Bruce Lee Rocks!

If you didn't have enough to reasons to believe Bruce Lee was the greatest martial artist ever, here's another one for you.

Evian Babies

If you haven't seen this commercial for Evian, you're in for a treat. I understand Evian held off on releasing it over television in favor of the Internet. It has now been downloaded 8 million times. Get ready to smile.

Evian Roller Babies U.S.

My Belated Happy 4th of July Post

OK, I was bad. I completely, though not intentionally, overlooked posting anything for the July 4th Independence Day recognition. Shame on me. So for the sake of time and just because I like this article, I am posting the following:

The Real Meaning of July 4

July 2, 2009 | By Nathaniel Ward

What is the Fourth of July? Just a convenient summer holiday with barbecues and fireworks? Or is there a deeper meaning?

"The Fourth of July is a great opportunity to renew our dedication to the principles of liberty and equality enshrined in what Thomas Jefferson called "the declaratory charter of our rights," writes Heritage scholar Matthew Spalding.

Chiefly the work of Thomas Jefferson, the Declaration of Independence was America's proclamation to the world "that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights." And it held that the purpose of government is to "secure these rights," rather than to determine what rights the people could enjoy.

The Declaration of Independence marks our nation's conception of liberty. Its truths, grounded in a higher law and applied to all men, are "self-evident." President Abraham Lincoln once praised the document as an "abstract truth, applicable to all men and all times."

"What is revolutionary about the Declaration of Independence is not that a particular group of Americans declared their independence under particular circumstances," writes Spalding. "But that they did so by appealing to -- and promising to base their particular government on -- a universal standard of justice."

This universal standard of justice endures for all time and cannot be reversed or rewritten. In a speech marking the 150th anniversary of independence on July 5, 1926, President Calvin Coolidge elaborated this point:

About the Declaration there is a finality that is exceedingly restful. It is often asserted that the world has made a great deal of progress since 1776, that we have had new thoughts and new experiences which have given us a great advance over the people of that day, and that we may therefore very well discard their conclusions for something more modern. But that reasoning cannot be applied to this great charter. If all men are created equal, that is final. If they are endowed with inalienable rights, that is final. If govern­ments derive their just powers from the con­sent of the governed, that is final.

His next point is a direct rebuke to the so-called "Progressives" -- those on the Left who believe their views are the next step in historical "progress":

No advance, no progress can be made beyond these propo­sitions. If anyone wishes to deny their truth or their soundness, the only direction in which he can proceed historically is not forward, but backward toward the time when there was no equality, no rights of the individual, no rule of the people. Those who wish to proceed in that direction cannot lay claim to progress."

Just Some Food for Thought...or in this case, the lack thereof.

Have you ever pondered the unlikely success of the American Revolution? I mean really sat back and imagined the overwhelming odds of a small, rag-tag group of freedom fighters defeating the greatest military nation on earth, Great Britain?
It boggles the mind and can only be attributed to the hand of Providence.
Scripture is full of accounts of overwhelming odds being defeated by God-fearing men and armies. The inclusion of God in the mindset of those who have fought for freedom, liberty and peace in the past enabled them to obtain their objectives and conquer their foes.
Like I said, here's some food for thought.

Congress proclaimed days of fasting and thanksgiving during the Revolutionary War. The proclamation set by Congress on May 17, 1776 was a "...day of humiliation, fasting and prayer..."

The United States of America won the war with England. We were outnumbered, outgunned, lacking in strategy, scraping the bottom of the barrel for supplies, and yet we won. The victory was won by a nation who revered God, who called upon Him to deliver them from bondage and who fought with the moral courage and fortitude that can only be found in a God-fearing people.
Congress certainly believed it back then. I wish they could do so now.

USA Soccer Almost Rocked the World Again...but that was another moment.

Oh so close...Ohhhhh so close. Is it too much to ask of our Team USA men's soccer team to hold a lead until the final whistle blows?
Taking a 2-0 lead into halftime during the FIFA Confederation Cup championship game was Team USA. Who would have ever thought they could score two goals against Brazil in the first half, much less a whole game? I'll be honest, not I.
But there I was getting ready for church Sunday afternoon, buttoning up my shirt, tying my tie, grooming the best I could and watching this match unfold before my eyes.
The first USA goal was a stunner. I literally had to pinch myself to make sure I was awake. However, the second USA goal was a thing of beauty. Brazil on the offense and near our goal box with all but two of their players pressing offensively. Then it happened, Team USA's defense popped the ball out to Landon Donovan and the race was on. He had three-quarters of the length of the field to run with only two defenders in his way. He makes a great pass to a teammate - I forget who - and both USA players blew by one Brazilian defender. One defender to go. The teammate passes back to Donovan just outside the Brazilian goal box and Donovan takes advantage of the Brazilian defenders over pursuit by dribbling the ball - one touched it actually - the opposite way then, SHOT....SCORE...Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooal! I nearly passed out from the jig I was dancing and all the screaming I could muster.
I decided with Team USA up 2-o, that would be a good time to head for church. Oh how safe and secure I felt throughout the block meeting. I was sure I would come home and find that Team USA had one its first ever FIFA tournament championship. I was 99.87% sure. Oh man, how that last .13% nagged me throughout Gospel Doctrine and Priesthood lessons though.
I kept saying to myself, "...but this is Brazil we're talking about...BRAZIL!" True to form, and true to history, I came home and jumped on the Internet to see the score...and there it was in all its awful glory...Brazil 3, Team USA 2.
Crap. Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap.
Well, I was hoping for a chance to run to my wife and Eddie and scream, "TEAM USA WON, HALLELUJAH!!!" But instead I got to fill them in on the loss, what a missed opportunity it was and how Team USA always seems to find ways to lose.
Blah!
So where does that leave USA soccer? Well, we did beat number one ranked Spain and we came thisssssssssssss close to beating Brazil. You would think that was a huge step in the right direction. I wonder though, because in both games Team USA was out shot almost 3-1 on goal. Them's is not good numbers.
Hopefully by the 2010 World Cup, we will find Team USA capable of creating more scoring chances.

Go USA!