If we know three things about be they are:

1. I am ridiculously anal retentive
2. I would live on a plane, and travel to a different city everyday if I could afford it
3. I am a little nerdy

Below is a scanned image of 116 boarding passes of the 152 flights I have taken on an airline in my 210,167 miles in the sky. You can verify these stats at my flight log if you'd like (told you I was anal, and I am thinking you are changing the "little nerdy" to "a lot nerdy" right about now).


You know what I love about boarding passes? They each have a story behind them of a great adventure. In the picture above there is...

...moving out to college
...the flight I took right after 9/11/01
...going to my study abroad in Israel and the Middle East
...mission work in South Africa and Venezuela
...my job interview in Atlanta
...taking US Military Kids based in Germany and Japan to camps
...adventuring to Australia by myself
...countless weekenders visiting friends and loved ones

Above there are boarding passes in English, German, Dutch, Japanese, Greek, & Hebrew.

But never before have I had a boarding pass like this.

Hello to the new digital mobile boarding pass Delta is now offering to its passengers when flying out of certain airports.

The check-in process was so easy. I did it from my iPhone while sitting at a Gwinnett Braves game. Then showed up to the airport where TSA has a special box that reads the phone. Unfortunately, for this trip that's where the fun ended.

Upon trying to board my flight to Fort Lauderdale, I handed the gate agent my phone.

He looked at me and said, "I need your boarding pass, not your phone."

I responded, "this is my boarding pass."

He took a gradual look at it and said, "I can't use that. It will mess up the computer. What's your name?"

So alas, this wasn't my last non-digital boarding pass as the gate agent printed me a paper boarding pass and moved me along.

But that only slightly hampered the coolness factor, and hey for all I know, maybe there was something going wrong that day and it really would have messed up the computer.

If you fly Delta out of Atlanta, LaGuardia, Memphis, Minneapolis or Las Vegas you should see if you have better luck.

Also here's a tip: take a picture of the pass when you check in by pressing the Power button on the top and the Home button at the same time. You'll hear a clicking sound and then your boarding pass will be in your Photos "Camera Roll." This way you won't have to reload the boarding pass everytime you go to use it.

I always fly mainline airlines, but I have to say, Delta is really rising* to the top of the US mainlines. Their improvements in technology - including WiFi on planes and the Mobile boarding pass - not to mention in-flight trivia and live television on many planes really helps them soar* above the competition in my book.

*Puns intended

P.S. Remember everybody that I am in Key West starting tomorrow, but I have the new iPhone / Email blogging capability so check back often for photos and small blog posts. And in light of this post, to answer your question, no we aren't flying. CJ and Andrea and the kids are driving from Indiana to Atlanta. And then I am driving them from Atlanta to Key West. Although I love a road trip almost as much as I love being in the sky.

By now I am pretty sure everyone has heard of Carrie Prejean - aka "Miss California" - aka "The Girl Who Got Figuratively Bitch Slapped by Perez Hilton Regarding Gay Marriage."

We did a show on it. CNN has covered it. MSNBC ridiculed it. FoxNews has offered her a job. And I hear her and James Dobson are dating. Ok, those last two might be made up (or ARE they?)

Yet nobody made the statement that I have been from the very beginning: Carrie Prejean is the reason nobody takes the anti-Gay Marriage movement seriously.

Before - did I mention before - TheDirty.com released this photo of a 17 18-year old Prejean modeling for some awesome panties, I had a conversation with my brother about how this Miss USA situation is a joke and perfectly illustrates the irrelevancy of the anti-Gay marriage movement.

Then when TheDirty.com released the photo to the right all I could think of was: YES!

Now I don't take any issue with the photo. Future wife: please use Carrie as "clothing" inspiration. But then again, I freely admit I am liberal when it comes to "modesty." I also know I am liberal when it comes to Gay Marriage (reference: this post).

But two questions come to the surface:

1.) Am I the only one who thinks her boobs were better before the implants?

2.) Why are the religious right "excited" to have her as a spokeswoman?

As stated before, I think gay marriage should be legal because we don't illegalize divorce and pornography. Two things that are equally as "Biblically morally wrong" as homosexuality. And the fact that we scream at the top of our lungs about one, and not the others, makes us worse than hypocrites, it makes us irrelevant. And not irrelevant in the trendy way hipster Churches talk about being relevant. I mean irrelevant in that nobody gives a damn what we have to say not just about homosexuality - but about anything.

But I tell you the real tragedy in this whole situation is that The Associated Baptist Press - yes The Associated Baptist Press - had the best article I have read on this issue. Not per se because I agree with the conclusion, but for at least questioning the absurdity of the situation.

And even after Prejean has come out and apologized for the shoot, saying she regrets doing it and won't do it again, I have to think: who cares? Why? Because this isn't about her. It is about us!

The Church's mission will not return to it's key mission of creating disciples of Jesus Christ until our interaction with the world we live in is a consistent one.

I went down to Orlando yesterday to visit a movie set and production facility for a film that a friend of mine is in-part financing.

Let's be honest. I am always up for a ride on his plane no matter where we are going.

And let's be even more honest. It was all the more cool that we were visiting a movie set in the pre-production phase. Seeing a set assembled, viewing the editing rooms, checking out the cast, and talking with the writers - simply awesome.

The movie is about child dying of cancer - and even though it sounds like a bummer - I am confident there will not be a more hope filled movie in 2010.

But I have to admit I was thrown for a huge loop on our last stop of the day. And it turned out to be the best part of the trip.

At the end of the day we visited "Give Kids the World" - an operation designed to allow kids dying of terminal diseases (and their families) a place to come stay for the week while experiencing Disney World, Universal Studios, and the like. They attempt at giving these families as care free and as "normal" of a vacation as possible.

I have never seen an operation that has thought of every detail as thoroughly as what I witnessed there. Everything from ice cream parlors for breakfast, to castle designed houses, to pools capable of having kids in wheel chairs go "swimming on their own." And since a lot of the kids won't make it to Christmas, they have Christmas every Thursday - including fake snow...in Florida! It was an extraordinary operation.

But as I sat on the plane going home - with my shoes off and sitting backwards amidst the clouds and mild turbulence - my mind drifted to an ex-girlfriend's brother, who I will call Aaron.

Aaron was a couple of years older than me and a great guy. When I dated his sister he was into wrestling and baseball and was incredibly intelligent. But he suffered from a disease known as Ataxia and was limited to a wheel chair.

Often times I would go into his room and talk about baseball - which I too enjoyed - and wrestling - which I did my best to get into. Sometimes he'd join us downstairs for a movie. As I look back, I interacted with him more than any girlfriends' siblings, yet he is also the one I still feel like I didn't interact with enough.

I still think about Aaron surprisingly a lot - pretty much anytime wrestling appears while channel surfing and sometimes when I am at Braves games.

I doubt with out knowing Aaron I would have as much respect and empathy for Give Kids The World as I did. Their goal of over-emphasizing the normal, so that some kids who never experienced normal could have some true enjoyment with their family was moving and something I will never forget.

I have always been a bit of a news junky. When other kids were watching cartoons and SNick, I usually was watching CNN. Oddly, now that I am in the "news business" - I find myself not watching much of it anymore.

And while I used to enjoy all sources of news, I have to admit, Fox News & MSNBC aren't news channels - they are commentary channels. The fact they masquerade as news channel is destroying America.

Take for instance this advertisement I saw in a trade publication I receive.



What stands out to me is the verbiage. Fox News is claiming they are the best at talking to America. Not talking with America. Not informing America. No they are good at talking to America. The verbiage brings to mind a parent talking to their child.

The problem is that Fox News & MSNBC have got it in their minds that they know better than everyone else in America. So in reality they have conceded any sort of unbiased credibility.

Now I have most likely pissed everyone off. Conservatives think Fox News is a God send. And liberals find MSNBC to "finally" have come around as a new source of light in a conservatively controlled world.

But the shallow minds who find Fox News and MSNBC to be unbiased news reporting are those who really only want to be told what they already believe.

It is sadly humorous to me when I say I trust CNN as the least biased news source. My conservative friends say, "ahh how can you watch the Clinton News Network. It's so liberal." My liberal friends say, "man, CNN is so conservative and are afraid to report the truth in fear of offending the right."

If they are pissing off both sides - and their ratings prove that - I think it actually means they are the only credible source left.

But this really isn't about the news. It is about what is tearing America apart: settling into camps of extremism regardless of the issue.

I made the comment in Creative last week that Perez Hilton is really no better than those behind GodHatesFags.com - they are just two extremes on the opposite end of the perspective. It isn't their perspective that is damaging, it is that they take their perspective to such a angered and figuratively violent extreme.

It's true with news sources. It is true with those in the gay debate. It is true with immigration. It is true in just about every issue we find contentious in our society.

If we would all just move to the middle, learn to compromise and love, and stop seeking refuge in the extremes, we would be a country worth living in again. A country our founders would be proud of. A country truly living out the golden rule.

But instead we just figuratively go on watching Fox News or MSNBC and continue to divide the country further and further apart. It's time to turn to CNN.

I was driving to Key West during the last weekender when I caught word during a news break about the Department of Homeland Security recently issuing Assessment IA-0257-09.

What got my attention was that according to the assessment: fringe groups of Pro-lifers and those who believe in "end times prophecy" were being labeled terrorists - along with other groups including returning veterans.

DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano issued this "explanation" on CNN with John King:


Janet was initially asked, "do you have active investigations of active abortion groups that are preparing to conduct terrorist attacks?"

Now Janet might have successfully dodged the question to John King's content by inciting history (which I will get to in a second), but I am not letting her off the hook so easy. I read the whole report and one of the first lines states:

The DHS/Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) has no specific information that domestic rightwing* terrorists are currently planning acts of violence, but rightwing extremists may be gaining new recruits by playing on their fears about several emergent issues.

So in other words Janet, your answer to the question should have been, "No. We don't have any groups that are actively being investigated as terrorists, but "rightwing" groups are becoming more popular, and that is something we are concerned about."

Now I hope one caught the sarcasm and irony in my statement above. The irony of course being that we are a democracy built on the principle that what is most popular is what as a country we hold is right. But I don't think Janet has much of a sense for irony, so I am moving on.

Now let's look at history for a second - which Janet implied gives legitimacy to calling some pro-life groups terrorists.

There have been 7 - that's right 7 - deaths as a result of "pro-life" violence since Roe v. Wade in 1973. And while 7 cases is 7 cases too many, it is precisely that feeling that proves the label terrorists to a group as broad as "Pro-lifers" is unwarranted.

Now that might be a bit of a straw man argument - which I concede - but I am exhausted with conversations about abortion coming back to the "extremists that blow up abortion clinics." It just isn't a current or historically warranted argument.

The shear minuteness of violent extremism within the pro-life movement should actually speak to the contrary about the value of human life many of those within the movement hold to.

Janet has since apologized for the returning veterans remarks, but not any of the others. I am not exactly the most ardent Pro-Lifer (if that makes sense). But I am pro-life, and I know millions of others are with me when I say: I am not a terrorist.

This past weekend was my 3rd weekender of the year. This time it was to Miami. I dubbed it my Law and Order Weekender because I visited a friend who works for the FBI and another friend who is graduating from University of Miami Law School.

Because the FBI friend is entertaining a job offer from... well... let's just say the Department of Defense and leave it at that; and the other friend is currently in a job hunt that includes a position at the 11th Circuit United States Courts of Appeals, there unfortunately will not be any photos or names of the people I spent time with.



The weekender was fantastic though.

• Found out I loved Cuban food (had it both nights).
• Had 7 hours to kill on Thursday so I just put Key West in the GPS and drove there and back - beautiful drive.
• Had a scheduling complication come up which in turn led me to take public transportation from FBI Miami to University of Miami - first time riding a bus in the States.
• And as always, had wonderful conversation with people in my life I get to spend too little time with.

But it was amidst the 7 hours I had alone in the car driving back and forth between Miami and Key West when I started to think about how much better of a mood I have been in the past couple of months compared to this past winter.

Baseball season is in full swing.

My to-do list at work isn't quite as over-whelming at it was.

But even more than that, I think there has been some real value in adding some balance in my life, getting out of Atlanta once a month for a weekend trip, and catching up with people in my life that I very much care for and get to spend too little time with.

I know it sounds cliché, but there's a connection shared across a table with a beer that Facebook and emails and phone calls just can't replace.


Ohh and one more thing. Even though Sunshine and Summertime by Faith Hill will go down as the official song of this past weekender, I decided to pull at an oldie but a goodie for this post. Enjoy "a Miami!"

If you listen to Allen's Real Life and Faith Moments you will know that Allen jumped on the Is Twitter Evil bandwagon this week.

Here's the basic gist of the USC findings: Twitter is bad becuase supposedly quick thoughts stunt brain development and we become less emotionally connected and empathetic to people in our lives.

USC needs to go back to doing what they do best (being overrated in college football) and leave serious medical study to the real professionals (those at Duke).

I have been on many mission trips, and a study abroad in a war torn area. One of the key things I have learned from these trips is that it is hard to inspire compassion and empathy with the average person unless they a.) experience the problems outside of the USA first hand, and b.) are reminded of problems often upon their return.

So what does this have to do with Twitter / Facebook updates? Simple.

There is no way before Twitter / Facebook people could stay connected the way they do now.

Take for example Lissa in the above graphic. My cheeseburger-hilariousness made her day. I have no idea if this is true or not. But I do know there is no way I could even have attempted to make her day if it weren't for Twitter / Facebook given that she lives on the other side of the US from me and I am not going to call her and tell her about my cheeseburger insight.

But this goes beyond my hilariousness.

Lissa is a phenomenal attorney no doubt about it, but the other day Lissa didn't have a particularly good day in court. We all have those days where we just aren't firing on all cylinders. And as my dad always said, your first year out of law school is more of a learning experience than your previous three in law school. If you aren't making mistakes, you aren't doing it right. But I digress...

So she posted on her Facebook status that she didn't have a good day and within a few hours she got encouragement from friends all over the country reaffirming that she was in fact a phenomenal attorney and to keep her head up.

My worst professional day since graduating college was November 16, 2005 - it was so horrendous I still think about the mistakes I made on that day. But I wish I had Twitter / Facebook then because I could have lamented and friends would have picked me up.

Most of the people in our lives are a huge source of encouragement when we need them, but they can't be empathetic if they don't know what is going on. And frankly, who is going to call every single of one of their friends and tell them about the awful day they had?

So I am taking on USC because they aren't just inadequate at college football; they are also inept at studying the brain. Now, how can I condense this post into 140 characters or less?


P.S. Join the immorality: follow me on Twitter

I have been wanting to use this first clip in a blog for almost a year. But it wasn't until this past new episode of Scrubs that I finally found my muse for writing.




Ladies, here's the deal: whether you like it or not, most men do equate sex with love. And you can sarcastically demean that feeling away, but just as we don't like it that most of you cry sometimes for no reason, or that all you need sometimes is for us to affirm that you are beautiful in order to provide security that the relationship is alright, equating sex with love is ingrained in who we are.

Shaunti Feldhan wrote a fantastic chapter in her book For Women Only detailing this. And since I probably am not writing this with enough sensitivity, I would highly advise all married women - or planning on getting married someday - to read it. But I am going to try, so here goes...

I find two things interesting about the clips above.

First is the expectation that after the husband has been "bagged" in marriage, sex then becomes a tool at the woman's control. What if communication were used like that? What if Scrubs cut over to Turk and JD and JD said, "you know what is great dude, you only have to talk about her day when you actually want to?" (Cue: big hearty laugh)

How positively does that portray marriage?

Second: listen to some of the verbiage Carla uses in the second clip. Notice how she says "I still make sure you get sex at least once a week."

Feldhan makes a comment in her book about how men would rather not have sex, than have sex with someone they feel is doing so out of obligation. And I have to agree with her.

It isn't about "making sure he gets sex." It is that she wants to have sex with him. That is what is equated to love in our DNA. That is what when a "mommy" forgets she is also a "wife" is painful.

Now I am not saying this gives men the right to expect sex "every night" - like Carla exaggerated in her lament. Every relationship is different and that is fine. From most of the conversation I have with married men, it isn't even the lack of quantity of sex - although they wouldn't mind having it more often - but rather the fact it doesn't feel desired.

Trust me. I know more than a single guy should how hard it is to be a mom. It is literally a 24/7 job. There is no time off. There are no vacations. I have the utmost respect for moms. And I am certainly not advocating that post-children sex life needs to look like the newlywed sex life.

What I am saying is that it is going to be a tough marriage if sexual needs aren't being honestly discussed and attempted at being met. Because for men, sex does in fact equal love.

It is April 16th. Yesterday was tax day. Sean Hannity was in town doing his tea party rally at the Capital - I decided against going - mainly because I feel it is a lost cause as income taxes as we know it aren't changing any time soon.

Obama and Biden released their taxes showing a rather pathetic charitable heart.

Although to Obama's credit he significantly increased compared to past years. Although now that I think about it, that might be to his discredit given the fact he knows people are watching now. So I guess I should be giving props to Biden for at least being consistent despite who is watching.

• Barack Obama made $2,656,902 and gave $172,050 (6.4%) to charity
• Joe Biden made $269,256 and gave $1,885 (0.7%) to charity
• Andy Borgmann made $60,246 and gave $5,249 (8.7%) to charity*

Now I know LC or Erik are out there skipping the rest of this post and going straight to the comment section to complain about how most charitable giving is given to religious organizations and how the government shouldn't give tax breaks to those who give towards religious organizations. And this might come as a shock, but I agree with them.

I would give the same amount regardless if I got to deduct it on my taxes - and frankly I think the government's control over the church due to the stupid tax clause actually hinders the church more than it helps. But I digress.

Even if you aren't a religious person, there is significant value in giving towards non-profit charity causes that aim to make this world a better place. Whether that is cancer research or poverty programs or heck PETA (even though we won't be friends).

As a Christian, I believe that 10% of my income should go to support the mission of the church. I practiced this when I made $1200 a year working at The Allen County Courthouse. I practiced this when i made $5500 a year while working through college. I practiced this when I made $35,000 my first year out of college. And I practiced this now with an salary of $55,000. Giving towards non-profit causes that make the world better shouldn't only be for the rich or when one's financial situation "improves."

So like the President, and like a pastor friend of mine who encouraged financial accountability from people in leadership, I too release my taxes each year. I also take it one step further and give access to my entire spending report for the year.

• 2008 Federal Income Tax 1040 (PDF)
  
• 2008 Income/Expense Report (PDF)
  
• All Income/Expense Reports Since 2001
  
• Also I have updated the infamous Presidential Giving Spreadsheet (PDF | XLS)