educating eric

This black-hat SEO tactic is too good not to out; the first time it popped into my Inbox I ignored it, but the second time...? Well, here you go: Saturday 18th of May 2013 10:20:05 AM Larson Eric Dear Larson Eric: We have learned that unauthorized individual(s) secured a link promoting our website [their redacted site].com on one or more of your web properties. The links were placed purely for SEO purposes, with the intention of manipulating search rankings, something that we do not approve. The presence of these links is harmful to our site's good standing with search engines, and unfortunately, retaining them may also be potentially harmful to your own website's reputation. We would ask that you please remove any links on your site that link to [their redacted site].com So far as we are aware, there are (or have been) links at these URLs: http://[my redacted site].com/tag/ padded-adjustable-piano-bench/ feed We would greatly appreciate your help with r...

Over the years, some folks have criticized me for using the word "conforming" instead of "transforming" in this site. They usually point to Romans 12; see http://teachingwhatisgood.com/conformed-vs-transformed/ for a typical summary. But Romans 8 (verse 29) very clearly uses the word "conforming," albeit in the context of God being the Master of the work of conforming us to Christ. See http://bible.cc/romans/8-29.htm So, which is right — Romans 8, or Romans 12? Yes, I've set up a false dichotomy here… but it proves the point. There's nothing "more Biblical" about saying we're "being transformed" over saying we're "being conformed," unless I've missed something that I need clarification on? (And none of it has anything to do with the fact that the conforming.me domain was available while transforming.me wasn't…)

Found some really old notes on a Mark Driscoll talk from four years ago. Probably from http://marshill.com/media/trial/temptation-from-worldliness … Notes on Mark Driscoll, Feb 16, 2009. "Temptation from Worldliness" Worldly is elevating culture over scripture. There are two ways to do this: to be traditional, or to be progressive. Some people think that worldliness is acting like it's 2009; it can also be acting like it's 1950. We are to live in this culture to bring people to Jesus; we are not to take our identity or worship according to this culture. Some people believe that all we need to do is to go back to the 1950s, and that's worldliness -- suits, organs, avoiding Song of Songs. That is 1950s traditional worldliness, trying to take the world of the 1950s and impose it on people. "Our goal is not to go back to the 1950s or forward to 2010, but to go to Jesus."

At 39:20 in this message from Grace Community Church, the pastor says that God looked out, saw mankind's heart, and decided to send His Son to rescue us. Which sounds poetic, but is an interpretation of 1st Peter 1:20 that I've never heard before: 1 Peter 1:18-20 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. (NIV) So,when did God "make the choice" to save mankind? Granted that He exists outside of time so the question of "when" is an odd one, I think that "before the creation of the world" is more theologically sound than "after observing our behavior"...? Listen to this link, then come back here to comment: http://gracechurchmn.org/wp-conten...

With Easter right around the corner, I had a lot of thoughts running through my head at this morning's " Social Media Shepherds " gathering. That group, which is “an ecumenical group that hosts monthly events focused on empowering churches, ministries and individuals in their use of social media,” always reminds me that “church” is an awkwardly complicated thing to describe. Why? Well… Do I really want to invite friends and neighbors to an unfamiliar Easter services in an intimidating building with awkwardly formal songs and performances that serve to introduce a 30+ minute speech that may or may not successfully convey to them that the God of the Universe wants to reconcile Himself to them, personally? Maybe. Maybe that’s exactly what they need. Maybe. But, as I said this morning, what I’d really like to do is invite them into the conversations that we have around our tables in our Sunday morning “Adult Bible Fellowship,” or show them the way I and my friends email ...

This just arrived in my Inbox (including the question mark; the FBI doesn't seem very sure of itself, perhaps because it thinks it's the DOJ?) with a return address of "office@fbi.gov" ...so it must be legit, right? I wonder why our FBI is sending their mail through the domain "ertelecom.ru" -- that must be a Glasnost thing. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Anti-Terrorist And Monitory Crime Division. J.Edgar.Hoover Building Washington Dc Customers Service Hours / Monday To Saturday Office Hours Monday to Saturday:   Dear Beneficiary     This is to officially notify you that investigation has successfully carried out regarding the payment of your over due contract/ inheritance fund worth 8.5 million USD . It is obvious that you have not receive it yet, we have send letter of notification to your home address through mailbox to notify you about the fund but the letter was returned undelivered so we decide to let you know ...

Back when this blog started in... 2002? More than a decade ago?!? ...I used it as the true "web log" of links and passing interests.  Then, the concept of "blogging" transitioned to long-form writing, so that's what I kept here, and my links were tossed out at del.icio.us. Then, Posterous came along, so I used that for my short, fractured thoughts and slice-of-life captures, and left this as longer writing... which meant that not much got posted here. But now, Posterous is going away.  Which raised the question... what should I do with all my old Posterous content? Long story short, I dropped it here.  If you follow the " posterous " label here you'll find all of it.  But, if you scroll through the archives, it'll be mixed in with what's here already. What's lost are the comments, but there haven't been too many over the years.  Maybe I'll bring all those at once, in a single "update post"?  That's an idea....