text:
Also visit other Discerning Hearts areas for "Apologetic Answers"
Faith Check with Greg Youell
VEC10 – Arius – Villains of the Early Church with Mike Aquilina – Discerning Hearts Podcast
https://media.blubrry.com/discerninghearts/www.discerninghearts.com/Aquilina/VEC10.mp3
Episode 10 – Arius – "Villains of the Early Church: And How They Made Us Better Christians"
In this episode, Mike Aquilina and Kris McGregor discuss Arius and the threat of the Arian heresy. Mike makes suggestions on what the Christian can do to stay true to the faith in times and recognize the Arian tendencies we continue to see today.
An excerpt from Villains of the Early Church:
ARIUS WAS an obscure Egyptian priest who probably had more influence on the history of Christian theology than any Christian thinker since St. Paul. It was all negative influence, but no one can deny the influence. Because of Arius, the Catholic Church had to define the relationship of the Son to the Father in clear and unambiguous terms. Because of Arius, we ended up with the Nicene Creed.
But no one would have guessed for most of his life that this Arius was going to set the world on fire.
Aquilina, Mike. Villains of the Early Church: And How They Made Us Better Christians. Emmaus Road Publishing. Kindle Edition.
For more episodes in the Villains of the Early Church podcast visit here – Villains of the Early Church – Discerning Hearts Podcast
You can find the book on which this series is based here
Mike Aquilina is a popular author working in the area of Church history, especially patristics, the study of the early Church Fathers.[1] He is the executive vice-president and trustee of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, a Roman Catholic research center based in Steubenville, Ohio. He is a contributing editor of Angelus (magazine) and general editor of the Reclaiming Catholic History Series from Ave Maria Press. He is the author or editor of more than fifty books, including The Fathers of the Church (2006); The Mass of the Early Christians (2007); Living the Mysteries (2003); and What Catholics Believe(1999). He has hosted eleven television series on the Eternal Word Television Network and is a frequent guest commentator on Catholic radio.
Mike Aquilina's website is found at fathersofthechurch.com
CA-5 St. Thomas Aquinas – Is Sacred doctrine a matter that can be argued? – Christian Apologetics w/ Dr. R. R. Reno – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Episode 5 – Whether sacred doctrine is a matter of argument?
https://media.blubrry.com/discerninghearts/discerninghearts.com/Reno/CA-5.mp3
Question 1 Article 8 Whether sacred doctrine is a matter of argument?
Objection 1: It seems this doctrine is not a matter of argument. For Ambrose says (De Fide 1): "Put arguments aside where faith is sought." But in this doctrine, faith especially is sought: "But these things are written that you may believe" (Jn. 20:31). Therefore sacred doctrine is not a matter of argument.
Objection 2: Further, if it is a matter of argument, the argument is either from authority or from reason. If it is from authority, it seems unbefitting its dignity, for the proof from authority is the weakest form of proof. But if it is from reason, this is unbefitting its end, because, according to Gregory (Hom. 26), "faith has no merit in those things of which human reason brings its own experience." Therefore sacred doctrine is not a matter of argument.
On the contrary, The Scripture says that a bishop should "embrace that faithful word which is according to doctrine, that he may be able to exhort in sound doctrine and to convince the gainsayers" (Titus 1:9).
I answer that, As other sciences do not argue in proof of their principles, but argue from their principles to demonstrate other truths in these sciences: so this doctrine does not argue in proof of its principles, which are the articles of faith, but from them it goes on to prove something else; as the Apostle from the resurrection of Christ argues in proof of the general resurrection (1 Cor. 15). However, it is to be borne in mind, in regard to the philosophical sciences, that the inferior sciences neither prove their principles nor dispute with those who deny them, but leave this to a higher science; whereas the highest of them, viz. metaphysics, can dispute with one who denies its principles, if only the opponent will make some concession; but if he concede nothing, it can have no dispute with him, though it can answer his objections. Hence Sacred Scripture, since it has no science above itself, can dispute with one who denies its principles only if the opponent admits some at least of the truths obtained through divine revelation; thus we can argue with heretics from texts in Holy Writ, and against those who deny one article of faith, we can argue from another. If our opponent believes nothing of divine revelation, there is no longer any means of proving the articles of faith by reasoning, but only of answering his objections—if he has any—against faith. Since faith rests upon infallible truth, and since the contrary of a truth can never be demonstrated, it is clear that the arguments brought against faith cannot be demonstrations, but are difficulties that can be answered.
IP#341 Elizabeth Lev – How Catholic Art Saved the Faith on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor Podcast
https://media.blubrry.com/discerninghearts/www.discerninghearts.com/interviews/Inisde-the_Pages-Elizabeth-Lev.mp3
What a delight to speak with Elizabeth Lev about her phenomenal book "How Catholic Art Saved the Faith: The Triumph of Beauty and Truth in Counter-Reformation Art!" This book is a feast for your mind and heart. It is filled with Church history and illuminated by a cast of extraordinary characters and beautiful images. Professor Lev is a master storyteller who never disappoints! It will be difficult for anyone who begins to enter its pages to put this book down. This work reflects the best in Catholic cultural apologetics. Along with the podcast, check out the absorbing TED talk Liz gave on the story of Sistine Chapel embedded in this post! Give yourself treat, don't wait, get a copy of the book for yourself and plan on gifting it to many of your friends!
"In a series of finely crafted and absorbing essays, Elizabeth Lev actually demonstrates how, at a crucial moment in the Church's history, artists used paintbrush and chisel to proclaim the Gospel. This book will be extremely helpful for catechists, teachers, preachers, and I daresay, for artists themselves. "
"Liz Lev so brilliantly connects art and faith that you will experience every painting, statue and church in a deeper, emotionally powerful and spiritually fulfilling way."
"A treat for the eye and the soul."
IP#278 Mark Brumley – Han Urs von Balthasar's "Dare We Hope That All Men Be Saved?" on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor
https://media.blubrry.com/discerninghearts/www.discerninghearts.com/interviews/Inside_the_Pages-Mark_Brumley_Dare_We_Hope.mp3
A big "THANK YOU" to Ignatius Press for this excellent 2nd edition of the classic "Dare We Hope That All Men Be Saved?: With a Short Discourse on Hell" by Catholic theologian Fr. Hans Urs von Balthasar. The newer edition contains an outstanding forward by Fr. Robert Barron. The conversation with Mark Brumley sheds even greater light on why this is such an important work. Mark also corrects the misrepresentations that have been put forward about it's contents in recent years, including the false characterization of von Balthasar as an advocate of "universalism". An exceptional work! Once again, a great discussion with Mark Brumley.
You find the book here
"Truly deep theological questions can rarely be answered with a simple yes or no. Rather, they are approached by the careful theologian, who circles around them, making distinctions, bringing essential aspects to light. The issue of who and how many will be saved is surely one of the thorniest theological puzzles in the Catholic tradition, and I don't know any theologian-classical or contemporary-who performs the nimble task of bringing out the complexity and profiles of this issue better than Hans Urs von Balthasar. In this short but rich text, you will hear of grace, punishment, mercy, the awful self-absorption of sin-but above all of hope."
– Bishop Robert Barron, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles
IP#255 Mark Brumley – To Know Jesus as the Christ on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor with Kris McGregor
https://media.blubrry.com/discerninghearts/www.discerninghearts.com/interviews/Inside_the_Pages-Mark_Brumley_To_Know_Jesus.mp3
Why is it essential for the Christian to truly "know" Jesus as the "Christ"? Why is a relationship with Jesus Christ paramount for the spiritual life? What is it be an authentic disciple of Christ? These questions are just a few that are answered by master apologist and president of Ignatius Press, Mark Brumley as we discuss the phenomenal book by Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn, the Archbishop of Vienna. Class A catechesis and rich source of spiritual reading, not only for Catholics, but for the entire Body of Christ. Highly Recommended!
An inspiring and practical work by a great churchman about the eternal importance of the Christian faith, and the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, and how it is crucial for our everyday life.
"Catechesis is something different from a theological discourse. Catechesis is actually a way, and we are invited to set out on such a catechetical way. For catechesis is very closely connected with the mission of Jesus himself. It is actually the direct translation of his mission, which he gave to the apostles at the end of his life: 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.' "
IP#296 Fr. Robert Spitzer, S.J. – God So Loved the World pt. 2 on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor
We continue with part 2 of our discussion with Fr. Spitzer….
For part 1 of our conversation visit here
In our conversation with Fr. Robert Spitzer, S.J., we enter into "God So Loved the World: Clues to Our Transcendent Destiny from the Revelation of Jesus", which is the third installment of his "Happiness, Suffering, and Transcendence" series. Not only is Fr. Spitzer a brilliant theologian, but he has the heart of caring pastor who understands the needs of the questing minds of so many lost and wandering souls. With an extraordinary grasp of philosophy, theology and cosmology, he is able to take complicated concepts and mix them with joy, beauty, and a grace-filled enthusiasm without doing damage to the subject matter. In this volume, he addresses "What is LOVE", "Who is LOVE", and maybe in an even deeper way, "The why of LOVE". Of course we know, "God is Love", but God as a Father? God as a Son? God as Holy Spirit? How is the mind to grasp such penetrating Truth? And more importantly, how is the heart to perceive this eternal divine mystery?
We were able to meet with Fr. Spitzer for this discussion at his offices located at the Magis Center in Garden Grove, CA.
https://media.blubrry.com/discerninghearts/www.discerninghearts.com/interviews/Inside-the-Pages-Fr.-Spitzer-God-So-Loved-pt-2.mp3
In this volume the brilliant Fr. Spitzer probes in detail the major question that if an intelligent Creator God – manifest in logical proofs, scientific evidence, and near death experiences – who is the source of our desire for the sacred, and the transcendental desires for truth, love, goodness, and beauty, would want to reveal himself to us personally and ultimately.
He then shows this is reasonable not only in light of our interior experience of a transcendent Reality, but also that a completely intelligent Reality is completely positive–implying its possession of a completely positive virtue – namely "love", defined as agape.
This leads to the question whether God might be unconditionally loving, and if he is, whether he would want to make a personal appearance to us in a perfect act of empathy – face to face. After examining the rational evidence for this, he reviews all world religions to see if there is one that reveals such a God – an unconditionally loving God who would want to be with us in perfect empathy. This leads us to the extraordinary claim of Jesus Christ who taught that God is "Abba", the unconditionally loving Father.
Jesus' claims go further, saying that He is also unconditional love, and that his mission is to give us that love through an act of complete self-sacrifice. He also claims to be the exclusive Son of the Father, sent by God to save the world, and the one who possesses divine power and authority. The rest of the book does an in-depth examination of the evidence for Jesus' unconditional love of sinners, his teachings, his miracles, and his rising from the dead. As well as the evidence for Jesus' gift of the Holy Spirit that enabled his disciples to perform miracles in his name, and evidence for the presence of the Holy Spirit today.
IP#196 Mark Brumley – "Knowing God" on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor
It's great to be joined once again by Mark Brumley, this time to discuss "Knowing God: God and the Human Condition" (previously titled God and the Human Mind) authored by the great Catholic writer, teacher, and publisher Frank Sheed. Written in 1966 during the time of the Second Vatican Council, Sheed addresses the most challenging questions the human mind can pose about God, without presenting answers in dry academic way. Instead, because of his gifted writing style, he engages the reader with a desire to discover "mystery" in all its forms.
https://media.blubrry.com/discerninghearts/www.discerninghearts.com/interviews/Inside-the-Pages-Mark-Brumley-Knowing-God.mp3
"This book is vintage Sheed: clear, commonsensical, and convincing. This is the Sheed of the two masterpieces of apologetics Theology and Sanity and Society and Sanity. But this is also a new Sheed: older and wiser, more practical and human–the post-Vatican II Sheed. I mean this in all the good senses, the John Paul II senses: he is sensitive to the dangers of "the good old days": verbalism, "dead orthodoxy," rationalism, deism, what Sheed calls "theometry" instead of theology: an abstract, formal theological geometry that only wants to define terms and win debating points. Instead, this book is a kind of theological midrash, a deepening, a spelunking in the caves of the deepest mysteries with the clear light of honest words–honest with heart as well as head. It unites dogmatic theology with lived religion. It is precisely the breath of fresh air that Pope John XXIII opened the windows for, and in terms the layman can clearly grasp. —– Peter Kreeft, Author, Because God is Real
IP#299 Dr. Rodney Stark – Bearing False Witness on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor
Once again, Dr. Rodney Stark, the author of the best-selling "The Rise of Christianity" brings clarity to history with his book "Bearing False Witness: Debunking Centuries of Anti-Catholic History"! A professor of social science and co-director of the Institute for Studies of Religion at Baylor University, Dr. Stark is a master of research and source analysis. With his eagle's eye, he assess the landscape of history and systematically debunks anti-Catholic "myths" one after another. Whether he is untying the knot of the "Spanish Inquisition" or placing in proper perspective the motivation and actions of the Church in the various Crusades, he never fails to place before his readers an engaging presentation of the "truth". He remains one of our all-time favorite guests and authors…take a listen!
https://media.blubrry.com/discerninghearts/www.discerninghearts.com/interviews/Inside-the-Pages-Dr.-Rodney-Stark-Debunking.mp3
Rodney Stark gives the last acceptable prejudice a sound thrashing and clears up a lot of confused history along the way. Give this fine book to anyone you know who's been subjected to 'social studies.'" —George Weigel, Distinguished Senior Fellow, Ethics and Public Policy Center
"Growing up Catholic in the United States is to hear a constant stream of stuff that, one's experience shows, is just not true. Still I have always trusted that some unbiased non-Catholic scholar would one day look at the evidence (even its simple logic) again. Little did I imagine that this expected dispassionate historian would be so deeply informed, lucid, thorough, and blunt. Rodney Stark has done justice to neglected historical truth, and I am deeply grateful for his steady toughmindedness. His aim was to honor the truth, so now it remains for historians to look again, face his challenges, and come refreshed to their own verdicts." —Michael Novak, winner of the Templeton Prize (1994), author of The Spirit of Democratic Capitalism
"A majestically argued, gorgeously written, and essential book by one of the truly indispensable minds of our time. Bearing False Witness is one more gift to history from Rodney Stark. It should in turn be given to and read by students and professors everywhere, whatever their beliefs." —Mary Eberstadt, author of How the West Really Lost God and It's Dangerous to Believe
IP#164 Fr. Robert Spitzer – Cosmic Origins on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor
https://media.blubrry.com/discerninghearts/www.discerninghearts.com/interviews/Inside_the_Pages-Fr._Robert_Spitzer_Cosmic_Origins.mp3
It is always a delight to talk with Fr. Robert Spitzer! His sure brilliance, combined with his infectious joy and good humor, is so engaging that any topic he leads us on becomes an adventure. With "Cosmic Origins", a soon to be released DVD, Fr. Spitzer and a group of physicists and academic heavyweights exploring modern scientific theories about how the universe came to exist. I would call this a "mathematical apologetic", which is so beautifully points to the greater "purpose" of our creator, that I couldn't help but smile through the entire presentation. Stunning, wonderful…and so much fun!
To learn more about this film and how you can arrange screenings for your parish or group go here
Cosmic Origins explains what we know about the beginning and nature of the universe, as well as its transcendent implications in clear, easy-to-understand terms. The 49-minute film weaves together a compelling narrative from academics and credentialed scientists pointing toward a very Catholic understanding of how the universe came to exist.
Cosmic Origins is distributed by Ignatius Press.
IP#289 Fr. Robert Spitzer S.J. – The Souls Upward Yearning on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor pt 1
https://media.blubrry.com/discerninghearts/www.discerninghearts.com/interviews/Inside-the-Pages-Fr.-Robert-Spitzer-Pt-1-Souls-Upward.mp3
"The Souls Upward Yearning: : Clues to Our Transcendent Nature from Experience and Reason (Happiness, Suffering, and Transcendence)" has become one of my favorite books of all-time! Fr. Robert Spitzer S.J. once again offers an incredible work that "feeds" not only the mind but also the heart. As a matter of fact, the beauty of this book, on the transcendental nature of our souls, is that it begins with the experience of the heart and then moves us to the head (which is an important flip from how we typically travel the beginnings of the spiritual journey).
In part one of our conversation, we discuss how contemporary evidence indicates how we are built by God, invited by God, from the very beginning of our creation, to receive God. Fr. Spitzer, in this particular episode, sites the work of Carl Jung (psychiatrist) and Mircea Eliade (historian of religion) along with many other experts in their fields to make the case for the beauty of the transcendent soul.
Now why is this topic so vitally important today? Because the loss of transcendence is negatively affecting our entire society. It has robbed us of our happiness, dignity, ideals, virtues, and a sense of our eternal destiny. We were created for greater things and we must believe in that fundamental truth and we must help others to come to that understanding as well! This is a classic work, in its truest sense, of Christian apologetics! Absolutely not to be missed!
"Father Spitzer displays a broad range of arguments in favor of the reality and the compelling importance of the transcendent dimension of our existence on the basis of religious literature, our interior awareness of transcendent reality, the cosmic struggle between good and evil, metaphysics, our natural desire to experience perfect goodness, love and beauty, the evidence of near-death experiences, and contemporary science, especially astrophysics."
Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York
Take a listen to our episode we feature the first book in this great series:
Fr. Robert Spitzer S.J. – Finding True Happiness on Inside the Pages
IP#277 Steve Weidenkopf – The Glory of the Crusades on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor
How can the Crusades be considered "glorious"? That was the first question that popped up in my mind when I saw "The Glory of the Crusades" come across my desk. As I found myself caught up in the history unfolding inside the pages of this incredible book, I found that author Steve Weidenkopf approached this subject in an incredibly balanced, engaging and thoughtful way. By far one of the best books I have ever read on the subject. Steve is a lecturer of Church History at the Notre Dame Graduate School of Christendom College and the creator and author of Epic: A Journey through Church History, an adult faith-formation program on the 2,000-year history of the Church. Meticulous researched (just check out the end notes), with little hint of any political agenda, Steve lets history stand on its own solid clear footing. Thank you Catholic Answers for this outstanding book!
https://media.blubrry.com/discerninghearts/www.discerninghearts.com/interviews/Inside-the-Pages-Steve-Weidenkopf.mp3
The Glory of the Crusades is valuable not only as history but also as a scholarly debunking of centuries of Protestant and Enlightenment distortion of the facts about the West s struggles against militant Islam. –Rev. C. John McCloskey Research fellow, Faith and Reason Institute
This excellent book employs decades of scholarly research to show average readers what medieval historians have long known that popular culture s image of the Crusades has nothing at all to do with the events themselves. Catholics who cringe at the mention of the Crusades will find in this work a surprising and inspiring story of faith. –Thomas F. Madden Director, Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Saint Louis University
IP#45 – John Salza – The Biblical Basis for Purgatory on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor
I love talking with John Salza…tough doctrine and dogma that for most of us is difficult to explain, is just so easy for John. And he shares his knowledge with all of us…what a gift!
John's website is www.scripturecatholic.com
Check out John's book here
https://media.blubrry.com/discerninghearts/www.discerninghearts.com/interviews/Inside_the_Pages-John_Salza_Purgatory.mp3
In The Biblical Basis for Purgatory, John offers the definitive scriptural explanation of this distinctively Catholic doctrine. Building on the teachings of Christ and St. Paul, he shows how the existence of a place of temporal punishment after death is not only a logical extension of what we know about the reality of sin and God's justice, but is also a supreme expression of God's love and mercy. Although Purgatory is a place of mercy, its pains are real, and they are severe. This book does more than defend and explain Purgatory it provides a solid plan, drawn from the Church s perennial wisdom for conquering our sins by God s grace, while still on earth.
Faith Check 29 – Temporal Consequences for Sin
Temporal Consequences for Sin
https://media.blubrry.com/discerninghearts/www.discerninghearts.com/Youell/FC29.mp3
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:08 — 1.0MB) | Embed
Common sense tells us that our sins have consequences. If after committing a sin, we confess, then God promises to forgive us. Yet there can still remain what the Church calls a "temporal punishment," or consequence, for our sin.
For instance, in 2 Samuel 12 after David confesses his sin of adultery, the prophet Nathaniel tells him that the Lord has forgiven him, but nevertheless he will suffer the death of his child as a consequence of his sin.1 Our relationship with God is a personal one and our sins are not just rule violations, but personal offenses that need to be mended.
We can fulfill the temporal punishments for our sins through sincere sorrow for our sins, prayers, sacrifices, and acts of charity.
But as part of the Body of Christ, we can also assist in coming to the aid of our brothers and sisters, both living and dead. This is the basic principle of the Church's practice of indulgences, and undoubtedly what St. Paul has in mind in Colossians 1:24 where he says, "I rejoice in my sufferings, and complete what is lacking in Christ's affliction for the sake of his body, the Church." Or perhaps it's put best in 1 Peter 4:8, which simply states, "love covers a multitude of sins."
1 – 2 Sam. 12:13-14
IP#263 Trent Horn – Answering Atheism on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor
"Answering Atheism: How to Make the Case for God with Logic and Charity" is a compassionately engaging and intellectually-savvy response to the attacks on the existence of God. Trent Horn is a welcomed fresh voice in the forum of Catholic apologetics. Well-researched and thoughtfully presented, this book is a must have for all who wish to defend the faith, but it's also for those who wish to know and grow in it as well. In our conversation, we touch on many of the enter points for dialogue which we encounter everyday in discussions with family, friends, co-workers, and how to approach those times of engagement in a Christ-like manner. A highly recommended book by Trent and, his publisher, the good folks at "Catholic Answers".
https://media.blubrry.com/discerninghearts/www.discerninghearts.com/interviews/Inside_the_Pages_Trent_Horn.mp3
Answering Atheism gets high grades on the three R's: It is readable, reasonable, and researched. Its defense of the cosmological argument has depth and detail, yet it is not so technical that you need to take a philosophy course to comprehend it. —Peter Kreeft, professor of philosophy, Boston College
I've read many works of popular apologetics; this is the best! –Stephen Bullivant, editor, The Oxford Handbook of Atheism
Faith Check 26 – Sacramentals with Greg Youell
Faith Check/Greg Youell
In the minds of non-Catholics, Catholicism often conjures images of Catholic stuff: candles, crucifixes, rosaries, statues, holy water, oils,
and the like. These are called sacramentals—not to be confused with the seven sacraments, they are material items that the Lord uses as conduits of his blessing.
Because of our belief in sacramentals, Catholics have sometimes been accused of practicing magic. But magic is the pagan or new age belief that an object has power in and of itself. Sacramentals are the Christian belief that the living and true God uses His creation as instruments of grace and healing.
Sacramentals appear all throughout the Scriptures. James speaks of anointing with oil.1 Acts of the Apostles tells us that Paul's handkerchiefs brought healing power to those they touched.2In the Old Testament, Elisha's bones were used to bring a dead man back to life.3
And of course the Gospels portray Our Lord himself often using water, mud or even his own spit to perform mighty works of healing and cleansing, a power which Jesus passed on to his priests to be continued to this day.4 Sacramentals are neither magic nor make believe, but powerful weapons to be utilized in our spiritual journeys.
1 – Js. 5:14
2 – Acts 19:11-12
3 – 2 Kgs. 13:21
4 – cf. Mt. 10:7-8; Lk. 10:18-20; Jn. 20:21-23, etc.
RC#3 – The Case for Christianity – The Resilient Church w/ Mike Aquilina – Discerning Hearts
Episode 3 – The Case for Christianity
https://media.blubrry.com/discerninghearts/www.discerninghearts.com/Aquilina/RC3.mp3
The Resilient Church with Mike Aquilina, offers a fascinating look at the trials and triumphs of the Catholic Church over the past two thousand years. Fast-paced sketches of critical periods in church history give readers perspective on the challenges faced by the church today. Mike Aquilina does not shrink from the realities of the past, including badly behaved leaders and those who betrayed the Lord. Yet he also leaves us all with well-founded hope for the future: God remains faithful in every circumstance and fulfills his promise to remain with his church always.
Pick up a copy of Mke's book. You'll find so much more and invaluable references and resoources, as well
Also visit Mike's "Discerning Hearts" page for more audio downloads and information!
IP#256 Dr. Scott Hahn – Evangelizing Catholics on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor
What a delight to once again speak with Dr. Scott Hahn, especially about his exceptionally important book Evangelizing Catholics: A Mission Manual for the New Evangelization". Who should have this book? Everyone! Just the right mix for the adult Catholic to digest: part history book, part theology book, steeped in Scared Scripture, a sacramental feast, anointed by the Holy Spirit…this work is just what the Church needs at this time. If I had my way, every Catholic community would be passing out this book after mass even more eagerly than it does it's parish bulletin! HIGHLY ENCOURAGED READING!
https://media.blubrry.com/discerninghearts/www.discerninghearts.com/interviews/Inside_the_Pages-Dr_Scott_Hahn_Evangelizing_Cathholics.mp3
You can't keep the faith unless you give it away. That's a fact. To be a Christian is to be an evangelizer. When the Catholic Church calls us to a "New Evangelization," that's simply a reminder to us of what has always been true. The good news is: you can do it – you can evangelize – and Scott Hahn shows you how. In this this very practical "mission manual" Dr. Hahn equips you with: A guide to understanding what the New Evangelization is, and who it's really for A roadmap that leads you to where it all happens (hint: it's closer than you think) A simple, beautiful message to share – in words and actions You don't need esoteric knowledge. You don't need to master a new set of skills. Evangelization, for Catholics, is simply friendship raised up to the highest level. Enter a deeper friendship with Christ, and you'll want to share his companionship more and more with a wider circle of friends.
IP#247 Devin Rose – The Protestant's Dilemma on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor
In "The Protestant's Dilemma: How the Reformation's Shocking Consequences Point to the Truth of Catholicism", author/apologist Devin Rose carefully reflects on various Protestant claims and carries them to their logical conclusion. By incorporating, at times, his own intellectual journey from Protestantism to Catholicism, he simply presents a strong case for the authority of Catholic Church teaching. The format of the book is excellent for apologetic study. Addressing the basics of the faith, as well as the particulars of Catholic Social Teaching, he gently, but meticulously offers a sound manual of instruction that should be in the library of every one of us called to the "New Evangelization".
https://media.blubrry.com/discerninghearts/www.discerninghearts.com/interviews/Inside_the_Pages-Devin-Rose.mp3
What if Protestantism were true? What if the Reformers really were heroes, the Bible the sole rule of faith, and Christ s Church just an invisible collection of loosely united believers? As an Evangelical, Devin Rose used to believe all of it. Then one day the nagging questions began. He noticed things about Protestant belief and practice that didn t add up. He began following the logic of Protestant claims to places he never expected it to go -leading to conclusions no Christians would ever admit to holding. In The Protestant s Dilemma, Rose examines over thirty of those conclusions, showing with solid evidence, compelling reason, and gentle humor how the major tenets of Protestantism – if honestly pursued to their furthest extent – wind up in dead ends. The only escape? Catholic truth. Rose patiently unpacks each instance, and shows how Catholicism solves the Protestant s dilemma through the witness of Scripture, Christian history, and the authority with which Christ himself undeniably vested his Church. The Protestant s Dilemma is the perfect book for non-Catholics trying to work through their own nagging doubts, or for Catholics looking for a fresh way to deepen their understanding of the Faith
IP#243 Terry Barber – How to Share Your Faith with Anyone on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor
Terry Barber is a pioneer in the New Evangelization. He is the founder of Saint Joseph Communications, Inc., Lighthouse Catholic Media and is a co-host for Reasons for Faith Live with Jesse Romero on EWTN Radio Network. His book, "How to Share Your Faith with Anyone: A Practical Manual of Catholic Evangelization", is an ideal resource for anyone who desires to share the Good News and become an effective evangelist for Christ. Immensely practical, Terry's work is an important addition to the apologetic lexicon. Our conversation was a joy for me to be a part of. It's easy to see why Terry Barber is so great at what he does; his joy, found in his faith, is infectious and grace-filled.
https://media.blubrry.com/discerninghearts/www.discerninghearts.com/interviews/Inside_the_Pages-Terry-Barber.mp3
"Before it was fashionable to talk about the New Evangelization, Terry Barber was already doing it. His book is a practical manual written from decades in the trenches. After laying the foundation for what evangelism is and why Catholics need to evangelize, the veteran evangelist gives practical training and application to the troops. Soldiers of Christ, grab this book, arise and share your faith!" —Steve Ray. Host, The Footprints of God film series
"Terry Barber has long been one of the Church's finest evangelists. His excellent book shows us how the new evangelization requires new apologetics – a new way to explain why the Church's teachings are true and why Jesus is the answer to the deep desires of the human heart." —Most Reverend Jose Gomez, Archbishop of Los Angeles
IP#226 Al Kresta – Dangers to the Faith on Inside the Pages part 2
Here is part 2 of our discussion:
With a pastor's heart and eagle-eye accuracy, the gifted Al Kresta addresses "Dangers to the Faith: Recognizing Catholicism's 21st Century Opponents" in his newest book published by Our Sunday Visitor. The secular world has presented many twisted versions of the "Truth" over the years: from New Age thought to Isalm, Scientism to Consumerism, Oprah and Shirley to Bart Erhman and Carl Sagan. Al Kresta challenges the "opponents" of faith with Christ-like love and wisdom. In the process, he teaches us all how to evangelize as a true disciple of Christ. A must have work for all those who may have a seeking heart and a desire to grow in their faith and to share it with family, friends and all they may encounter. One of the best books offered in this Year of Faith….a modern classic that should be in every Catholic home!
https://media.blubrry.com/discerninghearts/www.discerninghearts.com/interviews/Inside_the_Pages-Al_Kresta_Dangers-to-Faith-part-2.mp3
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (25.6MB) | Embed
Be sure to listen to "Kresta in the Afternoon" on the Ave Maria Radio Network
From the description:
Dangers to the Faith: Recognizing Catholicism's 21st Century Opponents is the perfect springboard for discussing the new world in which the Catholic Church exists today. Learn how to better carry out the missionary mandate of the Church. The question isn't whether you will be a witness to Christ, but whether you will be a faithful witness.
IP#182 Dr. Christopher Kaczor – The Seven Big Myths About the Catholic Church on Inside the Pages
"The Seven Big Myths About the Catholic Church: Distinguishing Fact from Fiction about Catholicism" by Dr. Christopher Kaczor is a must have resource for Catholics!
The misconceptions about our faith are so prevalent in today's society that is almost guaranteed that you will encounter at least one of these myths in daily conversations with friends, co-workers, and sadly to say, family members. To have the peace of mind, in order to answer the objection, is invaluable, especially when we are called to the New Evangelization. But even more than that, Dr. Kaczor helps us to give a reason for our hope…the presence of Jesus Christ and His saving grace and mercy found in our Roman Catholic faith.
https://media.blubrry.com/discerninghearts/www.discerninghearts.com/interviews/Inside_the_Pages-Dr_Christopher_Kaczor_7-Big-Myths.mp3
The Seven Myths:
The Church Opposes Science: The Myth of Catholic Irrationality
The Church Opposes Freedom and Happiness: The Myth of Catholic Indifference to Earthly Welfare
The Church Hates Women: The Myth of Catholic Misogyny
Indifferent to Love, the Church Banned Contraception: The Myth of Opposition between Love and Procreation
The Church Hates Gays: The Myth of Catholic "Homophobia"
The Church Opposes Same-Sex Marriage Because of Bigotry: The Myth That There Is No Rational Basis for Limiting Marriage to One Man and One Woman
Priestly Celibacy Caused the Crisis of Sexual Abuse of Minors: The Myth of Priestly Pedophilia
"All of this book is full of clarity and charity, but two chapters are masterpieces, each worth ten times the price of the whole book. The chapter on contraception is the most simple, commonsensical, winsome and persuasive I have ever seen. It could have been written only by a very good and wise husband and father. The chapter on same-sex marriage has the clearest and the completest logic I have ever read on the subject." —Peter Kreeft, Boston College
IP#161 Dr. Austen Ivereigh – How to Defend the Faith Without Raising Your Voice on Inside the Pages
I have read many fine Catholic Apologetic books over the years, but I have to say "How to Defend the Faith Without Raising Your Voice: Civil Responses to Catholic Hot Button Issues" is the BEST! Dr. Austen Ivereigh, along with the Our Sunday Visitor Editor in Chief John Norton, have compiled the "must have" text for any and all Catholics who desire to respond to the call for the New Evangelization. More than answers to just about any issue that could come forward in a discussion about the Catholic Church and the faith we profess, their work encourages us to respond with reason based on the fundamentals of Catholic Social Teaching and decorum befitting virtue driven discourse. Once again, this is a MUST HAVE. Check out Austen's article in the OSV weekly entitled "How to Defend the Faith" for just a taste of what can be found in the book.
https://media.blubrry.com/discerninghearts/www.discerninghearts.com/interviews/Inside_the_Pages-Austen-Ivereigh.mp3
From the book description (and it's 100% accurate):
It is about winning friends, not arguments. It is about shedding light, not heat. It's about reframing the argument so hearts can be opened and minds can be inspired.
How to Defend the Faith without Raising Your Voice is a new sort of apologetics. It is for those moments when you are thrust into the spotlight as the token Catholic whether the spotlight is simply at the office water cooler or whether it is front and center at the in-laws Thanksgiving celebration. How to Defend the Faith without Raising Your Voice gives Catholics a fresh way of explaining the Church's teaching on contentious issues humanly, compellingly, and succinctly.
But this book does not pretend to suggest it is as simple as memorizing a speech. Every conversation is different. Every day's news cycle will bring new arguments and new challenges. Instead, it is a book about what the issues really are and where the criticisms are coming from so you can understand and communicate effectively.
It is the fruit of a group of speakers and experts brought together by a single idea: to make sure that Catholics and the Church were represented properly in the media when Pope Benedict came to visit the UK in 2010. Their original and thoughtful approach helped make that visit a triumph and now it can be expanded for a much broader use.
Whether read in groups or alone, studied in schools or parishes, How to Defend the Faith without Raising Your Voice offers the same thorough briefings on hot topics and the same top tips for effective communication which helped make the project such a success.
IP#153 Mark Brumley – YOUCAT on Inside the Pages
It's great to be joined once again by Mark Brumley! This time we discuss YOUCAT, an engaging a catechism designed for a youthful audience. I say "youthful" because it appeals to seekers in all age groups. Bright in design, filled with questions and answers, and thoughtful in its presentation of doctrine, YOUCAT, on every page, brings the faith alive. A fantastic resource for every home…a perfect gift for confirmation kids and adults alike. Especially in the light of the challenges facing the Catholic faith in today's world, we talk with Mark the need for this particular resource.
https://media.blubrry.com/discerninghearts/www.discerninghearts.com/interviews/Inside_the_Pages-Mark_Brumley_Youcat.mp3
You can find out more here
What Pope Benedict XVI has to say about the YOUCAT project:
"Study this Catechism with passion and perseverance. Make a sacrifice of your time for it! Study it in the quiet of your room; read it with a friend; form study groups and networks; share with each other on the Internet. By all means continue to talk with each other about your faith."
IP#122 Fr. Robert Spitzer – Ten Universal Principles on Inside the Pages
It's always a joy to talk with Fr. Robert Spitzer! With his latest book , "Ten Universal Principles: A Brief Philosophy of the Life Issues" he has brought solid philosophy that is easy to read and understand. Not just for those who are interested in a prolife discussion, the "Ten Universal Principles" is perfect for anyone who wishes to grow in the use of faith and reason. Fr. Spitzer addresses many questions including: How do we make sense of life? How should we treat others? How should we reasonably be expected to be treated by others? When human life is at stake, are there reasonable principles we can rely on to guide our actions? How should our laws be framed to protect human life? What kind of society should be built?
The Four Levels of Happiness described in the last section is worth it's weight in gold.
https://media.blubrry.com/discerninghearts/www.discerninghearts.com/interviews/Inside_the_Pages-Fr._Robert_Spitzer_10_Universal.mp3
The Four Levels of Happiness®
Happiness is the only goal that people pursue for its own sake, which makes it an ideal lens for explaining why people and organizations behave as they do. The Four Levels of Happiness model shows leaders how to elevate the powerful drive for happiness and direct it toward shared goals, strong ethics, and great performance. Click here for a full description of the Four Levels.
You can listen to more Fr. Spitzer as he discusses the "5 Pillars of the Spiritual Life" on the Inside the Pages interview #56
IP#105 J. Budziszewski – What We Can't Not Know on Inside the Pages
https://media.blubrry.com/discerninghearts/www.discerninghearts.com/interviews/Inside_the_Pages-J_Budziszewski.mp3
What a fascinating subject: The Natural Law! It's made utterly exciting when talking with Prof. J. Budziszewski. He is such a great thinker, and, what's even better, he helps us to become better thinkers as well. In "What We Can't Not Know: A Guide", Prof. Budziszewski makes the argument for the existence of absolute values of right and wrong and that are embedded in the conscience of every human being. And he uses the Ten Commandments as a spring board for various aspects of the discussion. His book is highly readable and just as HIGHLY recommended! I can't wait for his next book.
IP#89 Fr. Joseph Fessio S.J. – Introduction to Christianity on Inside the Pages
"Introduction to Christianity" by Cardinal Joseph Ratizinger (Pope Benedict XVI) is a modern day classic! Fr. Joseph Fessio S.J., founder of Ignatius Press and student of Pope Benedict, joins us to break open the gift of insight and wisdom contained in this inspirational work of our Holy Father. As the Pope Benedict states in the preface in the 2nd edition of the book, that approach, taken in the book, puts the question of God and the question about Christ in the very center, which leads to a "narrative Christology" and demonstrates that the place for faith is in the Church. It is an excellent edition to all Christian libraries and a must for anyone seeking a richer appreciation of the teachings of faith. Pope Benedict uses the Old and New Testament, the teachings of the Fathers of the Church and generations of Saints, as well as the beauty of the Church's Tradition to ponder the reality of Christ. It's beautiful!
https://media.blubrry.com/discerninghearts/www.discerninghearts.com/interviews/Inside_the_Pages-Fr_Joseph_Fessio_Intro_Christianity.mp3
For more information on this work as well as all the books by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI), go to www.ignatius.com
IP#80 Dr. Scott Hahn – Signs of Life on Inside the Pages
Dr. Scott Hahn has led so many into the heart of the Church through his great sharing of Holy Scripture. With "Signs of Life: 40 Catholic Customs and Their Biblical Roots" he takes us into the various "chambers of our home", the Roman Catholic Church. He helps to understand the devotions, prayers, customs and many other spiritual practices which enrich our faith life. The book includes chapters including: the Sign of the Cross, the Mass, the Sacraments, praying with the saints, guardian angels, sacred images and relics, the celebration of Easter, Christmas, and other holidays, daily prayers, and much more. This work has helped me so much, and it's the gift I give to anyone I know coming into full communion with Church. It's fantastic!!!!
https://media.blubrry.com/discerninghearts/www.discerninghearts.com/interviews/Inside_the_Pages-Dr_Scott_Hahn_Signs_of_Life.mp3
Be sure to visit Dr. Hahn's website for the St. Paul Center of Biblical Theology at www.salvationhistory.com
Check out the book here
"Professor Hahn's purpose is both devotional and apologetic. In showing how Catholic popular piety is scripturally grounded, he explains practices that shape Catholic life and help us grow in grace. This is a book that will be helpful to individuals and to the Church as a whole." — Francis Cardinal George, OMI, Archbishop of Chicago
"Lifelong Catholics realize that it usually takes a convert to help us appreciate and better understand the customs and practices we too often take for granted. Scott Hahn does just that in this immensely reable yet substantive loving look at Catholic prayer, devotions, and beliefs." — Most Reverend Timothy M. Dolan, Archbishop of New York
IP#79 Fr. Dwight Longenecker – More Christianity on Inside the Pages
Fr. Dwight Longenecker is Catholic priest and writer who has experienced an interesting journey of faith. Born into a Evanglical Christian family in Pennsylvania, graduate from fundamentalist Bob Jones University in Florida, and he would later become an Anglican priest serving as a curate, a chaplain at Cambridge, and a country parson. Then, in 1995, he and his wife and family were received into the Roman Catholic Church. He spent the next ten years working as a freelance Catholic writer, contributing to over twenty-five magazines, papers and journals in Britain, Ireland and the USA.
Fr. Longenecker has expanded and revised his book "More Christianity: where he invites the readers to move from "Mere Christianity" to "More Christianity" in the Roman Catholic faith. Filled with every major aspect of our Catholic faith, Fr. Longenecker book serves, not only as resource to help Evangelicals to understand the Catholic faith, but also is excellent for Catholics who wish to deepen their own knowledge of the faith we profess.
Visit Fr. Longenecker's blog "Standing on My Head" to learn more about this and other books, as well as so much more
https://media.blubrry.com/discerninghearts/www.discerninghearts.com/interviews/Inside_the_Pages-Fr._Dwight_Longnenecker.mp3
IP#61 Mark Brumley – The Handbook of Catholic Apologetics on Inside the Pages
Mark Brumley is one of the masters of today's Catholic apologetics, so if he recommends a book to help us convey the faith to others, we should take note! "The Handbook of Catholic Apologetics: Reasoned Answers to Questions of Faith" is a fantastic resource for any and all who wish to communicate the faith more clearly. It's also for those who desire to deepen and grow in their own understanding of Catholic faith. Mark does a great job in this interview talking about some of those teachings, as well as, addressing today's current issues.
Check out the book here!
https://media.blubrry.com/discerninghearts/www.discerninghearts.com/interviews/Inside_the_Pages-Mark_Brumley_Handbook_of_Catholic_Apologetics.mp3
IP#60 Paul Thigpen – Catholic Answers to Catholic Questions on Inside the Pages
Paul Thigpen is wonderful…he answers our questions about our faith not only from the head but also from the heart! More than just a proof text book, "Catholic Answers to Catholic Questions" tackles a why range of issues and questions.
Catholic Answers to Catholic Questions provides solid answers to hundreds of common questions asked by people just like you questions both big and small regarding doctrine, history, morality, the pope, saints, the sacraments, the Mass, prayer, Scripture, and much more.
Be more confident in your faith. Allow the why to enhance the what you do as a Catholic. Make better decisions. Be more prepared to pass on your faith to others. Feed your curiosity. Author, theology professor, and Catholic apologist Paul Thigpen ensures the answe rs are not only rock-solid, but also pastoral in their approach and written in everyday, relevant language.
You can find this fine book here
https://media.blubrry.com/discerninghearts/www.discerninghearts.com/interviews/Inside_the_Pages-Paul_Thigpen.mp3
IP#35 Gary Michuta – How to Wolf-Proof Your Kids on Inside the Pages
It was great to speak with Gary Michuta about his new book How to Wolf-Proof Your Kids. There's a big difference between nuturing community faith sharing and destructive "sheep stealing" that occurs with "religious" proselytizing. Each year, thousands of Catholics fall prey to the manipulative and deceptive recruiting practices of non-Catholic groups, sects, and cults. Gary's new bookprovides parents with critical information about how these groups recruit and what steps you can take to protect yourself and your children.
visit Gary's website www.handsonapologetics.com
https://media.blubrry.com/discerninghearts/www.discerninghearts.com/interviews/Inside_the_Pages-Gary_Michuta.mp3
IP#10 Mark Brumley – Ignatius Press and The Catholic Truth Society on Inside the Pages
Have you ever heard of "The Catholic Truth Society"? Well thanks to Ignatius Press, you are about to. In this edition of "Inside the Pages", I talk with Mark Brumley, president of Ignatius Press and whois one of the leading Catholic apologists in the country (he's also a really nice guy as well). Ignatius Press is bringing the booklets, leaflets and tracks from the Society to America, and they're fantastic. The authors found on these booklets are enough to crow about, but the titles are so good…wow…beyond excellent. You don't want to miss them. Take a look HERE! In this episode we talk the new evangelization, saints, history, apologetics…you name it.
https://media.blubrry.com/discerninghearts/www.discerninghearts.com/interviews/Inside_the_Pages-Mark_Brumley.mp3
Here are just some of the conversations Bruce and I have had with Mark Brumley in the past
Mark Brumley Did Jesus Really Rise.mp3
Mark Brumley Handbook of Catholic Apologetics.mp3
Mark Brumley Jesus of Nazareth Study Guide.mp3
Mark Brumley Lost Gospels.mp3


MOSCOW, Nov. 18, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mechel OAO (NYSE:MTL), one of the leading Russian mining and metals companies, reports its participation in the 19th International Industrial Exhibition Metal-Expo' 2013, which was held at the All-Russia Exhibition Center in Moscow on November 12-15, 2013.
Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant's universal rolling mill, launched in July 2013, won the Main Event in the Russian Steel Industry 2013 nomination.
Mechel-Service OOO was acknowledged the best sales network by sales volume.
Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant, Beloretsk Metallurgical Plant and Urals Stampings Plant won gold and silver medals for successful implementation of innovative projects and technologies.
Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant won a silver medal for implementing an automated steel production planning and accounting system on SAP ERP platform.
Mechel Group's corporate media won awards in the Best Corporate Media in the Steelmaking Industry of Russia and the CIS 2013 contest. Beloretsk Metallurgical Plant's Metallurg newspaper won the Best Steelmaking and Hardware Media nomination, while Mechel-Service's Steel Service magazine won the Best Steel Selling Media nomination. Our Mechel magazine was awarded as the Best Corporate Magazine.
The book titled "Time. People. Steel", dedicated to Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant's 70th anniversary, won a special diploma "For Popularizing Steelmaking".
Mechel-Steel Management Company was the laureate of the contest for best video products in the steelmaking industry of Russia and the CIS — Metal Vision 2013.
Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant's Fyodor Shmidt and Beloretsk Metallurgical Plant's Maria Yakovleva won the first and third place respectively in the photo contest "People of the Fiery Profession".
The exhibition welcomed over 30,000 visitors from construction, engineering, fuel and energy, transport, logistics and steel trade industries. Over 50 conferences, seminars and round tables were held within the exhibition's framework.
Mechel is an international mining and steel company which employs over 80,000 people. Its products are marketed in Europe, Asia, North and South America, Africa. Mechel unites producers of coal, iron ore concentrate, steel, rolled products, ferroalloys, heat and electric power. All of its enterprises work in a single production chain, from raw materials to high value-added products.


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Bears Bust
By Jim Coffman
What are we to make of this team, this Bears team that is? It is oftentimes better to sketch out an assessment a few days after a given game, after the worrisome tide of dozens of little outrages has receded just a bit and we can take a bit better look at the bigger picture.
First and foremost overall is still the fact that the great quarterback hope has crashed and burned. And that fact in and of itself should make it far more likely than not that the general manager will be fired at the end of the year. You can't continue to employ a guy who has no effing clue who has a chance to be a great quarterback and who will be a bust.
The substitute signal-caller, the guy we were told would be the best one possible to run the Matt Nagy offense, was lousy on Sunday in the Bears' 19-11 loss to the Colts. And so were way too many of Nagy's play calls. In general, celebrated Colts' defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus's game plan dominated that of the Bears' offensive-minded head coach.
It was just one game, blah blah blah. The Bears are still 3-1, better through the first quarter of the season than I had expected but still thankful for luck more than great playing performances in any phase of the game or of the coaches' schemes. They so easily could be 1-3 if not 0-4.
The next test comes charging in in a couple days. The Bears have very little time to correct their many flaws before facing the Tom Brady Buccaneers on Thursday.
The offense still sucks, sure. Fears that the success that side of the ball had for portions of the first three games was mostly due to the quality and healthiness of the competition seem well-founded at this point. That received the majority of the attention Monday and rightly so.
Then again, it felt like the defense took a significant step forward Sunday. So let's put the spotlight on that, shall we?
The best thing that happened on that side of the ball against the Colts, and that happened the week before against Atlanta for that matter, was that the Bears were able to generate early pressure on a stand-up veteran quarterback. Both Matt Ryan and Philip Rivers are capable of throwing inaccurate passes at times even when they haven't been pressured or aren't facing pressure on a given play. But they are far more likely to do so if they aren't confident about their protection, like just about any other quarterbacks.
When Pro Bowl quarterbacks aren't as accurate as usual two games in a row, one does start to believe that the defense deserves more credit than generic quarterback failings.
Of course, there need to be more big plays i.e., turnovers. But those tend to come in clusters. Two games ago, Eddie Jackson had what was essentially a game-clinching interception and awesome touchdown return called back due to a questionable pass interference call, a call Jackson said later that a referee apologized for. And on Sunday, Khalil Mack had what seemed like a sure pick drop softly into his hands. He needed only to catch it and then make a move or two to turn it into a touchdown. Instead, he dropped it. Plays like that are a little more likely to go the Bears' way in the next game.
The best development against the Colts was the rise of Roquan Smith. The linebacker who is Ryan Pace's last chance at having made a good first-round draft selection in any of his drafts despite picking in the top 10 time after time, seemed like a different player in the second half than he had been in three-and-a-half games prior.
Did defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano figure something out schematically or did Smith just step up? We should be able to figure that out in the second quarter of the season.
Bring on Thursday night!
Jim "Coach" Coffman welcomes your comments.
More from Beachwood Sports »
MLB's Sticky Situation
By Roger Wallenstein
An amusing little scandal.
Continue reading "MLB's Sticky Situation" »
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One month short of the first birthday of Corsair's ONE, the company has updated the lineup of PCs with two new models: ONE ELITE, and ONE PRO PLUS. Coffee Lake's the name of the game here, and it's no surprise given the previous inclusion of the i7-7700K that the latest CPU to grace ONE is the six-core i7-8700K.
Because Corsair makes an overwhelming number of components in the ONE, it shouldn't come as much of a surprise to learn that both the CPU and GPU are liquid cooled. They also include Corsair's own memory, SSD, power supply, fans, and even custom (Z270 or Z370) motherboard, simply called "CORSAIR ONE".
The ONE features a 12L chassis, so it won't hog too much room, but perhaps even better than that is the fact that the PC should hover around 20dB at idle (load noise level is not mentioned). Not bad for a PC equipped with either the liquid-cooled GTX 1080 or GTX 1080 Ti.
Et cetera The CPU and GPU in every ONE configuration is liquid-cooled.
The only thing that sets the PRO PLUS and ELITE apart from one another is that the bigger model has 32GB of memory, up from 16GB. Yes, memory prices really do currently dictate a $200 price premium for a mere 16GB of memory. I'd hate to be someone building a workstation rig with 64GB right now.
With the latest crop of ONE PCs, Corsair's using the tagline, "Stream:Game:Create", three things these PCs would be more than capable of delivering compelling experiences for. You can check out the full details right here. Corsair says that the new SKUs are "available immediately", but both are currently listed as out-of-stock.


"A park that goes Above and Beyond"
It has been written be myself and numerous other coaster fanatics that the true start of the coaster season begins at Holiday World for Stark Raven Mad, and ends at Knoebel's Amusement Resort for Phabulous Phoenix Phall Phun Phest with a Twist(er). Yes, it is true that there are parks that are open year round, and yes there are parks that open earlier in the season than Holiday World, and stay open later than Knoebels, but the prime coaster season is bookended by those two events. For myself I had already made numerous runs to King's Island and had made stops at several other coaster venues already this season.
It can also be remarked that both events occur at very similar style parks. Both parks are relatively small in size, both offer two wooden roller coasters, both parks have one coaster that is an airtime machine, and the other that is concerned with laterals, both parks serve Pepsi products, both parks are run by families. Yes, there are many big name parks in this world, but none have quite captured the atmosphere generated by these two small parks.
It is therefore with great excitement that Jerry and I pulled into the parking area at Holiday World around 5:15 on the first night of Stark Raven Mad. We found a parking space and without too much of a wait we were quickly checked in and received our goodie envelope. The envelope contained a strip of tickets, a coupon sheet, an event schedule, and a flyer for the park's fall event, which seems to change sponsorship every year. I noted that this year the ticket strip was printed in the order in which the tickets were going to be used, an improvement over last year.
We tore off the Friday Night admission ticket, and entered the park. My first brief stop was to add a park map to the envelope of stuff. We then paused to think about what to do. With a night heavy on the coasters, we decided to try the parks new Liberty Launch.
A short walk later we arrived at Liberty Launch. Liberty Launch is an S&S Double Shot. Double Shot's are shorter S&S towers (less than 100' tall) that somehow still manage to deliver the ride experience of their much taller products. The ride starts out as a Space Shot, then when the car reaches the top on the second bounce another air blast fires offering the Turbo Drop style experience. It's a delightfully fun ride, and I must say better than the full size S&S rides I have experienced at 4 Cedar Fair parks.
I noted the queue for Liberty Launch to be reasonable, and so we entered the queue. Holiday World copied the traditional S&S queue area down to having two lanes with numbers painted on the ground. In this case the park admits 6 quests from each lane. The guests have still to work out that the number they are standing on is their seat assignment. We boarded the Liberty Launch, restraints were checked, and I noticed the car moved higher up the tower than most S&S rides to be weighed, where is slowly descends almost reaching the loading area, then when you least expect it, you get launched, and your shoulders get a gentle introduction to the shoulder bar. This could be seen as an improvement over other Double Shots that I have ridden that have left bruises on my shoulders. The ride falls back down, goes right back up to the top, gets that stronger downward blast, then bobs up and down like most S&S rides before coming back down to the loading area. The ride is a sure winner for Holiday World.
It was so fun, we got in the queue again. This time the line was shorter, and with 5 minutes to go in the parks normal operating day we were the next riders to board. The group ahead of us were loaded, the car went up to be weighed, slowly lowered but came all the way back down to the loading area. The crew tried to fire the gondola three times with no luck. I tell you this to point out an area where Holiday World went "Above and Beyond" I have been to other parks that, if faced with a ride breakdown in the last half hour of the day would have merely closed the ride for the day, and maybe offering some words of apology to the guests. Not Holiday World, Holiday World summoned the ride mechanics, and allowed people to wait, for those who wanted to wait it out. I do not know if they ever got their ride, as we decided to bail and head to the opening ceremony for SRM. We do know that a ride mechanic was already on site when we left.
We next headed to the Hoosier Celebration Theater. In another case of process improvement by the park, the venue for the opening ceremony had been changed. For the last few years it was held in the Holiday Theater which is located right inside the front gate. While being easy to locate, the venue was not large enough to handle all the attendees, and with the accumulation of body heat was not all that pleasant. This year the park moved the ceremony to an outdoor theater, the one located between Halloween and 4th of July. Access to the new venue from the front gate was quite easy thanks to a new walkway that runs from the hill by Raven to a spot next to the Hallowswings.
There were still several seats in the theater, and so we sat in the side section with me on the aisle. Shortly after 6:00 the Stark Raven Mad theme song was played to provide "mood music" and during the first playing of the song, another one of those "Above and Beyond" classic Holiday World moments occurred. Pat Koch started walking down the aisles of the theater personally shaking hands and welcoming people to the event. It is any surprise that we refer to the park staff as the Holiday World Family. SRM is like a family reunion, where the park welcomes all their distant relations back once a year for a weekend of fun.
After what was referred to by the park as the Stark Raven Mad Anthem was played a few times while the crowd was still filing into the theater, the festivities began. There were the usual introductions, there was a song-and-dance number to the tune of "Who Could Ask for Anything More" (I've got Raven/ I've Got Legend/ I've got my rides/ Who Could Ask for anything more?) featuring the tap dancing of Pat Koch. The park was honored with an honorary membership to ACE. Then, and I must stress, there was a reading of the rules. Important safety announcements were made regarding seatbelts, lap bars, and the proper useage of lap bars. Of course no opening ceremony would be complete without an Auction. This year the auction was to benefit the Roller Coaster Museum Fund. All kinds of stuff was sold to the highest bidder. CCI logo golf shirts, various used parts from the parks coaster trains (Wheels), lift hill flags (which I bid on, but could not see paying upwards of $30 for mere solid colored, non standard size flags that would not fit on any flagpole I own), Jeff H's cast from last SRM, a copy of Tim's new Amusement Park Guide, Banshee signage, and parts of the lighting package from Banshee. The park quipped about them not knowing what the winning bidder was going to do with it, but I later found out the park did go "Above And Beyond" by wiring up the lighting package parts to function by merely connecting an electrical cord to a wall outlet. Paula made a remark about "where do you guys get the money?"
The last item up for bids was a real oddball. Paula announced that they were going to start a new tradition, that of auctioning something rare from the parks archive. Assembled group drools. Something back from the parks days as "Santa Claus Land" The item up for bids was a small book-sized cedar box that was once sold at the parks gift shop and bore the Santa Claus Land logo. As if that wasn't enough to get the crowd excited, it was announced the box contained another item inside, a mystery item. Only the winning bidder would learn what the mystery item is. Then it was mentioned that the mystery item could change your life forever. My gut reaction was that the park had placed either a season pass, or a Lifetime Pass To Wooden Coaster Heaven, in the box.
Therefore I was not surprised at how high the biding got. When the smoke cleared and the dust settled, the winning bid was $250. This auction winner deserved special treatment. They came up to the foot of the stage, was introduced to the crowd, the bid was recorded on the tally sheet just like any other winning bid, cash was exchanged, then while the winner and his partner were up on stage, Paula asked if the rest of the people could see what the mystery item is. The winner agreed, opened the box, revealing a jewelry box, dropped to his knees, and proposed on the stage at Holiday World. Paula then chuckled that it was an old cedar box, but it came from her house, and did not have the park logo on it. I'd have to say that proposal was staged.
A few other orders of business, Dave Johnson, the creative talent behind the event flyers and shirts was introduced, and Paula re-gifted a copy of Dr. Phill's book to Dave. Lastly it was announced the park had 60 copies of the Stark Raven Mad Anthem on CD for sale for $5.00. 60 copies, 850 attendees, I didn't even try.
Shortly thereafter the opening ceremony concluded and it was to the rides. With the large crowd from the theater all headed to Legend, Jerry and I headed to Raven, and without too much of a wait had seats in seat 6.1 Ahh, how nice it is to be back at Holiday World riding the Raven. After having an air filled ride we decided to go check out dinner while people were clogging the ride lines.
The traditional Holiday World opening night dinner is the interesting combination of Pizza, Pepsi, Potato Chips, and Phudge. This year I noticed a relish tray was available. We met with lots of folks during the event starting around this time, so in order to not offend anybody, I won't mention names, but a big "Hello! Glad to have met you!" To all the folks I met.
I went inside Kringle's and picked up my meal of two slices of sausage pizza, potato chips, chocolate fudge, and Code Red. There is something special about Holiday World's pizza, you can enter Kringle's, (dare I say it) RAVEN-ous and magically after two giant slices, a mound of potato chips, all the drinks you can take, and an ultra rich block of fudge, you feel full and satisfied. I do have one suggestion, however, since fudge is included, how about including milk on the beverage bar?
After dinner, we proceeded out on the midway. Rather than head directly to the coasters, we took our fresh-from-dinner selves to the spin rides. First up was the Scarecrow Scrambler, where I notice an enlarged queue area has been installed. The Scrambler wasn't bad, but it does seem faster than most big name park Scramblers. From the Scrambler we headed over to look at the new HallowSwings. HallowSwings is the parks brand new Zamperla Flying Carousel. As the name suggests, it has been themed to Halloween, and is quite simply the most beautiful swing ride anywhere. We decided to take a ride on the HallowSwings and received a wonderful ride. In order to make room for the swings, the Banshee (Chance Falling Star) had to go.
Having made our rounds of the available flat rides, it was coaster time. For the remainder of the evening we would make a pattern of getting a couple Legend rides, going over visiting Raven, then some more Legend rides, then some Raven, repeat.
Rather than give the play-by-play of the night, here are my comments on the two HoliCoasters.
Raven: The 1995 classic that introduced Holiday World to a new audience: Coaster Enthusiasts. Raven is themed after the famous Edgar Allen Poe poem. I think it goes something like "Ride The Raven, Forevermore". Holiday World is a Theme Park, and claims to have beat Disney to the title of "World's First Theme Park" by several years. For example most of the structures in the Christmas section of an alpine chalet look to them (North Pole, anyone?) The Raven, in accordance to its theme, has a Victorian haunted house as its station. The queue starts by going through a set of imposing looking wrought iron gates, then makes its way up the front walk to the big veranda style front porch, winds its way around the porch, then goes in the front door of the house. The front hall and stairwell are painted in classic haunted house black.
Riders then climb the stairs to the second floor of the house. A gum roof has been formed on the porch roof that is accessible from the open window at the top of the stairs. On the now finished second floor one finds the coaster station. Several improvements have been made over the years: wall paneling has gone up, the speed of the queue gates has been reduced to something reasonable, an exit gate has been installed. Riders then select a seat, and after the appropriate safety checks the train takes off, right through the big front picture window on the front of the house. Riders can wave excitedly to those folks milling about on the exit ramp, or to the queue below as the train does a queue fly-over then heads alongside the house, where the ride makes its one crossover as the train takes a sudden dip underneath the brake run to arrive at the lift hill. At the top of the lift hill, one can wave to those people at the front gate plaza, then the train turns to the right, and goes down the first drop. While the first drop is good it is really just an appetizer, you then go through a tunnel at the bottom of the first drop, and rise back up where you hit the first really good airtime moment as your dive down into drop 2, then a turn to the right as you fly past the parks general public picnic area, dive back down drop 3, take a lateral filled swoop turn over Lake Rudolph, rise back up to start the return leg. At this point you take little drop 4 which does nothing on its own, but it sets the train up for the rides big climax, Drop 5. Drop 5 is the rides biggest airtime moment, and is one of the best drops on a wood coaster anywhere. But don't think the ride is done with you yet, after ducking under an archway the ride switches gears and starts negotiating a wild series of turns designed to create massive laterals and general mayhem until the train finally finds itself back at the station. Is there any doubt why this is rated the World's Best Wooden Roller Coaster.
The other wooden coaster offered tonight was The Legend. The Legend was the park's 2000 expansion, based on the Legend of Sleepy Hollow. This time the station is themed to a one room school-house. The school of Legend was so popular in fact, that in 2002 the schoolhouse was greatly enlarged and a second train purchased. When the Legend was build it included a long section of straight track directly after the station. This space could accommodate the rides switch track, as well as moving the loading platform down, in order that there may be an extra safety brake between the trains at all times. The park kept the existing entrance and exit stairs and such, and merely enlarged the school room. A bad side effect of this is that whereas before the riders entered the station roughly in the middle of the train, now everybody enters the actual loading area near the rear of the train. This has caused its share of problems, as sometimes the congestion is so bad in the back of the station area, that seats towards the front of the train go out empty because people can't get to them. This year the park added a separate rear seat queue, but it didn't seem to solve the problem.
Now for the ride, the train departs the station, and turns right to go up the lift, the lift presents the ride with a view of the ride, and a good view of the waterpark. I was glad to hear that the lift-top recording of a wolf and the words "Don't Look Back" has returned. A quick right turn at the top of the lift and its down the first drop with a twist at the bottom to go through the rides first tunnel, then the second drop, then the third drop which spirals its way down under the parks new waterslide, Zinga, the ride then passes under itself on a double up which produces a nice moment of floater air, then the train passes through tunnel number two. At the end of tunnel two the ride starts its signature element, the clockwise double helix, with two tunnels. In a weird move, the train goes up and down hills while negotiating the helix. Once out of the helix, its time for the Four Turns. A diabolical series of turns full of laterals. The train then comes into the brake run which passes right over the ride entrance. It's a great ride, it's an intense ride, but I think I prefer my Raven.
With the basic ride descriptions done, I will just say that I talked with a lot of people, rode a lot of rides, found lines that were slightly shorter than last year, and had a really fun time. One small planning error at the end of the night meant that we missed out on finishing up on Raven, which meant we had to walk up the hill. We then headed back to car, to the hotel, got some much needed sleep, got cleaned up, had breakfast at the hotel buffet, skipped the waterpark ERT, and arrived at the park just before 10:00AM.
I had a feeling today was going to be crowded. As soon as we neared Holiday World there were traffic cops there to guide us into the parking lot, then parking attendants to guide us to a space, then a parking tram to shuttle us to the front gate. This would make the 11th time I have been to Holiday World, (I won't count the one time I went to Santa Claus Land when I was a little child) and this is the first time I have seen this kind of parking lot operation.
Never fear, our tickets admitted us to the park, and we headed directly to the Raven. But first I must pause to comment, that as many times as I had been to the park, I never quite noticed they had a nativity scene until this year. You see this year it has been moved directly across from Santa Claus at a key intersection in the park. Proceeded on, we found a relatively short line for the Raven, took a couple rides, noted a full Scrambler queue, and headed on to Legend. When we arrived at Legend, Rideman was just exiting and he informed us of the sadistic fun he was having waving at those people exiling out in the waterpark. Before the border was reopened between Splashin Safari and Holiday World, I was able to get two rides on Legend. Yes, it was fun waving at them.
We rode Legend a few more times, once in the rain, a rain that was short lived, and soon enough we decided to take a tour of the park.
We headed into the 4th of July section, where we noted the ride lines would be a bit long today. We watched a cycle of Eagle's Flight, noted that no improvements had been made since last year, and opted for a ride on the Roundhouse instead.
Next we came around to Liberty Launch, where after waiting about an hour were able to get our second ride on this ride. We then ran into Dave Althoff and proceeded to spend a lot of the day with him. WE went back for more Raven and Legend rides, until we had to make a restroom stop. I want to know what size park guests the park had in mind when they installed the new WaterLess urinals this year. They would be just great for an NBA basketball team.
We rode some more rides, including the Rough Riders bumper cars, Roundhouse again, some more Raven and Legend Rides and more. We did take a break from riding to watch the deputizing of HoliDog's deputies (Path monitors for the walkback) which took place in his FunTown, then had lunch at the Alamo. The Alamo is famous for its Frito Pie. (Try it, You'll like it) WE noted that they only offer mild sauce, even the new salsa they have is mild. We took the walkback, saw a lot of coaster action, saw the old Gerstlauer train (the park even took the tarp off of it for us) and due to the company we had for the walkback, had a really enjoyable time.
There was a large crowd for dinner, so large in fact that a half hour queue had built for the buffet. The line stretched from the far back blue picnic shelter to the entrance of the grove. We were kept entertained in line by a band, and with talking to people soon reached the buffet.
It may seem a bit trivial to critique the buffet, but a couple pointers are in order. Chiefly the park should place the condiments AFTER the entrees so that you know which ones you will need. For example I saw Mustard, Mayo, and other burger fixins, so I prepared to have hamburgers for dinner, except there were no hamburgers on the buffet by the time I got up to the front.
We talked through dinner, and soon decided to make our way back to the miday. A check of the watch revealed that ERT should have started 10 minutes ago. We joined the large crowd assembled at the picnic grove exit. We stood, we waited, then Pat Koch came on the microphone.
Now it's been about 10 days later, the daily search for news articles has subsided, and life at the parks seems to be back to some resemblance of normal. Through it all the Koch Family, Paula and the entire Public Relations staff, as well as the entire Holiday World family have shown the utmost grace and skill during their traumatic park. Holiday World has risen due to their values of openness, honesty, and integrity. Even at its lowest low, the park has managed to show what it is made of, to show that they are a park truly "Above and Beyond" in every sense of the word.
IF Holiday World is "A park that goes Above and Beyond", then that was the TR that goes Above and Beyond. Thank for you encompassing everything wonderful about Holiday World, and also encompassing the feelings of what we felt leaving Holiday World.
I'm not an enthusiast. I just play one on message boards.
Great TR! Have you been on Zinga yet? It sounded like fun waving to the people trapped in the water park:) I was one of them.
I had a chance to ride it about 5 times. Quite a bit of fun. Get 4 people and you reach the sprayers!!! :) Good stuff.


i'm garden-sitting at the moment and yesterday i harvested a mother-load of green beans, amongst other things. as such, i wanted to do something out of my ordinary and have been meaning to try some recipes from the -vegan soul kitchen- cookbook by bryant terry. i found this tasty recipe: crisp green beans with roasted shallots and walnuts! it was perfect because i had everything fresh from the garden and it's simple and easy to make. the beans are coated with a delicious lemon, thyme, dijon mustard vinaigrette. wow, this dressing has so much zing and the toasted walnuts add just the right touch. i didn't have shallots on hand, so i used little pearl onions from the garden and it worked out great. this is a perfect summer salad or side dish to any meal.
i'm really excited to make more recipes from -vegan soul kitchen- and i highly recommend the book! for more information you can go here.


It's been quite an adventure these last weeks.
I've landed myself a new job, visited Boston to get a taste of that job, found an apartment, returned to Arkansas, had Cookiefest, threw myself a party that people actually came to, had Thanksgiving, had many a poignant goodbye, packed up half of my life with the help of my parents, sold the other half (also with the help of my parents) and drove over 1500 miles with my mom and dog to get myself to now, tonight, and the tasty memory of Indian food delivery on my tongue.
Most of you know that I'm living in Boston, MA, now, working for a non-profit called From The Top. Until my Jamaica Plain (JP) apartment is ready, I'm staying in a cute little 1 BR apartment at Taylor House, a famous B&B just a few blocks from said apartment. JP, for those who are wondering, is technically part of Boston, but it's very different from the downtown, and according to those who know, the best place to live if one has a dog. More on that in a moment.
Today was my first day to find my way from Jamaica Plain to my job. Happily, the busses worked as they were supposed to and I got to work with no problems.
It was also Sadie's first day on her own in Boston.
Now, I feel that I've been pretty stoic about this whole life change thing. Yes, there's been the occasional moment of emotion, but on the whole, I've kept my chin up, pushed forward and tried to see this all as the marvelous adventure that it really is.
My move was planned down to the last moment, and despite the dubiousness of my parental units, went off without a hitch. But there was one thing I couldn't control; how my dog would react. See, Sadie hates the car, so it broke my heart a little to think that I would subject her to 3 days of driving. She's an Arkansas hound; how would she handle heading up to the cold north to be with those snooty Yankee dogs? And what would she do when left alone by herself in a strange new place?
She survived the car, it would seem. The jury is out on North-South canine relations, but as to the last question, get this. When this B&B was recommended to me, I learned that the owners lost their beloved dog this past summer. So I suspected that Sadie might find some new friends here. I made sure to introduce her to the guys (Dave and Daryl) yesterday – Daryl took her picture – and they idly mentioned they might take her for a walk. Today, I emailed that they were welcome to hang with her, and as I arrived home, here's what happened.
I came down the stairs, fumbling my purse and gloves. I twisted and turned the keys, messing up the unfamiliar locks, and it wasn't until a few minutes of this that I heard, through the door, the telltale sound of Sadie doing her post-nap shake. This tells me she was sound asleep on the bed; a good sign. Then, I opened the door, and there's my girl, wagging and jumping about. I glanced quickly at the chair where I'd left the leash; it wasn't there, which means she'd at least been taken out to pee. As I was sighing in delight at this small relief, I spotted a handwritten note on the bed, laid neatly atop her leash, telling me that Sadie spent the day in the kitchen with the guys AND they took her for a walk around the pond (1.5 miles). They even gave me an accounting of her bodily functions.
Y'all, I sat down on the bed, tried to give Sadie a hug as she wiggled about, and cried a little. I was laughing too, and trying to figure out what the heck was wrong with me, until I realized the tears and laughter were a release of the final valve of tension about this move, the one I've carried the longest and with the most trepidation. Yes, this is a new place. Yes, I'm going to have to dig my car out of the snow on more than one occasion. No, I don't have my peeps around to keep me in game nights and volleyball. No, they don't have Hammontrees Grilled Cheese here. I have to make new friends, do a crap-load of paperwork, and figure out the foibles of a new non-profit, but really, none of that matters. What matters is my dog has people looking out for her and I didn't even have to ask.
It is just the most. awesome. thing. ever. I'm not sure how I got so lucky, but I'll take it.
So will Sadie, apparently. After wolfing down her dinner she promptly passed out again. I love the sight of a tired out pooch.
← How do I handle this?


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Home » Bike Reviews, News & More » Kawasaki ZRX1100/1200 – Tomorrow's Classic Today!
Kawasaki ZRX1100/1200 – Tomorrow's Classic Today!
December 19, 2018	Kawasaki, News, Reviews
We have to ask – but has any retro machine looked as good or so 'right' as Kawasaki's ZRX1100/1200?
OK, so other retro-look bikes may have had an air-cooled lump and therefore been more true to the original, some may have been faster or handled better, but we at CB-Net doubt anything looked as good: and we include the current Z900RS in that…
Kawasaki did retro first and did it well with the Zephyr range in the early 1990s. This was a family of machineS which had a 550, 750 and 1100 version, all using an air-cooled motor. Instead, the ZRX moved things on a stage. Three versions of the ZRX family were eventually launched: a naked, round-headlight 'N' version, a half-faired 'S' which was launched in 2001 and the one we fancy most – the ZRX1100R, which was launched in 1997.
All models used the water-cooled 1052cc motor from the ZZ-R1100 and detuned it to around 100-110bhp, placing it in a tubular frame, with a braced swingarm and twin Kayaba piggy-back reservoir shocks. The styling detail that made the R special was the inclusion of a small, rectangular bikini fairing, which aped the Eddie Lawson Replicas of the early 1980s. For the money, it was big and most definitely beautiful.
Originally launched in solid single colours of silver or purple, the ZRX1100R looked good, but when it adopted an ELR-esque green with stripes, it suddenly really looked the part and people loved it all the more. Other old Zed-style colours were silver with black stripes and a Firecracker red with blue and silver stripes. For any of us who remembered the 1970s and 1980s old Zeds of yore, it was just what we wanted. Better was to come when – for 2001 – the engine capacity went up to 1164cc, just prior to the ZZ-R1200 coming out and it was then that the 'S' version with the half-fairing was released into dealerships.
How did it fare compared to the opposition? Well, Yamaha had their air-cooled XJR1200 of 1995, which also morphed into a 1300 version, with the old FJ lump. The Yam really looked the part and later came in an 'SP' guise with Ohlins shocks and Kenny Roberts Yellow paint scheme. It rocked – but never had the ZRX's power or poise. Then came Suzuki with the GSX1400 of 2001 and they even gave it strange handling like the original bikes of yore… Honda were also in on the act with the CBR1000F-powered CB1000 'Big One' in the mid-1990s and later the CB1300 of 2003. But we say nothing came close to the ZRX for all-round ability and (more importantly) character.
As it used existing bits and pieces the ZRX was pretty bulletproof too – especially that ZZ-R-derived motor. The only issues could be finish on some parts, bolts and the six-pot Tokicos could lose their 'feel' if not kept clean.
The ZRX has been the basis of a number of very special 'Eddie Lawson' replica replicas… and with the ZRX engine, you could put the original ZZ-R cams back in, liberating mucho power. This popularity/tunability is reflected in a wide-ranging series of owners clubs on both sides of the pond – not unnaturally the Americans love the look of the ELR-esque ZRX.
Here's where things go bad: prices. Rough as a badger's botty ZRXs start at £1500. We've seen good, solid 1100s for £1800 – £2000 rising to £2500. We've also seen low-mile, late model (03-06) 1200Rs go for up to £5000-£6000.
For: Looks, size, go
Against: Pricey – those six-pots…
Make Kawasaki
Model ZRX1100/1200
Price new £7545 (1997, 1100) £6681 (2006, 1200)
Years available 1997-2000 (1100) 2001-2006 (1200)
Major changes 1052cc motor went to 1164cc in 2001. Colour changes through all models.
Cost Starts at £1500 to £6500 for later bikes.
Verdict: The most handsome-looking retro ever…
Remember Honda's DN-01: the bike that wasn't? (no neither do we!!)
Brilliant Motorcycle Inventions -Electric Start