Sunday, July 01, 2007
iphone = amazing
at the 32 hour mark my phone was finally activated. props to apple. what an amazing piece of hardware. sure there are limitations (ringtones is one) but in light of what they created, who cares. this is an amazing phone and i can't stay off of it.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
iphone woes
well, it has now been 24 hours. i have been on two separate calls with at&t. the first pushed me through to a hardware tech with apple, who without placing blame, agreed that that at&t was not ready and all the hold up is on their end. not surprised.
at 10:30pm, after being on hold for 30 minutes, i spoke with a customer service rep from at&t at 877-800-3701. she should she expedited my issue and that within three hours i would receive an email saying it was activated.
at 10:30pm, after being on hold for 30 minutes, i spoke with a customer service rep from at&t at 877-800-3701. she should she expedited my issue and that within three hours i would receive an email saying it was activated.
my iphone hype
it's wearing off a little now. i took some time out to go pick one up this evening. while i did get the phone, a real short line in lady lake, fl, it's still not activated. i got through the activation process pretty quick in itunes. my other phone's sim was unregistered in about 5 minutes. however, i received a message that said "you're activation requires additional time to complete." so here i sit a couple of hours later. still waiting. and until it is activated, it can't be used at all. argh...
Thursday, June 21, 2007
New Indy Begins Shooting
June 18, 2007Today director Steven Spielberg will shout "Action!" marking the return of the character who redefined cinematic action as cameras roll on the first day of principal photography on the new Indiana Jones adventure.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
High Power Job
This job HAS to be in the top 10 dangerous jobs in the world. Good video of a lineman in his office...
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Monday, June 18, 2007
What's Your Personality?
here's mine. phlegmatic/melancholy. sounds more like hacking something up than a personality.
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Thursday, June 14, 2007
[Photo] One of the tallest hotel lobbys in the world
Shanghai Grand Hyatt hotel occupies floors 53 to 87 of China's tallest building - and standing at the reception desk, you can look up approximately 115 meters to the top floor. The hotel also happens to have the worlds longest laundry shute.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
New “Gears of War” Multiplayer achievements and title update
It has just been announced that Gears of War will be getting a title update tomorrow, June 14th after 0200 GMT. Inside the Title Update, you’ll find eight new Achievements for the "Annex" gametype and the "Hidden Fronts" Multiplayer Map Pack on Xbox LIVE.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Sunday, June 10, 2007
i met darth maul and boba fett
at star wars weekends at mgm i got to meet ray park (on the left), who played darth maul in star wars episode I: the phantom menace, and daniel logan (in the middle) who played the young boba fett in episode II: attack of the clones.
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Student Life Camp
well, now that student life camp is over and i have had some time to think about the week and all that it did and did not have to offer i'll share my thoughts.
since it was my first experience with student life i had an unadulterated perspective. my thought is that i will compare it waith a camp i am very familiar with and the pros and cons, etc. that camp is the United Methodist Summer Camp in Leesburg, FL. We attended Student Life at Covenant College on Lookout Mtn, Ga. After the first day and really after the week, i would consider this type of camp much more of a conference than a camp. I felt that it lacked a true "camp" experience, like what takes place in Leesburg. However, as a good conference it's worship times were excellently put together, especially to include it's audience, 700 teenagers. While there were some technological failures (of which the learning comes from expereince)such as batteries dying on mics while they are in use, missing video cues from the speaker, and forgetting to advance slides early enough during the msuic; the services were complete. They contained video, annoucnements, transitional video between different worship acts, live drama, the speaker Tony Nolan, worship leaders Spur 58, lighting, props, the times were fluid, they included games, and each service in some way get the crowd involved in the worship expereince. While the quality of speakers and musicians is just as good in Leesburg, they are not the big names, but they are just as good. Howver, the camp in Leesburg could learn from what ttok place in this area. Not that what they do is bad, but in some ways it could be more complete.
SL (used from now on) also handed out a magazine (or handbook) to each camper. This handbook contained the curriculum notes for the week for worship, family groups, and quiet times. It also contained othe rinteresting facts about teenage life, interviews with bands and speakers, and ads for teen bibles and other SL events. There is deffinitely some self-promo stuff going on there. However the handbook was a really neat tool for the campers to have and it gives them a way to bring what they recieved back home with them once they left camp. Another good thing.
The cmap also was in great support of the youth pastors that were there with their groups. The youth pastors were not given any responsibility other than to be present and hang out with their students. It truly gave me an oportunity to get to know some of our students on a depper level and develop some relationships i hadn't had a chane to with others. We had a meeting each day with the other youth pastors to share and pray together including one afternoon in which we prayed over the worship space, prior to the students coming in.
Alongside of those things there were a few things i didn't like or wished would have been different. The first and the biggest things was the lack of interaction between campers and the SL Camp Staff. The only times the staff interacted was during worship and at recreation. Now of course with worship they are on stage and at the sound booth. it was more of you saw them there. at rec they were running the show and the family group leaders (adults from the churches) were the ones actually involved with the students. The Staff did not lead family groups either. At meals you saw them, but rarely saw them with people other than different Staff members. To me this was disappointing and it is an area i feel that the camp in Leesburg does an excellent job at. The counselors in Leesburg are given the primary responsibility of spending time with campers. If they are not, unless they have other responisbilities, they have not fulfilled their duties. It is what makes the camp so sucessfull. The relationships that the students build with the counselors is primary to the communicating the gospel message to the campers that come. But, what do my students know about the SL staff? I asked some of them. their relationships were limited to names an what color team they were on that week.
While registration went very smoothly the day we arrived at SL with a group of 54, there were a few things we needed to return for the next day. One of these were key cards to get into the buildings after 11pm. We were supposed to pick these up fromt he college staff (not camp staff) and they were not aware they we were supposed to recieve one, much less two. After returning to the SL office, the two young ladies that I spoke with, while polite, were not sure what to do about it.
I was also disappointed with SL not having any medical assistance on staff. Now, i have been in youth minstry for 11 years, and with any other trip i would be prepared to take care of medical issues. But when each student is paying top dollar to attend a camp, you would expect for the camp to have some sort of medical assistance. However, there isn't. When one of girls got hurt and we needed to go to the hospital, there was no one available to help. The college had a nurse on staff, but she was not allowed to work with SL and SL was not allowed to provide any transportation. With the help of another youth pastor there, we did get her to the hospital. Now, what if this happened during Rec or during another time that i wasn't available. Who would be responsible to help? Now, yes, i did know about this issue ahead of time and in fact commented to our summer intern that it concerned me.
So, there are some immediate thoughts about the camp after my first expereince. All in all it was a good week. I did disagree with some of Tony's approaches in worship, but not with what he was sharing. There were certainly some good things that happened in the life of our students; lives change, relationships started, prayer for each other, new walks with Christ. God will always be working in us not matter what is going on.
since it was my first experience with student life i had an unadulterated perspective. my thought is that i will compare it waith a camp i am very familiar with and the pros and cons, etc. that camp is the United Methodist Summer Camp in Leesburg, FL. We attended Student Life at Covenant College on Lookout Mtn, Ga. After the first day and really after the week, i would consider this type of camp much more of a conference than a camp. I felt that it lacked a true "camp" experience, like what takes place in Leesburg. However, as a good conference it's worship times were excellently put together, especially to include it's audience, 700 teenagers. While there were some technological failures (of which the learning comes from expereince)such as batteries dying on mics while they are in use, missing video cues from the speaker, and forgetting to advance slides early enough during the msuic; the services were complete. They contained video, annoucnements, transitional video between different worship acts, live drama, the speaker Tony Nolan, worship leaders Spur 58, lighting, props, the times were fluid, they included games, and each service in some way get the crowd involved in the worship expereince. While the quality of speakers and musicians is just as good in Leesburg, they are not the big names, but they are just as good. Howver, the camp in Leesburg could learn from what ttok place in this area. Not that what they do is bad, but in some ways it could be more complete.
SL (used from now on) also handed out a magazine (or handbook) to each camper. This handbook contained the curriculum notes for the week for worship, family groups, and quiet times. It also contained othe rinteresting facts about teenage life, interviews with bands and speakers, and ads for teen bibles and other SL events. There is deffinitely some self-promo stuff going on there. However the handbook was a really neat tool for the campers to have and it gives them a way to bring what they recieved back home with them once they left camp. Another good thing.
The cmap also was in great support of the youth pastors that were there with their groups. The youth pastors were not given any responsibility other than to be present and hang out with their students. It truly gave me an oportunity to get to know some of our students on a depper level and develop some relationships i hadn't had a chane to with others. We had a meeting each day with the other youth pastors to share and pray together including one afternoon in which we prayed over the worship space, prior to the students coming in.
Alongside of those things there were a few things i didn't like or wished would have been different. The first and the biggest things was the lack of interaction between campers and the SL Camp Staff. The only times the staff interacted was during worship and at recreation. Now of course with worship they are on stage and at the sound booth. it was more of you saw them there. at rec they were running the show and the family group leaders (adults from the churches) were the ones actually involved with the students. The Staff did not lead family groups either. At meals you saw them, but rarely saw them with people other than different Staff members. To me this was disappointing and it is an area i feel that the camp in Leesburg does an excellent job at. The counselors in Leesburg are given the primary responsibility of spending time with campers. If they are not, unless they have other responisbilities, they have not fulfilled their duties. It is what makes the camp so sucessfull. The relationships that the students build with the counselors is primary to the communicating the gospel message to the campers that come. But, what do my students know about the SL staff? I asked some of them. their relationships were limited to names an what color team they were on that week.
While registration went very smoothly the day we arrived at SL with a group of 54, there were a few things we needed to return for the next day. One of these were key cards to get into the buildings after 11pm. We were supposed to pick these up fromt he college staff (not camp staff) and they were not aware they we were supposed to recieve one, much less two. After returning to the SL office, the two young ladies that I spoke with, while polite, were not sure what to do about it.
I was also disappointed with SL not having any medical assistance on staff. Now, i have been in youth minstry for 11 years, and with any other trip i would be prepared to take care of medical issues. But when each student is paying top dollar to attend a camp, you would expect for the camp to have some sort of medical assistance. However, there isn't. When one of girls got hurt and we needed to go to the hospital, there was no one available to help. The college had a nurse on staff, but she was not allowed to work with SL and SL was not allowed to provide any transportation. With the help of another youth pastor there, we did get her to the hospital. Now, what if this happened during Rec or during another time that i wasn't available. Who would be responsible to help? Now, yes, i did know about this issue ahead of time and in fact commented to our summer intern that it concerned me.
So, there are some immediate thoughts about the camp after my first expereince. All in all it was a good week. I did disagree with some of Tony's approaches in worship, but not with what he was sharing. There were certainly some good things that happened in the life of our students; lives change, relationships started, prayer for each other, new walks with Christ. God will always be working in us not matter what is going on.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Apple Releases iTunes 7.2, Launches iTunes Plus (DRM Free)
Apple released iTunes 7.2 updated in the Mac OS X Software Update tonight, which offers "iTunes Plus", Apple's new DRM-free $1.29 offeringsWith iTunes 7.2, preview and purchase iTunes Plus music—new higher-quality, DRM-free music downloads from participating music labels.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Saturday, May 26, 2007
The Vader Project and Celebrations IV
Celebration is a convention by fans for fans of the Star Wars Universe, including stars of the movies and sneak peeks at the coming television shows.
This year also included The Vader Project, in which artists were invited to paint a Darth Vader helmet. You can check out some of the pictures from the display here.
While i would have loved to attend, I will make it to Star Wars Weekends at MGM for the 30th Anniversary Celebration.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Shrute Bucks
Get yours today!!! Get 1000 and get an extra 5 minutes for lunch. Not too mention that is also worth $1.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Wiki? What About A Wookie?
Wookieepedia. The Star Wars encyclopedia that anyone can edit. Wookieepedia contains detailed information about the Star Wars movies, and the spin-offs from those, including books and video games. Find out everything you wanted to know and more about the Star Wars Universe.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Monday, May 14, 2007
Free Gift for the 360: Aegis Wing
This Wednesday, team up with up to three of your friends and prepare yourselves for intense side-scrolling, sci-fi shooting action in “Aegis Wing.” Originally conceived by three Microsoft interns, “Aegis Wing” will be available for free to all Xbox LIVE® Silver and Gold members in North America for a limited time beginning May 16th, at 2am PDT.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Sunday, May 13, 2007
google's free 411 service
i am so excited about this new service from google. free and i mean totally free 411 calls from your cell phone. free.
"To try this service, just dial 1-800-GOOG-411 (1-800-466-4411) from any phone.
Using this service, you can:
* search for a local business by name or category.
You can say "Giovanni's Pizzeria" or just "pizza".
* get connected to the business, free of charge.
* get the details by SMS if you’re using a mobile phone.
Just say "text message".
And it's free. Google doesn’t charge you a thing for the call or for connecting you to the business. Regular phone charges may apply, based on your telephone service provider."
taken straight from google's page. it really doesn't get better than this. i am so tired of 411 on my cell, listening to ads for the other free service or paying way too much. this has just made it's own entry in my cell phone. and it will text you the number. now that's awesome.
"To try this service, just dial 1-800-GOOG-411 (1-800-466-4411) from any phone.
Using this service, you can:
* search for a local business by name or category.
You can say "Giovanni's Pizzeria" or just "pizza".
* get connected to the business, free of charge.
* get the details by SMS if you’re using a mobile phone.
Just say "text message".
And it's free. Google doesn’t charge you a thing for the call or for connecting you to the business. Regular phone charges may apply, based on your telephone service provider."
taken straight from google's page. it really doesn't get better than this. i am so tired of 411 on my cell, listening to ads for the other free service or paying way too much. this has just made it's own entry in my cell phone. and it will text you the number. now that's awesome.
Friday, May 11, 2007
"Star Wars: The Legacy Revealed" to air May 28th on The History Channel
"Through interviews with politicians, academics, journalists and critics –all of whom weigh in on the enduring appeal of George Lucas’s creations– the special demonstrates that Star Wars isn’t just a high-action adventure in space. It’s a remarkably complex and sophisticated story about power, politics, sin, spirituality and redemption..."
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
2 More Star Wars Films for TV Coming says George Lucas
Josh Griffin posted today a story about 2 new star wars films for tv are coming.
George Lucas was in New York for a dinner for Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People. While sharing about the Clone Wars animated series, he shared that two hour long live action films are coming, too, to TV.
read more | digg story
George Lucas was in New York for a dinner for Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People. While sharing about the Clone Wars animated series, he shared that two hour long live action films are coming, too, to TV.
read more | digg story
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
todays tasks
each day seems to greet me with a task list. some times these things get done, other times other unexpected things take precedence and then sometimes i just throw some other things into the mix myself.
things completed today:
1. plan weekly teaching
2. setup powerpoint for it
3. lunch with my wife
4. went to the beach to see the waves with the storm rolling in, 8ft consistently
5. downloaded xbox360 update vids
6. begin creating scholarship application and student leadership application
7. contact our mission trip representative
8. jr high program is coming up
9. edit youth ministry manual
then tonight more to do at home:
1. wash the dog and kill fleas
things completed today:
1. plan weekly teaching
2. setup powerpoint for it
3. lunch with my wife
4. went to the beach to see the waves with the storm rolling in, 8ft consistently
5. downloaded xbox360 update vids
6. begin creating scholarship application and student leadership application
7. contact our mission trip representative
8. jr high program is coming up
9. edit youth ministry manual
then tonight more to do at home:
1. wash the dog and kill fleas
How Lightsabers Work
Chances are that you have seen a lightsaber at one time or another, whether on the evening news or down at the local cantina. Therefore you know that a lightsaber is an amazing and versatile device that is able to cut through nearly anything in a matter of milliseconds.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
time to answer the questions
these things get passed on all the time and i guess it is time to answer one.
1. What Is your natural hair color?
light brown
2. Where was your default pic taken?
in a garden of all places
3. What's your middle name?
harvey
4. Your current relationship status?
married!!!
5. Honestly, does your crush like you back?
well, i hope so. at least she says she does
6. What is your current mood?
hmm... good, not sure why i decided to do this though
7. What color underwear are you wearing?
well, if you must know, blue
8. What makes you happy?
tonya, people, succeeding, games
9. What makes you sad?
pain and hurt in others lives
10. If you could change your past, would you?
not a bit of it
11. If you MUST be an animal for 1 day- what would you be?
a dog to know what my dog is thinking or a dolphin i think
12. Ever had a near death experience?
not near death necessarily, but near possible events leading to death... ahh no.
13. Somethings you do a lot?
game, work, hang out with tonya
14. What's the name of the song stuck in your head right now?
how wonderful by leeland
15. What is something you are looking forward to?
our cruise this fall
16. Name someone with the same b-day as you.
joe pesci
17. When was the last time you cried?
not sure
18. Have you ever sang in front of a large audience?
yes, depending on what large is, those kindergarten musicals were awesome
19. If you could have one super power what would it be?
oh gosh, i can't believe this questions is on here, but i always thought it would be great to have the power to make people fart. any volume, any level of stink. you could clear a room if you needed to spy on something. so many options with this not to even mention how hilarious it would be.
20. What's the first thing you notice about the opposite sex?
that they are female
21. What do you usually order from Starbucks?
grande cafe' mocha on ice
22. What's your biggest secret?
hmm... don't have many and if i share it won't be a secret any more, so let's go with the fact that i have ninja like speed and skills
23. What's your favorite color?
blue
24. When was the last time you lied?
not too sure
25. Do you still watch kiddy movies or TV shows?
is shrek kiddie?
26. Do you enjoy scary movies?
not really. what's the point?
27. What are you eating or drinking at the moment?
coffee and lots of it
28. Do you speak any other language?
sure
29. What's your favorite smell?
any fresh baked goods
30. What 1 word to describes your life?
alive
31. When was the last time you gave/received a hug?
about 30 minutes ago
32. Have you ever been kissed in the rain?
yes
33. What are you thinking about right now?
silly questions
34. Are you worried about global warming?
worried - no. concerned a little. will it cause major problems? i believe that it might.
35. What was the last thing that made you upset/angry?
lack of follow through
36. How often do you pray?
constantly
37. Do you like working in the yard?
its possible
38. If you could have any last name in the world, what would you?
johnson, of course
39. Do you act differently around your crush?
no
40. Who is your crush?
tonya, my wife, the greatest woman in the world, and who actually does have superpowers
1. What Is your natural hair color?
light brown
2. Where was your default pic taken?
in a garden of all places
3. What's your middle name?
harvey
4. Your current relationship status?
married!!!
5. Honestly, does your crush like you back?
well, i hope so. at least she says she does
6. What is your current mood?
hmm... good, not sure why i decided to do this though
7. What color underwear are you wearing?
well, if you must know, blue
8. What makes you happy?
tonya, people, succeeding, games
9. What makes you sad?
pain and hurt in others lives
10. If you could change your past, would you?
not a bit of it
11. If you MUST be an animal for 1 day- what would you be?
a dog to know what my dog is thinking or a dolphin i think
12. Ever had a near death experience?
not near death necessarily, but near possible events leading to death... ahh no.
13. Somethings you do a lot?
game, work, hang out with tonya
14. What's the name of the song stuck in your head right now?
how wonderful by leeland
15. What is something you are looking forward to?
our cruise this fall
16. Name someone with the same b-day as you.
joe pesci
17. When was the last time you cried?
not sure
18. Have you ever sang in front of a large audience?
yes, depending on what large is, those kindergarten musicals were awesome
19. If you could have one super power what would it be?
oh gosh, i can't believe this questions is on here, but i always thought it would be great to have the power to make people fart. any volume, any level of stink. you could clear a room if you needed to spy on something. so many options with this not to even mention how hilarious it would be.
20. What's the first thing you notice about the opposite sex?
that they are female
21. What do you usually order from Starbucks?
grande cafe' mocha on ice
22. What's your biggest secret?
hmm... don't have many and if i share it won't be a secret any more, so let's go with the fact that i have ninja like speed and skills
23. What's your favorite color?
blue
24. When was the last time you lied?
not too sure
25. Do you still watch kiddy movies or TV shows?
is shrek kiddie?
26. Do you enjoy scary movies?
not really. what's the point?
27. What are you eating or drinking at the moment?
coffee and lots of it
28. Do you speak any other language?
sure
29. What's your favorite smell?
any fresh baked goods
30. What 1 word to describes your life?
alive
31. When was the last time you gave/received a hug?
about 30 minutes ago
32. Have you ever been kissed in the rain?
yes
33. What are you thinking about right now?
silly questions
34. Are you worried about global warming?
worried - no. concerned a little. will it cause major problems? i believe that it might.
35. What was the last thing that made you upset/angry?
lack of follow through
36. How often do you pray?
constantly
37. Do you like working in the yard?
its possible
38. If you could have any last name in the world, what would you?
johnson, of course
39. Do you act differently around your crush?
no
40. Who is your crush?
tonya, my wife, the greatest woman in the world, and who actually does have superpowers
Friday, May 04, 2007
New Gears Maps "Hidden Fronts" REVIEWED
Epic wanted to release these maps for free. Microsoft won't allow it until September. However, IGN said that even if you are thinking about it to go ahead and buy. They are that good. Thought about waiting to download them until the are free just to support Epic. I haven't decided whether or not to purchase them yet. I understand selling content for games. I don't understand ripping people off with it, like EA. However if a company like Epic wants to give content away for free. Shouldn't they be allowed to?
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Monday, April 30, 2007
The Might of Mother Nature
Two of the most feared elements in nature, side by side, beautifully captured.
read more | digg story
Sunday, April 29, 2007
the glorious unseen
on august 8th, 9th, and 10th, the glorious unseen will be joining us for outpouring. i am so excited to have this group come down. their album with tooth and nail will just be coming out. it will be a very exciting time for them and i am glad that our youth ministry will get to share in that.
however, the thing i am most excited about is the fact that, ben, had asked if they could hang out with the group in our first communications together. in my opinion that speaks very loudly to me. the willingness that they have to be a part of the ministry that will be taking place outside of their opportunities to lead us in worship is amazing.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Dealzmodo: Sam's Club Xbox 360 HD DVD Drives for $72
If you're looking for a great deal on HD DVD drives for the Xbox 360, now's the perfect time to hit up Sam's Club.
UPDATE: Just looked at Sam's for this purchase and they were all sold out. This deal went quick. I also noticed that they had almost sold out completely of all Xbox 360 items.
read more | digg story
UPDATE: Just looked at Sam's for this purchase and they were all sold out. This deal went quick. I also noticed that they had almost sold out completely of all Xbox 360 items.
read more | digg story
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Full-Length Domestic Trailer Now
The full-length theatrical trailer for "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" is now online. Running 2:28 minutes, it will run in front of "Spider-Man 3" in theaters.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
XBOX Live on the PC, Now A Reality
it seems that major nelson had a good experience using xbox live on his Vista machine. By playing Halo 2, he earned some new achievements and added to his gamer score. Based on his experience it appears to be quite successful. Has anyone else tried this yet?
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Monday, April 23, 2007
Thursday, April 19, 2007
henkel products
what will you support? here is henkel's website for their products. click through and see what all they make. then decide for yourself if you will continue to buy their products and seek out a more consumer friendly product.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Indiana Jones 4 : TITLE REVEALED
josh griffin of theforce.net has just revealed the title for the 4 story in the Indiana Jones series.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
XBOX 360 The Daily Show and The Colbert Report now on VMP
Starting today, you’ll be able to download the latest ‘The Daily Show’ and ‘The Colbert Report’ on the Xbox LIVE Video Marketplace.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Monday, April 16, 2007
Lifeguard saves camper
this story involves a very close friend of mine. please keep all those involved in your prayers. especially the young girl as she is still recovering from this tragic event.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
werid, strange, and funny
with this last one. start looking at it close, then slowly back away and see what happens.
Friday, April 13, 2007
just a little fishin'
spent the day on the indian river. and that red... it tastes good with a little blacken spices.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Your Face in Tiger Woods '08
Certainly it's not the first time you can put your face in the game, using the xbox 360 cam. However, Tiger Woods '08 will take this feature a step further allowing your image to now have emotion, blink, and smile. There are other new features, too, however it seems this one will be the reason it will sell.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
glue boys
what a great resource! we are using this video tonight as we have begun a series on social justice. the video is eye opening and very revealing about what is happening to children in other lands and yet we have the ability to impact both positively and negatively. we are called to watch over and take care of those who are being oppressed in the world. education is the first step. what's your next?
find out more about the glue boys movie.
the largest oak
finally we visited the one of largest oaks in florida, so lake griffin state park claims. it is thought to be about 300 years old. it is a big tree. while the park is a nice place to pic nic and maybe a nice camping stop, there is little else to offer. but the peace of quiet may be worth it.
Monday, April 09, 2007
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Collins: How a scientist can believe in God
"I am a scientist and a believer, and I find no conflict between those world views."
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Are Humans Hard-Wired to Believe in a Higher Being?
Some scientists are calling religion the great equalizer and point out that similar areas of the brain are affected during prayer and meditation. Newberg suggests that these brain scans may provide proof that our brains are built to believe in God.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Your Vote Counts. Help Pick New Menu Names.
Help rename the Moe’s menu items by voting for your favorites. Select the one that you feel embodies the spirit of Moe’s, or to put it another way, pick the one that, if you were saying it out loud anywhere but Moe’s, people might look at you like something's wrong with you. Choose wisely, have fun.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
100k Gamerscore barrier broken!
Legitimately this time...The pursuit of in-game Achievements has divided opinion, with purists insisting that gamers are falling into a trap by playing substandard titles merely for the points.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
two high school graduates delay college for missions
Molly McEntire and Ashley Oetinger delayed going to college in the fall of 2006 to answer their call into missions. from august 28th through november 26th they worked in Kenya serving at the norocco academy and a korean methodist mission there in Kenya. they also spent time at the new life orphange and the beacon of hope, which is a center for women infected or affected with HIV/AIDS.
working in youth ministry myself, i find it an amazing thing when high school students are ready, prepared, and take action based on the call God has placed in their life. as the article continues, they raised the own funding and support to make this happen.
too often teenagers feel and sometimes are led to believe that they don't have the ability to make a difference. sometimes we feel like Africa is so far away, what could we possibly do here to help.
yet, here is a story of two young women who were called to make a difference and were able to go share God's love with people world's away.
more and more stories like this need to come to forefront of todays news.
Monday, April 02, 2007
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Rasheed Goes For the ESPY - 1.5 Seconds Left and a 60-ft Jumper
The man known as 'Sheed heaves up a prayer and the Pistons shock the Denver Nuggets.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Harry Potter Book 7 Covert Art Released
The cover art for the final Harry Potter books in Hi-Definition for both UK and US versions.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Monday, March 26, 2007
Sanjaya in 10 years, Believe it!
Shocking new technology has given us the ability to peer in to the future and we have been able to obtain a picture of American Idol contestant Sanjaya 10 years from now in rural Mexico!
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
The Case for Teaching the Bible (in school!)
The day was Thursday, not Sunday. And the location was not Oakwood Baptist Church, but New Braunfels High School, a public school that began offering a Bible-literacy class last fall. Front-row center sat Rachel Williams, 18, whose mother does teach Sunday school at Oakwood. But not 20 ft. away sat a blond atheist....crazy!
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
MIT responds over a humorous letter from a prospective student
Since my letter was published a number of people have written to me asking whether MIT ever responded. Many, many months after I mailed the original letter, the answer is finally yes. MIT didn't seem to see it fit to respond to the postal version of my letter, but apparently it's created enough of a stir on the Net that they decided to reply.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Stream Orb content to your Xbox 360
Stream content to XBOX 360, Wii, or PS3 with Orb. Game consoles brings the internet–and your hard drive—to the big screen. You know that Orb running on your PC puts the internet and all your digital media at your fingertips. Allmedia is available and easily done.http://www.orb.com/gamers/current_users.htm - That's the direct link.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
10 of the Toughest Games to Beat
Across the history of gaming there have been numerous titles that have knocked players on their collective butts. Narrowing down the ten most difficult was a tricky task in itself, since the challenge of a game can be very subjective.Here are 10 that were difficult for most everyone who played them.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Xbox Live Hacked, Accounts Stolen
Online gaming forums are buzzing with reports that Xbox Live accounts linked to Microsoft's Windows Live ID service are being hijacked by malicious hackers.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
XBOX 360 Arcade: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night AVAILABLE
Single Player, HD (High Definition). Uncover all the mysteries of Dracula’s castle with the full version including achievements, leaderboards, and multiple endings. Have you uncovered the true secret behind Dracula’s power?
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Monday, March 19, 2007
24 season 6: 7-8pm
some weeks just leave you with more questions than answers? what's up with the vice president? is nadia involved? is milo involved? what impact will the leaky bomb have? will president palmer come out of his coma? will sandra, his sister approve it? who killed audrey? is morris ok? what happened to president logan? he got stabbed last week, but did he live? will we see aaron anymore? will tom finally stand up for what's right? is fayed going to take control of the weapons? how long will doyle be around? was anyone in ctu helping with leak on the computer? is anything going to happen with russia now? will the usa go through with the nuclear attack? that's just a list of the questions i was left with tonight after viewing this weeks episode.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Awesome TIE Fighter Speakers Flew Right Out of Star Wars
These TIE Fighter speakers come from a company called Question Mark Entertainment, and as far as their specs go, that company name is just about right. We have no idea what sort of drivers are in these two, dare we say, satellite speakers and subwoofer, but if looks could kill, the Death Star would be completely exploding just about now.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
TMNT on Xbox Live Arcade Wednesday!
Yup, it’s true…the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will land on Xbox Live arcade this Wednesday. It will be posted at 0200 PT and can be yours for 400 points. Complete details here.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Friday, March 09, 2007
R2D2 At A Post Office Near You!
For Star Wars' 30th anniversary, the US Postal Service is rolling out some custom mailboxes that look just like R2D2.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Barenaked Ladies: New Album. Free. No DRM. Now.
techcrunch posted on monday of this week, that barenaked ladies' new album is now available for download for free, legally, from amie street. now the catch is that they are only free for a small time. as the downloads occur they will begin to charge until it reaches full price.
currently the site is being hammered. you will be lucky if the site even loads at all.
currently the site is being hammered. you will be lucky if the site even loads at all.
NBC.COM EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW! Spider-Man 3 in HD Monday March 5th 10pm EST!!!
Spider-Man 3 Footage to Debut in QuickTime 7! New Spider-Man 3 footage that will air during NBC's "Heroes" tonight and the additional extended footage that will debut on NBC.com for 24 hours starting at 10pm ET. Make sure you have QuickTime 7, as the clip will be made available in High Definition QuickTime 7 format.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Thursday, March 01, 2007
now for the solution
after all of the problems with xbox customer service, i decided to cancel the repair. now when i called customer service and shared that i was cancelling the repair, because i felt that i was treated below standards, the made anew offer. after all of the confusion with them not sending a pre-paid shipping box, they told me that they would now be willing to send the box. what! why wait for me to cancel? they also offered a lower discount on the repair fee (the old one was out of warranty, argh...)
however, i decided to just go a buy a new core system and purchase a 2 year extended warranty with it. that guarantees that over the new couple of years, when it does break and i am sure it will, that i can exchange it for a new one that same day. it also means that i have the most up to date hardware, including a different and quieter dvd drive, and a different power supply. not sure what the latter is because of...
however, i decided to just go a buy a new core system and purchase a 2 year extended warranty with it. that guarantees that over the new couple of years, when it does break and i am sure it will, that i can exchange it for a new one that same day. it also means that i have the most up to date hardware, including a different and quieter dvd drive, and a different power supply. not sure what the latter is because of...
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
the best heroes yet
if you are not aware, heroes is a tv show on nbc that's story continues week to week and is unfolded with each episode, much like 24. the show is formed around the idea of, "what if we discovered humans who had superpowers?" it could be likened to a live action comic book. in fact stan lee creator of characters such as spider man, had a cameo last week.
last night's episode 17 has been the best of the season. most of the episodes leave you with many more questions than answers and you almost feel as though there is no climax. it is not your traditional cliffhanger ending, but you are left wanting more, just unsure that you know anything more than previously.
last night questions were answered, much of the backstory was told, we found out the truth about bennet, claire, the haitian, we found out more about primatech papers, and saw some well done special effects for a television show.
i applaud the efforts of this show. it took a risk entering the tv market this and has been successful at creating a world of superheroes.
last night's episode 17 has been the best of the season. most of the episodes leave you with many more questions than answers and you almost feel as though there is no climax. it is not your traditional cliffhanger ending, but you are left wanting more, just unsure that you know anything more than previously.
last night questions were answered, much of the backstory was told, we found out the truth about bennet, claire, the haitian, we found out more about primatech papers, and saw some well done special effects for a television show.
i applaud the efforts of this show. it took a risk entering the tv market this and has been successful at creating a world of superheroes.
Friday, February 23, 2007
how wide spread is the 360 problem?
according to gigagamez, highly. of course this report is due to a google search, as they discuss, but it does show a larger number of 360's needing repairs.
Search “defective 360″: 2810 returns
Search “defective PS3″: 1570 returns
Search “defective Wii”: 931 returns
with all of the problems being reported, we can assume that it is a larger problem than with the other consoles. it now after 1 and 1/2 years, is well known about. continually , we also hear about the problems with customer service. you can read about this from loyal fan who returned 7 machines,
and even at the xbox forums.
it is a shame that such a "good" product with xbox live, which is simply the best in the business, would have such a high failure rates with hardware. while Microsoft claims it is 3-5%, others have claimed that it is much higher between 30-50%.
Search “defective 360″: 2810 returns
Search “defective PS3″: 1570 returns
Search “defective Wii”: 931 returns
with all of the problems being reported, we can assume that it is a larger problem than with the other consoles. it now after 1 and 1/2 years, is well known about. continually , we also hear about the problems with customer service. you can read about this from loyal fan who returned 7 machines,
and even at the xbox forums.
it is a shame that such a "good" product with xbox live, which is simply the best in the business, would have such a high failure rates with hardware. while Microsoft claims it is 3-5%, others have claimed that it is much higher between 30-50%.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
further adventures of xbox 360 customer service
so, a week later, i still have not received a box to ship my 360 back. i have already paid the fee to have it repaired. so i call customer service to ask when my shipping box will arrive. although i was told one was on its way, today i was told it was my responsibility and they are waiting for it.
after requesting a supervisor, i asked if they would follow up with the previous representative, who was also a "supervisor" (requested because i couldn't understand the rep i was speaking with) on the mistake, because they told me i would receive the box in 3-5 days. the response was "our policy is that we do not send out boxes for repairs out of warranty." this was repeated when i asked again.
so not only was this mistake made and slowing the process, they refused to do any follow up with their employees who made the mistake.
after requesting a supervisor, i asked if they would follow up with the previous representative, who was also a "supervisor" (requested because i couldn't understand the rep i was speaking with) on the mistake, because they told me i would receive the box in 3-5 days. the response was "our policy is that we do not send out boxes for repairs out of warranty." this was repeated when i asked again.
so not only was this mistake made and slowing the process, they refused to do any follow up with their employees who made the mistake.
Lord of the Rings Online : Stress Test Begins Friday, Feb. 23rd - PLAY FREE
Lord of the Rings Online Stress Test begins tomorrow, February 23rd! Get your free Stress Test account here -> http://www.gamespot.com/betas/lord_of_the_rings_online/index.php
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Google still seeks TV partner
The hunt is still on for Web giant Google to find a willing television partner, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal. The Journal said the company, which bought YouTube for $1.7 billion four months ago, has been aggressively courting various television networks in order to distribute their content on the popular online video site.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Funny Excuses to Stay Home from School
All of these are real excuses that people have written to "excuse" their children from school. Some of them are pretty unbelievable.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
stan lee on heroes
stan lee, the creator of spiderman and other legendary comic book superheroes, made a cameo appearance on heroes last night. he played a bus driver who interacted with hiro nakamura. i wonder if something like this would happen at some point in the show.
Friday, February 16, 2007
xbox 360 failure; again
this is the second time my 360 will go in for repairs. i got mine pre-ordered originally. about 6 months down the line it failed. microsoft repaired it with no problem. now when i received it at about 4 weeks later, i called to buy the "extended warranty," but i was told that i couldn't because it had already been the 30 day time to purchase although i didn't even have it at that time. that was 6 months from the original purchase.
about 7 months now from that repair, it again is flashing the three red lights of death. oddly enough failing at about the same time frame as the first time. now, don't be confused by the recent news articles of xbox extending the warranties by a year. i must have misread this because it simply meant that you have a year from the original purchase date, not an extended year. this means that my console and moicrosoft's repairs 7 months ago have no coverage. this requires me to pay for repairs on a piece of hardware that's life span is currently no longer than 7 months.
to top it off, the woman i spoke with was very difficult to understand. she was also having trouble explaining anything to me, putting me on hold frequently. i began asking for a supervisor. every time, the same woman got on the phone with a new statement. i asked again. after the 5th request and now being offered a 25% discount a supervisor came on the phone. she suggested i schedule a call back with repairs, because there might be an outstanding issue. i asked if an "outstanding issue" would come with repairs then at no cost. one would think so. however, when she came back, i was told i would still need to pay for the repair even if there was an "outstanding issue" with my xbox. then, why would i wait for a call back? if i still have to pay...
from what you read online and even at the xbox forums, this is happening frequently. on two 360's the failure rate is 100%.
about 7 months now from that repair, it again is flashing the three red lights of death. oddly enough failing at about the same time frame as the first time. now, don't be confused by the recent news articles of xbox extending the warranties by a year. i must have misread this because it simply meant that you have a year from the original purchase date, not an extended year. this means that my console and moicrosoft's repairs 7 months ago have no coverage. this requires me to pay for repairs on a piece of hardware that's life span is currently no longer than 7 months.
to top it off, the woman i spoke with was very difficult to understand. she was also having trouble explaining anything to me, putting me on hold frequently. i began asking for a supervisor. every time, the same woman got on the phone with a new statement. i asked again. after the 5th request and now being offered a 25% discount a supervisor came on the phone. she suggested i schedule a call back with repairs, because there might be an outstanding issue. i asked if an "outstanding issue" would come with repairs then at no cost. one would think so. however, when she came back, i was told i would still need to pay for the repair even if there was an "outstanding issue" with my xbox. then, why would i wait for a call back? if i still have to pay...
from what you read online and even at the xbox forums, this is happening frequently. on two 360's the failure rate is 100%.
The 360's failure rates are bad enough
The games a system plays are only half the story of why we buy and love this console over that one. The very act of owning a console is made up of many things: everything from how well the stock controller works to how the company deals with us if/when the system has an issue. When it comes to customer service, Microsoft is failing miserably.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Thursday, February 15, 2007
14 Biggest Game Myths Debunked!
Pretty eye-opening. Common misconceptions about the game industry are debunked. Every video game consumer should read this!
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
This Day In Tech: Kevin Mitnick Arrested
Feb. 15, 1995 - Perhaps the most celebrated cracking case in history begins with the arrest of Kevin Mitnick by the FBI on charges of wire fraud and breaking into the computer systems of several major corporations.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
360Zine Issue 3: Free Gaming Magazine - now available
the third issue of the 360Zine is now available for free download. As usual, there is a lot of great gaming content. Be sure to check out the Crackdown developer interview, as well as the audio interview on page 29.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
The Old Spice Challenge is Challenged
The Microsoft Rewards program went live with some bumps in the road yesterday, Feb 12th. It seems that some gamers were a bit annoyed when the site didn’t go live at midnight while others were annoyed after taking the day off to unlock achievements, they couldn’t register until around 5pm PST.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
No DRM Could Mean Cheaper Music
Even if Steve Jobs' essay last week -- in which the Apple chief questioned the wisdom of continuing to sell music wrapped in digital rights management -- was a negotiating tactic designed to give Apple an advantage during impending license renewal negotiations, as some have suggested, Jobs' proposal is still spurring lots of discussion.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
LEGO Star Wars: Photos of the Complete 30th Anniversary Collection
Straight from the Toy Fair in NYC, here's a gallery of every set from the LEGO Star Wars 30th Anniversary Collection.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Music Sales Would Explode Without DRM
Without restrictions on entire catalogs, "Sales would explode," says David Pakman, CEO of eMusic, the No. 2 online music retailer behind Apple's iTunes. "DRM has been holding the market back." His company is the only legitimate digital music service selling unrestricted songs, in the MP3...
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
The Biggest Lego Set Ever Made Does Point Five Past Lightspeed
Made of over 5,000 pieces, and almost 3 feet long, this $499 Millennium Falcon is the biggest LEGO set ever made or sold.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Monday, February 12, 2007
more from heroes
Last file 4 a while. Go 2 primatechpaper.com, find helix. Same place as b4. Usrnme: bennet pwrd: claire. Matt's code: MPggtn75x Rembr: Usrnme always bennet
Sunday, February 11, 2007
truly in the game
facial recognition. you've gotta love it. these are from rainbow six: vegas. using the xbox 360's camera, you can insert your face to be used as the character model in the game. truly amazing.
Friday, February 09, 2007
3D Star Wars Cartoon News
"Pierre from Mintinbox.com send us word that they've posted a video interview with Rob Coleman online. It's from the recent Imagina 2007 event. In the video they discuss Lucasfilm's upcoming 3D animated Star Wars series. In the video Coleman divulges a few interesting details. Click here to check out the video now!"
More here.
More here.
february 9th in history
February 9th in History
1923: Soviet Aeroflot airlines established
1950: Senator Joseph McCarthy says the US State Department is infested with communists
1970: World's first nerve transplant, in Germany
1971: First British soldier killed in Northern Ireland
1989: Neo-Nazi groups outlawed in West Germany
1992: Fighting between government and guerrilla forces in Rwanda
1994: Israeli minister Shimon Perez signs accord with PLO's Yasser Arafat.
February 9th birthdays
1700: Daniel Bernoulli, Swiss mathematician
1909: Carmen Miranda, Brazilian actress.
1943: Joe Pesci, American actor.
1945: Mia Farrow, American film actress
Hershey's Chocolate Founded In 1894.
others born today
and norbit open february 9th, 2007. that's one for the record books, mr. murphy.
1923: Soviet Aeroflot airlines established
1950: Senator Joseph McCarthy says the US State Department is infested with communists
1970: World's first nerve transplant, in Germany
1971: First British soldier killed in Northern Ireland
1989: Neo-Nazi groups outlawed in West Germany
1992: Fighting between government and guerrilla forces in Rwanda
1994: Israeli minister Shimon Perez signs accord with PLO's Yasser Arafat.
February 9th birthdays
1700: Daniel Bernoulli, Swiss mathematician
1909: Carmen Miranda, Brazilian actress.
1943: Joe Pesci, American actor.
1945: Mia Farrow, American film actress
Hershey's Chocolate Founded In 1894.
others born today
and norbit open february 9th, 2007. that's one for the record books, mr. murphy.
Thursday, February 08, 2007
6 months in melbourne = 20 pounds
couldn't believe it. stepped on the scale the other day and it was reporting 197 lbs. whne i moved here in august the same scale was nice enough to say 175. our jr high and high school groups eat out every tuesday and wednesday evening. i guess i could not eat at the mall, but i get hungry. i might also try eating like subway or something like that. supposedly you lose weight eating there, according to their commercials. don't think it's true.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Feb. 7, 2000: Mafiaboy's Moment
It is, at the time, one of the largest denial-of-service attacks ever staged. Several major commercial websites, including CNN.com, Amazon.com, eBay and Yahoo, are rendered inaccessible to their customers by the attack, which is later traced to a 16-year-old Canadian miscreant using the handle Mafiaboy.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
New site that ties in with Heroes is up
I have a special ability. If it's digital information, I can see it, hear it, navigate it, and manipulate it. I don't need to plug into a desktop of a PDA to do so either. It all just comes to me.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
primatech paper part 4
"Get to know Ted, too: Go to http://www.primatechpaper.com and find the helix. Same place as before. Username: bennet / password: claire. Ted's code: TSntz14b. Remember: Username is always bennet."
as before the helix is on the "About Us" page. it is up on the logo. when you click it the page will roll back. just so you know ted is the third file down the sheet.
as before the helix is on the "About Us" page. it is up on the logo. when you click it the page will roll back. just so you know ted is the third file down the sheet.
Monday, February 05, 2007
Quick Tip: Make Windows Vista Look Like XP
If you aren't a fan of Windows' new look, learn how to turn your operating system's style back a few years. Just a few simple tweaks and you will have the same layout again.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
360 Splinter Cell to Get Female Characters
Independent PlayStation Magazine says one thing, Ubi says another. Looks like it will be available as downloadable content in the near future.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Sunday, February 04, 2007
overheard during the superbowl
"there's too much football and not enough commercials."
i knew people watched this just for the commercials. also, the bear were way overmatched.
i knew people watched this just for the commercials. also, the bear were way overmatched.
Thursday, February 01, 2007
kings of bling
this is the hottest new hip hop group to hit the airwaves. their styles are fresh, the rhymes dope, and the beats, oh the beats... original. straight from the 321 i give you "the kings of bling."
power tips to windows vista
"Disable UAC: Roast me over the hot, user-specific coals if you want for this one, but Vista's annoying "Windows needs your permission to continue" dialogs are nothing short of a total nuisance during your PC's initial setup, especially since they appear every time you try to install software. Here's how to disable User Account Control to install your favorite proggies in peace. Should you turn it back on when you're done? Well sure. It is a big part of Vista's new security strategy. But you know what you're doing, so I trust you'll make the right decision either way."
this along with many other tips i agree with fully. the uac is an annoying popup that continues to warn you about everything you do on a vista machine. now, it serves it's purpose, but it gets annoying to know that you are using your mouse.
this along with many other tips i agree with fully. the uac is an annoying popup that continues to warn you about everything you do on a vista machine. now, it serves it's purpose, but it gets annoying to know that you are using your mouse.
24 season 6 online
in case you miss a show or want to go back, it's great to know you can find them online. fox orlando is offering quite a few shows online for free after they have aired. 24 is one of them. check it out.
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