Tuesdays with Muerte

My interest in this question first spawned from blogging about a tennis match I lost . Even after I was decisively beaten, I still felt like a champion. How weird , I thought, that 'champion' was the word that best described my emotion, despite having lost to my friend. I didn't feel like a "winner", nor someone with "high stamina", nor a "competitor" nor a "fighter" . . . I had to do more research on the real meaning behind the word, Champion . Popular Definition : The first three definitions made me think that I had a false understanding of the meaning of the word, Champion. But then I came to the fourth definition. cham·pi·on (chmp-n) n. 1. One that wins first place or first prize in a competition. 2. One that is clearly superior or has the attributes of a winner: a champion at teaching. 3. An ardent defender or supporter of a cause or another person: a champion of the homeless. 4. One who fights; a warrior. ...

The following is an abridgment of a talked given by Robert L. Backman,  “Swifter, Higher, Stronger,”  Tambuli, Jul 1982, 24. Few scenes inspire more awe than the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games. In a gigantic stadium, thousands of fans cheer as a parade of athletes circles the track. Flags of more than a hundred nations wave. Color and spectacle bedazzle everyone’s eyes. Hundreds of pigeons are released symbolizing peace. Cannons roar. Then a runner, bearing a torch initially ignited by the sun’s rays in Olympia, Greece, trots into the stadium and sets the Olympic flame ablaze. Every competitor hopes to win a gold medal. Those who do attain that high honor may notice three Latin words that are inscribed on every Olympic award:  “Citius, Altius, Fortius,”  That means, “Swifter, Higher, Stronger.” Since the Olympics began, that has been their story. The records broken and the gains in human achievement accomplished can be summarized by those three words. ...

The Battle of David and Goliath : The most epic battle to have ever been fought in the land of Judah was set in the Valley of Elah during the year 1063 b.c between David of Israel and Goliath of Gath. In this well-known story, David discards the armor of King Saul and instead prepares for battle by gathering his shepherd's staff and 5 stones from a nearby river which he put in his shepherd's bag next to his sling. And with those simple materials, David was able to slay the Philistine champion when Saul's faithless troops were too frightened to accept the challenge. Prepared with those 5 stones, David became one of the greatest champions this earth has ever known. The Analogy : The battle for our souls is no less important that the battle fought by David. The enemy is no less formidable. The help of Almighty God no farther away. What will our action be? Like David of old, “our cause is just.” We have been placed upon earth not to fail or fall victim to temptation’s snare...

Only the truly skilled Photo Terrorist can pull off the "Sneaky Bomb" style photobomb. In most of these situations, it requires some serious spy-work to make your way into the photo. "I am the Batman" Bomb The "Night Ninja" Bomb The "Lil' Sister" Bomb The "Peep Hole" Bomb The "Soon" Bomb The "Snake" Bomb The "Cubical" Bomb "When there is no peril in the fight, there is no glory in the triumph." A. Alvarez

Yanni - Creeping people out for more than 20 years Yanni Bio:   Yani left his homeland of Greece at the age of 18 to attend the University Of Minnesota. After receiving a BA in Psychology, he decided he would instead seek a life in music though he had no formal training and could not read a note. Yanni has since performed live in concert before in excess of two million people in more than 20 countries around the world. "We have to understand that our thoughts are our most precious resource, everything begins there. At some point a thought turns into a dream and that's when the magic begins. A man's dream or a woman's dream is so powerful it could change the world. We have seen it in history time and again, where the impossible, imagined, became reality." To listen to this quote directly search " Yanni Nostalgia London " on YouTube. The Metamorphosis I'm totally stoked about Yanni's newest CD, " Voices ". My impression...

Velocibomber Spontaneous signs Dogs dropping their own bombs Dogs humping other dogs Dogs humping other animals

Where was This Photo Taken? If my sleuthing skills serve me correctly, I'd say. . . This photo was taken in a Transit Station in British Columbia [Canadian West Coast]. Notice the train outside. You will also observe a Canadian flag on the stand-alone sign. And finally, you will notice that all the final destinations are on the US west coast, from North to South. Thus, we must assume they are in Canada as it would be illogical to post a sign for travelers going North if the train were headed South. It is safe to deduce, since there are no major stops in Canada scheduled along the way, that they are currently located in the coastal city furthest south in the District of British Columbia: Vancouver. The real question is where is she heading? The options are posted on the wall: a. Portland b. San Fransisco c. Los Angeles ---------------- Listening to: Depeche Mode - Miles Away/the Truth Is

Is it wrong to act macho and play through sports injuries? Are you a pansy to stop playing if you think it will prevent an injury? These are the serious questions concerning one's moral character that I will be discussing today. I lost to my friend Zack Warren on the tennis courts in straight sets again. He is really good. The only way I won points was if I was lucky enough to hit it fast enough at his feet so didn't have time to adjust and would hit it into the net. This is the second time we've played. The first time he beat me 6-0 4-1 before one or both of our strings broke. This time, we played most games to deuce but he still won 6-1, 6-2. (You may be wondering why we only played two set when usually singles matches are 3 or 5, 6-game sets. Well, that is what this post is about...) There were a combination of elements that kept me from going the distance with Zack: 1. Zack tires me out. He is so fast and so accurate that he makes me run for every ball and re...

My ear is bothered by both over-singing and singing off-pitch.  Unfortunately, both of these things happen frequently during the singing of the national anthem at sporting events.  I know this may be painful for you to get through, but try to be objective while listening to the following "Worst National Anthem" contenders. Bare in mind, I endured countless more to narrow it down to these winners. You vote by listing your order a. - e. through the comments section. Disregard the order I presented them in.   If you don't feel like you can endure the torment, skip to the highlight video posted at the bottom of the page. A.  Funny Combo: Bad tune, wrong words and keeps a straight face.If your fellow police officer, dies, the least you could do is learn the words. B. Rosanne's 'Disrespectful' Rendition. Was she really just scared underneath it all? C.  The Girl that thinks she's good. (I loved the hand motion for "flag was still there...

Which gender of body-builders intimidate you more: Muscle Men or Women ? Let's see some examples from each gender: Muscle Men 1.  One of us does not belong... 2.  Roids much? 3.  Japanese Hans and Fronz 4.  These dudes are 2 Legit 2 Quit! 5. Mmmmmm,  sandwiches! 6.  School photo. Guess which guy experimented with las drogas :) Muscle Women 1. " Thanks to the past 3 years at the gym, Earl will never hurt me again." (Poor woman.) 2.  You worst nightmare! Possibly shopped? 3. T his one's got to be shopped. Note: Womens' breasts are composed of fat, not muscle. Many women bodybuilders have fakies implanted. 4.  Click to ENLARGE at your own peril. 5.  To view the source for this picture, just look at the dictionary under, "Thunder Thighs!" 6.  Yeah. I work out. 7.  I'd like to introduce you to my two good friends, "Imana" and "DOMINATE YOU INTO SUBMISSION!" Winn...

This style of Photo Terrorism is my personal favorite because it adds a degree of *energy* that all the other categories envy. Plus, it takes real courage to full commit to an all-out-horizontal-leap. (Be sure you afford yourself a landing-zone if you are planning to rock one of these.)

Do you remember Paul Potts ? Well Susan Boyle and he should definitely get together and record a duet. You must see her YouTube video on Britain's Got Talent: "The audience were on their feet and cheering by the time 47 year-old Susan Boyle had finished singing. The unassuming, currently unemployed lady from West Lothian near Edinburgh had looked shy and a little out of place as she stepped on stage." CLICK HERE Here is a UK News article featuring Susan. My thoughts Susan really isn't THAT good. Granted, she's better than me. However, she was pitchy, and doesn't show much ability to diversify her style. She couldn't have picked a better song to sing. It was truly the song of an underdog. I think that the world was so amazed by her, not just because of her singing , but because we are guilty for prejudging her. Not only that, but our emotions were affected by the reactions of the judges. Whenever Simon smiles, the world gets excited.