7000 Angels

new blog address... again

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Bunch) — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 12:55:00 +0000

Beavers Lose To Stanford?

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Bunch) — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 05:01:00 +0000

So my prediction of a 9-3 season reverts to 6-6. Ouch. This year is the opposite of last year, when I was saying, "Great D, wish we had an O." Then again, I always question Riley, his recruiting, his decisions early in the season. Once October hits, he ends up going on a 7 game winning streak. So I don't know what to say except that the D better start filling some holes. Such a touted secondary, and the only way we can keep the other team from catching the ball is to interfere and draw the flag. What a poor performance on D. Penn State next week. Ouch. Who does the scheduling anyway? A conference game on the road is not the way to start. What happened to the warm up game, like against Pocatello High, er, I mean, Idaho State?

Sheesh, Beaver fb is the only sport I enjoy anymore. So I had to vent. My weekend is ruined now.

just kidding

Can't Wait for the BSU - OSU rivalry begins again in a couple of years

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Bunch) — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:47:00 +0000

TGIFS

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Bunch) — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:03:00 +0000

It's college football season. It's the only sport I can get into. Never really could stand the olympics for some reason, so I'm happy that water cooler talk on that subject is over. Football season chatter and anxiousness provides a good recovery.

There's two teams I follow closely, Oregon State & Boise State. Both have exciting programs with a lot of dazzling plays by dazzling play makers. Both teams have stand up coaches. I honestly can't think of any other coach in the country who can give you that hometown feeling about their college team, who are true gentlemen on and off the field, and who have such a high level of integrity - besides these two guys.

BSU has a warmup game this Saturday against Borah High, uh - I mean Idaho State. Whatever, it's a warmup game. OSU's scheduling wasn't as wise, and instead are opening up with a conference game, away. That's never comfortable. Fortunately it's Stanford. But anybody can beat anybody any given week in the Pac 10. Stanford upset #2 USC last year.

Remember last year's college football season? It was the most exciting to follow as long as I can remember. Upsets in the top 5 occurred weekly, and nobody really knew until the end who was going to play in the National Championship, or any other bowl game for that matter.

As for BSU, I think they have enough weapons on offense to put of huge numbers, provided the young QB doesn't make too many mistakes. They should cruise through the season with only one or no losses. I can't wait to be the biggest BSU fan ever when they travel to Eugene to slaughter the Ducks. If BSU can absolutely cream everybody this year, with no losses, they have a chance at a BCS bid.

As for OSU, again, they have a ton of weapons offensively. But a big teller will be the QB. They can't set any more NCAA records in the interception category, that's for sure. But if the O Line can give the QB time, OSU will win a lot of games this year. It could be 10 win season if all the weapons can play like a team. If not, OSU will still make it to a bowl game, but it'll be a little one. The defense will be strong as always, and with very intimidating returners coming back, opposing WR's watching film will be thinking twice about some things.

Luther on Galatians 1: For Christ's Sake

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Bunch) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:21:00 +0000

"No man can say that we are seeking the favor and praise of men with our doctrine. We teach that all men are naturally depraved. We condemn man's free will, his strength, wisdom, and righteousness. We say that we obtain grace by the free mercy of God alone for Christ's sake. This is no preaching to please men. This sort of preaching procures for us the hatred and disfavor of the world, persecutions, excommunications, murders, and curses."

We obtain grace by the free mercy of God alone for Christ's sake. That pretty much takes all focus of self out of the picture. On the one hand it can be said that God loves each of us very personally, but on the other hand we know, and should be glad of the fact that all of the grace we get, even the personal relationship, is for Christ's sake. It's all for His glory and honor.

Luther is speaking of preaching here, and this does give us a good litmus test for preachers and sermons. How many times is Christ mentioned? Do the sermons, no matter what they are on, always swing in the end to give glory to Christ? Every grace and mercy is from Him and for Him, for His glory, which means every teaching should point that way.

Luther on Galatians 1: Robbing Jesus

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Bunch) — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 15:10:00 +0000

"This passage, then, bears out the fact that all men are sold under sin. Sin is an exacting despot who can be vanquished by no created power, but by the sovereign power of Jesus Christ alone.

All this is of wonderful comfort to a conscience troubled by the enormity of sin. Sin cannot harm those who believe in Christ, because He has overcome sin by His death. Armed with this conviction, we are enlightened and may pass judgment upon the papists, monks, nuns, priests, Mohammedans, Anabaptists, and all who trust in their own merits, as wicked and destructive sects that rob God and Christ of the honor that belongs to them alone."

You can't really mistake Luther for being one who tries to find unity across religious boundaries. Not really a unity/diversity universalist. The charge that Luther accuses these groups of is quite interesting, though simple and a necessary consequence of his reasoning. Any sort of merit by which we think we can earn a good standing with God robs Jesus of the fullness of what He did. He did what no other man could do, and so it is that there is one Mediator between God and man, the man Jesus.

We're Moving

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Bunch) — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 14:38:00 +0000

Just found out last evening that we were accepted to move into a rental house in the North End. I think we would have stayed where we are as long as we could because it has been such a great deal, but after wedding gifts, and now after baby shower gifts, there's no room for us to crawl around any longer. With a baby on the way, it seemed the fitting time to get out of an apartment, and into a real home, at least for awhile.

With a six month lease that turns into a month-to-month rental, it leaves us flexible, and we hope to save some money as well. A few weeks ago, we were given a piano (which is a money machine for us!) and I was worried where we'd put it. Now that is not a issue, and many of the other inconveniences of living in a 200 square foot home are taken care of as well.

We did not want an apartment, and God blessed us with a house for a reasonable monthly rate, close to work, and in a part of town we love. We can walk out the gate at the back of our yard, cross the street, and be at the Pac-Out for milkshakes and Pac-Out burgers. Yummmmmmmmmmmm.

Imperfectly Preaching The Gospel

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Bunch) — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 12:37:00 +0000

I have found it very difficult to just verbally persuade my non-Christian friends that their lives will be blessed and full of joy, if they just simply become Christians. First of all, they see the sinner me telling them so, and rightfully have a suspicious look that says, "Hmmm, you want me to be like you? Not so sure about that." So my tendency is to focus on my own life, to make darn sure that I am a living testimony to the Truth, and I'm living a blessed life. Obviously, that's a process. And though I'm doing better, it doesn't excuse me from the fact that the other part of the Gospel is equally important to tell. Jesus died for sinners like me, I'm the chief of sinners, and forgiven. And that leads me to the second point. "Becoming a Christian" is too vague, it doesn't get to the point. The point is the relationship with Jesus. That also has to be proclaimed to the non-Christian friends, and that is something that has to be done verbally, and it seems equally as difficult as consistently living out the blessed life that comes through that relationship. When that is proclaimed, you may get the "are you crazy?" look, but you don't get that suspicious look that I described earlier. When that is proclaimed, your own faults, your own failures, your own hypocrisies are hidden in Christ. I'm a sinner, present tense, and I'm forgiven, past, present, and future tense. That is the first thing that we know that everybody needs first before the blessed life follows anyway.

I had the opportunity to do these things last night. My coworkers are in town this week for meetings, and typical meetings for this gang don't conclude until 2:00 am, when the hotel lounge kicks them out. At a certain point in the early evening, one of the guys actually wanted to get something in his belly before he drank to the floor, but the rest of the gang was already too far gone to quit partying for a sec to afford him that opportunity. It was my time to leave anyway, so I invited him over for some awesome potato bacon soup and some beer. My wife and I talked to him for a couple of hours, a couple hours after my bed time. But that was okay. I know that he caught a little glimpse of persuasive beauty in our humble home. It helps to have a beautiful wife there. But I also made sure that he knew that in this home the name of Jesus is heard, because we believe in, trust in, and worship Jesus, and we have to talk about Him like he really is real.

We didn't get any crazy looks, and though he knows me well enough to know my faults, we didn't get any suspicious looks either. Instead the conversation opened up, became deep, and was well worth the time.

Luther on Galatians 1: Mixing Law and Gospel

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Bunch) — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 01:42:00 +0000

"It seems a small matter to mingle the Law and Gospel, faith and works, but it creates more mischief than man's brain can conceive. To mix Law and Gospel not only clouds the knowledge of grace, it cuts out Christ altogether."

So I thought I would wait to comment on Luther's view of righteousness, Law, and Gospel until I couldn't stand it anymore. Luther is a man at battle against a particular enemy, and he's picking up every weapon of Scripture that he can pick up, in order to defeat the enemy. Nowadays, we might see that some of Luther's use of Scriptural words and doctrines were a little off kilter, biblically speaking, from our own point of view. There's a certain trepidation about criticizing a man who was in battle, and it is often too easy for us to do, so I'll save my critic of Luther's fine points until later, and leave you with a few quotes from Jesus, who seems to be a master mixer.

Matthew 7.11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! 12 Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Matthew 7.22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Matthew 23.23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. 24 Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!

Luke 10.25 And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?”
27 So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’”
28 And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.”

Movie Review: Vantage Point

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Bunch) — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 23:52:00 +0000

After having seen the previews for Vantage Point several times, and thinking it looked quite interesting, I finally rented it, and watched it last night. Wow. I have not seen a good action-suspense film in a long time. For a long time now, viewing experiences of action films has provoked the "been there done that" or the "seen one, seen 'em all" attitude. This film solidly broke through that stale chain. It is unpredictable to the core, and the method by which the story is told is powerful and brilliant. What a feature directorial debut by Pete Travis! Highly recommended. PG13.

Luther on Galatians 1: The World At Its Best

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Bunch) — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:31:00 +0000

"Paul justly calls it the evil or wicked world, for when the world is at its best the world is at its worst. The grossest vices are small faults in comparison with the wisdom and righteousness of the world. These prevent men from accepting the Gospel of the righteousness of Christ. The white devil of spiritual sin is far more dangerous than the black devil of carnal sin because the wiser, the better men are without Christ, the more they are likely to ignore and oppose the Gospel."

Very, very well put.

Luther on Galatians 1: Jesus the Mediator

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Bunch) — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 13:58:00 +0000

"If you ask how God may be found, who justifies sinners, know that there is no other God besides this man Christ Jesus. Embrace Him, and forget about the nature of God. But these fanatics who exclude our Mediator in their dealings with God, do not believe me. Did not Christ Himself say: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me"? Without Christ there is no access to the Father, but futile rambling; no truth, but hypocrisy; no life, but eternal death."

A major aspect of Luther's argument is the concern over the turmoil of the burdened conscience. Luther experienced that turmoil personally, and it didn't end until he fixed his eyes upon Christ. Luther here aims at those who seek to be free of their weighty conscience, attempting to know God in a philosophical sort of way, with all of their sophistry, trying to pinpoint the particular aspects, characteristics, and nature of God in a platonic sort of way. Luther does not condemn the study of God's nature in every respect. He condemns the study of it by those who think by it salvation will come. He instead reiterates, over and over again, that the Gospel is purely personal. Jesus really is real. He's a real person, and a relationship with Him, as our Mediator, is the only way to know God and to find salvation.

And I wonder how many of us rely on our study of theology to be our sanctification, rather than to Jesus. We may be so heavily in the books that we're distracted from committing heinous outward sins, but we can be eaten away by an impersonal gospel, which is just as heinous. Books do not save and sanctify, and neither does the Bible by itself. Jesus of Nazareth does.

Luther on Galatians 1: Anabaptistic Cowardice

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Bunch) — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 13:28:00 +0000

"Paul had preached the Gospel throughout Galatia, founding many churches which after his departure were invaded by the false apostles. The Anabaptists in our time imitate the false apostles. They do not go where the enemies of the Gospel predominate. They go where the Christians are. Why do they not invade the Catholic provinces and preach their doctrine to godless princes, bishops, and doctors, as we have done by the help of God? These soft martyrs take no chances. They go where the Gospel has a hold, so that they may not endanger their lives. The false apostles would not go to Jerusalem of Caiaphas, or to the Rome of the Emperor, or to any other place where no man had preached before as Paul and the other apostles did. But they came to the churches of Galatia, knowing that where men profess the name of Christ they may feel secure."

Luther yields his two-edged sword now, taking swipes to right on the Pope, and to the left on the Anabaptists. At times it is difficult to distinguish which camp he despises more. And his critique is not unjustified, he is not guilty of the very thing he is preaching against. He speaks with authority against the Anabaptists because he's been to the enemy. He has held high the Gospel in the face of death.

The practical applications of this critique are great. To narrow it down into our own congregations may be the simple exhortation to stop devouring one another. There are those who by rages of jealousy, envy, and pride, who by doing the opposite of considering others better than themselves, seek to make the church's life a self contained, complete and steamy soap opera. The back-biting, the gossip, the accusations, and all the other anti-Gospel activities are those owned by the self centered cowardly, who couldn't last a second if they were to take their gospel to the real enemies. The real enemies know their game better than they. It is easier to prey upon the innocent.

Luther on Galatians 1: Resurrection & Justification

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Bunch) — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 13:08:00 +0000

"In this whole epistle Paul treats of the resurrection of Christ. By His resurrection Christ won the victory over law, sin, flesh, world, devil, death, hell, and every evil. And this His victory He donated unto us. These many tyrants and enemies of ours may accuse and frighten us, but they dare not condemn us, for Christ, whom God the Father has raised from the dead is our righteousness and our victory.

Do you notice how well suited to his purpose Paul writes? He does not say, 'By God who made heaven and earth, who is Lord of the angels,' but Paul has in mind the righteousness of Christ, and speaks to the point, saying, 'I am an apostle, not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead.'"

Luther's commentary on Galatians it seems should be read in his context, in mind of the particular battles he was facing. It should be read as one watching the particular swing of the sword upon a particular enemy's head. This isn't unfair, for Luther's commentary immediately begins by taking swipes against the Pope and the Roman Church. Justification by Faith Alone seems to be the key doctrine that Luther is using Galatians to defend. It makes its first appearance in the commentary just as quickly as the swipe against the Pope, even in the section discussing verse 1, where Paul begins defending his ministerial authority.

Luther is arguing for free justification in the face of Rome, and he can begin arguing it from the beginning of Galatians, because Luther's view of justification is rooted in Jesus' resurrection. The biblical view and meaning of justification as vindication, of God vindicating His Son as the victor over death in raising Him from the dead, is something Luther appeals to at the beginning of his commentary.

Luther on Galatians 1: Ministerial Authority

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Bunch) — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 12:48:00 +0000

"This is our comfort in the ministry, that ours is a divine office to which we have been divinely called. Reversely, what an awful thing it must be for the conscience if one is not properly called. It spoils one's best work. When I was a young man I thought Paul was making too much of his call. I did not understand his purpose. I did not then realize the importance of the ministry. I knew nothing of the doctrine of faith because we were taught sophistry instead of certainty, and nobody understood spiritual boasting. We exalt our calling, not to gain glory among men, or money, or satisfaction, or favor, but because people need to be assured that the words we speak are the words of God. This is no sinful pride. It is holy pride."

Luther provokes this thought, and I believe it is one that should remain as spectacles over the eyes of both ministers and each saint, and that is that Jesus is the Senior Pastor of every congregation. The minister must have this in order to see his own office and authority as a gift. It keeps him in his place, and reminds him that he is administering the ministry of the Senior Pastor as he preaches and shepherds the flock. Not only does it serve as cautious reminder, it provides great comfort, because where humility and gratefulness for one's gifts are present, a clear conscience is also found. An honest man's pillow is his peace of mind.

For the congregation, seeing through these spectacles provides great comfort as well, along with a proper focus. One practical application of this is our tendency toward idolizing our favorite, whether Peter, Paul, or Apollos. Peter, Paul, and Apollos may even preach the centrality of Jesus in all things, but we are still tempted to glory in the mouthpieces. The focus is on the Senior Pastor, and the comfort is that once your favorite pastor or favorite radio preacher, those that you look to each day to encourage you, once they pass on, once their particular and unique piece of the ministry seem to have faded, you'll still be alright.

Double Dip & Don't Eat Alone

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Bunch) — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 15:51:00 +0000

In a world that finds its disconnects more and more numerous, there is one thing that draws all people together. I've mentioned this before, but it doesn't hurt to reflect on it again and again, every now and then. A drive down any city street, lined wall to wall with strip malls and "hole in the walls", and one will see quick lube stations, massage parlors, paycheck cashiers, tobacco shops, gas stations, and liquor stores - all of the things a man doesn't necessarily need. But sprinkled in between each one lies some hoagie joint, a McDonalds, and maybe even a Popeye's if you're lucky. The Chinese restaurants run by Japanese, the Mexican restaurants with a rather unique American take of unauthentic Mexican food, and the obligatory cheap Thai, or Vietnamese, or Indian cuisine eatery, where curry is cooked like it going out of style, over unidentifiable proteins. Then - the local, independent burger joints, each claiming that it is the best in town, each one trying to top the other by adding a little more grease to the frying pan.

Still, who can complain? What's a good burger without four or five good grease droppings on the front of the shirt? Whatever meat that was at the Vietnamese restaurant in my "Spicy Surprise" special of the day, was pretty darn good. A cheap Chinese buffet, no matter what ethnicity cooks it, will satisfy your tummy's craving for fried shrimp, hot mustard, and sweet and sour spicy soup. You'll pay for it the next day, but... well... it's all you can eat, including fortune cookies - which all should say, "You'll pay for it the next day." Popeye's is the only place in town I know of where you can set your biscuit on your napkin, wait thirty seconds, and then pic your napkin up and look through it like a window. And McDonalds has won over the world's heart for its incredibly tasty 100% beef MSG. Whatever that is. Anyway, it tastes great, and I'll have two.

Then, dotted occasionally across the city landscape are truly authentic restaurants, where actual chefs are hired to rack their brains for something truly creative and unique to showcase for our palates. Yes, you will pay for that duck, quail, lamb or tenderloin filet, hold your breath, and hope it turns out. If not, your server should be apt to pair a good wine even with a bad dish, so not all will be lost, but a few more bucks.

With all of this good stuff everywhere, including the plastic fronts of Olive Gardens, TGIFs, Applebees, and Chili's, one might gather that food is rather important to us. Yes, we can live without the gas stations and the paycheck cashiers, but we can't live without food. We need it, and that need is shared by all of mankind. It is a need that transcends all borders, times, and palates. But there is nothing more fundamental than that food is meant to be shared. One of the other universal truths - or needs - is that we need other's company, fellowship, intimacy. And there is no better place to fulfill both needs, than at the table. The table is the sign of peace. It is the place of laughter. It is the place where you don't even have to speak the same tongue with whoever you are eating with, the food and the closeness can do the talking. Breaking bread is marrying both needs, double dipping, metaphorically, and not bound by rules of doing it literally.

And for this Sabbath...

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Bunch) — Sat, 24 May 2008 21:03:00 +0000

Church Potluck. And the theme is perfect - use locally fresh products in the dish. So we've gone all out and gotten some fresh asparagus and sage.

Jennifer has left me alone on this one, although she helped with the rice. So I washed my hands and did a little cooking:

Saffron & Yukon Gold Potato sauce on top of Sage & Pepper crusted chicken breast on top of fresh asparagus sweated in garlic butter on top of bacon on top of cheesy rice, garnished with sage buds. That's what happens when I'm let loose in the kitchen. All the really good flavors come out in one dish.

We'll see how it turns out.

A Fine Sabbath

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Bunch) — Mon, 19 May 2008 04:02:00 +0000

90 degrees.
Shade.
Bardenay.
A drive through the countryside.
A bottle of Pinot.

And with a wife.

Summer

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Bunch) — Sun, 18 May 2008 05:15:00 +0000

With a Winter of heavy snow around the state, and with Boise getting its fair share, it is good to get back into warmer air. The vacation to Florida was a warm welcome in every sense. Jennifer finally ate a steak that she could call the best she's ever had. That was at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. We ate hearty the entire time, and I'm sure that I gained 10 lbs. while there.

The first day on the beach was pleasant. Put on the sunscreen. Laid out. Freckled hard. The second day, I did the same thing, but apparently didn't put enough sunscreen on. My pink skin glowed through white shirts.

The pounds may be coming off. I've hit the golf course a time or two since vacation, and I'm staying off the golf carts. Better to walk anyway. I get lots of exercise with my inconsistent hitting. One ball slices far right. I take a mulligan. The next one hooks far left. I retrieve one ball and play the other. I do get lots of exercise.

I've been getting lots of sun as well. I'm playing connect the dots with the freckles, and wondering if this is the summer they'll all merge into one.

We virtually didn't have any Spring this year. We're used to a few dozen 70 degree pleasant Spring days, and this year it just didn't pan out. I can count them on one hand. So we go from April showers to a 90+ degree weekend in the middle of May.

Summer is the high point of the seasons, the culmination of all things following Easter, Ascension, and Pentecost. The drama will start again in the Fall, and the story will be told all over again, year after year, so that the hard headed, like me, have the chance for the Story to sink in

Back

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Bunch) — Thu, 15 May 2008 22:16:00 +0000

I got home from vacation, and forgot that I had a blog. Until now.

A Final Word Before Vacation

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Bunch) — Sat, 03 May 2008 12:20:00 +0000

I mostly I guess work for the state government. My job has a legislative mandate to protect a private fund, and the costs for doing what I do are paid for by that private fund. Associated with what I do is tons of paperwork. Tons. Fortunately, it looks like we'll be shifting to mostly electronic forms in the next six months.

We, the state government bureau that I work for, will be paying for the technology to make this shift, and in the end it will save a lot of time and money. The 21st Century, as scary as the technology is getting, is getting very efficient. Global commerce is benefiting greatly from electronic forms and documents being the new standard. That's one benefit, and there are countless others.

But let's talk about the federal government, and particularly how they directly interact with each of us. Did anyone notice how it costs $18 to file your tax return online? They promote e-filing to save them (ultimately, that is collectively us, right?) time and money. They promote it, promote it, promote it & promote it again & again because it is such a good idea to not cut down any more trees for paper. So then, why in the world would they charge you a fee for a service that saves them & us money and time and paperwork? It's a racket and a sham. But they do it because they can.

Done venting.

Vacation

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Bunch) — Fri, 02 May 2008 14:04:00 +0000

See ya later for awhile...

Dog War Comments

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Bunch) — Thu, 01 May 2008 12:55:00 +0000

I found some pretty funny and educational comments, at least in parts they were funny to me, accompanying the petition against the proposal to leash dogs in the Foothills:

# 1,866:
5:48 am PDT, May 1, Gerald Matusick , Idaho
My main concern with regard to domestic pets in the foothills is the amount of feces. If the board feels that leashing all dogs will have an impact on the amount of feces they are wrong. I rarely see or look for feces 20 feet from the trail, but I see a lot of it right next to or on the trail. So, leashing isn't going to motivate lazy owners to clean up, ticketing them might. Most dog movements occur 50 from the trailhead. I support a measure that would enforce a leash 100 to 200 feet from the trailhead. This may calm those terrified of Fido, and motivate those to clean up.

# 1,853:
9:32 pm PDT, Apr 30, Anonymous , Idaho
My dog loves his off the leash freedom. It's sad to think that he could lose that

# 1,852:
9:27 pm PDT, Apr 30, Chris Larson , Idaho
It is rules and regulations like this that diminish the quality of life in Idaho. We all moved away from California to get away from overregulation of our lives. If the problem is dog poop, then give tickets out for not collecting dog poop.

# 1,824:
8:03 pm PDT, Apr 30, Christine Howe , Idaho
Please don't punish our dogs! Let's find a solution we can all agree on! Educate, educate, educate-- responsible trail users must become the enforcement and hold others accountable. This is far too precious of a resource to lose for us and our four legged friends!

# 1,810:
7:08 pm PDT, Apr 30, Robyn Walters , Idaho
Let our dogs run!!!

# 1,809:
7:08 pm PDT, Apr 30, Jeanette Stewart , Idaho
I feel that as long as dogs are in control of their master, there should be not problem, I would like to see owners who do not carry doggy removal poop bags fined.

# 1,801:
6:51 pm PDT, Apr 30, Colleen Back , Idaho
I continue to believe we citizens can launch a doggie-doo pickup campaign and educate people to leash their dogs when others approach on the trail.

Dog Wars

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Bunch) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:20:00 +0000

Dogs have been all over the local news lately, and apparently the issue is that they're all over the Foothills as well. They're trying to mark their spot on mountain bikes traveling 40 mph, they're leaving doodoo all over the place (which some are arguing is damaging the chemical makeup of the soil, the infertile, rocky soil). Basically, dogs are running free and having fun up on the foothills. And that is why there is a leash proposal that would require owners to enslave themselves and their dogs to one another while walking the Foothills.

As an avid dog-hater, I thought I'd weigh in on this issue, offer some perspective.

First, let me clarify. I am generally a dog-hater. I bide by the wisdom of my father who once told me while I was eating some corn pone, "All dogs are stupid. Some are just stupider than others." If they can tear up your sprinkler lines, they probably will. If they can chase your car, they probably will. If they can go smell the behind of a porcupine, they probably will. If they can chew up your nerf football, they won't pass up the opportunity.

These are general rules, and they form my general opinion. I understand that, as I have been told, there have been some incredibly brilliant dogs throughout history. There were some dogs during WWII that saved the lives of many men. These lasses made Lassie look like a chump and a cheap circus trick. So I have been told, and I don't doubt the stories. It's just that the chances are better that you'll be struck by lighting and attacked by a shark at the same moment before you'll see a dog like that.

Now, I don't like it when they chew my nerf football, but I actually don't mind at all if they chase my car. I mean, if they are stupid enough to chase something that could turn them into a hairy meat pie, let them. Is it going to hurt my feelings if one happens to get its paw a little too close to one of the inside front tires? Uh, no. Is it going to bother me at all, if it does happen, to pull over and go inform the poor unfortunate family that has lost their stupid dog... never mind, I won't be mean.

I'm no Darwinian, but there is something to "Survival of the Fittest" in the animal realm. And when it comes to dogs, I truly believe that humans have propagated the advancement of the population of stupid dogs. Many breeds wouldn't last a second in the wild, and in some instances it is we who have bred them. Our muttation powers, which is usually just the consequence of leaving dogs off of leashes, has produced these car chasers. Pick on something your own size, dum mutt.

Dog lovers hate my passionate disposition, but I beg them to try not to take it personally. For the most part, I just don't like pets. And I understand that some people just love pets. If I do have a pet, it is a pet that requires very little of me. Dogs are too dependent. I'm more of a goldfish kind of guy. You can feed them, if you want, and either way they don't get too noisy about it. If they die, which they do (it seems that for me a goldfish's life span has lasted approximately 2 hours & 20 minutes, and many haven't made the car ride home in the little plastic bag), you can just dispose of them really simply with the flush of a toilet.

Cats are even tolerable. Sure, you have to put food and water in their dish in the morning. The rest of the time they're sleeping, or prowling about. Whatever they're doing, they sure never require you to go along with them. But if you love dogs, you love getting lukewarm slobber up to your elbow when you take the tennis ball out of Spot's jowls, good for you. Cats get hit and killed by cars often, but at least they're out and about doing something useful like eating mice. They certainly don't wait along the road for you to pass by.

Isn't it funny that so many think that dogs are God's most wonderful creatures, yet the worst insult you can hurl is to call someone a dog? And whoever said that dogs are man's best friend was a pretty pathetic person, really.

So, after objectively weighing out the pros and cons of whether or not to require dog owners to leash their dogs on the Foothills, with heavy civil penalties for disobedience to the policy, I would have to say that I am more than willing to give up my civil freedom, and the civil freedom of my dog, for the betterment of nature and for the human population at large.

Leash 'em up!

Muddy Waters

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Bunch) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 02:16:00 +0000

Mississippi Mud Black & Tan really fleshes out its iconic image of muddy waters, where polar opposites merge. Pilsner & Porter... Yankee & ... what?!? Yep, it's true. How ironic. On this Southern looking moonshine jug that hearkens back to the day when NASCAR was a serious sport - Revenuers chasing moonshine delivery boys in the backwoods - it actually says, "PRODUCED BY MISSISSIPPI BREWING COMPANY" - "UTICA, NEW YORK".