Posts
A Review of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
By Jeff Webb
Nobody walks into the theater to see Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen with the expectations of seeing a serious film about such things as technology and war. No, people go to see the new Transformers film to escape, to live vicariously through the characters and be caught up in the action. They want to be entertained rather than stimulated in thought.
The question then becomes not whether Revenge of the Fallen is a good film, but is it an entertaining film? The answer to that is yes.
The story picks up where the first Transformers left off, with Optimus Prime and his band of Autobots protecting the world from the evil Decepticons. An audience member really needs to know nothing else to grasp the action of the story, though, and that is unfortunate. The first film’s biggest flaw was its script, and the same goes for the sequel. It lacks complexity, and it lacks detail. Why do the Decepticons despise the Autobots so much? Why is the Matrix of Leadership so powerful? No answers are given, and character motivations are not only hidden but practically non-existent. Yes, the film calls for a suspension of disbelief, but—as this summer’s Star Trek or last summer’s Dark Knight evidence—suspension of disbelief does not necessarily mean that a film still cannot be grounded in some reality.
Mostly, though, the shallow script does not allow the audience to connect with the characters. Yes, we know Sam Witwicky and the noble Optimus Prime, but, other than that, characters are two-dimensional. Even the most unbelievable of films must connect the audience with the characters, must allow the audience to relate to the film in that way, for, if the film fails in that regard, the audience will never be truly enthralled.
Still, with the lack of story depth, the film is entertaining, reliant primarily upon its visual effects. The action scenes look spectacular, even though some of them—including the climatic battle in the desert—are too frantic and, in the words of my father, “busy.” It’s easy to lose track of the characters, especially when many of the transformer robots bear such striking resemblance. However, there is truly one wonderful scene—perhaps the best of the summer—and that is the action scene in the forest about halfway through the film. Interestingly enough, it is the one scene where Michael Bay’s camera and editing are at their most deliberate and calm.
Say what you want about Michael Bay and his films, but the man has his own style, and that is a lot more than many directors can say. Yes, he specializes in cheesy, over-the-top action films, but it’s not generic action. It is Bay’s vision, no matter how ridiculous it may seem, and anybody that has a vision and can commit that vision to film should be applauded at least just a little bit.
It is worth mentioning, too, that Shia LaBeouf is another victim of unwarranted criticism. His acting in this film, while safe and typical, is not bad. Anybody that truly believes Mr. LaBeouf is a bad actor need only to watch A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints.
In conclusion, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen will probably be the highest-grossing movie of 2009’s summer movie season, and with its beautiful cast and stunning action, it’s easy to see why. However, it does lack a story, and, while such things can be expected or forgiven, one can only wonder how good a film it might really have been if it had been written just a bit better. If one can see the film, though, and truly suspend all disbelief and just be entertained, one should not be disappointed, for the film, with all of its flaws, is still a step above most other mindless Hollywood action flicks.
Just one step above, but a step, nonetheless.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Remembering Farrah Fawcett and the King of Pop, Among Others
By Jeff Webb
Actress Farrah Fawcett, 62, and Michael Jackson, 50, both passed away yesterday. Their deaths follow the recent passings of David Carradine and Ed McMahon, all four of these recently deceased not only being renowned entertainers but also pop culture icons who played a large part in defining their respective generations.
Of course, news coverage of these stars' deaths can get excessive. The mourning people express can become obnoxious and pointless. Famous though they were, at the end of the day, Ms. Fawcett and Mr. Jackson--along with Mr. Carradine and Mr. McMahon--were just people, full of life but also full of flaws. Yes, they were imperfect, like all the rest of us.
So, we really can't spend too long mourning these persons, because they were, after all, persons, but they were persons that most of us knew only through a television screen.
However, by the very job description of "entertainer," they were persons who were ever focused on an audience, and that is where we, the fans, are hit hardest. We didn't know them, but we were affected by them, by their movies, their comedy, their music. Escapist entertainment most of it was, yes, but in a world that can get so depressing, escapist entertainment comes in handy sometimes.
Perhaps, then, it's with a sense of nostalgia that we mourn the deaths of these persons. Not so much are we mourning the absence of them, but more so are we mourning the absence of their characters, and, better yet, the emotional responses those characters evoked in us. That sense of loss is truly a testament to these individuals' skill in their respective art form.
They were gifted performers, the whole lot of them.
Actress Farrah Fawcett, 62, and Michael Jackson, 50, both passed away yesterday. Their deaths follow the recent passings of David Carradine and Ed McMahon, all four of these recently deceased not only being renowned entertainers but also pop culture icons who played a large part in defining their respective generations.
Of course, news coverage of these stars' deaths can get excessive. The mourning people express can become obnoxious and pointless. Famous though they were, at the end of the day, Ms. Fawcett and Mr. Jackson--along with Mr. Carradine and Mr. McMahon--were just people, full of life but also full of flaws. Yes, they were imperfect, like all the rest of us.
So, we really can't spend too long mourning these persons, because they were, after all, persons, but they were persons that most of us knew only through a television screen.
However, by the very job description of "entertainer," they were persons who were ever focused on an audience, and that is where we, the fans, are hit hardest. We didn't know them, but we were affected by them, by their movies, their comedy, their music. Escapist entertainment most of it was, yes, but in a world that can get so depressing, escapist entertainment comes in handy sometimes.
Perhaps, then, it's with a sense of nostalgia that we mourn the deaths of these persons. Not so much are we mourning the absence of them, but more so are we mourning the absence of their characters, and, better yet, the emotional responses those characters evoked in us. That sense of loss is truly a testament to these individuals' skill in their respective art form.
They were gifted performers, the whole lot of them.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Ed McMahon, 1923-2009
Ed McMahon, best known as Johnny Carson's sidekick on The Tonight Show and as the host of Star Search, died today, June 23rd, 2009, at UCLA Medical Center. He was 86 years old. The Pharos would like to extend its thoughts and prayers to all affected by Mr. McMahon's death.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Coppola Interview
Francis Ford Coppola is, quite possibly, America's greatest filmmaker, having directed such classic films as The Godfather trilogy, Apocalypse Now, and The Conversation. Below is an interview from KQED Radio with the man himself.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Better Pay for West Virginia Teachers
The following blog entry is a response to a prompt from aBetterWestVirginia.com, which asked bloggers in the state to "identify an obstacle that hinders West Virginia and discuss its solution." This opportunity was offered by aBetterWestVirginia.com as a way to celebrate West Virginia Day, which is a day remembering the birth of West Virginia's statehood: June 20th, 1863.
By Jeff Webb
West Virginia needs good teachers. With many young teachers opting to leave the state for better paying jobs and many experienced teachers approaching retirement age, the West Virginia educational system has positions to fill, and the state needs to offer some incentive—some enticement—to get educators to stay in the state.
Perhaps the solution is offering higher salaries for teachers. Over the past several years, with an average salary somewhere around $43,000, West Virginia has consistently ranked low in national rankings of teacher pay, while bordering states of Virginia and Ohio have consistently been ranked near or in the top ten highest-paying states for teachers. It is little surprise, then, that young teachers, fresh out of college and looking to start a life, migrate to these nearby states for more lucrative job opportunities.
There are some problems, though, when it comes to raising teacher salaries in West Virginia, namely that the state isn’t a very rich state to begin with, and the current economic recession in the United States can’t help matters, either. According to one recent survey from the U.S. Census Bureau, the median family income in West Virginia is somewhere around $44,000, and, in this respect, the average teacher pay is not far off from what most other West Virginians are earning.
However, using this excuse—that teachers do not need more money because they are right at the average income for the state—is frivolous, as the basic problem still exists: other states offer better pay, and, as a result, West Virginia is losing teachers.
The state’s two largest teacher unions, AFT and WVEA, have each offered their own ideas for pay raises, but there are flaws in their ideas. Namely, in the pay raise plans of both unions, not only do teachers receive a raise, but so, too, do superintendents. With the average salary for superintendents around $90,000—and the salary being even higher in some counties, such as Kanawha—there doesn’t seem much use in the superintendents receiving raises. Rather, it would be much more beneficial to the state and its educational system if the raise were only given to the people that need it: teachers.
Currently, the West Virginia legislature sets the minimum pay for teachers, and then individual counties, based on population and taxable income, can pay more than the minimum. Perhaps, then, what the legislature needs to do is raise the minimum salary by a couple thousand dollars in order to bring West Virginia up to par with other states. If financing for this is hard to come by, perhaps some superintendents and other government officials might consider a pay cut.
Humility. That is the simple answer to this problem. Nobody becomes a teacher for the money. A person becomes a teacher to help others, and that person will do the job no matter what the pay. It’s just that, in the current society, money is necessary to living, and wanting to receive more money for a job whenever possible is not a difficult motive to grasp.
However, it will take humility for West Virginia teachers to accept what they need, not what they want. Likewise, it will take the humility of government leaders to cut back on excess, to give more money to those that need it and not, perhaps, to those that don’t.
Receiving a proper education is one of, if not the most, important things in a person’s life. Paying West Virginia teachers a better salary makes the profession both more respectable and appealing, and that, right now, is exactly what the state’s educational system needs.
By Jeff Webb
West Virginia needs good teachers. With many young teachers opting to leave the state for better paying jobs and many experienced teachers approaching retirement age, the West Virginia educational system has positions to fill, and the state needs to offer some incentive—some enticement—to get educators to stay in the state.
Perhaps the solution is offering higher salaries for teachers. Over the past several years, with an average salary somewhere around $43,000, West Virginia has consistently ranked low in national rankings of teacher pay, while bordering states of Virginia and Ohio have consistently been ranked near or in the top ten highest-paying states for teachers. It is little surprise, then, that young teachers, fresh out of college and looking to start a life, migrate to these nearby states for more lucrative job opportunities.
There are some problems, though, when it comes to raising teacher salaries in West Virginia, namely that the state isn’t a very rich state to begin with, and the current economic recession in the United States can’t help matters, either. According to one recent survey from the U.S. Census Bureau, the median family income in West Virginia is somewhere around $44,000, and, in this respect, the average teacher pay is not far off from what most other West Virginians are earning.
However, using this excuse—that teachers do not need more money because they are right at the average income for the state—is frivolous, as the basic problem still exists: other states offer better pay, and, as a result, West Virginia is losing teachers.
The state’s two largest teacher unions, AFT and WVEA, have each offered their own ideas for pay raises, but there are flaws in their ideas. Namely, in the pay raise plans of both unions, not only do teachers receive a raise, but so, too, do superintendents. With the average salary for superintendents around $90,000—and the salary being even higher in some counties, such as Kanawha—there doesn’t seem much use in the superintendents receiving raises. Rather, it would be much more beneficial to the state and its educational system if the raise were only given to the people that need it: teachers.
Currently, the West Virginia legislature sets the minimum pay for teachers, and then individual counties, based on population and taxable income, can pay more than the minimum. Perhaps, then, what the legislature needs to do is raise the minimum salary by a couple thousand dollars in order to bring West Virginia up to par with other states. If financing for this is hard to come by, perhaps some superintendents and other government officials might consider a pay cut.
Humility. That is the simple answer to this problem. Nobody becomes a teacher for the money. A person becomes a teacher to help others, and that person will do the job no matter what the pay. It’s just that, in the current society, money is necessary to living, and wanting to receive more money for a job whenever possible is not a difficult motive to grasp.
However, it will take humility for West Virginia teachers to accept what they need, not what they want. Likewise, it will take the humility of government leaders to cut back on excess, to give more money to those that need it and not, perhaps, to those that don’t.
Receiving a proper education is one of, if not the most, important things in a person’s life. Paying West Virginia teachers a better salary makes the profession both more respectable and appealing, and that, right now, is exactly what the state’s educational system needs.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Annual Conference Update
By Jeff Webb
Day Four: Nice Hand
Well, today was my last day at the 2009 West Virginia Annual Conference. I actually woke up at 4:20AM today and crawled out of bed at 5. For some reason, I have been sleeping terribly at Conference, perhaps because of the lack of air circulation in my dorm room, even though I do have a huge fan blowing in from the open window.
I went jogging around the track again this morning, though, in all honesty, it was quite pitiful compared to my previous work-outs. No need to go into details.
I went to breakfast again, and had a lovely conversation with WVWC's Grandma. The fake eggs Aladdin served weren't very lovely, though.
Ms. Harriet Olsen led the morning Bible study again, focusing on the character of God. She told the congregation "it's your turn" to take God into the world.
Bishop Lyght elaborated on this, saying, "This is the acceptable time. You are in mission. Go, therefore."
Business got started at 10AM. Bishop Lyght began the session by saying, "As we do our business, we will remain kind to one another, we will love one another, and we will be respectful to one another."
Perhaps the biggest issue of the day was the voting for the constitutional amendments. Amendment #1 drew the most discussion.
If accepted, the amendment would clarify that the United Methodist Church is in ministry to all persons.
Some people read this as indirectly including homosexuals in the church, though, funny enough, the word "homosexuality" was never uttered, and "gay" was only mentioned once.
It was all like one big elephant in the room.
One gay man stood up during debate on the amendments and said that he is a gay man, that his church knows this and they show God's love to him.
This man said, "I would hate to see anyone not accepted into membership for something other than the love of Jesus."
Reverend Monty Brown added that the United Methodist Church has always been, and should always be, open to all people. The Discipline already proclaims that "all persons shall be eligible to attend...worship services, participate in its program, receive the sacraments, and upon baptism be admitted as baptized members."
Of course, another person countered that the Church needs to guard against permissiveness. Such permissiveness, according to this person, might bring about divisiveness in our church membership.
The final vote was 281 for the amendment, and 411 against. These totals will be added to totals from other Annual Conferences to reach the final vote tally and to decide whether the amendment is adopted.
On another note, Conference Director of Communications Laura Allen presented the campaign to "Rethink Church," asking, "Will we tell our story anew, through our actions?"
Allen said the Church should "speak the language of love."
After going over topics of finance, Bishop Lyght said, "A basic stream is flowing, a stream of spirituality. When the stream of spirituality is flowing, congregations don't sit around talking about money issues. They talk about ministry and mission."
It was announced that David Jasper, who has served in the cabinet for eight years, will be returning to the local church. He will be serving at Morris Memorial in Kanawha City.
Ellis Conley will replace Jasper as superintendent of the Mon Valley District.
Bishop Lyght said that there wasn't a clergy member in the room who hadn't secretly imagined being a superintendent one day. The Bishop added, "Superintending is the toughest job in the United Methodist Church. It's the frontline. It's frustrating, but with joy comes frustration, and with frustration comes joy."
I departed Buckhannon after the 3PM worship service, which ended with Bishop Lyght lifting up a prayer for those embarking on and considering ministry.
I left Jenkins Hall for what should be my last time ever staying in the place, but who really knows? As I said, it somehow just keeps pulling me back in. I would not be surprised if Camden collapses before the beginning of next school year and I get transferred back to the third floor of Jenkins, which, you know, might not be that bad. I've grown quite accustomed to the insanity of the place.
Next year's Annual Conference, in June 2010, will be June 10th-13th. The guest speaker will be Bishop Gregory Palmer.
So, in closing, I leave with this thought:
God abides. The Dude abides.
Shalom.
Day Four: Nice Hand
Well, today was my last day at the 2009 West Virginia Annual Conference. I actually woke up at 4:20AM today and crawled out of bed at 5. For some reason, I have been sleeping terribly at Conference, perhaps because of the lack of air circulation in my dorm room, even though I do have a huge fan blowing in from the open window.
I went jogging around the track again this morning, though, in all honesty, it was quite pitiful compared to my previous work-outs. No need to go into details.
I went to breakfast again, and had a lovely conversation with WVWC's Grandma. The fake eggs Aladdin served weren't very lovely, though.
Ms. Harriet Olsen led the morning Bible study again, focusing on the character of God. She told the congregation "it's your turn" to take God into the world.
Bishop Lyght elaborated on this, saying, "This is the acceptable time. You are in mission. Go, therefore."
Business got started at 10AM. Bishop Lyght began the session by saying, "As we do our business, we will remain kind to one another, we will love one another, and we will be respectful to one another."
Perhaps the biggest issue of the day was the voting for the constitutional amendments. Amendment #1 drew the most discussion.
If accepted, the amendment would clarify that the United Methodist Church is in ministry to all persons.
Some people read this as indirectly including homosexuals in the church, though, funny enough, the word "homosexuality" was never uttered, and "gay" was only mentioned once.
It was all like one big elephant in the room.
One gay man stood up during debate on the amendments and said that he is a gay man, that his church knows this and they show God's love to him.
This man said, "I would hate to see anyone not accepted into membership for something other than the love of Jesus."
Reverend Monty Brown added that the United Methodist Church has always been, and should always be, open to all people. The Discipline already proclaims that "all persons shall be eligible to attend...worship services, participate in its program, receive the sacraments, and upon baptism be admitted as baptized members."
Of course, another person countered that the Church needs to guard against permissiveness. Such permissiveness, according to this person, might bring about divisiveness in our church membership.
The final vote was 281 for the amendment, and 411 against. These totals will be added to totals from other Annual Conferences to reach the final vote tally and to decide whether the amendment is adopted.
On another note, Conference Director of Communications Laura Allen presented the campaign to "Rethink Church," asking, "Will we tell our story anew, through our actions?"
Allen said the Church should "speak the language of love."
After going over topics of finance, Bishop Lyght said, "A basic stream is flowing, a stream of spirituality. When the stream of spirituality is flowing, congregations don't sit around talking about money issues. They talk about ministry and mission."
It was announced that David Jasper, who has served in the cabinet for eight years, will be returning to the local church. He will be serving at Morris Memorial in Kanawha City.
Ellis Conley will replace Jasper as superintendent of the Mon Valley District.
Bishop Lyght said that there wasn't a clergy member in the room who hadn't secretly imagined being a superintendent one day. The Bishop added, "Superintending is the toughest job in the United Methodist Church. It's the frontline. It's frustrating, but with joy comes frustration, and with frustration comes joy."
I departed Buckhannon after the 3PM worship service, which ended with Bishop Lyght lifting up a prayer for those embarking on and considering ministry.
I left Jenkins Hall for what should be my last time ever staying in the place, but who really knows? As I said, it somehow just keeps pulling me back in. I would not be surprised if Camden collapses before the beginning of next school year and I get transferred back to the third floor of Jenkins, which, you know, might not be that bad. I've grown quite accustomed to the insanity of the place.
Next year's Annual Conference, in June 2010, will be June 10th-13th. The guest speaker will be Bishop Gregory Palmer.
So, in closing, I leave with this thought:
God abides. The Dude abides.
Shalom.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Annual Conference Update
By Jeff Webb
Day Three: I See Your Raise
I've come to the conclusion that this year's Annual Conference is a slow burning one. The business sessions and worship services, while good, are not quite as energetic or passionate as they seemed in years past, but that's okay. After tonight's worship service, with an awesome message delivered by Bishop Nhiwatiwa and powerful music performed by the praise band, things really do seem to be heating up.
Like yesterday, I started today with an early morning jog around the track. Then, I headed over to the dining hall for breakfast, where I also checked my mailbox and--surprise, surprise--I had an envelope from none other than Dr. McNamara herself. I opened it to find two graded Irish literature exams and my paper on Samuel Beckett. Good stuff.
I went to the morning Bible study at 8:30AM in the Chapel. It was led by Ms. Harriet Olsen, who spoke about Acts 1 and asked the people in attendance, "If you could serve as an eyewitness for Christ, what would you report on?"
The business session began at 10AM. After a laity address delivered by 16-year-old Mark Evans, who shared his experiences about volunteering in the Dominican Republic and at Spring Heights church camp, the Conference moved on to vote for our first set of resolutions.
One particular resolution, "Support of Comprehensive Immigration Reform," should have caused some debate, but it did not. Surprisingly, the resolution was adopted with little opposition. Who would have thought Christians could actually agree on something from time to time?
At the evening worship service, Bishop Nhiwatiwa challenged the congregation, asking, "Are you the Church?" and instructing us to "go and tell in Jesus' name."
Near the conclusion of the service, Bishop Lyght offered up a prayer for the unchurched before dismissing the congregation by saying, "Our service has ended, but our service begins."
Bishop Lyght also invited people to stop and have ice cream on their way out of the Chapel, as tonight was the annual ice cream social sponsored by the Conference Youth.
Tomorrow, which is the last day for business, proves to be very interesting. We will be voting on a set of constitutional amendments that will probably be cause for some discourse, so that should be fun.
Once again, morning prayer and Bible study is in the Chapel beginning at 8:30AM. Business starts at 10AM.
Shalom.
Day Three: I See Your Raise
I've come to the conclusion that this year's Annual Conference is a slow burning one. The business sessions and worship services, while good, are not quite as energetic or passionate as they seemed in years past, but that's okay. After tonight's worship service, with an awesome message delivered by Bishop Nhiwatiwa and powerful music performed by the praise band, things really do seem to be heating up.
Like yesterday, I started today with an early morning jog around the track. Then, I headed over to the dining hall for breakfast, where I also checked my mailbox and--surprise, surprise--I had an envelope from none other than Dr. McNamara herself. I opened it to find two graded Irish literature exams and my paper on Samuel Beckett. Good stuff.
I went to the morning Bible study at 8:30AM in the Chapel. It was led by Ms. Harriet Olsen, who spoke about Acts 1 and asked the people in attendance, "If you could serve as an eyewitness for Christ, what would you report on?"
The business session began at 10AM. After a laity address delivered by 16-year-old Mark Evans, who shared his experiences about volunteering in the Dominican Republic and at Spring Heights church camp, the Conference moved on to vote for our first set of resolutions.
One particular resolution, "Support of Comprehensive Immigration Reform," should have caused some debate, but it did not. Surprisingly, the resolution was adopted with little opposition. Who would have thought Christians could actually agree on something from time to time?
At the evening worship service, Bishop Nhiwatiwa challenged the congregation, asking, "Are you the Church?" and instructing us to "go and tell in Jesus' name."
Near the conclusion of the service, Bishop Lyght offered up a prayer for the unchurched before dismissing the congregation by saying, "Our service has ended, but our service begins."
Bishop Lyght also invited people to stop and have ice cream on their way out of the Chapel, as tonight was the annual ice cream social sponsored by the Conference Youth.
Tomorrow, which is the last day for business, proves to be very interesting. We will be voting on a set of constitutional amendments that will probably be cause for some discourse, so that should be fun.
Once again, morning prayer and Bible study is in the Chapel beginning at 8:30AM. Business starts at 10AM.
Shalom.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Annual Conference Update
By Jeff Webb
Day Two: It's On
Annual Conference officially got started today. For me, it began at 5AM when I woke up in my dorm room and couldn't get back to sleep.
After laying in my bed, awake, for a further forty minutes, I got up and went for a jog around the football field. The sun was already up--it came up early--and the sky was a beautiful orange.
Opening worship was at 9:30AM in the Chapel. The Africa University choir, who will be touring the state after Conference's conclusion, sang a wonderful song that got everybody inspired. Bishop Eben Nhiwatiwa, of the Zimbabwe Annual Conference, delivered the message, asking the congregation, "What kind of Christ do you know?"
Communion was held at the end of the service. It always amazes me how they manage to do communion with so many people in the space provided, but they get it done somehow.
The first business session started at 1:45PM. Wesleyan's Dr. Marvin Carr was presented with the Francis Asbury award "for his countless acts of kindness." In addition, WVWC President Pamela Balch gave a report about the current status of the College, how enrollment has continued to climb, graduate programs have been added, and students continually participate in service-oriented projects.
Next week, according to Balch, the College will start to focus on its Master Plan, which will bring changes to the campus not seen "since the 1960s Stanley Martin era."
The Cabinet ended the first business session with their State of the Church address, referencing scripture about the Tower of Babel and urging churches to work on building bridges, not towers. Wesleyan District superintendent Ken Ramsey stressed that building these bridges and forming connections with people in the name of Jesus Christ is an urgent task.
Overall, it was a good day. Tomorrow proves to be even more interesting as business gets further underway. Opening worship is at 8:30AM in the Chapel, and business starts at 10AM in the Chapel.
On one additional note, as I referenced it in my previous post: Theta Chi no longer needs to cut its grass. It was mowed today, and the yard looks quite lovely.
Day Two: It's On
Annual Conference officially got started today. For me, it began at 5AM when I woke up in my dorm room and couldn't get back to sleep.
After laying in my bed, awake, for a further forty minutes, I got up and went for a jog around the football field. The sun was already up--it came up early--and the sky was a beautiful orange.
Opening worship was at 9:30AM in the Chapel. The Africa University choir, who will be touring the state after Conference's conclusion, sang a wonderful song that got everybody inspired. Bishop Eben Nhiwatiwa, of the Zimbabwe Annual Conference, delivered the message, asking the congregation, "What kind of Christ do you know?"
Communion was held at the end of the service. It always amazes me how they manage to do communion with so many people in the space provided, but they get it done somehow.
The first business session started at 1:45PM. Wesleyan's Dr. Marvin Carr was presented with the Francis Asbury award "for his countless acts of kindness." In addition, WVWC President Pamela Balch gave a report about the current status of the College, how enrollment has continued to climb, graduate programs have been added, and students continually participate in service-oriented projects.
Next week, according to Balch, the College will start to focus on its Master Plan, which will bring changes to the campus not seen "since the 1960s Stanley Martin era."
The Cabinet ended the first business session with their State of the Church address, referencing scripture about the Tower of Babel and urging churches to work on building bridges, not towers. Wesleyan District superintendent Ken Ramsey stressed that building these bridges and forming connections with people in the name of Jesus Christ is an urgent task.
Overall, it was a good day. Tomorrow proves to be even more interesting as business gets further underway. Opening worship is at 8:30AM in the Chapel, and business starts at 10AM in the Chapel.
On one additional note, as I referenced it in my previous post: Theta Chi no longer needs to cut its grass. It was mowed today, and the yard looks quite lovely.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Annual Conference Update
By Jeff Webb
Day One: Arrival
I left my house in Charleston, WV, sometime around 5:30PM, and, roughly two hours later, I arrived in Buckhannon for my third consecutive Annual Conference. I drove into town listening to Kiss' "New York Groove," a song that always gets me in the mood for returning to Wesleyan. After turning onto College Avenue and driving past the Theta Chi house (which, by the way, needs to have its grass cut), I ended up in the Chapel Oval, parked outside Rockefeller Gymnasium.
I made my way inside to the gym and registered. Then, I went over to Jenkins, where I checked out my room and also retrieved some items I had stashed on Jenkins' fourth floor at the end of last semester.
After dinner and a quick stop at Walmart, I returned to my room to relax and prepare for tomorrow, for tomorrow is when the real fun begins. Opening worship kicks off at 9:30AM in the Chapel, and the first business session starts at 1:45PM in the Chapel.
At that, I bid you good night. Check back here tomorrow for more updates.
Day One: Arrival
I left my house in Charleston, WV, sometime around 5:30PM, and, roughly two hours later, I arrived in Buckhannon for my third consecutive Annual Conference. I drove into town listening to Kiss' "New York Groove," a song that always gets me in the mood for returning to Wesleyan. After turning onto College Avenue and driving past the Theta Chi house (which, by the way, needs to have its grass cut), I ended up in the Chapel Oval, parked outside Rockefeller Gymnasium.
I made my way inside to the gym and registered. Then, I went over to Jenkins, where I checked out my room and also retrieved some items I had stashed on Jenkins' fourth floor at the end of last semester.
After dinner and a quick stop at Walmart, I returned to my room to relax and prepare for tomorrow, for tomorrow is when the real fun begins. Opening worship kicks off at 9:30AM in the Chapel, and the first business session starts at 1:45PM in the Chapel.
At that, I bid you good night. Check back here tomorrow for more updates.
Annual Conference Updates
This week, the West Virginia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church will be meeting at Wesleyan's campus. Starting today, Assistant Editor Jeff Webb will cover the event, reflecting on his experiences each day and posting the reflections to this blog. So, if you find yourself curious about the going-ons of the UM Church, check back here. Shalom.
Saturday, June 06, 2009
I Admire Your Pictures Very Much
A Review of Drag Me to Hell
By Jeff Webb
Drag Me to Hell is one of the best horror films to emerge from Hollywood in recent years. Directed by Sam Raimi, the man responsible for the iconic Evil Dead trilogy, the film is just pure scary, campy fun.
The story revolves around bank employee Christine Brown, played sweetly and innocently by Allison Lohman, who denies a housing payment extension to gypsy Mrs. Ganush in the interest of earning a job promotion. In retaliation for the bank foreclosing her house, Mrs. Ganush places a curse upon Christine. For three days, Christine will be tormented by evil, and on the third day she will be, as the title indicates, dragged to Hell.
The film is full of Raimi’s trademarks: evil spirits, possession, scatological and physical humor, quick camera zooms, absurd close-ups. The overall effect gives the film a somewhat light-hearted tone, despite the dark territory of the story. However, that is precisely Raimi’s objective. Completely tongue-in-cheek, Drag Me to Hell doesn’t make the mistake of taking itself too seriously. As a result, the film is all the more refreshing when compared with most other contemporary horror films, films that tend to be overly serious and exist for nothing more than punishing their audiences. Drag Me to Hell, meanwhile, harkens back to horror films of old, when scary movies would terrify their viewers, but, at the same time, provide an endless amount of fun.
If the film has one major flaw, it is that it indulges in the technology of today to tell its story. Here, Raimi, once a masterful low-budget filmmaker, uses CGI as opposed to good, earnest make-up effects for most of the film. However, most of these CGI effects, while ambitious, come across as incredibly cheap and fake looking, some of them laughably bad. One really must wonder, though, if this was perhaps Raimi’s point. The entire film is purposefully cheesy, so why not the effects? Whether intentional or not, this one flaw—if it is a flaw—does little to detract from the overall effect of the film.
In this still-young summer movie season, Drag Me to Hell ranks right up there with Star Trek as the best of the season. Refreshing, campy fun, Drag Me to Hell is, pun intended, one hell of a film.
By Jeff Webb
Drag Me to Hell is one of the best horror films to emerge from Hollywood in recent years. Directed by Sam Raimi, the man responsible for the iconic Evil Dead trilogy, the film is just pure scary, campy fun.
The story revolves around bank employee Christine Brown, played sweetly and innocently by Allison Lohman, who denies a housing payment extension to gypsy Mrs. Ganush in the interest of earning a job promotion. In retaliation for the bank foreclosing her house, Mrs. Ganush places a curse upon Christine. For three days, Christine will be tormented by evil, and on the third day she will be, as the title indicates, dragged to Hell.
The film is full of Raimi’s trademarks: evil spirits, possession, scatological and physical humor, quick camera zooms, absurd close-ups. The overall effect gives the film a somewhat light-hearted tone, despite the dark territory of the story. However, that is precisely Raimi’s objective. Completely tongue-in-cheek, Drag Me to Hell doesn’t make the mistake of taking itself too seriously. As a result, the film is all the more refreshing when compared with most other contemporary horror films, films that tend to be overly serious and exist for nothing more than punishing their audiences. Drag Me to Hell, meanwhile, harkens back to horror films of old, when scary movies would terrify their viewers, but, at the same time, provide an endless amount of fun.
If the film has one major flaw, it is that it indulges in the technology of today to tell its story. Here, Raimi, once a masterful low-budget filmmaker, uses CGI as opposed to good, earnest make-up effects for most of the film. However, most of these CGI effects, while ambitious, come across as incredibly cheap and fake looking, some of them laughably bad. One really must wonder, though, if this was perhaps Raimi’s point. The entire film is purposefully cheesy, so why not the effects? Whether intentional or not, this one flaw—if it is a flaw—does little to detract from the overall effect of the film.
In this still-young summer movie season, Drag Me to Hell ranks right up there with Star Trek as the best of the season. Refreshing, campy fun, Drag Me to Hell is, pun intended, one hell of a film.
Thursday, June 04, 2009
David Carradine, 1936-2009
Actor David Carradine, best known for his roles on TV's Kung Fu and as the title character in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill, died Wednesday, June 3rd, at the age of 72. To remember this talented actor and pop-culture icon, we have included a video below. In it, Carradine, playing Bill in Kill Bill, ponders the mystery and wonder of life and death.
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