Liberal Democrats vs Liberal Republicans!

It's voting season again. The candidates flyers and signs are blossoming with brilliant red and vibrant blue color patterns. My neighborhood is dominated by bright blue signs along the sidewalk that spout "ROD BLEGOJEVICH 2006 GETTING THINGS DONE FOR PEOPLE". I walk by as I say to myself "pfft, homosexual promotin, money stealin, flip floppin, gun banning, baby killing, terrorist lovin, liberal, ignorant democrats."
"Why can't there be more Judy Barr Topinka signs around?" I say to myself.
If you havn't figured it out, Blegojevich is democrat and Topinka is Republican. They utterly hate eachother. The mudslinging is vicious, they haven't even gotten togther to have a formal debate. ok back to my story:
Then as I'm walking I see a "JUDY BARR TOPINKA for GOVERNOR" sign... Well I have yet to see one, but we can imagine right? Then I breathe in a sigh of relief, til I found out what she stood for, then the sigh turned sour in my lungs and I coughed and gagged and hacked till the sigh jerked it's way out and back into the air, filling the entire Chicago downtown with smog... we were imagining, remember?
You see, Judy Barr Topinka is what we might call a liberal republican. She is a gay rights activist, marching in, even funding gay pride parades. She is Pro-abortion. She supports a limit on how many hand guns one can own. And probably everthing else you can think of.
She and Blegojevich agree on all of these issues, but both are pointing to the other as if to say, "see, see, the other one is more evil."

I don't understand how two like minded individuals such as these can't just get along. It think they are just fighting to see who can destroy Illinois (and America) first.
So who do I vote for?
OK I'm blabbing about politics, I'll stop now.

Jury Duty

I had to go to jury duty on Tuesday. Here's the play-by-play:

Monday, October 16, 2006
11:00pm I had planned to get my hair cut real short again , even shaved, to look like a hardened criminal, in hopes of not getting selected for a jury, but I went to bed instead.

Tuesday, October 17, 2006
8:30 Check in at the Juror waiting area there are about 100 people in the room.
My address on the summons was wrong
I was put in jury panel #50
8:45 I started studying for the exam that I had at 3:00 pm in Steel Design II that I would miss.
The Guy nest to me is reading "Angels and Demons" by Dan Brown.
9:45 About 300 Jurors in the room by now.
A lady makes some announcements to the Jurors, She had the most robotic voice I have ever heard.
11:00 Finally panel #50 is called to the courtroom
There are 18 panelists on panel #50
11:30 Judge Raymond Funderbunk enters
I was selected as one of the 12 to be questioned
We were all asked several questions like "have you or any of your immediate family ever been involved in a motor vehicle accident?"
"are you married, have children,"
"whats your occupation?" and what seemed like four hundred other questions.
12:45 Judge and attorneys enter into a sidebar conference to determine who will be selected to be on this jury.
1:00 I was selected among 5 others to be on this case.
Trial was to be at 2:00pm sharp in room 1504 in the Daley center.
Lunch recess until 2.
Went to lunch at the Tompson center, had cream of broccolli soup, mmm. it was super hot.
2:15 Start of trial: Enterprize rent-a-car suing Carmen Freda for not paying for wrecking a car that he rented in feb. 2004.
The fact was established that he caused damage to the car, it was the juror's job to determine the amount Mr. Carmen Freda owed, or if he owed anything.
2:55 One of the Jurors was acting sick like she was gonna vomit.
But she was fine we we took a recess to go into the jury room.
3:37 Another Recess as we wait for the Attorney's closing arguments.
We waited there for over an hour, we played scrabble.
4:30 We began to wonder if they were going to send us away to come back the next day, after all, the summons said to be prepared to stay until 4:30.
4:50 We are called back into the room to hear closing arguments
5:05 We go back into the Jury room to decide how much the guy owed.
It was pretty quick, the documents were there.
Carmen Freda signed that he wrecked the car,
there were pictures of the damage along with the appraisal for repairs.
5:20 "We the Jury" Blah blah. He owed the full amount of $5154.84 for damaged done to the car.
6:00 went to take my exam, late, way late. Did pretty well I think tho.


When I share my faith with others I sometimes use a courtroom scene, God as the Judge, the defendant is the person, the verdict is guilty and the fine is hell punishment. Sometimes I would enhance the scene by saying that the judge is the vitim of the crime also.

Well, now that I know that most cases are civil, not criminal, and I see how the American justice system actually works, should I change the scene I use when i witness, or still go off of TV court style? hmmm. This is probably the biggest dilemma I have had since I had to choose what to eat for lunch that fatefull Tuesday at the Thompson Center food court. Please help me solve this problem!!!

One more 3D

I couldn't find this for the other 3D post, it is my first 3D drawing. Look closely at the orange texture, i made it myself =]

Poem

I look at poetry in a similar way that I look at Bluegrass music. Most of it is junk, but when you find a good one, your appreciation for it almost redeems the rest of the genre.
I came across this poem, written by Matilda C. Edwards in 1898, about the World slowly working its way into the Church. This poem, in my opinion, accurately depicts most of 1898's, and today's Christian Church. It's long, but it's eye opening, please take time to read it:

"Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” -James 4:4

The Church Walking With the World

The Church and the World walked far apart,

On the changing shores of time;

The World was singing a giddy song,

And the Church a hymn sublime.

“Come, give me your hand,” cried the merry world,

“And walk with me this way;”

But the good Church hid her snowy hand

And solemnly answered, “Nay,

I will not give you my hand at all,

And I will not walk with you;

Your way is the way of endless death;

Your words are all untrue.”

“Nay walk with me but a little space,”

Said the World with a kindly air;

“The road I walk is a pleasant road,

And the sun shines always there;

Your path is thorny and rough and rude,

And mine is broad and plain;

My road is paved with flowers and gems,

And yours with tears and pain.

The sky above me is always blue;

No want, no toil I know;

The sky above you is always dark;

Your lot a lot of woe.

My path, you see, is a broad, fair path,

And my gate is high and wide,

There is room enough for you and for me

To travel side by side.”

Half shyly the Church approached the World,

And gave him her hand of snow;

The old World grasped it and walked along,

Saying, in accents low -

“Your dress is too simple to please my taste;

I will give you pearls to wear,

Rich velvet and silks for your graceful form,

And diamonds to deck your hair.”

The Church looked down at her plain white robes,

And then at the dazzling World,

And blushed as she saw his handsome lip

With a smile contemptuous curled.“

I will change my dress for a costlier one,”

Said the Church with a smile of grace;

Then her pure white garments drifted away,

And the World gave in their place,

Beautiful satins and shining silks,

And roses and gems and pearls;

And over her forehead her bright hair fell

Crisped in a thousand curls.

“Your house is too plain,” said the proud old world;

“I’ll build you one like mine:

Carpets from Brussels, and curtains of lace,

And furniture ever so fine.”

So he built her a costly and beautiful house;

Most splendid it was to behold;

Her sons and her beautiful daughters dwelt there

Gleaming in purple and gold;

And fairs and shows in the halls were held,

And the World and his children were there;

And laughter and music and feasts were heard

In the place that was meant for prayer.

She had cushioned pews for the rich and the great

To sit in their pomp and pride,

While the poor folks, clad in their shabby suits,

Sat meekly down outside.

The Angel of Mercy flew over the Church,

And whispered, “I know thy sin;”

The Church looked back with a sigh, and longed

To gather her children in.

But some were off in the midnight ball,

And some were off at the play,

And some were drinking in gay saloons;

So she quietly went her way.

The sly world gallantly said to her,

“Your children mean no harm -

Merely indulging in innocent sports.”

So she leaned on his proffered arm,

And smiled, and chatted, and gathered flowers

As she walked along with the World;

While millions and millions of deathless souls

To the terrible pit were hurled.

“Your preachers are all too old and plain,”

Said the gay old world with a sneer;

They frighten my children with dreadful tales,

Which I like not for them to hear:

They talk of brimstone and fire and pain,

And the horrors of endless night;

They talk of a place that should not be

Mentioned to ears polite.

I will send you some of the better stamp,

Polished and gay and fast,

Who will tell them that people may live as they list

And go to heaven at last.

The Father is merciful, great and good,

Tender and true and kind;

Do you think He would take one child to heaven

And leave the rest behind?”

So he filled her house with ‘cultured’ divines,

Gifted and great and learned;

And the plain old men that preached the Cross

Were out of the pulpit turned.

“You give too much to the poor,” said the World,

Far more than you ought to do;

If the poor need shelter and food and clothes,

Why need it trouble you?

Go, take your money and buy rich robes,

And horses and carriages fine,

And pearls and jewels and dainty food,

And the rarest and costliest wine.

My children, they dote on all such things,

And if you their love would win,

You must do as they do, and walk in the ways

That they are walking in.”

The Church held tightly the strings of her purse,

And gracefully lowered her head,

And simpered, “I’ve given too much away;

I’ll do, sir, as you have said.”

So the poor were turned from her door in scorn,

And she heard not the orphan’s cry;

And she drew her beautiful robes aside,

As the widows went weeping by,

The sons of the World and the sons of the Church

Walked closely in hand and heart,

And only the Master, who knoweth all,Could tell the two apart.

The Church sat down at her ease and said,

“I am rich and in goods increased;

I have need of nothing and nought to do

But to laugh and dance and feast.”

The sly world heard her, and laughed in his sleeve,

And mockingly said aside,“The Church is fallen - the beautiful Church -

And her shame is her boast and pride!”

The Angel drew near the mercy-seat,

And whispered, in sighs, her name,

And the saints their anthems of rapture hushed,

And covered their heads with shame.

And a voice came down, through the hush of heaven,

From Him who sat on the throne;-

“I know thy works, and how thou hast said,

I am rich; and hast not known

That thou art naked, and poor and blind

And wretched before My face;

Return, repent, lest I cast thee out,

And blot thy name from its place!”

3D Drawing

This is a 3D model of New Hope Baptist Church.
I would like pictures so that i could make things more accurate, this is just from memory. I couldnt figure out how to do the driveways and parking lot.

Here is a small church drawing I did.

I have others but I dont want to upload them.

These are the results of me at work for eight hours having finished a large chunk of a nine story steel building design project. I figured you wouldn't wanna see the plans for that, I sure don't want to look at them anymore.