Canterbury cruise to a fine double after beating Wellington 40-27 at the Cake Tin tonight.

Needless to say I’m not as happy as I might be. But Wellington didn’t play as well as Canterbury, especially in the forwards and set pieces, and the Cantabs deserved their win. Andrew Mehrten’s did have a great game (including a nice tackle on Tana) which was good to see even though we paid for it.

So in honour of the red-and-blacks victory I’ve moved to a Canterbury colour scheme for the next day. (Again refresh the browser if you’re getting the gold-and-black one).

I remain a passionate Wellington supporter and would like to thank the boys for an excellent NPC season.

I look forward to seeing the All Black squad named in the near future. Maybe So’oalo and Nonu will make it back in?

In keeping with my team’s slogan “Make your presence felt” I’ve modifed the colour scheme. If it’s not all in glorious black and gold try refreshing your browser. (Cantabrians feel free to leave now.)

Tomorrow (Sat, 7:30pm) the Wellington Lions take on Canterbury in the final of the rugby national provincial championship (NPC) at the Cake Tin in Wellington. Should be a cracker of a game – the flair and unpredicatability of Wellington against the clinical finals football of the Cantabs. Arguable the two best teams in the competition with some great match-ups between the sides. I’m particularly interested in seeing the Wellington mid-fielders and halfback up against their opposite numbers. (I’d also like to see Andrew Mehrtens have a good game – There! Not so one-eyed as others)

It’ll be a game of two halves, and rugby should be the winner on the day.

Awaiting kick-off. Go Lions!

Wired News: Inventor Rejoices as TVs Go Dark.

Information Sciences Institute – The Wars of the Virtual Worlds

Newsgaming.com — September 12th

Oh, my.

Rock band U2 has cut a deal with Apple Computer to sell custom iPods promoting the band’s forthcoming album.

Sources close to the group say the U2 edition of the popular digital music player will come preloaded with the band’s new album, How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb, along with portions of the Irish supergroup’s 25-year catalogue. The iPods will be black and will be made available the same week as the band’s 11th studio album, which is slated to be released in the U.S. by Universal Music Group’s Interscope Records on November 23

See: Forbes.com: Bono’s IPod

Technolust unbounded.

Generally under the weather today – headache, tiredness, general malaise – so went for a walk to the local park. Trees are great – really pick me up – all that greenery. Took a few snaps while standing amongst them – this picture is a merge of four of them looking up (click for larger image).

Yesterday I spent the morning teaching a module on the doctrine of creation to my introductory theology students. On going beyond “origins” discussions to a fuller understanding of creation that is interlinked with our christology, our doctrines of God and the Trinity, eschatology and Christian living.

Tonight I’m off to hear Steven Bouma-Prediger speaking on the topic “Eschatology and Environmental Ethics.” Similar topic but it will be nice to be the student for the evening.

Interesting interview with one of the proponents of transhumanism. Here Kurzweil sketches some of his hopes – human/machine integration, longevity, denial of death – in an easy to read interview: Machine Dreams – Interview – CIO Magazine Oct 15,2004

I think it’s important to understand that technology and human civilization are deeply integrated and that that integration is going to become more intimate. We’re getting closer to our computers. I was talking to a woman yesterday who said her 10-year-old son’s notebook is an extension of him. She said it might as well be inside him. Well, soon computers will be inside us. Within one to two decades, we will be able to place nonbiological intelligence inside us, noninvasively. By the 2020s we will be placing millions or billions of nanobots — blood cell-size devices — inside our bloodstream to travel into our brains and interact with our neurons. We will be extending our cognitive capability directly through this intimate merger of biology with machines.

(Via Stu.)

I’ve been reading Alastair Reynolds’ books recently (just got hold of Absolution Gap) which pick up some of the same themes about what humanity might look like when colonized by technology (Conjoiners, Ultras, nanotechnology). Some interesting ideas though his writing style isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.

Many of the writers like Kurzweil seem to imagine that longevity and freedom from death and disease will bring about a utopian society. As my thesis seems to developing a social justice strand I’ll be investigating these claims in some more detail in the near future. Maybe there will be some relevant articles in Journal of Evolution and Technology (vol 14)?

Maggi’s recent posting maggi dawn: Chalke-gate commenting on the atonement raises some good points.

In reading it I started to think why is it that we don’t talk about it or think more deeply about the atonement in our communities? Is it the subject we’re too afraid to touch on for there’s too much emotional investment in it? What happens in our churches if someone asks for nuances or details of the inherited understanding? What aspects of the atonement are lost or downplayed?

My understanding of theology and church history reminds me that models of the atonement are often shaped by the culture that they are articulated in. That each tries to grasp an aspect of the atonement that helps make sense of the world around us. And not only that but those models give hope to those within the culture of the day.

A helpful overview of atonement models discussed within the context of Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ” can be found here: Martin Sutherland’s Understanding Atonement. in Reality Magazine – Issue 62.

In spite of the hopes of a few (that’s you Paul & Mark) Wellington comfortably beat Waikato (28-16) to make it through to the NPC finals. Semi-finals are so much more stressful than finals – especially when Wellington’s lineout went AWOL in the second half.

Unfortunately Bay of Plenty (Kim’s team) didn’t make it through to the final falling 44-12 to a more clinical Canterbury. Still hats off to the Bay – A Ranfurly Shield win, a defense and the semis made it an excellent season to be a BOP supporter.

Also, I was please to see Poverty Bay (Div 3) and Nelson Bays (Div 2) come through in their finals. The Northland/Nelson promo-relegation match should be excellent.

Bring on the final. Go Lions!