Tioga County Visitors Bureau tourism promotion video:
in contrast, a new Buffalo Niagara tourism video
Heidi's Journal
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10/23/2009 15:08 #50083
tourism video contrastCategory: tourism
I can't figure out how to swipe this video from facebook and it's not on youtube so I hope this is public...
Tioga County Visitors Bureau tourism promotion video:
in contrast, a new Buffalo Niagara tourism video
Tioga County Visitors Bureau tourism promotion video:
in contrast, a new Buffalo Niagara tourism video
10/16/2009 17:21 #50028
Are Americans Faking Religiousity?Category: politics
Among developed countries, America is viewed as one of the most religious nations, and it seems that there is no end to its inhabitants' appetite for Christianity in all its flavors. Americans tell pollsters that they go to church in immense numbers, and most of them name the Bible as their favorite book.
Church attendance as established by surveys is one of the main factors alleged to illustrate the depth of religious feeling in America. Depending on which poll you consult, between 33 percent and 43 percent of Americans claim to attend church weekly. Using the low end of that range, we get a figure of around a hundred million people. Even cursory crack research, however, reveals that this can not be true, for the simple reason that there are not enough seats in all churches in America to hold nearly as many people.
I think the article is snarkily amusing, but the second half is easier to poke holes in,
According to a study conducted for the Catholic Biblical Federation in 2008, 93 percent of Americans have at least one copy of the Bible at home. Twenty-seven percent of Americans surveyed believe that the Bible is "the actual word of God, which must be taken literally, word for word," and 78 percent view its contents as true. Almost half of American respondents agree-either somewhat or completely-with the statement "The Bible should be studied at school," and 56 percent have given a Bible as a gift at least once. In addition, a Harris poll conducted the same year showed that Americans overwhelmingly name the Bible as their favorite book.
One might deduct from these numbers that the Americans' knowledge of the Bible is at least somewhat satisfactory. Nobody could like the Bible, let alone maintain that its contents are true, give it as a gift, or recommend that it be taught in schools, without possessing at least an elementary awareness of its teachings. In order to agree that the Bible contains the unerring pronouncements of God, which are to be taken literally, word for word, from beginning to end, one must necessarily be acquainted with what these pronouncements are.
Since they don't reference other polls of American ignorance, it's easy to make fun of Bible literalists' ignorance of the Bible. But it totally correlates with general American ignorance about history (or any other substantive topic).
or james - 10/18/09 15:08
I think this might be a case of polling being poorly conducted. Biblical Literalists might commission a poll to show support for their position. You tailor a calling list and bam, suddenly the majority of Americans don't believe in evolution. I am not saying this article isn't on to something, just that polls are often poorly designed, poorly executed, and/or poorly interpreted.
I think this might be a case of polling being poorly conducted. Biblical Literalists might commission a poll to show support for their position. You tailor a calling list and bam, suddenly the majority of Americans don't believe in evolution. I am not saying this article isn't on to something, just that polls are often poorly designed, poorly executed, and/or poorly interpreted.
jenks - 10/18/09 12:32
I'm not sure I know a single person that has ever given anyone a bible as a gift, let alone 50% of the people I know. I guess I'm a statistical anomaly.
I'm not sure I know a single person that has ever given anyone a bible as a gift, let alone 50% of the people I know. I guess I'm a statistical anomaly.
metalpeter - 10/16/09 18:56
That is a good point. I think that I shouldn't go here because it is kinda a different topic but. There is a difference between having faith (religion) and going to church. If you go to a church event like helping at say a food pantry or driving a van to pick people up does that count as going?
That is a good point. I think that I shouldn't go here because it is kinda a different topic but. There is a difference between having faith (religion) and going to church. If you go to a church event like helping at say a food pantry or driving a van to pick people up does that count as going?
tinypliny - 10/16/09 18:46
I think its a more an issue of what they believe is the "right thing to say" rather than just telling the truth or miring themselves in conflicted long windy answers between their truth and their beliefs of what this truth should look like.
I think its a more an issue of what they believe is the "right thing to say" rather than just telling the truth or miring themselves in conflicted long windy answers between their truth and their beliefs of what this truth should look like.
metalpeter - 10/16/09 18:37
Here is my take:
People Lie in poles all the time. Part of the reason is that you don't give essay answers. Most of time I think it is a choice. I also think they lie a bit because they don't know who is really doing the poll. If you mean to go and you don't that means you went as long as you go most of the time.
But there is something this article doesn't even talk about at all. They do this silly math thing and it is kinda dumb. I know they have to do numbers. But the reason for a lot of these mega churches is because there aren't enough people going to the old churches any more so they have to combine them. That is all they have to say it would be like 5 sentences and the article would be done. Yes some mega churchs are because of growth in an area.
But This article is flawed in one big way. It acts as if all Christians are the same. There are many kinds of Christians the ones that I can think of are Pryspertains, Catholics, Roman Cahtolics, Baptists, southern baptists, and I'm sure there are others. Each group has different views and then each person has their own views also that hopefully line up with that church. This isn't only true of Christians this is true in other faiths also. All Christains don't follow the pope, I'm guessing more don't follow him then do. Just because you are a Budhist doesn't mean you follow the Dalai Lima, again lots of people don't because there are different kinds of it.
Yes there are flaws in what was written but I know for a fact that less people go to church then years ago. Here is my proff from my next of the woods. Richmond and Bryntt used to be a church now it is condos. Elmwood and North that is now a museum used to be a church. Across form grover some museum place used to me a church. These aren't cases of people leaving the city. They where churches when I was a kid and all closed way after the sprawl to the burbs.
Here is my take:
People Lie in poles all the time. Part of the reason is that you don't give essay answers. Most of time I think it is a choice. I also think they lie a bit because they don't know who is really doing the poll. If you mean to go and you don't that means you went as long as you go most of the time.
But there is something this article doesn't even talk about at all. They do this silly math thing and it is kinda dumb. I know they have to do numbers. But the reason for a lot of these mega churches is because there aren't enough people going to the old churches any more so they have to combine them. That is all they have to say it would be like 5 sentences and the article would be done. Yes some mega churchs are because of growth in an area.
But This article is flawed in one big way. It acts as if all Christians are the same. There are many kinds of Christians the ones that I can think of are Pryspertains, Catholics, Roman Cahtolics, Baptists, southern baptists, and I'm sure there are others. Each group has different views and then each person has their own views also that hopefully line up with that church. This isn't only true of Christians this is true in other faiths also. All Christains don't follow the pope, I'm guessing more don't follow him then do. Just because you are a Budhist doesn't mean you follow the Dalai Lima, again lots of people don't because there are different kinds of it.
Yes there are flaws in what was written but I know for a fact that less people go to church then years ago. Here is my proff from my next of the woods. Richmond and Bryntt used to be a church now it is condos. Elmwood and North that is now a museum used to be a church. Across form grover some museum place used to me a church. These aren't cases of people leaving the city. They where churches when I was a kid and all closed way after the sprawl to the burbs.
10/10/2009 21:45 #49984
Tioga River headwaters in fallCategory: tourism
This weekend is peak leaf peeking in Tioga County, but I was there last weekend... Got these shots as the sun was slipping behind the mountains, up past Pirate's Rock.
We kept driving up the trail to the Wrench and found that people had been burning the plastic/insulation off aluminum, probably to get a higher price selling it for recycling.
The plastic had melted off and run towards the creek and then pooled where it cooled. The dark bits are the burnt plastic.
Ew.
We kept driving up the trail to the Wrench and found that people had been burning the plastic/insulation off aluminum, probably to get a higher price selling it for recycling.
The plastic had melted off and run towards the creek and then pooled where it cooled. The dark bits are the burnt plastic.
Ew.
tinypliny - 10/11/09 09:16
Nice pictures. :) Re: plastic pool --> example of how all this may not be so nice some years down the line.
Nice pictures. :) Re: plastic pool --> example of how all this may not be so nice some years down the line.
10/06/2009 13:01 #49944
corporations classCategory: school
Yeah. So interesting.
heidi - 10/06/09 17:58
dry, boring, grey, dull... but i love my federal individual income taxation class. Overall classes are much better/more interesting/more relevant than last year. I picked a crappy prof for corporations - i was warned and should have heeded. That's what I get for being impatient. Surprisingly, I'm not happy with my counseling small businesses class, even though I make money counseling small businesses. The prof is from a different time... like Middle Earth or something. Or he's a senior partner on Mad Men. He's told us stories about arguing over the exact proportions of gin & vermouth in martinis. *blink*
dry, boring, grey, dull... but i love my federal individual income taxation class. Overall classes are much better/more interesting/more relevant than last year. I picked a crappy prof for corporations - i was warned and should have heeded. That's what I get for being impatient. Surprisingly, I'm not happy with my counseling small businesses class, even though I make money counseling small businesses. The prof is from a different time... like Middle Earth or something. Or he's a senior partner on Mad Men. He's told us stories about arguing over the exact proportions of gin & vermouth in martinis. *blink*
jason - 10/06/09 16:19
I took 2 law classes. Dry dry dry dry.......I don't know how you all handle Law school!
I took 2 law classes. Dry dry dry dry.......I don't know how you all handle Law school!
tinypliny - 10/06/09 13:31
Yo - wanna go out with me? ;-) (psst. Tokyo Shanghai Bistro Bistro Bistro!)
Yo - wanna go out with me? ;-) (psst. Tokyo Shanghai Bistro Bistro Bistro!)
james - 10/06/09 13:20
We have all had that class.
I once spent a dull class carving a palindrome into my knuckles so when I punched the professor you could still read it.
We have all had that class.
I once spent a dull class carving a palindrome into my knuckles so when I punched the professor you could still read it.
10/02/2009 01:27 #49901
Nisha @ Niagara Fallsthanks, (e:zobar)!
(okay, not a great shot. i think my room is too dark)
(better... would prolly easier if i wasn't using a sleepy, resistant puppy)
(okay, not a great shot. i think my room is too dark)
(better... would prolly easier if i wasn't using a sleepy, resistant puppy)
heidi - 10/02/09 12:21
I was playing with the Adobe Flash Niagara Falls souvenir thing that (e:zobar) posted: (e:zobar,49897)
I was playing with the Adobe Flash Niagara Falls souvenir thing that (e:zobar) posted: (e:zobar,49897)
lauren - 10/02/09 12:06
um, I'm confused?
um, I'm confused?
thanks for posting that buffalo video. I've seen it floating around facebook, but have never taken the time to actually watch it. It's a great video... makes buffalo look wonderful.
I have to admit, I was not psyched to move to Buffalo when I found out I was going. But after five years, I was sad to leave. And now I have some Buffalo pride, and I defend the city when people make fun of it. And I think it's one thing when someone from NYC/Chicago/Boston looks down their nose and goes 'ew, Buffalo'. But when someone from Hartford goes 'ew, Buffalo, bet you were glad to get out of there' I want to say "to come here?!" I mean really.... Hartford kind of reminds me of Buffalo, but with less to do. Not that it's a bad place... I've met great people and am having a good experience. But for hartford to make fun of Buffalo is the pot calling the kettle black.
And, to be fair, that video says 'when people think of buffalo, they think of snow and rust'. (I would have thought they'd say snow and wings, but that's just me.) And then they went on and showed how great Buffalo is. IN THE SUMMER. And I agree- Buffalo in the summer is glorious. But the winter.... ehhh.... not as glorious. There are no farmer's markets/outdoor festivals/concerts/etc in the winter, which is what the whole video was about. And unfortunately, winter is much longer than summer.