on Life...

A new movie out, Bella, has prompted me to think hard about the issue of abortion. I never quite understood the whole pro-life movement... I mean I get what they're trying to do, but I guess I've always struggled with understanding why people were so passionate about this cause. It just seems like there's so many other battles people could be waging - other than protesting abortion.

But, after viewing Bella and a personal epiphany of sorts, I think I now get it. Over the course of the past few weeks a couple of events prompted me to really think about abortion. First, was an article I read by Jonah Goldberg. Titled, Why Be Pro Life?, Goldberg lays out a fascinating case for why he's pro-life... and it makes complete sense... I strongly urge everyone take a few minutes to read it.

Next, I recently was a on grueling, last-leg of a flight back to Jackson when complete boredom found me playing endless games of brickbreaker on my blackberry. To my non-brickbreaker playing friends, I don't know how to explain the game, but essentially the goal is to "break bricks"... the game most similar is probably Tetris... but I digress...

Within the game of brickbreaker, there are certain "bonus" bricks that, if caught, offer such amenities as lasers, bombs, and other ammunition to aid in further "brick destruction". However, the greatest bonus of all is the "life" brick... it's the safety net that prevents or delays the words we all dread... "game over".

As I sat there, in seat 8B, beleaguered and trying to beat my personal record (6,940 pts), with each level getting harder and harder, the one thing I found myself craving wasn't bombs or lasers, it was the "life" brick. Because without life you simply won't get to the next level.

Can you imagine playing a video game where you never make it past level 1? Just the thought is brutal, but unfortunately, that's the case for 35+ million of our peers who never made it out of the womb. They never got to experience the "game" that you and I live and breathe everyday.

I never did beat my personal record, but I did have an interesting epiphany... the realization of the importance and sanctity of life.

I'm somewhat of an anomaly when it comes to using analogies (a college professor once commented on one of my term papers by saying, "Matthew this paper reminds me of Jessica Simpson - it's pleasant to look at, but it lacks any real substance), but for me, it took a game of brickbreaker to realize how without life, everything else doesnt' matter... you gotta have life in order to play the game and get to the next level.

Miniature Earth...

Regardless of how "bad" you think you have it, Americans have it pretty well off as compared to the rest of the world. I recently saw a short video that aptly puts the "world" into perspective...

This video is just about 3 minutes long and it's called "Miniature Earth"... I think you'll enjoy it...

Only in Wyoming...

...this photo was taken up in Yellowstone, but only in Wyoming would you find an elk chilling on someone's front yard. crizzazy!

Global Warming & the Nobel Peace Prize...

Not to discredit the former Vice President for his amazing work, but how it relates to peace, I'm clueless. Ever since claiming to have invented the internet, I've always been hesitant to believe anything Mr. Gore says, so perhaps I'm biased.

But when it comes to the issue of global warming, Gore is nothing more than the messenger - it's the researchers and scientists who should be basking in the limelight - not Mr. Gore.

Granted, this particular Nobel Prize was a joint award that also recognizes the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, I'm just still a bit befuddled as to where lies the connection between global warming and world peace.

My problem is that there's another side to the story and one that's not being told. For instance, how about the fact that cow flatulence contributes more to global warming than the entire world transportation sector.

Copenhagen Business School Professor, Bjorn Lumborg recently penned an article in the Washington Post where he claims one of the greatest problems with the global warming debate today is that it's all done in extremes. There's the "deniers" who think it's just another liberal crusade, then there's the Leo DiCaprio's and Al Gore's who preach a doomsday message calling for the world march to Earth's altar, repent and go-green.

There needs to be more middle ground in the debate. Many in the Jackson community are passionate about the cause and I admire their desire to effect real change in the world. What disturbs me is the amount of people who embrace Al Gore's message as gospel.

Think back to the Ozone craze in the 90's... the thinking and rationale behind the ozone hole was much similar to the pandemonium we're seeing today with global warming. Pat Buchanan, as crazy as he may be, is one of the most independent thinkers of our day, and he suggests that, "the global-warming scare and scam is all about frightening Americans into transferring sovereignty, power and wealth to a global political elite that claims it alone understands the crisis and it alone can save us from impending disaster." And this is from a guy who ran for president as a third-party candidate and pledges allegiance to neither Republicans nor Democrats.

Every generation wants to champion a cause bigger and greater than themselves, something that gives us purpose. And with less and less of our peers attending church or embracing religion, it's neat to see people preaching environmental stewardship with an almost religious zeal.

Clearly, the hip thing to do today is to "go green", but I'm going to be a rebel and stay on the fence on this issue until I've had the chance to dig a little deeper. Not that I'm denying global warming, I just weary of buying into all the media hype that surrounds it. So, until the day we're all driving Priuses let's continue to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

And to all my friends in those draught-stricken areas, remember... conserve... "If it's yellow, let it mellow. If it's brown, flush it down."