2006 In (brief) Review

I hereby declare that I consider myself in no way an adequate or worthy judge of the following items, yet I feel I must join the masses putting in their two cents. My scope on these catagories is very narrow, so please do not be quick to cast a stone.

Best Movies
1) Little Miss Sunshine
2) Lady in the Water
3) Stranger than Fiction
4) Science of Sleep (*Best watched under influence of acid...jk)
5) Talladega Nights


Best Albums
1) Damien Rice -- 9
2) Regina Spektor -- Begin to Hope
3) Sufjan Stevens -- The Avalanche
4) Snow Patrol -- Eyes Open
5) Muse -- Black Holes and Revelations
Honorable Mention: Keane -- Under the Iron Sea

*Biggest Letdown: Thom Yorke -- The Eraser
*Standout Songs:
Crazy -- Gnarles Barkley
Hide and Seak -- Imogen Heap
Many Lives for 49 MP -- Final Fantasy
Micah 6:8 -- Charlie Hall


Books Read this Year
1) The Great Divorce -- C.S. Lewis
2) "A Problem from Hell": America in the Age of Genocide -- Samantha Power
3) A New Kind of Christian -- Brian McLaren
4) Good to Great -- Jim Collins
5) Angels and Demons -- Dan Brown

*Worst Book: Tax Revolt by Phil Valentine


Best Concerts
1) Sufjan Stevens -- Rhyman Auditorium
2) Muse -- War Memorial Auditorium
3) Andrew Peterson and Friends (Behold the Lamb of God Tour) -- Rhyman Auditorium
4) Family Force Five (Opening for Paramore) -- Rocketown
5) Lovedrug with Brandston, The Myriad, and Lorien -- Exit/In

Ramifications

There has been going around online the results of a certain Al-Jazeera Online Poll. Interesting at best, much more haunting at worst, are the results.

Question: How do you consider executing Saddam on the first day of Eid Al-Adha?

Results:
It was an insult -- 92.6%
Cause for rejoicing by his victims -- 4.5%
It was a normal judicial matter -- 2.9%

Total Number of Votes: 16869.

Semester 1 Playlist: Part Duex

11. A King and A Kingdom -- Derek Webb
12. Set the Fire to the Third Bar-- Snow Patrol
13. Beneath the Silver Moon -- Matthew Perryman Jones
14. Majesty Snowbird -- Sufjan Stevens
15. Knights of Cydonia -- Muse
16. wash Away -- Joe Purdy
17. Chattanooga -- Sandra McCracken
18. Something I Can't Do -- Mark Trussell
19. I'll Be Home Soon -- The Normals
20. Sister -- Sufjan Stevens

[close curtains]
--Intermission--

Youtube Revolution

When John Edwards officially announced his presidential nomination on television sets around the nation today, that was not the big story. In fact, yesterday, John Edwards made history by being the first person to announce his presidential bid on Youtube. The video came from New Orleans and is tagged as "Tomorrow Begins Today." It is worth a watch.


HT: Seth's Blog

My First Semester: Presented in a Musical Fashion (Part 1)

If not humanities or mathematics or anything else, Belmont has at least taught me this: Music can never be under-emphasized, under-played, or even under-worshipped. Music is, more or less, a close second only to God on the Belmont social construct of status and worth.

Thus, in that same spirit, I have chosen to present my first semester to the blogosphere by means of a playlist that I have compiled. It will be unveiled in four parts (or movements, if you will) over the next short while. I hope they fit your fancy.

1. Miami -- Taking Back Sunday
2. Suddently Everything Has Changed (The Flaming Lips Cover)-- The Postal Service
3. Error: Operator -- Taking Back Sunday
4. Did I Step On Your Trumpet -- Danielson
5. Nothing is Ever Enough -- Derek Webb
6. The Winner Is -- Mychael Danna/DeVotchKa
7. If I Could Split -- Kite Flying Society
8. Giver's Reply -- Ramona Cordova
9. I'll Let You Live -- Taking Back Sunday
10. Refuge -- Matthew Perryman Jones

The Gospel According to Stephen Colbert

Stephen Colbert once again exhibits his comedic prowess in his segment "The Word," but this time with a very interesting commentary on American Evangelicalism and politics.



Pretty scathing satire, but I think it is right on the money. What do you think?

Entrance

I have officially entered the blogworld. Maybe it's a fad, but I am here now. Please continue to check back as my posts will begin shortly. Thanks :o).