We recently overheard the following exchange in the park at an Independence Day celebration.  It is worthy to be shared.

First man: “So you got first crop in already?”

Second man: “Yah, first crop and second crop!”

First man: “Second crop too!”

Second man: “Yup, just finished — two, tree days ago.”

First man: “Must o’ been quite a second crop then.”

Second man: “Yah, not as big as I was expectin’.  First crop was jist great and then wit’ all dat rain and heat, second crop jist kep’ on comin’ but no, not as big as I was expectin’.”

 

Just yesterday, a friend said, “I just got this new phone, a Droid X2.  Don’t you have the original Droid?”  I wryly replied, “Yes, would the Droid Classic be a good name for it?  I can’t believe this phone is only one year old!”  Well, I had already been thinking about how successful the mobile phone industry has been over the last few years at speeding up the product cycle, perhaps a little too successful.  The problem now is that one cannot keep up and I reckon the industry has lost me.

As it is written, thou shalt love Wisconsin weather; for when the Springtime cometh, verily there shall be four types of precipitation to water the plain, yea five shall bring variety to the landscape of the state. There shall be rain at eventide and sleet at the ending of the day; there shall be hail during the first watch of the night and thunder shall be the punctuation thereof; moreover, the morning shall return rejoicing, bringing his sleet with him, and he shall give snow sufficient unto the next two-score and eight hours, in varieties sufficient to the pleasing of an Eskimo, and it shall come to pass, after seven cold, calm days and seven cold, calm nights, there shall be Spring.

Today, we give three cheers for the Pack.  “Huzzah!  Huzzah!  Huzzah!”

You probably have noticed that since the NFL started enforcing their trademarks on team names and the “Super Bowl” (several years ago) that advertisers who still want to profit from it will use replacement phrases. This is not all that new. For example, I recently heard an advertisement for a local furniture and electronics store that started with “Green Bay is in the Big Game…” Well, what I have started to notice just recently is that regular folks will use this phrasing too.  For example, news media are not restricted from saying “super bowl” but they will say “the big game” just the same.  I just received an epistle from an acquaintance who wrote “…especially with the big game coming up…”

Furthermore, “Go Green and Gold!”  I mean, “Go the major league football team from Green Bay!”  I mean, “Go Packers!”

We here at this web log wish you a Merry Christmas and sincerely hope that this week you spend some time reflecting on the miracle of God born as a man and  rest in the finished work of the Son of God and Son of Man — Jesus Christ.

I have not written about it here yet but I’ve been ruminating on the idea that justice does not need an adjective.  To wit, if it is justice, then it is right, and it does not need to be called social justice in order to be legislated or enforced.  This gives us a clue that social justice is often not about justice, but socialism.  Well, if you had any doubts about that, we present to you the newest justice — food justice!

1. My Wife’s Perfume
2. Cool air flowing down a gully in the evening.
3. Gunpowder
4. Fallen Leaves
5. Apple Pie

Have you noticed this trend? The word “technology” is becoming a placeholder for any concept someone doesn’t want to explain?  This is especially true in marketing.  There is a new beer bottle with “vortex technology.”  There is a new camera with “face recognition technology.”  I’ve designed a boat with new “anti-sinking technology.”  I’ve added “human interface technology” to my latest computer program.

Let all media outlets be hereby forewarned.  Beginning today — excepting the live broadcast of a Packers vs. Vikings game — any time we hear or read the name of the Vikings starting quarterback we shall immediately switch off the radio or television, trash the newspaper, or what have you.  We hold no grudge against said quarterback, but this story grates on us.  We have had the opportunity to exercise this privilege thrice in the last 24 hours.