Review: Top Gear America

Before my review of Top Gear America even begins, I should say that I am a fan of the British version.  (If you are not, just watch episode 14-6 of the UK version, the trip through South America.  It’s probably one of the best things ever put on TV.)  I have done my best to have this review be not a comparison, but a review only of Top Gear America. The first season is complete and I will say that it got off to a rocky start.  In fact the first episode was by far the worst episode.  The piece with the car trying to avoid a helicopter was beyond stupid.  They are running / hiding from a helicopter and they stopped on a bridge.  Doesn’t it seem like the first rule of hiding from a helicopter would be; do not stop on a bridge?  After that though, the show began to find a groove, so here is my review.

The good

  • As the season went on, the show improved greatly.  The episode where they bought cars to run moonshine was brilliant and great fun.  Early in the season the banter between the hosts didn’t work because we didn’t know them, but by mid season it was enjoyable.  There was a segment early on that established the hosts much better where Tanner had to teach a blind man to drift.  It improved from that point on
  • When they do the “star in a reasonably priced car,” I know who all the stars are. (I definitely can’t say that for the British version)

The Meh

  • The reviews of super cars should probably be the heart of the show but they often feel half-baked.  It is almost as if they are an afterthought.  A great example of a half-done review is the one for the Porsche Panamera.  The whole reason for reviewing the car was that it is a 4 door supercar.  So what is the first thought a person would have when reviewing it?  Put some people, or a car seat, or a dog, or something in the back seat.  Maybe try getting some golf clubs in the trunk.  (I know I said I wasn’t comparing, but the UK version used it to transport a wedding party)  They barely even showed the back seat.  Certainly they never used it for any actual purpose.
  • Why copy the Stig?  It’s not the British version after all.  So why not just use Jeff Gordon or Jimmy Johnson, or Danica Patrick? They are famous enough to have credit as a driver and would add some star power to the show.  As it is, I feel no mystery whatsoever about the stig.  In fact I don't even care who he is.

The bad

  • Whenever the show is back at the studio/hangar it feels like an infomercial.  The editing is choppy and the laughter and applause seems forced or fake.
  • That first taped piece (the helicopter) was so terrible I almost didn’t watch the second episode
  • On a show called Top Gear America it is unforgivable to use a foreign car for the star in a reasonably priced car segments.  Unforgivable.  Has a Ford Fiesta just got too much power for the stars?

My final verdict

I actually really enjoy the show, I just want it to improve on its shortcomings.  I’d give it a B

Forgive me readers for I have failed

I didn’t write a single real blogpost in January.  I'm pretty sure that's a first in the history of this blog.   I only put together best web junk, and my 500th post.  There’s nothing wrong with me, but it was an eventful month.  I had an extremely busy church calendar, plus I was sick for about a week.  I’m back now.  I will write at least one post per week in February, that is my vow to you.  I am saying that publicly so that I will be accountable as the month goes on.

That's a lot of blogging

This is my 500th blogpost.  I'm not really sure that I ever expected to make it 500 posts when I began but here I am.  Here is a summary of what has gone down over the last 3 years. I began blogging on March 3, 2008 That is 150 weeks 3.3 posts per week 135 Best Web Junks

Over the course of my 500 posts there have been 731 comments.  Here are my top commenters.  They represent 54% of all comments to this blog and I am glad to have them as regular readers.  (I was only going to list my top 5 but 5-7 are very close in total comments)

  1. Ryan – 183
  2. Caroline – 66
  3. Webhick – 55
  4. Adam – 32
  5. Phil – 20
  6. Roland – 19
  7. Ashley – 18

My most popular day ever is still What’s the baby using from all the way back in August 20, 2008. It is the only time I ever had more than 150 views in one day

My top 10 posts ever are

  1. Bell's Palsy - 1 Year later
  2. What's the Baby Using?
  3. My Experience with the Miller's Analogies Test (This post will be #2 by the end of January)
  4. A Conversation I Keep Having
  5. Book Review: Confessions of an Economic Hitman
  6. 100 Things to do Before I Die (okay...actually about 40)
  7. Using twitter for church
  8. What Should the Government Do
  9. Help me name my Fantasy Football team
  10. Dual Book Review: The God Question & The Reason For God

I don't know if there will be another 500 posts.  I certainly don't blog the way I used to but I have no plans to stop.  To all of you who have been regular commenters or readers who don't feel the need to comment, thank you.

Seriously, I would have stopped writing stuff a long time ago if not for the encouragement I get from my stats and my readers.

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Best of the Best Web Junk 2010

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This is going to be only the most awesome links and videos from this year of best Web Junk Remember the Pheasant with 138 legs?

Drawed a Thrown

Good Quiz

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UIdI8khMkw]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6L8b1zPE0-Y]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHps2SecuDk]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5gCeWEGiQI]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blOrY-nEGaE]

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Predictions for 2011

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Each year on my blog I like to make predictions for the coming year.  I invite you to do the same in the comments.  It's always fun to see the results.

  • The number 1 movie will be Pirates of the Caribbean.  Green Hornet in the top 5. The usual suspects like Harry Potter, Transformers, and Twilight will all be in the top 10.
  • Facebook will go crazy with 11:11:11 11/11/11 stuff
  • Some tablet computer running Android will be a genuine alternative to the iPad
  • The iPhone will move to an additional carrier but Andriod will have greater market share at year’s end
  • The ratings for American Idol will be off by at least 25%.  It won’t be canceled but will not return with the same judges in 2012.
  • There will be at least 10 announced Republican candidates for president.  No democrat will run against Obama
  • Kentucky will not be in the Final 4
  • Bret Favre will actually retire...probably…maybe…maybe not…yeah he will.
  • The world will not end on May 21 no matter what the billboards say
  • I will catch a 7 lb. bass
  • I will not still be working at the Wood Shed at the end of 2011
  • I will weigh less at the end of 2011 than at the beginning
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Prediction Results 2010

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On the last week of each year on this blog I make predictions about the coming year.  I invite my readers to do the same.  This is a recap of those predictions and how accurate I turned out to be.

  • Toy Story 3 will be the top movie of the year, Iron Man 2, the A-Team, and Harry Potter will also be in the top 15 – Toy story was #1, Iron man 2 was #3, Harry Potter was #6, The A-Team kept me from perfection on this pick by finishing #37.  I’m pretty pleased with this however.
  • The Dow will be higher at the end of 2010 than at the beginning – I know the year still has 3 days but this is going to be correct
  • There will be 15 e-book readers on the market by the end of 2010 but still no major publisher will release DRM-free books.  So I will not buy one – there are at least 25 on the market although only the Sony, Kindle, and Nook have any market share to speak of.  No major publisher has released a DRM-free book. I don’t own one.  I’m right on all 3 accounts.
  • The health care bill will not become final before May and by the time I write this post next year there will still be millions of uninsured Americans – It passed in March, but has yet to actually come into effect. I was half wrong here
  • The Twitter stream will have ads in it (not just spam) – Wrong on this one.  No ads in the stream.  Promoted tweets on the homepage but no ads in stream.
  • USA will be no better than 3rd in the medal count at the winter Olympics – Happily wrong about this one. USA finished first.
  • Kentucky will be in the Final 4 – Sadly wrong about this one
  • The finale of Lost will be mostly satisfying – I guess this one is a matter of opinion but I was mostly satisfied
  • I will not live in Kentucky at the end of 2010 – Colossal fail on this one
  • I will weigh less at the end of 2010 than I do at the beginning – I don’t know what I weigh today, but there is no question it is less than a year ago

By my count that makes me 10-6 (.625) in predictions for the year.  I never claimed to be a prophet or the son of a prophet, but it's fun to see how well I did.

Only one reader, Ryan, was brave enough to make predictions last year.  Here are his results

  • UNC will make it to the Sweet 16 – Didn’t even make the tourney
  • The Panthers will make the playoffs (Season starting August 2010) – Wow was this one wrong. The Panthers are currently 2-13
  • Matt Moore will (should) be their starting QB – I’ll give you half credit for this one
  • I will get a girlfriend – If so you have been awfully secretive about her
  • Apple will release a tablet that will be beautiful looking, but no one will buy it, because what the heck is it for? – iPad released, iPad beautiful, iPad sold millions, everybody has seen one in the wild.  You are 2-3 on this one
  • The newest Twilight will be in the top 10 for movies, for some stupid reason – Twilight #4 = correct

I'm saying Ryan is 4-5 (.444)

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Best Web Junk (December 24)

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A couple of these links I have been sitting on for a while in case I had a week with no good web junk.  Well, this is the last regularly scheduled Best Web Junk of the year. (Next week is best of) so I will share them today. Really neat aerial images

What if you printed the internet?

Yep

It's Christmas Eve.  I have seen this video posted in Facebook like 30 times this week plus Adam posted it on his blog last week.  But it is neat and it is appropriate for this week's Best Web Junk [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkHNNPM7pJA]

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Nativity Scene Poll

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Last week in my Church I presented an apologetic lecture on the historical reality of Christmas.  As part of the lecture I pointed out that most nativity scene Jesuses have their hands raised as if they are worshiping the Father. (Like this one pictured on the left)

This one random point seemed to be remembered more than any other point I made in the presentation.  Now I would like you to answer a poll question.

Please take just a minute to answer this question.  Look at your nativity scene in your home and let me know if Jesus has his hands up or are they at his side.  The poll won't spam you, and I will use the results in the future.  I predict that Yes will win like 80-20

[polldaddy poll=4291358]

Reading List 2010

Each year I like to post a a list of the books I read.  Some of you may find some good books to read in this list, and maybe you can find some books to avoid.  For several years I have really not read fiction at all.  Beginning last year I decided to read classic works of fiction just in the last few minutes each night as I am going to bed.  It was more successful last year than this one, but at least I am reading classic works.  (I am almost finished with the Russians.)

  1. Heaven – Randy Alcorn.  The best book I read this year.  I would not say it transformed my view of my eternal home, but I would say it made me much more informed and helped me develop a much fuller view.
  2. Why Should Anyone Believe Anything at All? – James Sire.  An excellent book addressing he postmodern worldview and the consequences of what people believe.
  3. I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist – Frank Turek & Norman Geisler.  If this book were not a modern classic in apologetics I would have written a review.  This book is thorough and excellent.  I will probably make it a textbook if I ever get to teach another apologetics class
  4. 131 Christians Everyone Should Know – Mark Galli.  I reviewed this excellent book here
  5. Les Miserables – Victor Hugo. I listened to this as an audiobook (hence it not being in the picture.)  It was exciting from start to finish.  Among classic literature I would describe it as one of my 5 favorite books.
  6. What Is a Healthy Church? - Mark Dever. I think I got this book free at the 2008 SBC.  It was quite good.
  7. Chosen But Free: A Balanced View of God’s Sovereignty and Free Will – Norm Geisler. It may be that I really liked this book because I share the same view as Norm Geisler.  However, even if I disagreed or came to a different conclusion, I would appreciate the incredible thoroughness of this book.  I doubt that there is an applicable scripture that he doesn't handle
  8. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader - C.S. Lewis. I read this because the movie was coming out and I wanted to refresh my memory from my childhood.  It is quite a good book even if it is meant as children's lit.
  9. The Gospel and Personal Evangelism – Mark Dever - It's worth a read if just for the "What is not evangelism" section.
  10. Disappointment with God – Philip Yancey. One of the more useful apologetic topics I believe is the problem of evil.  Yancey is not necessarily doing apologetics here, but this book is quite good.
  11. The Problem of Pain – C.S. Lewis. I don't fully agree with Lewis's theodicy.  but his book is a classic on the topic.  Plus the last year has been tough for me, so I might have felt a bit more drawn to the topic.
  12. Ringworld – Larry Niven. Another audiobook it was interesting. And aparently it is a sci-fi classic.
  13. The Man Code – Dennis Swanberg. This book is nothing special.  though i suppose it could be useful in the context of a men's ministry
  14. Paul Meets Muhammad: A Christian-Muslim Debate on the Resurrection – Michael Licona.  Even though I really want Mike to sign off on my certification as an apologetics instructor this book didn't really do it for me.  Maybe because I have not been exposed to Muslim apologetics outside of "read the Koran"
  15. The Red Feather - Tom Elliff. Another free book from a convention somewhere.
  16. What Is a Healthy Church Member? – Thabiti M. Anyabwile
  17. War and Peace – Leo Tolstoy. Not the longest book I have ever read, but it felt like it.  I'm glad I read it but really only so I can say I've read it
  18. The Trail of the Lonesome Pine – John Fox.  I bet you are wondering why I read this book.  It's definitely not my typical subject matter, and it is hardly a classic.  Well I'll tell you why.  My grandfather, who died this year, remembered it as the book that got him hooked on reading as a boy.  So I bought it for him a few years back.  He said it was definitely not what he remembered, but I read it in his memory.  I don't recommend it.
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Best Web Junk (December 10)

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This video would be impressive even if it wasn't the former home of Louisville being outfitted with UKs court. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGumZBYtMys] I know everybody on the internet has seen this already, but this is without question the best thing I have seen on the web this week.  Whoever did it is awesome and whoever did it has too much time on their hands.  Seriously, Wow. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHBlYJ-tKcs]

The Story of My Christmas Tree 2010

This is the third year in a row that I have posted the story of my Christmas tree.  It is essentially the same post as last time.  Each year I add one ornament to my Christmas tree.  There is a whole story behind it that you can read here.  It all started with a single blue ball. (#4)  And now I have 13 ornaments on the tree.  I missed a couple of years in there.  This year I have the same 13 ornaments that I had last year.  Since I did not acquire a new one last Christmas it solved my dilemma.  I simply added both #2 and #12 with no need to choose between the 2.  The key is below.  If you gave me one, Thanks.

1. This is a ball from the LaGrange Park RAs. It was part of a Lottie Moon fundraiser in ’05. The RAs were placing these in honor or memory of someone for $4. Mine says “In honor of Jesus,” I thought it fitting since it was Christmas

2. This is a University of Kentucky candy cane.  It is one of a set of 4 (But I couldn’t stand to put all 4 of them on the tree that was just too much ornament adding) given to me by Wes & Kristi who said that their son, Carson  picked it out. (The same Kristi who gave me #13) Added in 2010

3. This is the tassel from my college graduation in ’01. I was really proud of this since it took me 13 semesters to actually graduate from college.

4. The original blue ball. (made of actual glass) added in 1996.

5. Is the famous tin-foil ball. I added a couple of layers to it when I moved up to the full sized tree.  Also I stuck a nail with a red ribbon in it.  We got the nail/ribbon at church a few years back to remind us about Christ’s sacrifice.

6. This is a snowman with a jingle bell built in.  Holding a sign that says, “Jesus loves you snow much.”  I got it at the Cumberland Beatitude house on a LPBC youth work day December 2008.

7. This is a slightly used fishing bobber, complete with weights and an actual hook, complete with barb to hang it. It says 80¢ on the side.  I added this one myself in ’04.

8. This is a glittery snowflake.  I’m not sure who, but somebody at Mexico Baptist Church gave me this. I lean towards thinking it is from Sandra Belt and it came in a card or something. Added in 2002.

9.  A University of Kentucky Wildcats ornament. I bought this at Wal-Mart, can’t remember when, but probably like ’03 since I was new to North Carolina and felt an extra need to represent my team in hostile territory

10. A little wooden snowman with my name on it. A Couple of my former students, Kristen and Melissa, gave this to me I’m guessing it was ’01.

11. This is the tassel from my seminary graduation cap. I got this in December ’06 when I graduated seminary. This is all that remains from my regalia rental fee of $80, so I’m definitely going to hang on to it.

12. This is a ball from the LPBC Lottie Moon Fundraiser 2008.  It was given in my honor by my Pastor and his wife.  It is made of actual glass and was added to the tree in 2009.

13. This is the ornament that started my one ornament per year method.  The one Kristi gave me in Christmas 1996 but it made the tree the next year, so we’ll call it ‘97

 

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Best Web Junk (December 3)

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This story makes perfect sense.  A city truck drives through your building so the city fines you for owning an unsafe building.  Of course. In general flash mobs are neat.  This is the first one I've ever seen with no dancing, and the first one where there is real singing.  It also has the highest percentage of gray hairs I've seen in one..  Enjoy [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXh7JR9oKVE]

I don't know what's more impressive, that this kid built this instrument (instead of playing Rock Band in all of his free time) or that he's so good at playing it.  I am thoroughly impressed by this video. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0D2o8F2MOuI]

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I Challenged My Church...

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...to make Lottie Moon a priority this year.  In fact I challenged people to give their largest Christmas gift to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. There are a host of reasons why I can say to you that the LMCO is important.  But I will only say this, the "All nations" part of the great commission I believe can best be reached cooperatively.  If you are not a misisonary then what better way to spread the gospel to those who are unreached than giving funds to the International Mission Board.

So why should you make this gift a priority?  For one thing, if there are people in America who  do not know Christ it is in spite of the churches on every corner.  In contrast, there are over 6000 people groups that have no access whatsoever to the gospel.

For the second year in a row, my largest Christmas gift, by quite a large margin, will go to Lottie Moon.  Nobody I know truly has any needs that are more important than obedience to the great commission.  I hope you will consider giving your largest gift to Lottie as well.

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What You People Come Here For (December Edition)

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Most months I post the more interesting search queries that brought people to my blog.  I have not edited these in any way, simply cut and pasted.   Anything you see in parenthesis is my commentary.  I always wonder why people were searching these terms in the first place, then I definitely wonder why these searches pointed people to my site.

  • bad decision dinosaur
  • "do you care about my answers "

And in a new feature I am posting the most entertaining comment I noticed in my spam filter.  No idea why people spam me with bizarre things.  Without any further ado, I present the spam comment of the month:

makes me want to drink alchoholic beverages

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Best Web Junk (November 26)

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I usually don't put serious things in my Best Web Junk.  But this is the best thing Ive read this week

Since I'm already showing Graph jam some love in this best web junk.  Here's another brilliant one.

Almost all of these new Muppet videos are great.  This one is no exception.  [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-PkQRh3QXA]