Scott Freeman

Tramadol is a synthetic, centrally acting analgesic agent with 2 distinct, synergistic mechanisms of action, acting as both a weak opioid agonist and an inhibitor of monoamine neurotransmitter reuptake. The 2 enantiomers of racemic tramadol function in a complementary manner to enhance the analgesic efficacy and improve the tolerability profile of tramadol. In several comparative, well designed studies, oral and parenteral tramadol effectively relieved moderate to severe postoperative pain associated with surgery. Its overall analgesic efficacy was similar to that of morphine or alfentanil and superior to that of pentazocine. Tramadol provided effective analgesia in children and in adults for both inpatient and day surgery. Tramadol was generally well tolerated in clinical trials. The most common adverse events (incidence of 1.6 to 6.1%) were nausea, dizziness, drowsiness, sweating, vomiting and dry mouth. Importantly, unlike other opioids, tramadol has no clinically relevant effects on respiratory or cardiov
ascular parameters at recommended doses in adults or children. Tramadol also has a low potential for abuse or dependence. CONCLUSIONS: The efficacy of tramadol for the management of moderate to severe postoperative pain has been demonstrated in both inpatients and day surgery patients. Most importantly, unlike other opioids, tramadol has no clinically relevant effects on respiratory or cardiovascular parameters. Tramadol may prove particularly useful in patients with poor cardiopulmonary function, including the elderly, the obese and smokers, in patients with impaired hepatic or renal function, and in patients in whom nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are not recommended or need to be used with caution. Parenteral or oral tramadol has proved to be an effective and well tolerated analgesic agent in the perioperative setting.

Apparently this is good stuff. Although it killed ODB. Just FYI.

So, what are you guys doing for Ramadan?

It’s no “Chocolate Rain.” But can anything be as classic as “Chocolate Rain?” I didn’t think so.

Give it until at least 45 seconds in when he starts jamming. And then if you could explain why I love this guy so much I’d appreciate it:

As a preacher I rely heavily on the use of illustrations. I believe strongly in the power of story to make and emphasize a point. One of my Master’s papers was on the power of illustration.

Because of my reliance on story as a preaching tool I tend to look at life based upon its narrative possibilities. I’m am able to use a lot of what I come up with in my preaching and teaching.

Conversely, there are a lot of illustrations that pop in my head that are just plain awful. For every illustration worth using there are several that never need to be voiced.

Here is an example of a sermon illustration I came up with that is just too bad to ever use:

If you visit a restaurant, gas station or some similar establishment you will be given an opportunity to choose your particular beverage of choice. What you will notice at these establishments is that your selection will usually be either Coke products or Pepsi products. But rarely will you have the option for both. That is because Coke and Pepsi are bitter rivals. Most places will not enter into a contract with both companies.
Yet at each of these locations you will most likely have the additional choice of Dr. Pepper. Dr. Pepper is equally disbursed among Coke and Pepsi locations. And in the instances where Coke and Pepsi are on the same drink station? Yep, Dr. Pepper is there.
The folks at Dr. Pepper haven’t entered into the brutal cola wars that have consumed Coke and Pepsi.
We need to be Dr. Pepper Christians. We need to be people who are equally comfortable with all the beverage choices out there. Uniters, not dividers.

If you are preaching a sermon or devotional talk and this fits in with your theme feel free to use it. But do not, I repeat DO NOT, feel that you have to give me credit for it.

Any bad sermon illustrations you have used or heard?

The other night I went to Hastings to feed my used-book addiction. While there I noticed a huge display of “Harry Potter Moves To Jonestown” or whatever the latest entry in that series is.

Upon closer inspection I noticed that the audio version of “Harry Potter Spikes the Punch” was selling for 80 bucks. That’s 80 US dollars. As my mom would say, “think of the number of mouths that could feed.”

I can’t imagine anyone choosing to pay that much to hear someone read to them but here is my offer:

I will read, over web-cam, “Harry Potter and the Mass Immolation” or any book of your choosing for 15% less than the list price. In other words, I will read “Harry Potter and the Angry ATF Agents” for only 68 dollars.

You can’t beat that anywhere.

…but you won’t find anything catchier. I defy you to listen to this and not go around the rest of the day singing “Chocolate Rain.”

And then if you could explain to me why I love it so much that would be great.

Again, this is all in good fun.

So, you helped me out tremendously in padding my resume. Corporations, churches and think tanks are all lobbying for my services. Now what I need is a good testimony.

In reading Chris Hedges book American Fascists I was intrigued by an evangelism workshop that he attended. Before I proceed, let me say that I do not recommend or endorse Hedges’ book. His hatred for conservative Christians is alarming and disappointing. There is not a shred of journalistic integrity or balance in this book. It is a shrill jeremiad against conservative Christians that really offers nothing to the discussion that can serve as any benefit. Even when he has a good criticism to offer of us it is muted by the disdain through which he offers it.

Nevertheless, this workshop proposes the importance of crafting a good “testimony.” The proper order should include:

1. What I was Before
2. How I received eternal life
3. What eternal life has meant to me

I have an interesting testimony I believe. But it could always be more eye-catching. I became a Christian at the age of 10. I’ve had a couple of bouts of wandering but nothing that stands out in the pack.

So, I need your help to craft an interesting testimony. I’ll start with a scenario. You add a paragraph or so as we build toward a riveting conclusion:

I was working in Corporate America when I grew disillusioned with the Rat Race. I began to consider leaving everything to go and climb the highest mountains on each of the 7 continents. But before I could do that…

OK, one of the things that is important when you are ministry seeking is to have a resume that stands out above the others. So, I need some help to propel mine to the top of the stack so to speak. Here are some of the things I have so far:

–Official ghost-writer for Max Lucado since 1988.

–Director for all the Nooma videos

–Currently living my Best Purpose Driven Life Now

–Never borrows, lifts or steals a single sermon or class idea. 100% original.

What else could I add?

(Note to potential employers: These are jokes)

So, the wife and the kids went out of town yesterday. They drove up to Dallas for the night to spend some time with Tracy’s sister.
It’s the first time in over 3 years that Tracy has taken the girls (at that time there was just two) out of town by herself and left me home alone.

Now, in years past that would be a license to lapse back into bachelor mode. Go to a movie, rent a couple of video games and stay up into the wee hours of the night, eating greasy pizza and saving the world from aliens on the old X-Box.
And then, to top it all off, sleeping till noon.

Sigh, those were the good days.

Here is what my night of freedom looked like this time around:

–Worked in the office until after 6.
–Went and got dinner at Tom’s, one of the best burgers in Waco.
–Got home and made a couple of phone calls that lasted until about 8:45
–Watched the finals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Spelling Bee! Do you get what I’m telling you? No Halo. No Splinter Cell. A bunch of middle schoolers spelling words I’ve never heard of. Can I get the correct pronunciation for schlemiel, please?
–Went to bed and read a bit.
–Lights out at 11:30.
–Up at 7:30

I may need to send the family out of town for a do-over.

What would you do on a night alone?

There is a lot of talk that persists in the world today about dangerous religious movements and the toll that they exact on unsuspecting people. From a potential presidential candidate to a leading Hollywood star to my own religious heritage questions persist about what does and does not constitute a cult.

This is where I come in. In this special edition top 10 list (postponed from yesterday) I break down the 10 most dangerous, insidious and pervasive cults in America today.

It’s not Scientology that we have to be worried about (please don’t sue me). It’s not the People’s Temple or the Moonies. No, these groups are far more sinister.

Read on, reader, and gird up your loins for battle:

10. Jeep Drivers–I know the danger of this one first-hand because I used to own a Jeep. I had no idea when I purchased it back in 1996 that I had joined a covert group. But, overnight, people begin to wave at me and give me these furtive nods. The connection? We were fellow Jeep drivers. It took my wife and an expired lease to get me out (relatively) unscathed.

9. Star Wars Fans–Sure, they are geeks. But it’s the geek world writ large. They don’t just watch the movies, they view life through the prism of an alternative language. Tatooine isn’t another planet, it’s home to these folks. And don’t be surprised if some of the more industrious members are constructing their very own Millennium Falcon’s in their parent’s basements.

8. Lads To Leaders Participants–Sure, it has produced some leadership qualities in many of our churches. It has enabled people to develop and refine preaching and song-leading skills not to mention stoking the fires of all things puppets. But just suggest to the die-hards that you are uncomfortable with the spirit of competition that it provokes and you just might get a beat-down.

7. Garage Sale Scavengers–You have seen these people. They are the ones who begin trolling the streets late on Thursday nights looking for those who are setting up their sales to begin the next day. They are the ones who park outside said garage sales beginning at midnight in eager anticipation of the next day’s bounty. They are the ones who ring the doorbell at 4 in the morning because it’s time to roll up the garage door and begin the bargaining. And they are the ones who will gut you if you get between them and their nickel rolling pin.

6. Yankee Haters–There appears to be this code of acceptability among baseball fans that gauges your true love of the sport based upon the level of animosity you harbor toward the boys in pinstripes. I’m no Yankee fan but the seething level of hatred that many of the haters have is enough to give me pause and wonder if somewhere someone is amassing an arsenal to take out this scourge on America’s pastime.

5. Harry Potter Fans–Tell them it’s just a series of books and see the spittle and foam begin to appear around the corners of their mouths. Tell them you don’t know the difference between a muggle and a dumbledore and they will stare at you with incredulous pity. Tell them that you think it’s all a bunch of hype and prepare to see them slip into anaphylactic shock. Be warned of this group. Their next planned incursion into the real world is scheduled the week of July 21st. Best to stay off the streets that week.

4. NPR Listeners–This group of people are absolutely addicted to lifeless, monotone recitation of world events and “interesting” tidbits of cultural, political and sociological insight. The concern here is that the endless, never varying drone of those pedestrian and lifeless talking heads has produced a near zombie effect that could progress to the eating of young.

3. Mac Users–Be warned. Their smug, knowing tone belies an evangelistic fervor that seeks to indoctrinate.

2. Oprah Watchers–This group is the epitome of a modern day cult. They have a charismatic leader that demands unquestioning and impassioned fidelity. And she has achieved just that level of respect and adoration among her throngs of disciples. If she announces the phone book as her book club pick people will snatch it up in droves. Men, be careful. She is a few precisely timed “special Oprahs” away from taking over the world.

1. Coffee Drinkers–This group is far and away the most dangerous of all. They are universally incapable of understanding anyone who is not a full-blown aficionado. Tell them that you don’t like coffee and prefer a Diet Coke and you can see them looking incredulously at your impertinence and general lack of civility. Tell them that it’s preposterous that anyone would pay 12 bucks for a venti or grande or whatever and you can see them silently plotting your death. Keep away.

There you have it, the most dangerous cults in America today. Any thoughts? I’m sure there will be some insight from the members of some of these cults.

Any that I forgot?

And by the way, this is all in good fun.