For those of us who are 80's kids and thought that this video was the greatest ever

I got this from a friend...brilliant

How to properly address the bailout

BRILLIANT!! (and how far would $700 billion go?)

I'm against the $85,000,000,000.00 bailout of AIG.

Instead, I'm in favor of giving $85,000,000,000 to America in a We Deserve It Dividend.

To make the math simple, let's assume there are 200,000,000 bonafide U .S. Citizens 18+.

Our population is about 301,000,000 +/- counting every man, woman and child. So 200,000,000 might be a fair stab at adults 18 and up..

So divide 200 million adults 18+ into $85 billon that equals $425,000.00.

My plan is to give $425,000 to every person 18+ as a We Deserve It Dividend.

Of course, it would NOT be tax free. So let's assume a tax rate of 30%.

Every individual 18+ has to pay $127,500.00 in taxes. That sends $25,500,000,000 right back to Uncle Sam.

But it means that every adult 18+ has $297,500.00 in their pocket. A husband and wife has $595,000.00.

What would you do with $297,500.00 to $595,000.00 in your family?

Pay off your mortgage – housing crisis solved.

Repay college loans – what a great boost to new grads

Put away money for college – it'll be there

Save in a bank – create money to loan to entrepreneurs.

Buy a new car – create jobs

Invest in the market – capital drives growth

Pay for your parent's medical insurance – health care improves

Enable Deadbeat Dads to come clean – or else

Remember this is for every adult U S Citizen 18+ including the folks who lost their jobs at Lehman Brothers and every other company that is cutting back. And of course, for those serving in our Armed Forces.

If we're going to re-distribute wealth let's really do it...instead of trickling out a puny $1000.00 ( 'vote buy' ) economic incentive that is being proposed by one of our candidates for President.

If we're going to do an $85 billion bailout, let's bail out every adult U S Citizen 18+!

As for AIG – liquidate it.

Sell off its parts. Let American General go back to being American General. Sell off the real estate. Let the private sector bargain hunters cut it up and clean it up.

Here's my rationale. We deserve it and AIG doesn't.

Sure it's a crazy idea that can 'never work.'

But can you imagine the Coast-To-Coast Block Party!

How do you spell Economic Boom?

I trust my fellow adult Americans to know how to use the $85 Billion We Deserve It Dividend more than I do the geniuses at AIG or in Washington DC.

And remember, The Birk plan only really costs $59.5 Billion because $25.5 Billion is returned instantly in taxes to Uncle Sam.

2 Jerks Go to Church

We did a little video for Daybreak trying to encourage people to get involved. It is based on an SNL skit...we definitely are not the zombie kid.

My new favorite youtube - please watch 3 times

Olympic Basketball

It is almost 1am and the 3rd quarter is coming to an end in this highly entertaining gold medal game.

Couple thoughts
-Win or lose, this USA is awesome. They play hard. They play defense. They play together. They play with passion. They play defense. I know that they are the biggest and the best individual players in the world but Spain has 7 NBA players of their own and have been playing together since they were in the womb.

- I think the best USA lineup is Paul, Williams, Wade, Prince, and Bosh.

- Dwayne Wade is fast (and good).

- Pau and Marc Gasol are great players (Pau is better) but they are not going to join Dwayne Wade in People Magazine's Most Beautiful People in the World list.

- Kobe is starting to act like Kobe at the end of the game. We will see how it ends.

JB

The High Sierras - Day #2

Day 2 begin with a very unexpected surprise. At about 4:45am I woke up to the not so familiar sound of a bear about 50 yards from our tent. It was obvious to me that he was chomping down on the food that we had so wisely "hidden" from him the night before. I have never been scared of bears in the past as I have encountered them numerous times in Yosemite and Mammoth. But there is such a fear of bears by Jen (wife) and by Ryan (friend on the trip) and by Ryan's wife Lauren (who I think was convinced that we were going to be eaten) that I began to wonder as I lay in my sleeping bag listening to the bear if this was it. Were all the fears, which I had previously laughed, going to become prophecy.

All of the sudden I heard him about 10 feet from the tent. I woke Ryan up and told him there was a bear. He didn't believe me. Then it growled. He believed me. It came to within 5 feet of the tent. Then we heard it rummaging around one of the packs. We started talking and it immediately bolted. Bravely I got out of the tent and checked around the campsite. Convinced that he was gone we examined Ryan's pack. The bear had ripped through the rain cover on the pack and then had opened the top compartment and pulled out some wet wipes. This bear didn't rip the compartment open. It simply unzipped it. In fact, the bag and zipper were totally fine after the bear had left.

We had not even been in the backcountry 24 hours and we had already become victim of the brilliant bears of the backcountry. They are smart (more to come).

"No cookies left! No cookies left!"

This is all that is left of our bagels, granola bars, beef jerky, cookies. Stupid bear. Stupider humans.


The rest of the day was very relaxing. We read, fished, relaxed, and just relished in the beauty of God's creation.

The fishing was tough. Really windy. No fish caught. Spirits high though

Beauty!

We ended up moving campsites (because of the bear) but staying at Thousand Islands Lake. We found a great site with some coverage from the wind and a great campfire pit.

Cooking some din-din and enjoying the fire.


We had a great night around the fire talking about life and ministry and reading from God's word. We ended the night tired yet filled with God's goodness.

Before we went to bed we still had to deal with all the trash that was left from the bear. It wouldn't fit in the bear canister. Since we had trees around us I grabbed a stuff sack and threw the trash in there. I would use all my skill and hang it in a tree. We would beat the bears this night.


I laid down rested and peaceful. I would not feel that way in the morning.

"Live" coverage

Does it bother anyone else that NBC broadcasts "live" events at the Olympics that aren't really live. Supposedly they broadcast it live on the East Coast and then call it live 3 hours later on the West Coast.

I stayed up to watch the finals of womans beach volleyball. I saw that it was "live" so I jumped on ESPN.com to check some other Olympic results before the match. Wow was I excited when I saw that the match was already over.

Stupid NBC. Congrats anyway to May and Walsh.

The 'Dres

Our church made tickets available for the Padres game last Friday night. It was one of those "Christian" events where they had fireworks and testimonies after the game (how else are you going to get people to a Padres game).

It was a lot of fun to hang out with the church outside of the church (mmmmhhhh!!!).

Peter (new high school director), his wife katie, Stephanie (newer childrens director), her two little girls (cute!), and Jen and I all cruised down to go to the game together.

We got to downtown at around 6:30, walked toward the stadium, and then stopped at Rock Bottom Brewery for a quick bite to eat. We had a great meal hanging out, sharing stories, talking about life and ministry. As we were leaving Peter and I looked at a TV nearby televising the game and we realized it was already the bottom of the 6th.

We laughed and then took off for the game. We didn't get in our seats until the top of the 8th. We were one inning late and missed the only highlight of the game; the pirates scored 1 run in the top of the 7th and won the game 1-0. Really we only missed 1 inning because the first 6 were pretty useless.

We watched 2 meaningless innings and then the game ended. We then watched an entertaining fireworks show and went home. Great night!

The High Sierras - Day #1

12:14am - We (Jen, Ryan, and I) finally got to bed from a long night of packing and hanging out. Feeling excited about the trip, it took me a little while to get to bed.

3:44am - I woke up without the aid of my alarm clock, which was set to go off at 4:00am. I got up and we ended up hitting the road at 4:15am. Ryan immediately fell asleep for the next 2 hours while I drove us north to Mammoth.

10:30am - We pulled into Mammoth, picked up a few items (tapping the Rockies, fishing licenses, Lewis & Tolkien accessories). Then we met up with my uncle who drove us to the Mammoth Mountain Visitor Center. After a quick trip back to get the fishing license that Ryan left in his bag, we hopped on a bus and headed off to Agnew Meadows.

We hiked all day, around 7 miles. The skies were clear, the sun was shining, and we were absolutely loving being in the backcountry. We spent a majority of the hours reading scripture, praying, and talking in depth about life, marriage, vocation, theology. It was so good to just walk and talk. It always amazes me how life slows down and opens up when we let it.

At the trail head, ready to go.

Ryan walking down the trail in the first mile

Here is me eating some Gorp


Our first "bump" in the road happened when we couldn't find the turnoff to Garnett Lake. The map clearly showed a trail leading west for .6 miles but we somehow missed it. Instead, we hiked an additional 2.6 miles to Thousand Islands Lake. Though we were very tired by the time we got there it ended up not being that bad because we were going to hike to Thousand Island lake the next day. This just put us a little ahead of schedule and allowed us to relax the next day. Here are a couple pics from the first day.

Kicking it at our camp site...first night.

This was the view from our tent...lakeside real estate.

Here is the lake from above. You can guess why they call it Thousand Island lake.

Making dinner

Ryan enjoying a delicious pizza bagel

What a great first day! We went to bed tired yet relaxed and happy. Oh, how that would dramatically change in only a few short hours. Stay tuned.

Into the Wild(erness)

Tomorrow morning I am driving up to Mammoth and heading out on a 4 day backpack trip from Red's Meadow to Tuolumne Meadows. One of my close friends, Ryan Miller, is flying in today from Texas to join me on the trail. I cannot even begin to describe my excitement and expectation for this trip. It has been a great desire of mine to go backpacking for a couple years now and I almost can't believe that it is going to become a reality.

There is something about being in the backcountry that makes my heart jump. I have been to a lot of cool places over the last 5 years (Costa Rica, NZ, Maui, Cabo, South Dakota) but no destination brings more life to me than the Sierra Mountains. I cannot wait to strap on the pack and head out on the trail. What freedom lies in the unknown! The wilderness strips away all the conveniences of life that are a constant distraction and allows us to really peer inside our soul. I feel such clarity of thought and such connection to the Father when I am surrounded by His creation.

I will let you know how the trip goes next week. Please pray for us if you feel led. Ryan just sent me a text while I was writing this and said, "JOHN 14:12-14."

This is the valley that we will be backpacking through on day 4.

The endless(ly busy) summer!

Why is summer always the busiest time of the year? Come on, it is summer! The greatest 2 months for anyone ages 6-18. And for the rest of us? It is a time for vacation, beach trips, surfing (maybe not all of you here), BBQs, cold drinks and hot days. Each year I enter into summer with great aspirations and intentions to take advantage of the warm weather (and water) and engage in the previously mentioned summer activities. But it seems that each year summer flies by and stresses me out as it passes, leaving me desiring the fall when life returns to some form of normalcy.

This summer has been busier than most. I am actually looking forward to the fall and seminary starting because I will regain some form of structure and balance in my life. You know my life is turned upside down when I long to start Hebrew class. What the heck!

Recently Jen and I looked at each other and said that something has to change in our life. We are way too busy. It is becoming unhealthy for us personally, in our marriage, and with our relationship to the Lord. He did command us to take a sabbath, right?

Life should not be a constant merry go round of events and programs and work and meetings, etc... I need stillness and soul care.

We are making changes. We are disappointing people. Letting stuff go. Learning to say no. Learning to say no after we say yes. Learning not to feel guilty after we say no after originally saying yes. I want to make time for the Lord. For my wife. I want to stay at my job for years to come. I want to finish school. To do so much, to give fully, I need to take a couple steps back and just breath for a little while each week.

It feels good doesn't it?

My name is Rembaldi...but you may call me Remi

3 weeks ago I was given the great opportunity to return to Colorado to be a part of Super Kids Sports Kamp (SKSK). This was my 5th year as a camp leader and a blessing to Jen and I to return to our roots after being gone for a year.

Super Kids is a sports camp for 8-12 year olds that takes place at Cherry Hills Community Church. 300+ children come each year to be a part of the camp. On top of that, the junior high and senior high students who are part of the ministry are the counselors for the camp. All in, there is over 500 people as a part of the camp, with adults as sports leaders, students as counselors, and kids as campers. It is by far my favorite camp and if I was give a choice to return and be a part of any event at CHCC it would definitely be SKSK.

I was asked to be a part of the program, which means that I was a part of the skits and did the teaching for the week. I wish each of you were there because there is way too much involved in the camp to write on a blog, but here is a snippet.

I was a Secret Agent named Rembaldi, but you may call me Remi. My partner was Maxwell Smart and we were on a mission to defend a secret potion that, when sprayed on a victim, makes them do homework all the time (oh no!). Camp was seriously in jeopardy because if the camp was sprayed then SKSK would be no more. Seriously I had little kids yelling at me to not give up the potion because they didn't want to do homework all the time.

There was a bad guy named Mr. X who was out to destroy camp. Along the way, the kids discovered that Maxwell Smart was really an evil double agent working alongside Mr. X. When he would come on stage they would boo him mercilessly and yell at me to not trust him. Of course I did.

Anyhow, it turns out that I get sprayed, camp is in jeapordy, but good always wins in the end doesn't it. The kids were able to snap me out of the spell with all the fun we had and were eventually able to convince Mr. X and Maxwell that camp was awesome. Redemption to all.

Don't you love happy endings.

Here is a couple pics from the week.

I have been on sabbatical

I just realized that I have not posted a blog for almost 2 months. It has been a busy 2 months (which is a bad excuse). I guess I fell off the cart and I apologize to both my faithful blog readers...sorry honey and mom.

I am going to make a more concerted effort to update my life and stuff.

But until then...I encourage all of you to check out Noise Trade. If you love music it is a must visit. Really exciting as to the future of the music industry.

I will be back real soon with an update on Super Kids Sports Kamp!!! I had a crazy week as a Secret Agent...

Here is a snippet of my time in Colorado. A little footmitten with some of the Colorado crew (who I miss greatly).

We're back baby...

Just a note of congratulations to the 2008 Western Conference Champs Los Angeles Lakers. And to all of you conspiracy theorists who think the NBA is rigged, well, you are probably right, but who cares!!!!! The Lakers are back baby!!!...bring on the Celtics.

7 reasons why Narnia "failed"

Prince Caspian, from the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, opened this weekend in some 4000 movie theaters around the country. It had absolutely zero opening day competition and was riding the wave of The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe, which grossed upward of 745 million worldwide.

Caspian ended up grossing 55 million in the opening weekend, a great opening for 99% of movies but a severe disappointment for those involved with the film. It was not near the disaster of Speed Racer, which will ultimately go down as one of the biggest flops in history. Still, it has to be disappointing to Disney and Walden Media, especially considering they are currently filming Voyage of the Dawn Treader and have the rights to the other 4 films after that.

While I enjoyed the film and thought is was an upgrade from the previous one, here are 7 reasons why I think Narnia did not perform well:

1. While the Narnia series are popular books, aside from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, they do not have the same popularity as the LOTR or Harry Potter.

2. This movie didn't really know who its audience was. I took 15 junior high students to see it and they all thought it was "good" but that the action was lacking because it was so bloodless (there was high action but no blood or gore). Nonetheless, it was an intense movie and not one that I would not openly recommend for a 7 year old. The older kids thought it was too "PC" or "Churchy" while the little kids will get scared.

3. Ironman kicks major butt and I think everyone was so amped on that movie that a fantasy adventure to a magical place called Narnia was not really working. What looked like amazing timing on release date really didn't work.

4. Indiana Jones comes out next week. Many adults who still consider Indy as a mentor and father figure are thinking of no other movies but the Crystal Skull. I can't blame them. I wanted to cry at the previews.

5. The 4 kids in the movie, while decent actors, do not carry with them any emotional ties with the audience. Aragorn, Frodo, Legolas, Gimli, etc... were what made LOTR such a great ride. It wasn't the action as much as what will happen to everyone on the journey to Mordor. Narnia has failed to introduce a character that mesmerizes audiences. Note- I think Aslan fills this role, He is incredible but he has such limited screen time that you don't get a chance to connect with him.

6. C.S. Lewis is such a brilliant writer that it seems extremely difficult to bring his words to life on the screen. He is so poetic and implores such imagery that much of the magic of the books in lost on the big screen. Harry Potter, on the other hand, has made an easy transition to screen and I think is actually boring if you have read the books. Caspian, by the way, is one of the more exciting of the books in terms of action. I don't know how they are going to make The Silver Chair or The Magician's Nephew into a full length feature.

7. The Christian Coalition is still watching reruns of The Passion and failed to show up for this movie, or maybe they are saving money to secretly go watch Harry Potter. Sinners!

The book of Jacob

Ἰάκωβος - James, Jacob
Noun Nominative Singular Masculine
Strongs # 2385 - (Iákōbos) - Jacobus, the name of three Israelites.');">Ἰάκωβος - this is the Greek name for James. It actually has two meanings, James or Jacob, and based on its spelling sounds more like Jacob than James. Supposedly the translators of the King James named the epistle James after King James of England. Jacob was robbed.

For the next 5 weeks in the High School and Junior High group we are studying the book of Jacob (James). It is an amazingly practical book and a great intro read for someone who hasn't spent much time in church or in scripture. I asked a group of high school students if they ever were confused about where and how to begin in reading their bibles. Almost all of them raised their hands. Then I proceeded to ask how many practice the "random flip" when reading. This method, which entails flipping open to a random verse,reading it and then moving on to something else, seems to be a popular study tool for many people. I think this reflects poorly on the pastors and leaders in the church. We oftentimes do such a bad job of teaching people how to read scripture, instead focusing on our great biblical insight and application, which every person goes home and meditates on immediately after the service (yeah right). We have no problem passionately telling people they need to read, read, read their bibles but rarely to we focus on the hermeneutical aspect of digesting scripture. In this postmodern age, it feels like we are swinging back in history to the time when there were no bibles in modern languages and priests read the scriptures to the people. How many churchgoers rely on the words of the pastor to give them the encouragement they need to "make it through" the week until the next Sunday. A normal schedule looks like this: fill up (Sunday morning), deplete with the realities of this world (Sunday afternoon - Saturday night), fill up again (Sunday morning). We wonder why the church is struggling to transform communities.

I am really excited to walk with these students over the next 5 weeks. I have challenged them to read the same chapter every day that we are studying. My prayer is that they would develop a passion and a fire to know scripture and not be content to just flip, read, close, forget.

A little update

-Jen and I went surfing on Monday, the first time we have been in the water since the shark attack. The surf was 2-3 ft. and glassy, it was about 70 degrees and sunny, and the winds were very calm. As I was riding a wave, th sun who shine through the water is it would break behind me, like the water was an emerald. Beautiful. It was a day that reminded me how much I love living in San Diego.

- As we were sitting out there in the water a school of little fish were jumping around. Jen was freaking out, imagining a 17 ft. Great White chasing a school of 4 inch fish. I laughed. I'm so sensitive.

- In case you were wondering if I was nervous about going into the water, rest assured, I made Jen go out first to see if any predators were lurking. I'm so sensitive.

- I got into a conversation with a Jehovah's Witness at a coffee shop. He saw that I was translating Greek and started a conversation. He just wanted to talk about the end times and how America is the new "Babylon." I wanted to talk about the Trinity (which he doesn't believe in) and how absolutely essential that is to who God is. He didn't want to go there. I found myself angry afterwards at his theological beliefs.

- We had a farewell party last night for the high school pastor at the church. It was a great celebration and very encouraging for him. It has been fun to be a part of a healthy positive parting between church and staff. Not always the case. I will be taking over the high school group for the next 6 weeks. Pray for me. I want these 6 weeks to be a spiritually challenging and affirming time for these students.

- Speaking of church, I had the opportunity to facilitate a worship night at Daybreak last Sunday night. It was nothing big but the first opportunity I have had to be a part of the larger church. I was really nervous, which was a strange feeling, but had a good time leading God's people in a time of worship. I struggled explaining the Lord's Supper though. Such a mysterious and beautiful connection to Christ that is hard to explain in 5-7 minutes. I kept running in circles as I prepared for the evening. When the time came I froze and did it in 3 minutes.

-Really excited about the Spurs-Hornets matchup. Should be fun to watch. CP3 might be my new favorite non-Laker (now that Nash is out). I know that I predicted a Celtics-Lakers finals, and I think it could happen, but I would also love to see them lose to the Hawks.

- Lastly, I am hungry and am in desperate need of coffee. Viacondios.

Shark attack

There was a horrible shark attack yesterday morning in Solana Beach.

A man was swimming with a group of friends training for a triathlon when he was attacked by a 12-17 ft. great white. Several surfers claimed that there were distraught seals nearby at the time of the attack. The man was bit on the thighs and eventually bled to death on the beach.

It has been a surreal day for everyone in San Diego. Almost everyone I came in contact with yesterday made a comment about the attack. It strikes close to home because everyone here spends a lot of time in the water and we all think we are immune to being attacked. The last fatality in San Diego was 1994 and even that one was suspect (many think that the woman drowned first). Shark attacks happens in Florida or Australia or Northern California, not San Diego. Our beaches are free of anything dangerous; we don't even like seaweed on the sand (or Europeans in their speedos).

A marine biologist (not George Costanza) said in the interview that the chance of an attack are the same an hour after the man died and in a month from now. Sharks are migratory so this one is probably on his way to Nor Cal but there are always other sharks in the water. The inclination for all of us is to assume that this shark is a man eater and is going to attack swimmers and surfers up and down the beach. Thank you Mr. Spielberg for that phobia.

I did check the surf camera at Swamis, a beach about 2 miles from the attack, and 3 hours after a man was killed about 30 surfers were in the water. Can lightening strike twice? I don't know but I think I am going to find out this afternoon.

Western Conference Champs!

Congratulations to the Los Angeles Lakers who clinched the Western Conference Regular Season Title last night.

It is on to the madness of the playoffs in the Western Conference. I am actually more excited about the NBA now than I have been since Magic and Co. steamrolled in 1988.

Consider these potential matchups.
#1 Lakers vs #8 Nuggets
#2 Hornets vs #7 Mavs
#3 Spurs vs #6 Suns
#4 Jazz vs #5 Rockets

then...

Lakers vs Jazz
Hornets vs Suns

THEN...
Lakers vs Suns (Shaq and Kobe collide in the most hyped Western Conference Finals in history.

and finally....
LAKERS vs CELTICS....

EPIC

The Circle of Life

An old friend came home last night, hopefully making one last stop before her eternal resting place.

Jen and I have been praying of late about getting out of our current car payment with the Hyundai (which is a nice car but not really "us") and obtaining a car with cash that we could drive around for a couple years (hopefully) while we save for another car.

On top of that, ever since we moved back to Cali I have wanted a truck. I love trucks. They are not super practical for our lifestyle, we don't have the need to pull anything or load anything but guys just love trucks. Much of our life as males makes no sense anyway. The only practical side to a truck is for our surf career, which is taking more time that we thought to materialize.

Back in 1998 I purchased a Nissan pickup truck while I was entering my junior year of college. It was a 1994 V6 extended cab pickup. When I moved to Colorado after graduation I was forced to get rid of it because it is a rear wheel drive truck and would not fare well in the snow.

I sold it to my parents, who in turn sold it to my sister, who eventually sold it back to my parents. Then my parents sold the truck to my uncle who has had it for the last couple years. The truck is quite incestuous.

I heard the other day that my uncle Alan had gotten a new(er) truck so I called him up to inquire about my old pickup.

It is funny how life can circle back on us. I am not sure if I am making a wise step financially for our family or seriously digressing in life as I am entering my 30's. I guess it is not worth too much thought because the reality is that our new car is my old car and she has come back to pay homage to the many great miles I put on her when we were both young and full of life. I like to say that I brought her into the world and I am going to take her out. Fitting.

So if you need to move, pickup an antique dresser, or throw a surfboard in the back, I can accommodate that request once again. Don't be a stranger.

I was robbed...of joy

I ended my last quarter at Seminary almost 2 weeks ago. When I walked out of my last final late on Thursday night I took a deep breath and savored the fact that summer was finally here. I was done with class, done with papers, and the warmth that constantly invades San Diego was welcoming me. I looked ahead and saw a summer full of surfing, camping, hanging at the beach, bonfires, and bon bons (?). This was going to be a great summer for Jen and I; my first full one in San Diego since I graduated high school in 1996. We were going to be like Danny Zuko and Sandy Olsson. Summer lovin.'

But my world came crashing down after that magical exhale when I realized that I wasn't on the semester system anymore. It wasn't summer. The carrot was dangled in front of me and then ripped away. I was angry. I still had spring quarter staring me in the face. I hate the quarter system. I got one week off and then back to class for another 10 weeks. AAAAAAHHHHH!!! So here I am sitting here at Bethel Seminary getting ready to start a new classes. I feel robbed.

NCAA TOURNMENT UPDATE

Thoughts from the Tournament

So far this tournament has been very disappointing. It seems like 70% of the games are blowouts. What is college basketball coming to when Davidson blows out Big Ten Champion Wisconsion in the Sweet 16. Davidson is obviously a very good team and my wife prophetically (which is another word for luck) picked them to the Elite 8 in her bracket. Besides Davidson's run and a smattering of exciting game, this tournament has lacked much drama.

BUT...I believe that the best is yet to come. We have a potential dream matchup in UNC-Kansas. I do think the UNC-Louisville game will be very good (do you think Roy will cry if he has to face Kansas, motivation to throw the game and lose to Louisville). I think Davidson's dream ends Sunday but secretly I hope Curry goes for 50 and beats KU. UCLA is on the verge of going down, they have come close the last two games and I am predicting that Xavier takes them out today. Xavier has the hunger from last years loss to Ohio State and I think Bruin mistakes will finally catch up to them. Memphis looked very good yesterday and I think that they will overwhelm Texas with their size and athleticism. If Texas can keep it close, they will have a real shot down at the end. This game is up in the air for me, but I am going to go against my original pick and say Memphis is going.

In my bracket I currently have 7 out of 8 Elite 8 teams. Stupid Wisconsin would have given me a perfect 8 for 8 if they wouldn't have gotten their butts kicked by the smallest D1 in the NCAA. My final four is UNC, KU, Texas, and UCLA. Not very original but a real possibility.

I am going to revise it on this blog, just for fun and say it is going to be UNC, KU, Memphis, and Xavier.

Lets just hope that the early blowouts set the tournament up for some spectacular games against the heavyweights (+ Davidson) of college basketball. GO HEELS!

Ahh, the life of a procrastinator

I should be studying. I have a Greek final in 1 hour. It is cumulative over the last two quarters which means that I must memorize a lot of stuff I am currently not memorizing (because I am blogging).

I have a New Testament final directly after that. What do I need to study Paul's letters for, they already happened? Do you know what hasn't happened yet? The last half of the games in the tournament today.

What ridiculous seminary schedules finals the opening week of March Madness (not to mention this thing called Easter, which other people are just as upset at them as I am about the tourney).

So, I have already lost 2 games today. Not too bad so far. I don't like UNLV so I always pick against them. They embarrassed Kent State. That is ok, they will get embarrassed Saturday by Kansas.

And my Baylor Bears went down to Purdue today. Not a big surprise. They should the three at will, play no defense, and have been slumping lately. Luckily I did not take them beyond this round because Xavier looks tough. Talk about a team that plays great defense.

I know that upsets always happen in the tourney but it seems like there will be less of them this year. Just a hunch.

Here is how I hope the tournament plays out this year (thank you Pat Forde):
Worst Case Scenario For Duke (best for me) - Interior vulnerability catches up with the Blue Devils in the second round, leaving the tournament on a two-year streak of Dukelessness in the Sweet 16. CBS executives are on suicide watch. American Express is downtrodden. State Farm is crestfallen. Chapel Hill is euphoric. Heels win national title when Hansbrough is sent to the foul line 18 times in the final game. Joyful Roy Williams congratulates his team afterward on playing through so many injuries.

Suspense almost killed

Believe it or not, Baylor Men's Basketball is going to the NCAA tournament. We are the #11 seed in the West regional playing Purdue in the first round. Cheer on the Bears, it could be another 19 years till we are back!

They waited till the last spot in the tournament to announce Baylor. When I saw the team and the fans go crazy in the Ferrell Center I think I teared up a little. I am such a proud cynic of Baylor sports.

Sic Em

Living a life of Disappointment

Welcome to being a Baylor Bear sports fan!

I have never experienced such continual sports depression as I do when I try and follow Baylor football or basketball (this is a sexist men's sports only rant, the Lady Bears are great).

I stood in the bleachers in 1999 when Baylor was 3 seconds from winning their first home Football game of the year against UNLV. Instead of downing the ball at the UNLV 2 yard line, we decide to punch it in for a decisive victory. Alas, the Baylor curse hits, we fumble into the endzone and a UNLV player runs 101 yards for the winning touchdown with no time remaining as 40,000 fall deadly quiet. Such is the life of a Baylor fan.

I went down to San Diego a couple weeks ago as Baylor was charing in the Big 12 and was playing Texas for a second time. After blowing a 17 point lead and losing the first time, I was cautiously optimistic that we would win this game. We made an impressive and inspiring comeback at the end of the game, giving me great hope, then we proceeded to call a timeout when we had none and lost the game. Such is the life of a Baylor fan.

Still we have a chance to make the tournament. We are 3rd in the Big 12 and get to play Colorado in the first game of the Big 12 tournament. Colorado has 3 wins in conference this year. We have already won. Of course, I am pessimistic but hopeful. We play terrible in the first half, fall down by 15 before staging a comeback. Then we miss 2 freethrows that would have won it at the end of regulation and go to overtime. We fight for a second overtime. Then more missed freethrows and the heroic effort is spoiled. We lose. We might not make the tournament now. Such is the life of a Baylor fan.

Maybe we will make the tournament. There is nothing in me that believes we will survive the first round. Maybe we should move Baylor to Chicago and start playing next to Wrigley Field.

Then we would have fans that understand disappointment.

It's Tourney time baby...

Welcome to Jeff Bruecker's annual March Madness tournament challenge. Jeff began this illustrious tradition running an underground betting ring at Escondido High School. Since then technology and his morals have greatly improved, allowing this tournament to reach all over the world. I hope that you will take part in this fine tradition. And remember, make your picks based on your heart, not your head.

This game gives you the chance to win $10,000 by predicting the winner of the most games in the 63 game men's college basketball tournament. A correct selection in the first round counts as 10 points, and in each succesive round the point values are doubled. You can create up to ten entries, and best of all, it's FREE to play.

Get in the action now:
http://games.espn.go.com/tcmen/group?groupID=7476

Game Front:
http://games.espn.go.com/tcmen/frontpage

Group: Manzanita United
Password: baylor

Respond with questions...if none, get ready for battle!!!

Monterey

Today I drove by the Monterey fairgrounds where Jimi Hendrix burned his guitar during the Monterey Pop Festival. Monterey is such a quiet mellow town to be the home to one of the most iconic moments in music.

My brother moved to Monterey (again) so I volunteered to help drive him up there and move him in. It felt more like a selfish gain for me; I got to hang with my brother for a day and a half and visit the central coast.

We had a long discussion on the way up about my list of Top 10 movies of all time. I also received some suggestions from friends.

So, upon reconsideration, I have omitted The Godfather II from the list. While I think that it is one of the greatest films ever, as a sequel it became an extension of one of the greatest films ever.

So, in its place I have chosen Schindler's List. This movie forever gave a voice and a picture to the resiliency and perseverance of the Jewish people.

10. On the Waterfront
9. Rocky
8. Pulp Fiction
7. The Graduate
6. Citizen Kane
5. Jaws
4. Schindlers List
3. Casablanca
2. Star Wars
1. The Godfather

In the next day or two I am going to review one of the best live musical shows I have ever seen. We saw this group last night in Monterey and I can't wait to share the experience.

Surfing - My Jeckyl and Hyde

There has been little in my life as frustrating as trying to become a proficient surfer. I have loved surfing over the last 8 years, but until recently always surfed during vacation time.

In August, when we moved to San Diego I thought that my surfing was going to improve greatly. I gave myself 6 months before I was pulling floaters, snapping the lip, and maybe even getting shacked (my apologies you surf illiterate types).

It has been 7 months I am not sure if I have improved one bit on the waves. I consider myself I solid athlete but surfing has stumped me time and time again.

The surf has been absolutely incredible this last week. Last Monday I witnessed 12-14 foot surf in Encinitas and since then it has been a solid 3-5 feet.

Today I venture out again, hoping to gain some experience and skill. Most likely I will just threaten to retire (can you retire from something you are no good at).

Wish me luck. And I will say that struggling constantly in the surf is still better than living land-locked.

Sincerely
Barney

Who hasn't wanted to do this...

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=433_1194847977

Christianity in the minority

US News and World Report: The first American colonists were Protestant, and for roughly four centuries their descendents, along with successive waves of Protestant immigrants, have been the country’s dominant religious group. But now Protestants are on the verge of becoming a statistical minority in the U.S., according a study released today.

All the news concerning the "current" religious makeup in our country is in some ways encouraging to me. I know that overtly religious Christian groups are probably condemning our country to hell, referencing the usual suspects: rock music, abortion, teenagers, gay marriage, and Hollywood, but I see the church in America slowly getting her voice back.

In 312 Constantine adopted Christianity as the major religion in the Roman world and as a result the church has never been the same. Historians attribute this act as the starting point for the union of the church and the state, a union that has not been all roses. This edict resulted in the explosion of the church, as its power and influence were changed overnight. But with "great power, comes great responsibility" (Parker, Peter. Spiderman. Columbia Pictures, 2002). Corruption, greed, and the desire for power became a part of the new church and though it never totally corrupted the church, nothing can or ever will because it is the bride of Christ, the pursuit of power definitely altered the mission and purpose of its existence.

Which brings us to 2008. The Christian church, whose sole purpose is to rescue those who are lost and hurting and bring them into the saving grace of Christ, has the opportunity to reach a generation of people who have never walked into a church. As a minority faith in this country, without the opportunity for the type of power and control we have "enjoyed" over the last 200 years, we can focus on reaching out to a hurting world that desperately needs the love of a Savior.

Erwin McManus says that we need to become a refuge for the world, not from it. As the church, we are now reaching people who do not have a predisposed disposition against the church. I get excited to be a part of God's church during this period in our country's history because it is the good news of Jesus, and only the good news of Jesus, that will change this world. It seems like we have been trying to do it on our own for so long. I think Paul had something to say about that in Galations.

So may we invite and reach out to those who need Christ, because that is what he did for you and me. And may we do it with humility, imitating Him who humbled himself to death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2).

My Top Ten Movies of All-Time

As the famed Oscars is almost upon us (also known as the female Super Bowl) I thought it would be fitting to create my Top Ten list. This is not a list of my favorite movies but it is a list of what I consider to be the greatest movies of all time.




To qualify my considerations, each movie must fall into these categories.
1. Box Office Success - I do not think movies can be considered great unless they have enjoyed a certain amount of box office success. Though this falls into subjective territory, the goal of every great movie should be to attain some form of viewer response. Great movies illicit great response which leads to multiple viewings and great word of mouth (Citizen Kane is the only exception I can think of).

2 Impact on cinema for years to come - Like music, great movies influence other artists and create/change genres and styles. This is one of the great reasons the Beatles are considered the greatest band ever.

3. Cultural Ripples - Great movies impact culture by creating great characters, dialogue, memorable performances, surpris endings, etc...(you fill in the blank)

Here is my list...enjoy. Let me know yours.

10. On the Waterfront - An amazing story of redemption. Brando is awesome in what I think is his best role.

9. Rocky - The greatest sports movie of all time (though Hoosiers is still my favorite). The character of Rocky has become an icon in film history. It is a picture of the will of the human spirit. Life is not about winning; it is about "going the distance." Also, if you haven't seen Rocky Balboa, rent it. I think it is the second best Rocky film made.

8. Pulp Fiction - This movie redefined how postmodern films are made. Breaking up normal linear storytelling, Tarantino created a masterpiece with his second film. I can think of 50 movies that have come out since Pulp Fiction that would not have been made without this film. Guy Ritchie owes a big thank you to Tarantino.

7. The Graduate - This was one of the the first movies that took a popular musical artist and used their songs to help tell a story. If you have ever been at the crossroads of life, this movie is for you.

6. Citizen Kane - This is my least favorite of all the movies on the list. It did the smallest amount of box office and did not win many awards. However, this movie taught us how to make movies. It was so far ahead of its time that no one thought it was any good. It is the "Pete Maravich" of the film world.

5. Jaws - The first bona fide "blockbuster" film, this movie frightened people out of taking showers. Masterfully shot and edited, keeping the antagonist hidden for most of the movie, Jaws is the ultimate in horror. Many will cry that Psycho deserves this spot, and I am definitely biased, but I think Jaws has had a larger influence in cinema. It definitely has a better score.

4. The Godfather II - The greatest sequel ever made (just in front of Shrek II). "I know it was you, you broke my heart." Continues the story of the great fall of Michael Corleone (and then the great fall of the franchise with Godfather III).

3. Casablanca - Great storytelling and acting. The thing I love about Casablanca is it didn't feel like it had to end happy and the dialogue is unforgettable. This film is a masterpiece. Rent it.

2. Star Wars - I do think that Empire is a better movie, but it is impossible to not recognize the brilliance and impact that Star Wars has not only had on cinema but on American life. What would Halloween be like without Star Wars? Sci/Fi and Fantasy never were the same.

1. The Godfather - From the costume, acting, color, screenplay, music, and authenticity, this movie is the greatest of all time (in my humble opinion). I have read stories where Mafia gangsters walked out of the Godfather shocked at how accurately their lives were portrayed. The Godfather symbolizes all the worldly desires that we long for, the chance to get something for nothing, to beat the system, and to settle the score. Brando, Pacino, Duvall, and Caan will always have a special place in my heart.

That is my list. Love to know yours. Enjoy the female super bowl Sunday.

Life is Tough

I am shocked and left only with questions. How sad.

typical day in the fairway

Played golf today with my dad, great fun and beautiful weather. In classic Jeff Bruecker golf fashion I was down 1 coming into 17 with all the momentum...

and shot quadruple bogey/triple bogey to finish.

Matt Pearson would have been proud.

I really love to hate that sport.

oops

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23179699/?GT1=10856

My heart has still not stopped pounding

On December 14th I flew back from spending 30 hours in Colorado. I had the privilege of being a part of a 14th birthday celebration of a student I was really close with. It was an amazing time, seeing the significant part I had played in his life up till that point, and then getting to celebrate his birthday. One of those "privileges" to be in ministry times.

So after a short delay due to weather I finally landed in San Diego around 9:30. Wearily I made my way through baggage, caught the shuttle to my car (which was parked in a garage overnight), called Jen to tell her I was heading home (she sounded very tired and said she was going to bed), and finally pulled out of the parking garage heading home.

As I made a right out of the garage I heard a weird noise from the trunk, like I had left something heavy in there. I really thought nothing of it as I made an immediate left up a big hill heading toward the highway. As I made the left I heard the thumping sound again, this time a little more pronounced. I was utterly confused, trying to pinpoint what I had put in my trunk earlier in the week.

I remember vividly making another left onto India Street, which fed into I-5. All of the sudden my whole car started shaking and I came to the dreadful realization that someone was trapped in my trunk. I called out, "hello, hello" and getting no response I started to run through the different scenario's that would explain someone stuck in my trunk. None of them were very positive.

I immediately abandoned any thought of getting on the highway and started racing down India St., not knowing what I was going to do but unable to drive slow at this point. My adrenaline was flowing.

I saw a Mobil station coming up so I immediately banged a hard left and parked in the middle of the station, right under the greatest concentration of lights.

I jumped out of my car and slowly walked to the trunk. I was faced with two choices, either go get help or open the trunk myself.

I decided on the latter because I reasoned that this had to be someone in need. Anyone who was going to do me harm hopefully would have been smart enough not to lock themselves in a trunk.

I approached the trunk slowly, clicked the lock, threw it open and jumped back.

"AAAAAAHHHHHHH" my good friend Andrew yelled. I screamed as I stared at him, not really understanding what I was looking at. All I could say was "what are you doing here!"

Then everything started to dawn on me. That next day I turned 30. I caught a orange blur to my left as a HumV came cruising into the gas station. Out jumped Brad, Hayes, and my traitor wife (who obviously wasn't going to bed after all). Everyone started laughing (other than me) but I was so excited and humbled that these guys would come all the way from Denver for my birthday. One of my best birthdays ever.

I passed the birthday test because I opened the trunk. What a great way to start my 30s. Can't wait till I turn 40. Coming to a realization that someone is trapped in your trunk is not a fun feeling though, and my heart has still not stopped pounding.

First Real Blog

It feels fairly vulnerable writing a blog that can be viewed by anyone with internet access...which happens to be a lot of people.

Little update on my life.

August - left a great job, wonderful condo (that I owned), amazing group of friends, the beautiful front range, and a lot of stability and comfort that I had for 7 years in Denver. I miss the beauty of the mountains, which is why I attached this picture, also because I am trying to bring back the buzz cut but Jen keeps vetoing it. Something about my huge head and receding hairline...whatever.

Moved to...

expensive (and beautiful) San Diego, with an uncertain job, school debt, the joy of being a renter again, not many friends, traffic, smog, ants, and rats (more on them later).

What a journey Jen and I have been on...we are still figuring it out, wrestling with God's provision and promise in our lives. I will expound later on our current situation; it is a beautiful picture of God's faithfulness in our lives, which is rarely realized without questions, confusion, tears, and the occasional swear word, which can go from occasional to frequent very quickly.

Must sleep now. New Testament test tomorrow.

jeff

TV Heroin

LOST! If you haven't taken the plunge...don't. There is no reason to waste 24 hours of your life each year...

But if you are already on the journey, Jen and I are about to watch episode 2 of season 4 (I have school Thursday nights) and I am fully enthralled in this new season. Quality shows are those that gain momentum each year.

I just hope that the producers are smart enough to end it before it turns into Alias.

Why do I hate journaling

Because I have ADD, no discipline, no patience, and no desire to look back on my own thoughts and ideas. The latter seems so boring, mundane, inarticulate, and narcissistic. Instead, I will write "blogs" viewable to all. Oh well, hypocrisy only makes us stronger.