Swap Blog » 2004 » November

Verse of the Day

11/30/2004

New DVD Format

Filed under: Misc, Technology permalinktrackback — Team Swap @ 9:16 pm

The battle is one to define the next generation DVD standard and the winner will be at the successful end of a billion dollar enterprise. One standard is supported by some large players in the computer industry (sony and ibm to name a few) , but the other one is backward compatible with previous DVD standards and is rumored to be supported by many of the large movie industry companies. The backward compatible technology is developed by NEC and supported by Toshiba.


http://www.technewsworld.com/story/news/38536.html

11/29/2004

Gay Marriage Case

Filed under: News permalinktrackback — Team Swap @ 6:06 pm

The US Supreme Court decided not to hear the Mass. case regarding gay marriage. This case was based not on the legitimatimacy of gay marriage, but if the court useped the law, and by proxy the US constituion, by legalizing gay marraige without the consent of the state house, or any state bill approving gay marriage. By their action the supreme cout leaves open the possibility to hear future cases on gay marraiage, but deny’s the petition (by the citizens of Massuchuet) claiming that the Supreme court must act to insure a representative form form of government within the state. The matter may be resolved soon via the passing of a state law
outlawing gay marriage.

http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20041129-112238-5643r.htm

11/28/2004

Reinquist

Filed under: News, Politics permalinktrackback — Team Swap @ 9:17 pm

Supreme Court Chief Justice Reinquist is still not at work and is not showing any signs returning soon. From the little information that is coming out some speculate that Reinquist has the fast growing type of Tyroid cancer. His admin duties are being handled by a senior clerk and he is ruling on cases based on transcipts from the court.

It is time for Reinquist to announce his retirement and step down This would allow President Bush to begin the search for a new justice and the process of selecting the next chief justice to begin among the current eight that are sitting.

Reinquiest retiring is the probably the first of three justices that Bush will nominate over the next four years.

Kaaza

Filed under: News, Technology permalinktrackback — Team Swap @ 9:08 pm

The file sharing giant Kaaza and it’s owners go to trial in Austrialia to determine if they are liable for the copyrighted info that is shared computer to computer by using their software. They are basically using the Xerox argument that they are not liable for what their technology is used for. The Austrialian record industry is using the argument that Kaaza could prevent the sharing of copyrighted info. The Aussie record industry is using information they gained from raiding the computers of Kaaza users to boolster the case. This is what makes this case different the case Kaaza faced and defeated in the Netherlands and the current case that Supreme Court in the US has not decided if it will hear yet. In the US the software creators won at the appealate court level.

11/25/2004

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Filed under: Current / General permalinktrackback — Team Swap @ 12:23 pm

To all our visitors, supports, and contributors we wish you and your families a HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Be thankful today for all that you have, not just for the things that you want, and remember that all good things come from the Father and the thing we should be the most thankful for is Christ and His sacrifice on the cross that saved us from our sins.

Verses

11/23/2004

Save Scotlands Regiments

Filed under: Misc, Politics permalinktrackback — Team Swap @ 12:44 pm

British Prime Minister Tony Blair is considering the disbanding of Scotland’s regiments. This is a travesty. Scotland has long been a proud nation with a great history of military service. The UK’s support of America in our foreign endeavors is appreciated, but the heritage of the Scot’s must not be destroyed for the sake of modern military convenience and efficiency There is a place for heritage and tradition in modern society, and the modern military. Please follow the link below and encourage Prime Minister Blair to find a way to maintain both a modern UK force and the tradition of the Scots.


Link To The Scotsman (Scotland’s Online Newspaper) to save Scotland’s regiments.

Tennessee’s 278th Deployed

Filed under: Faith, Family, News, Personal permalinktrackback — Team Swap @ 12:44 pm

“Tennessee’s 278th starts shipping out for Kuwait” on the KnoxNews Web site:

http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/278th_news/article/0,2555,KNS_19816_3343309,00.html

TN’s own 278th is on the move. To all our friends and family that are heading out know we are praying for you. For the families that you are leaving behind, know that we are praying for you as well.

Slate Article: A View to a Kill

Filed under: Family, News, Technology permalinktrackback — Team Swap @ 12:16 pm

JFK Reloaded. Well it is interesting, and maybe it will help a few younger people look into history, but at it’s core it is out of bounds. No one needs to practice shooting the president, be it JFK or any other president before or after. Regardless of the realism this is one that the entire TEAM SWAP TEAM will pass on, and we are all history buffs too. Teach Traffic (the games Scottish developer) the lesson that their skills are better used elsewhere by not giving them your money on this one. –

The Following is a Slate article about JFK Reloaded –

—————————————————————–

A View to a Kill
JFK Reloaded is just plain creepy.
By Clive Thompson
Posted Monday, Nov. 22, 2004, at 3:34 PM PT

As I watch the limo creep down Dealey Plaza, I put my finger on the trigger and peer down my rifle’s telescope. I can see my target in the cross hairs. It’s Nov. 22, 1963. I’m trying to kill the president.

The game I’m playing, JFK Reloaded, was released today by the Scottish company Traffic, on the 41st anniversary of the Kennedy assassination. Not surprisingly, it provoked a backlash before anyone ever played it. “It’s despicable. There’s really no further comment,” said a spokesman for Ted Kennedy.

On the surface, the game certainly seems like a loathsome piece of opportunism. The designers, though, claim the game’s intent is to educate. The stated goal of JFK Reloaded is to debunk assassination conspiracy theories by buttressing the Warren Commission’s conclusion that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone and fired only three bullets. So, the game places you in the precise place where Oswald stood—the sixth-floor window of the Texas Schoolbook Depository—and challenges you to re-create his three shots. One shot missed the car entirely; another hit JFK in the neck; and a third hit the president’s head, causing what the commission called “a massive and fatal wound.” The closer you get to matching those three trajectories, the closer you get to a perfect score of 1,000. (The game designers are also offering a cash prize to the player who gets the highest score.) You can replay the scene as many times as you’d like.

On its face, this is an interesting concept. If people still don’t believe that Oswald acted alone, why not create a realistic 3-D simulation of the event to show it could have worked that way? This is what video games are uniquely suited to do—set up a system and let people mess around in it so they can discover what’s possible and what’s impossible. That’s part of the pleasure of everything from the Sims to Super Mario 64.

After playing JFK Reloaded for a couple of hours, I have to give Traffic credit for the game’s unbelievably precise physics. Every bullet bounces around with a super-realistic trajectory, behaving in the incredibly complicated way that bullets do. Sometimes I’d hit the back of the limo and the bullet would careen forward, smashing the glass; other times it would embed itself in the metal. After each round, the game lets you view the scene in a dozen different ways, including the classic Zapruder film angle or even from the perspective of a camera mounted on the limo. Then you get a 3-D model of the limo that you can rotate however you want, with the bullet trajectories traced in freeze-frame. As a physics simulation, it’s remarkable.

But as an experience? It’s nauseating.

When I play blood-soaked shoot-’em-up games, the vamped-up violence doesn’t really bother me—the more cartoonish the action, the fewer consequences the game seems to have. Even war games where you’re theoretically fighting a real enemy—like German or American or Japanese armies—don’t really feel personal. But JFK Reloaded is different. When you peer through the rifle scope, the faces of JFK and Jacqueline Kennedy (and Texas Gov. John Connally and his wife Nellie) are completely recognizable. These are real people who still have immediate living relatives—or, in the case of Nellie Connally, are still alive. While the game’s ostensible purpose is simply to re-kill Kennedy as accurately as possible, you can perform any number of alternative scenarios. Shoot the driver first, and the motorcade comes to a halt, allowing you to pick off anyone you want. Or sometimes the driver dies with his foot on the accelerator, driving the car off the road and into a lamppost. You can, if you wish, kill Jackie instead.

When I finally managed to kill JFK and watched his head blow open while he flopped forward like a rag doll, I was genuinely horrified. The game wants you to think about what’s happening as a mere physics experiment, but you can’t, nor would you want to. Because it’s focused solely on the narrow question of whether you can replicate Oswald’s shots, it doesn’t try to achieve the sort of catharsis that is supposed to come from wrenching art. When the ballistics reports told me, for example, that one of my shots hit JFK in the right shoulder, exited his chest, bounced off his right fingers, and ricocheted through the limo until it hit Connally in the shin, I wasn’t really thinking about how if I just aimed a little higher, then I could’ve gotten closer to 1,000 points.

After about an hour, I got my score up to 430. I was pretty good at the game, but I didn’t feel like I’d won anything.

Clive Thompson writes about gaming and technology for Slate.

Reuters.com – Veteran CBS News Anchor Dan Rather to Resign – Tue November 23, 2004 12:45 PM ET

Filed under: Current / General, News permalinktrackback — Team Swap @ 11:40 am

Looks like CBS has begun their move to try to get legitimate again. The Rather retirement has been rumored for over a year, and after the recent scandels it was a only a matter of time before it was set. Rather has worn out his welcome in America’s homes. The CBS Evening news is a distant third and Rather’s demographics are helping him any longer either. By Dan, please leave quietly and salvage a bit of dignity.

Reuters.com – Veteran CBS News Anchor Dan Rather to Resign
http://olympics.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=6898395

11/18/2004

One Bad Pig

Filed under: Music permalinktrackback — Team Swap @ 3:20 pm

One of the finest Christian punk / alternative bands has a website. The Team Swap team is surprised that we have not come across it before, but we encourage everyone to take the time to visit the One Bad Pig Site. The legendary Ceray “Kosher” Womack and Paul Q-Pek headed up a band that made Christian punk cool, real and releveant when few people even knew that Christain punk / alternative exisited. Their is no MXPX, no Five Iron, no Skillet without the roots planted by One Bad Pig.

Web Site - http://www.onebadpig.com/

How Did we Miss this a USB Swiss Army Knife

Filed under: Current / General, News, Personal, Technology permalinktrackback — Team Swap @ 12:59 pm

Victorinox USB Memory Knife Link

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/03/10/cebit_to_premiere_usb_swiss/

http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/Swissinfo.html?siteSect=511&sid=4791994

http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/tools/6b3b/

Victrnox the Swiss Army knife people have came out with a multi function knife with a USB flash drive in it. The flash drive holds 64MB, 128MB or 256MB, cepending on the model you buy. That is the coolest thing in the world. Every geek needs one and every person that loves a geek needs to buy their personal geek. Get your geek Christmas shopping done and do it quick. This is a winner.

Solaris 10

Filed under: News, Technology permalinktrackback — Team Swap @ 8:19 am

Well finally there is a real challeng to long played out WINTEL solutions. Sun, the leader in workstations and net work solutions for almost two decades, is roling out a UNIX/LINUX competitor that is robust and strong. Solaris 10 is backward compatible and forward thinking with over 600 new feature. Most of all it is free. Not free for a trial, but free. Free for commerical use, WOW!!!! To make it better the OS is geared to work well with the AMD 64 bit chips. That makes a SUN / AMD solution powerful enough to challange some of the embedded server options that are currently on Windows boxes. Good luck Sun and may Microsoft have to actually innovate to keep up.

Sun Makes Blockbuster Solaris 10 Free of Charge for Commercial Use
Sun Website

Information Week Story

11/17/2004

2005 TDF Route / Opinion

Filed under: News, Sports permalinktrackback — Team Swap @ 7:06 pm

Tour De France Route 2005

The Tour route has been out for a few weeks now, but we wanted to give it a bit of time to look at it and evaluate. Overall the route is lacking, the reduction of the number of time trials is questionable, and if Lance Armstrong skips it is simply because he is tired of LeTour trying to make it easier and easier for his competitor to win. Obviously everyone would complain if the Society made a route to cater to Armstorng’s strengths, but it is also no fairer to continue making the route to victory easier for everyone else since Armstrong has dominated the tour for over half a decade. Maybe not having a large following in the US due to no Armstrong, possilbly no Hamiltion and no other US stars that are possible winner. We all over Hincapie, Julich and Lepimheimer but none of them will be able to ever win the Tour. With a new team for Landis he is the best US hope but he is at least two years away from challanging for a overal grand tour winner. Maybe the best thing for US cycling would be for the French to realize that we do not want our man, Armstong, to be given advantages, but we expect that they will not set the course itself where he is disadvantaged.

Tyler Hamilton

Filed under: Sports permalinktrackback — Team Swap @ 6:10 pm

Tyler is still playing a waiting game on the outcome of his dopin charge. Phonak is working with a much of scientist to try to question the validity of the test that has two of their riders on the verge of 2 year bans. If this test is bad it needs to be determined, but if it is not then the riders needed to be banned, even if it is a popular rider and nice guy like Tyler Hamilton. Personally Team Swap is holding out hope for Tyler’s honesty until the testing results are returned. We are long time Tyler fans, but overall we love the sport of cycling more then any individual in it, be it Tyler, Lance, Bob Roll, Chippo, or Muessuw (who has already fallen to banning due to failing test and personal revelation).

Velo News – Tyler Hamiliton Story

NASA Flying

Filed under: News, Technology permalinktrackback — webmaster @ 5:02 pm

Once again NASA broke the flight speed record today with their scramjet today. This could potentially be the device the powers the next generation of jet planes, as well as future missles and weapon delivery systems.

Guardian Link To SCRAM Jet

BBC Story

11/16/2004

Phonak

Filed under: Sports permalinktrackback — Team Swap @ 12:42 pm

Yahoo Sports Story about Phonak Cycling Team

Phonak has to clear their riders of doping if they expect to participate in the Pro Tour. Obviously most American cyclist want to see Tyler Hamiliton cleared, but regardless of that test being proved valid or invalid Phonak needs to clear it’s name. Phonak is quickly becoming the modern Festina, as it seems that they have a cyclist in trouble with drugs constantly and it is just a matter of time before no one will have respect for them as a team, regardless of the quality of their riders.

The Pro Tour, which Team Swap personally does not like, has to take care of itself. It is new and anything just starting has to take the safe and clean route. The Pro Tour can not include Team that is in the middle of constant controversy and disorder to particpate in it’s inaugral season. Aa much as we like Tyle,r and the Swiss BMC bikes that Phonak rides, Team Swap has to agree with the Pro Tour and agree that Phonak can not be involved in the Pro Tour until they show they are clean.

Prayer in school & The Ten Commandments

Filed under: Faith, Family, Politics permalinktrackback — Team Swap @ 11:48 am

Today Team Swap is going to talk about things that we are suppose to say nothing about in polite society – politics and religion. Today we get into both, so here we go.

Prayer in school and the posting of the ten commandments in school seem to be coming back into the news. Due to the recent election the feelings of many is that Bush and his supporters will try to place them back into the schools. Well first let me say that I am for prayer in school, and for the posting of the ten commandments too, but to me the real issue is not the prayer or the commandments it is application.

Prayer in school is a great thing, but if it becomes no more then words that children say every morning then it is little different then the prayers of most church attendees. The prayer is not real – it is not meant, it is just a action one goes through to look like they are part of the group. Sure the presence of prayer, and the frequency of it, even if in vain, may lead to the person later taking the prayer seriously and may even lead to a salvation experience, but the key is being sure that the person lives out the lifestyle that the prayers are ascribing to them. It is also vital that the prayers are connected to be a means to access the God of the universe, not just prayer for the sake of prayer to meet a daily requirement. Again, it is the additional step of teaching the real meaning of prayer and how to properly apply it that as to be insured for prayer in school to be a success.

It is the same with the ten commandments. Posting them does increase the likely hood of a person will take them seriously because they are easily accessible. That is a great thing, and hopefully over time their accessibility will lead to the student personally applying them in their life. However, the risk is that the commandments will become no different then yellow and torn copy of the Constitution that will be right beside them, unread, unnoticed and unimportant in the daily lives of the students. The key is to insure that those commandments are applied in the individual lives of the students. For this to happen the lives of the student, both in school and out, must be geared toward living them out. If the commandments and prayer is not vital in their homes it severely decreases the likelyhood that they will be seen as important in their lives. For this to happen we must also see the hearts, mind and lives of the adults around the students
change.

So, the question is not is prayer good or is the posting of the ten commandments in public / government place good, obviously they are. The question is what are Christians, God’s hand and feet in the world, going to do to help school prayers and the posted commandments not just become icons but things that are actually hidden in the hearts and lives of the people. We can not expect the government to do the work of the church. Furthering God’s kingdom is not the job of the government, it is the job of the people.

Government’s job is to insure order and structure in society, not to lead people to God. Sure governement can be a useful tool to help the church succeed, but in the end the church has to follow God and do His work. Basically, it is the job of the Christian to be the salt and light of the
world, not the governments. Praying children and posted commandments are only successful if they carry into the lives of the students outside of school. Once again let me say, to do that the church must not just impact the students, but the parents, guardians and grandparents of the kids.

School prayer and posted commandments are merely access points to the lives, hearts and souls of the population, be they 8 or 80. The church should encourage these activities, but understand it does not reduce the call or duties of believers, but increases them. Our job is to help the lost see God, and school prayer and the posting of the ten commandments is just a means to allow us better access, and a bit better public reception of our message. In the end however, it is just another tool to reach people, not a means of reducing the responsibilities of Christians by putting some of it their duties on the government.

Today Dave, I want you to be encouraged by how faith is becoming both more acceptable and more normal in our society. This is not a red state vs. blue states issue, this is a issue about the eternal resting place of every American soul. This is also a issue about being used by God. Getting prayer in school or the commandments posted does not make us less responsible to work for God, nor does it guarantee a moral revival within society. Government can never take the job of the church and do it well. Government is not designed to meet the individual needs of each student, but to meet the general needs of society. It takes a personal relationship for a heart to be changed by God. Government does not and can not do that. In fact, most of the time government getting involved in faith issues is determinal not beneficial to the church. With that said, continue to be excited about the opportunity to improve society’s access to morality that
we may soon see. The concern though is that the church will not take it as a new opportunity, but will see it as one less thing we have to worry about (i.e. a new role of government – and we all know that government programs rarely have positive LONG TERM success- short term yes, long term usually not).

Personally, Team Swap is still a bit hesitant to say that America is on a new path. So much of society still allows and condones so much immorality that I am praying and watching but not ready to call it either way yet. The unfortunate thing is that many people that attend church are willing to go along with immorality just where they will not be considered odd or strange. To fit in they say nothing. By saying nothing we condone and support the evil. We must stand in the gap and call for changes when we see evil.

Team Swap just want to be sure that no Christians see what soon may be a victory to be a success until we begin to see the hearts and minds of children and their parents changing.

11/15/2004

New Secertary of State

Filed under: Current / General, Politics permalinktrackback — Team Swap @ 9:08 pm

Well that did not take long.Condie Rice is in line to become Secretary of State. This should be interesting as Ms. Rice is also in line to run for president and being secretary of state usually does not lead one to be a strong presidential candidate. Overall we think this will be the end of Ms Rice’s political career, but we think she will do a good job as sec. of state.

http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20041115-081546-7470r.htm

Colin Powel Resigns

Filed under: Politics permalinktrackback — Team Swap @ 7:59 am

http://www.foxnews.com/images/144621/2_41_111504_powell2.jpg

Well the reshuffling of the top of the Bush Cabinet has begun. Powell will stay until his replacement is confirmed. The question now is who will follow Colin Powell into the office. Leading canidates – Condie Rice, our UN rep, Paul Brimmer (former head of Iraq interm government), and a few others. The US Energy sec (Spenser Abraham) is also stepping down.

Fox News Story about Powell Resignation

Good Wife’s Guide

Filed under: Current / General, Faith, Family, Personal permalinktrackback — Team Swap @ 7:12 am

The following is a list of what the Good Wife’s Guide. Notice it was written in 1955, and it is completely based on the old dynamic of women staying home and men working. With women working though it is virtually impossible to happen. The real question is what does a man need to do to deserve the following? Do women today even think that men today deserve the following? If a man is serving his wife / family properly, like Jesus serves the church, would women today do the following. After the Good Wife’s guide is a list of what modern women do and contrast it with the Housekeeping woman. Women out there, post and give us a Good Husband’s guide for comparision.

The Good Wife’s Guide
Could such advice have appeared in a 1955 issue of Housekeeping Monthly?

“You’ve come a long way baby!”

* Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal ready, on time for his return. This is a way of letting him know that you have been thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they come home and the prospect of a good meal (especially his favorite dish) is part of the warm welcome needed.

* Prepare yourself. Take 15 minutes to rest so you’ll be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your make-up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people.

* Be a little gay and a little more interesting for him. His boring day may need a lift and one of your duties is to provide it.

* Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives.

* Gather up schoolbooks, toys, paper, etc. and then run a dust cloth over the tables.

* Over the cooler months of the year you should prepare and light a fire for him to unwind by. Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift too. After all, catering for his comfort will provide you with immense personal satisfaction.

* Prepare the children. Take a few minutes to wash the children’s hands and faces (if they are small), comb their hair and, if necessary, change their clothes. They are little treasures and he would like to see them playing the part. Minimize all the noise. At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of the washer, dryer or vacuum. Try to encourage the children to be quiet.

* Be happy to see him.

* Listen to him. You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first – remember, his topics of conversation are more important than yours.

* Make the evening his. Never complain if he comes home late or goes out to dinner, or other places of entertainment without you. Instead, try to understand his world of strain and pressure and his very real need to be at home and relax.

* Your goal: Try to make sure your home is a place of peace, order and tranquillity where your husband can renew himself in body and spirit.

* Don’t greet him with complaints and problems.

* Don’t complain if he’s late home for dinner or even if he stays out all night. Count this as minor compared to what he might have gone through that day.

* Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or have him lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him.

* Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low, soothing and pleasant voice.

* Don’t ask him questions about his actions or question his judgment or integrity. Remember, he is the master of the house and as such will always exercise his will with fairness and truthfulness. You have no right to question him.

* A good wife always knows her place.

Good Housekeeping v. Real Women

The Good Housekeeping Way #1
Stuff a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of a sugar cone to prevent ice cream drips.

The Real Women’s Way
Just suck the ice cream out of the bottom of the cone, for God’s sake. You are probably lying on the couch with your feet up eating it anyway.

_____
The Good Housekeeping Way #2
To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes.

The Real Women’s Way
Buy Smash mashed potato mix and keep it in the pantry for up to a year.

_____
The Good Housekeeping Way #3
When a cake recipe calls for flouring the baking tin, use a bit of the dry cake mix instead and there won’t be any white mess on the outside of the cake.

The Real Women’s Way
The Cheese Cake Shop sell cakes. They even do decorated versions.

_____
The Good Housekeeping Way #4
If you accidentally over-salt a dish while it’s still cooking, drop in a potato slice.

The Real Women’s Way
If you over salt a dish while you are cooking, that’s tough, Please recite with me the Real Women’s motto: “I made it and you will eat it and I don’t care how bad it tastes.”
_____
The Good Housekeeping Way #5
Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator and it will keep for weeks.

The Real Women’s Way
It could keep forever. I don’t eat it.

_____
The Good Housekeeping Way #6
Brush some beaten egg white over pie crust before baking to yield beautiful glossy finish.

The Real Women’s Way
Sara Lee frozen pie directions do not include brushing any egg whites over the crust so I don’t do that.
_____
The Good Housekeeping Way #7
If you have a problem opening jars, try using latex dishwashing gloves. They give a non-slip grip that makes opening jars easy.

The Real Women’s Way
Go ask mister tight butt, cutelegs, single neighbor to do it for you.
_____
The Good Housekeeping Way #8
Freeze leftover wine into ice cubes for future use in casseroles and sauces.

The Real Women’s Way
Leftover wine?????

Cron Jobs

Filed under: Current / General, Technology permalinktrackback — Team Swap @ 6:52 am

Ipowerweb – 6 days and still no additional cron jobs. That is world class customer service- NOT!. The level 2 tech last night (Sunday) said he would personally take care of it within a FEW hours. 14 hours later, still no more cron jobs. If you need a basic host ipower is great, if you need someone to help you with problems then look around.

Of course this “problem” only exist because the webmaster is not allowed to create more then one Cron job via their vdeck panel.

Samaritian’s Purse

Filed under: Faith, News permalinktrackback — Team Swap @ 1:55 am

If you want to have a great Christmas include a blessing to others in it. Team Swap believes that one of the best ways to do that is via Samaritans Purse.

Samaritans Purse is a out reach of Billy Graham International ministries that take these small gifts all over the world and give them to the kids as gifts from Jesus. This ministry helps the world and makes us the Hands & Feet of Jesus.
http://www.samaritanspurse.org/home.asp

Christian Metal

Filed under: Faith, Music permalinktrackback — Team Swap @ 1:29 am

Metal For Jesus
We found a VERY cool new website that seems to get the Christian metal scene, and seems to get it right, which is odd. As long time Christian metal fans Team Swap always likes to find fellow believers that understand both the purpose and need for Christian metal.

Just like Southern Gospel is not forever everyone neither is Christian Metal, but just because it is not your personal style or taste does not mean it is bad or wrong.

Christian metal has always lived with the label of being secular music and being “of the devil” because of sound.For to long Christians have considered any that was loud or melodic to be immoral and demonic. Many Christians fail to understand that “contemporary Christian music”, or music of that time and culture, has always been seen as demonic and worldly to people that favor the traditional Christian music of the time.

The following top ten exposes our point perfectly.

1. It’s too new, like an unknown language.
2. It’s not as melodious as the more established style.
3. There are so many songs that it is impossible to learn them all.
4. It creates disturbances and causes people to act in an indecent and disorderly manner.
5. It places too much emphasis on instrumental music rather than on godly lyrics.
6. The lyrics are often worldly, even blasphemous.
7. It is not needed, since preceding generations have gone to heaven without it.
8. It is a contrivance to get money.
9. It monopolizes the Christian’s time and encourages them to stay out late.
10. These new musicians are young upstarts, and some of them are lewd and loose persons.

These reasons are adapted from a 1723 statement directed against the use of HYMNS!
These 10 reasons are from a prominent American clergyman from the18th Century. His written statement is from 1723 and is directed against the use of hymns in the church!This list was taken from ‘Exploring Worship: A Practical Guide to Praise and Worship.’ ©1987 Bob Sorge.

Metal for Jesus gets the fact that God does and will use people that have a heart for Him. Even if the ministry is not your taste does not mean that it is not of and for God. God’s word and message does not and will not change but the means of delivery and out reach do. The beat of Christian metal is not satanic and neither is the use of electric guitars and amplification. It is hypocritical for Christians to say that when you use a guitar and amp and you sing a hymn it is ok, but when you use the same amp and guitar and play 64th notes that is outside of God will.

There will always be ministries and out reaches that do not reach or touch us personally, but that does not make them wrong. If all of us were the same God would reach us all the same way, but He does not. We are all unique, and God reaches and touches all uniquely. We need to remember that God may be using a ministry that does not reach us to reach others.

As Christians we need to learn to not judge a ministry by weather we like it or not, but by whether God blesses and/or uses the ministry. Team Swap completely supports both http://www.metalforjesus.org/ and the Christian Metal scene entirely. Even if it is not your taste do not condemn Christian metal simply because you do not like it. See it for what it is, a way and means that God does bless and use to reach souls.

MSN Search

Filed under: Technology permalinktrackback — Team Swap @ 12:07 am

MSN has a new search engine out and like always people act like Microsoft doing something will make it better or improve it when the opposite is normally true. Microsoft is not a innovator, they are a copier and a re-inventor at best. Team Swap agrees on one point that many commentors are making though, competition will keep Google from be complacent. The problem is that Microsoft tends not to compete but to cheat. Team Swap will continue to use Google, Firefox, Word Perfect (yes we know MS has their hooks in Corel now, but we will continue to use wordperfect out of our desire to show MS that they are not the best), Macromedia web tools and AMD processors as long as we can to show MS / Intel that they do not have everyone convinced that they make the best.

11/12/2004

Survery Link

Filed under: Current / General permalinktrackback — Team Swap @ 10:00 am

Anyone that has a link for a good survey PHP please post via comments here

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