“And so here it is. This is the reality that lies behind the names that come to rest at last on monuments in the leafy squares of busy American towns. The camera doesn’t show America and yet here on the beach is America, three parts of a hundred and thirty million parts, three fragments of that life we call American life: three units of freedom. So that it is not just these boys who have fallen here, it is freedom that has fallen. It is our task to cause it to rise again.”

- LIFE Magazine, September 1943

Christian preacher arrested for saying homosexuality is a sin. – (Telegraph UK)

*unless you’re one of those sissy post-modernists who believes that words don’t have meaning, and truth is relative. Then you’re okay.
EDIT: 5/4/10

More evidence. – (Huffington Post)

A well spoken explaination as to what the Reformed position is on this, versus other more liberal positions.

So I’m at home grading homework and listening to Vheissu, by Thrice [ very good album... :) ] and am suddenly startled by the movement of what I initially thought was a very large bug next to my head.

It turns out, I was being stalked by a Dove, which had landed on my windowsill, and was sitting watching me and apparently enjoying the music… by bobbing its head ferociously.

We both enjoyed a good few minutes of this, but then Mr Dove caught an unpleasant gust of wind and retired to the trees nearby.

-CNN News

This certainly does not sound like the non-partisanship we were promised just a little over a year ago. Disgusting… Let us not forget that economic struggle, and charismatic men in leadership are the perfect 20th century recipe for the downfall of nations.

We now live in one nation, under God,

Where men in power are able to ration life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for the American people.

“The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself.”

- Benjamin Franklin

Hey everyone – Exciting news!

Granola bars were on sale at Wal Mart this week?!

Well, that was true I guess… but not the point I’m trying to make. The real news is that 8 days ago today, Brette and I became engaged! :D She’s such a sweetheart, and such an amazing blessing to me. I just wanted to say thanks to all the family and friends who offered their congrats to us over the past week. It has been a very exciting time, and I’m so glad we can share it all with you.

I hope you’re all enjoying the spring weather that’s been creeping into locales within the northern hemisphere this week! I will be back soon… go out and play for now!

BLUETOOTH’S NAME EXPLAINED. So something that seemed ridiculous now seems… well, a little less ridiculous.

Additionally, I’m back in the Pocono mountains with the family for Christmas, and I successfully survived my first semester at Notre Dame! With sweet grades! Thank you professors.

And finally, in hilarious family news, my 16 year old brother’s friends apparently have a pool going that he will get a drivers license before my 20 year old sister. Raff. Out. Roud.

Merry Christmas friends. May you all find the peace and joy which came from the

birth of our Savior as we celebrate this Christmas season.

Hmm… unless this is some elaborate scheme to contain us all to one place. Haha…

Interesting how so many folks hold blindly to their “scientific beliefs.”   :)

(For those of you who want more, check out the full debate here.

Today I’m working in my office in the engineering labs, and being that I drink water all the time, I had to make a restroom run. Upon returning from that restroom run, I realized that I had locked the office door and neglected to grab my keys. Uh oh.

Thus began a 15 minute affair in which I attempted to regain entry into my own work area. I first ventured down to the secretary to find that she had left for the day… bummer. Then, I attempted to foil the lock with a gift card… which was an easy attempt in a dorm. Not so easy here. Finally, I had to go introduce myself to the Asian girl in the work area next door, and climb over the cubicles in that area to get back to my office. She is probably still laughing at me now. And you should too!

I’ve learned my lesson now.. don’t forget your keys folks.

Speaking of snow, I am currently experiencing the sudden onset of the Northern Indiana winter… brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. The weather forecasters are calling for a high of 13 degrees tomorrow during the day. At present, with the wind chill, it feels like -1 outside… well that’s what the Weather Channel’s site says. I’m not opening my window to find out.

Living in the graduate housing, I’m surrounded by international students on all sides… and it was interesting yesterday to come home from hanging out with some  friends to find throngs of said students running around out in the sleet/snow mix and biting winds – taking photos, laughing, throwing snowballs, etc. I partly think that its pretty cool to see some people in awe of something that we take for granted… or continually complain about. I also wonder if my neighbors will still appreciate the weather in a month from now. :P

It is looking pretty so far though. I’ll have some pics up soon I think (because photography is more fun than studying for finals anyway! Just kidding – studying is the bees knees. )

And finally, a confession: I attended a physics department seminar on the intersection of astrophysics and nuclear physics today for no good reason. I laughed heartily at the professors making jokes about the inferior size of the particle accelerator being built at the guest lecturer’s university.

“It doesn’t look that big to me!”  -  “How many countries does it cross?”  – etc.

They were really Hadron him… BAHAHA.