by Greg

Amazon.com: Subscribe & Save

Amazon.com's Subscribe & Save

My wife recently discovered a great program that Amazon.com offers it’s users called Subscribe & Save. It not only offers a decent discount on the regular Amazon.com price (which is already usually discounted from retail price), it also allows you to have items you regularly purchase automatically delivered to you at that reduced price. (And somehow Jen arranged for a 3-month trial of their shipping upgrade service, Amazon Prime, so everything is shipped for free!)

Not every item at Amazon is eligible for this Subscribe & Save service, but I happened to noticed on Monday that it does apply to Big Train Chai, of which I happen to be a very big fan.

I did the math on what I usually order, and what was offered for the Subscribe & Save service, and it was rather shocking: for $16.47 (the current Subscribe & Save price), I got about twice the amount of chai that I would usually get from Amazon for $18! Crazy!

Big Train Vanilla Chai - 1.9lb containerThen I did a bit more of the math…

  • (2) 1.9 lb cans of Big Train Vanilla Chai = (25) 16oz drinks = $16.47
  • (3) 12 oz bags of Big Train Vanilla Chai = (15) 16oz drinks = $18
  • (1) 12 oz bag of Big Train Vanilla Chai (from any retail store) = (5) 16oz drinks = $10
  • (1) 16 oz cup of Big Train Vanilla Chai (prepared, at a coffee shop) = $4.25

So, with Subscribe & Save I end up saving 86% on what it would cost me to buy 25 cups of chai at my favorite coffee shop.

I guess their service is quite appropriately named!

We Campbells highly recommend checking into it for the stuff you buy regularly. We are now “Subscribe(d) and Sav(ing)” on chai, and diapers! Have a look and see if you can find a great deal for yourself!

Subscribe & Save

by Greg

Currently: ReValue America Lecture Tour

ReValue America - NY - Self, Marriage, Family, Community.This past weekend, Jen & I were hosts to one stop on the ReValue America lecture series tour. Dr. Shanon Brooks is giving a series of free, two-hour lectures across NY State (as well as California, Colorado, and his home state of Utah, I believe) intended to inspire a new generation of American Founders.

And inspire he does.

There were about 130 people at our event on Saturday night. And nearly everyone that I spoke to there left feeling inspired to educate themselves both in regards to the foundations of our country—its forms of government, the documents that were created by its founders, and the people who were its founders—and the people, books and other classic works and thinking that formed the foundation of these “founders” lives, and their values. In essence, to get for ourselves, the same education that these people—ordinary people, just like us—had and drew from to establish the most free nation in the history of mankind.

(That’s a pretty lofty goal, don’t you say?)

Even more lofty, perhaps, is Brooks’ goal to get a library of books (I think it’s 5 or 6 books) into one million American homes. The books are about American government and foundational principals and education. (We’ve read a couple of them, and they are good reads presenting some challenging and worthy ideas.)

There are a few remaining dates on this part of the tour, which will end this Sunday night in Rochester, NY. If you visit the ReValue NY website (revalueny.com) you can see a schedule of the remaining lectures. If you live in NY State and can attend one, we do feel it is very much worth the time and effort.

You may just be inspired.

The follow up to this event is more intensive. Dr. Brooks will be leading interested participants in much more in-depth constitutional studies, American history, and then other great classic works which were the foundations of our own founding documents (Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Federalist Papers, etc.) You’ll read/study on your own and then attend a monthly lecture day with other fellow students. He calls this series the Foundations of Liberty course. (There is no official “credit” given for this course, only the education you receive from reading and studying these things together.)

Over the next couple days I will be posting a few thoughts inspired by the event we attended. Till then, I wanted to be sure to let you know this is happening, in case you might be able to attend and be inspired to educate yourself and to preserve freedom and virtues for yourself, your family, your community, and even our country. Are there other ways to do that? Of course! But this is one way to spend two hours that I am nearly certain will accomplish that end.

So click the link and head out to a lecture near you!

For further information:

by Greg

Facebook Is Trying To Help

Facebook EventsThis morning when I brought up Facebook to check on a couple things (no, I do not have a Farmville farm or anything else like that…) I saw the list to the left at the top right of the page.

I had to smile as I thought of the stereotypical guy who can’t remember his own anniversary … and I think that might be what my own anniversary is doing in the list of upcoming events. (Believe it or not, I actually already knew that my anniversary is this Monday…) 😉 I wonder if this event (your own anniversary) is also shown for a woman’s Facebook account? I’ll have to check out Jen’s account…

Facebook is pretty handy for “remembering” friends’ birthdays, but then, if you just see it on Facebook, is it really remembering? (No… it’s not.)

The fact that my anniversary was on the list of upcoming important dates was both humorous and slightly sad as it’s one more thing that we are not using our own brains to do anymore. The more we “improve” technology it seems the less we actually use our own brains (or bodies). We can’t get anywhere without using a GPS, we can’t know anything without Google, and we also have no idea where our food comes from. (But that’s for another post.)

So thanks, Facebook. I know you’re trying to help, but maybe we need it to say something like, “Do you know what’s coming up in a week or so?” 🙂 (And maybe we just need to “unplug” in general… but again, that’s for another post…)

NHL GameCenter - Free Preview Oct 11
by Greg

NHL GameCenter – Free!

NHL GameCenter - Free Preview Oct 11

The NHL is once again offering a one-day only free preview of their NHL GameCenter package. For $19.95/mo or $159 for the whole season you can watch every NHL game, several at once, and they even have classic games and an archive of past games that you can peruse. It’s a pretty great deal if you’re a huge NHL fan, or if you are not in your favorite team’s market.

And for today… it’s completely free!

So head on over and sign up and watch some hockey today! There are games all day, since it’s Colombus Day. Early games have the Rangers and Islanders playing at 1pm ET, then Ducks/Blues at 2pm ET, Penguins/Devils at 4pm ET. At 7pm ET there are three more games (including my Buffalo Sabres!): Blackhawks/Sabres, Avalanche/Flyers, and Sens/Caps. Then, finish of the hockey day with the Panthers visiting the Canucks at 10pm ET. Nice!

Hoping I get to see some of those games today… And I hope you do too!

by Greg

Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy

Bonhoeffer by Eric MetaxasI heard of a book the other day simply called, “Bonhoeffer”. It was highly recommended, and my interest was piqued when I heard who wrote the book: Eric Metaxas. “Eric Mah-who-huh?” you say? Indeed. However, you may recall that I highly recommended his previous book, “Amazing Grace” (the story of William Wilberforce) and wrote a couple long posts (here, and here) after following Metaxas through Wilberforce’s life. An inspiring man, with an equally inspiring story, masterfully told by Metaxas.

So you can imagine that I am eager to get a copy of this book and learn of the life of another inspiring man. I really think that walking through life alongside great people as they face choices and make decisions helps motivate, challenge, and inspire us to do the same in our lives. So I look foward to getting to know Dietrich Bonhoeffer, through the eyes and prose of Eric Metaxas.

Amazon has a preview video available. Just a two minute overview of who this man was, and why his story was an interesting one. Watch below. (Then go get the book!)

by Greg

Lessons in Futility (from the Buffalo Bills)

We all know the numbers. 10 years with no playoffs. 4 games with no wins. 1 starting quarterback benched after two weeks, then just dumped on the street after three weeks. And of course, the biggest number of all is, 50 years, 0 Lombardi trophies*.

There are only 8 teams out of 32 in the NFL that have a losing record. Four of those teams are 0-4, including the Buffalo Bills. But when you look at this list of teams that either haven’t won a game, or have only won one, you tell me if you see any team that has looked more hopeless than the Bills through four games:

Cleveland: 1-3
Oakland: 1-3
Dallas: 1-2
Minnesota: 1-2
Carolina: 0-4
Detroit: 0-4
San Francisco: 0-4

You can’t, can you. Only perhaps the Carolina Panthers have managed to be quite as toothless and inept as the Bills. The one game where we had a fairly decent showing, we lost to our nemesis, the New England Patriots… maybe just because we are trying for a perfect season? No wins?!

Certainly Dallas and Minnesota do not belong on this list, and I’m sure they will remedy that. As for the other 0-4 teams, Detroit has literally been in every single game right down to the end, and had at least one (the opening weekend game) practically stolen from them when the refs decided to call a play by the book rather than by their eyes. (That was a TD!) San Francisco has been almost as inept, but yesterday they lost a game they were leading most of the way on a last-second, long FG.

And, if you look at the net points for each team (meaning, points against subtracted from points for) the Bills rank dead last at -64. Ouch. (The other 0-4 teams are San Fran -51, Carolina -41, and Detroit -24.)

I think it’s fairly obvious that the Bills are “on the clock”.

(Though perhaps Carolina and San Fran might be able to wrestle that position away from them…)

So what accounts for this meteoric … drop? I mean, for the last four seasons the Bills have at least gotten 6 or 7 wins. We were loving our mediocrity here in Buffalo. But now, we are quite possibly the worst team in the NFL! What has changed?

The only real “excuse” I have for the Bills is the new defensive scheme. It’s well known that the Bills shifted to a 3-4 defense this offseason, and it’s also quite obvious that they have not quite fully “shifted” as yet. Last season the Bills’ defense was one of the top takeaway teams (especially interceptions), and the #2 overall pass defense. This season, they are the #28 defense overall (thanks to still being #12 against the pass) and they have not only 0 INTs, but only 1 takeaway. ONE. In four games!

And the only reason that they are #12 in passing yards allowed per game is that they are dead last in rush defense, allowing teams an average of 174 yards per game on the ground. When you can get 174 yards rushing, you don’t really need to pass! (And, more evidence of their defensive futility, the Bills rank second-to-last in sacks with 4 for the entire season so far. Only the Cincinnati Bengals are worse.)

My family moved to Buffalo in 1986. The same year Marv Levy was hired by the Bills. The year after they drafted Bruce Smith and Andre Reed. The year Jim Kelly decided to join the team. (He was drafted in 1983, but didn’t play for them till 1986.) Then we met some friends who were big fans of the team. None of our family were football fans (or even any sport fans) … but one day in 1988 we were offered the chance to join those friends at a live NFL football game, and that endeared us to the football club from Buffalo from that moment on.

(The game? It was a 9-6 OT win over the New York Jets by which the Bills claimed the division title as a result of their then 11-1 record! It was exciting, electrifying—very wet… rained all day—and as I said, endeared us to this team from then on.)

Then came the Super Bowls, and a few more years of good players and fun wins…

Then came the last decade. Bad GMs, bad coaches, bad players, bad decisions by management, bad teams, bad records… mad fans.

But we had never hit such a bottom as this. This year, it seems to me, we could very possibly not win a single game. 0-16. Only the second team to ever accomplish such a feat. Wow.

So the Bills press on in their quest for ultimate futility. This week, the Jacksonville Jaguars (and former starting QB, Trent Edwards**) come to town. Surprisingly, there is no favorite in this game. The Bills have been very big underdogs in all the games so far, but in this one, the game is a “pick” game. I’m guessing that will change by the time they play the game this Sunday!

For the Bills and Bills fans, we now focus our attention on the 2011 draft. With the #1 pick overall, we can hope to finally have a great player in Buffalo again? Will it be one of the highly-touted QBs? Likely. Or perhaps a hall-of-fame caliber left tackle? Perhaps. The last time the Bills had the #1 overall pick was in 1985, and that was used to select Bruce Smith. One can only hope…

Until then… we still watch. And groan. And hide our eyes at times. But cheer for the few moments of good plays. CJ Spiller is fun to watch. Sometimes Roscoe Parrish. And, we do have a good punter… 🙂

But really, the 2010 season is all about planning for 2011.

“The Buffalo Bills are on the clock.”

* These numbers are slightly unfair as the Lombardi trophy has not been awarded 50 times, and the Bills technically were champions of their league before the Super Bowl years. In 1964 and 1965 they were the AFL champions… and they were one game away from being the AFL’s first Super Bowl representative in 1966, but lost to the KC Chiefs.

** By “former”, we mean of course, only two weeks ago. That’s a very recent “former”.

by Greg

A Planet in “The Goldilocks Zone”

NASA scientists (among others, I’d imagine) continue searching for planets and planetary systems in our galaxy and nearby galaxies with all the tools currently available to us, and they continue to discover those greatly sought after objects. And now apparently have found the first planet that is thought to be in the so-called “Goldilocks Zone”.

The Goldilocks Zone is the orbit where—like our planet, Earth—it’s not too hot, and not too cold. Gliese 581-g is apparently such a planet. (Hopefully you’ve watched the video above already, and know all the facts…)

Our two boys and I (and a little bit with the younger kids, too) have been learning more and more about our solar system, and galaxy, and the universe in general lately. The enormity of even just our own Milky Way is mind blowing. But then to think of how much larger still is the universe, it’s just unfathomable.

The boys and I have pondered the idea of other planets out there near or far where God has placed life. It’s possible! But who knows? So far we have found nothing. Pretty “lucky” how we were placed right in the “Goldilocks Zone”…

But the search continues. And meanwhile, we still have a ton to learn about our own solar system, life or no life. (There certainly is nothing like us in our own solar system… unless they have trans-dimensional cloaking devices?) We have sent many probes out to collect data and photos and explore for us … including New Horizons that is scheduled to get us our first real, up close view of Pluto (formerly the 9th planet…) in the year 2015. I can’t wait! 🙂

So, perhaps some day—if Jesus tarries, as they say—perhaps we, mankind, will be able to achieve some sort of transport that will take us to places like Gliese 581-g. Or beyond. And who knows what we’ll find there? And elsewhere? I have no doubt that, even if we don’t find anything anywhere, the curiosity the God placed inside is will keep us searching for more, and help us find more.

Hopefully when we do, we can come up with a slightly better name… 😉

by Greg

The Perfect Temperature

Several things are broken on our trusty family minivan. Some more important than others (like our gas gauge) and some we can do without (our rear windshield wiper, and air conditioning) and then tons of little things, mostly electrical.

Including the temperature gauge in the little computer/data center.

At times, it will tell us that it’s 20ºF outside when it’s really 80ºF or 90ºF! Gives us a good laugh any time we see it!

So tonight, the thermometer was showing 24ºF, and we all laughed at the thought of the air temperature being 24ºF on September 30th (and with our windows down, no less!)

And then I smiled a little as I thought of the crisp feel of the air when it really is 24ºF. It’s been a long time since we’ve felt that, but it’s coming again relatively soon. I can’t wait!

I said to the kids, “You know… I think my favorite temperature is the 20s. I love it when it’s in the 20s!”

Ian chimed in, “Yeah, the snow is really crunchy…”

“Right,” I continued, “That’s why it’s so great. It’s cold enough to really be cold!”

Then I remembered that I actually do like temperatures in the 50s, too. (60ºF is OK… but not anything much past six-zero.) The 50s are nice because it’s still nice and cool, but warm enough to be outside and do outside things (like play football, go for a walk, read a book, etc…)

So I guess I realized tonight that the perfect temps are the 20s, and the 50s. Everything else is either too hot… or not cold enough. (The 10s and 0s are also great, but they are not really bearable for long enough to actually enjoy…)

Fall is here! 50s are great! Bring on winter and the 20s!!!

by Greg

God Of Wonders (DVD)

God of Wonders DVDWe are fans of God’s creations here. There is no end to the amazing complexity and brilliant design all around you. The boys and I have been reading many books about our solar system (and the universe beyond) and the kids and Jen just joined a science club where they were learning about the incredible world of the cell. It really is marvelously fantastic. (There aren’t enough superlatives.)

Recently we borrowed a DVD from some friends of ours, then we subsequently lent that DVD to other friends, and upon retrieval of the much-lent movie, we all watched it again this week—and it was just as good as the first time!

That DVD is God of Wonders from Eternal Productions, made by our friends at LaBarge Media. It’s got some incredible video footage and it’s an hour and half of learning about God’s amazing creation. We highly recommend.

You can click the DVD cover above and purchase directly from LaBarge Media’s store (ChristianVideoWarehouse.com), but at the moment they are transitioning that site, so you might be better off purchasing from Amazon. (See link above.)

Or, you could just borrow from a friend 😉

Either way, we recommend.

by Greg

Good (Competitive) Family Fun!

NFL LogoFor the last two, or maybe three years we Campbells have been having some more interactive fun with the weekly NFL games. Not only do we enjoy watching as much of them as we can on weekends, we also try to predict the outcome of each, and we have quite the “set up” to track our results!

Before the season begins we print out all the NFL logos on card stock (6 total sets) and then we set to work cutting each one out. That’s a pretty fun part, too, as the kids enjoy cutting out the shapes of the logos. (And Alex enjoys making the shapes even more interesting!) Then we put them all in little ziploc baggies that bear our names and we’re ready to go.

Then each week, I print out the schedule of games and one of us sets up the bulletin board with the week’s games. Everybody then pins up the logo of the team they expect to win and we have a nice little pick’s board hanging on our dining room wall. On Sundays we put up big colorful thumbtacks next to the choices that were correct.

There are five columns of predictions next to the game list. Dad, Ian, Alex (the original three participants), Mom & “The Girls” (our six- and four-year-old girls who work as a team). So far Emma and Cameron are not participating. But I’m sure they will!

Now, the best part this year is the current standings. The first year, I finished as the winner, but only by a narrow margin over our then 6-year-old son. Last year I believe Ian won, by a good amount of games (Dad finishing second) and this year? I know it’s only two weeks, but… the girls are SIX games ahead of the rest of us!!!

The Girls: 23-9
Dad: 18-14
Mom: 17-15
Alex: 16-16
Ian: 14-18

Too funny! I mean… those little girls probably have the best record of any prognosticators anywhere. And the best part is, they’re not just completely guessing! They actually know the teams, which ones tend to win more or less, and that home teams generally have the advantage over road teams. Incredible!

Family Fantasy SportsSo, along with our own family fantasy football league (hosted at FamilyFantasySports.com we have quite a bit of fun here in the Campbell household during football season!

(Fun except when Ian steals all of the free agent running backs that I am trying to pick up!!!)

🙂