This is an awesome idea - Google Maps, combined with an "anyone can add notes" deal so people can add places of interest for everyone else. Check it out - see if you can spot Rock Berlin. :)

WikiMapia

I just realized I didn't announce here yet that Stephi is pregnant again! Yes, it looks like another miniature hybrid version of Stephi and myself will be arriving next January or February! This is not at all unexpected, and Stephi and I are both really happy... Woohoo!!! :)

Unfortunately, this pregnancy seems to be turning out a bit more difficult on Stephi than when she was pregnant with Joshua - she's very, very tired, and is feeling pretty sick to her stomach and headache-y a lot of the time.

So, all of you faithful blog readers - yes, I mean both of you :) - if you could be praying for Stephi over the coming weeks, that would rock. It'd be great if it's just a temporary morning sickness "feeling blech" thing that's over in a month, and it doesn't go like this the whole 9 months.

Haha, gotta remember this one:

If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans.
Woody Allen

This melts my geeky heart. :) "The numbers letters in each word in each vow matches the consecutive digits in the decimal expansion" of Pi, or Phi respectively. The husband's Pi vow is:

Now, I give a total offertory to joyful union.

I'll honor - joyously, endlessly, loyally, devotedly - you.

In the marriage that unites us, paired Yang and Yin, Benjamin and me, forever soulmates, shall complement as partners steadily.

With a doubtless promise, I pledge integrity and stability sincerely. Our rounded rings, a completely noble treasure; it represents continual respect, love, perpetual link with trust, limitless.

My vow: absolutely lasting devotion.

Boing Boing: Hackers' wedding vows based on Pi and Phi

Today over lunch I started reading "The Confessions of St. Augustine". Very old English, but boy there are some awesome thoughts in just the first chapter:

What art Thou then, my God? what, but the Lord God? For who is Lord but the Lord? or who is God save our God? Most highest, most good, most potent, most omnipotent; most merciful, yet most just; most hidden, yet most present; most beautiful, yet most strong, stable, yet incomprehensible; unchangeable, yet all-changing; never new, never old; all-renewing, and bringing age upon the proud, and they know it not; ever working, ever at rest; still gathering, yet nothing lacking; supporting, filling, and overspreading; creating, nourishing, and maturing; seeking, yet having all things. Thou lovest, without passion; art jealous, without anxiety; repentest, yet grievest not; art angry, yet serene; changest Thy works, Thy purpose unchanged; receivest again what Thou findest, yet didst never lose; never in need, yet rejoicing in gains; never covetous, yet exacting usury. Thou receivest over and above, that Thou mayest owe; and who hath aught that is not Thine? Thou payest debts, owing nothing; remittest debts, losing nothing. And what had I now said, my God, my life, my holy joy? or what saith any man when he speaks of Thee? Yet woe to him that speaketh not, since mute are even the most eloquent.

A coworker just pointed me to this pretty scary article:

Rolling Stone : Was the 2004 Election Stolen?

My first reaction was that it was just going to be liberally biased FUD - but the author has clearly done his homework and there are some pretty freaky statistics and studies quoted in there. For example, regarding exit polls (that is, asking people "what did you vote" directly after they voted... usually an extremely exact prediction of voting results) :

The evidence is especially strong in Ohio. In January, a team of mathematicians from the National Election Data Archive, a nonpartisan watchdog group, compared the state's exit polls against the certified vote count in each of the forty-nine precincts polled by Edison/Mitofsky. In twenty-two of those precincts -- nearly half of those polled -- they discovered results that differed widely from the official tally. Once again -- against all odds -- the widespread discrepancies were stacked massively in Bush's favor: In only two of the suspect twenty-two precincts did the disparity benefit Kerry. The wildest discrepancy came from the precinct Mitofsky numbered ''27,'' in order to protect the anonymity of those surveyed. According to the exit poll, Kerry should have received sixty-seven percent of the vote in this precinct. Yet the certified tally gave him only thirty-eight percent. The statistical odds against such a variance are just shy of one in 3 billion.

Hehehe, tah's funny:

"Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, what did you think of the play?"

Just something random we noticed today at work: female singers from the 30s don't seem to smile in pictures. Do a Google Image search for "Zarah Leander" (one of the more famous German singers of the time..."Kann denn Liebe Sünde sein") and you'll see tons of pictures like this:
Well, guess who else doesn't smile in pictures? Oh-so-cool hip hop people, that's who. Do a Google Image search for "Snoop", and you'll see pictures like this:


Anyone notice any resemblances? :)

Whoa. Just whoa.

Skype offers free calling to phones in U.S., Canada | CNET News.com

You read that correctly, phone calls to phones(!) in the States now cost me zilch when I use Skype. Nothing. Nada. Anyone want a call from me? Let me know your phone number. :)

A guy from church donated 330 eggs to our church today, (and I quote) "mainly for the worship team."

Yeah, baby. Eggs. Lots of 'em.

For the worship team. Don't ask. I. Don't. Know.