Check out this cool video showing Apple's Touch screen experiments. Only the folks up at Apple would be doing research this cool. I can't wait until i can actaully grab the google earth and spin it like they do in this video. The technology is here now - why don't have have one in my house? Why is this not mainstream yet?

Here's a pretty funny post that Claudita came across today. It's an interesting email from someone who supports gay marrige to President Bush.

Dear President Bush,

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from you and understand why you would propose and support a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage. As you said, "in the eyes of God marriage is based between a man and a woman." I try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination... End of debate.

I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some other elements of God's Laws and how to follow them.

1. Leviticus 25:44 states that I may possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?

2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her? (I'm pretty sure she's a virgin).

3. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev.1:9. The problem is, my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

4. I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2.clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself, or should I ask the police to do it? How can I help you here?

5. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination - Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this? Aren't there 'degrees' of abomination?

6. Lev.21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle-room here?

7. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?

8. I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

9. My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev.19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? Lev.24:10-16. Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair, like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14) I know you have studied these things extensively and thus enjoy considerable expertise in such matters, so I am confident you can help.

Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging. It must be really great to be on such close terms with God and his son, even better than you and your own Dad, eh?

Edwin J. Buckley
660 Woodridge Lane
Prescott, AZ 86303

Source: Claudita, Whoa Nellie blogspot blog

New Photo Album Posted

I know I'm a little late on this - but these pictures are from Labor Day weekend a few weeks ago. Enjoy!

Erick and Allie's wedding in San Fransisco. A great excuse for Claudia and Darin to spend Labor day weekend on Matt's apartment floor in the fisherman's wharf. Sprinkle in a little geocaching, golden gate bike riding, purse rescuing, and napa valley wine sampling; and there ya go - one hell of a weekend!

Source: Gustavo, thanks! (original unknown)

hahahah ->
You can make your own one of these at http://www.myheritage.com/.

It's that time of the year again, time for the Austin City Limits festival! Claudia and I are plannong on being downtown at Zilker pretty much the whole three day concert - getting there late on friday afternoon and then leaving once more to Little Woodrow's during the 3-6pm broncos game on sunday (which I may only watch part of). Planning on parking near the park downtown by the Gingerman between 5th and 4th streets.

Cool feature of the ACL website!

Click here to enter in the following IDs to see which show's we're planning on seeing!

• Darin's ID -> ACL1348706
• Hexar's ID -> ACL1174406
• Ames's ID -> ACL318106

See ya at the show everyone!

So this morning as I sipped on my cafe con leche and munched on my butter bagel, I began reflecting on something described to me by the local coffee shop girl. She's a traveler, which as usual stuck in my mind, when I first met her 6 months ago. Today, she was back from a long goodwill trip to Africa. But what was interesting was not that it was a goodwill trip, but that she's trying to start her own goodwill organization.

The name (still not quite decided) will be 'Imagination Reclamation', and the focus of the organization will be to start creative arts programs in the slums near Kenya's largest city, Nairobi. Anyway, though I have not been to Nairobi; though I can surely associate the conditions there with the conditions of a more developed city. For instance, in Rio De Janiero, where the favelas (or slums) are mixed in with the skyscrapers and other neighborhoods, and just in a sad condition all together. Note: Watch the movie City of God sometime if you want to know what the favelas are like. Speaking of which, I was told that the conditions in Nairobi are well depicted in the movie The Constant Gardener as well.

Anyway, at first I thought: 'Creative Arts education in the slums? Don't they have much bigger problems to deal with?' But the more I think about it, the more I started to warm up to the idea. I mean - maybe this is one of the things that can drive these slums out of being a slum. Instead of treating the symptom (poverty) with money and stuff, maybe we should in addition help foster creativity in the youth of such places. Helping them realize the truth that "I can do anything with this life, it is my choice". Anyway, I had never really thought of it that way. So wish the coffee shop girl Adrienne much luck in the adventure of realizing her dream.

As soon as a website gets put together I'll update this post so that we can... ya' know... donate our hard earned cash to a noble (and non-corporate sponsored) cause.

The Blue Lagoon in Huntsville, Texas appears to be the first spot where a 'diving adventure' will take place! My good friend Lindsay from the Estes Park days has become an accomplished marine biologist that really loves the diving. Since Claudia and I are in the process of getting diving certified right nwo - this would be a perfect chance to get our feet wet (and whet my appetite for the Great Barrier Reef for me in November).

We're planning on going in October, camping at least one night then and diving tentatively on these dates: Oct 7 & 8th. If anyone out there has been out to this place before, or if any of my diving certified buddies (Hexar?) would like to tag along; let me know! Lindsay said it was pretty sweet diving.

Here's a Link to the evite for this camping trip!