Sheriff Jolaoso is a Senior majoring in Computer Engineering. His research involves analyzing electroencephalographical (EEG) data in order to find and establish trends between humans under specific testing conditions. To learn more about Sheriff's resarch pursuits, read his research profile.

Do you find yourself shaking your head in disbelief or shouting at the telelvision screen during US televised debates? We would like to offer you a more sane alternative. Join us on Twitter tonight during the CNN GOP debate. You can participate in the discussion or just watch as others they shake their head in disbelief and shout at their telelvision screens in 140 characters.

You can find us at www.twitter.com/usdemocrazy

WARNING: this post is for dorks only.

It’s hard to say how many people today are fans of Shakespeare.

Maybe because he didn’t write Hamlet in 140 characters. Regardless, there is a new movie out that contends the worlds greatest writer never wrote a single character.

Furthermore, that daring movie is excellently critiqued by James Shapiro over at the New York Times.

“Anonymous” makes a cinematic argument that those impenetrably dense plays you were forced to read in high school were actually the product of  the Earl of Oxford, Edward de Vere.

The theory goes like this; Shakespeare was not noble and did not have a noble education, de Vere was and did.

De Vere’s life closely mirrors some of the plays in Shakespeare’s name. Finally, de Vere was the illegitimate child of the (not so) virgin Queen Elizabeth and could not put his name on his work for political reasons.

The problem? None of these theories are substantial. As Shapiro puts it:

Promoters of de Vere’s cause have a lot of evidence to explain away, including testimony of contemporary writers, court records and much else that confirms that Shakespeare wrote the works attributed to him. Meanwhile, not a shred of documentary evidence has ever been found that connects de Vere to any of the plays or poems.

So, ok… a movie is just a movie right?

True… except Sony Pictures has been circulating lesson plans to teachers that are based on Anonymous. This speaks to our culture; we live in an age and a place where believability is based on digestibility, truth by 140 characters.

De Vere himself describes this phenomenon perfectly in the movie…

He is quoted in Anonymous saying “all art is political … otherwise it is just decoration.”

He believes in the power of propaganda, which is really what this movie is doing; rewriting history using style instead of facts as an authority.

Mr. Emmerich has made a film for our time, in which claims based on conviction are as valid as those based on hard evidence.

There isn’t much commentary for this one. I guess we’re just as surprised as everyone else about Herman Cain’s singing voice.

Here’s a transcript of the lyrics:

Imagine there’s no pizza
I couldn’t if I tried
Eating only tacos
Or Kentucky Fried
Imagine only burgers
It’s frightening and sad

You’re lucky you have pizza
To feed for kids for you
Only frosting or cookies
And no dishes you must do
Imagine eating pizza
Each and every day

You may say that it’s junk food
But to me it’s so much more
It gives my life its meaning
And it makes a lot of dough

Imagine mozzarella
Anchovies on the side
And maybe, pepperoni
Rounds out your pizza pie
Imagine getting pizza
Delivered to your door

You don’t have to give up now
On my skateboard I will go
I’ll be back in 30 minutes
I just bought Dominoes

All I am saying
Is give pizza a chance
All I am saying
Give pizza a chance!
All I am saying
Is give pizza a chance
All I am saying
You’ve got to, got to give pizza a chance!

Luke 5:1-11

1 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. 2 He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”

5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.

Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

Reflect:

While many Jews doubted Jesus, choosing to believe their own beliefs and biases over His message, there were some who believed and responded in faith. As we can see in today’s passage, how different is the response of Simon Peter compared to the unbelieving Jews! We can contrast his response to Jesus to what we read about in Day 1 (Luke 5:1-11).

The Jews who heard Jesus’ message in Luke 5:1-11 were unable to overcome their preconceived notions and biases about Jesus. They could not see past the absurdity of the neighborhood boy as the ‘bread of life.’ Ultimately, it can be said that they did not recognize who Jesus really was and their grumbling sums up their attitude and doubts.

Jesus also confronts Simon with something ‘absurd.’ In this story we see how Jesus, a carpenter, tells Simon, a professional fisherman, to put out his nets for fish. Simon certainly knew more fish would likely be caught after dark. Essentially, Jesus tells Simon to do something that in a fisherman’s opinion would be pointless. But in contrast to the unbelieving Jews, he was able to see past his own preconceived notions and beliefs. He followed Jesus’ direction, even though it went against what he knew best. Simon’s response showed that he had caught a glimpse of who Jesus really was. As the nets began to break, Simon’s instant reaction was to see himself in light of God’s holiness. His humble response is in stark contrast to the grumbling of the unbelieving Jews!

Respond:

Today, are there areas in our hearts that are grumbling and doubting Jesus’ call? Let’s let go of our doubts and biases. May we readily respond to Jesus’ call in faith and obedience. In the end, the unbelieving Jews missed not only Jesus’ message, but they missed his invitation to receive and experience true life. For Simon, his encounter with the Lord was the beginning of discipleship. It was the beginning of a new life of purpose and calling. As we pray today, let’s ask for the obedience and humility that Simon demonstrated, let’s pray for a new openness in our hearts to take Jesus at his word and to respond to the called life.