The Origins of Bevo

Some people who know me (and many more only know me) know about my screenname Bevo82 or BevoBevans. Now I will reveal to you why I have these names. (Gasp!) I know, I know - I should really be trademarking these names or selling the rights, but I'm a nice guy and believe in an open, free society. :)

The "82" is simple: I was born in 1982.

The "Bevans" comes from when my mother called me "Evans-Bevans" as a kid. Ok, ok - she still does sometimes.

And now for the Bevo - the short answer is it's the name of the Texas Longhorns Mascot (I was born and raised in Austin, TX, and my Dad went and taught law there at UT... it was years later when my sister Lea went to Tampa that I woefully admitted the original "UT" was the University of Tampa, not Texas or Tennessee - which has the uglier orange, and many of my friends who are TN Vol fans would agree - and if you go to ut.edu you will notice it's Tampa, not Austin, which is utexas.edu. OK - random asides are OVER!)

But for the long answer for how on earth Bevo was named, I refer to the ever-prescient Wikipedia Article on Bevo, and this passage in particular:

[begin quote]

Origin of the name Bevo

"Bo" made his first public appearance at the halftime of the 1916 Thanksgiving Day football game between Texas and archrival the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas (later Texas A&M University), a game in which Texas defeated the Aggies 22 - 7.[8] Following the game, Ben Dyer, editor of the UT campus magazine The Alcalde, referred to the mascot as BEVO.[9] It is not known why he chose this name, though various theories have been put forth, including that Texas A&M had a hand in naming the mascot.[9]

The best-known tale has been called into question.[9][10] The legend claims that the name came about due to an incident of vandalism led by students of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas.[11][12][9] It is true that in 1917, four Texas A&M Aggies kidnapped the longhorn and branded him with "13 - 0", the score of A&M's 1915 win over Texas.[9][12][10] Texas students are rumored to have retaliated by changing the steer's brand to Bevo, as is sometimes claimed.[9][10] However, there is actually evidence that Bevo was fattened up and served at a football banquet in 1920, due to the fact the university did not have the money to take care of him and he was not tamed to roam the campus.[9][10] The Aggies were fed the side they had branded and presented with the hide, which still read 13–0.[9][10] Since Ben Dyer had used the term one year previously, this would mean that the A&M prank could not have led to the name.[9] Another story states that it is possible the editor had Bevo in mind, which was a near beer.[9]

Another potential source of the BEVO name was the one reported in The Daily Texan, the student newspaper of UT: "Through the 1900s and 1910s, newspapers ran a series of comic strips drawn by Gus Mager. The strips usually featured monkeys as the main characters, all named for their personality traits. Braggo the Monk constantly made empty boasts, Sherlocko the Monk was a bumbling detective, and so on. The comic strips were popular enough to create a nationwide fad for persons to nickname their friends the same way, with an 'o' added to the end. The Marx Brothers were so named by their colleagues in Vaudeville: Groucho was moody, Harpo played the harp, and Chico raised chicks when he was a boy. Mager's strips ran every Sunday in newspapers throughout Texas, including Austin. In addition, the term 'beeve' is the plural of beef, but is more commonly used as a slang term for a cow (or steer) that's destined to become food. The term is still used, though it was more common among the general public in the 1910s when Texas was more rural. The jump from 'beeve' to 'Bevo' isn't far, and makes more sense given the slang and national fads of the time."[9]

[end quote]

Both stories are quite good, and I'm most impressed by the inventiveness of the first and the sociohistorical research of the second.

I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did :)

When Pesky Turns Productive

In another "Genius!" moment (see post below on cardboard oven for the other one), I came across this article about CAPTCHAs. You know, those images where you type in the corresponding letters to show that you're a real human being and not some spybot infiltrating a site.

CAPTCHA is short for “Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart.” It was developed by a Guatemalan professor who thought he'd put it to greater use than just identity-verification. He has started a project that now spans from Facebook to Craigslist and other sites where the image is a snippet from a scanned-in book where the computer can't decipher the text... but the human eye can.

Find out much more by clicking here.

So whenever you think you're being pestered into deciphering some random letters, when they form words there's a good chance you're giving 10 seconds of your brain power to the global effort to turn out-of-copywrited texts into digitally-searchable material for the Internet. Alas, it doesn't seem blogger (my host for this blog) employs reCAPTCHA, but I'm urging them to do so if they aren't already! Anyone, let me know if they already are!

So how does it feel to be a part of an Eternal Digital Project? ;)

UPDATE: In a NY Times article, reCAPTCHA is reportedly being used by Twitter, Facebook, Craigslist, the NY Times and Ticketmaster, and is deciphering about 25 million words each day!!!

Cardboard Oven: A Beautiful, 'Impossible' Reality

[This week I preached a sermon on Matt 11:28-30, where Jesus beckons all who are weary to come and find rest in him, and to bear his yoke, for it is easy and light (find my sermon notes here). I have some more thoughts about yoking and bearing burdens...]

There is a picture given to us by one of Emily's friend in Central America, of a woman throwing her head back in pure laughing joy. In the background is a mound of trashing filling the frame. It's a beautiful picture, seeing the joy amidst so much trash. And yet, it's hard to catch her contagious laughter without filling a twinge of irony and guilt.

Too often in this economically developed, individually-minded American culture, we focus too much on the "yoke" and "burden" part rather than the "easy" and "light" part. When I was in East Africa, Ecuador and Central America, I saw many women carrying huge loads of firewood on their backs. (Yes, it was always women - if it were men, they'd have a donkey to carry it for them.) It's a "woman's job" since gathering firewood was for domestic (and usually not commercial/business) use, and the household is the woman's domain (traditionally in many societies).

So for many poor, especially women, society weighs on them both figuratively and literally, whereas we rich tend to be more afraid of losing our individual freedom. Which is why I found this invention of a cardboard oven to be utterly amazing.

Flabbergasted, I read the article where a man in Kenya created this $5 invention with his daughters. Mass production is now planned out of factories in Nairobi. The article ended with these wonderful words: "I don't want to see another 80-year-old woman carrying 20 kilos of firewood on her back. Maybe we don't have to."

Simple is Beautiful.

I now look at this picture on the wall, and I'm able to laugh heartily with this woman, filled with a real hope in relieving at least one of her burdens.

The First are First, until the Last become First

Confession: I'm a current events junkie. Between Democracy Now, the NYTimes, Washington Post and WSJ, I spend at least an hour a day digesting the news. Perhaps it's the Political Scientist undergrad in me. I would love to ween myself off of this habit, but then I do get theological insights such as this...

In the NYTimes today, there is an article about Brain Power and drug doses that help a person forget certain memories.

On the same day, there is an article in the Washington Post that speaks of how the stress of poverty affects memory retention.

The Irony? The FIRST persons, the poor, who may benefit from drug treatment to either forget or better remember things, will be the LAST to ever receive these drugs. In our system, the first are those with money and access, and the last are those who are poor and unable to access the markets, the benefits of what "money can buy."

Thankfully, we believe in a God who subverts this system, flipping it on its head and saying that NO, the First will be Last and the Last will be First, in the Kingdom of our God (Matt 19:30, 20:16; Mark 10:31; Luke 13:30). Those who are most needy shall be clothed, nourished and sheltered FIRST.

. Let us work hand-and-hand to make this vision a reality.

Moral Autonomy v. Manipulative Character

"Corporatism is about crushing the capacity for moral choice."

[irony: even as it "increases" individual choice]

I read this line in an article called "America is in Need of a Moral Bailout." While the author's language is quite vituperative, I think his main point is a good one: Corporations have a manipulative character that has subverted our morals.

And to make matters worse, we have been complicit in their endeavor to the point that we now feel enraged yet helpless. "Who am I in the face of such greed, gluttony and malice?"

In this time of grave economic instability, we each need to take responsibility for ourselves and our own moral compass, or what Kant referred to as "moral autonomy."

Now, it is true that we learn how to behave within our social interactions with others (see Rene Girard's Theory of Mimetic Desire). But each of us is a member of society, and therefore we each can have an effect, however small, on the whole.

Therefore, let us be renewed for peace, love and equality,
repenting from our jealous, self-justifying and selfish ways.

And let us believe in a world where there is more love, peace and hope, and less hatred, war and despair.

It's Official: Red Meat Kills

Em and I are experimenting with going vegetarian... and in the process are doing a detox diet consisting of lemon juice, maple syrup, water and a dash of cayenne - for 10 days(!).

Now, I'm all up for a challenge, but I'm also the guy who likes his meat rare, soft and juicy. Tofu just doesn't come close. So boy am I missing a hamburger right now!

Yet after reading this article, where daily consumption of red meat increases my chances of dying in the next 10 years by 30%, I have some questions to share:

- Will mortality keep me from these red, delicious juices?
- What's life without the pleasure of enjoying it?
- Can I enjoy life without meat?
- Can my habits and tastes and desires change?

A part of me hopes I can ditch red meat, live longer and enjoy other foods... and another part of me mourns the red-juicy-ness I'd be losing.

I suppose only time will tell if my desires for red meat will be satisfied or denied... and another desire takes its place.

Mmmm... now back to my lemony-juicy-syrup.

Inauguration Prayer

After such an incredible benediction from Rev. Dr. Lowery yesterday, I was inspired to write an inauguration prayer of my own, giving allusions to various works ("answers" below).

Inauguration Prayer

We know that progress is often an illusion of our finite minds,
Still, we cannot help but to celebrate what has happened this week.

The dream is no longer deferred. That dream has come.

In this New World
May we lend a helping hand
An open mind
And a hoping heart
Especially to the least of these

May our actions be full of compassion, grace & mercy,
Knowing that all good gifts come from you, the Father of Lights

May the hopes of this nation not rest on one man,
But be grounded in the hope we find in you, in Christ your Only Child
Who lived a life of love, service and devotion to you

Just as he was your beloved, we too are your beloved children.
May we remember that all of us are beloved by you
Give us the courage and strength to do your will
And hold us and mold us in your motherly love
As it is in your heavenly reign

May your abundant graces
Of Hope
Possibility
And Love
rain down on ALL peoples in this New World

Let us go outside and play in the rain –
And let the tears splash all over us

Amen.

Allusions:
Langston Hughes, "Dream Deferred";
Movie: "What Dreams May Come"; "that dream has come."
James 1:17; "Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights"
Dave Matthews Band, "#41": "Why don't you go out in the rain and let the tears splash all over you"

Inauguration Benediction

I just finished watching Barack Obama's Inauguration Speech - quite wonderful. I would like to go back and read it, and hear what others are saying about it.

In the meantime, let me direct you to Dr. Rev. Joseph Lowery's Benediction. A Methodist minister, Dr. Rev. Lowery co-founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference Dr. MLK, Jr. He practically stole the show with his amazing imagery and astute humor, brilliantly capturing the seriousness and levity of the moment. In case you missed it or want to see it again, watch it below (read it here):



After watching this, I must say, words still do matter.

And for those who missed it, U2 performing "Pride" and "City of Blinding Lights" on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in front of Obama, Biden & a whole slew of other people (from yesterday's MLK Celebration of Service Day):



U2 - Best Band Ever.

Do Words Still Matter?

I'm in the middle of a second semester of Greek, where we're learning to accurately translate the Biblical Greek of the New Testament. We're not only learning what words mean but in what sense, tense, mood, etc. based on usage, context and pointing. I'm happy enough with just getting the gist of what the words mean, since no one really knows exactly what was the author's original intent.

This experience reminds me of a thought I've had previously: in a postmodern world, where meaning is contingent on context rather than having absolute meaning (that is, truth with a small "t" rather than a big "T"), does nitpicking over words really matter? Are we spending too much time debating semantics rather than focusing on a larger common ground that might mean different things to different people? It's the sentiment that asks, Can't we all just get along?

I remember when Darfur was first coming onto the international news cycle, there was noticeable talk about how the Bush administration was not using the word "genocide" in referring to the, well, genocide. I think it was Colin Powell who first used the word as then-Secretary of State, and the news analysts all debated if this word usage would force the US to act decisively.

Now here we are in 2009, and the genocide continues in Darfur, unabated. The US has made a few strides to stop the genocide, but haven't used all available options - and thus the people of Darfur continue to be slaughtered, maimed and raped of their human dignity. Here is an instance where words should matter, but they don't lead to any substantial action.

And after years of being told by Pres. Bush that we as a nation do not torture, in this most recent WP article, the top overseer of the military trials for Guantanamo Bay detainees, Susan Crawford has declared the sum total of the interrogation methods used on the alleged 20th-9/11 hijacker to be torture. Yes, that's right. We, the US of A, have tortured our alleged enemies. Thus we have lost any ground to object to questionable interrogations of our own citizens and soldiers. Our righteous words cease to matter, for the actions of our hands have negated the words from our mouths.

Will anything happen? I doubt it. Words are cheap. Anyone can blog. Anyone can spout. But where is the action? Where is the change? We're inundated with words on the 15-min news cycle, the talk shows and the conversations we have with each other. But if these words do not translate into concrete action, I fear all this talk is for nought.

Actions speak louder than words. Let us act with our hearts and minds, speaking truth as we see it and showing people we mean what we say in the way we treat each other with respect, dignity and love.

A Call to Rest

This post from UTNE Magazine is an incredible plea for us to get more rest. The post is actually an excerpt from an article by Matt Carmichael, a writer, teacher & activist, in the magazine Resurgence, which aims to raise the awareness of spiritual and ecological issues

He breaks down the forms of tiredness we feel during the day:
Sleepiness: When we're so tired we don't function properly
Fatigue: When we're tired of what we're doing; tired of our activities
Ennui: When we're tired (bored) of what we have
Satiation: When we're tired of consumption

The answer? Get more rest. And this will mean sacrifice; namely, choosing not to do some of the things we currently feel compelled to do.

What can you stop doing today? How will rest help you to focus more on other activities? How can getting more sleep help you be more productive and enjoy your "waking life"?