In case you’ve never heard of it, “Open Source” is a term commonly used for software that is developed and shared among computer users. The users collaborate on the changes and releases, and everyone seems to have an input.

(apologies to The Simpsons)

There are libraries (electronic, of course) full of arguments for and against open source, but we’re not covering that issue here.

We are going to discuss that phenomenon known as “Open Source Opinion”. Open Source Opinion (or OSO) is that belief system that takes whatever blurb that sounds good or feels good without judging the content. Sometimes justified by the statement ” I swallow the meat and spit out the bones”. Dude-do you just swallow the un-rotten meat and spit out the bad?  The whole thing is bad.

We can judge whether something is good or bad-we do it every day. Every day we judge whether we can beat the red light, or if we can pull out from the stop sign before the traffic reaches us. The problem, as I see it, is we are indoctrinated from an early age that to judge is bad. We never learn how to determine the facts, aren’t taught logic, and if you disagree you must be a “hater”.

If you actively identify with a group, I would suggest that you understand the fundamental facts and truths of that group, and be able to identify conflicting statements. If you don’t agree with the group, and can’t convince anyone to change, don’t identify with that group anymore. (D’oh!! – Homer Simpson)

If you find yourself collecting opinions from here and there, like gathering flowers in a meadow, ask yourself this: Can any group that claims to be “PP”,  incorporate items from “OO” without becoming “POOP”?

Can you stand up to the OSO?

Identify with the Good and True,

Billy Acre

Somewhere the sun is shining. Somewhere the clouds are white cotton balls chasing each other across the sky. Not here-in the gloomy gray overcast, the clouds are dragging their weary behinds across the dirt brown landscape. The tree buds don’t have enough color to show up, and even the last of the snow has turned a tan color. The house furnace is burnin’ the BTU’s in the morning, but the only reason you turn on the car heat is to keep the fog off the windshield. And then it gets too warm, but if you turn the heat off the windshield fogs up.

Well, yeah.

Weekend’s coming. Spring must be coming, too. The ads are full of the “Home & Garden” shows held pretty much every weekend from now till almost May. Oh, it isn’t the shows that tell me spring is coming-it’s that the shows are all held in the local hockey rink that’s been defrosted for the season.

And that pretty much wraps it up for today.

Draggin’ buns for the Good and True,

Billy Acre

 

 

Monday may have gotten the better of me, but I want a rematch! I think Monday cheated!

Random thoughts:

Hard to believe we once had a phone ATTACHED TO THE WALL! When it rang, we’d pick it up and answer WITHOUT KNOWING WHO WAS CALLING!

 

I used to get a call from (I believe) an Elderly Lady looking for Henry.

Me: Hello?

Elderly Lady: “Is Henry there?”

Me:”Nope, no Henry here.”

E.L. “Well, where is he?”

“I don’t know. There’s no Henry that lives here.”

E.L. “When will he be back?”

“I don’t know-I think you have the wrong number.”

E.L. “Why did you answer the phone if it’s the wrong number?”

“I’m not sure now. But Henry isn’t here.”

E.L. “Could you tell me where he went?”

This could go on for a half hour or longer. One day, I had a brilliant idea.

“Hello?”

E.L. “Is Henry there?”

“Oh, you just missed him! He’ll be back in 15 minutes, so you should call then.”

E.L. “OK” and she’d hang up the phone. When she called Henry in 15 minutes, she’d get the number right and actually talk to Henry. I can only imagine the conversation, E.L. asking Henry where he went, and Henry wondering what she was talking about.

 

You ever wonder what the kids think when we talk about “hanging up” the phone, or “dialing” a number?

Calling for the Good and True,

Billy Acre

 

He is Risen Indeed!

Those two phrases; statement and response; open Easter morning just as surely as the sunrise. Jesus’ resurrection on the first day of the week, two thousand years ago, guarantees those that believe in him their own resurrection day!

I can say those words, and wish you a “Happy Easter”, without giving it a second thought. Perhaps you missed it, or the News Media didn’t give it any space in their coverage, but 67 Christians were killed while celebrating Easter in Pakistan.  Or have you heard of the Amadiyyan Muslim in Glasgow, Scotland who wished Christians a Happy Easter on Facebook, and was later murdered by another Muslim who didn’t share the same feelings of tolerance and love. (Search for Asad Shah on the net for more information).

Would we still be as willing to wish each other “Happy Easter”, or more accurately “Happy Resurrection Day!” if we thought someone might take offense and attack us or our loved ones? Would we be as brave, would we share the Good News with strangers? Would we proclaim as boldly as Paul, “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel….” even though it would cost us our wealth and life?

Tomorrow, when we go back to work to make a buck or two, keep Pauls’ words in mind.

Proclaiming the Good and True,

Billy Acre

Today, bracketed between Good Friday and closing of the Lent season, and Easter, feels like every other Saturday. People are buying groceries, running errands, washing the car (or maybe not-might rain), and in every way acting like this is any other weekend.  The only difference might be the festivals organized for today; I believe there are several Easter Egg hunts this morning and afternoon, some organized by commercial groups and others run by local churches.

The What, Where, When, and How questions are easily answered-just read the newspaper community calendar section, or look at the ads placed in the paper. In order to get the biggest attendance, the folks sponsoring these events make sure everyone has the opportunity to hear about it many times over. Don’t want anyone to miss out on the good times!

But Why?

I read online compilations of business articles-they give me an idea of the latest and greatest fad in the business world. Lately, articles about “Purpose” seem to be more common, and the idea that creating a great sense of “Purpose” will guide a modern company through treacherous times. Of course, the articles give many examples of companies that lost or changed their “Purpose” and then shipwrecked. Solemn advice is given about following  the  founder’s original “Purpose”; but three pages later, the article discusses determining if it’s time to adapt your “Purpose” to the changing world.  Congregations follow the same advice, adapting teaching and structure for “Purpose”.

But Why?

Isn’t that the hardest question? Isn’t that the question on every tongue? Every time your heart hurts, isn’t that question you want answered?  So why (sorry) isn’t that the focus of our meditation following Good Friday? Seems to me that instead of giving something up for Lent, our time would be well spent contemplating the “Why” of Good Friday; the “Why” of the time spent in the grave.

Why?

For “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son…” (John 3.16)

Contemplating the Good and True,

Billy Acre

 

….with a loud voice, and breathed his last.

Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that he cried out like this and breathed His last, he said “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

…were waiting for me on my driveway this morning. Took all morning to clear a path for everyone’s cars. Couldn’t use the snowblower-the snow was so wet and heavy it would come out of the chute and land on the snowblower. Grab a shovel, huff, puff, toss the snow. Repeat. Finally left for work around noon-tow trucks were still pulling cars from the ditches along the four lane.

I am really ready for spring. Can’t wait until fishing season starts. I mostly shore fish locally; lots of panfish around here. I used to love running a boat for fishing and chasing around the lakes. Now with zebra mussels and what-have-you weeds almost requiring that you sterilize the boat and trailer before moving it between lakes, well, I just don’t have that much time.  Maybe if I had a cabin on a lake, but you’re talking some real money there. I mean, that’s just for taxes and government fees-to actually buy a cabin on a lake, you’d have to win a lottery or something. The folks I know that have a cabin inherited it, and share the cost between family members.

I heard the DNR came out with a new rule for Mille Lacs walleye fishing this year-all catch and release, with no live bait allowed. How bad is the walleye population if you can’t even keep a walleye if you catch one? As far as I remember, the DNR has been pushing walleye production on that lake since Hector was a pup. They are even so desperate that the statehouse is trying to require the DNR to negotiate with the Indian tribes to stop using gill nets during spawning season. (All together now–You have got to be kidding me!!!!). There are so few walleye in that lake that anglers can’t keep any–but the tribes can gill net thousands of pounds of fish during spawning season!!!!!  

OK, let’s talk about something else before I start getting grumpy.  How about that guy in Winona who filled out an ATM deposit envelope  with his name, account number, and amount, then sealed and deposited the envelope without having put any money in it. He then started withdrawing the nonexistent money from his ATM account. He figured he had a good plan, except for the bank having his name, address, and a video of him pulling this stunt.

Remember, kids, only the government can spend money they don’have.

Balancing the books for the Good and True,

Billy Acre

Moderate snowstorm today. Not bad, heavy snow at times, but I’ve seen worse.

HOWEVER,

I have rarely seen driving this bad. To the folks I shared the road with today–HANG UP THE PHONE AND DRIVE!!!!!! Lots of cars off the road / spun out / can’t decide which lane they want so they take both-at 35 miles per hour or less.

Really, if you aren’t able to handle driving in less than ideal conditions, take some lessons. There are folks who will gladly teach you. You’ll have more confidence, and sales of blood pressure medicine will go down.

Ranting for the Good and True,

Billy Acre

Today is World Water Day. How we ever survived without having a UN mandated international day of observance for water, I don’t know.  Look over at the person next to you- according to the UN press release, one of you works in a water related sector, whatever that means.  Wait-they might be right-sounds like I’m going to be shoveling about a foot of snow tomorrow!

I was hoping that we could slide into Spring this year without being dumped on by the weather. “Slide” may well be the word for Wednesday, if we get the snow the weatherman is forecasting. Nephew in Iowa called it pretty well: “Don’t know if I’ll need the snowblower or lawnmower tomorrow”

The snow may be on our mind, but you can’t escape hearing about the attacks in Brussels. Almost everyone is offering sympathy and help; I’ve heard of a GoFundMe account being set up (although it’s not clear where the money is going) and there are articles on donating to the Red Cross of Belgium. I’ve gone to the Belgium Red Cross webpage-it’s not in English, so I’m pretty much lost.

This makes me wonder how at risk we are to a tragedy like Brussels.  It wouldn’t take much to shut down traffic in cities: where would you go if traffic is shut down for days? Have a plan to contact family and friends without using your phone: figure out what you need for shelter and how to secure it: do you need special medicines? I guess it sounds like the blizzard bag most of us keep in the car during the winter.

I think I’ll go check on my family now…..

Preparing for the Good and True,

Billy Acre

…is that you have to find it in order to use it. I’m sure your garage is pristine, an honor to the Mancave name. My garage, however, could use some organizing. Or be bigger. I don’t see bigger happening in the near future, so I work on organizing.

It’s not enough to fill boxes and stack them away.  If you do that, you might be looking for the camping gear you bought on that great sale last fall and find the Christmas decorations you were looking for last December. I’ve tried labels, tape, all sorts of markers, and I’ve not been satisfied-but I think I’ve found a way I can mark storage containers that works.

First, get your storage containers. Temporary storage can be cardboard boxes, although if your garage is dry they’ll last for quite a while.

Second, get two rolls of tape: a roll of white Duck tape (or light colored), and a roll of clear packing tape.

Third, lay down a strip of the white Duck tape on the side or end (or both!) of the container you’re going to label.

Fourth, lay down a strip of the clear packing tape over the top of the white Duck tape.

And your label is ready to use! Write on the label with a dry erase marker, if you need to change the labels often-just wipe it off with your hand or cloth.  Dry erase marker does rub off easily, so if you need a label that lasts, use a permanent marker. Your label won’t rub off, but you can erase it by using alcohol as a solvent.

And just like that, your life is perfect with everything stored away! Let’s see, this box will be labeled “Headaches”, this one will be ” Pains of Posterior”, this one will be labeled “Work” -oops, I need a bigger box for that one….

Hope this gives you some help.  I’ve started labeling drawers and storage areas, and as I work with tools and other items, make a point to put them back in their labeled homes.

Organizing for the Good and True,

Billy Acre