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I've migrated over to Tumblr. I'll be integrating a whole lot more there.

Please click here to go to the new site at MattLockett.com.

Numbers Obsession

OK. Guilty. I've erred in this area before. This post was a wake up call to me and took me back to how I originally viewed all this 2.0 stuff. Love it.

If you don't follow Gary or even know who he is, then I strongly recommend you do. And I don't even drink wine! Or anything for that matter. :)

Illiteracy on the Rise in DC

When I first began posting on this topic, I never dreamed that it would turn into a series. Who'd have thunk? (1) (2)

Once again we have an almost unbelievable example of a Congressman actually supporting the idea of not reading the bills that they want to pass. This time the baton is passed to House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers (D-MI).

“I love these members, they get up and say, ‘Read the bill.' What good is reading the bill if it’s a thousand pages and you don’t have two days and two lawyers to find out what it means after you read the bill?”

So the answer is just vote to pass it quickly so you DON'T HAVE TO read it? C'mon Conyers. That's ridiculous.

iQ Font...so cool

Ah, yes. Once upon a time I was a designer. Still am in a very finite way, but oh how I miss those heady days of working on a broad range of subjects.

I haven't really been all that enthusiastic about micro cars. I DO like minis, but those Smart Cars just look like a suicide mission. I don't know if I would have been all that excited about Toyota's iQ either, but this project made me love it.

And yes, I did download the font. I don't know what conceivable use I would have for it, but it will remain snug and cozy on my harddrive awaiting that moment.

See more shots from The Making Of The Toyota IQ Font set on flickr here.

Sebelius Gets Booed.

People are mad. Real mad. And Sebelius can't figure out why everyone won't just roll over and say "Thank you sir may I have another."

Buzz Aldrin = S T U D

OK, I'm a sucker for a big screen tv just like the next man. But I laughed out loud watching this bit with Buzz Aldrin and a CNN correspondent. At one point it just starts looking like he's trying to confuse and dazzle the old man with his magical screen. Forget it dude, this guy flew a tin can to the Moon with less technology than what's in your coffee maker. He is neither impressed nor entertained by your ridiculous finger movements or life.

Buzz will outlive your grandchildren while sustaining himself by eating nails and crapping iron.

Anguish

A true prayer life is born out of anguish.

House Democrats' Health Plan

Here's to information graphics and me not having the job of trying to explain all this. Hope you don't get sick.

Hand in the Cookie Jar

Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) leaves Senator Mikulski (D-MD) speechless as she tries to tap dance around the simple question "Does this use taxpayer dollars to pay for abortion?"

Sign the petition. http://frc.org

Oceanfront Property in Arizona

OK, I'm not Catholic. But I am pro-life, and all I gotta say today is "Go Pope!" That being said though I must admit an uncomfortable laugh slipped past my lips today, and it was no laughing matter.

President Barack Obama promised Pope Benedict on Friday that he would do everything possible to reduce the number of abortions in the United States, the Vatican said.

What? Are you kidding me? I mean, really?

President Obama (1) rescinded the Mexico City Policy on his third day in office opening it up for American taxpayer-dollars to fund abortion internationally. (2) He's lifted the ban on governmental funding of embryonic stem cell research. (3) His new budget calls for the removal of the Dornan amendment which prevents taxpayer dollars from paying for abortions in the District of Columbia. (4) He believes in the removal of the Hyde Amendment which prevents taxpayer dollars from paying for abortions nationally. (5) He and his Democrat colleagues believe taxpayer funded abortion should be part of any new Health Care Reform. (6) On the campaign trail he aligned himself squarely with the likes of Planned Parenthood and other Pro-Abortion ideologues promising that his first order of business in office would be to enact the Freedom of Choice Act. (7) He also promised to never nominate a Supreme Court judge that would not support Roe v. Wade–something that should be coming to mind with current nominee Sonia Sotomayor.

Now let me take a breath and continue...

On May 22 in a meeting to discuss "common ground" on abortion objectives, Wendy Wright of Concerned Women for America was abruptly shut down when she tried to suggest methods of "reducing the number of abortions." Melody Barnes, Domestic Policy Council Director, cut her off to make it clear, "It is not our goal to reduce the number of abortions." Well, it doesn't get any more blunt than that. Believe it or not, no one outside the 26-year-old director of the faith-based office, Josh DuBois, has ever said that the administration wants to reduce the number of abortions. Apparently, the media started propagating that language, and people believed it.

So what must have been running through the President's mind as he sat before Pope Benedict? I can only imagine him squirming in his seat, and hastily making his remarks just to get through the 40-minute private meeting. Apparently the Pope not only grilled him on the Catholic Church's position on defending and promoting LIFE, but he also got nailed on Embryonic Stem Cell research and physicians right to abide by their conscience.

Again I say, "Go Pope!"

Did Congress institute a "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy pertaining to all matters of legislation? Good grief. Go John Boehner.

Harry Kant Reid*

Would everyone agree with me that the American economy and the United States Supreme Court are pretty big deals? Like top tier kinda national concerns right? Would you agree with me that our elected officials chosen by democratic vote should be trustworthy to handle and manage related issues with the best quality information available?

Well I'm sure everyone remembers that the $787 billion economic stimulus package was passed February 17 without anyone having read the thing. There seems to be a trend developing with the release of statements made by Harry Reid about Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor. Is this really his idea of "advise and consent"?



* Cred for the post title goes out to Randy Bohlender. w00t.

Grieved and Concerned About George Tiller

I'm processing my thoughts and concerns regarding the murder of abortionist George Tiller this morning in Wichita, KS. My heart is so grieved for the Tiller family. As a pro-life leader I believe emphatically that all human life is sacred, unique and precious to God. My prayers go out to the Tiller family during this tragedy.

I'm thankful that when God called me into the pro-life movement that He first established that my posture would be rooted in the prayer movement. Nobody knows the story yet about who this shooter is or what his motivation was. My guess though is that what happened this morning to Mr. Tiller will demonstrate what can happen when the struggle against injustice lashes out unprotected by prayer.

We are not easily reduced to prayer. We who grope toward praying today are like a city gutted by fire. The stuggle against injustice has exacted from us an aweful cost. In a similar period with similar struggles, Camus wrote, "There is merely bad luck in not being loved; there is tragedy in not loving. All of us, today, are dying of this tragedy. For violence and hatred dry up the heart itself; the long fight for justice exhausts the love that nevertheless gave birth to it..."

Unprotected by prayer, our social activism runs the danger of becoming self-justifying good works, as our inner resources atrophy, the wells of love run dry, and we are slowly changed into the likeness of the Beast.

-Walter Wink, Engaging the Powers, p. 297-298

By "changed into the likeness of the Beast" he means to be transformed into the very thing that you set out to overthrow or counteract. In the case of the pro-life movement, it is imperative that we maintain an approach that comes from prayer, love and compassion. The act of abortion is so completely and unredeemably violent that it can only be opposed in the "opposite spirit".

Pro-life leaders have been quick to respond publicly today by denouncing this violent act. I'm only slightly consoled that the media is reporting the fact that this doesn't reflect the vast majority of people in the pro-life movement. I have a great concern that this will be used by the pro-abortion agenda and related political leaders to stifle pro-life voices even as we begin debates over the next Supreme Court Justice and health care reform.

No one should profit politically from this great tragedy.

Say it with me..."Sotomayor"

No, I don’t know a lot about the new SCOTUS nominee… yet. But I am working on it. She is believed to be pro-choice but yet she is also catholic. (Not sure how that works).

Anyway, I think most people have a working knowledge of the 3 branches of our government but, just in case you missed it in school, indulge me for just a moment.

There are 3 branches of Government…

1. Legislative - Create Law
2. Executive - Enforce Law
3. Judicial - Interpret Law

Now, most people understand the difference between # 1 and # 3. However, a few don’t. So let me say it like this. Policy making and law creating is not the job of the Courts - any of them. Yes, that means the Supreme Court as well.

But this is apparently lost on Pres. Obama’s nominee:

I'm rejoining the workforce to work at Qualcomm

I have some concepts that I've been working on.

PWND

Today’s news informs us that Nancy Pelosi was, IN FACT, fully briefed on enhanced interrogation techniques being used, and she has been lying to the American public so as to sound like a liberal bleeding heart. Poser.

I came across this mobile video of a young man trying to confront former Secretary of State Condeleeza Rice. This needs to be heard. All I have to say about this young man is, “PWND puh-owned.”

I think that might be the same kid from the “Don't taze me bro” video.

Prayer Rumble

Here’s a little something from last Friday night’s Prayer Rumble in JHOPDC. What’s far more interesting are the 37 intercessors behind the camera’s point of view roaring in prayer for the nation.

Today is the National Day of Prayer. There is organized prayer for America going on in all 50 states today. Please take some time to join in crying out for mercy for the nation and God’s wisdom for our government, pastors, parents, children and everyone in between.

photo by Levi Bethune, photo blog

All-New JHOPDC Open House

The opening of the new JHOPDC has been kind of a “soft opening”. What’s a soft opening you ask? It’s like an out-of-town opening except it’s in town. I know, some of you may be thinking, “I remember when the JHOP first opened. One day it was closed; the next day it was open.” Maybe you were there and saw it for yourself. But this is different.

[fans of Ocean’s 13 will appreciate that bit]

Anyway, JHOPDC has moved from it’s previous location of the last four years, and this week we’re inviting everyone to our Open House. Come see the new digs which will serve as home for the new Prayer Room and JHOPDC internship. That’s right, we’ve combined the Prayer Room and housing all in one facility to help with high urban-dwelling costs, so you can come get a little taste of what life will be like for the young people responding to the call to prayer in the nation’s Capitol.

JHOPDC will serve as the flagship and headquarters for Bound4LIFE as we take our ongoing daily stand in silent siege of the United States Supreme Court.

Concluding our three-day Open House we’ll be hosting a special Friday Night Rumble with Radiant Worship this Friday, May 8th. If you’re in the DC area this week or maybe in town for the National Day of Prayer on Thursday, we’d love to have you drop by to see the new place.

Wed, 5/6

4–8 PM Open House

Thur, 5/7

4–8 PM Open House

Fri, 5/8

4–6 PM Open House

7–9 PM Friday Night Rumble with Radiant Worship

The Eagle Has Landed

Happy belated Easter!

I want to thank everyone that provided encouragement and support during the last couple weeks. We have OFFICIALLY moved back to the DC area. Every time that we've moved across the country I've said that I'll never do it again, and this time is no different. I'll never do this again...at least until the next time I have to do it.

Actually it feels great to be back up here, and my whole family and team is excited for what's next. Even in spite of the unseasonably cold weather and rain–lots and lots of rain. Let's just say that the only thing worse than loading a moving truck in the rain is UNLOADING a moving truck in the rain. Without a doubt we come back to this city at a time when no one has any answers. In the last month, three Congressmen that we didn't previously have relationship with have called asking for prayer from JHOP. One has invited us to come to his office and speak to him and his staff about what we're doing, and he's also offered to promote JHOP to other Congressmen as a source of prayer. C'mon God!

Please continue to pray for my family and I as we work through this transition. We're currently staying with some friends that have graciously offered a basement apartment to us for the interim. We so thankful for this provision as we continue to try to sell or rent our house in Charlotte. If you're so inclined, click the PayPal button to the right. Every little bit counts right now, and we could sure put it to good use.

Again, thanks for all your prayers and support.

Moving...Again

Well, we've been packing up the house all week. We load a huge moving truck on Sunday and drive all day Monday. We're moving back to DC which makes me very happy. I'm sad to say goodbye to our house here in Charlotte, but there's not much love lost all in all. For the 2+ years that we've lived down here, we've constantly dreamed of being back in DC.

The whole Bound4LIFE team is moving together, so we'll have a small convoy of cars and trucks stretched out along the interstate.

Regrets I leave behind in Fort Mill (not-so-affectionately known as #FortFAIL):

1. Not getting pulled over by CP (rent-a-cop Crime Prevention) and making them taze me.
2. Getting writer's block and never spray painting an insightful message on the water tower.
3. Not having a better lawn than any of the neighbors. Lord knows I tried. I tried so hard.
4. Not taking the time to paint all the rooms in the house to make it feel more like home.
5. Not spending more time on my deck. (The neighbors got a hot tub which was a huge deterrent...emphasis on "huge."
6. Not exploring downtown Charlotte more. It's a pretty sweet city.
7. Not seeing ZHOP land in a permanent home.
8. Not getting pulled over by CP (rent-a-cop Crime Prevention) and making them taze me again.