The NFL schedule came out last night and the NFL draft is only a week away, so even though it's spring, I've got football on the brain. Aaron Rodgers is a funny man from his photo bombing every captain's picture to his State Farm commercials to his witty tweets. In one of those commercials you may have caught British comedian Tom Wrigglesworth. I first saw Tom on the show Outrageous Acts of Science as a comedic scientific expert commentator (yep, he's funny and smart). It was a few weeks later when some sports radio guys noticed a resemblance to Aaron Rodgers and then it took on a life of it's own when Tom got his own State Farm commercial. You can see a video below where Tom visits Green Bay and frequently gets mistaken for Aaron. It also gives you a flavor of the area where I grew up.
So Tom is a funny and smart guy, but I think Mr. Wrigglesworth would struggle to do this!
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
For Earth Day I'm Turning Over a New Leaf!
OK, I actually bought a new Leaf and I'm very excited! I needed a new car as my old one was on the verge of needing several multiples in repairs more than what it was worth, so we decided to take the plunge. I'd like to say it's all "green" thinking, but economics were a huge part with gas savings and the $12,500 in tax credits we'll get. I've always been OK with owning "different" cars from my 1988 Hyundai Excel (before Hyundai was good) to a Mazda RX-8 with a rotary engine to a VW Jetta diesel, so I'm more excited than worried about owning a bit of an oddity. The 84 mile range makes you plan a bit more, but the car is a cathedral to technology with all the creature comforts you could want in a commuter car. I admit I have some initial range anxiety, but a fast charger for home and work with my predictable route should make that go away pretty quick. I also pass a Nissan dealership going to work and I can always do a 5 minute quick charge there in a pinch. Sure its a bit inconvenient, but the gas savings in our checking account and the $12,500 in tax credits in January will happily have me put up with a few inconveniences.
Speaking of tax credits, it's sad to see Georgia's $5,000 tax credit probably disappearing July 1st, but what's worse is the new $200 fee on electric vehicles up from $35. The fee is meant to offset the lost tax from EV owners not buying gas and paying gas tax to fund the transportation budget, but I think the amount is a bit unfair. $200 is more than the gas taxes paid by an average Georgia resident driving a large SUV getting 15 miles per gallon! I agree EV owners should have to pay something, but $100 like a standard car seems much more reasonable. I think the gas tax system worked great for a long time, the more you drove the more you paid toward road upkeep, but alternative fuel vehicles are a huge disruption to this system. See the chart below to see what you pay in gas tax every year:
I love my Leaf already, Pam and I call her Leafy. If you want a great car at a great price the Nissan Leaf is an awesome choice provided you can get over any "range anxiety" issues. Well my electric car adventure begins, look for updates coming soon!
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| Me, Pam and Leafy |
Speaking of tax credits, it's sad to see Georgia's $5,000 tax credit probably disappearing July 1st, but what's worse is the new $200 fee on electric vehicles up from $35. The fee is meant to offset the lost tax from EV owners not buying gas and paying gas tax to fund the transportation budget, but I think the amount is a bit unfair. $200 is more than the gas taxes paid by an average Georgia resident driving a large SUV getting 15 miles per gallon! I agree EV owners should have to pay something, but $100 like a standard car seems much more reasonable. I think the gas tax system worked great for a long time, the more you drove the more you paid toward road upkeep, but alternative fuel vehicles are a huge disruption to this system. See the chart below to see what you pay in gas tax every year:
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| http://www.myajc.com/news/annual-gas-tax/ |
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Who was the real Jesus?
As Easter approaches it's interesting to think of the real historical Jesus really was. In Western culture he's often depicted as one step removed from a surfer dude, but based on the area of the world he was born in the reality was quite different. In fact Jesus would probably stand a good chance of being "randomly selected" at airport security or a homeless guy. So when you picture Jesus what do you see, the guy on the left or the guy on the right?
Of course there are a couple of funny Hollywood takes too:
As Easter approaches it's good to think about who the real Jesus was and maybe it changes how we view those who look a bit different than us.
Monday, July 7, 2014
Is Princess Leia a True Disney Princess?
So with Disney buying Lucas, here's the highly contested question among some of my Upstreet 2nd grade girls and adult girl princess lovers...
YES?
No?
Friday, May 9, 2014
NFL Draft Is Like Christmas and Why I Still Love the XFL
It's like Christmas this weekend with 3 days of the NFL draft to suck me in, much to my wife's dismay. The NFL is becoming more and more of a year round entertainment beast. I think rumors of the NFL's looming demise are exaggerated, it may come back to Earth like the NBA did after the Jordan days or golf after Tiger's dominance, but it will be a force for the foreseeable future. I've always supported the challengers though from NFL Europe to the XFL to Arena football to the UFL (I'm too young for the USFL), competition is good. It provides the opportunity to try new rules and create a minor league of sorts giving players more opportunities and allows athletes the opportunity to showcase skills without faking interest in academia in the college game (like some high school baseball players going straight to the minor leagues and others to college). I went to an XFL game and even played in an XFL fantasy league, good quality football can be entertaining no matter the name on the front or back of the jersey if you truly love the game.
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Consciousness After Death: Strange Tales From the Frontiers of Resuscitation Medicine - Wired Science
Consciousness After Death: Strange Tales From the Frontiers of Resuscitation Medicine - Wired Science
New book says near death experience essentially universal. A Hindu describes a Hindu god, an atheist doesn’t see a Hindu god or a Christian god, but some being. Different cultures see the same thing, but their interpretation depends on what they believe. Overall they have peace and no longer fear death. Makes you think.
New book says near death experience essentially universal. A Hindu describes a Hindu god, an atheist doesn’t see a Hindu god or a Christian god, but some being. Different cultures see the same thing, but their interpretation depends on what they believe. Overall they have peace and no longer fear death. Makes you think.
Thursday, April 4, 2013
A Welcoming church?
Saw this tweet and picture the other day:
Adrian Bott @Cavalorn
Well, this is a first. A notice on a church door that actually made me want to pay them a visit: pic.twitter.com/bSG0VStRqm
Made me wonder how many churches really feel this way. I think this was the kind of person Jesus was as they were always hanging around him, but unfortunately not all our churches. I think a lot of leaders of our modern evangelical churches feel this way, but not all the attenders, I'm afraid this often leaves those who attend even the best of churches leaving sour. I guess they say the worst advertisers for Christianity are Christians. If we aren't the type of people or churches that would make the type of people in the above not feel welcome we should probably look in the mirror as we're not being like Jesus.
Adrian Bott Well, this is a first. A notice on a church door that actually made me want to pay them a visit: pic.twitter.com/bSG0VStRqm
Made me wonder how many churches really feel this way. I think this was the kind of person Jesus was as they were always hanging around him, but unfortunately not all our churches. I think a lot of leaders of our modern evangelical churches feel this way, but not all the attenders, I'm afraid this often leaves those who attend even the best of churches leaving sour. I guess they say the worst advertisers for Christianity are Christians. If we aren't the type of people or churches that would make the type of people in the above not feel welcome we should probably look in the mirror as we're not being like Jesus.
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