28 February, 2011

dveon's Death and Destruction Maert

On the north side saturday afternoon, driving down devon, when I saw the fklashing blue lites ahead of me. Before pulling to the rite to let them pass, ui loked in the back mirror and saw tonnes of lites - at that instant, cheepa, in the seat next to me, said "Hey, they're chasing that black truck!" The truck pulled a left into a side street to avoid the cops comeing east, and slammed into a tree - what, 75 feet from me? I was out of the car instantly looked to see what would happen - untill the gunfire started. Too many stories of how terrible and damaging bullets are - so i jumped behind the Strasser 's engine block.

Not too many times Ive been taht close to some guy getting multiple shots to the head and dying. But as it turns out, these guys were involved (allegedly)in 12 murders, and had jusrt come back from teo more killings. I'd read about the previou murders - there modus was to have a cocaine deal in the $100,000 range, then kill ther dudes.

As we drove south further, we ran into the area where the original killing had taken place - somke driving up alleys etc and we were fee..

heers some of the stories

Tribune 1 (latest)
Tribune 2Tribune 3


Sun times 1Sun times 2

Stix List

Writen by Lazers
edited by Hilts
Salerno’s was only sparsely crowded for trivia night. Top suspicion went to the storm threat oversold (as usual) by the Chicago weather persons. However, Benkowski seemed to think the low turnout was due to burnout, referencing some 8-hour event. Mysterious.

J&B represented by: Chemical MAn, Stix, MG, Mothers and Lazers ((No Hilts))

The Competition: Peeps, Auntie J, and Funky Monkey

Art’s initial shit list:
Chemical MAn, Mothers, MG, and Lazers

First half: Movies 89 & 99/Music 76 & 06/Current NBA

’76- sang “Play That Funky Music”?
’76- sang “Sara’s Smile”?
’76- sang “Love Hurts”?
’76- sang “Do You Know Where You’re Going To”?

After one team gets a correct answer after another team’s incorrect answer-
Benkowski: “They call that a clean-up in the trivia world.”
MG: “We call that a rebound in the J&B world.”

Mothers wins a Ladies Only “Long Distance Roll”- props deserved after singling out her 0-3 one month back.

Scores at the half: J&B 1470 Auntie J 970 Monkey 640 Peeps 510

Art’s shit list is a living document that evolved into the following:
Chemical MAn, MG, Mothers and Lazers

The switch in slots between MG and Mothers came after MG cracked a funny one-liner. Stix moves him down one slot on the list for the joke. MG = joke. Mothers = no joke.

Second half: Songs with “kiss” in the Title/TV on Sunday/Sports Champions

’98- sang “This Kiss”?
’95- sang “Kiss from a Rose”?
’88- sang “Kiss and Tell” (initials B.F.)?
’86- sang “Kiss”?
’57- sang “Kisses Sweeter Than Wine”?
2000s- Two golfers won the Masters three times each?
1990s- Two European golfers won the Masters twice each?
1980s- This European golfer won the Masters twice?
1990s- She won five women’s championships at Wimbledon?
1980s- This European won three men’s championships at Wimbledon?
2003- In the last line from this movie, Queen Latifah says to Eugene Levy: “You’re some kind of freak”?
1984- female lead of “Purple Rain”?

For that last question, Benkowski threatens to revoke the “man card” of an African-American guy sitting at the bar, playing for the Peeps, if he didn’t know the answer.

Mothers (plotting): “SS…that’s for ‘secret strategy’.”
Why do I have the feeling that SS conjures a different connotation when discussing J&B? ((KIL))

After the Peeps issue an incorrect answer, one of them follows up by giving the correct answer-
Benkowski: “I would never follow my answer with a secondary answer. Other teams may hear you. That’s bad strategy.”

Mothers gets involved in another Ladies Only contest- Most Occupied Piercings. The representative from the Peeps was a waitress whom I don’t recall seeing before tonight. Mothers has two occupied piercings. The waitress tells Benkowski she has three. She points out the earring in each ear. She points out that her nose is pierced; however, it is not occupied. That doesn’t count. Benkowski then points out that her lip is pierced and occupied. The waitress wins with three occupied piercings. J&B tries to decide which aspect of the waitress’ game was more intelligent: the fact that she tried to win an “occupied piercings” challenge by using an unoccupied piercing, or the fact that she apparently doesn’t know how many piercings she has in the first place.

Scores after two halves: J&B 2530 Auntie J 1830 Monkey 1540 Peeps 1120

During a lengthy break prior to the Final Questions (the climax of the Bulls game looked to play a part), an older gentleman from Funky Monkey shines some light on Benkowski’s reference to the 8-hour burnout. Apparently, once a year, there is an underground trivia event held at some guy’s house. It sounds like it is a team event in tournament form and can take 8 hours to complete. The Funky Monkey guy plays. I think Benkowski plays. Other Salerno regulars may play. This year’s event apparently was held this past Sunday, hence the current burnout.

The first rule of “underground trivia”: Do not talk about “underground trivia”.

The Funky Monkey gentleman passed along some questions that he remembered from the event:

Name the three world countries whose second letter is “c”?

Daryl Strawberry is the NY Mets all-time home run leader with 252. Ten other players have hit at least 100 home runs as Mets. Name them.

Back to Benkowski, where J&B wagers the classic. Category options were: 2000s Movies, All Time Strikeout Leaders, Guns N Roses, No Doubt, South Suburban Locations, and (I would like to have seen our faces when this was announced) Benkowski Sings Temptations’ Songs.

South Suburban Locations (Peeps):
At 183rd and Dixie Highway, what 8 letter city?
At 89th and Kostner, what 8 letter city?
At 143rd and Bell Road, what 2-word city?

All-Time Strikeout Leaders (Funky Monkey):
Of the all-time top 12, 3 played in Chicago for at least 3 seasons- name 1?
Two of those played in Chicago for at least 10 seasons- name 1?
Name the other?

Benkowski Sings the Temptations (Auntie J):
Just have to use your imagination for this one.

2000s Movies (J&B):
Name the 3 female leads from “Monster In Law”?
Name the 2 male leads from “The Whole Nine Yards”?
Name the 2 leads and exact year of “Castaway”?

Gentlemen?
PART @ w/ Answers
Part II

First Half:
’76- sang “Play That Funky Music”? Wild Cherry
’76- sang “Sara’s Smile”? Hall & Oates
’76- sang “Love Hurts”? Nazareth
’76- sang “Do You Know Where You’re Going To”? Diana Ross

Second Half:
’98- sang “This Kiss”? Faith Hill
’95- sang “Kiss from a Rose”? Seal
’88- sang “Kiss and Tell” (initials B.F.)? Bryan Ferry
’86- sang “Kiss”? Prince
’57- sang “Kisses Sweeter Than Wine”? Jimmy Rodgers
2000s- Two golfers won the Masters three times each? Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson
1990s- Two European golfers won the Masters twice each? Nick Faldo, Jose Maria Olazabal
1980s- This European golfer won the Masters twice? Seve Ballesteros
1990s- She won five women’s championships at Wimbledon? Steffi Graf
1980s- This European won three men’s championships at Wimbledon? Boris Becker
2003- In the last line from this movie, Queen Latifah says to Eugene Levy: “You’re some kind of freak”? Bringing Down the House
1984- female lead of “Purple Rain”? Apollonia

“Underground Trivia”

Name the three world countries whose second letter is “c”?
Ecuador, Iceland, Scotland

Daryl Strawberry is the NY Mets all-time home run leader with 252. Ten other players have hit at least 100 home runs as Mets. Name them.
Mike Piazza 220, Howard Johnson 192, David Wright 169, Dave Kingman 154, Carlos Beltran 134, Todd Hundley 124, Kevin McReynolds 122, Edgardo Alfonzo 120, Ed Kranepool 118, Carlos Delgado 104.

Final Question:

Peeps- 1120- South Suburban Locations- guess Midlothian (no), Hometown (correct), and South Holland (no)- only 1 correct- wagered 800- down to 320.

Benkowski, after the correct Hometown guess: “Big time play for a small town!”

Funky Monkey- 1540- All Time Strikeout Leaders- guesses Tom Seaver (correct), Ferguson Jenkins (correct), and Jack McDowell (no)- that’s 2 correct- wager of 1540- double up to 3080 and the lead!

Auntie J- 1830- Benkowski Sings the Temptations- guesses Just My Imagination (correct), Diana Ross and the Supremes (correct), and Psychedelic Shag (correct)- all 3 correct- wagered 1251 plus bonus- up to 6081 and the new leader. J&B will need the bonus to win tonight.

J&B- 2530- 2000s Movies- guesses Jane Fonda/Jennifer Lopez/Wanda Sykes (correct), Bruce Willis/Matthew Perry (correct), and Tom Hanks/Helen Hunt/2004 (the year was incorrect)- 7 out of 8 equals 2 correct- wagered 1131- up to 3661.

Auntie J emerges victorious for Sparse Trivia Night.

J&B next in action for one of the big events: St Bede’s Trivia on February 26th. Update to come next week. The final roster expected to be: Moho/Chemical man/hilts/Stix/nitenurse/Peppys/Lazers/MG/Mothers/whichever of Chem’s nieces wins the cage match

Final Answers:
South Suburban Locations:
At 183rd and Dixie Highway, what 8 letter city? Homewood
At 89th and Kostner, what 8 letter city? Hometown
At 143rd and Bell Road, what 2-word city? Homer Glen

All-Time Strikeout Leaders:
Of the all-time top 12, 3 played in Chicago for at least 3 seasons- name 1? Tom Seaver, Ferguson Jenkins, Greg Maddux
Two of those played in Chicago for at least 10 years- name 1? Jenkins and Maddux
Name the other? Whichever one you didn’t answer for the last question

2000s Movies:
Name the 3 female leads from “Monster In Law”? Jane Fonda/Jennifer Lopez/Wanda Sykes
Name the 2 male leads from “The Whole Nine Yards”? Bruce Willis/Matthew Perry
Name the 2 leads and exact year of “Cast Away”? Tom Hanks/Helen Hunt/2000

15 February, 2011

From Jakov (ne Jamie, Jime-e, Jacob)

If your able, let me know what verse you speak of regarding purgatory. Also, if the Webster's Ninth Collegiate Dictionary is correct when it defines "grace" as unmerited favor (unearnable obviously, and undeservable), than how, logically, could that be something that an individual could choose or reject?You said a couple of weeks ago that an individual must "do something", in terms of their relationship with God. More importantly, i believe the Gospel is arguing, and, i believe, Paul testifies, that a Christian or Catholic must "believe" something first. They must believe what's referred to as "the milk of the Gospel". That Christ accomplished something for us, and, indeed, for all creation on the Cross. He is the "author and finisher of our faith". And what did Christ do for us on the Cross? Well, simply, he saved us. Saved us from what? Answer: the bondage of the law. Dad, you told me several months ago, and many times previously, that freedom is responsibility. I don't know if that's true, but i do know that neither you nor i are free in the most radical sense meaning capable of doing anything we wish without repercussion (the Webster's says freedom is to be not subject to the control or domination by another). You and i are very much not free. We are under bondage of the law. Paul says the law is good, and i agree. It seems to point toward kindness, common decency, and consideration toward your neighbor. Christ came not to destroy the law but to fullfill. This is the milk of the Gospel. While the law is usually good, kind, and just, we are not eternally accountable for it because God, in his infinite wisdom and love toward us, chose to take the responsibility of the law, and of course, the punishment that the violation of the law brings. We live in a state of grace with God because of what was accomplished for us on the Cross. We cannot earn unmerited favor, it is where we stand positionally with God because of the sacrifice on the Cross. We do not choose grace. Grace has been thrusted upon us. Paul states, "For by Grace are we saved through faith and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, least any man boast". We are given the gift of faith by God to trust in what was accomplished for us on the Cross. We are given the gift of faith to trust Romans 3.21... that the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets.Why is Jesus God? It's simple. According to the Gospel of John nothing was created without the Savior. Nothing that was created was under anything other than grace. Jesus is God because He is given all the credit, He is given all the glory, He is given all the honor for saving and delivering Ed Peters and the rest of creation from the bondage of the law and from any guilt or shame the law can bring. All of God, the twenty four elders, the four beasts, and all of creation shall bend a knee in homage to the Lamb's sacrifice. Jesus is given all the credit for the eternal righteous perfection of God's creation. We can all proclaim Isaiah 61.10, " I greatly rejoice in my Lord for he has covered me in the garments of salvation, he has clothed me in robes of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride (the bride of Christ?) adorns herself with her jewels. For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations".You cannot put new wine into old wineskins. If you do the skins will burst... and the wineskins will be ruined. You pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved. What does this mean? Simple, the old skins are Judiasm and Judaic Law. These skins cannot contain the blessings of joy, peace, and salvation that are ours by the Grace of God.
written by
Jakov

04 February, 2011

The Ancient of Days

The Ancient of Days - also know as Jacob's spiritual leader - died during the snowstrom. He was found dead on his kitchen floor. I used to hate the guy, but since Jacob moved out and was less subject to his hectoring - the hate dissapeared.

It was shock when Jacob called w. the news. More later