| Susan's profileBartz turkey mom's blahgPhotosBlogLists |  Tools  Help |
|
Bartz turkey mom's blahgI look out at the world from my chair in the corner of the room December 03 Book of The Day ~ Bible Illuminated: The Book – New TestamentThis is essentially the Good News Translation (Today’s English Version) In our house, we have numerous versions and translations of both Old and New Testaments as well as the Bible in whole—everything from Greek to German, King James to Living Bible to New Revised Standard. We even have it as an audiobook. And this is yet again a new and intriguing update. For many years, the only people with access to God’s word were priests. Ever since Gutenberg (and yes I also viewed the Gutenberg Bible at The Huntington Library in San Marino, California) printers, churches, historians, and scholars have striven to make the Bible more relevant to the present generation. Even the Celtic priests who created The Book of Kells c. 800 A.D. were essentially illustrating the four gospels with calligraphy and images to illuminate or shed light on the text. What I Liked As it is still at its core, the New Testament, I have little to quarrel with as to the text. This version is augmented by the addition of photographs and artwork that the publisher must feel adds insight to these words. It is a text to be read like a novel or magazine with 3-4 columns for most pages and many pages of text being augmented with artwork on the opposite page. Headings like “The Temptation of Christ” and “Salt and Light” replace chapter and verse numbering, as the publisher boils down the essence of each section for the reader who wishes to skim through looking for something of interest to read. What I Didn’t Like I often wonder about the motivation of a publisher when a new version of The Bible comes out, and am still puzzling over this one. I find it frustrating that the pages often have “pull quotes” where a block of text is in a larger font, centered on the page, with white space around it. That text is then lettered in red so it can be found in context. I argue with this practice for two reasons. First, by selecting a passage to pull quote, the publisher is elevating that text over the rest, which could indicate to readers that it is more important or special than the rest. Second, in traditional Bibles, red letters indicate words that are believed to actually have been spoken by Jesus. This adds confusion by lettering text in red that cannot be attributed to Christ. As with the highlighted text, so also with the photographs included of various people, places and events, the publisher draws the reader to make conclusions that they might not have made (for better or worse) on their own. Some of the photos are particularly graphic in displaying scenes that are inappropriate in my opinion for children and teens, which would keep me from sharing this version with them until they are older and able to understand the context. I realize that the Bible is filled with stories that are violent or sexual, but it is easier for children to learn about them as they learn to read whereas pictures are difficult to shy away from. The size of this version is roughly equivalent to my Martha Stewart Living or Vanity Fair magazines (about an inch narrower), glossy paper (that can’t be easily written on), flimsy magazine style cover, very small font. It has a very “casual” feeling to it. I can’t really use it as a study bible without the chapter/verse numbering so that I can find what I’m looking for or the ability make notes because of the slick paper, the cover on my copy is already curled and bent, it slides around on my pile of mags as if it fits in. But it shouldn’t. These are Holy Scriptures. Can you imagine a Koran or Torah printed like a magazine? Okay, probably just a case of judging a book by its cover, but this version just doesn’t appeal to me. I find myself flipping through it looking at the pictures and noticing only the pull quotes. Because of the page size, it is physically difficult for me to hold and because of the font size, it is difficult to read unless I gold it close. I wonder who the publishers are attempting to reach. Final Recommendation I always welcome a fresh take on God’s word and look forward to the insights that I’ll pick up from seeing the words in a new light. Just be careful not to allow the publisher’s slant expressed in highlights and artwork to unduly influence what you know to be true. November 25 Free Book OfferHey gang! Here's a great opportunity to win some fabulous books. I absolutely love the two by Brenda :)
September 07 ABC
ABC Television 9/11 “Docu-Drama” Gets Me Boiling!
I received the following email from ActForChange yesterday (my follow-up email to ABC is below)
Here is my email to ABC
After all the information brought forward by the 9/11 Commission, I am stunned that ABC is airing a Clinton (Democrat)-bashing piece by an avowed conservative activist -- just two months before a national election in which Bush and his Republicans have decided to make fear and security the central issues of their campaigns. According to reports from those who have seen it, the "docu-drama" is also riddled with factual errors. Former counterterrorism czar Richard Clarke has already debunked one of the film's central scenes -- involving Sandy Berger -- as completely false. Were you aware while making this film that the screenwriter - Cyrus Nowrasteh - is an avowed conservative who has spoken on a panel entitled "How Conservatives Can Lead Hollywood's Next Paradigm Shift?" There is simply no way that a conservative producer, with an anti-Clinton axe to grind, should be allowed to use public airwaves to broadcast a gross distortion of the truth -- especially on the anniversary of the worst day in our history, and two months before an important national election. I call upon you to pull this slanted "docu-drama" from its scheduled airing on Sunday and Monday. It would be a travesty to ignore the incompetence of the Bush Whitehouse in heeding the warnings given to them by the Clinton administration. If this piece of fiction airs, my family and our four televisions will boycott ABC shows including my favorite three broadcast shows - Lost, Grey's Anatomy, and Desperate Housewives. It will hurt to miss these quality shows, but I cannot in good conscience give my time to ABC and its advertisers when such a matter of import remains unresolved. I will also be announcing my intentions in my blogs on MSN Live and Yahoo 360. I will abandon ABC in favor of the American people getting the truth. I look forward to your reply to my letter. Thank you for your attention. Sincerely, August 28 You've Got to Read "You've Got to Read This Book!"I began reading “You’ve Got to Read This Book! 55 People Tell the Story of the Book That Changed Their Life” edited by Jack Canfield and Gay Hendricks, with both eagerness and a little anxiety. I was eager to see which books had inspired these authors, celebrities, activists, and motivators to change, but I was afraid that I’d become so enthused about 55 books that I’d break my book budget. I knew however, that I was reading the right book when the very first essay by renowned author, Jacquelyn Mitchard told how one of my very favorite books from when I was pre-teen had inspired her to press on and become the writer she is today.
I hesitate to reveal which books are recommended because my favorite part of “You’ve Got to Read This Book!” was discovering the unique gems, the nuggets of wisdom, and the kernels of truth awaiting me. The books being recommended are all listed in the back and I believe that the list should only be consulted after reading the stories. It was comforting to find that I had actually already read six of these life changers and have another seven on my bookshelf. The books themselves run the gamut from classic literature to religious texts to inspirational books (including a couple by the editors). Two books were recommended twice and the author of one of those books recommended the other. It was interesting to see a type of “Six Degrees of Separation” happening between books and authors. My most astonishing discovery was that two of the books were recommended because they galvanized the reader into taking a stand against the values being espoused, showing me that even negative books have the ability to inspire people to change and do good.
There were two common threads running through most of the essays: The first thread is that a book really can’t change a person’s life, but a person can change their life based on what they have learned by reading a book; and the second thread is that much like a teacher appearing when a student is ready, the right book almost literally fell into the essayists hands in their times of need and readiness. I wholeheartedly recommend “You’ve Got to Read This Book!” as a valuable resource in discovering and selecting books that can inspire people to change their lives. July 14 Room to Read - World Change Starts With Educated ChildrenI just finished reading of an Advance Readers’ edition of the book, "Leaving Microsoft to Change the World : An Entrepreneur's Odyssey to Educate the World's Children" (Harper Colins). It will be availbele for sale in September 2006. Living close to Microsoft, I often hear about former employees who have left the corporate world to become philanthropists and reading is one of my favorite obsessions, so when I first heard about “Leaving Microsoft to Change the World,” I jumped at the chance to find out more about John Wood and his organization, Room to Read. The book is fun, fast paced, and filled with stories of individual children and villages that have benefited from Wood’s vision and non-stop activism. Wood has an incredible energy and passion for the children of developing countries who lack basic tools for education and though his original goal was to build one library for a school in Nepal that only had a handful of castoff books, in just 8 years he has led Room to Read to build in six countries over 2300 libraries, 200 schools and 50 computer and language labs; and to provide long term scholarships for over 1700 girls. He brings the business principles that he learned in the corporate world together with his passion and that makes for very lively reading. Reading “Leaving Microsoft to Change the World” was like being seated next to the liveliest dinner guest and being regaled with brilliant stories and I was at a loss when the book ended. I realize now that it is time to stop reading and I am inspired to put what I’ve learned into action—either to raise funds for Room to Read or create my own philanthropic project.
June 16 Garden to be paved?Police Evict Farmers & Community from the Nation's Largest Community Garden in South Central LA
What a tragedy that one man's ego would destroy the life of a garden that supports human life. Who needs another warehouse on top of pavement? I pray that he has a softening of his heart and changes his mind. June 15 Breast Cancer 3-Day EventA fellow BookCrosser-SatNam will be participating in the Boston version of the Avon 3-Day Walk for Breast Cancer. She needs funds to participate, so if you would like to donate in memory of someone you lost to the disease or in honor of a survivor, I'm sure that she'd appreciate it! I'm doing this in memory of my moms who have passed on and in honor of my 15 year survival from the disease. 2006 Boston Breast Cancer 3-Day - General Donation Thanks and Blessings on you! May 17 Sweeping up BodiesI used to love watching the season and series finales that filled May television schedules, but this month I’ve spent a lot of emotional hours watching favorite characters die or walk away from the job and not in a pretty way.
I had all year to accept that Will and Grace, Alias, Malcolm in the Middle, and The West Wing were history so I grieved a little bit each week that my relationships with these characters and locales were coming to an end. I even suspected that a number of my favorites like E-Ring, Commander in Chief, and oh , uh, er, that one with aliens that attacked a Merchant Marine ship (Gosh! What was that one called??) wouldn’t survive the ratings game. But why is it that some of my favorite characters on surviving shows had to bite the big one?
I guess I didn’t mind too much that Mayor Woody and Police Chief Lamb blew up in a plane over Veronica Mars’ head or that Beaver took a swan dive off the building while she watched because they were all evil in their own ways. It took me a whole weekend to get over the death of Andrea from The Ghost Whisperer and I’m still in shock that the Commander (played by Jamey Sheridan) of the Major Case squad over at Law and Order CI, and Leroy Jethro Gibbs from NCIS just up and walked away from the job. It seems Gibbs just couldn’t stand the fact that his higher-ups let a terrorist blow up a ship full of military personnel. Sgt. Brass from the Vegas version of CSI (if Grissom chooses to pull him off life support) and Marisol from CSI Miami are both going to be missed. He was such a teddy bear and I was actually happy for H that somebody as pretty as Delco’s sister could love his crusty soul. I was beyond shock that both Denny and Meredith’s dog croaked on Grey’s Anatomy. I’m not even going to watch the shootout in the E.R. corral on Thursday night. I’m also considering recording the finales of Numb3rs and Close to Home and watching them later in the summer for the same reason. I can’t handle any more deaths.
The season finales used to be a bridge to the future—a hopeful peek into what would be coming during the next season. They’ve become a convenient way to get rid of over-priced actors or ones who are ready to move on in their careers. I wish the writers could think of some more creative ways for the characters to disappear. Maybe if prime time television could take a hint from the daytime soaps where dead doesn’t really mean forever, it wouldn’t be such a bitter pill to swallow. I’ve been through so much pain in the last few weeks that I am feeling it physically. I’ve been tired and grumpy, my eyes are red and swollen from crying, and I find it hard to want to wake up knowing that the only way I’ll see President Santos lead the nation or Marisol make love to Horatio will be in my dreams (or perhaps on Sylvia Browne Wednesdays on The Montel Williams show). Maybe I’ll take a vacation from TV for a while. Probably not. Can I get another body bag over here?
May 05 Happy Cinco de Mayo!"Cinco de Mayo has come to represent a celebration of the contributions that Mexican Americans and all Hispanics have made to America." - Joe Baca I look forward to celebrating Mexico's victory over France by consuming vast quantities (3 or 4) tacos at our local taqueria this evening. The food is delicious and considerably more authentic than fast food tacos. I might even have some flan. El Rinconsito May 03 Pearls of Wisdom
Seek wisdom, not knowledge. Knowledge is of the past, Wisdom is of the future.
The lump in my breast My anger was a grain of sand irritating Understanding replaces anger The pearl now dissolved layer by layer Searching now for other grains
2000 © Susan K. Barton |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
