Me, Jamie McMurray (#42), and Trisha

The entire 2005 Crusade Crew…

Rolling Stone magazine rejected an ad from the nation’s largest Bible publisher, USA Today reports Tuesday.

Though the message doesn’t mention God, it does tout publisher Zondervan’s new Bible translation aimed at “spiritually intrigued 18-to-34-year-olds.”

“The magazine rejected Zondervan’s Bible ad just weeks before its scheduled run date, citing an unwritten policy against accepting ads containing religious messages,” the paper noted.

USA Today reported that Zondervan executives say the entertainment magazine was key in its $1 million campaign to reach young adults who have rarely, if ever, seen Bible ads before. Surveys show that 53 percent of this age group read the Bible less than once a year or never, although they are huge buyers of books on spiritual and religious themes.

Today’s New International Version of the Bible (TNIV) is a modern English translation from Zondervan, publisher of the world’s best-selling English translation, the 1978 New International Version. The TNIV features updated language and scholarship.

The ad features a young male unsure about life. The ad copy says the Bible is “real truth” in a world of “endless media noise and political spin.”

USA Today said Rolling Stone was angry about the ad’s slogan: “Timeless Truth; Today’s Language.”

“And that assertion of ‘truth’ evidently triggered the rebuff from Rolling Stone,” the paper said.

Following last year’s 100 million song giveaway that kicked off at the Super Bowl, Apple and Pepsi plan this year to give away 200 million free downloads from the iTunes Music Store and 1,700 free iPod minis. ‘Starting at midnight on January 31, consumers will be able to look for codes under the caps of specially-marked 20-oz. and 1-liter bottles of Pepsi products for alphanumeric codes and a ‘Free song’ message, which provides one free song download from the iTunes Music Store. After redeeming your free song code, you will automatically be credited with one entry in the iPod mini sweepstakes, which will give away one iPod mini every hour (24 a day) from February 2 to April 11, with one final drawing on May 2. Apple said it will be giving away approximately 1,700 iPod minis–all of which will be silver with an engraved Pepsi logo on the back.’ Game pieces will be printed underneath caps of Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Pepsi Wild Cherry, Mountain Dew, Diet Mountain Dew, Mountain Dew Code Red and Sierra Mist.

Great, I was just beginning to kick the habit.

Autumn sang her first solo in the church Christmas pageant and did such a good job, she was asked to sing again. She had only week to prepare, and she picked a song (Beautiful by Bethany Dillon) that I thought there was no way she would get down in time. She listened and practiced all day Sunday, and Monday after work she asked me to put in the CD on the way home from work. She had the first verse nailed already. She ended up doing an awesome job. I think I was more nervous than she was.

Apple’s San Francisco retail store sold out its 2,000 iPod shuffle units in four hours on Tuesday, according to iPodlounge.

“While some individuals purchased four, six, and nine of the 512MB, $99 units, the day’s record was apparently set by someone who purchased 24 at once.”

I saw this chick on TLC’s “What Not To Wear” (Yes, as much as I complain to my wife, I watch the stupid show too) and I couldn’t get her song out of my head. A few months later, I caught the episode again, and decided I need to find out if I could get an MP3 of that song. I got more than that. “Freaky Little Story” is one of those CD’s you can listen to over and over and not get sick of. Check out her web site for more info.

New research claims Apple’s revenue generated from its music business should hit US$6 billion by 2007, reports Macworld UK. Who would’ve imagined… starting with 99 cent singles…

National Academy of Sciences Report on gun control laws… “Based on 253 journal articles, 99 books, 43 government publications, and some of its own empirical work, the National Academy of Sciences couldn’t identify a single gun control regulation that reduced violent crime”

Happy 6th Birthday Ethan!!!!