Sunday, July 30, 2006

Gaughta loev thoes errurs.

"To err is human. To really mess things up requires a computer."

I remember this quote from many, many years ago. Back before computers had mouses (mice?).

I think this is a better version: "To err is human. To really mess things up requires an unrealistic pressure and deadline to constantly maintain fresh news on a website."

For the record, the error was fixed a few minutes after this appeared.

And additionally for the record, I had some beauties of headlines mistakes back when I worked in newspapers. Bad news: When your headline error appears in print, you can't change it. The error lives forever.

FYI, in case you still don't recognize the error: The offer from Israel was for 48 HOURS, not 48 YEARS. I think YEARS would have qualified as a potential peace treaty.

Shuffle up and Google.

I haven't googled myself in awhile, so I figured it was time to see what everyone's favorite search engine could find out about me. For whatever reason, I -- meaning the "real" Rob Cunningham -- never show up immediately in the search results. For what it's worth, my blog came up as the 13th search result, and my blog profile was the 21st result. Next result? A link to a newspaper article I wrote back in 2000; it came in as the 42nd search result.

Anyway, here's some fun stuff I came across on "other" Rob Cunninghams around the globe.

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Results 1 - 10 of about 53,800 for "rob cunningham". (0.25 seconds) [NOTE: I chopped it down to the top 5 results]

Rob Cunningham and Greg Connolly on CKNW
Transcript of radio show on the topic of tobacco smuggling and industry involvement in Canada.
airspace.globalink.org/cknw.html

Rob Cunningham (II)
Rob Cunningham (II) - Filmography, Awards, Biography, Agent, Discussions, Photos, News Articles, Fan Sites.
www.imdb.com/name/nm1290715/

Rob Cunningham - Animator/Artist
Animator, Artist, Illustrator. Specialising in 2d animation. Based in the uk. Recent animation BA graduate from Ravensbourne.
www.robcunningham.com/

Stylus - Rob Cunningham
Books by Rob Cunningham :. Smoke and Mirrors. The Canadian Tobacco War. Rob Cunningham. 372 pages, , 1996. paper, 0 88936 755 8, $17.50.
styluspub.com/books/AuthorDetail.aspx?id=6219

MobyGames - Rob Cunningham
Rob Cunningham has been credited on games developed by the following companies: Relic Entertainment. This does not imply employment by these companies.
www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,5745/

*****

So, apparently my alter egos are involved in cancer research, films and movies, animation and gaming. Go figure.

Any unusual results you've ever encountered when you google your own name, or the name of a friend? I'd love to hear.

Thursday, July 27, 2006

My mom's a trooper.

As some of you are aware, my mom was recently diagnosed with lymphoma cancer. This week, she underwent her first rounds of chemo, and so far she's doing pretty well. She's had some of the early side effects but not severely, and she's going to get a pre-emptive haircut next week.

Thanks for praying for her. I believe God is able to heal her, and that remains my prayer. Her home church in Turlock, CA is prayin' hard, as is my church in Antelope, CA. Many friends around the country are praying, too.

BTW, this pic MAY look like she was visiting a dentist, but it was from her first day of chemo. Her spirits remain high and she's optimistic as she heads into this battle.

Saturday, July 22, 2006

Bobblehead justice.

Wow... just when you think you've seen everything...

*********************

WASHINGTON -- David Wolf's passion is constitutional law; his hobby is collecting. So when the Washington lawyer discovered a listing on eBay that would round out one of his collections, he forked over $2,100.

It was for a limited-edition 8-inch poly-resin bobblehead of former U.S. Chief Justice William Rehnquist.

"I don't know if I can explain it," said Wolf. "I'm obsessive."

Wolf also paid more than $800 for a Justice John Paul Stevens bobblehead after he realized that the one he owned was missing the small golf club in the figurine's right hand.

Wolf's fascination with Supreme Court bobbleheads is part of a small but growing craze that began in the spring of 2003, when the Green Bag -- which describes itself as "an entertaining journal of law" -- put out the Rehnquist figure.

Since then, the quarterly magazine, which publishes examinations of legal issues alongside tongue-in-cheek diatribes, has produced bobbleheads of Stevens (fall 2003), Sandra Day O'Connor (2004) and Antonin Scalia (2005). Anthony Kennedy is due next month. The magazine gives out the dolls at random to subscribers.

Production will continue -- most likely one a year -- in order of tenure on the court, with David Souter next and continuing through the most recent appointee, Samuel Alito Jr.

Yes, it's hot. Quite.

OK, I'm really not happy to be known as a person who complains about the weather. But, come on. It's HOT outside! No, it's not as humid as the Midwest (but it did hit 60% humidity here the other day). But it's hot. And this photo proves it. This was taken IN THE SHADE on the porch outside my apartment. Hot. Yes. Indeed.

Love that chicken.

Yesterday was a really cool day because I got to eat at a Chick-Fil-A. It turns out we actually have one up here in the Sacramento area, but it's in a part of town I rarely visit these days. It was kinda weird walking into the place, because I haven't been inside a Chick-Fil-A since my family lived in the South -- more than 20 years ago. But the food was great, service was extraordinary, and the real flowers on each table were a nice touch. If the place was closer, I'd eat there a lot more often. I guess it will remain a "special" destination, instead.

Decisively indecisive.

So, I'm wandering through the aisles of Borders on Friday afternoon, the second straight day I've hit up a bookstore for a mix of good reads and cold air (today's high was around 103). I follow my usual patterns. US History. Religion. Poli Sci. You know, the kinds of things you'd read while curled up at the fireplace, if only you had a fireplace in your apartment and if only it were winter, when such things are desired.

I decide I need to stretch myself. I read nonfiction almost exclusively. ("American Gospel" is one of my current reads.) You see, I'm willing to take a risk on a nonfiction book because I can read the jacket cover and get a good idea of whether or not I'll enjoy the book. Usually I'm right.

Fiction is much tougher. You can find a book that seems to have a decent plot, but halfway through you realize it's a waste of your money.

Today I decided that I needed to buy a fiction book. I swing by that section, and my confusion begins. Do I go for a "classic" piece of lit, or something modern? Do I buy a book I read years ago but never bought, or do I purchase something totally new and unknown? I was tempted to buy something familiar. Steinbeck beckoned. Hemingway called out my name. Even Harper Lee drew me toward her classic.

In the end, I went modern: "East of the Mountains" by David Guterson. The plot sounds interesting, it wasn't a major investment, and perhaps I'll enjoy it.

Thursday, July 20, 2006

God has good timing.

Yesterday was a tiring day for me. We just returned this weekend from a missions trip to Mexico, and I really hadn't been able to take time to slow down, refocus and get back on track. I was tired, I was weary, I was exhausted physically, emotionally and spiritually.

Our trip was great. Lives were touched. People got saved. Bodies got healed. It was great. But I came back from the trip more tired than I've been in a long, long time.

One of my adult leaders stepped back from his role working with our worship team. Another leader has kids who continue to battle illnesses. The circle of leaders around me is much, much smaller than it needs to be to minister to the number of students in our group -- let alone create deep, rich, health that will allow us to grow as a ministry and reach more students.

So last night, at our midweek youth service, a family showed up with their 2 junior high-age students. (We still have our JrHi and HS students together on Wednesdays -- sorry.) After the service, both parents were pleased with the response their kids have had to our youth service over the last two weeks, including the week our missions team was gone.

Here's the kicker. Not only are the students eager to get more involved, both parents want to learn more about working with our team. They've been attending our church for awhile but haven't found their place to get connected. Until now, perhaps.

I love God's timing. I'm not quite at the end of my rope -- but close. I'm weary and tired and didn't really want to be at youth service last night. But God wanted me there, and the team needed me there, and I'm glad I was there. You never quite know when God will open the right door.

Monday, July 03, 2006

Fireworks frenzy.


Today is the 3rd of July, which means the next day is the craziest day of our 7 as we run our fireworks booth to help our youth ministry. No truly deep thoughts, but that's probably because I'm exhausted from spending 10 hours each day at the booth. Business was super slow until today, when we picked up a lot of customers. That's good news, because the first 5 days were extremely dull. Anyway, once this wild ride ends, we turn around and head to Mexico for a week. Sometime after that, I'll be able to break away for a few days of vacation.