Barack Obama is My President

There have been a lot of people saying silly things like, "Well, I might as well move to Canada now that Obama's in power..." Don't be stupid. For one thing, Canada is more liberal than the United States is, you won't fare much better. But on to my real point. Liberals said the same thing when Bush was elected. Remember that? And what did conservatives say? "Oh, don't be such wimps, you're sore losers, that's un-American." Like it or not, Barack Obama is the new leader of YOUR country. You can't say things like, "He's not MY president, I didn't vote for him." That's not the way our country works. Barack Obama is the new representative of the United States to the rest of the world. He will enact policies and pass laws, whether for good or ill. And whether you agree with him or not, he's still your president, and therefore worthy of your respect. As for me, I think that Obama's administration will enable the murder of millions of children. But does that change the fact that Mr. Obama has been placed in a position of authority over me as the leader of my homeland? No, it does not. Let's not resort to childish behaviour, regardless of our views.

"I am a camera, camera..."

I recently purchased a Nikon D60 digital SLR camera, and am so far rather pleased with my purchase.



I've done a lot of research, both before and after my purchase, and I've learned that this is a solid camera, especially for those who are new to DSLR's, like me. One main difference between this camera and Nikon's more expensive models is that a lot of the features are hidden in menu controls, rather than having actual physical controls on the camera body itself. Another thing I've learned is that photography is mainly affected by the skill of the photographer. Even if I had one of Nikon's top models, I'd still be churning out mediocre photos. The D60 is not for anyone who isn't willing to find out how to use the camera properly. The fully automatic modes aren't all that great. You can get all right pictures out of them, but to really harness the capability of the camera and your lens, you should really use the manual modes, which require a little more knowledge about how a camera works. So, if you want a camera for casual purposes, you'd probably do better with an advanced point-and-shoot. And besides, the D60 will cost you around $650, which will get you a great point-and-shoot, one that will probably have more auto-focus capability than the D60. But, for the beginning photographer, like me, it's a really good camera to learn on.

I've also been using Nikon's Capture NX2 RAW processing software, which is really awesome. Since I'm only dealing with RAW, and don't need to make major adjustments, it's a much better option than Photoshop. Plus, it integrates well with iPhoto, making it useful for a Mac user like myself.

Anyhow, enough talk, let's see some pictures. All of these were either taken on campus, or around Georgetown.

(Click to enlarge)








These photos are, of course, much better when they aren't pushed through the meat grinder that is web compression, but hopefully you can get a sense of what I'll be able to do with this camera. I really like it and I think I'll be able to have a lot of fun using it in the future.

The annals of history are the judge

As a young college student, this recent campaign has been abnormally pertinent for me. Not in the sense that there have issues debated which directly affect my way of life, or anything like that. Rather, I have been the target of a specific form of advertising from the Obama campaign. Never before have I seen or heard young people so universally entranced by one candidate. Now, it may be that I just wasn't paying attention in past campaigns, although I do not think that John Kerry or Al Gore provoked any sort of youth rally. The Obama campaign has actually been able to commercialize a politician. It is fashionable to wear an Obama t-shirt or button. I've seen Obama apparel sold in stores at the mall, right alongside Batman posters and Led Zeppelin shirts. I feel like I have not been asked to vote for Obama. Instead, I have been marketed to. That is one thing that bothers me about Obama. I am certain that the man himself would be misrepresented were I to vote based upon the commercialzation. But I cannot help but feel that a vote for Obama would be a vote for a brand. That's essentially what his campaign has turned him into, a brand. When I think of the Obama campaign, the first thing I think of is my peers, all of whom have, in some cases literally, bought into his message. It is more or less assumed that any person my age and in my position would support Mr. Obama, which I find increasingly curious. The Obama campaign really is a fad. That is not to say that all of his supporters are insincere, for I am sure that many of them are. But, I think that many students my age have bought what Obama is selling, so to speak. Reasons I have heard for supporting him are merely parroted from Obama's slogans: He stands for change, he'll clean up the messes that Bush has left. But what does that mean? It's easy to look politically informed without actually knowing what a politician stands for. Indeed, it is easy for a politician to campaign successfully without really disclosing what he truly stands for. I think that many students will become disenchanted with Mr. Obama when the going gets tough. Obama will no doubt have a soaring thrust of popularity for the first few months of his presidency, maybe the first few years. Many will no doubt frantically hold on to the promises of change that were made, regardless of what Mr. Obama actually does. But in the end, I think that many of Obama's young supporters will regret their decision to support him. Let us remind ourselves that many of our greatest leaders have been extremely unpopular, and many still are today. Doing the right thing is not always popular. At this moment in time, defending human life is not the most popular thing to do. But people still do it. No matter what people say about President Bush, he has stuck to his guns. I admire that. He has faced incredible and unwarranted opposition from the rest of the world and from his own countrymen, but he has kept going. I could care less what today's political commentators say about George W. Bush and Barack Obama. I place a much higher value upon what people will say about them twenty years from now. That is the telling factor. See you in 2028.

Weird Statue Prayer Thing

Whoever thought this was a good idea was just not paying attention. Come on... really? There was a group of Christians who went and prayed in front of the bull statue on Wall Street. Exodus connections aside, laying hands on a statue and praying for the economy just doesn't send a good message.

Here's a site with some more pictures. Wow, they've even got a shofar. That's pretty intense. Of course, liberal bloggers are having a field day with all sorts of "Look at what the religious nuts are doing this time" stuff, accusations of idolatry, things like that. They obviously aren't worshipping the bull, it's supposed to be symbolic, but still. This was very poorly thought out.

Powell Endorses Obama

Here is an excellent interview with Colin Powell, concerning his decision to endorse Sen. Obama. While I don't agree with his choice, I think that the concerns he has about the state of the Republican party are legitimate, and it is rare to hear something expressed in clear and civilised manner in today's media. If you look at his reasons for supporting Obama, which he cites briefly at the end, you will find a summary of what most people say about the senator: he can inspire people. Powell says that Obama is a "transformational figure." Only time will tell exactly how our country and the rest of the world is transformed under Obama's administration. (It seems extremely likely that Obama will win, thus I am using language which implies that this is indeed the case.)

Powell interview on Meet the Press

As for my own vote, it will not be cast for Obama. I only need one reason, and that is abortion. I don't like Obama's economics, or some of his policies concerning government programs and spending, but even if I did agree, I would not vote for him. He is radically pro-infanticide, and that is the only reason I need to vote against him.

A Worthy Quote

“Nearly all the historical work worth doing at the present moment in the English language is the work of shoveling off heaps of rubbish inherited from the immediate past.” - Henry Cabot Lodge

Straight out of Akron

I think the Black Keys may have just claimed the title as my favourite band. Out of all the bands I listen to, they have a near perfect balance of talent, musical continuity, and innovation. They are able to incorporate a healthy dose of the blues/soul tradition into their music, while still retaining the ability to create something new. Plus, they put on a great show, and I can say from personal experience that they are pretty nice guys. I really urge anyone who is remotely interested in quality rock music to seriously take a look at this band. The only thing I don't like is my continuing inability to play their entire catalogue note for note. I'm working on it.

Ideas Have Consequences

There are three major problems with the way history is being taught to young adults, and as a student of history as well as a future educator, I must say that this is distressing, to say the least. These problems that I speak of are as follows: An undue emphasis on trade and economics, unhealthy amounts of "chronological snobbery," and the wanton imposition of modern ideals upon the various contexts of history. Let's take a look at these issues, and I shall explain in greater detail what I mean.

Trade. It is undoubtedly an important factor in the development of world events. But if you were to sit in on a university-level history course, you would get the impression that trade was the only factor which affected anything at all. I am currently enrolled in a class called, "World Civilizations Since 1500," an overview of historical events stretching from the late Renaissance all the way up until modern times. I can say without fear of hyperbole that the entire course has been centered around economics. This is not just my perspective, either, I have spoken with a few of the other students in the class who agree with this assessment. Let us take the example of the Enlightenment period. There were many ideas circulating during the Enlightenment, ideas which would effectively cause the destabilization of Europe and in many cases the deconstruction of long-standing governmental structures. These were replaced by new, revolutionary-minded forms of government, the most obvious example being post-revolution France. The ideas behind all of this were extremely influential at the time and also extremely complicated. Yet these same ideas were not really discussed or examined within in the context of my class. We didn't read any of the Enlightenment thinkers, or talk about the details and nuances of the revolutionary philosophy. Instead, we discussed how these new Enlightenment governments affected trade and politics.

What I want to talk about is WHY. Why did these ideas lead to revolutions? What are the consequences of this way of thinking? We were told that the Enlightenment was an age of free thinking, without really being shown what was being thought at the time. Does this make any sense? What is discussed in the classroom is mere FACT. I can find facts on my own, as could any motivated student. Libraries provide the student with essentially the same information that is available to any knowledgeable professor. A history teacher should be able to explain all of the connections and nuances behind the ideas, not merely gloss over their results. This problem exists not only in this particular class, but also in every other college-level history course I have taken. Economics is made the driving force behind everything, and the possibility of any other cause is ignored. The Crusades? Completely motivated by European greed and avarice. There is no allowance for justice or honor as motivators in that situation, and only the desire for land and wealth is "allowed" to control the actions of the past. The Reformation? Simply an ideological movement, something which allowed governments to break away from the supposedly oppressive Catholic church, bringing forth free government, free trade, and free press in Europe. Some of the most important ideas of the last millennium are ignored in favor of mere facts. Facts do not form a worldview, facts do not constitute morality, and facts do not spur the hearts of men to action. Why do we settle for this in the classroom? At the end of a four year education, most students will know nothing about the Reformation or the Enlightenment except for a two sentence textbook summary on the topic. This does not, in my opinion, benefit the student in any way, and I believe that professors do their students a disservice by making gross generalizations and excluding details that are in fact vital to a complete understanding of history.

Another deficiency that can be found in university classroom is "chronological snobbery." This is the assumption that the present is automatically better than the past, by virtue of supposed advances in technology, ideology, or religion. This is an incredibly fallacious way to look at things. Hindsight is, as they say, 20-20. The chronological snob might, for example, look down his nose at a some medieval scholar or logician, one who might have believed that the earth was located in the center of the solar system. The snob will declare said scholar to be a daft old fool, mired in the Dark Ages, and of no use to anyone. This concept can be put into a logical syllogism thusly:

I. You argue that A implies B.
II. A implies B is an old argument, dating back to the times when people also believed C.
III. C is clearly false.
IV. Therefore, A does not imply B.

Well, does that really make sense? Some teachers seem to think it is perfectly all right to go about completely discounting entire periods of time simply because they think that modern man has so vastly improved himself, so much so that silly things like, for example, Medieval Christianity cannot possibly be worth discussing, or even giving credence to. Every period has, as C.S. Lewis said, "its own characteristic illusions." But for professional educators to paint the portrait of history with so broad a brush seems very unscholarly to me, and I'm not sure why more care isn't taken to avoid this problem. The speed at which generalizations are made is indeed astounding, and makes one wonder whether or not some professors even care about accuracy.

The third problem I have seen is that of the modern ideal being applied to the historical context. (It could be said that this is, in fact, an outgrowth of chronological snobbery, so make of that what you will.) One example of this is the modern idea of "tolerance." Tolerance in our day and age is a sort of pluralism, a "live and let live" attitude towards beliefs or customs which differ from ours. Oftentimes, a historical group will be looked at and proclaimed to be more tolerant than other people of the day. We are then led to believe that this makes that particular group somehow better or more agreeable than their peers. But the definition of tolerance used is largely a modernist invention. To the modern mind, tolerance is progressive, tolerance is politically correct, tolerance is necessary for a free society. But is that how the historical context defines things? Was it really a desire for tolerance which prompted the institution of Dhimma within 7th century Muslim law? And should the 4th century Christian church be thought of as intolerant for trying to stamp out Arianism? At first glance, moderns will dismiss feudalism as oppressive and cruel, but is it really? Is that the way it was viewed by the people who actually lived within that context? It seems to me that many times, the vast differences between the modern perspective and the perspectives of the past are completely ignored. History is put into a blender along with modernism, and the result is a watery, revisionist concoction that is more counterproductive than anything else. No attempt is made to break free from the gravitational pull of our own biases. The practice of taking modern ideas and slapping them onto historical events in such a way is just plain old bad scholarship. The willingness of academia to view history through mud-coloured glasses is something which should not be taken with the complacency that so many seem to have towards the treatment of history in the classroom.

It would seem that for the modern university student, history has been reduced to money and power. Ideas are mentioned, but never investigated. Cultures are surveyed, but never explored. If I were to remember only one thing that I learned as a history student in high school, it would be that ideas have consequences. Worldview matters. Philosophies matter. Religion matters. These things affect culture, politics, economics, literature, music, art, architecture, and every other aspect of society imaginable. It amazes me that the most important factors in the development of history are ignored by those who have studied it the most.

"There is a way that seems right to a man..."

"... but its end is the way to death." - Proverbs 14:12

I stumbled upon a five part documentary(link at the bottom of this post) about the Norwegian Black Metal band, Gorgoroth, and more specifically, their vocalist, a man called Gaahl.

On a superficial level, this series really exemplifies a few of the reasons why metal is an inherently un-Christian movement. Putting aside whatever arguments are made for its status as music, the ideas which lie behind metal, and more specifically, Black Metal, are really awful. Members of Gorgoroth freely admit that Satanism is at the core of this band, and at the core of Black Metal. Gorgoroth itself is blantantly anti-Christian. A quote from Gaahl: "Christianity is based solely on stolen souls and lives. So, of course, every trace of them should be erased." The music of Gorgoroth clearly has an agenda, according to the members themselves, and that is to create fear and change the minds of their listeners to reflect the Satanist ideology that is at the center of the band. "The band is spreading fear, and we use that fear to create change and to also get our ideas across," said . "[There are] few bands around with a Satanic message, it's all about the music ... we are not about that, we are about the message."

Gaahl views himself as a Biblical goat, one with free will, unlike the sheep who follow God. This leads us to the humanism that motivates Gaalh. As the documentary begins to examine Gaahl more closely, we see a man whose ideals are more or less the height of humanism. He utterly rejects God, saying that God is within Man. When talking about breaking away from religion, he says, "You will be allowed to focus on the god within yourself, because that's the only true god, the god within everything. That's the only thing that, for me, is worth calling god. It is the highest spirit of everything, and not this control freak that is telling you, you are not supposed to do this, you are not supposed to do this ... God is within man, God is within nature, and nature will always grow, that's the force of all life, to grow."

Gaahl constructs his own morality. He has multiple convictions for violence, one of which involved torture. Gaahl apparently felt it necessary to teach one particular man a lesson for attacking him, and so he restrained his attacker and beat the man for hours, supposedly collecting the man's blood in a cup. He says that this sort of thing is "punishment," meant to teach others a lesson, and has apparently done this on multiple occasions. When Man is given the status of a god, rather than God's image, this is what can happen. If I am a god in my own right, what's to stop me from constructing my own ideas of right and wrong, however contrary they may be to the urgings of my own conscience, and then carrying them out upon others, regardless of the consequences? In a way, that's what Gaahl has done. In a broader sense, Gaahl embodies the reasoning of Man as he fights against God's sovereignty. Although we are loath to admit it, we are all Gaahl in our heart of hearts, however extreme an example he may be. The grace of God, the work of Christ, and the strength of the Holy Spirit enable us to rise above our sinful natures and follow Christ. Praise Yahweh that this is so.

Note: Concerning the video series, I recommend that you watch it to understand the full scope of what I've discussed here. There are some very poignant aspects of this story that I really can't describe. But, also be warned that there are some graphic images of stage props used at Gorgoroth concerts, for example, and also instances of foul language. Just be aware. I still recommend that you see all five parts, it's very interesting, albeit disturbing.

Here is the link: True Norwegian Black Metal

Nooooo!

Brandon Flowers Totally Looks Like Gordon Freeman.