I’m going to do my best to remember this going forward and let it change me.

Here is a post from last July, but it still contains all my go-to favorites.

This article on Read Write Web encapsulates my thoughts pretty well.

They are still doing some pretty awesome stuff and almost all of it free to the user. Of course the question that folks are asking is whether we are paying too much with our private information.

If you follow me, you’ll know that I’m not overly concerned with what’s out there on the web connected to me. I gave up any semblance of internet privacy years ago when I was pursuing a music career. Google me and that much is clear. For me it is worth the trade off.

Is it worth it to you? Would you pay with cold-hard-cash instead of personal information for services like Facebook, Google search, Twitter, and email?

They rolled it out differently, and it is documented well in this post on Daring Fireball describing how Apple pulled in a handful of journalists for one-on-one media events.

Why not hold an event to announce Mountain Lion — or make the announcement on apple.com before talking to us?

That’s when Schiller tells me they’re doing some things differently now.

I’m especially interested in the evolution of iChat into Messages.  Now anyone with a Mac, who downloads the new Messages app can “text” with anyone that has an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch.  I also really like the simplification of, and unification of  apps which were previously wrapped in the calendar and email apps.  The to-do list is now its own app, as is Notes.  iCal has been renamed Calendar.

Now if they’ll just fix that awful Address Book/Contacts  app and get a new Design going for Calendar.

All of these are blatantly abusive, and should never be used as the sole method of participating in a competition or other promotion. They are greedy and sleazy, of course, but far more importantly they undermine the integrity of the entrant within their own social group. It’s difficult to overstate the magnitude of this immorality.

The customer’s credibility, impartiality, judgement, taste and sense of personal ethics are all assaulted if they choose to take part in such a promotion, and the existence of the promotion invites such an assault.

To argue that the promotion itself is alright, and that if the customer chooses to participate then it’s their own fault, is akin to denouncing cancer warning labels on cigarettes, or disagreeing with bans on cut-price alcohol promotions.

Are you kidding me?  Over react much? It seems crazy that he would make this out to be an issue of morality.  Matt gets pretty fired up about stuff, but this seems more like ranting about his preferences than pointing out something truly evil.

As an example, one of my favorite ways to find and get new music is Noisetrade.  It is a service founded by Derek Webb in which artists provide downloads of their music-sometimes samplers, sometimes full albums- in exchange for a Tweet, or share on Facebook.

I don’t believe that there is anything wrong with this method as it allows artists to reach a  broader audience than would otherwise be possible.  In addition, I have purchased many artist’s music as a result of the tweets of others.

In addition, I have enough respect for the people that I follow on social networks to not be offended by the things they post.  What they post is their prerogative and I can simply remove them from my stream if I don’t like what I see.

I am more offended by traditional advertising as much of it preys on the weakest among the population and attempts to sell tons of useless crap to people who don’t know any better- read: junk food.

We’ve got a local school here in Portland that is issuing iPads to each student this coming year following the issuing of an iPad to every teacher this year. They aren’t directly revealing anything about letting teachers go here, but it is hard to imagine that it won’t happen.

Though smaller class sizes have always been considered a plus by most people, this school is perhaps starting to show evidence to the contrary. I like that the author fairly points out that test scores are obviously a central focus and it will be an obstacle to deal with as this stuff rolls out and becomes more normal in our schools.

I wonder how it will evolve. I’m starting the kids with using computers young and hoping that it helps.

My kids are ages 8, almost 7 and almost 4.  It’s a little crazy at my house on a normal day, but we all certainly sense the difference when she is gone. We’ve got some fun stuff planned while she’s gone, but it just isn’t the same without her.

We miss our Mom.

In the end, having character is about settling. And I firmly believe one key to the happy life is settling. By settling I mean it’s a decision to no longer be gluttonous. I’m gluttonous in so many ways. Not just with food, but with relationships and praise and money and so many other things. Having good character means settling for what little I have, and participating in life rather than trying to conquer life.

-Don Miller, taken from this post on his blog

Don has written so many good things about living a better story, but this one in particular- this one has really been working on me. Little by little, I’m more uncomfortable -Because it’s something that I am terrible about admitting and owning.  Ironic-that “owning” is the word that I chose there.

Owning is such a strange concept for believers, but one that seems to be the catalyst for so many issues with character.  If I really believe the biblical narrative, and the origin of every human to ever walk the earth, it’s silly to accumulate and think of this collection of things- even if they are intangibles- as a true measure of who I am.

Here is what I’m learning.  Spending my time obsessing about and collecting the next “thing” will not get me closer to God.  In fact, they may just become the idol that keeps me from truth.  Good character is about consistently choosing to spend my time and energy on things that really matter.

In the article he quotes Jake Tapper at ABC News:

[Obama:] “In a time when many folks are struggling and at a time when we have enormous deficits, it’s hard for me to ask seniors on a fixed income or young people with student loans or middle-class families who can barely pay the bills to shoulder the burden alone,” he said. “And I think to myself, if I’m willing to give something up as somebody who’s been extraordinarily blessed and give up some of the tax breaks that I enjoy, I actually thinks that’s going to make economic sense.”

The president continued: “But for me as a Christian, it also coincides with Jesus’ teaching that, from to whom much is given, much shall be required.”

Interesting to see Obama criticized for bringing religion into things, but I really agree with the article. While I certainly respect the president’s faith, I too feel that taking scripture out of context like this doesn’t really advance the kingdom.

Giving is not the same as paying taxes.