HJ Podcast #2

The second show was just posted.

HJ PODCAST!
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Americans Prefer Watching Movies at Home

The Associated Press reports "Hollywood is in the midst of its longest box-office slump in 20 years, and 2005 is shaping up as the worst year for movie attendance in nearly a decade if theater business continues at the same lackluster rate."

I find this interesting. I think this trend is tied to a cultural move away from community gatherings, clubs, and socials.

AP contiues, "In the poll released Thursday, 73 percent of adults said they preferred watching movies at home on DVD, videotape or pay-per-view. With more than two-thirds also saying movie stars are poor role models - Russell Crowe's phone-throwing being the latest example - it may take more than a blockbuster or two to reverse Hollywood's slide.

"Just 22 percent said they would rather see films in a theater, according to the poll conducted by Ipsos for The Associated Press and AOL News. One-fourth said they had not been to a movie theater in the past year."

Wow! What a shift.

U2 get lifetime achievement award

Is this cool or what? My fav group U2 were given the prize at the 30th Nordoff-Robbins Silver Clef Awards, which raise money for music therapy. An interesting remark from Bono at the awards was, "I don't think it's the pop stars or the musicians that the politicians are afraid of, it's the audience."
Full story on BBC

G-rated movies are better because of profits at boxoffice?

"The Dove Foundation, a conservative advocacy group in Michigan, released a study last week stating that G-rated movies are nearly 11 times more profitable than R-rated films. From self-interest alone, the study would suggest, Hollywood should make far more G-rated films than it does.

But other media watchers question the study's math - and its partiality - saying "profit" numbers in Hollywood are about as clear as a barrel of used popcorn oil at the end of a long weekend. The report is the latest salvo in an ongoing war over "family values" in a fast-changing world where social mores and traditions seem more fluid than ever before."

Full story is in the Christian Science Monitor.

But I wonder. Does profitability equal a “good� movie. Disney's Fantasia sank at the box-office and has since become one of the most respected films of all time. As did Shawshank Redemption ..Oh, oops that was R rated. But same point. Appropriateness for a six year old girl does not mean a great film any more than a great box office.

Sorry Dove Foundation, I am not buying into your conclusion. I am very glad for diversity in the arts.

Rush Limbaugh and Al Franken agree.

HOLY CATASTROPHE!
Rush Limbaugh and Al Franken agree.

It is a rare day when ultra-conservative Rush Limbaugh and ultra-liberal Al Franken agree. But they did this past week when they both cast “Christians� as Republicans (right-wing conservatives)! Below I have the quote from Rush implying that Christians are not Democrats. And he directly says that Democrats are fearful of Christians. Is this bazarre or what?

The crazy thing is that Al Franken totally agrees with Rush on this posturing of Christians.

I protest. Jesus followers are all kinds of people. This is what is so wonderful about the Jesus journey –all kinds of people are on that journey with you!

I protest both Rush and Al for placing Christians in a neat fully defined political box. Shame on both of them!

This is what Rush Limbaugh said on his June 8 2005 broadcast of his radio show:

LIMBAUGH: Let me tell you something, the Democrats are more fearful -- and I've told you this too -- they're more fearful of Christians than they are of Al Qaeda. The Democrats are more fearful of Democrats [sic] than they are of Islamist terrorists living in this country. They are more fearful of Christians than they are of any enemy of the United States of America. They probably have more fear of Christians than they do nuclear weapons being launched by North Korea.

Here is how Al Franken responded on his website and on his July 12 2005 television show to Rush’s ridiculous characterization of Christians:

AL FRANKEN WEBSITE: This is true. Around the office, whenever I see a Christian, I scream and run away like a little girl.. Anyway, it's not only me [Eric Hananoki]: in fact, Al made a list:

FRANKEN: I am more afraid of Christians than I am of getting a flesh eating virus.

I am more afraid of Christians than I am of being forced to ingest the contents of Rush Limbaugh’s medicine cabinet.

I am more afraid of Christians than I am of getting trapped in an elevator with Linda Tripp - that’s how fearful of Christians I am.

I am more afraid of Christians than I am of Buddhists.

I am more afraid of Christians than I am of being shipped to Syria and tortured.

I am more afraid of Christians than I am of farting during my radio program. Actually, I’m not afraid of that at all. In fact, I just did.�

There it is! This is what happens when Jesus is presented as political agenda. What a sad and pathetic thing.

Jesus is about people and not about political agenda. Jesus died to take away our sins not our brains. Resist every temptation to be a “ditto-head� to any agenda.

To my non-Christian friends: You were created by God –therefore you are important just as you are. If you have dismissed the Journey with Jesus because it seemed to you to be about political nonsense, may I say, I can really understand that. The way political types keep using the name of Jesus (or “Christian�) as some sort of “divine approval� –gives the impress that Jesus is somehow linked to a political agenda or party –as both Rush and Al seem to think.

The Bible is clear, however, the Jesus Journey is open to all – to “whosoever� – to “Jew and Gentile, slave and free, male and female.� I invite you to check out the real Jesus of the Gospels (first four books of the New Testament part of the Bible).

To my Right wing friends who connect Jesus to their political agenda: Repent, you are hurting the kingdom. And celebrate the diversity of your brothers and sisters who are different than you. By the way they are just as loved by God as you are.

Music@HJ opens!

So many have asked for music reviews! And, because Music is such an important part of our culture, it gives me great pleasure to announce the reopening of MUSIC@HJ –Pop Music from a Spiritual Point of View.

Check it out here