here, a new question for a new week.
Question of the Week

Gifford Pinchot National Forest - Campground Information

2004-06-02T08:49:00.000-07:00

Gifford Pinchot National Forest - Campground Information

Hey Chris,

This is your test to see if the button on my google toolbar works. And, oh look -- fires are allowed at the Forlorn Lakes! Yippee!

Yes, next week...

2004-05-31T23:29:00.000-07:00

Well, I've been a part of this blog for a couple weeks, I though I'd better quip in quick with my 1.5c. (Sorry, I'm über-poor...)

2004-05-29T16:37:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm back. Instead of the picturesque scene you saw represented below, reality looked more like what you see above. the weather varied between sprinkling, raining, and snowing (just those three), and the trail had't been maintained in a while. lots of underbrush grown over the trail, logs to climb over or under, and snow drifts to hide the trail all added up to one soaked christopher by the time I set up my tent (at that point wherever I could find a flat spot big enough). Chock one up to experience. there were were two nuggets of wisdom validated on this trip: Always take a change of clothes to leave in the car for the ride home; and, alway take a roll of (emergency) plastic tape. The reason for the first one is obvious, the second one was validated this morning when I woke up to six inches of fresh snow that obscured my path the night before. I would have been bummed if I hadn't marked my trail. The Lord is good, and there will be other weedends for adventure (like next weekend).

Guide to Springfield USA

2004-05-27T21:55:00.000-07:00

Check this out! somebody with far too much time on their hands constructed a map of springfield (not oregon) by watching episodes of the simpsons and noting geographical markers. Ever wondered what streets Homer uses to get to work? Neither have I, but now you can know anyway! Guide to Springfield USA

2004-05-27T21:40:00.000-07:00

Well, maybe this picture will give you a better idea of the sort of place I am going. Maybe.

2004-05-27T21:31:00.000-07:00

I will be here for the weekend: Jefferson Park. I promise to bring back lots of pictures. (Hopefully the threat of rain will drive away any crowds) (also, hopefully but less likely it will not rain)

My 2c

2004-05-26T14:48:00.000-07:00

This is great! Thus, my first deposit: I think questions are good. (Hey! What do you expect for two cents?)

New web site feature!

2004-05-25T16:16:00.000-07:00

There is a new feature on my website. (Drumroll please....) Question of the week! Every week I indend to have a new question open for discussion on an adjacent blog. Give us your 2c.

2004-05-24T12:43:00.000-07:00

and one of my neice, Riley Rose

2004-05-24T12:42:00.000-07:00

recent picture of my little bro. pretty menacing, huh?

Gotta try it out.

2004-05-24T11:34:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I'm new to this whole thing... but what a better place to stretch my wings than Chris' blog. :)

Its up and running!

2004-05-24T10:07:00.000-07:00

Here it is! the website, as you already know is off the ground (even if not fully constructed), and this blog will serve as the forum. If you want to participate in this forum email me and I will send along an invitation. Also, for those of you with newsreaders (go here if you don't have one but want one: http://www.rssreader.com/) this is my rss feed for this blog: http://christopherlayton.blogspot.com/atom.xml