Earlier this month, actor Kevin Sorbo spoke with TheBlaze about his career, the politics of Hollywood and his views about President Barack Obama and the current political schema.
The “Hercules” actor’s statements spawned a plethora of reaction, as critics and fans, alike, were surprised by his moderate — and some might argue right-of-center — perspective. We decided to speak with Sorbo, again, this week to see what he thinks about the monumental response and to chat further about his life and career.
While he hasn’t heard much from his Hollywood compatriots regarding the negative comments he uttered about Obama during his Blaze interview, Sorbo said that some of his close friends reacted favorably, commending him for his honesty.
As for Tinseltown, he doesn’t expect a favorable reaction from the elite. But he noted that they likely won’t be surprised, as many already know where he stands on the theological and political fronts. Sorbo noted that his outspoken views and general failure to align with the industry’s left-of-center political outlook is “enough to piss them off” regardless of whether they saw the interview.
Have I mentioned that I absolutely love time-lapse videos? There’s just something unbelievably cool — even moving — about seeing something evolve, within minutes, from inception to completion. We shared this video on The Blaze on Thursday, but I wanted to post it here as well.
After all, the long-awaited One World Trade Center building is nearing its completion. Here’s what I reported about its development earlier this week:
More than a decade after the two main towers of the World Trade Center complex were destroyed as the result of a horrific terror attack, the main replacement structure is finally nearing completion. One World Trade Center (also known as the Freedom Tower) will be ready for visitors and businesses, alike, in 2013.
Over the past six years, day-by-day, video footage has captured the entire process of building the tower.
Watch the super-cool footage which shows the so-called Freedom Tower from its start through August 26:
Life has a way of throwing surprises our way. Sometimes they’re pleasant, other times — not to much. But, if there’s anything I’ve learned in my 27 years (don’t laugh — I know I still have a lot to learn) on this Earth it’s that very few things are permanent — or, more plainly stated: Change is a natural part of life.
Unfortunately for me, I’ve never been a big fan of it (change, that is). Nonetheless, without it I wouldn’t be able to enjoy the wonderful blessings God has allowed me to experience.
Let’s face it: Sometimes, change is painful. Other times, it’s down-right scary. But, what I’ve come to learn is that whatever emotions it brings to the surface, it’s necessary.
Recently, I found myself stagnant in my faith. I realized — gasp — it’s time for a change! For so long, I’ve felt pretty stationary, neither changing, nor evolving in my understanding of Christ, Biblical principles and the relation of the former tenets to my own journey. So, a few months back, I sat down with my journal and tried to target the areas in which I’m deficient — areas in which I truly need to grow, not only in my understanding of the Lord, but also in the ways in which I think and interact with others.
As I sat and thought through the major issues I’ve faced (and continue to), God gave me a very solid list of six elements, in order form, that I can and should work on within myself. Collectively, I call them my “ChristLog,” as they are truly the items I need to improve upon to not only have a healthier relationship with God, but to also continue growing in nearly every possible respect. Even if you’re not a Christian, I believe you can take this same principle (i.e. pinpointing the blemishes within yourself, jotting them down and working through them on a regular basis to improve upon yourself).
I am by no means perfect. Trust me. But, this list is something I can look at daily as a reminder of the areas in which I fall short. Remember, these are issues — in order — that I believe I need to work on within myself (yours may be different). I decided to share these items with you in an effort to be transparent, while showcasing some of the areas I believe many of us, especially Believers, struggle in. So, here’s my list. Please let me know if you compose your own ChristLog. Would love to hear about it!
Let God take the helm: Quit trying to be in total control (there’s. At the end of the day, very few life occurrences are completely controllable. Seek God’s guidance in everything: Jobs, major decisions and the like. Go to God daily (something I still struggle with this, mainly because of time — which is a terrible excuse). But, truly letting go and letting Christ guide the process is the best way forward.
Believe God for everything and anything: Christians are always saying that God can do anything. But, I limit Him way too much. Sometimes, the weight of life can be overwhelming, but why not challenge myself to truly believe that He is capable of doing everything and anything? Essentially, I need to quit limiting God’s power in my own life. This ties back to letting him take the helm, no?
Be content and satisfied with what God has given: Instead of focusing on what’s next, why not enjoy what’s happening “now?” I need to calm it down a bit and take a moment to smell the fresh air. Ambition has always been a blessing, but it has also been a curse. Sometimes, I fail to appreciate the unbelievable experiences I’ve been blessed to have. Sometimes, God wants us where he wants us and not necessarily where we want to be. Understanding this can be freeing to say the least. I’m still working on that.
Learn self-control in all areas of my life: There are so many areas here to focus upon. But, everyone struggles in this area in some way. Avoiding temptations, making the right decisions, etc. Once one accepts that God’s at the helm and learns to take the passenger seat and allow Him to do the steering, this area will become a bit easier. It’s a process.
Be the best husband I can be: Self-explanatory. And, it’s an ongoing process.
Accept situations that are out of my control: Let’s face it. Even after we let God take the helm, there are certain issues (family problems and more extreme examples of emotional turmoil) that are virtually impossible to look past. Accepting that some of these unfortunate incidents and ongoing events are reality is the first step. Then, praying for healing on an ongoing basis is the next step. Again, it’s a process. Sometimes, we simply can’t control what’s going on in our lives, especially when it concerns others around us. So, we forge on — but with God on our side.
So, what does your ChristLog look like? What do you struggle with? Think of this as a contract with yourself. Trust me — it’s a huge help. Learn more about God here.
It’s been a little while since I last posted here. That said, I want to share some exciting news (for those of you who don’t yet know). In May, I officially joined The Blaze editorial staff full-time. What is The Blaze, you ask? It’s an excellent, daily news outlet.
Below, watch an excellent video that explains who we are, what we do and what you can expect from our reporting. For my recent articles, click here. Stay tuned for more here on BillyHallowell.com as well. But, alas, here is The Blaze:
The debate over America’s fiscal woes continues to intensify. Interestingly, Independents and Democrats are highly favorable of raising taxes on the “wealthy” (any income above $250,000). Republicans, on the other hand, disagree with such a proposal. According to The Hill,
On taxes, the poll reported that roughly two out of three registered voters — 64 percent — would be in favor of increasing taxes on annual income over $250,000. President Obama reiterated in his deficit-reduction speech last week that he favored allowing taxes to rise on families in that income level.
I discussed this subject on FOX News Live this past Tuesday. Here’s a clip:
So, it’s not just the Democrats. Here’s John McCain dozing off a few years back:
Oh boy. A disturbing pattern forming: Democratic leaders asleep during important addresses. Here’s Bill Clinton taking a snoozer during an MLK speech in 2008:
This video speaks for itself. Truly:
Melissa’s top headlines for the day. Again, a great resource! Read more from Melissa here.
Hello fellow travelers,
Tired and grumpy yet? If you feel like you’re in the car with a bunch of toddlers on a cross-country trip and you’ve run out of juice boxes…well, get ready, because the diapers aren’t even poopy yet. That, friends, comes when the government shuts down (if it does) and the liberals go into full throttle freak out. The shrieking ofLouise Slaughter is only the beginning of woe. There will be more.
Politics
- First, perspective. I haven’t written on this but plan to. The CBO blog today: “The federal government incurred a budget deficit of $830 billion in the first six months of fiscal year 2011, CBO estimates in its latest Monthly Budget Review—$113 billion more than the shortfall recorded in the same period last year.” The Democrats are screaming about a piddly cuts.
- More perspective: What a shutdown means. Andmore.
- More perspective: President Obama hasdecided that the military is non-essential. His schedule. Also, even Dems grow weary of him. Sarah Palin takes him to task.
- Karl Rove is afraid of the shutdown.
- Thad McCotter kicks arse on the House floor today, putting this all in perspective.
- DC is being California-ized.
- Donald trump “a giant among pygmies“. Also,his pro-life conversion.
- Media finally admitting the obvious about Egypt?
This -N- That
- Megyn Kelly: Things not to say to a pregnant chick.
- “I Was Itching Like a Crackhead“: Study Finds College Students Addicted to Media
- Hack Attack In Russia — even the prime minister affected
- Super cool art – go look. Amazing.
- Finally, for the essential and non-essential in your life: The T-Shirt.
Have a great weekend! I bet you’ll survive whether the government is opened or not. Funny how that works.
Melissa
