WWWJC -- What Weapons Would Jesus Choose

pictured above, an actual screenshot from the game


Here's an interesting article on the new "Left Behind" video game. (courtesy of rick p.)

My favorite excerpts:
**
For Christians, the idea of salvation isn't a game.

Unless, of course, they're talking about "Left Behind: Eternal Forces," a much-anticipated Christian video game in which gamers battle the bad guys with tanks, guns and prayer.

**

It's been in development for three years, and 40 computer whizzes are honing the game for its release. It includes 500 interactive Manhattan city blocks - "Probably the best representation of New York that's ever been in a video game," Frichner said.

Frichner won't say how much the company has spent creating "Left Behind." But, in an industry where making a top-notch game can cost $10 million or more, Frichner and Co. are banking on "Left Behind" being the best- selling Christian video game ever.

**

"Left Behind" doesn't hide its Christian message. Gamers playing as the good guys (Command Tribulation Forces) will find that praying before battle increases their chances of success. Scripture-laden scrolls give supernatural boosts. And, because gamers must fill their armies with regular New Yorkers who could just as easily swing to the dark side, there's a lot of virtual evangelization going on, too.

**

"From the New York Times review: Combines Tom Clancy like suspense with touches of romance, high-tech flash and biblical references."

*************************

This reminds me of the spam I received last week from the "Crusader Christian Financial Group." Why religious organizations continue to highlight the darkest hours of church history in their names and mascots, I just can't understand.

For that matter, I wonder what other nations (especially those we occupy) think of all our highschool mascots that have to do with warlike-barbarian-conquest (Warriors, Norsemen, Vikings, etc...)

hmmmmmm

don't believe me? Check out the games official site: http://www.leftbehindgames.com/

wow

angela daniel david andrew

James Bean donates this treasure from his hard drive. How it came into his possesion I do not know. You can probably only imagine how "special" my childhood was...

Isaac the Tiger & Willasaurus Rex:

It started about a month ago when will Started growling while wearing his dinosaur pjs.

The game evolved (as did the depth of Will's roar) to:

Mom or Dad: Oh No! It's a Willasaurus!
Will: Roar!
Mom Or Dad: Ahhh! {with frantic movement} SO SCARY!!!

Now Will Roars the moment he hears: "Oh NO, Oh, Scary, Scare, Saurus, etc..."

Isaac decided to get in on the game a couple weeks ago.

His roar isn't as advanced as Will's but it's coming along. We call him Isaac the Tiger.

Tony Petty captured this well and put it on his photoblog (see below)

Willasaurus REX

and here's a good picture of Isaac
(although not roaring, he is wearing stripes)

quick update 4 my homies

sorry for more silence.
it's been hectic.

Will went to the ER last night/this morning.
Auntie Aimeee RN made this easier (she was working third shift), but it was still very traumatic for our poor little "Saurus".

He's got some kind of respatory infection.
We go to the doctor tommorow.

Andy, Jaelyn, and Addison visited last week to welcome Maya.
This was wonderful (but we missed Lynn).
Grandma and Grandpa Lampiris are now settled in Muskegon.

World Domination Headquarters (in my basement) is buzzing with activity as we recently redesigned www.stock20.com, and our preparing for our 6month anniversary.

This is now a viable company, but I am yet to get a paycheck (soon).

interesting article

sorry for the silence. I think I've lost interest in bloggin (as a writer--I still like to read though).

Anyway, here's an interesting post from an interesting author:

health in the us vs. the uk

Summary:
Report shoes that Americans have significantly more health problems than their socio-economic counterparts in the UK.
It's suggested that this may have to do with work-habbits/stress etc...

I think we need to find better (and slower) ways to live & share our lives.

ok, it's safe now

I'm allowed to talk about my amazing niece.

Maya arrived. She is beatiful, pefect, intelligent, and has a great sense of humor.

Angela and Ryan are clearly wonderful parents.

I'm so happy.

pics here

retraction

nothing exciting has happened. If you read something exciting here earlier today, please forget you ever read it.

We have our people everewhere and we know who you are. Tell no one!

My Best Post Ever!

Check out Andrea's pictures of Isaac and Will: here

Miscellaneous Updates and Funn-duggery

Sorry for the Silence:
last week was "birthday week" - had to spend lots of time celebrating, then catch up on work.




No More Budget Parenting Tips:
sorry, but the public outcry over newsprinted bottoms was too great. We can't handle that kind of negative press.

However, if you want to get rid of junkmail, try swapping credit card applications in return envelopes. Send Visa the Mastercard Info. They'll pay for the postage, They'll pay somebody to open them up, and they'll pay for the time it takes to figure out it's for the wrong company. If everyone does this, they'll eventually stop trying to enslave every american in debt.

Make Your Own SUV Commercial:
Chevy would like you to go to there website and help them advertise their gas-greedy, luxurious, vehicles.

You make your own commercial (through their website) and e-mail it to your friends.

I like the commercial made by our friends at Rocketboom.com

Rocketboom's Chevy Tahoe commercial (watch here):
note: I wouldn't be surprised if Chevy removed it soon.

Budget Parenting: Money Saving Tip #1

Thinking about getting a shredding machine so identity thieves can't get your credit card numbers out of your garbage cans?

Well, don't waste your hard earned money. Instead, use the following system to save time and expense:

1) place all of your "shred-able" documents in a bin by your diaper changing table.
2) Use the documents as wipes, tucking them securely into the rolled up dirty diapers before throwing them away.
3) Now you've saved money on wipes, AND the shredding machine you didn't need to buy.

Any thief who STILL finds your credit card numbers, probably needs the money very badly. You should accept this as a legitimate charitable donation.

Way to Go Phil

Some of you remember a post about my friend Phil's crazy dog-powered car.

While concerned about the power transfer loss of it's treadmill based design, and skeptical about its wood construction, I was proud of Phil for looking for ways to pass a cleaner earth down to our kids.

His wife Missy informed me that the original design was powered by (many) hamsters.

Phil, your idea has stuck with me.

I've been thinking about getting one of those push-powered lawn mowers, and wondering if someone might invent a larger version with a dogsled attachment.

Great for dog lovers, great for the environment.

Does anyone have some welding equipment to build my friend Phil a zero-emissions dog powered lawnmower?

meanwhile, this guy is distributing his "dog powered scooter"

Warning Signs 4 (grand finale)

This is one of my favorites. Photographed by James Bean on a car that we rented together in Florida a couple years ago. [fyi: I voted for the economy car]

This warning sign is on the handle of a release cable *inside* the trunk of a convertible Mustang.

Maybe the readers will help us find a new interpretation, but we could only come up with one.

Note: The release handle *must* exist to thwart evil intentions. Otherwise the stickman would not instruct us to RUN.
















"If Bad people lock you in the back of a trunk, pull this release, leap from the car, and run away!"


There are only a few ways this could have come about. Here's the most likely one.

Vonda works at Ford. She's not real bright, but she's connected to the right people, 30 years deep in seniority, and she usually gets her way.

Vonda watches a movie on a Thursday night. In that movie, some character endears himself to Vonda's heart.

Sadly, this character is killed by mobsters after being hauled away to some isolated location in the trunk of a car.

Vonda looses a half hour of sleep as she thinks "if only you could open the trunk from inside the car!"

The next morning, Vonda takes Gordon (chief engineer for safety devices) aside and makes it perfectly clear, that this tragedy will not happen in a Ford Mustang on her watch.

Gordon, not realizing the depth of Vonda's resolve, jokingly notes that the handle would have to be made from "glow in the dark" plastic so you could find it in a dark trunk.

"Excellent, I want to see a CAD rendering on my desk Monday." Commands Vonda as she turns and walks away from disoriented Gordon.

.:That year, millions of dollars of wasted expense are passed along to Ford consumers.

.:A struggling "glow in the dark plastics" company in Armpit Falls, Arkansas survives one more year before closing it's doors.

.:Section 374b of The Mobster Handbook is updated, instructing kidnappers to remove the interior release with a pair of wire snips, whenever a Ford Mustang is used.


update: well according to Chris on Seth Godin's website here's the real story

But, the difference with the FORD handle, is the stick figure is running away, which makes it a lot more fun.

Warning Signs Part 3

this one courtesy of sister lynn

please take a moment

more in the "warning sign" series coming soon.

But if you could take a moment to investiage this.

And then perhaps consider doing this. (or something better)

Things are getting worse in Darfur

Warning Signs Part 2

Emergency instructions from Airtran:
(pictorial interpretation by Danielmatic)



"If there is an emergency (or if you feel otherwise inclined to do so) here is one good way to dismantle the aircraft."




"If the plane is being evacuated and you do not want wish to exert any effort in helping others, simply stand on the ground, waving and pointing your arms. This will also benefit those who are under the false impression that it would be best at this point to climb on top of the plane, instead of placing their feet on solid ground."





"If your plane makes a successful emergency landing in the high desert (near a mountain), exit the plane in a panic. Once you get to the bottom of the inflatable slide run like a banshee into the desert where you will have plenty of food and water. By spreading out in the wilderness, everyone has a much greater chance of being found quickly. "

warning signs

lately, I've been fascinated by warning signs.

Here's one that I saw on a water heater.















It's pretty complex, but I think you get the idea.



Then I saw this one on a moving van while driving to the Flint airport.





































"Packing Tape Should Not Be Used For Painful Practical Jokes."

I agree, I'm just not sure why this is on the side of the truck.

someone in this company is obviously carying scars from a bad college experience.


Tommorow's Edition: "Emergency Instructions from Airtran"

quick update

hey friends. Sorry for the silence.

I've been pretty swamped preparing for a last minute trip to LA to promote stock20.com

it went well. I will regale you with stories and photos later.

for now, here is a tasty treat (stock20's recent demo):

I prefer that you listen to this on an mp3 player, good headphones, or good speakers....

www.stock20.com/media/200603-stock20-demo.mp3

-Daniel

Quote of the Day:

"well... you didn't call during a commercial..."
-Anthony Petty (indicating his lack of interest in continuing our phone conversationl)

the best news story ever

I do feel bad for the guy who got the stiches, but other than that, I'd say the higher primates have it coming (especially the lawyers and politicians).

Go Monkeys!

read the story here

summarized article highlights for my lazy friends:

A petitioner complained that the monkeys were attacking lawyers and their clients and snatching their food.

Delhi suffers from a serious monkey menace, with scores of animals seen across the city.

The monkeys are mostly seen around top government offices.

*

Delhi's monkeys have gained a notorious reputation for invading homes, schools and government offices.

The monkeys who have moved into residential areas and official enclaves due to Delhi's shrinking forests, are said to have become a security threat.

Two years ago, the ministry of defence found some of its top secret documents scattered all over the place one morning.

It was blamed on the many rhesus monkeys which flock around the colonial-era building.

*

In a collaborative effort of The Daniel Rudd Media Group, and the James Bean Chancel Choir, the Super-BLOG is happy to offer you this small piece of tranquil reflection and meditation.

Be sure to listen with a good set of speakers or headphones (or put it in your ipod)

The Doxology

This will probably appear in the Starr Commonwealth Spiritual Development Video which I am about to complete.

**ps. Updated the boys blog with a video today (it's a view weeks old, but never before seen)
www.isaacandwill.blogspot.com