The Greatest Song For...now

I have noticed that I have an unbelievable blog following, note the one (1) comment in 15 posts and the one (1) follower - my wife. I know that this tremendous following is screaming for more information about what makes me me. So here is another series that I like to call "The Greatest _____ For...now". This is an insight into the things I'm into for now.

To start off this series, I'm starting with the greatest Song. By now you should be hearing it. Summertime by The New Kids on the Block could quite possibly be their best single so far. I know that seems to be a very outrageous thought, with hits such as Step By Step and Hangin' Tough (of which both you are now singing in your head) it is difficult to conceive anything greater. But on their comeback blazin' trail, they have proven that even guys that turn 40 this year can still look cool spinning in unison.

This song tops their list because of the catchy tune, artistic balance, harmonizing quality and ability of married men with children to sing about their 15 year old girlfriends and not seem creepy.

Keep on Rockin', Jordan!!

King of the Week - (2-21-09)

This weeks we crown none other than Mr. Late Night, Conan O'brien.

Conan has given us 16 years of high quality, late night comedy. The pasty skinned man has now officially ended his late night run in order to take over for the rarely funny Jay Leno. In high school one of the things I looked forward to most during summer was being able to stay up late to watch him. I look forward to seeing him on The Tonight Show, since now I'll be able to see him more often.

The greatest quality that Conan posses is his ability to turn a bombed joke into huge laughs. The greatest bit of Conan's career is the Walker Texas Ranger Lever. See the top two of all time.

Quote of the Week...A Twofer

One of the most amazing aspects of the American story is that while the nation's founders came from widely divergent backgrounds...They quarreled bitterly over the most practical plan of implementing those beliefs, but rarely, if ever disputed about their final objectives or basic convictions.

These men came from several different churches, and some from no churches at all. They ranged in occupation from farmers to presidents of universities. Their social background included everything from wilderness pioneering to the aristocracy of landed estates...Their economic origins included everything from frontier poverty to opulent wealth.

Then how do we explain their remarkable unanimity in fundamental beliefs?

...(1) they were all remarkably well read...(2) even though some did not belong to any Christian denomination, the teachings of Jesus were held in universal respect and admiration.

- W. Cleon Skousen (5000 Year Leap, pg 31-32).

I think I would like to add a little to Mr. Skousen's quote. I think the third fundamental idea that held our founding fathers together was their unanimous belief that they were common citizens themselves. They feared a tyrannical leader ruling them and their children's children. They also feared an anarchical government that would not be able to provide the adequate protection they needed. What else can account for their attempts to find the most perfect harmony between tyranny and anarchy? I also believe this shows the complete contrast of the ruling party of today who truly see themselves as the ruling party and believe that we (the people) need them to protect and provide for our needs (ANY speech by Barack Obama/Nancy Pelosi/Harry Reid as evidence).

As Benjamin Franklin prophetically pronounced, I am apprehensive...that the Government of these States may in future times end in monarchy (Albert Henry Smyth, ed. The Writings of Benjamin Franklin).

Do I need to reference the Stimulus Package and call into question all those that said Congress would never move towards the monarchy (socialism/communism/fascism) Dr. Franklin predicted?

Side Note: If our history is written accurately, can you imagine any historian 200 years from now EVER calling George Bush OR Barack Obama well read??

Book Report Number A

The Shack by William P. Young.

This book has found the magic formula that vaulted this story to the tops of best seller lists.

The formula: One part underexposed genre + two parts great story + three parts mediocre writing.

Hey, it's the formula that has Stephanie Meyers with two books on the top 10 list. It put Catcher on the Rye on the "classics" list. And now it has put The Shack at the top of every Christian's must read list, including an endorsement from the Super Bowl losing quarterback that was so terrified of tackling that he would rather get out of the way and lose the super bowl.

This book is a must read if you have no understanding of God, the Gospel and the Atonement. I compare it to a the Twilight books because it really is a great story, unfortunately the author kept it from being a great book.

The story of a grieving father finally coming to terms with the lose of his daughter and finding forgiveness for himself and his daughters killer through an exceptional experience with God was a great story. The unbelievable attempt to try and make God out to be everything He is not was disrespectful at best and at many points goes way beyond blasphemous.

This book really is nothing more than one man's attempt to explain things that he d0es not understand. If you are looking for an explanation of the current economic problems, would you really ask George W. to explain it to you? It would be like asking Al Gore to have a rational thought or Barack Obama comparing his done nothingness to Abraham Lincoln. In other words, if you are looking for directions to the nearest Target shopping center, this book is like calling someone that lives in another country for the quickest route.

However, this being said, if you have time, it is a short read (8 - 9 hours) and there are a few parts that did make me think, even if it was not the direction of thought the author had intended. You may learn something, you'll just have to wade through all the gobble gook and squirm at the blasphemous portions to get there.

My recommendation: Read something by Thomas S. Monson or Alma instead.

Spoiler Alert:

To save you the trouble of reading this book, there was one passage that I thought almost made it worth the read. Mac was brought before a woman and told to be judge. He refused, but she said he must judge all humanity and God Himself. She told him that of his 5 children he must choose 2 to send to heaven and eternal happiness and send the other 3 to hell and damnation. He couldn't do it. She explained that when we judge the things that happen in our lives and the people around us, we are judging God. Not only that, but imagine being a loving father that had to judge his children and send them to eternal torment. No matter how horrible my children may be, I would never want anything less than complete happiness for them. However, that is the the judgement seat God must fill.