I Believe......That the Colts are going to win the Super Bowl today, although I want the Saints to win!
I Believe......That a great night of entertainment can be had by eating Twinkies while watching Zombieland on DVD.
I Believe......That Red Robin and In and Out Burgers are over-rated. Five Guys is the real deal though.
I Believe......That the church is made up of imperfect people, but we expect the church to BE PERFECT which is impossible.
I Believe......That if these "Tea Party Patriots" were Truly Patriots, then they would have been protesting like this when George Bush was running up a 1.3 trillion dollar deficit after inheriting a 200 billion dollar budget surplus.
I Believe......That we are in for a rockier real estate market once the buyer tax credit goes away this summer.
I Believe......That our Sunshine Kids benefit for local kids with cancer is going to be even better this year then what is was last year. This years event is on March 13 at the Mishawaka F.O.P.
I Believe......That the moves that my Detroit Tigers made this year will slightly help the team this year, but were really made to make the team competitive in 2011 when they have a possible 40-45 million extra dollars in payroll to play with due to bad contracts expiring after this year.
I Believe......That my Detroit Lions are still going to be a pretty bad team next year.
I Believe......That I need to find some time to go out to dinner with my friends, it has been too long since I have done that.
I Believe......That Ron White is one funny dude, and if you get a chance to see him in concert then you should.
I Believe......That I am sooooo ready for spring!
I Believe......That I am, surprisingly, REALLY looking forward to this Super Bowl. Did I mention GO SAINTS!!! yet?
I Believe......That I am going to be lazy the rest of today eating pizza, chips and salsa and drinking frozen cokes.....Have a great Sunday!
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Monday, February 1, 2010
My Tim Tebow Rant
Whether you are a sports fan or get into politics, one major theme that resounds over and over is a lack or role models for kids. So why do so many people dislike Tim Tebow, the QB from Florida, so much? Scratch that, why do so many Christians dislike Tim Tebow so much?
That's right Christian's, I am speaking right to you on this post.
He doesn't get into trouble. He gets good grades. He is a great college football player. And, he seems to be a very devoted Christian. The eye black that he wears during games has bible verses engraved into it. He is unquestionably a great leader. He claims to be abstaining from sex until he is married. He even goes on mission trips during his spring and winter breaks during school.
What is not to like about this guy? I REALLY want to know!
For the record, I am not a big college football fan. When I do cheer for a team it is for Michigan or whom ever is playing Notre Dame. So, I am not a Florida fan. If Michigan were playing Florida, I would be cheering for Michigan and hoping that Tebow would have an off day. But I would never wish him to be hurt.
Several weeks ago, Tebow got his bell rung pretty good during a game. I was disappointed by the number of people on Facebook etc.., that are Christians that stated how happy they were that this guy got hurt. I don't get that! They posted videos of it and made some pretty bad remarks. Hope that he under performs against your team, or that someone from your team picks him off and runs it back for a TD, but don't cheer for him to get hurt. That is just wrong.
Most of these people are fathers of young children. Wouldn't you want your kid to be like Tebow when they get older? Or would you rather have your kid grow up to be like one of the countless other players that score a TD and point to the sky only to get arrested later that night for smacking their babies mama or for taking an illegal handgun into a bar?
This guy seems to be walking the walk, and as Christians we should be standing by this guy and cheering him on and supporting him. Not condemning him for doing the things that we should all be doing.
And maybe that is what the problem is, too many of us are not doing the things we should be doing, while he is and that makes us jealous. If so, I think that is the wrong attitude to take. We should be inspired to be better, not take someone down that seems to be better. The rough part, I think, will be if he does slip up and falter some time down the road---something we all do. Many of these same people will be there saying "see, I told you so! What a fraud!".
I guess my question is "who is the real fraud?"
And now Tebow is taking flack for doing an anti-abortion commercial that is scheduled to air during the Super Bowl.
If you don't like it, then turn the channel! Let him and his mother speak. Stay strong Mr. Tebow, not everyone is against you.
That's right Christian's, I am speaking right to you on this post.
He doesn't get into trouble. He gets good grades. He is a great college football player. And, he seems to be a very devoted Christian. The eye black that he wears during games has bible verses engraved into it. He is unquestionably a great leader. He claims to be abstaining from sex until he is married. He even goes on mission trips during his spring and winter breaks during school.
What is not to like about this guy? I REALLY want to know!
For the record, I am not a big college football fan. When I do cheer for a team it is for Michigan or whom ever is playing Notre Dame. So, I am not a Florida fan. If Michigan were playing Florida, I would be cheering for Michigan and hoping that Tebow would have an off day. But I would never wish him to be hurt.
Several weeks ago, Tebow got his bell rung pretty good during a game. I was disappointed by the number of people on Facebook etc.., that are Christians that stated how happy they were that this guy got hurt. I don't get that! They posted videos of it and made some pretty bad remarks. Hope that he under performs against your team, or that someone from your team picks him off and runs it back for a TD, but don't cheer for him to get hurt. That is just wrong.
Most of these people are fathers of young children. Wouldn't you want your kid to be like Tebow when they get older? Or would you rather have your kid grow up to be like one of the countless other players that score a TD and point to the sky only to get arrested later that night for smacking their babies mama or for taking an illegal handgun into a bar?
This guy seems to be walking the walk, and as Christians we should be standing by this guy and cheering him on and supporting him. Not condemning him for doing the things that we should all be doing.
And maybe that is what the problem is, too many of us are not doing the things we should be doing, while he is and that makes us jealous. If so, I think that is the wrong attitude to take. We should be inspired to be better, not take someone down that seems to be better. The rough part, I think, will be if he does slip up and falter some time down the road---something we all do. Many of these same people will be there saying "see, I told you so! What a fraud!".
I guess my question is "who is the real fraud?"
And now Tebow is taking flack for doing an anti-abortion commercial that is scheduled to air during the Super Bowl.
If you don't like it, then turn the channel! Let him and his mother speak. Stay strong Mr. Tebow, not everyone is against you.
FHA Relaxes Anti-Flipping Rule
This is something that has been rumored for a little while now. At some point, I anticipate the "90-day" rule to be reinstated.
Beginning Feb. 1, the Federal Housing Administration will provide mortgage insurance for some purchases in which the seller bought the property and held it for fewer than 90 days.
The agency is changing what is known as the “anti-flipping rule” to speed up sales of renovated homes in communities with too many bank-owned and foreclosed homes, says FHA Commissioner David H. Stevens.
Waiving the 90-day rule will encourage private investors to buy vacant properties, fix them up, and quickly sell them to buyers who will be eligible to buy them using FHA financing.
Source: Washington Post (01/30/2010)
Beginning Feb. 1, the Federal Housing Administration will provide mortgage insurance for some purchases in which the seller bought the property and held it for fewer than 90 days.
The agency is changing what is known as the “anti-flipping rule” to speed up sales of renovated homes in communities with too many bank-owned and foreclosed homes, says FHA Commissioner David H. Stevens.
Waiving the 90-day rule will encourage private investors to buy vacant properties, fix them up, and quickly sell them to buyers who will be eligible to buy them using FHA financing.
Source: Washington Post (01/30/2010)
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
FHA To Toughen Down Payment Rules
Ouch! Here is an article about a couple of the new FHA rules trying to get finalized. I think the raise in the upfront mortgage insuranc premium is bit much. In other words, if you are buying FHA , on a $100,000 loan you will have $2,250 tacked onto the loan because you are using FHA. On the down payment part, a lot of lenders are not lending FHA to people that have a credit score below 580 anyway.
The Federal Housing Administration will raise the minimum down payment for its least credit-worthy borrowers, agency announced Tuesday.
Borrowers with credit-rating scores below 580 will be required to put down at least 10 percent. Those with a credit score above 580 will be able to continue to put down only 3.5 percent. The changes are intended to shore up the agency's finances.
The FHA also will increase its upfront mortgage insurance premium from 1.75 percent to 2.25 percent. The agency is expected to seek congressional approval to raise annual mortgage insurance premiums, paid by borrowers over the life of the loan, above the current 0.55 percent maximum. The amount it will seek has yet been announced.
Source: Reuters News, Corbett B. Daly (01/19/2010)
The Federal Housing Administration will raise the minimum down payment for its least credit-worthy borrowers, agency announced Tuesday.
Borrowers with credit-rating scores below 580 will be required to put down at least 10 percent. Those with a credit score above 580 will be able to continue to put down only 3.5 percent. The changes are intended to shore up the agency's finances.
The FHA also will increase its upfront mortgage insurance premium from 1.75 percent to 2.25 percent. The agency is expected to seek congressional approval to raise annual mortgage insurance premiums, paid by borrowers over the life of the loan, above the current 0.55 percent maximum. The amount it will seek has yet been announced.
Source: Reuters News, Corbett B. Daly (01/19/2010)
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Mortgage Modification Plan Falls Short
Here is an article from the AP about loan modifications:
Only 65,000 people – about 7 percent of those who applied – have successfully navigated President Obama’s plan to help borrowers who are in trouble, the Treasury Department said last week.
About 49,000, or 5 percent, have dropped out of the program because they don’t qualify. Most of the remainder are still waiting.
Bank of America, the largest company in the program, has completed fewer than 2 percent of the modifications for 200,000 borrowers who signed up. The most successful lenders include Ocwen Financial Corp. and Carrington Mortgage Services, which have modified loans for 40 percent of their enrolled borrowers.
Source: Associated Press, Alan Zibel (01/15/2010)
Only 65,000 people – about 7 percent of those who applied – have successfully navigated President Obama’s plan to help borrowers who are in trouble, the Treasury Department said last week.
About 49,000, or 5 percent, have dropped out of the program because they don’t qualify. Most of the remainder are still waiting.
Bank of America, the largest company in the program, has completed fewer than 2 percent of the modifications for 200,000 borrowers who signed up. The most successful lenders include Ocwen Financial Corp. and Carrington Mortgage Services, which have modified loans for 40 percent of their enrolled borrowers.
Source: Associated Press, Alan Zibel (01/15/2010)
Thursday, January 14, 2010
U2's Most Influential Album/CD
I think that if I were to take a poll about which body of work is U2's most influential, the result of that poll would probably say "The Joshua Tree." And, there is a strong argument for that. But let me tell you why I feel that Achtung Baby was a more important and influential album/CD.
After the Joshua Tree, came Rattle and Hum and the subsequent Lovetown Tour. At the end of that tour, there was a little noticed quote that Bono made near the end of the tour, he said that it was "The end of something for U2" and that they "Need to go away and.....and just dream it all up again." In hind sight, what had happened is that U2 was not prepared for the fame that they had created and the criticism that came along with it and they had grown tired of the sound they had created.
"We're at a point where production has gotten so slick that people don't trust it anymore.... We were starting to lose trust in the conventional sound of rock & roll—the conventional sound of the guitar, in particular—and, you know, those big reverb-laden drum sounds of the '80s or those big, beautiful, pristine vocal sounds with all this lush ambience and reverb. So we found ourselves searching for other sounds that had more life and more freshness."
—The Edge, explaining the band's motivation for seeking a new sound
U2 took a long break before starting on Achtung Baby and when they did get back together to start on a new album, the band nearly broke up. There was uncertainty in which direction the band should go musically and there was more friction between band members then at any other point in the bands history.
Then, something happened. It was a song called "One". If not for this song, there may have never been "Beautiful Day" "Elevation" "Original Of The Species" "Vertigo" or "Walk On" among the other great and wonderful songs that U2 has written since Achtung. "One" has been credited by the band members as the song that kept the band together and gave them hope that they could create a new sound. The Edge had this to say about One:
"At the instant we were recording it, I got a very strong sense of its power. We were all playing together in the big recording room, a huge, eerie ballroom full of ghosts of the war, and everything fell into place. It was a reassuring moment, when everyone finally went, 'oh great, this album has started.' It's the reason you're in a band - when the spirit descends upon you and you create something truly affecting. 'One' is an incredibly moving piece. It hits straight into the heart."
You might say, "OK, that would make for possibly their most influential song because it saved the band, but why is the whole album the most influential?"
Achtung Baby was a total reinvention of this incredible band. I remember when the first release, "The Fly" came out. I had not heard the song nor had I watched the video yet and I was just turning to MTV, this was back when MTV actually played music videos, because I had heard that the world premier of U2's new release was going to be on. At the time, I was a mild fan. Mostly because my girlfriend, now my wife, was a huge U2 fan. If not for her, I might not have been much of a fan at all.
When that video for "The Fly" came on, I remember saying to myself "Oh my God, this changes everything!" To that point, I had seen U2 more of a "cause" band that seemed "Holier then thou" so to speak. What I was witnessing was Rock and Roll at its best with an "in your face" attitude! It was awesome. The band had completely reinvented itself. From the great lyrics to the industrial sounding rhythmic guitar by The Edge to Adam's bass and the amazing drums of Larry. I couldn't wait to hear what the rest of this album sounded like!
The instant that I heard "One" I knew that it was going to be a huge hit. Little did I know the significance of this song to the band at the time. Same with "Mysterious Ways". The rest of the album was great too. From "Even Better Than The Real Thing" "Until The End Of The World" (written as a conversation between Jesus and his betrayer Judas) "Ultraviolet" "Acrobat" "Wild Horses" and the very under rated "Love Is Blindness".
Now, I know what you might be saying "Those are good songs, but I think there are better songs on other albums" and that could be true. But those songs are still only part of why I feel that Achtung Baby is their most influential work.
The other big reason, besides the story behind "One" and the remaining great songs, is because of the concert tour that followed.
In my opinion, this concert tour changed forever how concerts are done. Prior to this, going to concerts consisted of basically the band standing on stage-maybe dancing around a little, and if they were really creative then they had sparkling fireworks or something on stage.
The tour, "Zoo TV Tour", was an artistic expression like none other. HUGE TV's and Video Screens all over the place. A light show that was second to none, cars were hung from the ceiling and an amazing stage that featured Bono rising up from under the stage to start the show. During the concert, the band flashed different messages up during the songs like "Everything You Know Is Wrong" "LUST" "Watch More TV" it was truly a concert unlike any other that had been before it and influenced an era of concerts that were big on production to really give the fans their money's worth.
So, between the song that kept the band together, the influence the concert tour had, the complete change in style the band undertook and simply the great music that came from it. My choice for most influential album by U2 is Achtung Baby. Here is a video clip of "The Fly" being performed live in concert during the Zoo TV tour. Enjoy!
After the Joshua Tree, came Rattle and Hum and the subsequent Lovetown Tour. At the end of that tour, there was a little noticed quote that Bono made near the end of the tour, he said that it was "The end of something for U2" and that they "Need to go away and.....and just dream it all up again." In hind sight, what had happened is that U2 was not prepared for the fame that they had created and the criticism that came along with it and they had grown tired of the sound they had created.
"We're at a point where production has gotten so slick that people don't trust it anymore.... We were starting to lose trust in the conventional sound of rock & roll—the conventional sound of the guitar, in particular—and, you know, those big reverb-laden drum sounds of the '80s or those big, beautiful, pristine vocal sounds with all this lush ambience and reverb. So we found ourselves searching for other sounds that had more life and more freshness."
—The Edge, explaining the band's motivation for seeking a new sound
U2 took a long break before starting on Achtung Baby and when they did get back together to start on a new album, the band nearly broke up. There was uncertainty in which direction the band should go musically and there was more friction between band members then at any other point in the bands history.
Then, something happened. It was a song called "One". If not for this song, there may have never been "Beautiful Day" "Elevation" "Original Of The Species" "Vertigo" or "Walk On" among the other great and wonderful songs that U2 has written since Achtung. "One" has been credited by the band members as the song that kept the band together and gave them hope that they could create a new sound. The Edge had this to say about One:
"At the instant we were recording it, I got a very strong sense of its power. We were all playing together in the big recording room, a huge, eerie ballroom full of ghosts of the war, and everything fell into place. It was a reassuring moment, when everyone finally went, 'oh great, this album has started.' It's the reason you're in a band - when the spirit descends upon you and you create something truly affecting. 'One' is an incredibly moving piece. It hits straight into the heart."
You might say, "OK, that would make for possibly their most influential song because it saved the band, but why is the whole album the most influential?"
Achtung Baby was a total reinvention of this incredible band. I remember when the first release, "The Fly" came out. I had not heard the song nor had I watched the video yet and I was just turning to MTV, this was back when MTV actually played music videos, because I had heard that the world premier of U2's new release was going to be on. At the time, I was a mild fan. Mostly because my girlfriend, now my wife, was a huge U2 fan. If not for her, I might not have been much of a fan at all.
When that video for "The Fly" came on, I remember saying to myself "Oh my God, this changes everything!" To that point, I had seen U2 more of a "cause" band that seemed "Holier then thou" so to speak. What I was witnessing was Rock and Roll at its best with an "in your face" attitude! It was awesome. The band had completely reinvented itself. From the great lyrics to the industrial sounding rhythmic guitar by The Edge to Adam's bass and the amazing drums of Larry. I couldn't wait to hear what the rest of this album sounded like!
The instant that I heard "One" I knew that it was going to be a huge hit. Little did I know the significance of this song to the band at the time. Same with "Mysterious Ways". The rest of the album was great too. From "Even Better Than The Real Thing" "Until The End Of The World" (written as a conversation between Jesus and his betrayer Judas) "Ultraviolet" "Acrobat" "Wild Horses" and the very under rated "Love Is Blindness".
Now, I know what you might be saying "Those are good songs, but I think there are better songs on other albums" and that could be true. But those songs are still only part of why I feel that Achtung Baby is their most influential work.
The other big reason, besides the story behind "One" and the remaining great songs, is because of the concert tour that followed.
In my opinion, this concert tour changed forever how concerts are done. Prior to this, going to concerts consisted of basically the band standing on stage-maybe dancing around a little, and if they were really creative then they had sparkling fireworks or something on stage.
The tour, "Zoo TV Tour", was an artistic expression like none other. HUGE TV's and Video Screens all over the place. A light show that was second to none, cars were hung from the ceiling and an amazing stage that featured Bono rising up from under the stage to start the show. During the concert, the band flashed different messages up during the songs like "Everything You Know Is Wrong" "LUST" "Watch More TV" it was truly a concert unlike any other that had been before it and influenced an era of concerts that were big on production to really give the fans their money's worth.
So, between the song that kept the band together, the influence the concert tour had, the complete change in style the band undertook and simply the great music that came from it. My choice for most influential album by U2 is Achtung Baby. Here is a video clip of "The Fly" being performed live in concert during the Zoo TV tour. Enjoy!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Gossip
Kimberly and I were struggling to find something to watch to the other day on TV and came across a movie that had 2 of our favorite actors in it. The movie is called "Doubt" and it stars Kimberly's favorite actress Meryl Streep, and one of my favorite actors Phillip Seymor Hoffman, so we were bound to like the movie......and we did!
The movie is about a priest, Hoffman, who is accused of an improper relationship with an alter boy by a nun played by Streep. There is more to the story, like the mother of the alter boy and such but I really don't want to spoil anything else about the movie.
But the reason for this post, other then to tell you to watch this movie, is more about a scene that stuck with me then about the movie itself.
The scene is about a sermon called "Gossip" and it's effect once "Gossip" is out there. Now, there is not anything going on that I can think of that would keep me thinking about it, other then it has great imagery on what "Gossip" is.
Please take the time to watch this great 3 minute clip on "Gossip" I don't think you'll be disappointed and hopefully you will come away with a different perspective as I did.
The movie is about a priest, Hoffman, who is accused of an improper relationship with an alter boy by a nun played by Streep. There is more to the story, like the mother of the alter boy and such but I really don't want to spoil anything else about the movie.
But the reason for this post, other then to tell you to watch this movie, is more about a scene that stuck with me then about the movie itself.
The scene is about a sermon called "Gossip" and it's effect once "Gossip" is out there. Now, there is not anything going on that I can think of that would keep me thinking about it, other then it has great imagery on what "Gossip" is.
Please take the time to watch this great 3 minute clip on "Gossip" I don't think you'll be disappointed and hopefully you will come away with a different perspective as I did.
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