ShaneBertou.com

You gotta admit, Ron Paul is one tenacious S.O.B.

After failing to get out of the starting gate in the race for the Republican nomination - despite amassing an impressive grassroots following - the old codger has decided to challenge the entire Republican party to a duel at ten paces.

Sort of.

It was announced this week that Paul has decided to move his “Rally for the Republic” to the 18,000 seat Target Center in Minneapolis. The event will take place from August 31st through September 2nd. For those paying attention, that’s right when the GOP Convention is taking place … ten miles across town.

While I don’t agree with his foreign policy (he gets an “F” on Darfur), I sure do like the cut of his jib!

I promise, I’ll lay off the Obama posts for a little while. But this one was just too good to pass up!

Presidential candidate Obama to sponsor Cup car at Pocono race

SI.com has learned that for the first time in history, a major presidential candidate may sponsor a race car in NASCAR’s premier series. According to sources, Barack Obama’s campaign is in talks to become the primary sponsor of BAM Racing’s No. 49 Sprint Cup car for the Pocono race on August 3. Details of the agreement are expected to be worked out over the coming days.

There it is folks. Wal-Mart’s Walmart’s brand new logo. They’ve dropped the hyphen and even have a new slogan. “Save Money. Live Better.” Seriously, Walmart is now blatantly promising us all a better life! (Shh… don’t tell their uninsured employees or third world manufacturers. The joke’s on them!)

The new look definitely sheds the clunky, “industrial” feel of its predecessor. This one makes me think “clean, energy efficient” which is no doubt what they’re going for.

Will the new look give Walmart the image boost they need?

I’ve you’ve been watching Last Comic Standing this season (Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?) you’ve no doubt seen the “Christian acoustic duo” known as God’s Pottery. Freaking hilarious.

Last night they performed their tribute to abstinence titled “The Pants Come Off When the Ring Goes On.” I wish there was video up of that tune, but I haven’t been able to find it yet. In the meantime here’s their Rosh Hashanah tune “A Brand New Start with Christ.”

If you go to the Drudge Report today you’ll notice a graph charting the Dow Jones losses for the day (updated by the minute) with the ominous headline “FEAR…” below it. At quick glance one would assume the Dow Jones is on the brink of collapse and it might be time to panic.

Now before you go and sell all of your stocks - or worse yet, jump off a bridge - let me offer a little perspective:

This afternoon the new issue of RELEVANT Magazine hit my mailbox. I gave it the usual quick once-over, but this time I noticed something. I was thoroughly underwhelmed with the prospect of reading the new issue. I used to be excited when the new issue of RELEVANT arrived, but today my reaction was a barely audible “meh.”

I’ve been a subscriber for the better part of four years now. Maybe longer, I’ve lost track. But I’m finding myself reading it with much older eyes than I did in my mid-20s. And as such, it’s become considerably less … well … relevant to me.

Part of it is a byproduct of growing older I suppose. I find myself less in-the-know about the majority of the music they cover these days (and surprisingly enough I couldn’t care less). I’m also starting to find the tongue-in-cheek nature of “Slices” to be a bit sophomoric. And even the “God” part of “God. Life. Progressive Culture.” doesn’t seem to capture my imagination in quite the same way it once did.

I’d almost rather read Time, or Newsweek or maybe even (gasp) Christianity Today these days.

I’m not trying to knock RELEVANT, I still think they do a great job with what they do. But it’s just that what they do isn’t exactly what I want or need at this stage of the game.

Any suggestions for a replacement?

I’m seeing this!

Remember the time when my father found a severed human foot on the shore of Lake Ontario? Well, apparently it’s becoming a trend!

Mystery surrounds severed feet in Canada

Investigators are pursuing a variety of theories in their quest to unravel the mystery of six human feet that have washed up on the shores of the Canadian province of British Columbia in the last 11 months.

The sixth foot turned up Wednesday — a right foot in a man’s size 10 black Adidas athletic shoe, police said. As in the previous cases, however, immediate answers as to the foot’s origin eluded detectives.

“We are exploring the possibility that it could be people who may have drowned,” said Annie Linteau, a spokeswoman for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. “It could be missing fishermen. It could be the remains of people who may have died in a plane crash.”

When asked about the suspicion of foul play, Linteau noted that the first four feet contained no tool marks and were therefore deemed not to have been severed.

Now that you’re officially creeped out just before lunch.

Found this on Christianity Today’s website today. I found it pretty touching.

So let’s use this as an opportunity for discussion topic shall we?

Have you/would you ever consider adopting a child from another country? Would you adopt a special needs child? A child of another race? What about the adoption needs in our own country, in your own community? Have you ever considered opening up your home to help meet those needs?

First things first. The official soundtrack to this post.

I almost checked in to bed last night at halftime. The Celts looked sluggish and demoralized. I figured they’d mail it in the second half and we’d be all tied up heading into Sunday’s Game 5 match up.

But for some reason I couldn’t turn it off, and they kept inching closer to erasing the Lakers’ 24-point lead.

Props to Paul Pierce for completely shutting Kobe Bryant down. Dan Wetzel wrote a great piece about how Pierce told Doc Rivers that he wanted to be assigned to Kobe at halftime, and how that sparked the team’s comeback. Word.

Great game. I’m glad I stayed up for it.

Props to Ken Griffey Jr. for becoming the latest member of baseball’s 600 Home Run Club. Bonus props to him for being the only modern player in that club who was never implicated in Major League Baseball’s steroid scandal. The fact that Griffey reached this milestone quietly, without the use of steroids, and while enduring an injury plagued career speaks volumes as to his character and work ethic. It’s a great moment for Griffey, and a great moment for Major League Baseball.

I love Ken Griffey Jr. When I was a kid he and Don Mattingly were my two favorite baseball players. The time my father took me to meet him in person is one of my fondest childhood memories. When we buy a house, and I finally have a place to display all my sports memorabilia, the bat he signed for me that day will be one of the pieces I’m most proud to show off.

In the spirit of the NBA Finals.

Upstae New York beer drinkers who enjoy the Saranac line may want to stockpile their favorites while they still can. The Matt Brewing Company brewery in Utica - makers of the Saranac line and their much nastier tasting older brother Utica Club - burned down yesterday.

Interesting side note. Utica Club, or “Uncle Charlie” as it’s affectionately known locally, was the first beer sold legally following prohibition. So we lost a little bit of beer history in the fire as well.

The company says they will continue production at another brewery while they rebuild. But I imagine there will be a sharp dropoff in supply in the short term. So get your Saranac while it’s hot! (Pardon the pun.)

Seriously, would somebody please let Sidney Crosby and the rest of the Pittsburgh Penguins know they are in the Stanley-freaking-Cup Finals? You gotta score goals to win fellas. Losing Games 1 and 2 by a combined score of 7-0 ain’t exactly getting it done.

And Sid. Sid! Seriously man, it isn’t just Penguins fans who are relying on you to get your fanny in gear. It’s the entire NHL! You do know that they market you as the second coming right? You do know that the league still hasn’t recovered from the lock out right? (I mean, Games 1& 2 were on Vs. for crying out loud!)

Find the net already!

An entire website with nothing but quotes from The Office. You are welcome.

STDs Running Rampant In Retirement Community

Doctors said sexually transmitted diseases among senior citizens are running rampant at a popular Central Florida retirement community, according to a Local 6 News report. …

“I have had a better dating life since I have been here than I have ever had,” Franklin said. “I know there are things going around.”

A doctor blamed Viagra, a lack of sex education and no risk for pregnancy for the spike in sexually transmitted diseases at The Villages.

“All I can repeat are the things I have heard which are things like, ‘Should I bring the little blue pills over tonight?’” community singles group president Richard Matwyshen said.

Good luck trying to sleep tonight.

Tomorrow night is the season finale of The Office. What are your season ending predictions?

And remember when Pam talked to the guy above about considering New York or Philadelphia for graphic design? Could the blogger speculation be true? Could that really have been Jim in disguise? Especially when you consider his mannerisms when he says “some amazing programs” around the 20:15 mark!?!

Hmm. Could Jim be putting a bug in Pam’s ear about considering relocating to New York?

Especially when Ryan has to take a leave of absence to get treatment for his newfound drug problem?

Will Dwight and Angela get back together?

Will we be saying “goodbye” to Toby for good?

Can’t wait to find out tomorrow!

Vatican: It’s OK to believe in aliens

The Rev. Jose Gabriel Funes, the Jesuit director of the Vatican Observatory, says that the vastness of the universe means it is possible there could be other forms of life outside Earth, even intelligent ones.

In an interview published Tuesday by Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano, Funes says that such a notion “doesn’t contradict our faith” because aliens would still be God’s creatures.

The Vatican has a chief astronomer? Seriously? I swear, somewhere Galileo must be spinning in his grave.

While this does little to change my own thoughts about the possibility of life on other planets, it sure does go a long way toward explaining why this guy is so darn creepy.

In an interview with Christianity Today, Laura Blank - an emergency communications officer for World Vision - spoke about what their agency has been able to do to help bring relief aid to the people of Myanmar since day one of the disaster.

As soon as the storm ended, we were able to begin distributing rice, clean water, fuel, rebuilding supplies, and blankets—the basic things that we wanted to get to people as soon as we could. Because we’d been there for so long, we were able to purchase goods locally and in bulk, and try to start some of the relief efforts on a very small scale.

While it has been reported that Myanmar government officials have been uncooperative with international relief efforts, and are just now allowing aid to come in, World Vision has been on the ground from day one bringing supplies to the people of that country - and with the blessing of the Myanmar government.

Please consider making a donation today. The money you give will help bring food, water, blankets and temporary shelter to those who are suffering.

Mudpuppy is right. With all the traffic our blogs receive we really should be using our influence to help bring relief to those suffering in Myanmar.

By now you’ve seen the reports of the catastrophic conditions the people of that country face after a cyclone ripped through the region several days ago. The death toll is now at 25,000, an additional 41,000 are reported missing and over a million people are now homeless.

The Myanmar government is making it difficult for U.S. aid to enter the region - making things worse for those who are suffering - but there are a number of Christian agencies already on the ground providing food, water and medical treatment to those who are suffering.

Please join me in making a donation to one of the following organizations today. Every penny helps and no donation is too small:

• World Vision: Southern Asia Cyclone Relief
• Samaritan’s Purse: Myanmar Relief
• Christian Aid: Burma Cyclone Appeal