Tag: youtube

Where we go wrong

I’m going to do something odd for a second. I’m going to put on the “naturist” atheist hat. I watched this video (with a pretty strong language warning) of Christian comments about atheism on blogs. It’s disturbing.

Atheists are not stupid.

Peter Jensen put it best when he said that atheists and Christians have a lot in common – they reject all Gods, we reject all Gods but one.

If you start from the assumption that the universe is a product of chance, infinite time producing every possible result, then atheism makes the most sense. The whole argument comes down to that question, and both answers seem prima facie “logical” (if not, in atheist’s thinking “rational”).

So when you throw stones at all atheists on the basis of the intolerance of the few remember you may end up in a video like this – that shows a lot of Christians not “speaking the truth with love”…

Again, there’s a “strong and nasty” language warning on this video – but it’s coming from “Christians”.

Should we be worried if atheists take over the world? Personally I don’t think so. They’re not all Pol Pot or the Barefoot Bum.

June 13, 2009

“Evolution of Religion”

One of the arguments that atheists use that I don’t like is the accusation that Christianity is just plagiarism – taking bits common to other religions and applying them – as though its relative newness (2000 years compared to say Greek polytheism) means it’s just been able to “pick and choose” in order to colonise the infidels.

They always play it like it’s a trump card Christians have never considered… “Did you know that the obscure tribe from the middle of nowhere also have …?” Christianity is just a mish mash of other religious myths. A myth mash…

This is what happens when you dismiss any truth in any religion.

It’s rubbish. It’s one of those arguments where they need to put the “God hat” on for a minute and look at it from a believer’s perspective – just because something uses the same elements doesn’t make it a copy. Water is not a copy of carbon dioxide. Though both contain oxygen. While Cat Stevens may suggest that Coldplay were copying him by using similar musical notes in a similar progression to one of his songs – it doesn’t make it so.

So, this post about communion on the Friendly Atheist made me angrier than most.

While Atheists believe there is no truth to any religion adherents of those religions all claim that their’s is uniquely true – they can’t all be products of each other at that point. Though Christianity is the fulfillment of Judaism, and Mormonism to an extent claims to be a fulfillment of Christianity. The idea that common elements is a critique is wrongheaded.

If you’ve got an hour and twenty minutes then you should watch this lecture on the evolution of religion and get annoyed. Like I did. About ten minutes in.

That is all.

June 13, 2009

What if Star Wars was a TV Serial?

I’m using the fact that Robyn is writing school reports to do some spring cleaning of the “starred items” in Google Reader – which I basically use as a queue of things to post here… there were things from a couple of months ago waiting to see the light of day – including this Macgyveresque Star Wars TV serial intro… You’ll understand if you watch it. I got it from Ben at bathgates.net – which is truly one of my favourite blogs. It’s scope is pretty much as broad as mine so it makes me feel less eclectic.

June 13, 2009

OCC Episode 4

Because I’m a day behind I figure I can post two videos at once – plus, it’s not really cheating in the blog off because the blog off appears to be off. Simone pulled out.

Are we still on Ben?

June 12, 2009

OCC Episode 3

I’m a day behind on these – and I’ve also realised that the program I used to convert them from hi-def quicktime files to YouTubeable files has not only messed up the audio – but cropped the last few seconds of sound… One day I’ll fix that. But for now. I give you. The OCC. Episode Three.

June 12, 2009

YouTube Toosday: Wiilax

Perhaps inspired by the “bed goes up, bed goes down” hospital bed – this beanbag is controlled by the whimsical waving of a wiimote. Here’s the original concept drawing…

Beautiful. Applied science. The laziest piece of furniture evolution ever. Amazing.

And you can make your own – thanks to Make Magazine.

The designers called it “the Beancat”…

“The Beancat is an all-wheel drive, battery powered bean bag chair, controlled by a Wii nunchuk. Getting a drink from the fridge has never been so much fun. The low profile drive, frame and controlling hardware are completely concealed so at first glance it’s just a simple bean bag.”

Here’s how you can make your own – complete with detailed diagrams.

June 9, 2009

YouTube Twosday: Turtle power

Little sister number 2 is 21 today. It’s her actual birthday. She is contemplating a pet turtle as a present from the parentals – here’s a little bit of persuasive multimedia propaganda… featuring our crazy ninja turtle Frankie.

June 9, 2009

YouTube Tuesday: The OCC Episode 1

A few years ago two jaded young Christian males (myself included) sat down to write a highly cynical depiction of Christian dating in the context of Christian camps. It was called “The OCC” – the Obligatory Camp Crush. It’s now on YouTube. It’s amazing what you can accomplish in a sick day. I’ll be putting them up in a serial fashion – probably daily. But if you’re the impatient type feel free to head on over to YouTube and check them all out.

I don’t know about you – but I reckon it stands the test of time. Despite the obvious Queensland in jokes. It is set at an Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students (AFES) Mid Year Camp (MYC) – camps famous for bringing students from the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and the University of Queensland (UQ) together.

There was an epilogue of sorts that I’ll need to track down, and a trailer produced using Lego that I similarly don’t have on hand.

This was an “Everybody’s Second Favourite Segment” production by Phil Enchelmaier and myself. Stay tuned for more such awesomeness from our past…

June 9, 2009

Ooh, Aah

Eric Cantona is, for a Manchester United fan, about the closest thing you can get to perfection. He left the game on his own terms – years before many would argue that he should have – and now he’s an actor. And his latest film, where he plays himself, is getting rave reviews.  Here’s the trailer and a couple of other pieces of Cantona magic…

Here he is killing the devil…

Here he is umpiring in Nike’s awesome “cage fight” football commercial…

Here’s why he’s regarded so highly…

And here’s the bit where he kicks a Crystal Palace fan in the head…

June 4, 2009

YouTube Toosday: Con job?

Young Cons – the Young Conservatives (unless it’s a parody) have some issues separating America from the “Kingdom of God”… but this is pretty funny.

“The more money we spend the more mine is worth jack, the Bible says we’re a nation under God…”

Umm, that’s probably the Pledge of Allegiance you’re confused with…

June 2, 2009

YouTube Tuesday: Entertainering

Giant Pianos are the new black (and white), or at the very least the new Dance, Dance, Revolution.

Sadly, there are heaps more where that came from.

June 2, 2009

Creature Features: Pygmy Jerboa

When it comes to internet phenomenons I don’t normally go for “cute”, and I’m not one of those animal people – unless the animal tastes good. But this little critter is awesome. It’s a Pygmy Jerboa. Robyn will no doubt now ask me to get one as a pet…

May 29, 2009

YouTube Tuesday: Chk, Chk, Boom

There’s a slight language (and racism) warning to this video. Though I assume that unless you’ve been living under a rock you’ve already seen it.

Opinion on this whole situation – where a 19 year old gives a fake eyewitness account to a TV camera after a non-fatal shooting – is pretty split. I’m in the “I think this was a hilarious way to teach the media a lesson about verifying sources and not looking for a sensationalised quote at all costs” camp.

Seriously, reporting of this sort of shooting with “on the spot, live to air” broadcasts – or even rapid fire report filing – lends itself to this sort of treatment. And I hope she (Clare Werbeloff) rides this 15 minutes of fame as far as it takes her. The media deserve it – and the associated condemnation/celebration being carried out in print and over the airwaves just perpetuates the problem and justifies the behaviour.

May 26, 2009

Eurovisions of grandeur

What do you get when you cross Eurovision rehearsals and some awesome Segway moves? This post. That’s what.

May 24, 2009

Flautless performance

Welcome to an all new high in cultural sophistication – a beat boxing flautist…

Super Mario Bros Theme

Sesame Street Theme

Inspector Gadget Theme (with Axel F thrown in for good measure)

Found here.

May 22, 2009