2012 Voting Booth Vol. I

And so it has begun. And, as with every election: JMO does the research, so you don't have to! (but feel free to check my facts. Good research always stands up to scrutiny.)

With Santorum finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel (which was the on-coming Romney train) and derailing his own campaign before Mitt, and the GOP voters, could do it for him - we finally have a two person race. (Of course, a two candidate system creates its own issues, but those are for another day.)

The day after Santorum conceded to Romney I saw this image spring up on Facebook:

I restrained myself from commenting on this image on Facebook for a few reasons:

1) It was posted by people who were too young to vote and I didn't feel like taking any action that would make them feel bad about being interested in politics. They are young and misguided, but good for them for being interested.

2) I've found that people don't really pay attention to comments in Facebook. They are typically quippy, brief, and either ignored or misconstrued. This is a much better venue for my thoughts.

3) I had much to say and didn't want to bog down the comments section of the image. But, with as much as I need to say, let's get to it. I'll be refuting each point one at a time (This went longer than anticipated. You'll find the most amazing aspect of this entire situation after each point):

Point 1:
He'd repeal Obamacare and take away health care for millions:
Obamacare doesn't take effect until 2014, so he can't exactly away something they don't have. Obamacare hasn't even survived the Supreme Court test, so Romney may not have to repeal it, the courts may do that for him. I find it interesting that the creators of this document feel the need to specify why this is a bad thing. They couldn't just put "He'd repeal Obamacare." They had to add "and take away health care for millions." Why is that? Is it because the majority of national polls show that American's don't want it?! That if the average American reads "He'd repeal Obamacare" their first thought is: "good?" (Even the pollsters who are in bed with the left can't muster more than a 47% approval rating for this bill. Out of 298 polls only 92% had Americans opposing this bill by an average margin of over 11 points! Even if every "undecided" person polled were lumped into the "in favor" camp that would still leave fewer than half of those polled in favor of this bill. Not only that, but 57% of the polls would still show that Americans don't want this bill. Source

Point 2:
He opposes the President's plan to end the war in Afghanistan and would leave troops there indefinitely:
Romney has taken only one stance on Afghanistan: The top military leaders involved in the conflict should be the ones making the decision. So if Romney's plan is in opposition to the President's plan, that would mean that the President's plan is in opposition to the military's plan. Last I checked, President Obama didn't have any military experience. I suppose that "indefinitely" is accurate if there isn't a scheduled withdrawal date, so that much could be true. Romney has also stated that he would caution against making a similar commitment in the future, as we have in Afghanistan.

Point 3:
He'd cut taxes for millionaires, paid for by cutting the programs that middle-class families rely on:
Once again, as in point one, this is a distortion of the truth based on planned future events. Romney would "cut taxes for millionaires" by continuing the Bush-era tax cuts that cut taxes for everyone who pays them, so, yes, that includes millionaires. Romney also wants to cut taxes for businesses to stimulate job growth and revive the economy. How will he off-set the loss of income for the Federal Government? By cutting services. What puzzles me is this: How many families making between $32,000 and $36,000 a year (the low end of the "middle class" depending on your source) rely on government programs? Now, I understand that there are those that earn less than those figures that do rely on government programs, but... the middle class? I don't think so. Additionally, Romney would return the responsibilities for these services where they belong: to the state governments. Perhaps if we weren't seeing 20% of our income go to the Federal government we wouldn't be as up in arms if we see our property taxes go up a little. (Side note: The average American is working for the government until April 17th, this year before they begin to work for themselves.)

Point 4:
He'd end Medicare as we know it:
I'm not going to lie: I laughed out loud when I read this one. On the one hand, it is completely and utterly true: Mitt Romney would end Medicare as we know it. Sounds like he'd completely do away with it, doesn't it? That a vote for Mitt Romney is a vote to condemn Medicare. Clever wording, no? Of course, what is actually behind this sound-byte is that Romney will suggest reforms to Medicare that we haven't tried yet so, yes: Medicare would no longer be "as we know it." Romney has stated that he desires to "ensure that both Medicare and Social Security are made sustainable for future generations." Seriously, laughed out loud.

Point 5:
He'd get rid of Planned Parenthood and outlaw abortion:
Once again, this point is based on very clever wording and fuzzy deduction (Similar to when then-senator Obama said that he would not "repudiate" Rev Wright). Romney would not look to (nor would he be legally able to) "get rid of Planned Parenthood." Romney would remove Planned Parenthood's Federal funding. Now, if that action results in the dissolution of Planned Parenthood, then I'd have to believe that most American's wouldn't want their tax money subsidizing abortion to begin with. Otherwise, Planned Parenthood, like other private prenatal charities would be able to raise their own support. Oh, and no President can simply "outlaw abortion" or Regan, Bush I, or Bush II would have done it long before Romney got an opportunity.

Most amazing aspect of this situation:
This image originated from President Obama's Campaign Facebook Page!
What does this mean? Well, this wasn't some grass-roots effort to bolster support for President Obama. This came directly from his re-election campaign! Why is this a such a big revelation? It means they recognize that the President has done so little for them to rest their laurels on that they are forced to resort to fear tactics. And not only fear tactics, but deceptive fear tactics at that! [if you skipped the refutation of the points, just check out points 2, 4, and 5. (well, every point has some deception to it but those are the most egregious)].

Bottom line: The Obama campaign is resorting to (at the very least) misleading fear tactics, and not all of them are so terrible!

Easter Reflections

As dawn broke on the third day, Jesus arose and walked out of the tomb. He greeted the angel sitting on the stone and the prostrate soldiers by name as he passed them. He found a quiet place to sit and wait for the women and then chuckle as He watched two of His disciples race to the tomb. What an amazing day in the history of humanity! The curtain was torn, God was accessible to all, Hallelujah!

But why did Jesus go to the cross to begin with? The answer seems obvious. Jesus died on the cross for me, right? I have bad news:

Jesus did not die for you.

It's difficult to convey intonation in written form so perhaps it would be better if I "said" it like this: Jesus did not die for you.

That is to say, we are not the primary reason that Jesus allowed himself to be nailed to a cross. Jesus didn't die for me and, I'm sorry to say, not for you, either.

Like any complex human decision, Jesus had many reasons why he chose to tolerate the plight of a Roman cross. But when we discuss the "why's" of things, we focus on the primary reason. And the message we receive all too often is that we are the primary reason that Jesus died. I can say conclusively, we are not.

Jesus went to the cross in order to bring glory to God the Father. Jesus allowed himself to stand before six illegal assemblies, before three different judges, before soldiers to be scourged, beaten, tortured, and before the public to be insulted, humiliated, pierced, and asphyxiated for the primary reason of glorifying His Father in heaven. Not for me. What am I but a worm that He would die for me? Who am I that my King should die for me?

Jesus endured this horrific experience to bring glory to God the Father and we are the unworthy, undeserving, infinitely blessed, grateful beneficiaries of His sacrifice.

This amounts to a complete reversal of everything we've been taught in our American churches: Jesus died for me. "If I were the only person on the face of the planet, Jesus still would have died for me." These statements aren't necessarily false. But they are (at the very least) out of order. If these statements are true, they were driven by His desire to bring glory to the Father, not principally for our benefit.

This may not sit well so allow me to provide some scriptural backing:

Exodus 14:4 "And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them. But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD." Did God free His people from Egypt for their benefit? No, he did it to bring glory to himself. The exodus is a prophetic example of God saving his people from their sins. Why would His reasons be different from one salvation to another?

Daniel 2:28-29: "Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way.” What is God's motive here? For a pagan King to glorify the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.

What was God's principal motive in each of these? His own glory! Were the Israelites, along with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, peripheral beneficiaries of God's actions? Absolutely! Would they have been in error to say that God did what He did for their benefit? Yeah, kinda. And I can guarantee it would have affected how they each responded to their experiences.

So how does a proper understanding of Jesus' motives color our daily actions and attitudes? If I am the object of Jesus' dedication, and not God the Father, then my motivation to live a life of righteousness, generosity, and Christ-likeness is diminished. After all, Jesus went to the cross for me! He died to forgive me of my sins.

Imagine Meshach says "Praise God, he saved us!" but Abednego says, "Praise God, he brought glory to Himself and we had the privilege of being allowed to be a part of it!" Which attitude results in more praise, gratitude, and adoration?

What is our attitude with this proper understanding? Jesus died for the Father and I am the cursory recipient of the resulting grace; a planned recipient, but still the secondary purpose. Jesus chose to give glory to the Father through obedience even to death on a cross, (John 10:17-18, Philippians 2:8) and I have the privilege of being allowed to be a part of it through the salvation that I unjustly receive! How much greater is my praise? How much deeper is my gratitude? How much fuller is my adoration of the only One worthy of Glory?

Let us worship anew this Easter with a fuller understanding of the primary reason Jesus suffered. Let us recognize our proper position in God's plan of salvation: The grateful, unworthy people, the privileged beneficiaries of the grace made available by Jesus' righteous desire to bring His Father glory by becoming the final sacrifice for sin.

He is risen! He is risen indeed! Hallelujah!

A Historical Rewrite

The following is my version of the beginning of the Declaration of Independence if it had been written today:

We hold these "truths" to be self-evident provided they align with your own personal paradigm, that all men are created have evolved equally, that they are arbitrarily endowed by their Creator the evolutionary process that has lead us to believe that "rights" exist with certain unalienable rights provided you aren't an enemy combatant or a member of the "1%", that among these are life as long as you've already been born, liberty in all things secular, there shall be no liberty to share one's governmentally defined religion in the public square and the pursuit of government provided happiness. That to secure these rights, powerful federal governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed special interest groups who fund them. That whenever any form of government (not including ours, of course) becomes destructive to these ends for those not rich. The wealthy are out of luck, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it (remember, not our government), and to institute new government that will no longer ignore the will of the people, laying its foundation on such lack of principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their liberty-less safety and government funded, a moral happiness.

Somehow it just doesn't have the same ring to it...

Wisdom Comes with Age Youth

Once again, (see previous rant here) a hidden society destroying agenda comes to light in something disguised as entertainment or advertising.

Kraft has launched a new ad campaign for their star product Miracle Whip with the tag-line "Keep An Open Mouth." The first version of this campaign features angry villagers with pitch-forks and torches converging on a colonial house. It has an intentionally distinct "Witch Hunt" tone (as is proven by the title of the ad). The door of the house is opened by a 13 or 14 year old girl. Well, here, you might as well watch it rather than have me describe it for you:



And what do we learn from this piece? Once again the youth of society are bestowing wisdom upon the aged. It is the very people in the community who should be most respected who are blinded by prejudice and rage. The youth challenges them and they answer with ignorance and hearsay. After scolding them for their closed-mindedness the youth turns and returns to the house. As the posse leaves the youngest of the adults begins to see the light.

Why does our society so worship at the alter of youth? What is it about postmodernism that it instructs us to exchange the wisdom that comes with age for the self-righteous sophomoric views that are prevalent in youth? And so the question becomes: Does the media shape our views on society or merely reflect them?

When researching this post I stumbled upon a site called The Inspiration Room. That is where I found the second installment of this ad campaign:



Surprisingly, this episode is not quite as egregious as the first. Here the person portrayed as being "in the right" appears to be approaching middle-age while the most out-spoken ignorant towns-people appear to be the political leaders. A potential redeeming aspect is that the Reverend of the community has actually kept an open mind. The manner in which the villagers react to the "MW" emblem, however, still makes it seem as though the Reverend has done something obscene, rather than leading his flock in something good and proper.

The most ironic aspect of all of this is the tag-line. "Keep an open mouth" is an obvious play on "keep an open mind." And the message is that we ought to keep an open mind regarding all things, except the wisdom and traditions of previous generations. If we aren't going to rebel against those, we should, at the very least, ignore them.

When we look around and wonder why our society shouts for entitlements, can't stay out of debt, and obeys its hormonal urges rather than controls them we need look no further than our unquestioned adoration and idolatry of youth.

Credits

The Open Mouth campaign was developed at mcgarrybown, Chicago, by chief creative officer Ned Crowley, group creative directors Dave Reger and Michael Straznikas, copywriter Tyler Campbell, and art director Brant Herzer.

Filming was shot in Romania by director Joachim Back via Park Pictures with executive producer Jackie Kelman Bisbee, director of production Lisa Burke Snyder, producer Katie Juras.

Editing was done at Whitehouse Post by producer Laurie Adrianopoli, editor Rick Lawley.

Fasting for Food

This is a new cruise ship called "The Freedom of the Seas." It holds five thousand (5000) passengers on any given trip.

What does this cruise ship have to do with World Vision's 30 Hour Famine?

In 2009 twenty-six thousand (26,000) children were dying every day of hunger and preventable diseases. In just three short years, the work of charities like World Vision has decreased that number to twenty-one thousand (21,000). Is this still twenty-one thousand too many? Absolutely! But, together, our efforts have decreased the number of senseless deaths by the capacity of this cruise ship every day! There is still work to be done.

How amazing to be able to say that you are a part of putting an end to the needless suffering of children world-wide? How can you be involved? From noon on April 13th to 6 pm on April 14th, the youth group that my wife and I lead will be participating in World Vision's 30 Hour Famine: A planned fast to raise money for this worthy cause.

That's where you come in. We would like to give you the opportunity to sponsor my wife and I during our fast. Sponsoring us at $1 per hour that we fast would feed a child for 1 month. If $30 is not an option for you, any amount that you can give is greatly and sincerely appreciated. You do not need to feel bound by the "amount per hour" model, even if you can donate $2, that is money that will help those in need. (Donations of over $30 are also welcome).

Consider this: The least expensive cruise that I could find for "The Freedom of the Seas" was $1,373. That amount of money could feed 4 children for an entire year.

We're not asking for quite that much (unless you feel so lead!). My wife and I have set a fund raising goal of $720. That's enough to feed two children for a full year (or if you prefer: 24 children for 1 month). Would you consider partnering with us? You can donate on our 30 Hour Famine website here.

If you are unable to give financially, please pray for me, my wife, my fellow leaders, and the youth that will be participating. This can be a live changing event. It truly helps to put into perspective the abundance that we are blessed with in America.

Thank you for reading this post. Thank you for visiting my donation website. And thank you for your support.

Laws, Morals, & The Constitution

As we head into this election season I'd like to discuss a realization that I've been noticing more and more: As time goes on the size of our government increases. And as the size of our government increases, the character of our citizenship decreases. What is the cause of this? After much pondering I realized that I was looking at this issue backwards. The decreasing character of our citizenry is not caused by the increasing size of government, rather the inflation of government is in response to the systematic shedding of character by the average American!

This proper view of our national situation makes complete logical sense: When people can control themselves, external control is unnecessary. When people cease to exercise self-control the governing forces must increase in order to exert enough external force to bring about the appearance of "self-control" in its citizens.

The next logical question must therefore be: What has caused the erosion of character in our nation? I believe this is two-fold.

First, we no longer encourage people to believe in an absolute morality. Earlier in our country's history our government worked to frame laws that reflected our morality. Now, we base morality on the laws our country passes! We no longer uphold a morality against which our laws can be judged. Rather, people judge morality as compared to our laws! This has been exposed most recently when Piers Morgan said to Kirk Cameron regarding gay marriage, "And yet, some people would say that telling kids that being gay is a sin, or getting married is a sin or whatever – that in itself is incredibly destructive and damaging, in a country where seven states now have legalized it." Piers is questioning Kirk's standard of morality as compared to the laws of seven states! The law supersedes, or, perhaps more accurately, dictates morality. With laws that can vacillate from administration to administration, who can determine what is moral and what is not?

Second: We have forgotten the foundation on which this country was constructed. Regardless of their personal beliefs, whether they were deists, Christians, or simply savvy politicians, the founding fathers saw the wisdom in basing their designs for a new country on the blue print of Judeo-Christian values. James Madison wrote, "We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We've staked the future of all our political institutions upon our capacity to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God with all of our heart." Once again, we find the urging for self-discipline which leads to a smaller government. With or without a personal belief in these values I do not understand why the majority of politicians do not strongly recommend living by these tenets. They encourage obedience, submission, volunteerism, compassion, and prayerful support of the government provided it does not contradict the law of God. What politician wouldn't want a multitude of citizens striving to uphold these virtues?

One final proof that our founding fathers believed that a society based on Judeo-Christian morals was best for all can be found in the preamble of the Constitution. This brief segment of the most important document of our government declares that two of the purposes of the government are to "provide for the common defense," and "promote the general Welfare." The wording here is intentional and not accidental. The government is not called to provide for the general welfare of its citizens. It is to provide defense. I mention both purposes as a juxtaposition to show that the mandate for our lawmakers is to promote the general welfare, not provide it. The mandate is to create an environment that encourages both micro and macro charity, enables churches and other religious institutions to provide care for the needy, helps corporations create job placement services, encourages restaurants to have soup kitchens to feed the hungry, etc, etc, etc. The forefathers were not looking to create a government that would provide these services. This just encourages people to ignore their destitute neighbor. "Don't worry about them, the government will take care of them."

The rebelliousness of human nature and the blindness of our so-called leaders to these society-building beliefs has caused what we are dealing with today: the steady and disturbing decline of individual and corporate character in our nation. In response, the continual bloating of the government in a vain attempt to create an external force designed to cause self-control which, in turn, leads to the disintegration of our civil liberties. And while the obese government may be able to prevent chaos, it is not able to compel it's citizens to care for each other and therefore, must also assume the role of provider of the general welfare.

Is there nothing that can save us from this perpetual downward spiral?

Wrongful Parents

It's been a while since something has fired me up enough to sit down and compose my thoughts. I usually prefer to respond to issues that are either egregious or have flown under the radar. The issue of this post, I believe, has done both.

A couple from Portland Oregon recently won $2.9 million dollars in a "wrongful birth" suit. That's right wrongful birth! Their daughter was born with Down Syndrome and the doctors misdiagnosed their baby as healthy during their prenatal visits. They argue that they were not given the opportunity to terminate their pregnancy due to the fact their daughter was going to be born with special needs.

After I cleaned up my vomit I sat down to write these thoughts:

First (and foremost): The Oregon department of Human Services: Children, Adults, and Family division needs to step in and immediately remove this child from that home. By the parent's own admission they do not want her. To what other conclusion can one come if these parents openly admit they would have aborted the child during pregnancy? That's only a few steps short of announcing "We would kill our child now if it were legal." If you would like to contact the Oregon DHS, you can do so at this email address: dhs.directorsoffice@state.or.us

Second: A higher court needs to overturn this travesty of a ruling. Doctors already "play it safe" with diagnosis, with referrals, with emergency room visits in a vain attempt to avoid malpractice suits. Now the misdiagnosis of "healthy" of an in-utero fetus has led to a massive award! Doctors can't even always accurately determine the gender of a baby, now we are expecting them to catch every possible prenatal complication? Consider the implications if doctors begin to "play it safe" in this arena as they do in most others: If there is even the hint of a problem, now it's a diagnosis. How many completely healthy babies will we abort because of this ground-breaking, precedent-setting decision? What are we, Sparta?

Third: I pray that this poor four-year-old girl never, ever learns how her parents got their money. Do we really believe that a person with Down Syndrome has less worth than someone who doesn't? "If you prick [her] do[es she] not bleed? If you tickle [her] do[es she] not laugh? If you poison [her] do[es she] not die? And if you wrong [her] shall [she] not revenge?" If you tell her that her parents would have aborted her if they'd known that she wasn't going to be perfect, what will that do to this poor girl who is already dealing with the fact that she isn't like everyone else?! This is where a god-less view of evolution has led us: a society that believes that a person's worth is determined solely by how we perceive "Natural Selection" would impact them. There is no God in whose image they were made. No one was "knit together in their mother's womb." There is no eternal purpose to our existence. In fact, parenthood, which ought to be the most selfless of acts, becomes something akin to buying a car. "This one's ok but I wanted one with a leather interior." What happens when their other child comes home with a C in Geometry? Do they sue the math teacher? Oh, no, they'd go after the doctor who didn't give them an opportunity to abort this less-than-perfect child.

Fourth: How is this possibly the doctor's responsibility to pay for the "additional costs of raising a special needs child?" (This was the "legal" basis of the suit.) I suppose it's more accurate to ask "How is this possibly the doctor's malpractice insurance policy's responsibility to pay for the 'additional costs of raising a special needs child?'" Down Syndrome is a genetic condition so why aren't they suing their own families? If they are serious about placing blame, they ought to be working to determine which parent caused their daughter to have an extra chromosome, and force that parent to work two jobs. Do you think the cost of health care is high now? Guess what this decision is going to do to those already sky-rocketing premiums? Sorry, Obama-care, you don't even touch this issue.

Fifth: Where is the ACLU?! The silent acceptance of the point-of-view of these parents is to encourage what amounts to nothing less than a genocide of children based solely on their disability! How is this not a complete trampling of their civil liberties?! Where is the outrage from organizations that defend the disabled? Is the ACLU finding difficulty determining which "civil liberty" they ought to defend: A woman's right to kill choose, or a fetus' right to live?

This issue is disgusting on so many levels: First, shame on the parents who brought this suit to court. Second, shame on the lawyer who put money ahead of morals. Third, shame on those that ruled in favor of these so-called parents who have forfeited their rights to their daughter simply by dreaming up this vile malpractice suit. And finally, shame on those that silently approve of the practice of killing unborn babies because they weren't "perfect." You will not find me among their ranks.

That's my opinion. What's yours?!

All Four Super Bowl Previews VI

It's that one week per year when I can sit down to write this: my most favorite of posts: A preview of the four possible Super Bowls! (Could this really be the sixth time I've written this post?)

If you'd like to see how I've done in the past, you can read my previous versions here (I'll list them with the year the Super Bowl happened along with the actual teams that faced off): 2007, Colts over Bears; 2008, Giants over Patriots; 2009, Steelers over Cardinals; 2010, Saints over Colts, and 2011, Packers over Steelers.

For those who read this years preseason predictions know that half of my Patriots/Eagles Super Bowl prediction is still in it, and for those who read my Playoff predictions know that half of my Ravens/Saints game is still alive. Let's see how I do now that there are only four teams left.

And now, as you've become accustomed, here are all four Super Bowl break-downs, from least compelling to most: (get your wallets out and call Vegas and Atlantic City. Put your money on the two teams I pick to win to lose BIG)

Ravens vs Giants
And the chant from rises from the stands and fans of both teams support their respective quarterbacks with the same mantra: "Just don't mess up! Just don't mess up!" The Ravens and the Giants are strangely similar. They can play amazingly well against excellent teams (Baltimore beat Pittsburgh twice this year and the Giants beat the Patriots in Foxboro and nearly handed the Packers their first loss of the season) but they both also play down to poorer teams! (The Giants lost to Washington and the Ravens caved to the Seahawks!) They both have strong defenses with inconsistent offenses. Nothing says a thrilling Super Bowl like great defense against mediocre offense. Sure it's a rematch of Super Bowl XXXV, but how many people even remember that the Ravens won that game? This is the game I predict. Winner: Giants (Loser: The grounds crew that has to returf between the 20's)

Ravens vs 49ers
There's something wrong with a match-up when the most compelling story is the fact that the head coaches are brothers. Besides, we already had the Harbaugh bowl, John won. [As you read this, hear the movie preview voice in your head]: "Coming this February... Joe "Listen, I'm elite too" Flaco and the Baltimore Ravens take on Alex "Seriously, I was the first pick of the draft" Smith and his 49ers. Listen as the balls hit the ground like the Battle of Britain as incomplete passes litter the field. Watch as the pigskin flies through the air off the foot of punters and field-goal kickers alike!" Winner: (John wins again) Ravens (Loser: Field Goal net operators)

Patriots vs 49ers
After much consideration, this is the game that I'd like to see. You'll find a further explanation of this below. There is an interesting, though lesser known angle to this game. Tom Brady grew up idolizing Joe Montana and was a huge fan of the 49ers. He was even in the stands to see "the catch" (the original catch that elevated the 49ers over the Cowboys in January of 1982). The seasoned veteran vs the rebirth of a former perennial powerhouse. Winner: Patriots (Loser: Casual football fans)

Patriots vs Giants
This is the game that everyone wants to see. A rematch of 2008. Brady seeks revenge, Eli seeks respect. Can Brady's amazing offense score on the Giants powerful D? Can New England's woeful defense stop Eli and his mediocre offense? If the Patriots win there will be "too little too late" talk, "too bad it wasn't 2008." If the Giants win, it will be a long time before we hear the end of it! "Eli's better than Peyton, Eli's better than Brady, the Giants stopped the perfect season and nearly did it again this year, they knocked the 15-1 team out of the playoffs and defeated the Patriots three times in their last three meetings, and on and on and on. The only thing that would make this game bearable is if the Patriots dish out another severe thumping akin to the one from which Tebow is now recovering. Bottom line, you don't beat Belichick twice in the same year. Winner: Patriots (Loser: Anyone standing near a Giants fan)

In years past, I've had a good feeling regarding who was going to win the Conference Championship games (regardless as to how wrong I turned out to be). Not so this year. I won't be surprised if any of these games took place.

That's my opinion, what's yours?

2011 - 2012 Playoff Preview

Seems the only topic that brings me back to my blog is sports. (Politics will begins shortly, but it's just too far away for me right now.) So, time for me to review how my preseason predictions panned out. In this post I'll also be cursing at least four teams by predicting that they will do well in the playoffs!

You can find my preseason preview in the previous post (I haven't posted since September!). Here's how I did:

AFC
East
Prediction: Patriots
Actual: Patriots
And they are the #1 seed! One for one!

West
Prediction: Chargers
Actual: Broncos
It is a QB driven league, and somehow Tebow came out on top! (I have three friends who have agreed that if Denver wins it all, it confirms a higher power and they will come to church with me :D)

North
Prediction: Steelers
Actual: Ravens
I'm giving myself 3/4 of a point on this one because the Steelers grabbed a wild card spot I picked the Ravens as a wild card team. So I had both teams going to the playoffs, and both teams made it.

South
Prediction: Colts
Actual: Texans
No fair! Peyton had surgery on his neck the day after I made my predictions! I'm giving myself 3/4 of a point here as well because I accurately predicted that if Peyton wasn't effective that Houston would take the division.

Wild Card
Prediction: Jets & Ravens
Actual: Bengals & Steelers
Wow. Two teams from the AFC North. While the NFC East has done this in the past, this is no easy feat.

NFC
East
Prediction: Eagles
Actual: Giants
I drank the kool-aid. I believed the hype. I was wrong. Can I get some props for accurately predicting that the Eagles season will be a failure? (Of course, I thought they'd make it into the playoffs before collapsing.)

West
Prediction: Cardinals
Actual: 49ers
I picked the 49ers last year, does that count for anything? No. Ok.

North
Prediction: Packers
Actual: Packers
Hey, look! I got the gimme!

South
Prediction: Falcons
Actual: Saints
Another 3/4 of a point for getting both teams (Saints and Falcons) in the playoffs, just missing who'd take the division and who the wild card. Last year I picked the Saints and the Falcons took it. This year it was vise versa. So next year I'll pick the Saints because I want to see the Falcons take the division.

Wild Card
Prediction: Cowboys & Saints
Actual: Falcons & Lions

I predicted 6 of the 12 Playoff Teams. Three from each Conference. One better than last year! I guess I'm getting better. Only half of my predicted Super Bowl remains. Go Pats. :)

Playoff Predictions
Alright, so based on how I did this year we can expect 5.5 of my Playoff predictions to be accurate.

Alright, get ready to call Vegas and place your bets! Here we go:

AFC
Wild Card Round:
Steelers at Broncos
I'm most confident about this game. Broncos rely on the run, Steelers stop the run. If the game is on Tebow's shoulders he'll carry it all the way to the golf course. Give Reothlisberger the extra week of rest, play Batch. It will still be a blow out.
Winner: Steelers

Bengals at Texans
This is the hardest of the 1st round games to pick. I want the Bengals to win so that they go to New England. Both teams have been a surprise this year; The Bengals with how well they've done and the Texans with how well they've done considering their injuries. Unfortunately, I don't think the Bengals will be able to overcome Houston.
Winner: Texans

Divisional Round:
Steelers at Patriots
(If the Bengals could beat Houston, their post season ends here) The Patriots have been giving up huge leads, making amazing adjustments, and scoring tons of unanswered points. You don't win that way in the Playoffs and you don't win that way against the Steelers. I would have said that the Patriots would benefit from home field advantage if A) they hadn't given up a giant lead to the Bills last week, B) they hadn't been unable to overcome the Giants lead at home earlier this year, or C) they weren't facing another cold weather team in the Steelers. The deck is stacked against the Patriots in this match-up.
Winner: Steelers

Texans at Ravens
Houston was lucky to draw the Bengals in the Wild Card round. But Baltimore is too good for the wounded Texans. The only thing that makes this a close game is the fact that the Ravens play down to their opponents.
Winner: Ravens

Championship Round:
Steelers at Ravens
It's been said "You don't beat the same team three times in one year." The Ravens will. The just have the Steelers' number this year. This will be a great game and will go right down to the wire but Flaco will emerge victorious.
Winner: Ravens

NFC
Wild Card Round:
Falcons at Giants
Like the Steelers, the Falcons have a better record than the team they have to travel to face. And like the Steelers, it won't make a huge difference. It really didn't matter who won the Sunday night game week 17 because both the Giants and the Cowboys were losing to the Falcons this round.
Winner: Falcons

Lions at Saints
Another great match-up. This will be a very entertaining game to watch for those without a "horse in the race." It will be a great battle but in the end it will be very frustrating for Lions fans who will watch their team self destruct with penalties.
Winner: Saints

Divisional Round:
Saints at 49ers
The 49ers surprised a lot of people with the amount of success they had this year. Hosting a playoff game would normally be a big thrill for them. Unless they are facing the Saints. A record setting year for Brees and the Saints continues as they send San Francisco packing.
Winner: Saints

Falcons at Packers
Yet another great game! The first true test of the Packers since they nearly lost to the Giants. Some of you may be asking, what about the Chiefs? Shouldn't have been a test. Just goes to prove how difficult it is to go undefeated in a 16 game season. This is a tough game to call based on how potent Rodgers and the Packers offense has looked. But the Falcons may surprise a lot of people. It'll be very close.
Winner: Packers

Championship Round:
Saints at Packers
The last NFC game will be a rematch of the first game of the season. And what a rematch it will be. Brees' performance has been overshadowed by the Packers' nearly perfect season. Green Bay's loss may bump Brees to the front runner in the MVP race. Green Bay also faced weaker teams this year than the Saints did. Both Championship Games will rival the Super Bowl in excitement and intensity. Brees and the Saints will end the Packer's pursuit as repeat Champions.
Winner: Saints

Super Bowl
Saints vs Ravens
While not the game the network is hoping for, what a game to watch! The red hot offense of the Saints versus the Stifling defense of the Ravens! They say that defense wins Championships but the top teams this year have been doing it with offense. In the end, the pundits will start discussing the possibility of a dynasty as Brees brings the Lombardi Trophy back to New Orleans for the second time in 3 years.
Winner: Saints

There you have it. So now it's likely that the Giants will shock the world again and beat Tebow in the Super Bowl. (My ideal is Bengals over Houston, New England over Cincinnati, and New England over the Ravens. Then New England facing Green Bay. But this is all fairly unlikely.) Feel free to provide your predictions. What a great time of year!

2011-2012 NFL Preview

Well, the strike is over (Yes, it was a strike.) which means it's that time again! Time for another edition of JMO's NFL preview! (Is it unfortunate that few things get me to post now a-days? If you think so, skip the post and comment. Let me know what you'd like to read about on JMO) For those of you still reading: Get out those pencils and jot down what you'll read here because it's sure to be completely incorrect by week 5!

As you've become accustomed, I'll be going division by division predicting the winners of each. We'll begin with the NFC seeing as they won the Super Bowl last year.

NFC North (Bears, Lions, Packers, Vikings)
The Lions have been making great strides over the past few off-seasons. They are a very trendy pick to make the post season this year. However, I don't think they'll be able to overcome the powerful Packers and I don't think they'll wind up as one of the two best non-division-winning teams in the NFC. It will be close, but I expect them to be watching the game come January. And while Chicago and Minnesota (who acquired a younger QB in 34 year old McNabb) have made some improvements, Green Bay is going to run away with this division.

winner: Packers

AFC North (Bengals, Browns, Ravens, Steelers)
There are some questions in this division. But they mostly are regarding if the Browns and Bengals will win more games combined than the Steelers. Big Ben managed to stay out of hand-cuffs and courtrooms in this off-season so they won't have those distractions. Considering how they did last year, maybe that's a strike against them. The Ravens do stand a chance at the playoffs. But Flaco will likely only be able to get them there as a wild card.

winner: Steelers

NFC East (Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, Redskins)
Here is a division that's gotten lots of attention in the off-season. I'd be remiss if I started by discussing any team other than the Eagles. They've certainly become the Miami Heat/New York Yankees of the NFL. The question is can this team of divas mesh into a cohesive unit? If not, will the on-again/off-again Giants or the they're-so-full-of-talent-but-can't-win-when-it-counts Cowboys take 1st in this division. The problem is, like the Miami Heat, the Eagles have now set them up with expectations: The season will be a failure if they don't win the Championship. The Heat couldn't live up to it. Will the Eagles learn from their mistakes?

winner: Eagles

AFC East (Bills, Dolphins, Jets, Patriots)
Wow! This is a division that had an off-season chess match. The Jets and the Patriots both improved their rosters. If any team other than New England signed both Albert Haynesworth and Chad Johnson Ocho-Cinqo I'd say they were headed for disaster. However, somehow Belichick and company manage to succeed with characters such as these (see Corey Dillon and even Randy Moss for a season and a half. And remember, they got Randy for a 4th round draft pick and traded him for a 3rd round pick!) Yes, you can infer from these comments that the Bills and Dolphins will be irrelevant this year. When all is said and done, I'm not drinking the Sanchez kool-aid.

winner: Patriots

NFC South (Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers, Saints)
This may become one of the hottestly contested divisions in the NFL. With Matt Ryan at the helm the Falcons are poised to take the division back from the red hot Saints. You can't even count out the Buccaneers this year. It will be interesting to see how Cam Newton does for the Panthers, but they are in a rebuilding year. The Saints have not fared as well this year in free agency as some other teams. I think they'll make it to the playoffs -- but not as the division winner.

winner: Falcons

AFC South (Colts, Jaguars, Texans, Titans)
This division is shrouded in uncertainty more than any other time in recent memory! Peyton had neck surgery over the summer and was not able to work-out with his regular trainer due to the strike. Everyone expects him to start week 1, but can he be effective? And if he's not, who takes first in this division? The Texans, who everyone loves in the preseason but who collapses in the regular season? The Titans, who some think are in the Andrew Luck sweepstakes? The Jaguars, who are built to beat the Colts but no one else? Even if they lose the first 4 games, they will still make the playoffs -- but can the Schaub/Johnson tandem make it so that the Colts slip into the post season as a wild card? Nope.

winner: Colts

NFC West (Cardinals, 49ers, Rams, Seahawks)
Can the Seahawks ride the wave they created when they became the first team to enter the playoffs with a losing record, and then advanced past the first round? Kolb to the Cardinals, Rice to the Seahawks, McDaniels with the Rams, a complete defensive overhaul for the 49ers. Which of these teams will become first round fodder in the playoffs? The team with the most weapons is Arizona.

winner: Cardinals

AFC West (Broncos, Chargers, Chiefs, Raiders)
It is still a quarterback driven league and this division is rife with quarterback controversy. Can Campbell be the hero for Oakland? Cassel lost his major supporter (McDaniels) in Kansas City, the Broncos have three quarterbacks: the coach wants one, the locker room the second, and the fans the third! And then there is Rivers. And while his supporting cast may have changed, he is still an excellent quarterback who just seems to have some difficulty delivering when it counts. But this is, after all, a quarterback driven league.

winner: Chargers

NFC Wild Card Teams: Cowboys & Saints

AFC Wild Card Teams: Jets & Ravens

And here's how the playoffs would play out:

NFC:
BYE: Packers & Eagles
Wild Card Weekend: Saints defeat the Cardinals in a thriller and the Cowboys fall to the Falcons.
Divisional Round: Eagles beat the Falcons in the battle of the birds and the Packers send the Saints packing
Conference Championship: Eagles over Packers

AFC:
BYE: Patriots & Steelers
Wild Card Weekend: The Ravens beat the Chargers and the Jets shock the Colts
Divisional Round: Patriots end the Ravens' season and the Jets beat the Steelers
Conference Championship: Brady gets his revenge on Sanchez and sends the Jets home

Super Bowl:
Patriots vs Eagles

And in the rematch of Super Bowl XXXIX the result is the same. The Eagles fall to the Patriots and suffer the same fate as their NBA counterpart -- a stacked deck that folds on the river.

Those are my predictions. What are yours?

A New Horizon

After much consideration and some assistance, I have entered the world of YouTube!

Shortly, Fillion Films will have it's first short film on YouTube. In the meantime, you'll have to settle for the trailer. Please visit this site:

Paint by Numbers Trailer

Don't forget to check back soon for the outtakes of this movie!

("Like" the trailer and tell your friends!)

Now that you've seen the trailer, Check out the short film:

Paint by Numbers

Write your review in the comments section of this post!

"King Dirk"

There are only two "King James" that I'm aware of: The king of England from 1603-1625 and the English translation of the Bible that he commissioned.

Dirk Nowitzki just did in Dallas what Lebron has never been able to accomplish in Cleveland: Win it all with "one great player." Not only was Lebron unable to win in Cleveland, but he also couldn't win in Miami with one of the most impressive "supporting casts" ever assembled. Perhaps his move to Miami has shown that he isn't as great as everyone previously supposed.

Even if Miami had won both of these games at home, the story wouldn't be about "King James," rather it would have been "King Dwyane." If anyone has proven himself to be a leader and a talented player regardless of the game situation, it's Dwyane Wade.

Congratulations MVP Dirk and the Dallas Mavericks on your hard-fought, well-deserved NBA Championship!

Things That Make Me Angry

I have three things that I feel the need to share that really get my goat, rub me the wrong way, ruffle my feathers, and other animal related colloquialisms that mean "increase one's ire."

First: People who misuse percentages. This may sound a little wacky but hear me out. I was watching a news story regarding the rising cost of gas. The anchor displayed four categories that together make up the price of fuel. They were "Distribution, Taxes, Refining, and Crude." She was comparing 2010 gas data to the current trends using percentages. Her claim was that we shouldn't feel so terrible about the increase in crude prices, because the amount we were paying for distribution, taxes, and refining had decreased based on the percentages. Well DUH! With the price of crude sky-rocketing the way it is and everything else remaining the same, of course the percentages are going to decrease!

Here's the table they were displaying:
.................2010....2011
Refining.......36%......20%
Taxes..........14%.......7%
Distribution...15%.......8%
Crude..........35%......65%

"Taxes and Distribution are down nearly 50%" the TV personality tried to assert, "and Refining is down by 16 points!" Come on!

Now, work with me here: (For the sake of argument, let's use round numbers) let's say that gas in 2010 was $2 a gallon and it's now $4 a gallon. Now, we'll plug actual numbers into this table instead of percentages:

..................2010......2011
Refining.......$0.72......$0.80
Taxes..........$0.28......$0.28
Distribution...$0.30......$0.30
Crude..........$0.70......$2.60

Anyone really think that average Joe watching this news cast is going to break out their trusty TI81 and calculate this fallacy? No, Ms Newscaster, the other three portions of the cost of gas are not decreasing. Crude is so expensive it's name is literal and figurative. It's time to stop misusing percentages (and open up the US reserves, but that's for another post).

Second: Hypocrisy in unions. The NFL Player's Union, to be specific. The NFL players are trying to claim that they are pawns in the greedy hands of the overbearing owners. And in a show of solidarity they've asked the incoming rookies not to attend the draft celebration in New York on Thursday. Anyone paying attention to this so-called lockout knows that the player's union is going to "concede" to a rookie salary cap in order to get some of their own demands met. (I say "concede" because there's no reason for the Player's Union to fight the cap. Why should an 8 year veteran be making less than someone who's never played a down in the NFL?) Why, then, would this trodden-on group of players turn and do the same thing to the incoming rookies?! Hey, players: They aren't part of your union, so they aren't part of your strike (I mean "lockout"). They are going to be your pawns at the bargaining table so please allow them to be knights at the podium on Thursday.

Finally: I've decided that if I can't afford the things I really want, like my iPhone, Internet, cable, (basically the overall lifestyle to which I've become accustomed) I'm just going to go to my neighbors and demand money from them. After all, that's what the government does, right? Cut spending? What's that? No, I'm just going to require everyone to give me cash. And if you were giving me money before, now you have to give me more. I know everyone has less right now. The economy is hard, but how else can I continued to live the way I want to live? Now, if the "powers-that-be" decided that they were going to lead by example, tighten the belt a little bit, then I might be encouraged to do so as well. However, until that happens: If you've taken the time to read this post, please send me $5.00. Thank you.

30 Hour Famine

Thank you for reading this post.

During the weekend of February 25th & 26th I will be purposefully fasting for (at least) 30 hours. Why do such a thing? Well, when Jesus was talking about our "acts of righteousness" in Matthew 6 he says, "When you fast..." signifying that, as one of His followers, this is an activity in which I should be participating. Additionally, disciplining your body when it's telling you it needs food can assist you in disciplining yourself when you are tempted by sin. Finally, I'll be fasting on these specific dates in an effort to raise money to help feed starving children around the world.

That's right, I'm going hungry for food.

That's where you come in. I would like to give you the opportunity to sponsor my fast. Sponsoring me at $1 per hour that I fast would feed a child for 1 month. If $30 is not an option for you, any amount that you can give is greatly and sincerely appreciated. You do not need to feel bound by the "amount per hour" model, even if you can donate $2, that is money that will help those in need. (Donations of over $30 are also welcome).

The organization through which I participate in the famine is called World Vision. Please feel free to visit their website and if you have any questions regarding the famine, please contact me or you can visit the 30 Hour Famine Website.

You can donate online on my personal donation site here. Any amount that you give will also be counted in the total amount for the Youth Group that I co-lead. We are expecting between 30-40 high school students to willingly go without food for more than a day to raise money for starving people worldwide.

If you are unable to give financially, please pray for me, my fellow leaders, and the youth that will be participating. This can be a live changing event. It truly helps to put into perspective the abundance that we are blessed with in America.

If you are feeling adventurous, feel free to support us by fasting with us. We will have our pre-fast meal at noon on Friday the 25th and we will Break Fast on Saturday the 26th at 6 PM.

Thank you for reading this post. Thank you for visiting my donation website. And thank you for your support.

All Four Super Bowl Previews V

It's hard to believe I've been doing this post 5 years in a row! Even though the Patriots loss was painful, and they really should be included in this post, I still enjoy breaking down all four possible Super Bowls, discussing who would win each one, which I'd like to see, which I think we'll see, and which one the league and the networks are pulling for.

If you'd like to see how I've done in the past, you can read my previous versions here (I'll list them with the year the Super Bowl happened along with the actual teams that faced off): 2007, Colts over Bears; 2008, Giants over Patriots; 2009, Steelers over Cardinals; and 2010, Saints over Colts.

Once again, you can expect me to set in stone the destiny of two teams by predicting that they will do well this week.

And now, all four Super Bowl break-downs, from least compelling to most:

Bears vs Jets
Even though they were in the Big Game in 2007, the Bears seem to be a surprise candidate this year. They've been fairly terrible since they fell to Peyton and the Colts. They've been picked against every round and the final game would be no different. If Ryan and Sanchez can defeat Manning, Brady, and Reothlisberger consecutively to get to the Super Bowl they'll have not trouble with Lovie and Culter. Winner: Jets(Loser: Next year's NFL fans having to listen to a victorious Rex Ryan)

Bears vs Steelers
Even though no one (except people who live in Illinois) really expect the Bears to put up much of a fight against either AFC team, they did get to the Super Bowl and could cause the Steelers some fits. If this is the game we see, the Steelers would likely be double digit favorites. This game does have the advantage of being a battle of two historic teams and CBS could leverage that. While this would give Big Ben his third ring (matching Brady) it would be his third win against teams that he was expected to beat but struggled (as he likely will if we see this game) just like he did against the Seahawks, Cardinals, and now the Bears. Obviously, he'll take a Super Bowl ring however he can get it, but Ben would rather face Green Bay. Winner: Steelers (Loser: Franchises with 5 Super Bowl wins as the Steeler would now be up by 2)

Packers vs Steelers
This game has a better storyline: Experienced Super Bowl QB vs an up-and-comer that everyone expects to elevate to the ranks of the likes of Brees, Brady, and Manning in the very near future. This is the game CBS will be bribing the refs to see. Two teams with nation-wide fan bases, two well loved QBs, and two teams that nearly everyone respects. The Steelers would have over-come the stifling D of the Jets but can they stop the high-octane Offense of the Packers? If Ben can win here, it would solidify him as worthy of his Super Bowl victories. This would be a very hard fought high scoring game and while I didn't pick this one as the most compelling game of the four, this is the game I think we'll see. Winner: Packers (Loser: Both Defensive Coordinators)

Packers vs Jets
This is the game I want to see. While I'd love to see Rex "Disrespect" Ryan lose two years in a row in the AFC Championship Game, the chances that the Steelers could beat the Packers and win their seventh ring is too great for my tastes. That and, honestly, Rex has devised a defense to stop Manning, Brady, and Reothlisberger; I'd love to see what he comes up with to try to stop Rogers and the Packers. The league would be more than happy to have this match-up as it represents what many are saying is the next generation of great Quarterbacks. Finally, I can't resist hoping to see both #6 seeds making it to the Super Bowl. To me, this would be the best possible game. Winner: Packers (Loser: Brett Favre)

There you have it. Is there a game you'd rather see? Did I pick the wrong winners? If you've got somethin' to say: be heard!

2010 - 2011 Playoff Preview

It's that time again: Time for me to review how my preseason predictions panned out. In this post I'll also be cursing at least four teams by predicting that they will do well in the playoffs!

You can find my preseason preview here. Here's how I did:

AFC
East
Prediction: Patriots
Actual: Patriots
Look, I got one!

West
Prediction: Chargers
Actual: Chiefs
At least I got the first two letters right!
(Other notable prediction: Raiders didn't finish last)

North
Prediction: Bengals (stop laughing)
Actual: Steelers
My biggest error was underestimating Pittsburgh without Big Ben. No MVP for him this year, huh?

South
Prediction: Jaguars
Actual: Colts
Up until the last two weeks of the season, this looked like it was going to happen! Especially when the Jaguars beat the Colts in the first half of the year.

Wild Card
Prediction: Jets & Ravens
Actual: Jets & Ravens
Wow. I don't know what to say! That's pretty impressive!

NFC
East
Prediction: Cowboys
Actual: Eagles
I couldn't have been more wrong in this one! I predicted Eagles last and Giants second to last. Ended the exact opposite.

West
Prediction: 49ers
Actual: Seahawks
In my defense, the Seahawks are the first time in NFL history to win their division with a losing record. And the 49ers weren't all that far out!

North
Prediction: Vikings
Actual: Bears
Can anyone make any sense out of this division?

South
Prediction: Saints
Actual: Falcons
I did say that the Falcons would surprise a lot of people. They even surprised me and took the division! I did have them in the playoffs as a wild card team.

Wild Card
Prediction: Redskins & Falcons
Actual: Packers & Saints

I predicted 5 of the 12 Playoff Teams. Not too shabby. However, my predicted Super Bowl isn't even possible.

Playoff Predictions
If my playoff predictions are anything like my season predictions this year then be sure to bet on the opposite of whomever I choose! I only had 5 weeks were I was able to predict more than 11 winners! And I had weeks where I was less than .500! It was sad!

Anyway, here we go:

AFC
Wild Card Round:
Jets at Colts
Tough tough game to call! The Colt's running game seems to be draped on the back of UConn's Donald Brown which leads one to believe that Peyton will be chucking the rock all over the field. But the strength of the Jet's defense is their cornerbacks, and they have two this year. Peyton can't just throw to his tight end all day, it's not Dallas Clark, he's out with injuries. Couple that with the fact that Manning has already thrown 17 INTs this year and while Revis and Cromartie only have 3 INTs between them, it's because QB's don't like to throw in their direction! Though I know the Colts are dangerous in the post season, I just don't think they can get past the Jets.
Winner: Jets

Ravens at Chiefs
I'm not really sure how the Chiefs snuck their way out of the AFC West. But I do know it's past their curfew and they will have to go back home. Cassel won't be able to compete with the Ravens solid Defense.
Winner: Ravens

Divisional Round:
Ravens at Steelers
The AFC Divisional round is a pair of Divisional Match-ups! The Ravens and Steelers split their games this year, each winning by three on the other teams turf. This will be a great game. Smash-mouth, up the middle, in your face football. In the end (hang on, let me flip a coin) the Ravens will end the Steelers bid to be the first team to win six rings.
Winner: Ravens

Jets at Patriots
One of the things the Patriots have going for them in this game is that they lost to the Jets earlier in the year. "Nobody beats the same team three times in one year" is a favorite mantra of many analysts. The other thing the Patriots have going for them is that they are playing the Jets. Without some favorable bounces, poor decisions by opposing teams, and, frankly, some dumb luck, the Jets aren't even in the playoffs. The match-ups they face against New England will prove to be insurmountable.
Winner: Patriots

Championship Round:
Ravens at Patriots
The Patriots will devour the chance to avenge the embarrassing loss they suffered to the Ravens in the Playoffs. Bending but not breaking, the Patriots young Defense gets all of their "Big game" jitters out of the way as Brady has his second post season game without an INT.
Winner: Patriots

NFC
Wild Card Round:
Packers at Eagles
This game is just as hard to predict as the Jets/Colts game. The difference is, while neither the Jets nor the Colts would make it to Dallas, I could see either of these teams headed to the big dance. That's what makes this game so difficult. Sending either team home could mess up all of my future predictions! When all is said and done, I think that, under the pressure, Vick will try to do too much and the Packers will come out on top.
Winner: Packers

Saints at Seahawks
Listening to sports radio, analysts are searching for any reason why the Saints might lose this game: the trip might be too much, the injuries to their running game, the field surface, playing with a ball specially designed to be invisible to the Saints. None of these will make a difference. Seahawks: You made history by being the only team with a losing record to host a playoff game. Enjoy playing golf next week.
Winner: Saints

Divisional Round:
Saints at Falcons
The Saints are in rough shape. The Falcons are firing on all cylinders. Unable to get a running game going the Saints are forced to the air where the Falcons intercept three of Drew's passes. This is where the defending champions bid for a repeat ends.
Winner: Falcons

Packers at Bears
I've never been able to put much stock in the Bears. And Aaron Rogers seems to be doing amazing things with Favre's old team. When all is said and done, I think the first three quarters will be competitive, but the Packers pull away in the fourth.
Winner: Packers

Championship Round:
Packers at Falcons
The NFL won't be thrilled that they have a couple of non-huge market teams in this game, but after the incredibly competitive battle that ensues, this game will be remembered for a long time! Ryan vs Rogers. Not the changing of the guard, but rather the new guard. A couple of QBs who will meet many more times in the post season. Home field advantage prevails.
Winner: Falcons

Super Bowl
Falcons vs Patriots
The Patriots bitterly remember their last trip to the Super Bowl. There is no chance that Bill Belichick let's that happen again. Young defense? No problem. Rookie Tight Ends? Best in the game. No Pro Bowl receivers? That's nothing new. This isn't the best possible Super Bowl for the casual fan. A more competitive game would be Falcons/Ravens, or even Packers/Steelers. But the way New England is playing, they are unstoppable. Patriots, true to form, win by 3.
Winner: Patriots

There you have it. So it's likely that the Eagles will beat the Packers and go on to beat the Colts in the Super Bowl, because I predicted otherwise. Feel free to provide your predictions. What a great time of year!

DOH! I had the NFC seeded incorrectly! The Packers were a Wild Card team which means they would have faced the Falcons if they won! I've already picked that game as I predicted the Packers defeating the Bears. Which means I have the falcons topping the Packers. My original picks would have had the Saints facing the Bears and I would have picked the Bears over the Saints. Which would lead to a Bears/Falcons Championship game. I don't see the Bears going into Atlanta and beating the Falcons. So my Super Bowl pick remains. Go Patriots!

The Danger of Twitter

I have an apology to all of my faithful readers: You will never be able to follow me on Twitter. Wait, let me insert a caveat: You will never be able to follow me on Twitter unless I become famous in some way and my producers require me to have a Twitter account for which I hire an out-of-college, out-of-work person to ghost-Tweet for me. (I just think it's hysterical to hear the 60 year old news anchor suggest that I visit him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter. Yeah, right. Oh, and Brad Pitt has nothing better to do with his time than Tweet what he just consumed at the local deli.)

Now I'm sure some of you are crushed and wondering why you will never be able to follow me on Twitter. Simply put: Twitter is dangerous.

To begin with, Twitter encourages immediacy. Rather than taking some time to process whatever it may be that you want to communicate, a Twitter culture not only promotes but expects an immediate response. Those of us who were once under the age of 10 have redoubtably heard the words "Think before you speak." How many times have you had to apologize for a word spoken in haste? James 1:19 says "Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry [emphasis added]." Sound advice for a Twitter-fied world.

The second danger hidden in Twitter is the 140 character limit. Just to give you an idea of what that looks like. If this post were 140 characters long it would have read: "I have an apology to all of my faithful readers: You will never be able to follow me on Twitter. Wait, let me insert a caveat: You will ne" The first sentence of my post completely unintentionally exhibits why a 140 character limit poses a danger: There is no venue for complete thoughts. In 140 characters one must be short and to the point. This often lends itself to extreme statements and certainly does not allow for explanation or (as my 4th grade English teacher always admonished) support and elaboration.

The combination of these to aspects of Twitter are bad enough: imagine a very short, tersely worded immediate response to a situation. That has trouble written all over it! Proverbs 13:3 says "Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin." brief unfiltered reactionary responses sure sounds like speaking rashly to me!

There is a third aspect of Twitter that I would not have initially predicted. Twitter, combined with its accessibility via our phones, has sparked an marked decrease in civil action. To explain what I mean I'd like to recount an incident that perfectly displays this phenomenon: Bill Nye "The Science Guy" collapsed while speaking to a group of University students. Did people jump and run to his aid? Did people pull out their cell phones and contact emergency authorities? No. They pulled out their cell phones and Tweeted the situation. Twitter has functionally resulted in people desiring to be the one to break the story. We are all now cable news stations fighting to be the first to report an incident rather than act on behalf of those involved!

All in all, Twitter resembles a field full of buried land mines waiting to destroy those that use it without forethought.

What do you know? I could have Tweeted that last sentence but no one would know why I felt that way. Put that on your phone and Tweet it!

The Basic Difference

I anticipate that this will be a very short post.

While watching Connecticut's gubernatorial debate I came to a realization regarding the basic economic difference between the two major political parties.

Connecticut is facing a major deficit in the next fiscal year and the two candidates have two nearly opposite solutions to this dilemma. The rational of both falls directly in line with the thinking of each party.

The Republican candidate has talked about cutting spending, possible layoffs of some state workers, and strictly adhering to budgetary mandates.

The Democratic candidate has practically promised higher taxes. He doesn't want to remove any of the services the government provides, nor does he want to take away anyone's job.

When whittled down to their lowest common denominators, the core of these plans can be explained in the following statement:

One wants wants many to sacrifice for the good of a few, the other wants a few to sacrifice for the good of many.
At a glance, one can conjure up several instances of either viewpoint. Neither side can claim rightness or declare wrongness. The question is: On which side do you stand?

Stephen Hawking's Leap of Faith

In his newest book, ironically titled The Grand Design the brilliant physicist Stephen Hawking made the following statement:

Because there is a law such as gravity, the Universe can and will create itself from nothing. Spontaneous creation is the reason there is something rather than nothing, why the Universe exists, why we exist. It is not necessary to invoke God to light the blue touch paper and set the universe going.

Another genius once again reaffirms Romans chapter 1 verse 22 which says "Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools." Interestingly enough, this verse is immediately preceded by this thought from verse 20: "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." And now, the upper echelon of academia are using "what has been made" to claim there is no God.

But I digress. It is not my intention to point out Mr. Hawking's logical fallacy by way of the Bible. Let us suppose, for a moment, that Mr. Hawking is correct: The mere existence of "a law such as gravity" does enable the universe to create ex nihilo (out of nothing). From the back of the classroom my had tentatively rises into the air. "Mr. Hawking?" I say hesitantly. "I don't mean to be rude, and I hope this isn't a dumb question but... If that's the case, where did the law of gravity come from?"

If Mr. Hawking is to be believed then there is an inherent organization to the universe which is in direct contradiction to the second law of thermodynamics. All nature moves to a point of equilibrium by way of entropy. It does not move to an imbalance such as suddenly creating matter out of nothing by way of the laws of gravity. A further expedition into this theory reveals that it stems for the concept that the state of energy in the universe is a net of zero. Gravity is negative energy and the energy of motion is positive. In its simplest form, the theory states that, in a vacuum, the combination of these two energies can spontaneously create protons. The problem that I have yet to see answered is that gravity requires mass and, if Einstein is correct, E=MC2 means that energy has mass so once again, we don't have creation ex niliho, we have gravity (reliant on mass) and energy (also reliant on some type of mass) creating other mass. Mass, energy, gravity, even a vacuum had to have some beginning. Any law or energy or even location that exists that might allow for the universe to "create itself" must have been designed by an intelligent architect.

Sorry, once again, I've digressed. I would ask Mr. Hawking where the space in which the universe created itself and the time used to measure it came from, but I believe I know his answer. And this is where he takes his true leap of faith.

You see, Mr. Hawking believes in what is known as a "multiverse." What is a "multiverse?" It is a completely unscientific untestable unprovable theory that our universe is simply one of many universes, either connected or parallel, in which life may exist and the laws of physics may differ. (I'm not making this up.) The M-theory (as it's occasionally called) allows for such a monumentally massive incomprehensibly immense number of galaxies, solar systems, and planets that the law of large numbers makes Earth and the life therein likely and trivial instead of statistically improbable and precious.

One other point I wanted to make is that in the quote Mr. Hawking states "the Universe can and will create itself from nothing. (Emphasis added)" If the universe will create itself from nothing why, in the history of mankind, have we not seen this occur. It has not been seen in nature, space, or the lab. Why did the universe create from nothing for such an extensive period of time to ensure that there was enough matter to fill the universe as we know it and then suddenly decide it was done creating?

So why is it more acceptable, perhaps more fashionable, to place one's faith in the M-theory for which there isn't even experiential anecdotal evidence rather than placing that faith in a purposeful intelligent creator deity? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Hawking?

2010-2011 NFL Preview

Some annual habits never die. Here is one of them. Are you seated with a beverage and a snack? (Historically, my NFL Previews tend to be lengthy). I hope you are in a comfortable chair because here is JMO's Fifth Annual NFL Preview!

As with most previous NFL Preview posts, I'll be breaking down each division. I'm sure my normal readers are aware that I have a strong AFC bias so I'm going to switch a few things up this year. Instead of starting in the AFC and moving to the NFC, I'm going to order the divisions by way of the compass, with the NFC going first each time. You will know it is time to turn the page when you hear the chimes ring, like this: "brlinghe" Let's begin, now:

NFC North (Bears, Lions, Packers, Vikings)
I always get a little sad when discussing this division. The Bears had their Super Bowl Shuffle. The Vikings had their Purple People Eaters. There is a reason the trophy is named the "Vince Lombardi" trophy! And even the Lions used to be feared. Now it's more like the Cubs, the Lionesses, the Deli workers, and the Norwegian re-enactors. But somebody's gotta win. The Bears are without Urlacher and the Lions are without a team of starting players of NFL caliber. That leaves Green Bay and Minnesota. Which one has Brett Favre this year? That's the one that will take the division.

winner: Vikings

AFC North (Bengals, Browns, Ravens, Steelers)
Steelers have to play the first four games (at least) with out Big Ben under center. You can probably beat the Bucs without him so the question is, can you climb out from a 1-3 start? I don't think so. Cleveland is still a non-entity leaving Ravens and Bengals to scrounge for the Division. With the addition of T.O. it's a coin flip for the Bengals if he'll elevate the team or elevate their liability. I think Palmer's offense over comes the Raven's defense.

winner: Bengals

NFC East (Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, Redskins)
There was lots of shifting in this division since the Colts lost to New Orleans in the Super Bowl. The Redskins are the clear winners of the off season but was it enough to vault them over the Cowboys? The Eagles are going to rely on Kolb (and Vick) to carry the team. The Giants still haven't realized that Coughlin doesn't know how to use Eli. Eagles land in last place with the Giants chasing them down. This maybe yet another year where a wild card comes from the NFC East as the Redskins advance to second in the division.

winner: Cowboys

AFC East (Bills, Dolphins, Jets, Patriots)
The AFC East is a lot murkier than it has been in the past. The Jets went out and signed a lot of great talent. Then they had a lot of great talent hold out. If they can sign Revis and find a use for LT, then Rex may have a winning team on his hands. But nobody plays the disrespect card better than Belichick and his Patriots. Brady's knee and ankle look fine, Welker is back, and they've got more RB's than they can dress. Oh yeah, Bills and Dolphins barely make a ripple.

winner: Patriots

NFC South (Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers, Saints)
I expect the Falcons to surprise a lot of people this year. Not to the point that they actually win the division, but they will spoil many-a-post-season hopes. They may even score a wild card spot. One has to respect the defending Super Bowl Champions, particularly when the team is nearly entirely intact. I don't expect a repeat, but they'll put up a good fight.

winner: Saints

AFC South (Colts, Jaguars, Texans, Titans)
One streak will continue while another ends: The team that loses the Super Bowl will not make it to the playoffs the following year. That streak will continue. The Colts hold the record for the most consecutive seasons with 12 or more wins. That streak will end this year. The Jaguars have been assembling a team designed to defeat the Colts for years. In 2011, it works.

winner: Jaguars

NFC West (Cardinals, 49ers, Rams, Seahawks)
Without a doubt, this is the most difficult division to predict. Part of it is because these are four teams that nearly everyone has forgotten about. Another part is that here are four teams trying really hard not to win. Which ever team comes out on top loses in the first round anyway. Cardinals are relying on Leinart and I think the Rams only have a punting team this year.

winner: 49ers

AFC West (Broncos, Chargers, Chiefs, Raiders)
The good news for the Broncos is that they have three fantastic back-up QBs that any team would love to have behind their star. The bad news is that one of them has to start. Another team that I'd put in the surprise column is the Raiders. I don't think they'll finish in last place in their division this year. The Chargers may have gotten rid of LT, but when you get rid of great talent it's because you've got even better, and they do, in Sproles.

winner: Chargers

NFC Wild Card Teams: Redskins & Falcons

AFC Wild Card Teams: Jets & Ravens

And here's how the playoffs would play out:

NFC:
BYE: Saints & Cowboys
Wild Card Weekend: Falcons upset the 49ers and Minnesota sends Washington packing.
Divisional Round: The Vikings hand the Cowboys another loss and the Saints beat the Falcons
Conference Championship: Vikings over Saints

AFC:
BYE: Patriots & Jaguars
Wild Card Weekend: Cincinnati defeats Baltimore and the Chargers top the Jets
Divisional Round: The Chargers shock the Patriots and it's the Jaguars over the Bengals
Conference Championship: The Jaguars end the Chargers season

Super Bowl:
Jaguars vs Vikings

Favre wins his final game in the NFL, cries like a baby, and retires - for good this time.