en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/670088 Comments by MichaelBingham http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/the-industrial-revolution-and-the-death-of-craftsmanship/#IDComment42966231 And that's exactly what it is, "planned obsolescence." I was listening to NPR the other day and they were saying that over the past ten to fifteen years, companies have departments and committees devoted to "planned obsolescence. " The automobile industry...the computer industry...the wireless phone industry especially. People who sit down and decide which parts / products / pieces of equipment they will design to have a short life-span or become antiquated so they can sell more stuff to the same consumers. Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:57:42 +0000 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/the-industrial-revolution-and-the-death-of-craftsmanship/#IDComment42966231 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/the-industrial-revolution-and-the-death-of-craftsmanship/#IDComment42965471 You know what this article reminds me of? That time you got rid of your economy car and bought that 1960's Cadillac...I remember saying "Jeff...this car is cooler than the other side of the pillow, but is it practical?" You said "Practical?! Ask yourself this...how many people who have practical cars want a classic Caddy...then ask yourself how many people with classic Cadillacs want a Nissan Sentra. Yeah, that's what I thought..." ROFL Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:47:57 +0000 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/the-industrial-revolution-and-the-death-of-craftsmanship/#IDComment42965471 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/bibles-and-bullets-the-ugly-legacy-of-christian-missionaries/#IDComment42621477 Yeah, I get you. However the good doctor's questions, and even his acknowledgements show a very ignorant position. Whether or not this ignorance is genuine or intentional isn't for me to say directly. What he is choosing to ignore is the fact that the Church is as much of the problem as anything. The Church is militaristic. It isn't that it just happened to fall in league with belligerent factions. Popes had their own armies. Priests and preachers alike pray for troops all the time. The Church gained monetarily from imperialism, colonialism and slavery as much as anybody, and still does. When Dr. Bush says that mission must renounce militarism, I wonder if he realizes that for this to happen really, mission has to reject the Church itself. Mon, 9 Nov 2009 23:57:43 +0000 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/bibles-and-bullets-the-ugly-legacy-of-christian-missionaries/#IDComment42621477 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/bibles-and-bullets-the-ugly-legacy-of-christian-missionaries/#IDComment42599691 LOL! Judging by your reply, I bet Peanuts comics are brain food for you. Do better. Mon, 9 Nov 2009 19:50:02 +0000 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/bibles-and-bullets-the-ugly-legacy-of-christian-missionaries/#IDComment42599691 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/bibles-and-bullets-the-ugly-legacy-of-christian-missionaries/#IDComment42580617 You know what kept popping into my head while I was writing this? "The Rape of the American Frontier"...I kept hearing "They saw them coming, but they didn't close the door...", and that ominus chorus: "...but God was on their side...God was on their side!" Great lyrics. Who was the guy that wrote that song? Seems like his name was "Sterling" or something... Mon, 9 Nov 2009 16:59:51 +0000 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/bibles-and-bullets-the-ugly-legacy-of-christian-missionaries/#IDComment42580617 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/10/the-new-mysticism/#IDComment41339643 Uh, you do realize that Vlad is not anywhere close to being atheist, right? Besides that, he probably is one of the most open-minded people I know. He just hates it when Christianity is "watered down" to make it appeal to broader base. Christianity has to stand for SOMETHING, or as we've seen, so--called Christians will fall for anything. Sat, 31 Oct 2009 23:53:42 +0000 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/10/the-new-mysticism/#IDComment41339643 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/10/concrete-academia/#IDComment41232257 I was wondering when you were going to catch that...(lol) Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:31:20 +0000 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/10/concrete-academia/#IDComment41232257 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/10/a-response-to-invocation-provocation/#IDComment41204562 Response #8 -- Conclusion This song was extremely popular last year, and has been remixed at least 6-7 times that I know of. Not to digress too much, but the African-American obsession with glorifying criminal activity made this song hot on several radio stations, including the one where Fred Haynes does his weekly radio show. It is from this song that he got the "swagger like us" line. Why did he use it? Because he knew that there would be a large number of people present that liked the song and its message. So even though he was supposed to be praying to the Holiest of Holies, he opted to get cheers from the crowd by calling to mind a song that tells of the exploits of a murderous, drug-dealing, stick-up artist...and he was successful. This is why I say with immutable, irrefutable evidence that he was doing nothing but pandering to the crowd. Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:07:32 +0000 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/10/a-response-to-invocation-provocation/#IDComment41204562 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/10/a-response-to-invocation-provocation/#IDComment41204290 Response #7 -- More song lyrics and explanation: "No one on the corner has swagger like us Hit me on my burner, prepaid wireless We pack and deliver like UPS trucks Already going to hell just pumping that gas" -Her crew has swagger, which in this context is pride in the menacing presence that all too many criminals manifest in urban communities. "Hit me on my burner, prepaid wireless" refers to the fact that drug dealers use prepaid cell phones called "burners" and throw them away after the minutes are used up. If by chance a cop gets a suspected drug dealer's phone number they have to go through the time, trouble and legality of getting authorization for a wire tap on that number. However, by the time this process is complete, the wire tap is useless because the phone has been thrown away and the dealer is using another "burner". The lines "We pack and deliver like UPS trucks, already going to hell just pumping that gas" are pretty easy too...they are packing and moving so much drugs it's like they are a shipping company...by the way, they realize they are doomed, but they "pump the gas" anyway. Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:04:04 +0000 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/10/a-response-to-invocation-provocation/#IDComment41204290 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/10/a-response-to-invocation-provocation/#IDComment41204028 Response #6 -- More song lyrics: "Some, some, some I, some I murder Some, I some I let go Some, some, some I, some I murder Some, I some I let go" -This is pretty self-explanatory, depending on how she feels, sometimes she'll murder a robbery victim, sometimes she'll let them go. "Pirate skulls and bones Sticks and stones and weed and bombs Running when we hit them Lethal poison through their system" -This artist's logo is a skull and bones (you see it in the video to the song) "Lethal poison through their system" is a reference to selling heroin. Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:00:24 +0000 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/10/a-response-to-invocation-provocation/#IDComment41204028 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/10/a-response-to-invocation-provocation/#IDComment41203852 Response #5 -- Song lyrics: "Sometimes I feel sitting on trains Every stop I get to I'm clocking that game Everyone's a winner now we're making our fame Bona fide hustler, making my name" -Basically, the artist is on the train, thinking about how at every train stop she and her crew are going to increase their "street cred" and fatten their pockets by way of ill-gotten money. "All I want to do is (sound of four gunshots) And (sound of cash register ringing) And take your money!" -The artist is referencing armed robbery, and letting you know she is quick with the trigger, too. Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:58:13 +0000 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/10/a-response-to-invocation-provocation/#IDComment41203852 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/10/a-response-to-invocation-provocation/#IDComment41203577 Response #4 -- As far as God knowing about "swagger", Genesis tells us that when God stepped back and viewed his creative work, he saw that it was "very good". Was God bragging? No, he was simply telling the truth. And even though we are made in God's image, I'm not going to say to Him in public prayer, "Thank You for giving us this swagger!" Especially in the context that Haynes used it, and I'll tell you why. "No one on the corner has swagger like us" is a line from a song called "Paper Planes", performed by a female British Hip-Hop artist that goes by the name "M.I.A." The song is about selling drugs and jacking people for their money. Allow me to share some lines from this song, as well as perform a quasi-exegesis of the lyrics in my following response(s). Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:54:11 +0000 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/10/a-response-to-invocation-provocation/#IDComment41203577 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/10/a-response-to-invocation-provocation/#IDComment41203179 Response #3 -- To further challenge the point of speaking to God using the language of the people present, allow me to present a scenario. Suppose Barack Obama was going to speak to the Congressional Black Caucus, and due to your reputation as a public speaker, your were chosen to be the Master of Ceremonies. When it came time for you to introduce President Obama, would you say, "And now, brothers and sisters, Barry O. is in the house! Everybody get out yo' seats, and give the baddest player player in Washington some love! Straight outta the South Side of Chi-Town to the baddest crib in the country, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue! Clap 'til yo' hands bleed and scream 'til yo' lungs are sore for our presidential big homie, BARACK OBAMAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!" No you wouldn't, despite the fact that everybody in the room may be feeling those exact words. Barack would send the Secret Service after you himself. So if you wouldn't address the presence of the President this way, why would you address the King of Eternity in such a manner? Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:48:33 +0000 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/10/a-response-to-invocation-provocation/#IDComment41203179 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/10/a-response-to-invocation-provocation/#IDComment41203022 Response #2 -- You make the interesting statement that in my initial piece I was "implying that the words and phrases of some other culture are more fitting; more appropriate and more sacred." Perish the thought. I know there is absolutely no truth in the idea that Europeans, or their descendants, have a monopoly on approaching God. My views on Dr. Haynes prayer are based firmly on Holy Scripture. Throughout the Inspired Canon, the prayers that God heard were those that showed the humility of the one doing the praying, as well as those that showed reverence to Him. For instance, notice the words at Psalm 8:3,4: "When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visitest him?" (KJV) Did Dr. Haynes' prayer exhibit this type of humility? I think not. Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:46:32 +0000 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/10/a-response-to-invocation-provocation/#IDComment41203022 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/10/a-response-to-invocation-provocation/#IDComment41202804 Response #1 -- First of all, welcome to Concrete Academic. You do a good job of stating your opinion. But your reasoning is quite specious. There are several factors that are obviously affecting that opinion, and frankly lending quite heavily to the apologist posture that you have assumed in relation to Dr. Haynes prayer. For instance, you are a professional speaker, corporate trainer and professional musician. Your website states that you have "mesmerized audiences throughout the continental United States and abroad..." A quick analysis of this information speaks to the fact that you esteem performance quite highly because you yourself are a performer! And in the case of Dr. Haynes' invocation, you feel that it is acceptable that his theatrics, presentation and performance trump propriety as long as the crowd whooped and hollered. Your opinion is heavily colored by the connection that was made with the crowd because that is your aim whenever you step on a stage...to make a connection. Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:43:18 +0000 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/10/a-response-to-invocation-provocation/#IDComment41202804 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/10/tupac-amaru-shakur-and-the-black-cultural-landscape/#IDComment40791117 You're interested in intelligent dialogue? Show and prove. As far as "providing an article" goes...well you've heard the whole saying about not seeing the forest for the trees? Think about it... Tue, 27 Oct 2009 03:00:21 +0000 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/10/tupac-amaru-shakur-and-the-black-cultural-landscape/#IDComment40791117 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/10/more-atheist-bashing/#IDComment40205901 LOL!!! Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:44:43 +0000 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/10/more-atheist-bashing/#IDComment40205901 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/10/the-indulgent-nature-of-modern-christianity/#IDComment39680852 And that is the question. Who bears the brunt of responsibility? I want to point the finger at the televangehypnotist, but if you read 2 Timothy 4:3,4 again, you see a that Paul places much of the blame on the raving fan / consumer as well. Because they want to satisfy their own desires, they gather the type of "teachers" that they want. Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:32:51 +0000 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/10/the-indulgent-nature-of-modern-christianity/#IDComment39680852 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/10/concrete-question-what-do-you-think-of-obamas-nobel-prize/#IDComment38959813 What I've noticed since he has won it is his supporters completely changing their tune. Whenever those with heavy conservative leanings criticize Barack Obama, Obama supporters almost in unison say that he hasn't had time to do anything. Now that he is a Nobel Prize winner, they are jumping up and down and saying that he most definitely earned it because hehas done so much. Well, which is it? Either he has had time to accomplish or he hasn't. It can't be both ways. Fri, 16 Oct 2009 17:13:00 +0000 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/10/concrete-question-what-do-you-think-of-obamas-nobel-prize/#IDComment38959813 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/10/can-romos-peg-fit-into-a-star-shaped-hole/#IDComment38900413 Tyson. Stop it. For real. You know I'm commenting on what we have all seen from Romo, and his reactions. And let's be completely honest. Jerry Jones isn't paying the starlet-chaser to be happy. He is paying him to be a winner. Romo knew that he was taking the most visible job in American sports. He knew what was expected of him by the owner and the fans when he signed that contract and took that multi-million dollar signing bonus. You are right though, every man has to ask himself "just how far do I want to take this?". That is completely true. The problem is this, Romo took the money like he had already answered the question, and since that's the case the answer to that question should be obvious to everyone by now. Fri, 16 Oct 2009 02:58:10 +0000 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/10/can-romos-peg-fit-into-a-star-shaped-hole/#IDComment38900413