ACTION REQUIRED: Spam Filter going into Effect

IMPORTANT FOR ALL QUIZZERS, COACHES, & PARENTS
In order to combat a problem with Spam on the QuizPad.Com e-mail accounts, the e-mails for Mark, Matt, Jim, and Michelina (as well as the generic coaches@quizpad.com) e-mail will be going to a new spam-blocking solution called "BoxTrapper" very soon. The good part of this solution is that it should be 99% to 100% effective in blocking spam. The downside is that it requires either (1) that a user be on our whitelist of approved e-mail addresses, or (2) that a user fill out a form to get access to the e-mail address.

We would prefer that no current quizzers or parents have to fill out the form. So, we need to collect the e-mail addresses of all quizzers and parents who want unfettered access to the QuizPad.Com e-mail. If you have already filled out the Quiz Team Survey, you are all set and do not need to do anything else. Otherwise, please send the e-mail address you will be using to contact the coaches to my e-mail address in the next week. As of June 6 or so, I will enter all of the addresses I have into our whitelist, and then activate the spam blocker.

Masai Warrior Becomes Bible Tranlator

There ia apparently a new approach for Bible translators in Africa. Rather than bringing in Europeans or Americans to do the translating, they are training Africans to do the job on the ground. One such example is a Masai warrior, who has come to Christ, and is now looking to translate the Bible into local languages.

"It is the tradition of the Masai. You grow up to be a warrior, always ready to fight," says Kirisuah, who last Sunday was making the first of three appearances in Calgary to talk about how he became a Christian Bible translator.
"We were brought up in a spirit of excellence, of tremendous pride. To us, Christians looked like weaklings, always ready to cry."
Kirisuah, 51, now works in Nairobi, Kenya, for Bible Translation and Literacy, an African partner of Wycliffe Bible Translators of Canada.

Is is interesting to see all the different ways that God is working to spread His Word.

What is Memorial Day about?

Today, many people act like Memorial Day is the day to celebrate the American tradition of shopping. But Memorial Day has a much more rich history and is something that we should all respect as Americans and Christians.

Waterloo, New York was recognized by President Lyndon Johnson and both houses of Congress, as the birthplace of Memorial Day because the town decorated the graves of Civil War veterans as early as May 5, 1866.

Take a moment today to remember the men and women who died so that we can worship freely.

Calvary2 Heartbreaker

Calvary 2 played their best game yet against Custom Air, but were unable to close the deal. The next game will likely be the one where the magic happens. Next week is an off week for Calvary 2 (though Calvary 1 is playing Wednesday at Indian Ledge field) and they'll be returning on June 7.

As always, click on the picture above for a full photographic record of the event.

What's good for the goose...

Another step toward the Bible in every language

At one time, major Christian translators had hoped to have the Bible translated into every language on Earth by the year 2000. We didn't quite make it, but we're getting close. There is news of another major translation project taking place in India.

The Archdiocese of Goa and Daman has undertaken an 18-million-rupee (US$4 million) project to print the Bible in Konkani, the official language of Goa state.
Father Manuel Gomes, head of the archdiocese's commission for the biblical apostolate, told UCA News that they hope to bring out the first copies in June.
The 2,300-page hardbound translation in Roman script will have a retail price of 300 rupees (US$6.67), but the archdiocese is selling it at half price for advance orders. It plans an initial print run of 60,000 copies and already has received orders for 40,000 copies through its parishes, Father Gomes said.
Natives of Goa, a coastal state in western India, have waited 450 years to get the Bible translated into Konkani, even though Jesuits established Asia's first printing press there in 1556

Brakeball, The Next Inning

Special J and Matt are not the only ones hitting the long ball. Darth Nader is also playing little league this summer, and playing like a champ! Click on the image below to see all the pictures from the last game.

REMINDER: Quiz Team Survey Deadline is Looming!

So far, only 6 people have filled out the Quiz Team survey and at this point it appears to indicate:
1. Everyone's favorite social event was being told to sit in silence for an hour,
2. Everyone's requested change for next year is an enforced dress code of tuxedos and gowns at practices, and
3. Everyone is joining the navy next year.

If you have not yet voted, now is the time to go to the survey and let your opinions be known. If not, no problem. But your parents may be surprised by how much a weekly tuxedo rental costs.

Happy Graduation, GJJane!

We here at the Quizzers Pad - and all over Quizzerdom - want to congratulate GJJane on her graduation from High School. It was many, many years of hard work and struggle, but you have made it and passed another milestone of adulthood.

Our best wishes for a wonderful summer, and the next step in your life.

Chat back online!

Thanks to Super K for pointing out to me that the chat area is back online. I am still shopping around for a better solution for us, but in the meantime it makes sense to open back up the area for the quiz team's socialization needs. Click on the button to the left, as always.

Prince Caspian pushed to 2008

Originally, the plans had been to release a Prince Caspian move as early as next year. But now it appears that we will have to wait until 2008.

According to The Reporter the announcement from Disney came hours after Columbia Pictures announced that they would release Walden’s The Water Horse on December 8, 2007. While the article states that Disney feared the films would cannibalize each other, it has appeared for several weeks that Caspian would be pushed back to 2008. Adamson is still working on the screenplay and casting director Pippa Hall has said she won’t begin casting for the role of Caspian till this fall.

Too bad. But hopefully they will at least make the film sooner, rather than later, so the children will not have aged too much from the first film. One of the keys to Narnia in the books is that you can be too old to be allowed back.

Congratulations again, Mr. and Mrs. PureNard

The Quizzers Pad would like to extend another congratulations to former quizzer PureNard on his marriage to Mrs. PureNard. The two had their reception in Connecticut yesterday, and a great time was had by all. Click on the image below for all of my pictures from the event.

Brakeball!

Matt is not the only one working out with the best and the brightest this Spring. Special J is also showing his athletic prowess playing in Little League. The difference? His team is undefeated! Click on the image before to see more pictures from the event.

Calvary 2 Softball Abides

Calvary2's second game contained many excellent plays, including the one shown below where Matt was part of a double-play. But it was not enough to overcome the superior experience of the Bombers - a team which has been winning ball games in Trumbull for decades. Click on the picture to see many more from the same game.

The next game is Wednesday, May 24 at 7:30 PM at Indian Ledge Field.

Narnia takes #1 selling DVD slot for 2006!

It is still early in 2006 to know who will come put on top in the end, but apparently the DVD of "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe" is currently the #1 selling DVD of 2006!

THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE was released on April 5 and has sold over 11 million units in route to claiming this year’s top DVD spot.
"We are delighted with the tremendous success of THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE DVD. This award-winning film is a stellar addition to the celebrated Disney collection and has set the tone for the next chapter in this promising franchise," commented Bob Chapek.

This is good news for those of us hoping for more Narnia movies. Maybe even some movies based on the Space Trilogy? No, that is probably asking too much.

I've Had Days Like This

Pssssst! Fallout 2006 is coming!

All the details are not yet worked out, but the website is up for Fallout 2006 in Allentown, PA and we are planning to go September 16! This year the list of bands includes:

• Flint Face
• LA Symphony
• Tait
• Sanctus Real
• Danny Oertli Worship
• Ken Davis
• Pillar

Stay tuned for more details, such as price, timing, etc. to come later in the summer. But for now, we can celebrate another good day of music and Mr. Taylor gettings beaten in sports by BronxBoy. Or was it the other way around? I forget.

ALERT: Chat Area is down

Apologies for the inconvenience, but the Shoutbox/Chat Area is down at the moment. It appears our service providers forgot to renew their domain name (the service that turns the words www.shoutmix.com into a real server address computers can understand) so they are inaccessible. Usually this kind of problem takes 2 or 3 days to resolve. If they are not back up by then, I will try to find another service to support our chat area needs. For now, I recommend using the COMMENTS area under this post to record your chatty thoughts.

More Special J in the News!

Try as we might, we can't keep Special J off of the front page. He is again lighting up the skies of Trumbull with his skillful batting.

Fedell's jumped out early against Oxford Health and ran away with a 12-2 victory in a game shortened to 6 innings by darkness.
Fedell's was led at the plate by a number of players as Trevor Saggese had three hits with a double and Pat Fairfield, Brian Marino and [Special J] all had two hits, each with a double.

Keep up the good work!

And if anyone is interested in seeing Matt hit a few fly balls, come on out to Long Hill Field this Wednesday at 6:30 PM. They start pretty promptly, so you should be able to see a few innings before rushing off to the SNEAK PREVIEW event at the Sarris House.

Battle of Folded Hands

Calvary2 Softball is off and running!

Matt and the other members of the Calvary2 softball team had their first game this last Monday, and started off well with a strong game and many runs. If you're interested, check out their pictures here.

If you are interested in seeing their next game, stop by at 6:30 PM at Long Hill Field in Trumbull. If you're also going to the SNEAK PREVIEW at the Sarris house, maybe you can stop by for the first inning and then drive over to give a report to the rest of the quiz teamers.

Special J is FAMOUS (or is that infamous?)

Our own Special J has been written up in for showcasing his baseball skills for all of Trumbull to see!

Fedell's slugged its way past Whitehirst Foods 10-2 in a game shortened to 6 innings by darkness.
Fedells' broke open a close 3-2 ball game in the 4th inning led by a grand slam by Trevor Saggesse... and [Special J] also contibuted with two hits. Phil Terio had two runs scored.

Congratulations on the achievement! We knew you were killer on the quiz pads, but not that you are planning to support your parents in their old age on your MLB salary.

Special Feature: QuizPad's Roving Reporter!

You all thought you were safe at the SNEAK PEAK: ACTS meeting with the coaches out of town. But little did you know that QuizPad's own roving reporter was on the scene... uh... playing Scene-It. We have our sources and always know what is going on.

The car door slams. A squeal of tires. A suspicious looking character runs down the driveway, Bible clutched in hand, mind set on one thing:
The book of Acts.
Yes folks, the Sarris family has graciously opened up their home to a bunch of teenagers every Wednesday night for the month of May. No, they are not nuts, they simply wish to…have a Bible study.
This is the second week running! No major injuries! HOOSH-YAH!
Last week, for those of you who neglected to come, was rather interesting and fun. We arrived around 7 P.M., talked like oxygen was running out until about 7:15, at which point we were herded upstairs into the Sarris family room and greeted by Mari’s dad, Mr. Sarris. He said an opening prayer and we began.
El Senor Sarris can make anything into theater! He added unique tones and voices to the various characters and parts of the first five chapters of Acts, pausing every so often to ask if we had any questions, which helped to clear up some things, even bring up stuff and ideas I hadn’t even considered.
When we were done we went downstairs for light, expertly selected refreshments. It made us feel so special! Then it was back upstairs for Disney Scene-It. We had a blast.
At 8:30, it was time to go (except for a few people who literally hung onto the doorframe as their parents dragged them out. (The fingernail marks on the front porch are still there.) See you at the same time next week. Be there!

Keep an eye out for our secret undercover agent. You could be the subject of our NEXT special report!

Nomad has a new car!

Okay, I know this has nothing to do with quizzing or the Bible, but I could not resist sharing. I have a new car! It is a 2006 Pontiac Vibe - sort of a hybrid between a small car and an SUV. It replaces my green 2000 Oldsmobile Alero which died after I did not do an oil change for 10,000 miles. (This is a lesson to us all! Be faithful about oil changes, when you come into possession of a car. Every 3,000 miles!)

Here is the part that I need help with. I like to name each of my cars as they come along as I feel like it gives it some personality. Any ideas for what to name my Vibe? Post them in the comments below.

Pictures from Dagney's Commissioning

If you happened to miss sister-of-former-quizzers Dagney's commissioning service this Sunday, you can click here in order to see pictures from the event. It went very well in both services, and I was struck by how well-planned it all was. I do not remember any other time that our church has gotten together like this for a missionary.

Official Quiz Team Survey 2006

Hear ye! Hear ye! Announcing the first ever Trumbull Bible Quiz Team Survey! This is your chance to give us feedback on your quizzing experience this year, to help the coaches to understand what worked, what did not, and how we can tweak quizzing next year to make it even better.

Please encourage all quizzers from this year to fill out the survey. You do not have to give your name, but it is encouraged.

A few more old timey pics

Last month, I ran out of bandwidth on Flickr before I got all of the 2003-2004 pics uploaded. NOW, they ARE are all uploaded, and have a few more gems to see just how maturity is hitting the older quizzers. Check out here.

Froggie and SuperK, then


Froggie and SuperK, now

Calvary2 Softball's First Game: May 8

Spring has sprung, and Matt - faithful coach and skillful pronouncer of the number 11 - is again part of the Calvary2 softball team. Their first game was just announced as being May 8 at 6:30 PM at the Long Hill Field, which is behind the Long Hill Administrative Offices in Trumbull. You can see it on Google Maps here or get the "official" directions from Trumbull's own site here.

Come on out and support Matt and the Calvary2 guys!

Dagney gets commissioned!

Well, she is not a former quizzer, but she is sister to a former quizzer and sister-in-law to several former and current quizzers. Dagney Pitts is being commissioned this Sunday at the morning services for her Missions Work for the EFCA-IM. If you're interested in the "adventures" she has gone through and is going through as she prepares for the field, check out her blog here.

Two more moments from High Gear

We're almost done with High Gear posts, but I wanted to offer you these two more little reminders of the fun we had. These are videos taken of a couple of our performers. They were taken with my handheld little Sony N1 - and my hands are notoriously unsteady for video taking - so please be kind.



Video Hosting - Upload Video - Photo Sharing

Reminder: SNEAK PREVIEW is tonight!

Remember, tonight is the first night of the "Sneak Preview" of the book of Acts, at the Sarris's house. Remember to bring your bibles! It should be a fun time, even without the coaches there.

Trendy in the Old Days

Stepahanas's High Gear Pictures!

It has now been over a week since High Gear, so I am sure a few of you have no memory of the events. In order to refresh your memories, here are the pictures taken by Stephanas down in Hershey, PA!

These are the ones taken with his Digital Rebel XT. The ones taken with the MONSTER LENS have not yet arrived, methinks.

Happy Birthday, Special J!

We here at the Quizzers Pad want to wish Special J a very happy birthday!

Hope today is a great day, and the next year is one of spiritual growth and great joy.