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Colossal
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Friday, March 23, 2012
Facebook Rant: Christian Compassion
The following was offered up today on Facebook by someone who is supposed to be a Christian:
"
Both of these events were horrible and beyond belief.
"Both of these events were horrible and beyond belief.
To try to put some kind of political spin on these events along with a religious theme is sickening. Particularly for someone who presents herself as follower of Jesus.
People were brutally gunned downed. Families and friends grieve the loss of the murdered in both countries. They were all children of God (if there is one). They are the ones who deserve our focus. If there is a God, do you think he cares about boarders and nationality? Really?
This statement points to one of the primary problems in this world. People thinking they are better than other because of their religion or their nationality.
The bloodlust expressed in this posting is truly astounding and disgusting. The perpetrators of these heinous acts are behind bars, unable to harm others. At some point they will receive human justice. More importantly for a follower of Jesus and the Christian God, one should recognize that finally it is up to God to judge and punish.
Compassion and love should be heaped upon those who lost loved ones in these events.
This is why… I am NOT a Christian.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Tech: What Would Jesus Do with an iPad?
Christopher Unset <Original Post Here on Relevant>
Whether we like it or not, we are now living in the post-Microsoft iWorld of the late Steve Jobs. If you haven’t bought into the community, you’re still forced to read iPad press-releases, iPhone magazine articles and the occasional mundane details of Apple’s stock news. What does this do to our brains? The tech world’s fascination with latest-and-greatest gadgetry is not so innocuous, and Apple is currently its epicenter.
Apple’s success has largely been based on technological envy between users; you purchase an iPhone 4, then your friend purchases an iPhone 4S and leaves you wondering how life might be better with Siri on your side. Now you upgrade to an iPhone 4S only to find your phone obsolete six months later. Apple loves to change the design of its products, making the disparity between my device and the next person’s so apparent that whoever has the lower model number is flushed with embarrassment at the antiquated phone or tablet. Then we are compelled to upgrade either out of jealousy or self-aggrandizement.
As Christians, where does this sort of rat race leave us? Brush the dust off of your W.W.J.D. bracelet so we can illustrate this in the simplest of terms.
Would Jesus care what your iPhone says on the back? Do we care far too much? Buying into the Apple ecosystem is a dangerous task. Their business is partially one of status and upgrades. I’ve seen some bloggers who wonder if the newest iPad’s name, stripped of its numerical identification, is a huge mistake on Apple’s part. How will people know if the iPad 3 is better than the iPad 2? “The New iPad”, sans model number, could be perceived as a step backward by your friends.
But whether Apple continues using this current nomenclature is beside the point. What matters is the notion that we place portions of our identity in the electronics we own and then compare ourselves to others on this basis. It can be subconscious and the results are insidious. Sounding alarmist on this point seems like a Christian cliche but the slow transfer of identity in Christ to an identity in electronic stuff is dehumanizing and detrimental to our walk with God. The same can be said for nearly any commodity: clothes, cars, televisions or fancy foods. “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” These are Jesus’ words in Luke 14, right after He observes how the guests seat themselves according to their measure of honor. My guess is, if Jesus owned an iPhone, He’d despise it as much as anything else in this world for its ability to distract us from true riches.
This is a complex issue. It is not simply about social comparison, but utility. Walking through Target, we can scan barcodes with our wireless phones and check prices on Amazon. We can speak addresses at our phones and receive precise, turn-by-turn directions.
Jesus likely made quality furniture before He began His—furniture that either His mother or neighbors appreciated for its excellence and usefulness. He did not scorn an object’s utility, but we misunderstand our needs when we translate an object’s utility into its value. In a world where we are called to derive value from heavenly treasure, value slips from Christ to objects with just a few envious glances at something useful. A thing’s utility is not inherently wrong, but in many circumstances, we translate utility into value as the object successfully fulfills our perceived needs. But man shall not live by iPad or bread alone.
When you buy an iPhone, iPad or iAnything, remember the feeling you have when you first open that perfectly square, beautifully packaged box; the warm ecstasy of holding such a well-crafted device can also be the weighty anchor of one more foothold in the world of men. We become reliant on the creation’s ego-boosting salve or utility rather than the Creator—and I don’t mean Steve Jobs .
Christopher Unseth is 23-year-old graduate of Brown University with a B.A. in religious studies. He works for a tech startup in Minnesota and plans to attend the University of Chicago’s Divinity School this fall.
Whether we like it or not, we are now living in the post-Microsoft iWorld of the late Steve Jobs. If you haven’t bought into the community, you’re still forced to read iPad press-releases, iPhone magazine articles and the occasional mundane details of Apple’s stock news. What does this do to our brains? The tech world’s fascination with latest-and-greatest gadgetry is not so innocuous, and Apple is currently its epicenter.
Apple’s success has largely been based on technological envy between users; you purchase an iPhone 4, then your friend purchases an iPhone 4S and leaves you wondering how life might be better with Siri on your side. Now you upgrade to an iPhone 4S only to find your phone obsolete six months later. Apple loves to change the design of its products, making the disparity between my device and the next person’s so apparent that whoever has the lower model number is flushed with embarrassment at the antiquated phone or tablet. Then we are compelled to upgrade either out of jealousy or self-aggrandizement.
As Christians, where does this sort of rat race leave us? Brush the dust off of your W.W.J.D. bracelet so we can illustrate this in the simplest of terms.
Would Jesus care what your iPhone says on the back? Do we care far too much? Buying into the Apple ecosystem is a dangerous task. Their business is partially one of status and upgrades. I’ve seen some bloggers who wonder if the newest iPad’s name, stripped of its numerical identification, is a huge mistake on Apple’s part. How will people know if the iPad 3 is better than the iPad 2? “The New iPad”, sans model number, could be perceived as a step backward by your friends.
But whether Apple continues using this current nomenclature is beside the point. What matters is the notion that we place portions of our identity in the electronics we own and then compare ourselves to others on this basis. It can be subconscious and the results are insidious. Sounding alarmist on this point seems like a Christian cliche but the slow transfer of identity in Christ to an identity in electronic stuff is dehumanizing and detrimental to our walk with God. The same can be said for nearly any commodity: clothes, cars, televisions or fancy foods. “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” These are Jesus’ words in Luke 14, right after He observes how the guests seat themselves according to their measure of honor. My guess is, if Jesus owned an iPhone, He’d despise it as much as anything else in this world for its ability to distract us from true riches.
This is a complex issue. It is not simply about social comparison, but utility. Walking through Target, we can scan barcodes with our wireless phones and check prices on Amazon. We can speak addresses at our phones and receive precise, turn-by-turn directions.
Jesus likely made quality furniture before He began His—furniture that either His mother or neighbors appreciated for its excellence and usefulness. He did not scorn an object’s utility, but we misunderstand our needs when we translate an object’s utility into its value. In a world where we are called to derive value from heavenly treasure, value slips from Christ to objects with just a few envious glances at something useful. A thing’s utility is not inherently wrong, but in many circumstances, we translate utility into value as the object successfully fulfills our perceived needs. But man shall not live by iPad or bread alone.
When you buy an iPhone, iPad or iAnything, remember the feeling you have when you first open that perfectly square, beautifully packaged box; the warm ecstasy of holding such a well-crafted device can also be the weighty anchor of one more foothold in the world of men. We become reliant on the creation’s ego-boosting salve or utility rather than the Creator—and I don’t mean Steve Jobs .
Christopher Unseth is 23-year-old graduate of Brown University with a B.A. in religious studies. He works for a tech startup in Minnesota and plans to attend the University of Chicago’s Divinity School this fall.
Know and Love Your Introvert
We seem crazy, but we're really not. I promise... :)
The Atlantic: Caring for Your Introvert
CNN: Introverts Rule the World
The Atlantic: Caring for Your Introvert
CNN: Introverts Rule the World
Travel: Wow! How things have changed!
Here's an interesting piece on how packing has changed from BoingBoing.
The things we once packed...
The things we once packed...
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Big Brother: Your Potential Employeer
Should you drop you Facebook account before you start a job hunt?
Job Seekers Asked for Facebook Passwords
Job Seekers Asked for Facebook Passwords
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Photography: Tilt Shift - Dublin
I've been experimenting with tilt shift photography. This one turned out nice.
Some more excellent examples of Tilt Shift photos:
- 40 awesome examples of tilt shift photography
- 40 awesome examples of tilt shift photography
Well said! - 10 Reasons the Rest of the World Thinks the U.S. Is Nuts
Soraya Chemaly
- Read her entire post here.
She's angry and admits it. Here's a except:
"What you are doing is disgraceful, hypocritical and morally corrupt.
And, no, I am not crazy. I am angry.
Mr. Santorum, Mr. England and Mr. Brownback and Mr. Perry you should consider not clinging so dangerously and perversely to the Agrarian Revolution ideas. Birth control and safe abortions are life-saving technologies. These archaic bills and laws, wasteful of time, money and lives, obscure an enduring and unchangeable truth: safe and effective family planning is the transformative social justice accomplishment of the 20th century. They will not go away. This is a revolution, too."
- Read her entire post here.
She's angry and admits it. Here's a except:
"What you are doing is disgraceful, hypocritical and morally corrupt.
And, no, I am not crazy. I am angry.
Mr. Santorum, Mr. England and Mr. Brownback and Mr. Perry you should consider not clinging so dangerously and perversely to the Agrarian Revolution ideas. Birth control and safe abortions are life-saving technologies. These archaic bills and laws, wasteful of time, money and lives, obscure an enduring and unchangeable truth: safe and effective family planning is the transformative social justice accomplishment of the 20th century. They will not go away. This is a revolution, too."
Monday, March 19, 2012
The President is a "Prepper"
Wow! While this type of Executive Order has been around since the Truman Administration, it still is eye opening to actually read it. This is not new and not a power grab that is unique to Obama. It provides a possible look into what the government thinks could happen if Israel and/or the US strikes Iran, or the cyber attack Sec. Panetta worries about.
- Executive Order-National Defense Resources Preparedness
Overviews and perspectives:
- Obama Prepares for a War Footing
- Snopes Review
- Executive Order-National Defense Resources Preparedness
Overviews and perspectives:
- Obama Prepares for a War Footing
- Snopes Review
Food for thought re. healthcare in the US
First, not a proponent of the "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act".
Here's a few articles and programs with some food for thought re healthcare in the US. Personally, I'd like to think there is a way for the US to figure out a way to provide healthcare to a larger portion of our population (some stats say we have 50 million without some form of health coverage.) I believe a healthy population lowers cost for all of us. Preventative care and early intervention, are much better than an emergency room visit when a condition/illness has progressed significantly and requires much more intensive and expensive curative procedures. Providing healthcare to all is morally and ethically the right thing to do. If you are a Christian, isn't it the Christian thing to do? Didn't Jesus heal the sick without expectation of payment? (Yeah, I know "bleeding heart". If our society believes that a basic education for all citizens is critical to our nations success, can't or shouldn't we make the same leap regarding healthcare?)
Forbes - Avik Roy: Could Swiss Style Healthcare Work in the US
I like his idea that there is enough wrong for both sides that they can say they forced the other side to take the poison pill and got a deal done.
Frontline Program: Sick Around the World
CNN - Fareed Zakaria: Saving Health Care
You will have to catch this program on CNN. DVR it. While there are problems with Zakaria's program (see below), it does show there are alternative paths to what we have today.
Forbes - Avik Roy discusses issues with Fareed's program
I like Fareed, but he does go off the rails as pointed out by Avik.
Here's a few articles and programs with some food for thought re healthcare in the US. Personally, I'd like to think there is a way for the US to figure out a way to provide healthcare to a larger portion of our population (some stats say we have 50 million without some form of health coverage.) I believe a healthy population lowers cost for all of us. Preventative care and early intervention, are much better than an emergency room visit when a condition/illness has progressed significantly and requires much more intensive and expensive curative procedures. Providing healthcare to all is morally and ethically the right thing to do. If you are a Christian, isn't it the Christian thing to do? Didn't Jesus heal the sick without expectation of payment? (Yeah, I know "bleeding heart". If our society believes that a basic education for all citizens is critical to our nations success, can't or shouldn't we make the same leap regarding healthcare?)
Forbes - Avik Roy: Could Swiss Style Healthcare Work in the US
I like his idea that there is enough wrong for both sides that they can say they forced the other side to take the poison pill and got a deal done.
Frontline Program: Sick Around the World
CNN - Fareed Zakaria: Saving Health Care
You will have to catch this program on CNN. DVR it. While there are problems with Zakaria's program (see below), it does show there are alternative paths to what we have today.
Forbes - Avik Roy discusses issues with Fareed's program
I like Fareed, but he does go off the rails as pointed out by Avik.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Rick's Science
The scientific method is based on experimentation, observation and documentation. "To be termed scientific, a method of inquiry must be based on gathering empirical and measurable evidence subject to specific principles of reasoning."
- Santorum Speaks 1 > Rick Santorum on Global Warming
- Santorum Speaks 2 > Stewards
Additional articles related to climate change:
- National Geographic: Global Warming Facts
- National Geographic: Global Warming Web Site
- EPA Climate Chage Web Site
- NRDC: Global Warming
- The Union of Concerned Scientists: Global Warming
Dear reader - for a view of the opposite side of this debate simply do a Google search for "global warming hoax". You are welcome to form your own opinion, I have mine.
Based on reading some of the information from both sides of this debate, IMHO - Current research on global climate change seems to point to a correlation between man's activity and global warming. It could be wrong, but a large community of scientist believe it is the best interpretation and explanation of observed and collected data.
Personal Commentary: Mr. Santorum - If you are going to call the inquiry in to global warming a hoax, I'd just like to ask that you give up everything in your life that is the result of the application of the scientific method. You'll be left with yourself and the sticks and rocks you can carry. As for food... what you can kill with the stick or dig up from the ground. Can't really do formal farming. You'd be relying on information gleaned from scientific inquiry. None of the following - clothes, shoes, cars, airplanes, guns, better memorize that bible [ink, paper manufacturing and book binding are based on the application of the scientific method], you finally get to rid yourself of those evil contraceptives. Oh... sorry no more TV or radio broadcasts (Yea! for me! I no longer have to listen to you.)
If you are going to turn your back on science, please do it completely. Please! We will not have to read or listen to your ______ rantings. (I'll let the reader fill in the blank. Could not think of anything really nice to say.)
I know you doubters can point to various studies that say "it ain't so". And the damning leaked emails. Fine, fine. Just note that many more individuals in the scientific community (I know science, its scary), public service and just plain old folks believe the information and believe that global warming is influenced and exacerbated by human industrial activity. All those of us who do believe have one request for all of you who do not - Since you reject the global warming hypothesis, please reject all things that have been derived based on scientific inquiry. That way those of us willing to accept that man contributes to global warming will not have to deal with you for very much longer. We will be happy to wave to the happy, nude savages living in the forest with their sticks and rocks.
- Santorum Speaks 1 > Rick Santorum on Global Warming
- Santorum Speaks 2 > Stewards
Additional articles related to climate change:
- National Geographic: Global Warming Facts
- National Geographic: Global Warming Web Site
- EPA Climate Chage Web Site
- NRDC: Global Warming
- The Union of Concerned Scientists: Global Warming
Dear reader - for a view of the opposite side of this debate simply do a Google search for "global warming hoax". You are welcome to form your own opinion, I have mine.
Based on reading some of the information from both sides of this debate, IMHO - Current research on global climate change seems to point to a correlation between man's activity and global warming. It could be wrong, but a large community of scientist believe it is the best interpretation and explanation of observed and collected data.
Personal Commentary: Mr. Santorum - If you are going to call the inquiry in to global warming a hoax, I'd just like to ask that you give up everything in your life that is the result of the application of the scientific method. You'll be left with yourself and the sticks and rocks you can carry. As for food... what you can kill with the stick or dig up from the ground. Can't really do formal farming. You'd be relying on information gleaned from scientific inquiry. None of the following - clothes, shoes, cars, airplanes, guns, better memorize that bible [ink, paper manufacturing and book binding are based on the application of the scientific method], you finally get to rid yourself of those evil contraceptives. Oh... sorry no more TV or radio broadcasts (Yea! for me! I no longer have to listen to you.)
If you are going to turn your back on science, please do it completely. Please! We will not have to read or listen to your ______ rantings. (I'll let the reader fill in the blank. Could not think of anything really nice to say.)
I know you doubters can point to various studies that say "it ain't so". And the damning leaked emails. Fine, fine. Just note that many more individuals in the scientific community (I know science, its scary), public service and just plain old folks believe the information and believe that global warming is influenced and exacerbated by human industrial activity. All those of us who do believe have one request for all of you who do not - Since you reject the global warming hypothesis, please reject all things that have been derived based on scientific inquiry. That way those of us willing to accept that man contributes to global warming will not have to deal with you for very much longer. We will be happy to wave to the happy, nude savages living in the forest with their sticks and rocks.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Monday, March 12, 2012
Artist: Yumiko Kayukawa
Always enjoy her work.
Yumiko's web site.
Each beautiful piece showcases Yumiko’s amazing ability to paint powerful colors and perfect lines that look like they could only have been done digitally, though they are in fact only inks and acrylics... Her computer is reserved only for email. Animals are a predominant feature in her work along with "the girl". Her work ranges from the serious wolves in "Hoshitochi", to the playful frogs of "Amagaeru". There is no shortage of technical ability and whimsical fun in each stretched canvas original that should not be missed.
Each beautiful piece showcases Yumiko’s amazing ability to paint powerful colors and perfect lines that look like they could only have been done digitally, though they are in fact only inks and acrylics... Her computer is reserved only for email. Animals are a predominant feature in her work along with "the girl". Her work ranges from the serious wolves in "Hoshitochi", to the playful frogs of "Amagaeru". There is no shortage of technical ability and whimsical fun in each stretched canvas original that should not be missed.
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