Looking Back

I feel like I'm just undoing work that I've done before.

A few years ago, I had video files on my computer, which I burned onto DVD's so I could then delete those files, thus making more room on my computer.  Now, I'm ripping the files from those same DVD's and placing them on my computer, in order to place those files onto YouTube, thus removing the need for those DVD's.  (This is perfectly legal.  These are old home movies that include me and my family.  If there is any copyright, I or family members own it.)

So, while waiting for a disc to be ripped, I started thinking of all the different forms of audio and video technologies that I've lived through.  Now, I'm in my 40's, so some of you may remember more and some of you may have never heard of these, either.  (Whipper Snappers, get of my lawn!  Shakes cane)

Let me start with video.  Many of these home movies started as actual film.  I remember watching them on a 8mm movie projector.  For those who don't remember, it looked something like this:

I remember watching scenes from Star Wars on this thing.  No sound, so we made our own soundtrack.  It took forever to set up and if the lightbulb blew, you're screwed.  Sure you could by a new bulb, but really?

Then came the VCR.  I remember going to a store (Colortyme, if my memory serves) and renting a player and movies.  Then we bought our first VCR.It looked something like this:

Finally, we could record TV shows!  It only could record from 20 different channels, but you could program which channels to get by turning these extremely small wheels.  Once you had that set, then you could return to it just by hitting a button.  Later VCR's you could get all the channels and programming meant telling it what time to start recording.  In order to tell the old one to record, you hit "Record."  To stop, you hit "Stop."  Wow.  Such technology.

Of course, all this meant you had to buy the right type of machine.  There was Betamax and VHS.  For the longest time, there were both.  You had your fans of both and stores had to carry both.  Until, finally, sales of Beta fell.  VHS became the standard and it reigned the video throne for a long time.

Then came DVDs.  I was married by the time DVDs came out.  Now, your movies wouldn't look like crap after repeated viewings.  No more accidentally recording over your wedding video.  You could put bonus stuff on the disc, so you could watch behind the scenes of your favorite movies.  Perfect picture!  Perfect sound!  Until HDTVs came out.  Then that perfect picture wasn't so perfect.

So then we come to Blu-Ray.  Now, I still don't own a Blu-Ray player.  My son has one (actually he watched them on his Playstation 3), but I'm still in the DVD camp.  For a while, there were two different formats: Blu-Ray and HD-DVD.  But HD-DVD went the way of the dodo and the Betamax and Blu-Ray is now the standard.  Much better picture.  Better sound.

Now, however, the trend is to remove the physical medium.  The public is no longer going to buy film or tape or disc.  All content is going to be in the "cloud" and we download it to our computers to watch.  Quality can be anything from perfect to potato.  All in the name of ease of use (and corporate dollar).

We've come to where I began.  I'm taking my old home movies.  I had them transferred from film to VHS.  Then from VHS to DVD.  Now, I'm going from DVD to YouTube.

What's next?

Eggs & Bacon

Watching TV, I've recently seen this commercial.

It reminds me of this commercial.

One is supposed to teach me the importance of sunscreen. The other is supposed to teach me the dangers of drugs. The biggest lesson I've learned?

Someone needs to make a Public Service Announcement using toast and coffee.  I need something to go with my brain on drugs and skin in the sun.

Cola Commercial Idea

I have an idea for a Coke commercial. (If you're from Coca-Cola, and want to use my idea, get in touch.)  Actually, it's for a series of commercials.  This idea would be great for use during a certain champion football game held in early February, where they could do a series of commercials.

In the first clip, you'd have a couple of guys, one of which is a scientist.  The scientist has invented a time machine.  The only problem is that he doesn't know how to power the machine.  He's showing the thing to his friends, one of which spills his Coke all over the control panel of the time machine.  The machine powers up and disappears.  To be continued...

In the second clip, the time machine appears in the middle of a field.  The guys get out and walk over a hill.  They end up in another Coke commercial.

The advertisers could put the guys into this older Coke commercial using CGI or whatever the latest technology is at that time.  The guys walk around the group, singing, hitting on the girls, etc.  Then they walk back to the time machine.  To be continued...

Third clip.  The time machine appears inside a football stadium, in a hallway.  The guys get out and turn a corner and see...

All the while the guys get Mean Joe's autograph, and just act like fans of the football legend.  Then back to the time machine.  To be continued...

Next clip.  The machine appears in a futuristic post-apocalyptic wasteland.  The guys get out, warily, and find an old TV monitor.  It pops on and...

I'm sure you get the idea.  To be continued...

One last clip.  The machine appears on an arctic glacier.  The guys get out and see...

The guys, initially scared of the bears, become friends with them when a bear holds out a Coke bottle to them.

OK, ok.  I lied.  One more clip.  You gotta get them home.  Connecting the Max Headroom box to the time machine, they get home.  Maybe with a stowaway (such as a bear).  The End.

I've had this idea for a number of years.  When I first had it, it would have been impossible to do.  Over the years, CGI has gotten good enough that it would be possible and look good.

So, Coca-Cola Company and whoever does their ads.  Call me.

One Lord, One Church

The Church has divided itself.  You have Catholics, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Baptists, Wesleyans.  There are many different reasons for a church to split, some serious, some stupid.  I know of a church that split into two because one half didn't like the color of the carpet when the chapel was renovated.  Stupid.

Many churches split because their teachings are different.  I grew up in a church that taught against alcohol and smoking.  They didn't teach communion or baptism.  The church I attend now is also against alcohol and smoking, but they practice communion (with grape juice) and baptism.  I know that Catholics practice communion with wine.  I know of churches that it's OK for members to smoke.

You have Christians today who argue with other Christians about these teachings.  Some believe that they are right and those others are wrong, not saved and going to Hell.  "The Bible says this," a group will shout and proceed to bash the others over the head, proclaiming how wrong they are.  Some denominations have even gone so far as to call other denominations as the "Antichrist."

So, who's right?

An outsider will look at us Christians and see us fighting among ourselves and be completely confused.  We are supposed to represent Christ to the world and lead the way to the truth, but what is the truth?  If the Church can't seem to follow one truth, then what is the truth?

Who is right?

Saint Augustine of Hippo once wrote:

"In essentials, Unity; in non-essentials, Liberty; in all things, Charity."

In other words, the Church needs to be unified in those teachings that are essential and in those non-essentials, we are free to believe what we will.  But in all things, we need to do in love (which is what charity means.)

So, what are the essentials?

The jailer in Phillipi asked that very question of Paul.

Acts 16:29-31

The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.  He then brought them out and asked, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved - you and your household."   

That's it.  That's all that is essential to salvation:  believe in the Lord Jesus.  Paul and Solas didn't say that the man had to follow a set of rules and regulations, or wear a certain type of clothing, or any other non-essential thing. As long as a church teaches the fact that to be saved one must simply believe in Jesus, they are a true church and are following God's command to them.

There can be good reasons for a church to split.  I presently attend a church that has a fairly traditional service.  We have an orchestra and choir.  The music is pretty contemporary, but we do sing the old hymns regularly.  I'm comfortable there.

But what if someone doesn't like orchestra music, but likes rap instead?  Not far away is a church that caters to those people who like rap.  Hard rock?  There's another church for them.  I've attended churches that offer Caribbean style music and worship.

The way we worship is a non-essential.  We have freedom to worship as we see fit and are comfortable.  Just because I prefer to worship with slower, older hymns doesn't make me any more (or less) saved than someone who prefers to worship with an electric guitar and drum set.

The Church (big C) needs to stop fighting between the churches (little c) and become unified in the command given us by Christ himself:

"Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation."