DVD

3 Comments Posted on December 15, 2014December 18, 2014 car reviews, parenting, Uncategorized

2014 Lexus RX 450h 5-DR SUV (DVD Player Equipped): Family Friendly Review

For the rest of this week, go ahead and expect to see several upcoming exciting stories about events that took place last week, while our family was fortunate to review the 2014 Lexus RX 450h from a family friendly perspective…

But first, I would like to highlight the features of this vehicle that stood out the most to our family of three.

In my “2 Minute Walk Around” video above, I mentioned that driving the Lexus RX 450 is like when Super Mario hops in the cloud and drives it. With this vehicle being hybrid, you can’t really hear the engine, providing for an extremely quiet ride and idle.

As you can expect from a Lexus luxury vehicle, the cabin itself is like a really classy lounge. My wife always loves it when we review a vehicle with heated and cooled seats.

This was the first time I actually used them myself. Obviously, as you can see from these photos, things got a bit frosty; so I definitely took advantage of the “bun warmers” feature.

I know this may sound like a peculiar feature to highlight, but I really loved the gear shifter. Granted, this was an automatic transmission. But ergonomically, the shifter handle is in the perfect place and I really liked how the handle was a bit longer than most; it somehow made it glide more naturally than most vehicles I have driven.

Like every Lexus SUV I have ever reviewed, all I have to do is just press the button on the “fifth door” and it closes by itself. That’s always fun.

As for my 4 year-old son Jack, it was very obvious what he liked most about the Lexus RX 450h; the DVD screens on the back of the front screens, with Mark Levinson Premium Surround Sound (15 speakers.)

It was like Jack’s own private theatre in the back seat.

One of his aunts just happened to send him a Christmas present which included a Berenstain Bears DVD.

After I saw how special he felt back there, I decided to cash in some points at Best Buy and let him pick out another DVD.

He chose Disney’s Dinosaur, which is perfectly appropriate and relevant for him at this age.

There’s my quick overview. If you have $60,190 to spend on a new luxury SUV, I can’t imagine how the 2014 Lexus RX 450h would be a wrong choice for your family. I didn’t even mention that fact it averages 29 miles per gallon!

So stay tuned for upcoming posts this week involving the 2014 Lexus RX 450h; including going to see Marvel Universe Live, Santa Claus at Bass Pro Shop, and a Nerf birthday party where they shipped in snow for the kids to play in!

Catch up on the entire series of the Lexus RX 450h Weekend. A lot of exiciting things happened!

2014 Lexus RX 450h 5-DR SUV (DVD Player Equipped): Family Friendly Review

Dear Jack: Marvel Universe Live- Family Friendly Review (Lexus RX 450h Weekend)

Dear Jack: Meeting Santa With Sophie At Bass Pro Shop (Lexus RX 450h Weekend)

Dear Jack: Jacob’s 5th Birthday Party In A Tractor Store (Lexus RX 450h Weekend)

Dear Jack: The Old Abandoned Silo Tower On Main Street in Spring Hill, TN (Lexus RX 450h Weekend)

Dear Jack: Our New House’s Shutters, Mailbox, & Interior Paint (Lexus RX 450h Weekend)

Leave a comment Posted on December 2, 2014December 3, 2014 movie reviews, parenting, Uncategorized

What’s in the Bible? Volume 10: Jesus is the Good News DVD- Family Friendly Review

Last night I stayed up late (which means 9:23 PM) to finish watching the What’s in the Bible? Volume 10: Jesus is the Good News DVD. Yes, as a grown man of age 33, I found myself intrigued by the words of the puppets on the TV screen as they explained the miracles it took to lead up the birth of Jesus to fulfill the prophecy of the Old Testament.

This DVD does a great job of explaining the importance of the New Testament, and its relevance to the Old Testament, to a family audience.

While young children may only understand certain parts of what’s going on, this DVD serves as a great invitation to who Jesus is; not simply to church goers, but just as naturally to those who are skeptical or unfamiliar with the real life man, Jesus of Nazareth.

And now I get to give away a copy of this DVD to one of my readers…

Just be the first person to post on the Facebook wall for Family Friendly Daddy Blog (not a private message), asking me, “Did I just win the What’s in the Bible? Volume 10: Jesus is the Good News DVD?

If you’re the first person to do so, I will respond by saying yes… After that, I will follow up by getting your family’s name and address to get you all set up with DVD!

Update: There is a winner so the giveaway is complete!

Matt Wright

Today at 11:08pm

Did I just win the What’s in the Bible? Volume 10: Jesus is the Good News DVD?

1Like ·

Write a comment…
Family Friendly Daddy Blog Yes you did! Just message me your address and I’ll have it shipped to you!

About the movie:

Volume 10: Jesus Is the Good News! / Run time: Approx 66 min

What's in the Bible? Volume 10: Jesus is the Good News DVD

Includes two 25 minute episodes: God’s Perfect Timing – Buck Denver and crew learn about the 400 years between the Old and New Testaments and how Jesus arrives at just the perfect time & The Messiah Has Come! – Learn about the life and ministry of Jesus-how He died for us and rose again to launch the kingdom of God in the world and in us.

“Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”

Leave a comment Posted on November 4, 2014November 4, 2014 reviews, Spirituality, Uncategorized

Buck Denver Asks… Why Do We Call It Christmas? DVD: Family Friendly Review

This past Saturday evening we had a “family movie night”… we saw the Buck Denver Asks… Why Do We Call It Christmas? DVD.

It is made by the creator of Veggie Tales, Phil Vischer, so you already know that it’s a quality production.

Not only is it high quality production, but it is also very informative, as well as funny.

My son’s favorite part was the blue flying squirrel. Of course, there are also robots and pirates!

The Buck Denver Asks… Why Do We Call It Christmas? DVD does a great job of giving answers to the questions about the traditions of Christmas that most of us have never got around to asking or looking up:

Why is it called “Christmas?”
Why do we celebrate on December 25th?
What year was Jesus really born?
What do Christmas trees have to do with Jesus?
Where did Santa Claus come from?
Which came first – Christmas or Hanukkah? And which one did Jesus celebrate?
What are the “12 Days of Christmas?”
How does the name “Emmanuel” explain the real meaning of Christmas?

The humor is aimed at adults as well as kids. I feel that had this been a Disney production, the jokes would have contain innuendos.

But with the Buck Denver Asks… Why Do We Call It Christmas? DVD, I feel the humor is instead a capitalization of “awkward moments.” The puppet characters are more relatable and lifelike because of it.

I’m not sure that it’s being marketed this way, but in addition for home entertainment, this DVD would make a perfect and extremely addition to your church library.

In fact, I would even say it would make an essential addition.

I noticed that this the Buck Denver Asks… Why Do We Call It Christmas? DVD is very “Catholic friendly.” I know that might sound like a strange comment, but it’s evident to me that this DVD is not simply geared towards Baptists, as I feel a lot of “Christian entertainment” is.

Though I’m not Catholic myself, I sort of feel like Catholics get the short end sometimes in regards to being marketed to alongside Protestants.

However, the approach and narrative in this DVD includes Catholics in the same boat as Protestants; in that we all are believers and followers of Christ, as our spiritual salvation.

With all that being said, even if you are not a religious person, instead even the biggest skeptic, I still believe you would find this DVD to be enlightening.

If nothing else, you’re going to learn answers to questions you’ve probably always wondered, but never asked, about how the ways we celebrate Christmas actually goes back to the birth of Christ.

And one lucky reader (in the U.S. or Canada) will win a free copy of this book today…

Just be the first person to post on the Facebook wall for Family Friendly Daddy Blog (not a private message), asking me, “Did I just win the Buck Denver Asks… Why Do We Call It Christmas? DVD?”

If you’re the first person to do so, I will respond by saying yes… After that, I will follow up by getting your address to give to the publisher so they can send you your won copy!

Update: A winner was found within just a few minutes of this post going live. The giveaway portion is now complete.

Tamera Ballard

Today at 9:21pm

“Did I just win the Buck Denver Asks… Why Do We Call It Christmas? DVD?”

1Like Like ·

Family Friendly Daddy Blog Yes, Tamera Ballard, you sure did! (Just send me your mailing address and I’ll make sure the agency gets it out in the mail in the morning Thanks for reading!

Like · Reply · a few seconds ago

“Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: ‘Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising’):

Many thanks to Propellor Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”

1 Comment Posted on June 3, 2010March 5, 2024 People, Spirituality, Uncategorized

Lowercase Punishment

“Cruel and unusual punishment” is a relative term.

Today as I was driving back to work from my lunch break waiting at a red light at a major intersection consisting of 3-lane roads, there was this guy in a big pick-up truck who basically ran a red light in the midst of a lot of traffic. And I thought, “If only a cop was here to catch him…”.

Then I thought, “What if I had the power to obtain and punish him myself?…” The way I would want to punish him is by annoying him, for his crime of causing a potential wreck that could have affected a lot of people.

What if I could punish him without taking anything away from him? What if I could simply freeze his mind for one nanosecond in real-time, but in his mind, it would be for any amount of time I choose? Like I could freeze him for 20 hours in his mind, and everything he saw in that nanosecond would not move at all, like an annoying skip on a DVD? It would not affect his body or future at all. He would not miss anything.

Think of it this way: Sometimes you’ll wake up from a dream and it feels like you were dreaming for hours, even all night- but in reality, most dreams only last less than a minute. What seemed like hours was only seconds.

Now imagine having the power over someone to control their unconscious state for only a second, but during that fraction of a second, it would feel like however many hours, days, or years as you wanted. But the person’s eyes would be open so they had to look at the same thing during what felt like a long time.

The criminal would not age any faster than the rest of us. But if someone did something very bad, you could freeze their mind for a nanosecond in real time but 30 years in “dream time”. It would kinda be like purgatory, except the criminal couldn’t move around and nothing in sight would move neither. It would bore them out of their mind. But we couldn’t let this power get into the wrong hands. Good thing I’m not a mad scientist.

For a similar post by the same author, read Capital Punishment, In Theory.

“Help us someone, let us out of here. Living here so long undisturbed, dreaming of the time we were free. So many years ago before for the time when we first heard ‘welcome to the Home by the Sea’. Sit down, sit down as we relive our lives in what we tell you.”
-Genesis/ “Home by the Sea” (1983)

“In the delusionary state, no wonder he’s been feeling strange of late. Nobody here to spoil the view, interfere with my plans…Steady, lads…and easy does it. Don’t frighten him! Here we go…”
-Paul McCartney/ “Mr. Bellamy” (2007)

“Such a mean old man…”
-The Beatles/ “Mean Mr. Mustard” (1969)

1 Comment Posted on September 16, 2009March 4, 2024 Health, People, Storytelling, Uncategorized

People are Often Motivated by the Exception to the Rule, Not the Normal Outcome

What sometimes positively motivates people and other times negatively distracts them from reality is a magical device called The Exception to the Rule. A person who is uninspired to quit smoking because their grand maw is 92 years old, who has been smoking since she was 14 and healthier than most 60 year olds. The Exception.

A man who lost 30 lbs in 10 days from doing the Atkins Diet or a married couple who made a profit of $300K their first year of selling real estate after applying what they learned from a DVD. They’re an Infomercial’s dream come true. Helping the rest of us to naively focus on the Exception, overlooking the caption at the bottom of the screen: “Results not typical”. No kidding.

We often look at other people of similar demographics to compare ourselves to. The 30 year-old president of a company. The Exception both inspires and disappoints us. It would be one thing if this was a true illusion. But it’s real. And that is the problem and the motivation.

Humans are wired to look for The Exception. That’s something I have learned from writing almost daily for 4 years. If I write 2 pages about how Southerners are not represented positively in movies and TV without it being part of the comic allure or exposure to a strange regional culture, then I have to point out the Exceptions like the movies Reality Bites and Big Fish and the TV shows like King of the Hill and The Andy Griffith Show.

If I don’t, readers become distracted by trying to find the Exception. So I point out the Exception myself in what I write, to show that the general Rule I am introducing does have its Exceptions, but still it is still the Rule.

There will always be the Exception. That’s a Rule with no Exceptions. And if there was an Exception to that Rule, that would be the Exception.

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