This has been the craziest week ever. I have been sick all week with a sinus infection, and as a result, have not slept more than a couple of hours each night. Kind of hard to get to REM stage when I can't breathe. Throw in major stress about employment, and life just gets miserable.
I woke up this morning feeling kind of blue (with a nod to Miles Davis). I chilled on the couch for most of the morning, not moving much. Michelle mentioned that the bathroom needed cleaning, so I took that as an opportunity to get moving. Actually, I sort of went manic in there. I cleaned the shower with a bottle of Tilex and a toothbrush. It looked great when I was done. After that, we ran some errands and that took up the rest of the afternoon.
I got out of my blues, but still see no relief in sight from this sinus infection. I only have 2 days of meds remaining, so I hope I feel better by Monday.
We are just hanging at the house tonight. We are going to watch Little Miss Sunshine. It seems like it should be really good. Today is National Banana Bread Day, so we made a batch. It should be out of the oven soon.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Friday, February 23, 2007
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Michelle's dad called this morning to say that he was passing through town, so we met him for breakfast at Cracker Barrell. That was really nice.
Yesterday, we spent the majority of the day in various doctor's offices. Michelle was having some concerns about her situation, so she went to see the OB-GYN. Whilst she was doing that, I was seeing my doctor about my sinus infection. After we got done, we met for lunch, then went to have a specialist look at Michelle. I skipped Church History class to go with her, and emailed my paper to the professor. The doctor came up with a diagnosis, and prescribed some meds for her. Even better, he gave her free samples of her meds. Whoever said there is no such thing as a free lunch did not know me. It was cool that he and Michelle had both attended MTSU. He also knew about Clarksville, since he is from Nashville. That was neat.
After that, we dropped off my prescription at Walgreens, and came home. After I took a nap, I put some chicken in the oven for dinner, and right about that time Michelle kept asking me if I was going to go pick up my prescription. I said probably not until after dinner. She then said, "but if you go now, you can get me a taco from Taco Bell before dinner." So, that is what I did. Nothing like a taco appetizer before a chicken dinner...LOL.
I read a little last night, and started working on ideas for a sermon. Actually, I started working on ideas for a whole series of sermons for the Lenten season. I also had a great conversation with my primary contact at Lebanon Church. He advised me that the congregation is really enjoying my sermons and is glad I am there. I told him I have enjoyed being there as well. It looks like we have a good match. We talked about doing an earlier (not exactly sunrise) service on Easter Sunday. Later I thought it might be nice to have a service on Maundy Thursday, so I think I will bring that up this Sunday and see if anyone is interested.
I am feeling a little better this morning. My face is slowly getting decongested, but my throat is still raw. So, it is difficult to talk. I imagine those around me are enjoying the quietness...LOL.
I am going to do my reading for class tonight, and maybe start working on my Church History paper for next week.
Some of my fellow travelers to Israel are planning a 1-year reunion soon. That will be nice. it is hard to believe it has been almost an entire year. The year sure has gone quickly. Actually, the whole time since Michelle and I met has been a big blur. So many things have happened, it's hard to keep up. Time does indeed fly sometimes.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Yesterday, we spent the majority of the day in various doctor's offices. Michelle was having some concerns about her situation, so she went to see the OB-GYN. Whilst she was doing that, I was seeing my doctor about my sinus infection. After we got done, we met for lunch, then went to have a specialist look at Michelle. I skipped Church History class to go with her, and emailed my paper to the professor. The doctor came up with a diagnosis, and prescribed some meds for her. Even better, he gave her free samples of her meds. Whoever said there is no such thing as a free lunch did not know me. It was cool that he and Michelle had both attended MTSU. He also knew about Clarksville, since he is from Nashville. That was neat.
After that, we dropped off my prescription at Walgreens, and came home. After I took a nap, I put some chicken in the oven for dinner, and right about that time Michelle kept asking me if I was going to go pick up my prescription. I said probably not until after dinner. She then said, "but if you go now, you can get me a taco from Taco Bell before dinner." So, that is what I did. Nothing like a taco appetizer before a chicken dinner...LOL.
I read a little last night, and started working on ideas for a sermon. Actually, I started working on ideas for a whole series of sermons for the Lenten season. I also had a great conversation with my primary contact at Lebanon Church. He advised me that the congregation is really enjoying my sermons and is glad I am there. I told him I have enjoyed being there as well. It looks like we have a good match. We talked about doing an earlier (not exactly sunrise) service on Easter Sunday. Later I thought it might be nice to have a service on Maundy Thursday, so I think I will bring that up this Sunday and see if anyone is interested.
I am feeling a little better this morning. My face is slowly getting decongested, but my throat is still raw. So, it is difficult to talk. I imagine those around me are enjoying the quietness...LOL.
I am going to do my reading for class tonight, and maybe start working on my Church History paper for next week.
Some of my fellow travelers to Israel are planning a 1-year reunion soon. That will be nice. it is hard to believe it has been almost an entire year. The year sure has gone quickly. Actually, the whole time since Michelle and I met has been a big blur. So many things have happened, it's hard to keep up. Time does indeed fly sometimes.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Earlier tonight, I twice tried to go to sleep, but could not. Something about not being able to breathe. So, I decided to try to write my paper for Church History class, which is due this afernoon. I finished it a few minutes ago, although I will probably proof-read it later this morning, because I am quite-bleary-eyed now. I am quite confident that I will be able to sleep at this point. Good night.
Peace...
Peace...
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Sunday morning, I woke up with a scratchy throat and a bit of a headache. By yesterday morning, I was completely wrecked with sinus pain, stuffy nose, severe headache, sore throat, and a general sense of being mad for being sick. I got my hair cut on Saturday at Sportclips, and there were about 15-20 kids there with their dads, and I think I may have picked up something there. Anyway, I feel a little better this morning, but not much. I am grateful that lat night's class was cancelled, so I was able to just chill at home.
I am at school now, although I did not go to my first class. The fourth week of a semester may be the earliest I have ever skipped a class, since I rarely ever miss anyway. I have New Testament at 5:30, so I am going to read and do research until then. I have to write an exegetical paper for that class, which was the most difficult type of paper for me to write as an undergrad. The one I did in Ethics class last spring, I only got a C on it. I am going to need to do better this time.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
I am at school now, although I did not go to my first class. The fourth week of a semester may be the earliest I have ever skipped a class, since I rarely ever miss anyway. I have New Testament at 5:30, so I am going to read and do research until then. I have to write an exegetical paper for that class, which was the most difficult type of paper for me to write as an undergrad. The one I did in Ethics class last spring, I only got a C on it. I am going to need to do better this time.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Monday, February 19, 2007
"Let's say it's late October of 1999, and you are in what should be baseball heaven, sitting on the couch watching the fourth game of the World Series, Yankees vs. Braves.
Suppose for a moment that you are a Minnesota Twins fan. You have been a baseball fan all your life, grew up playing the game, once got Rod Carew's autograph at a Little League clinic, spent your eighth birthday at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, and your fifteenth at the Metrodome in downtown Minneappolis. You played baseball in high school, took a summer vacation in college to Cooperstown, and once joked that you would not leave the country between September 1 and the end of October because you could not stand to miss the end of a pennant race or the playoffs.
But tonight you find yourself watching the Series not because you are passionately rooting for either the Atlanta Braves or the New York Yankess. Instead you are watching mostly because, well, watching the Series is what you have done every October for as long as you can remember (save for that lost fall of 1994).
So you sit there and contemplate the Atlanta Braves, a team the Twins vanquished eight years earlier in perhaps the greatest Series ever. And you wonder about the fortunes and forces that, since then, have sent your club into a decade-long financial and competative tailspin, while the Braves have been in the playoffs every full season since. The two cities are roughly the same size, and, competetive factors being equal, Minnesota has supported the Twins at least as well as Atlanta has supported its team. Yet in the weird logic of late-90's baseball, Atlanta is a big market and Minneapolis-St. Paul is a small one. While our team still plays in the depressing dome, Atlanta has a new state-of-the-art facility with natural grass, good sight lines, a cozy retro feel, and all the modern amenities.
When you look across the field at the New York Yankees, you just shake your head. It is hard to work up the old "Damn Yankees" antipathy these days. Partly because of Joe Torre, and partly because baseball's proudest franchise seems to be playing in a league, if not a sport, entirely different from your own. They got your best player two years ago, even though the Twins' owners would have paid him a team-record contract to stay in Minnesota. He wanted to go to another club, Chuck Knoblach said, because he wanted to play for a title. You recall that as a rookie Knoblach had won a World Series ring. He was a Twin, and it was your team's second world championship in five seasons. You were sure then that Knoblach would be a Minnesota fixture.
But these days, you know better. No player of All-Star quality is going to remain in Minnesota throughout his career. And yet just this summer, you watched George Brett--who played as recently as 1993--inducted into the Hall of Fame. Brett played his whole career with the Kansas City Royals, passing up bigger offers elsewhere. Not that he wasn't well-compensated, both financially and competitively. His Royals were perrenial contenders, and won the AL West six times. He was happy to stay. Yet if he came up today, his competitive nature would make a move not just probable, but mandatory--not because of greed or disloyalty, but becuase teams like Kansas City and Minnesota can longer even hope to compete.
Now back to the Yankees. After winning their second Series in three years, with a payroll that was already four times that of the Twins, they began the 1999 season by trading for the Cy Young award winner, Roger Clemens. He's a pitcher you have long respected, but one who has bewilderd you in recent years: Hadn't the Texan Clemens said he wanted to be closer to home after leaving the Red Sox in 1997? So, didn't his decision to sign with the Toronto Blue Jays belie either a disingenuous streak or a staggeringly bad grasp of geography? But Clemens can pitch, so he proceeded to win two straight Cy Young Awards for the Blue Jays. Then Clemens demanded a trade in '99, because, he said, he wanted to play with a contender. And you wondered, "If a team like Toronto--which had won back-to-back World Series in '92 and '93, and only recently drew 4 million fans for a season to a new ballpark--can't qualify as a contender, what does that tell you?" And all through the '99 season, as the pitching-shy Blue Jays were fighting toward the brink of contention on the bats of talented young sluggers like Carlos Delgado and Shawn Green, you couldn't help wondering how good they might be if they still had Clemens pitching for them.
After Clemens closes out the Series in Game 4, with a vintage, overpowering performance, you wonder if all this means the same thing to him as it would have if he'd stayed with Boston and they'd somehow won it all. Or if it means anything like what it meant to Kirby Puckett, who took less money to stay in Minnesota, whe he won world championships in 1987 and 1991.
In the weeks ahead, instead of the normal shake-up of off-season action, the rich get richer, and the ranks of those who can no longer compete grows to include what were once considered "middle-market" clubs. Seattle has a brand-new stadium and a string of sell-outs, but they are convinced they will have to trade Ken Griffy, Jr. and/or Alex Rodriguez. Toronto is working on deals to ship away Green and Delgado before they bolt for free-agency.
You still call yourself a baseball fan, and you still get out to the Metrodome a few times a season. But the game seems more distant today than it did only a few years ago. You can't follow pennant races anymore--because there aren't any--and the wild card seems hard to get excited about. The media characterizes the game as "on the way back", thanks largely to Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. But even at its most epic, the '98 home-run race seemed somewhat disconnected from the season it was part of--less a highlight of the season itself than a thing unto itself (through no fault of the particulars), or a substitute for the plain fact that when the last several baseball seasons began, you knew that your team had no living chance to contend for a pennant.
No, the rising tide has not lifted all boats. And as you watch the games from your living room now, you realize that something essential has changed. You are not nostalgic for the "old days", as much as you are for the more recent ones, when the fact that you had one of the best managers and farm systems in baseball was a crucial advantage. When star players wanted to be with the Twins. When the Twins' owners weren't eyeing other cities. And when you could greet April with the belief that your team had a prayer.
But as you sit and watch the Yankees celebrate, those days seem far removed. You might wonder if anyone on the other side of the screen is feeling the same way".
--From Bob Costas' book, Fair Ball.
As pitchers and catchers begin to report this week for Spring Training, I come to the sad realization that although my team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, is a large-market team, due to years of corporate mis-ownership, it has no living chance to contend for a pennant. Baseball is important to me, and the fact that it is still in existence, despite the way it is operated, is a testament to its greatness.
I wonder if anyone else is feeling the same way.
Peace...
Suppose for a moment that you are a Minnesota Twins fan. You have been a baseball fan all your life, grew up playing the game, once got Rod Carew's autograph at a Little League clinic, spent your eighth birthday at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, and your fifteenth at the Metrodome in downtown Minneappolis. You played baseball in high school, took a summer vacation in college to Cooperstown, and once joked that you would not leave the country between September 1 and the end of October because you could not stand to miss the end of a pennant race or the playoffs.
But tonight you find yourself watching the Series not because you are passionately rooting for either the Atlanta Braves or the New York Yankess. Instead you are watching mostly because, well, watching the Series is what you have done every October for as long as you can remember (save for that lost fall of 1994).
So you sit there and contemplate the Atlanta Braves, a team the Twins vanquished eight years earlier in perhaps the greatest Series ever. And you wonder about the fortunes and forces that, since then, have sent your club into a decade-long financial and competative tailspin, while the Braves have been in the playoffs every full season since. The two cities are roughly the same size, and, competetive factors being equal, Minnesota has supported the Twins at least as well as Atlanta has supported its team. Yet in the weird logic of late-90's baseball, Atlanta is a big market and Minneapolis-St. Paul is a small one. While our team still plays in the depressing dome, Atlanta has a new state-of-the-art facility with natural grass, good sight lines, a cozy retro feel, and all the modern amenities.
When you look across the field at the New York Yankees, you just shake your head. It is hard to work up the old "Damn Yankees" antipathy these days. Partly because of Joe Torre, and partly because baseball's proudest franchise seems to be playing in a league, if not a sport, entirely different from your own. They got your best player two years ago, even though the Twins' owners would have paid him a team-record contract to stay in Minnesota. He wanted to go to another club, Chuck Knoblach said, because he wanted to play for a title. You recall that as a rookie Knoblach had won a World Series ring. He was a Twin, and it was your team's second world championship in five seasons. You were sure then that Knoblach would be a Minnesota fixture.
But these days, you know better. No player of All-Star quality is going to remain in Minnesota throughout his career. And yet just this summer, you watched George Brett--who played as recently as 1993--inducted into the Hall of Fame. Brett played his whole career with the Kansas City Royals, passing up bigger offers elsewhere. Not that he wasn't well-compensated, both financially and competitively. His Royals were perrenial contenders, and won the AL West six times. He was happy to stay. Yet if he came up today, his competitive nature would make a move not just probable, but mandatory--not because of greed or disloyalty, but becuase teams like Kansas City and Minnesota can longer even hope to compete.
Now back to the Yankees. After winning their second Series in three years, with a payroll that was already four times that of the Twins, they began the 1999 season by trading for the Cy Young award winner, Roger Clemens. He's a pitcher you have long respected, but one who has bewilderd you in recent years: Hadn't the Texan Clemens said he wanted to be closer to home after leaving the Red Sox in 1997? So, didn't his decision to sign with the Toronto Blue Jays belie either a disingenuous streak or a staggeringly bad grasp of geography? But Clemens can pitch, so he proceeded to win two straight Cy Young Awards for the Blue Jays. Then Clemens demanded a trade in '99, because, he said, he wanted to play with a contender. And you wondered, "If a team like Toronto--which had won back-to-back World Series in '92 and '93, and only recently drew 4 million fans for a season to a new ballpark--can't qualify as a contender, what does that tell you?" And all through the '99 season, as the pitching-shy Blue Jays were fighting toward the brink of contention on the bats of talented young sluggers like Carlos Delgado and Shawn Green, you couldn't help wondering how good they might be if they still had Clemens pitching for them.
After Clemens closes out the Series in Game 4, with a vintage, overpowering performance, you wonder if all this means the same thing to him as it would have if he'd stayed with Boston and they'd somehow won it all. Or if it means anything like what it meant to Kirby Puckett, who took less money to stay in Minnesota, whe he won world championships in 1987 and 1991.
In the weeks ahead, instead of the normal shake-up of off-season action, the rich get richer, and the ranks of those who can no longer compete grows to include what were once considered "middle-market" clubs. Seattle has a brand-new stadium and a string of sell-outs, but they are convinced they will have to trade Ken Griffy, Jr. and/or Alex Rodriguez. Toronto is working on deals to ship away Green and Delgado before they bolt for free-agency.
You still call yourself a baseball fan, and you still get out to the Metrodome a few times a season. But the game seems more distant today than it did only a few years ago. You can't follow pennant races anymore--because there aren't any--and the wild card seems hard to get excited about. The media characterizes the game as "on the way back", thanks largely to Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. But even at its most epic, the '98 home-run race seemed somewhat disconnected from the season it was part of--less a highlight of the season itself than a thing unto itself (through no fault of the particulars), or a substitute for the plain fact that when the last several baseball seasons began, you knew that your team had no living chance to contend for a pennant.
No, the rising tide has not lifted all boats. And as you watch the games from your living room now, you realize that something essential has changed. You are not nostalgic for the "old days", as much as you are for the more recent ones, when the fact that you had one of the best managers and farm systems in baseball was a crucial advantage. When star players wanted to be with the Twins. When the Twins' owners weren't eyeing other cities. And when you could greet April with the belief that your team had a prayer.
But as you sit and watch the Yankees celebrate, those days seem far removed. You might wonder if anyone on the other side of the screen is feeling the same way".
--From Bob Costas' book, Fair Ball.
As pitchers and catchers begin to report this week for Spring Training, I come to the sad realization that although my team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, is a large-market team, due to years of corporate mis-ownership, it has no living chance to contend for a pennant. Baseball is important to me, and the fact that it is still in existence, despite the way it is operated, is a testament to its greatness.
I wonder if anyone else is feeling the same way.
Peace...
It's Here!
When we got home from the Doctor's office today, there was a note on the door saying there was a package at the apartment office for us. Much to my delight, it was my diploma! It's great to finally have it. We are going to get Daphne Kimmel to frame our diplomas, and do them up nice. Woo-hoo!
Peace,
Chris
Saturday, February 17, 2007
By yesterday afternoon, Michelle had had enough of this bedrest stuff, so we broke her out of the house. We went out to Bartlett to do some light shopphing, then got some early dinner. The little one got real active on the way home, ostensibly because he was so happy to be out of the house...LOL.
One of my fellow graduates received his diploma in the mail a couple of days ago, and I have not yet received mine. I am feeling quite envious. Hopefully it will arrive soon.
Yesterday, I did not make any headway on my history paper. However, I did get my sermon written, and I read some for New Testament class. And I did some research for a paper in that class (due in April).
My sermon is entitled, "Jesus Loves Me, This I Know". With everything that happend last week, I felt like I was going to go out of my mind. I was majorly over-stressed. I was still feeling that way as of this Wednesday. In fact, while driving to class, I suddenly realized I had missed several turns, and was kind of lost in a area of town with which I am unfamiliar. I was so wound up about everything that is going on, I couldn't even get to school! So, I started to make a concerted effort to get my mind right. Toward that end, I started thinking about the basic things, and being thankful for all the blessings I have. Later that night at home, I started singing the familiar children's song, "Jesus Loves Me", and I told Michelle that I was just trying to get back to the basics and trying not to take myself too seriously. So, I wrote my sermon in that mindset. I think it's a pretty good sermon--I'll be talking about how God loves us after we are born, and even before we are born. So, my mind is now right. I feel great.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
One of my fellow graduates received his diploma in the mail a couple of days ago, and I have not yet received mine. I am feeling quite envious. Hopefully it will arrive soon.
Yesterday, I did not make any headway on my history paper. However, I did get my sermon written, and I read some for New Testament class. And I did some research for a paper in that class (due in April).
My sermon is entitled, "Jesus Loves Me, This I Know". With everything that happend last week, I felt like I was going to go out of my mind. I was majorly over-stressed. I was still feeling that way as of this Wednesday. In fact, while driving to class, I suddenly realized I had missed several turns, and was kind of lost in a area of town with which I am unfamiliar. I was so wound up about everything that is going on, I couldn't even get to school! So, I started to make a concerted effort to get my mind right. Toward that end, I started thinking about the basic things, and being thankful for all the blessings I have. Later that night at home, I started singing the familiar children's song, "Jesus Loves Me", and I told Michelle that I was just trying to get back to the basics and trying not to take myself too seriously. So, I wrote my sermon in that mindset. I think it's a pretty good sermon--I'll be talking about how God loves us after we are born, and even before we are born. So, my mind is now right. I feel great.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Friday, February 16, 2007
I have re-vamped my strategy for writing my Church History papers. For the first paper of the semester, I worked hours and hours on it, and was quite proud of it. I only got a B+. Boo-hoo. For the second paper, mostly because we spent the weekend in the hospital, I started working on it at !0:30 PM the night before it was due. On this paper, I got an A. YAY! So, I have decided to make minimal effort on all my papers for the rest of the semester. Not. LOL. It reminds me of the time in freshman English where I wrote an essay in the van, riding back from a church skiing trip. When I submitted that paper, I just knew it was so bad that I would be told to never come back to class. As it turned out, I was the only person in the class to make an A. In fact, the professor made a point to say that in 20+ years of teaching, that was the first time she had ever given an A on a paper. Hyperbole, I am sure. But, it felt good nonetheless. Anyway, work on my next paper starts this morning.
I turned in my paper for theology class last night. The bulk of the paper is something that I wrote a couple of years ago, even though it was not an assignment. I had some ideas on the subject (the dangers of scriptural literalism), and wrote a couple of pages. I worked on it some more later, and stretched it out a bit further for this assignment. It's a bit strange to think of turning in a project that started over two years ago. However, when I started it, I had a strong feeling that I would be able to use it somewhere at some point down the line. This topic is one that I am greatly interested in, and I anticipate revisiting it again. I would like to continue working on this paper, and developing it even further. Maybe to the point where I could present it at a conference. We'll see.
Michelle felt really horrible yesterday, we think because the baby is growing. She felt him kicking up higher than ever before. By the time I got home last night, the sickness had dissipitated, and she was craving a meatball sub. So, I made a Subway run.
Last week, there was a blood drive at school, so donated a pint. A few days later, I found out that my cholestoral has dropped from 176 to 163 since the last time I gave. YAY! That was cool. I think drinking soy milk instead of cow's milk, and eating a largely vegeterain diet probably contributed to the drop. Also, I encourage everyone to give blood. It is a great way to help your fellow humans. When I gave this last time, I qued up the video for Train's "Drops of Jupiter" on the iPod as I was being hooked up to the equiopment. When that song was over, I qued up the video for Tom Petty's "Saving Grace", and when that was over, I was done giving blood. The nurse told me my total drainage time was less than 4 minutes! That was funny.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
I turned in my paper for theology class last night. The bulk of the paper is something that I wrote a couple of years ago, even though it was not an assignment. I had some ideas on the subject (the dangers of scriptural literalism), and wrote a couple of pages. I worked on it some more later, and stretched it out a bit further for this assignment. It's a bit strange to think of turning in a project that started over two years ago. However, when I started it, I had a strong feeling that I would be able to use it somewhere at some point down the line. This topic is one that I am greatly interested in, and I anticipate revisiting it again. I would like to continue working on this paper, and developing it even further. Maybe to the point where I could present it at a conference. We'll see.
Michelle felt really horrible yesterday, we think because the baby is growing. She felt him kicking up higher than ever before. By the time I got home last night, the sickness had dissipitated, and she was craving a meatball sub. So, I made a Subway run.
Last week, there was a blood drive at school, so donated a pint. A few days later, I found out that my cholestoral has dropped from 176 to 163 since the last time I gave. YAY! That was cool. I think drinking soy milk instead of cow's milk, and eating a largely vegeterain diet probably contributed to the drop. Also, I encourage everyone to give blood. It is a great way to help your fellow humans. When I gave this last time, I qued up the video for Train's "Drops of Jupiter" on the iPod as I was being hooked up to the equiopment. When that song was over, I qued up the video for Tom Petty's "Saving Grace", and when that was over, I was done giving blood. The nurse told me my total drainage time was less than 4 minutes! That was funny.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
I see that my uncle Don has put a link to this blog on the Nashville Presbytery website. So, I would anticipate a slight trickle of traffic coming from there. For those that may be new to this space, I hope you find it to be a window into my world.
Hopefully, I will not write anything that will get me excommunicated from the church...LOL.
Peace...
Hopefully, I will not write anything that will get me excommunicated from the church...LOL.
Peace...
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Last night's timeline:
8:35 PM
Me: Hey Michelle, I'm out of class now, and heading home. I called to see if you needed anything.
Her: No, I'm fine.
Me: OK, see you in a while.
9:30 PM
Her: I sure would like a hot dog from Sonic. Will you go get one? Also, we are out of milk, so we have nothing for breakfast in the morning.
Me: Uh, remember that phone call a while ago? I was calling to see if you needed anything.
Her: Yeah, but I didnt know we were out of milk. And I wasn't hungry then.
9:45 PM
Her: I want a hot dog from Sonic. Please go get one.
9:55 PM
Her: I want a hot dog from Sonic. Please go get one. Please.
10:05
Me: Boy, I sure am tired. It's been a long day. It feels good to be in bed, and have my eyes closed. I'll be asleep in 5 minutes.
Her: Please go get me a hot dog from Sonic. Please.
10:10 PM
Her: Please go get me a hot dog from Sonic. Please.
Me: OK.
Her: I love you so much. I love you. I love you.
Me: I wish your love was based on faith instead of works. It's easier to get to heaven than to be married to a pregnant woman.
Her:
(Quoting Proverbs) It's better to sleep on the roof than in the house with an angry wife.
11:35 PM
Me: Boy, I sure am tired. It's been a long day. It feels good to be in bed, and have my eyes closed. I'll be asleep in 5 minutes.
8:35 PM
Me: Hey Michelle, I'm out of class now, and heading home. I called to see if you needed anything.
Her: No, I'm fine.
Me: OK, see you in a while.
9:30 PM
Her: I sure would like a hot dog from Sonic. Will you go get one? Also, we are out of milk, so we have nothing for breakfast in the morning.
Me: Uh, remember that phone call a while ago? I was calling to see if you needed anything.
Her: Yeah, but I didnt know we were out of milk. And I wasn't hungry then.
9:45 PM
Her: I want a hot dog from Sonic. Please go get one.
9:55 PM
Her: I want a hot dog from Sonic. Please go get one. Please.
10:05
Me: Boy, I sure am tired. It's been a long day. It feels good to be in bed, and have my eyes closed. I'll be asleep in 5 minutes.
Her: Please go get me a hot dog from Sonic. Please.
10:10 PM
Her: Please go get me a hot dog from Sonic. Please.
Me: OK.
Her: I love you so much. I love you. I love you.
Me: I wish your love was based on faith instead of works. It's easier to get to heaven than to be married to a pregnant woman.
Her:
(Quoting Proverbs) It's better to sleep on the roof than in the house with an angry wife.
11:35 PM
Me: Boy, I sure am tired. It's been a long day. It feels good to be in bed, and have my eyes closed. I'll be asleep in 5 minutes.
Monday, February 12, 2007
It was a big wake-up call this morning when I realized how I had gotten almost no work done this weekend. While I was hanging out at the hospital, I got some reading done, but not much else. So, today, I had to get down to business.
I wrote a paper that was due for tonight's class (Interchurch Relations), and it probably wasn't too bad. I also finished a paper that is due for Thursday (Christian Beliefs). I still have a paper for Church History on Wednesday, although I have completed the reading for that. I just need to synthesize some thoughts on it. And I still need to do some research for research class...how ironic. I need to come up with ideas for projects for history and relations classes.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
I wrote a paper that was due for tonight's class (Interchurch Relations), and it probably wasn't too bad. I also finished a paper that is due for Thursday (Christian Beliefs). I still have a paper for Church History on Wednesday, although I have completed the reading for that. I just need to synthesize some thoughts on it. And I still need to do some research for research class...how ironic. I need to come up with ideas for projects for history and relations classes.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Michelle was cleared to come home yesterday, so it's nice to hve her back here. The source of her pain was never really determined, although the doctores did say specifically that her pain had nothing to do with the baby. So, that was really the best news we could have hoped for.
Michelle originally had an appointment with her OB today, so we are double-checking to see if we are still supposed to go in. OK, we just found out that we do not have to go in today. The doctor told her to take the week off from work, and she will be re-evaluated next Monday.
My experience in Potts Camp yesterday was wonderful. The name of the church is Lebanon Church, and although it was originally a United Methodist Church, it is now non-denominational. It's a tiny church, even smaller than the Dotsonville Chuch of Christ, where my mother went for many years. There were about 15-20 people there, and they all treated me very nice. They asked me to come back, so it looks like I will serve there long-term.
After worship, one family took me to lunch, and we had a nice time. After that, I went back to Memphis, and hung out at the hospital with Michelle until she was ready to go home.
Once again, we really appreciate all the calls, emails, visits, and text-messages. Your support means so much.
Peace,
Chris
Michelle originally had an appointment with her OB today, so we are double-checking to see if we are still supposed to go in. OK, we just found out that we do not have to go in today. The doctor told her to take the week off from work, and she will be re-evaluated next Monday.
My experience in Potts Camp yesterday was wonderful. The name of the church is Lebanon Church, and although it was originally a United Methodist Church, it is now non-denominational. It's a tiny church, even smaller than the Dotsonville Chuch of Christ, where my mother went for many years. There were about 15-20 people there, and they all treated me very nice. They asked me to come back, so it looks like I will serve there long-term.
After worship, one family took me to lunch, and we had a nice time. After that, I went back to Memphis, and hung out at the hospital with Michelle until she was ready to go home.
Once again, we really appreciate all the calls, emails, visits, and text-messages. Your support means so much.
Peace,
Chris
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Michelle's episodes of pain have become further apart, which is a good thing. We still do not know exactly what is causing the pain, so that is a bit troublesome. She is going to have some blood drawn in a few minutes, and then some more at 6 AM tomorrow. There is a chance that she will get to come home tomorrow, but I am a little pessimistic about that. We'll see.
The surgeon basically told her that she is not to go back to work, so our plans have changed. We had been planning on switching roles, with me going back to work, in about a month or two. Uh, looks like it needs to be sooner. So, I am agressively pursuing gainful employment. I have a couple of good leads already, so hopefully something will work out.
I ran home for a bot to get something to eat, and am going back over to the hospital in a little while. I was able to get some good reading done this afternoon, while it has been quiet. I am going to spend some time tonight in prayer, and then I will be ready for tomorrow.
We have had several calls, visitors, and text messages. We really appreciate the well-wishes.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
The surgeon basically told her that she is not to go back to work, so our plans have changed. We had been planning on switching roles, with me going back to work, in about a month or two. Uh, looks like it needs to be sooner. So, I am agressively pursuing gainful employment. I have a couple of good leads already, so hopefully something will work out.
I ran home for a bot to get something to eat, and am going back over to the hospital in a little while. I was able to get some good reading done this afternoon, while it has been quiet. I am going to spend some time tonight in prayer, and then I will be ready for tomorrow.
We have had several calls, visitors, and text messages. We really appreciate the well-wishes.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
The surgeon came in a little while ago, and gave some good news: He no longer thinks it is appendicitis. He is inclined to believe that her pains are just from stuff inside her moving around (baby growing larger). Her white blood cells and body temperature both look good, so these are signs of there NOT being any kind of infection. Dr. Payne (I am not making that up) said that she may get to come home tomorrow, but it is too early to tell.
Michelle's parents came into town last night, but got here too late for visiting hours. So, they are in her room now. I came home for a few minutes to get a shower and pick up some things. Elizabeth Smith called earlier and said that she and Edward would like to visit, so it will be nice to see them.
The phone number directly to Michelle's room is: 901-227-9217. Feel free to call if you would like. We appreciate everyone's prayers and support.
A funny thing happened yesterday just as we got to the hospital. I ran into Ben Morton, whose wife Melanie had just given birth a few days ago to their son Nathan. Ben and Melanie went on the trip to Israel last year. They are great folks.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Michelle's parents came into town last night, but got here too late for visiting hours. So, they are in her room now. I came home for a few minutes to get a shower and pick up some things. Elizabeth Smith called earlier and said that she and Edward would like to visit, so it will be nice to see them.
The phone number directly to Michelle's room is: 901-227-9217. Feel free to call if you would like. We appreciate everyone's prayers and support.
A funny thing happened yesterday just as we got to the hospital. I ran into Ben Morton, whose wife Melanie had just given birth a few days ago to their son Nathan. Ben and Melanie went on the trip to Israel last year. They are great folks.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Friday, February 09, 2007
Michelle was admitted to the hospital earlier today, due to acute pain in her abdomen. Originally, the doctor thought she was having contractions, but now has ruled that out. The doctor now thinks it may be appendicitis, and we are currently awaiting blood work results and a surgeon's consultation.
The good news is that whatever the problem is, it is NOT related to the baby. That is the best we could have hoped for.
So, please keep us in your prayers.
I will try to make occasional updates here; If that is not good enough, then call the cell @ 901-569-6868.
Peace,
Chris
The good news is that whatever the problem is, it is NOT related to the baby. That is the best we could have hoped for.
So, please keep us in your prayers.
I will try to make occasional updates here; If that is not good enough, then call the cell @ 901-569-6868.
Peace,
Chris
Oh boy. The last couple of days have been event-filled, to say the least. First, the important stuff, then the funny stuff.
Wednesdy night, Michelle started having some pains that she thought felt like contractions. she was in a lot of pain, and did not rest well. When she got up Thursday morning, she was still in pain, and having the contractions. So, we went to the hospital. She got poked, prodded, and looked at in almost every conceivable way, and was miserable. We were quite worried for a while that we would lose the bay right there. I was not prepared for that possibility, and tried to keep my wits about me. The only thing I could do to keep my mind off it was to inspect the hospital room's houskeeping. It sort of comes naturally, since that is what I did when I worked in Houston. Anyway, I was driving Michelle nuts, so I decided to go across the street to the Apple retail store. More on that in a minute. The verdict with Michelle is that she is now on bed rest, until at least Monday when we go back to the doctor. I am serving her every need, as best I can. Although at this instant, I am at school, supposedly writing either of two papers that I need to do. One of them is almost finished, so that's cool. The other, I have not started.
So, anyway, the funny stuff. When I got my Apple iBook a couple of years ago, one of the first things I noticed was that documents are stored in quite a different way than with Windows machines. It was some time later that I realized I had been storing my documents in two places at the same time, wasting hard drive space. I straightened out the way the iBook saves documents, and decided to clean up the multiples at a future time. Which never came, until Tuesday. As time has gone by, hard drive space has become more and more limited. In fact, my hard drive was completely full, until I pared some music off of it. That freed up a few gigs, but I figured if I cleaned up those multiple documents, I would free up another gig or so. So, Tuesday, I finally decided to do that. Except that I made one mistake. When I did deleted all of the "Documents" folder, I did not realize that ALL of my music was in there. Pictures, too. Videos, as well. The pictures and videos, and some of the music, I had backed up onto Michelle's Gateway, so that was no big deal. But the vast majority (90% or so) was lost. Except, that it was still on the iPod. Cool.
So, now all I had to do was figure out how to get the music from the iPod to the iBook. This is where the trip to the Apple store comes in. Thursday morning, before Michelle got up, I had been trying to get the two computers to see each other on our network, so that I could move the stuff that was on hers, back to mine. But, I could not get them to work together. So, I scheduled an appointment at 10:00 at the Apple store's Genius Bar for some help. Then Michelle got up complaining of pain. A little before 10, we were still waiting for the doctor to come, so that is when I decided to go across the street to the store. The guy there helped me a little, but when I got back home I could not duplicate what he had done. I spoke with my brother Steve, who is more familiar with my router than I am, but we could not figure out what the problem was. At least, we think it was in the router, because I had been able to move documents around in the past, before he broke my old router and I got a new one (different brand). So, I still had no solution.
For those who do not know, let me explain how iPods work. Each iPod can be synched to one computer, and one computer only. When an iPod is synched to a computer, anytime the two are connected, any changes or updates made on the iPod, or the computer's iTunes, is reflected on the other unit. So, at this point I had an iPod with music, and my iTunes was empty. Since the iTunes had been completely erased, it no longer saw the iPod as its mate. The iPod thought it was synched to a different computer. If I had synched the two at this point, that would have erased all the music off the iPod. That is not what I wanted.
So, I poked around online and found a third party application for doing things such as this. So, after downloading and installing the application, I decided to give it a try. So, I moved all the stuff from the iPod onto the iBook. Then, I needed to synch the two, which required that delete the entire contents of the iPod, which was a scary situation. But, I forged ahead and did that. Then, I synched the two, which took several hours. So, while I was in class that night, I tried not to think about my sick Michelle, or my sick iTunes...LOL. When I got home, Michelle was a little (just a little) better, and my iPod and iTunes had all my music. Except for my Beatles stuff. I have no idea where that went. I will just have to re-burn those CDs. No biggie. That was crazy. Anyway, deleting all those documents freed up a ton of space, and I now have just over 8 gigs of empty space. It may be time to buy some more music...LOL.
So, Michelle and I have been trying not to stress too much. Although, we would sure appreciate your prayers. I think her mom might come down next weekend to help out around the house. That will be nice.
I start preaching at Lebanon Church in Potts Camp, Mississippi this Sunday. I hope that goes well. I have most of my sermon completed, so that is a good feeling.
I also posted some of my pictures from Israel on Facebook this morning, so if you would like to see them, they are available.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Wednesdy night, Michelle started having some pains that she thought felt like contractions. she was in a lot of pain, and did not rest well. When she got up Thursday morning, she was still in pain, and having the contractions. So, we went to the hospital. She got poked, prodded, and looked at in almost every conceivable way, and was miserable. We were quite worried for a while that we would lose the bay right there. I was not prepared for that possibility, and tried to keep my wits about me. The only thing I could do to keep my mind off it was to inspect the hospital room's houskeeping. It sort of comes naturally, since that is what I did when I worked in Houston. Anyway, I was driving Michelle nuts, so I decided to go across the street to the Apple retail store. More on that in a minute. The verdict with Michelle is that she is now on bed rest, until at least Monday when we go back to the doctor. I am serving her every need, as best I can. Although at this instant, I am at school, supposedly writing either of two papers that I need to do. One of them is almost finished, so that's cool. The other, I have not started.
So, anyway, the funny stuff. When I got my Apple iBook a couple of years ago, one of the first things I noticed was that documents are stored in quite a different way than with Windows machines. It was some time later that I realized I had been storing my documents in two places at the same time, wasting hard drive space. I straightened out the way the iBook saves documents, and decided to clean up the multiples at a future time. Which never came, until Tuesday. As time has gone by, hard drive space has become more and more limited. In fact, my hard drive was completely full, until I pared some music off of it. That freed up a few gigs, but I figured if I cleaned up those multiple documents, I would free up another gig or so. So, Tuesday, I finally decided to do that. Except that I made one mistake. When I did deleted all of the "Documents" folder, I did not realize that ALL of my music was in there. Pictures, too. Videos, as well. The pictures and videos, and some of the music, I had backed up onto Michelle's Gateway, so that was no big deal. But the vast majority (90% or so) was lost. Except, that it was still on the iPod. Cool.
So, now all I had to do was figure out how to get the music from the iPod to the iBook. This is where the trip to the Apple store comes in. Thursday morning, before Michelle got up, I had been trying to get the two computers to see each other on our network, so that I could move the stuff that was on hers, back to mine. But, I could not get them to work together. So, I scheduled an appointment at 10:00 at the Apple store's Genius Bar for some help. Then Michelle got up complaining of pain. A little before 10, we were still waiting for the doctor to come, so that is when I decided to go across the street to the store. The guy there helped me a little, but when I got back home I could not duplicate what he had done. I spoke with my brother Steve, who is more familiar with my router than I am, but we could not figure out what the problem was. At least, we think it was in the router, because I had been able to move documents around in the past, before he broke my old router and I got a new one (different brand). So, I still had no solution.
For those who do not know, let me explain how iPods work. Each iPod can be synched to one computer, and one computer only. When an iPod is synched to a computer, anytime the two are connected, any changes or updates made on the iPod, or the computer's iTunes, is reflected on the other unit. So, at this point I had an iPod with music, and my iTunes was empty. Since the iTunes had been completely erased, it no longer saw the iPod as its mate. The iPod thought it was synched to a different computer. If I had synched the two at this point, that would have erased all the music off the iPod. That is not what I wanted.
So, I poked around online and found a third party application for doing things such as this. So, after downloading and installing the application, I decided to give it a try. So, I moved all the stuff from the iPod onto the iBook. Then, I needed to synch the two, which required that delete the entire contents of the iPod, which was a scary situation. But, I forged ahead and did that. Then, I synched the two, which took several hours. So, while I was in class that night, I tried not to think about my sick Michelle, or my sick iTunes...LOL. When I got home, Michelle was a little (just a little) better, and my iPod and iTunes had all my music. Except for my Beatles stuff. I have no idea where that went. I will just have to re-burn those CDs. No biggie. That was crazy. Anyway, deleting all those documents freed up a ton of space, and I now have just over 8 gigs of empty space. It may be time to buy some more music...LOL.
So, Michelle and I have been trying not to stress too much. Although, we would sure appreciate your prayers. I think her mom might come down next weekend to help out around the house. That will be nice.
I start preaching at Lebanon Church in Potts Camp, Mississippi this Sunday. I hope that goes well. I have most of my sermon completed, so that is a good feeling.
I also posted some of my pictures from Israel on Facebook this morning, so if you would like to see them, they are available.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Thoughts on Music
Steve Jobs
February 6, 2007
With the stunning global success of Apple’s iPod music player and iTunes online music store, some have called for Apple to “open” the digital rights management (DRM) system that Apple uses to protect its music against theft, so that music purchased from iTunes can be played on digital devices purchased from other companies, and protected music purchased from other online music stores can play on iPods. Let’s examine the current situation and how we got here, then look at three possible alternatives for the future.
To begin, it is useful to remember that all iPods play music that is free of any DRM and encoded in “open” licensable formats such as MP3 and AAC. iPod users can and do acquire their music from many sources, including CDs they own. Music on CDs can be easily imported into the freely-downloadable iTunes jukebox software which runs on both Macs and Windows PCs, and is automatically encoded into the open AAC or MP3 formats without any DRM. This music can be played on iPods or any other music players that play these open formats.
The rub comes from the music Apple sells on its online iTunes Store. Since Apple does not own or control any music itself, it must license the rights to distribute music from others, primarily the “big four” music companies: Universal, Sony BMG, Warner and EMI. These four companies control the distribution of over 70% of the world’s music. When Apple approached these companies to license their music to distribute legally over the Internet, they were extremely cautious and required Apple to protect their music from being illegally copied. The solution was to create a DRM system, which envelopes each song purchased from the iTunes store in special and secret software so that it cannot be played on unauthorized devices.
Apple was able to negotiate landmark usage rights at the time, which include allowing users to play their DRM protected music on up to 5 computers and on an unlimited number of iPods. Obtaining such rights from the music companies was unprecedented at the time, and even today is unmatched by most other digital music services. However, a key provision of our agreements with the music companies is that if our DRM system is compromised and their music becomes playable on unauthorized devices, we have only a small number of weeks to fix the problem or they can withdraw their entire music catalog from our iTunes store.
To prevent illegal copies, DRM systems must allow only authorized devices to play the protected music. If a copy of a DRM protected song is posted on the Internet, it should not be able to play on a downloader’s computer or portable music device. To achieve this, a DRM system employs secrets. There is no theory of protecting content other than keeping secrets. In other words, even if one uses the most sophisticated cryptographic locks to protect the actual music, one must still “hide” the keys which unlock the music on the user’s computer or portable music player. No one has ever implemented a DRM system that does not depend on such secrets for its operation.
The problem, of course, is that there are many smart people in the world, some with a lot of time on their hands, who love to discover such secrets and publish a way for everyone to get free (and stolen) music. They are often successful in doing just that, so any company trying to protect content using a DRM must frequently update it with new and harder to discover secrets. It is a cat-and-mouse game. Apple’s DRM system is called FairPlay. While we have had a few breaches in FairPlay, we have been able to successfully repair them through updating the iTunes store software, the iTunes jukebox software and software in the iPods themselves. So far we have met our commitments to the music companies to protect their music, and we have given users the most liberal usage rights available in the industry for legally downloaded music.
With this background, let’s now explore three different alternatives for the future.
The first alternative is to continue on the current course, with each manufacturer competing freely with their own “top to bottom” proprietary systems for selling, playing and protecting music. It is a very competitive market, with major global companies making large investments to develop new music players and online music stores. Apple, Microsoft and Sony all compete with proprietary systems. Music purchased from Microsoft’s Zune store will only play on Zune players; music purchased from Sony’s Connect store will only play on Sony’s players; and music purchased from Apple’s iTunes store will only play on iPods. This is the current state of affairs in the industry, and customers are being well served with a continuing stream of innovative products and a wide variety of choices.
Some have argued that once a consumer purchases a body of music from one of the proprietary music stores, they are forever locked into only using music players from that one company. Or, if they buy a specific player, they are locked into buying music only from that company’s music store. Is this true? Let’s look at the data for iPods and the iTunes store – they are the industry’s most popular products and we have accurate data for them. Through the end of 2006, customers purchased a total of 90 million iPods and 2 billion songs from the iTunes store. On average, that’s 22 songs purchased from the iTunes store for each iPod ever sold.
Today’s most popular iPod holds 1000 songs, and research tells us that the average iPod is nearly full. This means that only 22 out of 1000 songs, or under 3% of the music on the average iPod, is purchased from the iTunes store and protected with a DRM. The remaining 97% of the music is unprotected and playable on any player that can play the open formats. Its hard to believe that just 3% of the music on the average iPod is enough to lock users into buying only iPods in the future. And since 97% of the music on the average iPod was not purchased from the iTunes store, iPod users are clearly not locked into the iTunes store to acquire their music.
The second alternative is for Apple to license its FairPlay DRM technology to current and future competitors with the goal of achieving interoperability between different company’s players and music stores. On the surface, this seems like a good idea since it might offer customers increased choice now and in the future. And Apple might benefit by charging a small licensing fee for its FairPlay DRM. However, when we look a bit deeper, problems begin to emerge. The most serious problem is that licensing a DRM involves disclosing some of its secrets to many people in many companies, and history tells us that inevitably these secrets will leak. The Internet has made such leaks far more damaging, since a single leak can be spread worldwide in less than a minute. Such leaks can rapidly result in software programs available as free downloads on the Internet which will disable the DRM protection so that formerly protected songs can be played on unauthorized players.
An equally serious problem is how to quickly repair the damage caused by such a leak. A successful repair will likely involve enhancing the music store software, the music jukebox software, and the software in the players with new secrets, then transferring this updated software into the tens (or hundreds) of millions of Macs, Windows PCs and players already in use. This must all be done quickly and in a very coordinated way. Such an undertaking is very difficult when just one company controls all of the pieces. It is near impossible if multiple companies control separate pieces of the puzzle, and all of them must quickly act in concert to repair the damage from a leak.
Apple has concluded that if it licenses FairPlay to others, it can no longer guarantee to protect the music it licenses from the big four music companies. Perhaps this same conclusion contributed to Microsoft’s recent decision to switch their emphasis from an “open” model of licensing their DRM to others to a “closed” model of offering a proprietary music store, proprietary jukebox software and proprietary players.
The third alternative is to abolish DRMs entirely. Imagine a world where every online store sells DRM-free music encoded in open licensable formats. In such a world, any player can play music purchased from any store, and any store can sell music which is playable on all players. This is clearly the best alternative for consumers, and Apple would embrace it in a heartbeat. If the big four music companies would license Apple their music without the requirement that it be protected with a DRM, we would switch to selling only DRM-free music on our iTunes store. Every iPod ever made will play this DRM-free music.
Why would the big four music companies agree to let Apple and others distribute their music without using DRM systems to protect it? The simplest answer is because DRMs haven’t worked, and may never work, to halt music piracy. Though the big four music companies require that all their music sold online be protected with DRMs, these same music companies continue to sell billions of CDs a year which contain completely unprotected music. That’s right! No DRM system was ever developed for the CD, so all the music distributed on CDs can be easily uploaded to the Internet, then (illegally) downloaded and played on any computer or player.
In 2006, under 2 billion DRM-protected songs were sold worldwide by online stores, while over 20 billion songs were sold completely DRM-free and unprotected on CDs by the music companies themselves. The music companies sell the vast majority of their music DRM-free, and show no signs of changing this behavior, since the overwhelming majority of their revenues depend on selling CDs which must play in CD players that support no DRM system.
So if the music companies are selling over 90 percent of their music DRM-free, what benefits do they get from selling the remaining small percentage of their music encumbered with a DRM system? There appear to be none. If anything, the technical expertise and overhead required to create, operate and update a DRM system has limited the number of participants selling DRM protected music. If such requirements were removed, the music industry might experience an influx of new companies willing to invest in innovative new stores and players. This can only be seen as a positive by the music companies.
Much of the concern over DRM systems has arisen in European countries. Perhaps those unhappy with the current situation should redirect their energies towards persuading the music companies to sell their music DRM-free. For Europeans, two and a half of the big four music companies are located right in their backyard. The largest, Universal, is 100% owned by Vivendi, a French company. EMI is a British company, and Sony BMG is 50% owned by Bertelsmann, a German company. Convincing them to license their music to Apple and others DRM-free will create a truly interoperable music marketplace. Apple will embrace this wholeheartedly.
Steve Jobs
February 6, 2007
With the stunning global success of Apple’s iPod music player and iTunes online music store, some have called for Apple to “open” the digital rights management (DRM) system that Apple uses to protect its music against theft, so that music purchased from iTunes can be played on digital devices purchased from other companies, and protected music purchased from other online music stores can play on iPods. Let’s examine the current situation and how we got here, then look at three possible alternatives for the future.
To begin, it is useful to remember that all iPods play music that is free of any DRM and encoded in “open” licensable formats such as MP3 and AAC. iPod users can and do acquire their music from many sources, including CDs they own. Music on CDs can be easily imported into the freely-downloadable iTunes jukebox software which runs on both Macs and Windows PCs, and is automatically encoded into the open AAC or MP3 formats without any DRM. This music can be played on iPods or any other music players that play these open formats.
The rub comes from the music Apple sells on its online iTunes Store. Since Apple does not own or control any music itself, it must license the rights to distribute music from others, primarily the “big four” music companies: Universal, Sony BMG, Warner and EMI. These four companies control the distribution of over 70% of the world’s music. When Apple approached these companies to license their music to distribute legally over the Internet, they were extremely cautious and required Apple to protect their music from being illegally copied. The solution was to create a DRM system, which envelopes each song purchased from the iTunes store in special and secret software so that it cannot be played on unauthorized devices.
Apple was able to negotiate landmark usage rights at the time, which include allowing users to play their DRM protected music on up to 5 computers and on an unlimited number of iPods. Obtaining such rights from the music companies was unprecedented at the time, and even today is unmatched by most other digital music services. However, a key provision of our agreements with the music companies is that if our DRM system is compromised and their music becomes playable on unauthorized devices, we have only a small number of weeks to fix the problem or they can withdraw their entire music catalog from our iTunes store.
To prevent illegal copies, DRM systems must allow only authorized devices to play the protected music. If a copy of a DRM protected song is posted on the Internet, it should not be able to play on a downloader’s computer or portable music device. To achieve this, a DRM system employs secrets. There is no theory of protecting content other than keeping secrets. In other words, even if one uses the most sophisticated cryptographic locks to protect the actual music, one must still “hide” the keys which unlock the music on the user’s computer or portable music player. No one has ever implemented a DRM system that does not depend on such secrets for its operation.
The problem, of course, is that there are many smart people in the world, some with a lot of time on their hands, who love to discover such secrets and publish a way for everyone to get free (and stolen) music. They are often successful in doing just that, so any company trying to protect content using a DRM must frequently update it with new and harder to discover secrets. It is a cat-and-mouse game. Apple’s DRM system is called FairPlay. While we have had a few breaches in FairPlay, we have been able to successfully repair them through updating the iTunes store software, the iTunes jukebox software and software in the iPods themselves. So far we have met our commitments to the music companies to protect their music, and we have given users the most liberal usage rights available in the industry for legally downloaded music.
With this background, let’s now explore three different alternatives for the future.
The first alternative is to continue on the current course, with each manufacturer competing freely with their own “top to bottom” proprietary systems for selling, playing and protecting music. It is a very competitive market, with major global companies making large investments to develop new music players and online music stores. Apple, Microsoft and Sony all compete with proprietary systems. Music purchased from Microsoft’s Zune store will only play on Zune players; music purchased from Sony’s Connect store will only play on Sony’s players; and music purchased from Apple’s iTunes store will only play on iPods. This is the current state of affairs in the industry, and customers are being well served with a continuing stream of innovative products and a wide variety of choices.
Some have argued that once a consumer purchases a body of music from one of the proprietary music stores, they are forever locked into only using music players from that one company. Or, if they buy a specific player, they are locked into buying music only from that company’s music store. Is this true? Let’s look at the data for iPods and the iTunes store – they are the industry’s most popular products and we have accurate data for them. Through the end of 2006, customers purchased a total of 90 million iPods and 2 billion songs from the iTunes store. On average, that’s 22 songs purchased from the iTunes store for each iPod ever sold.
Today’s most popular iPod holds 1000 songs, and research tells us that the average iPod is nearly full. This means that only 22 out of 1000 songs, or under 3% of the music on the average iPod, is purchased from the iTunes store and protected with a DRM. The remaining 97% of the music is unprotected and playable on any player that can play the open formats. Its hard to believe that just 3% of the music on the average iPod is enough to lock users into buying only iPods in the future. And since 97% of the music on the average iPod was not purchased from the iTunes store, iPod users are clearly not locked into the iTunes store to acquire their music.
The second alternative is for Apple to license its FairPlay DRM technology to current and future competitors with the goal of achieving interoperability between different company’s players and music stores. On the surface, this seems like a good idea since it might offer customers increased choice now and in the future. And Apple might benefit by charging a small licensing fee for its FairPlay DRM. However, when we look a bit deeper, problems begin to emerge. The most serious problem is that licensing a DRM involves disclosing some of its secrets to many people in many companies, and history tells us that inevitably these secrets will leak. The Internet has made such leaks far more damaging, since a single leak can be spread worldwide in less than a minute. Such leaks can rapidly result in software programs available as free downloads on the Internet which will disable the DRM protection so that formerly protected songs can be played on unauthorized players.
An equally serious problem is how to quickly repair the damage caused by such a leak. A successful repair will likely involve enhancing the music store software, the music jukebox software, and the software in the players with new secrets, then transferring this updated software into the tens (or hundreds) of millions of Macs, Windows PCs and players already in use. This must all be done quickly and in a very coordinated way. Such an undertaking is very difficult when just one company controls all of the pieces. It is near impossible if multiple companies control separate pieces of the puzzle, and all of them must quickly act in concert to repair the damage from a leak.
Apple has concluded that if it licenses FairPlay to others, it can no longer guarantee to protect the music it licenses from the big four music companies. Perhaps this same conclusion contributed to Microsoft’s recent decision to switch their emphasis from an “open” model of licensing their DRM to others to a “closed” model of offering a proprietary music store, proprietary jukebox software and proprietary players.
The third alternative is to abolish DRMs entirely. Imagine a world where every online store sells DRM-free music encoded in open licensable formats. In such a world, any player can play music purchased from any store, and any store can sell music which is playable on all players. This is clearly the best alternative for consumers, and Apple would embrace it in a heartbeat. If the big four music companies would license Apple their music without the requirement that it be protected with a DRM, we would switch to selling only DRM-free music on our iTunes store. Every iPod ever made will play this DRM-free music.
Why would the big four music companies agree to let Apple and others distribute their music without using DRM systems to protect it? The simplest answer is because DRMs haven’t worked, and may never work, to halt music piracy. Though the big four music companies require that all their music sold online be protected with DRMs, these same music companies continue to sell billions of CDs a year which contain completely unprotected music. That’s right! No DRM system was ever developed for the CD, so all the music distributed on CDs can be easily uploaded to the Internet, then (illegally) downloaded and played on any computer or player.
In 2006, under 2 billion DRM-protected songs were sold worldwide by online stores, while over 20 billion songs were sold completely DRM-free and unprotected on CDs by the music companies themselves. The music companies sell the vast majority of their music DRM-free, and show no signs of changing this behavior, since the overwhelming majority of their revenues depend on selling CDs which must play in CD players that support no DRM system.
So if the music companies are selling over 90 percent of their music DRM-free, what benefits do they get from selling the remaining small percentage of their music encumbered with a DRM system? There appear to be none. If anything, the technical expertise and overhead required to create, operate and update a DRM system has limited the number of participants selling DRM protected music. If such requirements were removed, the music industry might experience an influx of new companies willing to invest in innovative new stores and players. This can only be seen as a positive by the music companies.
Much of the concern over DRM systems has arisen in European countries. Perhaps those unhappy with the current situation should redirect their energies towards persuading the music companies to sell their music DRM-free. For Europeans, two and a half of the big four music companies are located right in their backyard. The largest, Universal, is 100% owned by Vivendi, a French company. EMI is a British company, and Sony BMG is 50% owned by Bertelsmann, a German company. Convincing them to license their music to Apple and others DRM-free will create a truly interoperable music marketplace. Apple will embrace this wholeheartedly.
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
"Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you."--From Kahlil Gibran's "The Prophet"
I really should be writing my paper that is due tomorrow, but Newton's first law of graduation (A grad student in procastination tends to stay in procastination unless an external force is applied to it) is in effect.
Peace,
Chris
I really should be writing my paper that is due tomorrow, but Newton's first law of graduation (A grad student in procastination tends to stay in procastination unless an external force is applied to it) is in effect.
Peace,
Chris
The newspaper USA Today and the TV show Good Morning America teamed up to pick the seven New Wonders of the World. #6 on the list is the "Old City" of Jerusalem. The following is the text of the article:
By Jerry Shriver, USA TODAY
Mankind's capacity for wonder is profoundly expressed in Jerusalem's Old City, which has served as a spiritual nexus for the world's three major monotheistic faiths — Judaism, Christianity and Islam — for millennia.
Our six experts chose the ancient city as one of the seven New Wonders of the World for its central place in religious history and struggles for tolerance.
The idea of religious co-existence "captivates the world right now," said panelist and best-selling author Bruce Feiler (Walking the Bible).
The very notion — that definitive events in the history of three major faiths could occur within the same walled city of about 1 square kilometer — seems almost too incredible to comprehend. Yet for centuries, pilgrims from all over the world have traveled to Jerusalem to reaffirm their faith. Chris' note: As we traveled throughout the land, I never forgot that I was walking on ground that had been traversed by Jesus and the earliest disciples and apostles. It was a powerful feeling indeed. I promised Michelle that I would bring her and our children here one day, so that they too may experience the spiritual power of this holiest of holy cities.
That has made the Old City not only a holy place but a battleground as well. Empire after empire, including the Canaanites, Hebrews, Babylonians, Persians, Romans, Arabs, Crusaders and Ottoman Turks, has fought to control the area. Even today, there is no general agreement as to the city's political status. Chris' note: It seems ironic that the word "Jerusalem" means "city of peace" in Hebrew. While there is little political peace, spiritual peace is in abundance.
Remarkably, many of the significant historical structures inside the Old City's eight gates have withstood the ravages of time and warfare, including more than 200 synagogues, churches, mosques and other holy shrines. Among the key sites:
The Dome of the Rock. This spectacular example of seventh-century Islamic architecture is topped with a golden dome and adorned with ceramics and mosaics. It protects the Rock, which is recognized by all three religions as the place where God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. Most Muslims also believe this is where Mohammad left on his journey to heaven.
The Western Wall. Though the Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans in A.D. 70, this remnant endures and has become the most symbolic spot for the Jewish people. It is a center of mourning over the Temple's destruction and Israel's exile. Chris' note: Frequently, the media refers to the Western Wall as the "holiest place in the world" for Jews. This is incorrect. The fact that Muslims control their holiest site (the Dome of the Rock) in no way lessens its importance to them.
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Christians revere this as the place where Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected. A church was built there in the fourth century, but it was destroyed and rebuilt several times. The current structure dates to the 12th century and houses the site of Christ's tomb. Chris' note: Full of gold, pomp, and circumstance, I felt this was a gross display of excess. I felt no connection whatsoever to the Church I know. Quite honestly, I wanted to puke while I was inside. With all the ornate decorations, it seemed the antithesis of what Christ stands for. The lowlight of the trip for me.
These sites and dozens of others are why the Old City is considered to be among the world's holiest places by "half of the humans alive today," Feiler said. "It passes the 'wonder' test."
By Jerry Shriver, USA TODAY
Mankind's capacity for wonder is profoundly expressed in Jerusalem's Old City, which has served as a spiritual nexus for the world's three major monotheistic faiths — Judaism, Christianity and Islam — for millennia.
Our six experts chose the ancient city as one of the seven New Wonders of the World for its central place in religious history and struggles for tolerance.
The idea of religious co-existence "captivates the world right now," said panelist and best-selling author Bruce Feiler (Walking the Bible).
The very notion — that definitive events in the history of three major faiths could occur within the same walled city of about 1 square kilometer — seems almost too incredible to comprehend. Yet for centuries, pilgrims from all over the world have traveled to Jerusalem to reaffirm their faith. Chris' note: As we traveled throughout the land, I never forgot that I was walking on ground that had been traversed by Jesus and the earliest disciples and apostles. It was a powerful feeling indeed. I promised Michelle that I would bring her and our children here one day, so that they too may experience the spiritual power of this holiest of holy cities.
That has made the Old City not only a holy place but a battleground as well. Empire after empire, including the Canaanites, Hebrews, Babylonians, Persians, Romans, Arabs, Crusaders and Ottoman Turks, has fought to control the area. Even today, there is no general agreement as to the city's political status. Chris' note: It seems ironic that the word "Jerusalem" means "city of peace" in Hebrew. While there is little political peace, spiritual peace is in abundance.
Remarkably, many of the significant historical structures inside the Old City's eight gates have withstood the ravages of time and warfare, including more than 200 synagogues, churches, mosques and other holy shrines. Among the key sites:
The Dome of the Rock. This spectacular example of seventh-century Islamic architecture is topped with a golden dome and adorned with ceramics and mosaics. It protects the Rock, which is recognized by all three religions as the place where God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. Most Muslims also believe this is where Mohammad left on his journey to heaven.
The Western Wall. Though the Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans in A.D. 70, this remnant endures and has become the most symbolic spot for the Jewish people. It is a center of mourning over the Temple's destruction and Israel's exile. Chris' note: Frequently, the media refers to the Western Wall as the "holiest place in the world" for Jews. This is incorrect. The fact that Muslims control their holiest site (the Dome of the Rock) in no way lessens its importance to them.
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Christians revere this as the place where Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected. A church was built there in the fourth century, but it was destroyed and rebuilt several times. The current structure dates to the 12th century and houses the site of Christ's tomb. Chris' note: Full of gold, pomp, and circumstance, I felt this was a gross display of excess. I felt no connection whatsoever to the Church I know. Quite honestly, I wanted to puke while I was inside. With all the ornate decorations, it seemed the antithesis of what Christ stands for. The lowlight of the trip for me.
These sites and dozens of others are why the Old City is considered to be among the world's holiest places by "half of the humans alive today," Feiler said. "It passes the 'wonder' test."
Perhaps the best "Get A Mac" ad yet. It points out how Vista's annoying security checks pop up whenever the user wants to do just about anything. LOL. (Apologies to my Windows-loving brother Steve).
Monday, February 05, 2007
"He said, I’ve been watching you, dad ain’t that kool?
I’m your buckaroo; I want to be like you.
And eat all my food and grow as tall as you are.
We like fixin’ things and holding moma’s hand
Yeah, we’re just alike, hey, ain’t we dad.
I want to do everything you do; so I’ve been watching you."
--From "Watching You", by Rodney Atkins.
I suppose every little boy wants to be like his dad. I know I find myself becoming more like my own father every day. I cannot count the times that I ask myself, "What would Dad do here?" The night before my college graduation, my dad told me he was proud of me, and that was one of the best moments of my life.
Peace...
I’m your buckaroo; I want to be like you.
And eat all my food and grow as tall as you are.
We like fixin’ things and holding moma’s hand
Yeah, we’re just alike, hey, ain’t we dad.
I want to do everything you do; so I’ve been watching you."
--From "Watching You", by Rodney Atkins.
I suppose every little boy wants to be like his dad. I know I find myself becoming more like my own father every day. I cannot count the times that I ask myself, "What would Dad do here?" The night before my college graduation, my dad told me he was proud of me, and that was one of the best moments of my life.
Peace...
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Earlier today, I ironed out an agreement to preach regularly at a non-denominational church about an hour away from Memphis. It is for an indefinite period of time, while they do not have a full-time minister. I am really excited about this opportunity. It is a really small country church, and it will be some great experience. Wish me well.
Peace,
Chris
Peace,
Chris
IT'S A BOY!
I suppose almost everyone who reads this blog has already heard the news, but for the sake of posterity, I will retell the story.
Friday morning, we went to the OB to get an ultrasound. The tech first tried to see if the baby is a boy or a girl, but the cord was in the way, so she could not tell. So, she checked the heart, bladder, stomach, brain, and spine. Everything is healthy and looking good. She tried several times to check the gender, but the cord stayed in the way. Just as the tech was about to give up, the cord moved and the little one showed all HIS glory! So, we are having a BOY!! Right now, he weighs about 9 oz., and is just a few inches long.
We were relieved to finally know, because the wonder of it was starting to drive us crazy. As soon as we left the doctor's office, we made all the requisite phone calls, and I sent out two global text messages to spread the news. We'd both like to say thanks to all the well-wishers; we appreciate your support.
After lunch, we took off for Tullahoma so Michelle and her mother could descend upon the Murfreesboro malls on Saturday. Of course, the first song we qued up on the iPod was John Lennon's "Beautiful Boy". How appropriate.
While they were getting their mall fix, Michelle's dad and I put new shocks on the Explorer. While doing that, we discovered that the sway bar link on the right side was broken, so we repaired that as well. After an oil change, the Explorer was road-worthy once again. I'd have to say that the way it rides now is "shockingly" good...lol.
We are gonna watch the Super Bowl here, and then roll back to Memphis tomorrow. I guess everyone has his or her own theory of how the game will go, so here is mine. The first rule when trying to pick an NFL game is when everyone on earth is picking the game one way, you should go the other way. So, since everyone on earth except ESPN's Bill Simmons, is picking the Colts, I am going to pick the Bears. Simmons uses the same philosophy I do, inasmuch as we go against the grain when everyone else is going the same way. So, I say the Bears win, 27-24.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
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