The Dream Factory

ADD / ADHD Coaching Blog: Manage Negative Beliefs to get Rewarding Results

Many people with ADHD were told as children (or even as adults) that they're lazy or not good enough in some way. When you are given the same message over and over again, a cycle begins where the other person's message becomes your belief (even if it has no bearing in reality) and it can negatively impact the rest of your life.

via www.addcoachingblog.com

Experiencing ADDvantages: ADD at the Movies

Whenever we get a little bored or need to occupy our time, Erin suggests going to the movies. I almost always shoot down that idea. And it wasn't until very recently that I realized why I have an aversion to "going to the movies." It all has to do with my ADD.

via www.experiencingaddvantages.com

"The Reasons for God" - YouTube - Authors@Google: Tim Keller

The talk is stimulating, but the dialogue with the audience is quite engaging.

Tim Keller visits Google's Mountain View, CA, headquarters to discuss his book, "The Reason for God." This event took place on March 5, 2008, as part of the Authors@Google series.

It is very open and cordial conversation with a great deal of focus on the question of God and human rights.

Some Christians Slam D.C. Muslim Prayer Day as 'Islamizing' - washingtonpost.com

By Jacqueline L. Salmon and William Wan

Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, September 25, 2009

The organizers of a Muslim day of prayer scheduled to take place Friday in front of the U.S. Capitol have come under attack from some conservative Christians.

via www.washingtonpost.com

We can't claim religious freedom for ourselves and deny it for others.

Evangelicals ought to understand this.

If we are going to confront religions on the basis of truth, let us do so in the public, not by denying people's basic rights to free expression and religious freedom.

Are there differences in our faiths? Of course. Do we feel we have a message for our Muslim friends and neighbors? I believe we do?

However, our right to be heard hinges on our commitment to uphold the rights of others to be heard.

That seems like a no-brainer to me.

Religion News: One in 5 Americans may be secular by 2030

September 25, 2009

One in 5 Americans may be secular by 2030

by Angela Abbamonte
Religion News Service

The number of American adults who do not identify with a particular religion is growing and may comprise more than 20 percent of the population in two decades, according to a new study.

Conducted by researchers at Trinity College, the study, entitled "American Nones: The Profile of the No Religion Population," showed that people who profess no religion, or "Nones," are similar to the general public in marital status, education, racial and ethnic makeup and income.

via pewforum.org

Click the link above to read the full story.

Evangelical heads are shaking - either side to side or up and down.

Again, controlled studies are verifying what we intuitively and observationally know.

One in five ... by 2030. That would suggest that four in five will claim affiliation and that more do so now.

Identification with "a particular religion" may add some vague credibility to that religion's claims, but it transforms neither the individual nor society.

Christianity seems to want it both ways - to be radical on the one hand and respectable on the other.

I am not suggesting that it is a good thing that people are becoming more secular, or at least admitting it.I am saying that it is reality and has been for some time. Even those who claim affiliation with the Jesus movement are not necessarily creating a more compassionate society where grace is being offered liberally on every street corner.

If we are actually a majority, there is a stewardship of majority that is not being realized. There ought to be some "blessedness" spilling over into the culture as Jesus described in Matthew 5.

Instead, we hear rhetoric about the preservation of our rights while very "secular" choices are being made concerning every issue in the public arena. Professed believers are as likely as anyone else to arrive at their philosophical and political views through a process of self-interest and then "baptize them" and call them "Christian."

In business, in life, and in public affairs, people who identify with Christianity are as secular and those who call themselves, "nones."

So, let us embrace the reality and accept it as an opportunity to identify with the radical claims of our Founder and Lord. Then we can start being what we are, salt of the earth and light of the world.

Getting uncomfortable is usually a wonderfull propellant to getting up and going ...

... at least that is how my mornings usually begin.

Good morning,

On Expanding Your Market

To reach people no one else is reaching, we must do things no one else is doing.”

— Craig Groeschel
As quoted by Andy Stanley and, in turn, by Michael Hyatt

via michaelhyatt.com

Our National Loss of Civility - Rich Nathan - God’s Politics Blog

Our National Loss of Civility

by Rich Nathan 09-24-2009

“You lie!” yelled Representative Joe Wilson during President Obama’s recent address before a joint session of Congress.  Millions of Americans were horrified, but Rush Limbaugh said that he for one was ecstatic when he heard Wilson’s outburst.

The loss of civility has suddenly become a hot topic in America, displayed center court by the normally gracious tennis player Serena Williams, and at the MTV Music Awards by rapper Kanye West.

Bishop Timothy Clarke, the senior pastor of First Church of God in Columbus, Ohio, said:

In the 1960s, the Senate was home to men like Mike Mansfield, Everett Dirksen, William Fulbright and Jacob Javits, but it was also home to John Stennis, Strom Thurmond, and James Eastland.  What is amazing is that while these men had opposing views and held to them with tenacity there seemed to be an ability to disagree without becoming disagreeable, something that is completely missing today.  It seems as if our times are now marked not just by dissent and disagreement, but also by a willingness to engage in ugly and vitriolic language that seems designed to malign and disparage anyone who does not hold our opinions.

Richard Mouw, the brilliant and gentlemanly president of Fuller Theological Seminary, has worked for decades to promote gender equality, racial justice, peacemaking, and care for the environment.  But when he came out in favor of a ban on same-sex marriages on a radio talk show, he was accused of being a fascist and a fundamentalist who would support burning witches at the stake.  It was inconceivable to callers that one could support a traditional view of marriage without being a fascist.

via blog.sojo.net

Click above to read more.

I know I harp on this one and I think, rightfully so.

I believe that it is symptomatic of a disease in our culture that transcends any of the issues that rhetoric attaches itself to.

It crosses ideological lines.

It corrupts, distorts, and pollutes our debates.

It weakens arguments and sullies the participants.

What is most disturbing is that professing Christians participate in this sort of undignified behavior and justify it as righteous indignation, prophetic speech, and courageous truth-telling.

You can't call it "speaking the truth in love" if it is not really being spoken in love.

We were told growing up that television was a corrupting influence on morality. We were told that many manifestations of modernity were corrupting us and were warned of a waning of morality. We did not expect that even those calling for a higher moral standard would engage in immoral methods to promote them.

I think I will continue to harp on this until things get better. I know that I am not the only person in the world who can get along with folks who hold opposing views to my own. I am sure that i am not the only person who can see the decency in people of diverse opinions. I am sure that I am not alone in recognizing that someone whose views I cannot entertain for a moment might be motivated by very good intentions.

I have to believe that the vast majority of Americans are sick of the name calling and lack of respect.

If nothing else, we will grow weary of media operatives insulting our intelligence and assuming we can't think further than sound bytes and slogans.

The theme for this part of the week remains the same - pray - seek God - and turn from our wicked ways.

Loss of civility is a very sign of systemic wickedness.

Call to Prayer and Anxiety for Non-Believers

Last night, I posted on the biblical admonition to pray, seek God's face, and turn from wicked ways.

There is no disputing that this is a mandate for those who are "called by God's name."

So, believers must comply in order to be consistent.

This often raises eyebrows and blood pressure for my non-believing friends - and perhaps, rightly so.

That is because they advocate transparent decision making processes in public life that are subject to scrutiny and visibility.

The assumption is that if a leader seeks divine guidance, that instructions will come that are not subject to that sort of public evaluation and accountability. They wonder if the person seeking God will claim some sort of personal revelation from God that is contrary to logic and ethics.

There is a short answer to that from the Apostle Paul in I Corinthians 14:32. It is binding upon Christians and potentially comforting to those who are not Christians:

"The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets."

Paul was dealing with the same dangers at the local church level in Corinth. People were saying things like, "God told me," "God told me to tell you," and"The Holy Spirit MADE me do it."

They thought that would excuse them from all sorts of misbehavior, rudeness, and lapses of good sense.

Public people who seek God and follow Jesus are bound by the law of love and expected to exercise good sense whatever they perceive God saying to them. They are required to operate within the laws and social contracts of society.

They are subject to public scrutiny. Their devotions and prayers in private are to provide them grounding, clear their minds, reinforce their values, and provide insights. There is no magic here and no free pass to act badly.

I can't speak for all believers, but I believe that there is adequate permission in the scriptures for society to hold their leaders accountable for  the actions even if those leaders base their decisions on insights they received in prayer.

No one in this world operates in a vacuum. Every human being cultivates an inner life that helps guide him or her in the process of decision making. Everyone needs to quiet his or her soul to think and act clearly. For the Christian, that happens in prayer.

There is a very funny video in circulation that claims, as evidence that God does not answer prayer, the testimony of a former leader that he prayed daily for guidance. It is funny, but flawed. The bases of decision making for Christians are not mysterious. Guidance is filtered through our human minds and ethical sign posts. Our spirits are subject to our selves.

Relax. If we truly pray, seek, and repent, the world will be a better place for you as well and God will never lead us to trample upon your dignity - not the God I know in Jesus Christ.

If we do that, blame us. It was our call.

Twitter / Rick Warren: Every group has 1 EGR pers ...

Every group has 1 EGR person:Extra Grace Required=irritating manners/poor social skills.If u cant think who it is-it’s you!about 4 hours ago from web

    

RickWarren

Rick Warren

via twitter.com

A Devotional Thought: "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves ..."

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. II Chronicles 7:14

It is always difficult to take the admonitions of God to the nation of Israel and make direct application to contemporary peoples. That is because there are no God-ordained theocracies in the world today.

The world has a tragic track history with nationalism. It almost always leads to abuse and oppression.

Even modern Israel is multi-cultural, secular, and eclectic in its religious views.

Nevertheless, all nations are a part of God's purpose and promised blessing (Genesis 12:3, Psalm 22:27, Psalm 72:11&17). All nations are likewise subject to judgment (Isaiah 40:17). In Matthew 25, we are told the primary basis of that judgment - how nations respond to the poor and powerless.

God's people remain scattered throughout the globe - wherever they are called by God's name.

So, for nations and individuals, there is a blessing available - a conditional blessing.

The first requirement to which the promise is attached is humility. Humility is the first characteristic of strong leadership - among people or among nations. Humility before God and others enables us to walk under God's watchful gaze and alongside our fellow human beings. Humility precludes chauvinism. It discourages imperialism. It condemns pride.

Humble leaders do not need to justify their every deed, but can admit failures. Humble nations can strengthen their standing by doing the same.

The greater the nation, leader, or organization, the greater the need for humility.

The second requirement for the blessing is to pray. The sort of prayer that we need is not the sort that exalts us or boasts or impresses listeners with our eloquence. It is needy prayer, humble prayer, listening prayer, and loving prayer. It is honest. It is seeking. It is prayer without agenda. It is prayer that asks God what we must do. It is prayer that extends our concern to friend and enemy alike.

That leads to the third requirement - seeking the face of God. To seek the face of God implies that we have not grasped a complete vision of God already. The revealed truth we have received is sufficient to save, but not to suspend our seeking. To seek God's face is not to seek information about God, but to seek God Himself with awe, wonder, and childlike readiness to receive.

The fourth requirement is to turn from our wicked ways. It is no sign of strength, power or righteousness to assert we have no wicked ways in our lives or in our nations. Pride weakens us. Self-righteousness stifles our potential for growth. God is not looking for PR people as leaders. He is looking for people who are willing to look at their choices and change if necessary.

Those four requirements have been recited, amplified, and subjected to exegesis until we can hear them without being moved. We have heard them so many times that we have built up walls of resistance around our favorite sins and defined what other people ought to do to comply.

They are always about someone else.

Like a much maligned preacher in the news during the presidential election, our most fundamentalist preachers have all said, "God damn America." They have. I have heard them. Most white conservatives have said, "Amen" as long as it was other people's sins that were being condemned. No one accused those preachers of being anti-American.

But when a descendant of slaves dared to suggest that racism, blind nationalism, and greed were among our national sins to which we had to give account to God, the critics went wild.

The same message with a different application got different responses.

The truth is that God still dislikes all the "traditional" sins, but He also has issues with those that seldom make the list - those in which nice people participate.

We are expected by God, as individuals and as nations, to behave ethically, morally, compassionately, fairly, cooperatively, and righteously. We are expected to live by Matthew 25:31-46 as nations and the Sermon on the Mount as individuals.

Is there someone out there who wants to argue that America and American Christians have done so flawlessly in recent decades?

I would like to hear that case. The political right and the political left in America both agree that it is not true. They both agree that we have embraced wicked ways.

They just have different lists of wicked ways.

Is America good?

America is great! I love America. I love the Constitution and the people of America. I love the Republicans, the Democrats, and the independents that balance out each others' craziness.

Is America perfect, sinless, and innocent of innocent blood?

No. No nation is.

Are others worse?

Maybe some are, but we can't do their repenting for them. We are only responsible for our own repentance.

You can't point at your neighbor down the street when God calls you to turn from your wicked ways.

We cannot do so nationally either.

Nor can we frame our foreign policies simply around our own selfish interests and call that "Christian."

I am writing to Christians here. I don't expect anyone else to buy into my presuppositions blindly. This is about our consciences. It is about the stewardship of our influence.

There has not been a national party platform in this country in 30 years that should not have given Jesus' followers a great deal of heartburn.

But we pick a horse and run with it because we have not been called to isolate ourselves.

Can we have national repentance?

Perhaps to some extent - but for certain, we can repent and turn from our own wicked ways. Again, your list may differ from that of other fine believers, but you have to work on those things about which the Spirit convicts you.

The benefits are impressive.

In the first place, God says He will hear.

In the second place, He promises to forgive. Unlike humans, God does that quickly and without hesitation.

In the third place, He promises to heal our lands.

And we need healing.

These are days of sinful bickering, disrespect, incivility, disregard for life, unbridled anger, bitter divisiveness, euphoric drunkenness,  moral ambiguity, sexual manipulation, greed, lack of compassion, disregard for the poor, bigotry, bullish power grabbing, broken boundaries, coldness, hardheartedness, slander, self-centered self-promotion, stubbornness, corruption, and deep need.

Somehow, I believe that if the leaders of our nation would get off of their political platforms, forget the colors of their states, turn off their cell phones, forget about polls, stop calling each other names, quit demonizing each other, and listen to each other and to God, it would be a step in the right direction.

If they would cultivate humility, they could learn to pray. If they would pray, they would seek God's face (and be very surprised at what they found). If they would seek God's face they would want to turn from many of our nation's wicked ways.

We can wait for that ... or we can do it ourselves.

Energion Publications Announcements » Blog Archive » Victory at the Expense of the Gospel – Book Quote #7

Victory at the Expense of the Gospel – Book Quote #7

From Christian Archy, by David Alan Black, coming November 2:

There is perhaps no clearer example of the church’s misguided appropriation of the world than the god of nationalism. Instead of simply following Jesus, whose kingdom is marked by powerless love, we have attempted to use Christianity to support worldly power. And this means that the church has lost its way – a transgression that carries with it an obligation on the part of every Christian to find his or her way back to the correct path. Experience has shown that once the church has become just another worldly “archy” (power), once it has allowed itself to be subverted by politics, it has achieved a “victory” at the expense of the Gospel.  (p. 1)

via www.energionpubs.com

The Love of Human Praise as the Root of Unbelief :: Desiring God

The Love of Human Praise as the Root of Unbelief

September 21, 2009  |  By: David Mathis  |  Category: DG Resources

This week's sermon: "The Love of Human Praise as the Root of Unbelief"

Jesus' refrain in John 5:30-47 is "not me, but God." He baffles the expectations and confronts the comforts of fallen humanity by being a Messiah who comes not in his own name, seeking his own praise, but by coming in his Father's name and pursuing his Father's praise.

In verses 37-47, Jesus issues a seemingly relentless string of indictments against self-seeking humans:

via www.desiringgod.org

Click above to read more.

The Goodness of God and the Fear of God :: Desiring God

The Goodness of God and the Fear of God

September 23, 2009  |  By: John Piper

Consider two important truths in Psalm 31:19.

Oh, how abundant is your goodness,
which you have stored up for those who fear you
and worked for those who take refuge in you,
in the sight of the children of mankind!

READ MORE AT: www.desiringgod.org

John Piper offers a fresh insight into the idea of the fear of God.

He says that the fear of God is the fear of straying from Him which leads us back toward Him. Fearing God is, in Piper's understanding, a longing for God and a sense of desperation at the thought of not finding our shelter in Him.

It is, then an entirely different understanding of fear and a unique response. Instead of being repelled, we are drawn.

It is comparable to my understanding of the wrath of God. In my study of scripture, the wrath of God is less of an overt reaction to human stubbornness, self-will, and sin than an encounter between opposites. An object of intense velocity encounters an object of strong resistance. Sometimes, God is the wall against which our stubborn determination to sin is halted. Sometimes, our will is the wall that God's unstoppable force topples. Either way, God and truth win ... and that is essence of His wrath. He wins.

God is the unmovable object and the unstoppable force.

To the one fearing Him and trusting Him, it is a source of great comfort, but to the one resisting, it is quite disconcerting and potentially disastrous.

It is always a choice of alignment.

Shoestring security for those on a budget - Computerworld Blogs

Two weeks ago I wrote a blog about a friend’s computer that was running bare because she didn’t want to spend the money for steep renewal fees. While the economy is improving, it will be some time before it's back in full swing again. Many people are holding on to their computers longer and are using them to help their job searches, too. If you’re in a situation where you can't or don't want to spend the money to renew your security software there are free alternatives - but there is a minor catch.

Companies like AVG, Avast and Avira to name a few, offer free antivirus software for personal or non-commercial use only. Recently, I also discovered another free security product by Comodo that offers a firewall and antivirus all wrapped up into one neat package. Having used this product myself and after installing it on family and friends’ machines, I have to say that I’ve encountered no problems whatsoever and there have been no infections on any of those machines. Combining the firewall and AV solution makes it easy for the average user to lock down his/her home PC and at a price anyone can afford, to boot

via blogs.computerworld.com

I may try Comodo, but I must confess that I am not anxious to uninstall AV.

It is not only free, but it finds things that expensive software have passed over.

It is helpful to get these reviews and recommendations.

We are tracking the latest news in data security at the Data and Internet Security blog.

Recent Topics include:

What are the Data Recovery FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) | Best Syndication

New Bahama botnet evades search engines, fuels click fraud

For your back up needs: http://www.datavaultsecurity.com/TomSims

Letter from Michael Snow and Jimmy Wales.

It is hard to believe that less than a decade ago, Wikipedia didn't exist. Now, 330 million people use Wikipedia every month, making it the world's most frequently used online knowledge resource. Hundreds of thousands of volunteers have built and maintained the different Wikimedia projects in the last eight years.

Although we have accomplished a lot, we still have far to go to achieve our vision of a world in which every single person can freely share in the sum of all human knowledge. How can we build on our success to overcome the challenges that lie ahead? Less than a fifth of the world's population has access to the Internet. While hundreds of thousands of volunteers have contributed to Wikimedia projects today, they are not fully representative of the diversity of the world. Many choices lie ahead as we work to build a world wide movement to create and share free knowledge.

READ MORE at

via volunteer.wikimedia.org

Here is a chance to give back to something that is always giving to us.

Blurted Blunders

Blustering blurted blunders blossoming blatantly into Blagojevichistic blacklisting.

Kanye West and Joe Wilson have learned it.

Well, maybe.

Wilson now has fan pages, donations, and support networks. I had no idea who he was before his infamous, "You lie" outburst. That's with 2/3 of Americans disapproving!

Kanye West has never been a part of my daily consciousness, but he too, blurted out inappropriate words at an inappropriate time.

But isn't that what we pay rappers all the big bucks to do? Congressmen - not so much so. I am not sure what we pay them for.

Disapproval of Kanye's actions were probably closer to 100%  including Beyonce!

Kanye will probably not lose any income - certainly not any prestige. I understand Leno gave him a hard time -- but at least he was ON Leno. I am still waiting for my invitation.

Both did a pretty adequate job of stealing moments.

Now, the President is in the moment. "He's a jackass," was a little surprising - even if he did say it with affection.

Mr. President, (A) Nothing is off the record with reporters and (B) I can't think of B.

The President may get by with it because so many people agree with him, but there may be another 3 way beer summit in the offing - They may even make it 4 way and invite Joe.

It is going to be root beer though. Taylor Swift is a little young for the hard stuff.

So, within about a week, there were enough bipartisan blunders to go around the legitimate entertainment industry as well as the political entertainment industry.

Within a few weeks, few will care. I already don't care - except the picture of that little girl's feelings getting crushed is still a bit hard to take.

The good news is, tghat for a while, this is giving rise to a few really good jokes including this one:

He's ruining my moment!

Posted on: September 19, 2009 4:50 PM, by PZ Myers

Would someone call security and please escort Kanye off my blog?

    via scienceblogs.com

Twitter / BrianTracy: "We cannot do everything a ...

"We cannot do everything at once, but we can do something at once."- Calvin Coolidge, 30th U.S. presidentabout 2 hours ago from web

    

BrianTracy

via twitter.com

Twitter / Rick Warren: "Some pastors talk like th ...

"Some pastors talk like the church is just an enterprise with prayers added.I ask Where's the Holy Spirit?”- PDChurch pg59about 4 hours ago from web

    

RickWarren

Rick Warren

via twitter.com

Twitter / Steve Case: The purpose of influence i ...

The purpose of influence is to speak up for those who have no influence. Pr.31:8 It's not about you. (via @RickWarren @jeancase)about 3 hours ago from TweetDeck

    

SteveCase

Steve Case

via twitter.com

Op-Ed Columnist - High-Five Nation - NYTimes.com -Humility, What a Concept!

By DAVID BROOKS

Published: September 15, 2009

On Sunday evenings, my local NPR station airs old radio programs. A few weeks ago it broadcast the episode of the show “Command Performance” that aired the day World War II ended. “Command Performance” was a variety show that went out to the troops around the world.

David Brooks

On V-J Day, Frank Sinatra appeared, along with Marlene Dietrich, Jimmy Durante, Dinah Shore, Bette Davis, Lionel Barrymore, Cary Grant and many others. But the most striking feature of the show was its tone of self-effacement and humility. The allies had, on that very day, completed one of the noblest military victories in the history of humanity. And yet there was no chest-beating. Nobody was erecting triumphal arches.

“All anybody can do is thank God it’s over,” Bing Crosby, the show’s host, said. “Today our deep down feeling is one of humility,” he addeD. READ AT: via www.nytimes.com

I have been speaking lately about civility.

Perhaps Brooks is right on target.

Perhaps if we cultivated humility, civility would follow.

Tweet Week - Tom's Tweets for 9/10/09 - 9/19/09

holy heteroclite: "Imagine if being a Christian were about life?" http://bit.ly/1A0xWJ2 minutes ago from TypePad

    

All God's Critters Goty a Place in the Choir http://bit.ly/rk1Fiabout 1 hour ago from TypePad

    

Noah's Blog | Wittenburg Door http://bit.ly/nbQ5kabout 2 hours ago from TypePad

    

UrbanChristianMaggot: The Gift of God called Grace http://bit.ly/XopuBabout 2 hours ago from TypePad

    

Biggest U.S. churches 'contemporary, evangelical' - USATODAY.com http://bit.ly/lLnmAabout 2 hours ago from TypePad

    

Dream Awakener » This Week with Henri Nouwen – Spiritual Dryness http://bit.ly/4v70Pqabout 13 hours ago from TypePad

    

Dream Awakener » NY Times on Kenya and Our Response http://bit.ly/12ss1eabout 13 hours ago from TypePad

    

@akapastorguy http://bit.ly/34b51C "It will change what gets printed." How so?about 13 hours ago from TweetDeck in reply to akapastorguy

    

Christian History Blog: 'We Lepers' http://bit.ly/EpvYAabout 14 hours ago from TypePad

    

Will eBooks Replace Paper? http://tinyurl.com/kr5mw5 from: @energion10:41 AM Sep 18th from web

    

Could physical exercise help in preventing and treating drug abuse? : Cognitive Daily http://bit.ly/EDqAK10:36 AM Sep 18th from TypePad

    

I got this late: "Jody Powell, Trusted Aide to Jimmy Carter, Dies at 65 - Obituary (Obit) - NYTimes.com" ( http://bit.ly/JmvvI )9:44 AM Sep 18th from twitthat

    

Remembering Without Knowing It -- Torrice 2009 (910): 4 -- ScienceNOW http://bit.ly/eDna77:11 AM Sep 18th from TypePad

    

Seth's Blog: The problem with non http://bit.ly/ZzQWB12:44 AM Sep 18th from TypePad

    

Reading: "Henry Gibson dies at 73; original cast member of 'Laugh-In' -- latimes.com" ( http://bit.ly/wZ9bp )11:05 AM Sep 17th from twitthat

    

Reading: "Slashdot Your Rights Online Story | Professor Posts "Illegal Copy" of Guide To Oregon Public Record Laws" ( http://bit.ly/TXpxL )10:50 AM Sep 17th from twitthat

    

Reading: "All Toes in the Water: Racism--100 Words" ( http://bit.ly/Owc0A )10:45 AM Sep 17th from twitthat

    

New scam adds live chat to phishing attack | Tech News on ZDNet http://bit.ly/d5JYL10:40 AM Sep 17th from TypePad

    

Don't Laugh at Me http://bit.ly/UzLAd9:09 AM Sep 17th from TypePad

    

PETER, PAUL & MARY - Blowin' in the wind ( LIVE in Japan , 1990 ) http://bit.ly/ntDh Seek Peace. Ask Questions.7:50 AM Sep 17th from web

    

Mary Travers of Peter, Paul and Mary dead at 72 http://bit.ly/mS6Ig7:38 AM Sep 17th from TypePad

    

@alisamanjarrez I hope you had a happy birthday!7:21 AM Sep 17th from TweetDeck in reply to alisamanjarrez

    

Seth's Blog: Friction http://bit.ly/TlafS9:04 PM Sep 16th from TypePad

    

@MarketerMikeE - That video inspired a blog for me. Thanks.8:59 PM Sep 16th from TweetDeck in reply to MarketerMikeE

    

God Is Enough - John Piper on Prosperity Gospel http://bit.ly/1iJZgA8:58 PM Sep 16th from TypePad

    

@BillHurlbut Thanks, Bill!8:09 PM Sep 16th from TweetDeck in reply to BillHurlbut

    

@cjkatte No problem, Chris. It takes me a while to catch things too. You have great insights for a young guy - or even an old guy.8:05 PM Sep 16th from TweetDeck in reply to cjkatte

    

Some Quotes from Vance Havner at Half Past Midnight http://bit.ly/DvZsz11:59 AM Sep 16th from TypePad

    

Three Must-read Articles for Social Media Entrepreneurs http://bit.ly/afU6w11:53 AM Sep 16th from TypePad

    

6 Essentials of College Ministry | TheResurgence http://bit.ly/18OHwm11:42 AM Sep 16th from TypePad

    

Spirituality & Religious Behavior & Life : Politics and Religion http://bit.ly/2jhaB911:27 AM Sep 16th from TypePad

    

Melissa Hathaway urges more cooperation, government attention to cybersecurity http://bit.ly/gs4Cm11:22 AM Sep 16th from TypePad

    

Associated Baptist Press - Opinion: Fact and fiction on the abortion-reduction bill http://bit.ly/4bkN3u11:09 AM Sep 16th from TypePad

    

Obama Cautious on Faith-Based Initiatives - washingtonpost.com http://bit.ly/LyYmb11:09 AM Sep 16th from TypePad

    

@jen4coffee Thanks for that RT, Jenifer!6:57 PM Sep 15th from TweetDeck in reply to jen4coffee

    

@MariaTRodriguez Thanks for that 9-11 RT, Maria! All the best to you.6:57 PM Sep 15th from TweetDeck in reply to MariaTRodriguez

    

@MarketerMikeE Thanks for the RT on John Piper, Mike! I hope your day is going well.6:56 PM Sep 15th from TweetDeck in reply to MarketerMikeE

    

@DavEnergy http://bit.ly/2v2bFY Good morning to you - although maybe a day or two late.6:56 PM Sep 15th from TweetDeck in reply to DavEnergy

    

RNS Feature: "Atheists put their faith in Twitter" http://bit.ly/137kCf10:27 AM Sep 15th from TypePad

    

Feeding the Hungry: Remembering Norman Borlaug - Ernesto Tinajero - God’s Politics Blog http://bit.ly/45hXIC10:20 AM Sep 15th from TypePad

    

"I refuse to believe that i am part of a lost generation." http://bit.ly/2b3Lzh5:49 AM Sep 15th from TypePad

    

Reading: "Beth's Blog: How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media: 23 Years Ago Today and How Not To Pitch A Blogger Redux (And Twitter pitches ...5:44 AM Sep 15th from twitthat

    

Does A High-Fat Diet Make You Stupid and Lazy? – Amen Clinics http://bit.ly/2DXYHA5:37 AM Sep 15th from TypePad

    

Home Delivery: The New York Times Serves Up Some Malware | Peter Kafka | MediaMemo | AllThingsD http://bit.ly/1KPNch7:25 AM Sep 14th from TypePad

    

This Sunday's Sermon - The HARD WAY http://bit.ly/36xgWq8:54 PM Sep 13th from TypePad

    

ADHD Web 2.0 | ADD ADHD Blog.com http://bit.ly/W1vUV8:56 AM Sep 13th from TypePad

    

Social Media News, Insights and Tips http://bit.ly/Mp1Pj8:15 AM Sep 13th from TypePad

    

Missional Misstep - http://bit.ly/3wuHwT - Can the gospel be too big?5:25 AM Sep 13th from Matt

    

Roger Ebert's Journal: Darwin, My Hero Archives http://bit.ly/jt5qg5:17 AM Sep 13th from TypePad

    

John Piper on the President's Speech: http://bit.ly/8BrsI4:05 AM Sep 13th from Matt

    

The Purpose-Driven Job Hunter http://www.christianitytoda...3:20 AM Sep 13th from Matt

    

Abortion Protester Is Killed in Michigan http://bit.ly/wd133 There are murderous kooks on both sides.3:20 AM Sep 13th from Matt

    

Most Recent News from Christianity Today http://bit.ly/1YBTe210:58 PM Sep 12th from TypePad

    

Healthy Pastors: Pastors Do Get Depressed | TheResurgence http://bit.ly/smI1z10:55 PM Sep 12th from TypePad

    

Al Mohler Defends Obama...Sort of | Out of Ur | Conversations for Ministry Leaders http://bit.ly/4yvZQ210:33 PM Sep 12th from TypePad

    

Lose Weight Or Lose Your Brain – Amen Clinics http://bit.ly/ey3Q310:20 PM Sep 12th from TypePad

    

Bike Messengers and Living http://bit.ly/13ZiqL9:32 PM Sep 12th from TypePad

    

The 10% Really Are Different - Not Just Distracted - ADHD And The Brain's Reward System - Science Friday http://bit.ly/HUbZT7:15 AM Sep 12th from TypePad

    

NASA - A Day of Remembrance http://bit.ly/3ootej12:30 AM Sep 12th from TypePad

    

We Have Not Forgotten http://bit.ly/1yGTbK10:58 AM Sep 11th from TypePad

    

Lately friends have been victims of identity theft. I feel guilty for not sharing this product I have and use: http://bit.ly/2cwjMr10:15 AM Sep 11th from Matt

    

The Nines Conference Message http://bit.ly/M5EKn from Mark Driscoll10:10 AM Sep 11th from Matt

    

Not Just Interesting: The Internet Changes All the Rules | TheResurgence http://bit.ly/XwiLG10:07 AM Sep 11th from TypePad

    

Tweets for 9/2/09 - 9/10/09 http://bit.ly/19csMP9:14 AM Sep 11th from TypePad

    

Pew: Religion and Science: Conflict or Harmony? http://bit.ly/n3g1A9:05 AM Sep 11th from TypePad

    

Pew Forum: President Obama's Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships http://bit.ly/d7qSM8:51 AM Sep 11th from TypePad

    

Faith Healing and the Lawhttp://bit.ly/RP7Vm8:50 AM Sep 11th from Matt

    

Tragic - embarrassing - sad - http://bit.ly/MlEN3 Many Women Targeted by Faith Leaders, Survey Says8:50 AM Sep 11th from Matt

    

Obama's Favorite Theologian? A Short Course on Reinhold Niebuhr http://bit.ly/NwNWi8:47 AM Sep 11th from Matt

    

"Lord, Save Us from Your Followers" Coming Soon to a Theater Near You! http://bit.ly/1kTCrm6:35 AM Sep 11th from TypePad

    

Faster without Losing Features - Facebook Lite | The Web Life | ZDNet.com http://bit.ly/IizaQ5:36 AM Sep 11th from TypePad

    

Five Magic Words | Sanborn and Associates http://bit.ly/RRHz42:45 AM Sep 11th from TypePad

    

Micahel Hyatt: Responding to Poor Customer Service http://bit.ly/DZF4c2:39 AM Sep 11th from TypePad

    

Facebook Turns To Twitter For Inspiration Again, Brings @ Tagging To Status Updates http://bit.ly/LeuHB2:29 AM Sep 11th from TypePad

    

How to Go on the Offensive with Facebook : The World : Idea Hub :: American Express OPEN Forum http://bit.ly/SX66h9:44 AM Sep 10th from TypePad

via pastortomsims.typepad.com

from Theological Reflections

All God's Critters Got a Place in the Choir

Here is a simple theology of creation.

Celebrate!

via pastortomsims.typepad.com

Here is a simple theology of creation.

Celebrate!

Noah's Blog | Wittenburg Door

07/09/2008

Day 1
Rain.

Day 2
Rain.

Day 3
Rain.

Day 4
Rain.

Day 5
Rain.

Day 6
So I was loading up the last of the animals last week when I walk past my neighbor Roger, the Molech-worshipper. He looks up and says "Hey, looks like rain."

READ THE ENTIRE BLOG AT www.wittenburgdoor.com

You will kick yourself if you don't read this from The Door.

Just for fun ....

But, if you had read it, you would already know that.

UrbanChristianMaggot: The Gift of God called Grace

I was sitting, reading and contemplating the life I am allowed to live. There isn't anything I could ask for that would enhance what I all ready have and have experienced. It made me start to think about the incredible gift of God called "grace." It is such an intangible representation of God's character. Yet, it has such tangible results in our daily lives. It occurred to me that God's grace is really administered from two perspectives.

READ AT: highwaycity-urbanchristianmaggot.blogspot.com

Jeff has some wonderful insights into grace.

It is good to serve Jesus and the city with him.

Mission, Ministry, & Contemporary Culture

Biggest U.S. churches 'contemporary, evangelical' - USATODAY.com

By Cathy Lynn Grossman, USA TODAY

Two new reports on the size and strength of American congregations present contrasting pictures of church life today.

The October issue of Outreach magazine is all about growth. It lists the 100 largest U.S. churches, based on attendance statistics gathered by LifeWay Research, Nashville.

INTERACTIVE GRAPHIC: See how U.S. religions have changed in 20 years

Leading the list, as in 2008, is Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church, Houston; 43,500 attend weekend worship.

www.usatoday.com TO READ

I'm passing this on for the informational value.

I will leave it to the rest of you missiologies and ecclesiologists to sort it out.

via pastortomsims.typepad.com

By Cathy Lynn Grossman, USA TODAY

Two new reports on the size and strength of American congregations present contrasting pictures of church life today.

The October issue of Outreach magazine is all about growth. It lists the 100 largest U.S. churches, based on attendance statistics gathered by LifeWay Research, Nashville.

INTERACTIVE GRAPHIC: See how U.S. religions have changed in 20 years

Leading the list, as in 2008, is Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church, Houston; 43,500 attend weekend worship.

www.usatoday.com TO READ

I'm passing this on for the informational value.

I will leave it to the rest of you missiologies and ecclesiologists to sort it out.

Dedupe dos and don'ts: Data deduplication technology best practices

Data deduplication can significantly reduce the amount of disk needed to store your data backups, but things that you do in your data center can actually be working against deduplication. And there are other things that don't necessarily hurt your deduplication system, but aren't a good idea anyway.

This article will explain those things you should (or shouldn't) be doing if you are performing data deduplication.

via searchdatabackup.techtarget.com

http://www.datavaultsecurity.com/TomSims

Disaster recovery essentials: E-Guide on DR planning and testing strategies

In almost every conversation we have, and on every survey we run, disaster recovery (DR) is consistently the No. 1 priority for storage managers. When you think about it, that represents a startling turnaround. Only a few short years ago, disaster recovery was considered something of a luxury item, affordable by only the biggest companies with the fattest budgets. I don't have to run through the list of recent incidents that have put that theory to rest for good.

Today, the issue isn't whether or not you have a disaster recovery plan, but rather to have one that will work when needed. Effective testing and remediation is, of course, a requisite, but it's even more important to match up available technologies with corporate objectives.

The good news is that today there are ample technology choices to employ in a DR plan. But that's the bad news, too, as storage managers are pressed to find the right combination of technologies and processes that will help ensure that their businesses can withstand and

searchdisasterrecovery.techtarget.com to READ MORE

Fortunately, there are some services available that can help you address most of these concerns.

Investigate thoroughly and choose carefully.

Much is at stake.

http://www.datavaultsecurity.com/TomSims

The Best Use of Twitter for Online Marketers

By Social Editors • on September 18, 2009Twitter is a great tool for the online marketer, but there is one feature that is more important than all of the others: the search feature. Here are 6 ways to use the search tool to help increase your sales and get the most out of Twitter:

READ THEM at www.socialnetdaily.com

Social Media News, Insights and Tips

Why What’s in Your Twitter Profile Matters

By Social Editors • on September 17, 2009

“Hi, do you want to be my friend? Not good Tweople, If your hope is to build any kind of relationship on Twitter!”

I see this every day, As thousands of people ask each other this on Twitter by following someone. The first thing most people do when one of these requests shows up in their inbox is check out the profile of the person asking.

www.socialnetdaily.com to READ MORE

You can decide to make social networking a vital tool inn your business or you can use it as recreation. It is your choice.

But if you are utilizing its vast potential in business, there is some strategic thinking you need to do.

Pastor Tom's Garden of Sermon Seeds & Sprouts

St. Crispen's Day Speech

The privilege of service and sacrifice for the sake of Christ is far greater than that expressed by Henry in Henry V, in Shakesphere's rendering of St. Crispen's Day speech. Our resolve in Christ to stand together as borthers and sisters with our Lord Jesus is shored up by the sheer honor and fellowship of it.



Here is the Partial text:

KING HENRY V:
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remember'd;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.

via pastortomsermons.blogspot.com

Pastor Tom's Journal: Great Words from Mike Yaconelli

Thanks, Mike.

We all miss you.

via pastortomsims.blogspot.com

Seth's Blog: The problem with non

Non as in non-profit.

The first issue is the way you describe yourself. I know what you’re not but what are you?

Did you start or join this non-profit because of the non part? I doubt it. It's because you want to make change. The way the world is just isn't right or good enough for you... there's an emergency or an injustice or an opportunity and you want to make change...

... Beth has a great post about the feeling of vertigo that non-profits get when they move from the firm ground of the tried and true to the anti-gravity that comes from leaping into change.

READ THE ARTICLE AT sethgodin.typepad.com

Seth Godin's article on this subject something each of us in the community based organization field should read. It is worth noting by itself. The movement to define community based organizations by what they are rather than what they are not is growing thanks to many, including Fresno's Don Simmons.

He quotes another blogger with this challenging statement: "The leaders of the nonprofits that can embrace social media can tolerate vertigo."

Chew on that.

Thanks to Don Simmons for pointing this out. It had been sitting in my Outlook folder for days waiting to be read!

New scam adds live chat to phishing attack | Tech News on ZDNet

By Elinor Mills CNET News
Posted on ZDNet News: Sep 16, 2009 1:39:30 PM

Online scammers have created a phishing site masquerading as a U.S.-based bank that launches a live chat window where victims are tricked into revealing more information, researchers at the RSA FraudAction Research Team said on Wednesday.

The chat window messages come through the browser and not via a typical instant messenger application, RSA said in a blog post.

The scammer claims to be from the bank's fraud department and says that the bank is requiring members to validate their accounts and asks for additional information such as name, phone number and e-mail address, according to screen shots. That information could be used to get access to accounts and money online or over the phone.

via news.zdnet.com

As long as you understand that there are people out there who want to defraud you, you can be ready.

They will try as many tricks as they can imagine.

They will try to attack you when you are least aware.

Protection online is always called for.

http://www.datavaultsecurity.com/TomSims

Web 2.0 sites - prime target for attacks, report | Tech News on ZDNet

Web 2.0 sites that allow users to create content, are increasingly used to carry out a wide range of attacks, according to a new security study.

Released Tuesday, Websense's State of Internet Security, Q1 - Q2, 2009 report noted that attackers are focusing their attention on interactive Web 2.0 elements. Some 95 percent of user-generated comments on blogs, message boards and in chatrooms are either spam or malicious, the security vendor warned.

news.zdnet.com TO READ

The more you know, the more precautions you can take within reason.

http://www.datavaultsecurity.com/TomSims

Don't Laugh at Me

For me, the message of Peter, Paul, and Mary always transcended politics.

This song is no exception.

It is about common decency - the kind that seems in such jeopardy these days. It seems out of favor to look into the eyes of another and see the image of God.

Jesus said we ought to look for Him in the broken, wounded, and ostracized.

"Don't laugh at me. Don't call me names. Don't get your pleasure from my pain."

We don't have to all be friends. We don't have to agree with each other politically, spiritually, or in any way.

We don't have to approve of each others' choices, lifestyles, behaviors, or beliefs.

We do need to be decent to each other. We need to respect each other as children of God. We need to learn to live by love and reject hate.

We need to approach each other with open hands and hearts.

That is what this song says to me.

What we used to call common courtesy, people shrug off these days as political correctness. In fact, it seems to be politically incorrect to ask people to embrace these old fashioned values for fear that we will be considered politically correct.

But the real hurts and hearts of people have not changed. Everyone needs to feel loved and accepted. Everyone needs to feel valued by God and others. Everyone deserves a change. Everyone is entitled to respect. All people ought to be allowed to live without being judged by anyone except the Almighty who is gracious and merciful.

This is not about accepting everyone's values as equal. It is about accepting everyone's humanity as equal.

We need to hear and heed these words today more than ever.

Listen and  ....

... take courage.

Mary Travers of Peter, Paul and Mary dead at 72

Newsvine - BOSTON — Mary Travers, one-third of the hugely popular 1960s folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary, has died.

The band's publicist, Heather Lylis, says Travers died at Danbury Hospital in Connecticut on Wednesday. She was 72 and had battled leukemia for several years.

Travers joined forces with Peter Yarrow and Noel Paul Stookey in the early 1960s.

www.newsvine.com TO READ

This is such sad news for me and for so many who have loved Peter, Paul, and Mary through all these years.

There can't be a Peter, Paul, and Mary without Mary Travers.

Her deep, steady voice anchored the group.

Her warmth on stage completed the trio.

What can I say, Puff will no longer go to play along the Cherry Lane. Without our lifelong friend, how can we be brave?

She lived by her conscience and she sang with joy and conviction.

Thanks for the music, Mary.

Thanks for them memories. We will miss you.

Chronic Pain Makes 50-year-olds Feel 80 - Yahoo! News

Scientists re-examined data from a 2004 study of 18,531 people age 50 and over. As one example, among participants age 50 to 59 who had no chronic pain, 37 percent could jog a mile and 91 percent could walk several blocks with no trouble. Among those with chronic pain, only 9 percent could jog the mile and only half managed the walking task.

news.yahoo.com TO READ

One of these days, medical science is going to surprise us all ...

... and discover something we don't already know.

Seth's Blog: Friction

Stamps (remember those?) make direct mail work. Because it costs money to send a piece of junk mail, you'll think two or three times before you mail something to a million people.

READ SETH'S ARGUMENT AT sethgodin.typepad.com

I posted this, not because of Seth's rant on the Huggie's ad, but because of his sound advice to marketers ...

AND ... because of this quote:

"Find friction and embrace it, don't ignore it."

God Is Enough - John Piper on Prosperity Gospel

John Piper hates the health, wealth, and prosperity gospel because he says it is no gospel at all.

Now, let us go for the whole gospel without losing the essential gospel.

I love what John Piper is trying to say here, but I sometimes have a conflict.

God is enough.

I could not agree more.

He sustains and shapes us in loss.

Absolutely and completely

We distort the true gospel all over the world by proclaiming a false gospel that God will give us extravagant material blessings if we will believe strongly enough.

When we tell people they can avoid pain by trusting Jesus, we do them and the gospel a disservice.

What then is this health, wealth, and prosperity gospel?

Where is the conflict?

Maybe it is not a conflict as much as a distinction.

The health, wealth, and prosperity gospel is not Christianity. It is magic.

However, Christian and Hebrew scriptures have much to say about each of those three subjects. When the Bible addresses them, it is not magic, it is about principles. Principles work whether or not we believe in the Author of those principles. If we practice them in faith, directed toward Him, He often blesses them in ways that go beyond our imagination ... but we don't always get what we want.

Hard, conscientious work can produce positive results and those results can be described as prosperity, success, and sometimes, wealth.

Wealth, properly understood, managed, and shared with others can be a real blessing. It is also a great responsibility.

Giving benefits the giver but cannot be ones reason for giving.

Following sound biblical principles can lead to better health. In fact, it is possible to seek optimum health even while in the process of dying.

And none of these things are magic and not even miracles all the time.

At the same time, there are miracles and they are, by definition, variations from the norm.

Where I differ with health, wealth, and prosperity preachers is that I don't believe miracles are owed to us by God or guaranteed - at least not the kind they sometimes promise.

There are signs and wonders in the world today where God demonstrates His sovereign power and love  we are astounded. The greater miracles, which are far more prevalent than signs and wonders are those that shape us from within and prepare us to become more than we could be without them. The greatest miracle of all is the work of grace from Jesus Christ within us.

We do become healthier because we heal from the inside out.

We do become wealthier because we start to see the value in the gifts we have received.

We do prosper because we grow in every dimension of life and plug into principles that are enduring and relevant to those dimensions.

So, I always have to balance any criticism of the excesses of the health, wealth, and prosperity teachings with an understanding of the "holistc" nature of spiritual truth in the Bible.

Much of what they teach is true - not because God waves a magic wand, but because God shapes us from within and we start to achieve more than we could have achieved before we started applying these truths.

It is true, but it is not the essential gospel.

God is enough. We will suffer. We can overcome.

Unless we have that in place, we are on shaky ground when the real trials come.

Some Quotes from Vance Havner at Half Past Midnight

"The vision must be followed by the venture. It is not enough to stare up the steps - we must step up the stairs."

"The devil will let a preacher prepare a sermon if it will keep him from preparing himself."

"It is one of the ironies of the ministry that the very man who works in God's name is often hardest put to find time for God. The parents of Jesus lost Him at church, and they were not the last ones to lose Him there."

"Many people are in a rut and a rut is nothing but a grave - with both ends kicked out."

"Too many church services start at eleven sharp and end at twelve dull."

"Sometimes your medicine bottle has on it, "Shake well before using." That is what God has to do with some of His people. He has to shake them well before they are ever usable."

Three Must-read Articles for Social Media Entrepreneurs

How to Build Your Business with Twitter Hashtags! By Social Editors • on September 15, 2009

Business Rules for Socializing on Twitter By Social Editors • on September 15, 2009

Best Business Practices for Twitter By Social Editors • on September 15, 2009

One of the most obvious lessons that any Internet entrepreneur learns is that he or she must keep on learning.

Whether it is business, social, or spiritual entrepreneurship, getting more than a few days behind can be costly in terms of missed opportunities.

It is possible to catch up, but it is far easier to try and keep up.

6 Essentials of College Ministry | TheResurgence

I have served as a campus minister for five years and have taught at two universities for nine years. In that time, I've learned some lessons about doing campus ministry both the hard way and from great mentors. Here are the top six things you need to know if you're doing college ministry:

READ IT AT theresurgence.com

I can't think of a more exciting and excitable demographic in America today than college students.

They ask penetrating questions and demand thoughtful answers.

You can't tame them with cliches or subdue them with pat answers.

They hand you a shovel and order you to dig deeper ... and are willing to dig with you.

That's why I like hanging out with them and accomplishing some ministry along the way as well.

Twitter / BrianTracy: Decide in advance to use e ...

Decide in advance to use every adversity or setback as a spur to greater effort.about 10 hours ago from web

    

BrianTracy

via twitter.com

Here is a tweet worth retweeting and blogging!

VeriSign extends DDoS attack protection service - Security Bytes

Posted by: Robert Westervelt
DDoS protection, VeriSign

VeriSign has entered into the DDoS protection market, hoping the latest spate of DDoS attacks have raised enough concern among companies that they are shopping for solutions.

The firm is using the word “cloud” to describe their DDoS service since it filters network traffic in one of VeriSign’s data centers before it reaches the company network. It entered the market for DDoS protection earlier this year but is announcing a monitoring-only service this week.

via itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com

http://www.datavaultsecurity.com/TomSims

Global data deduplication can simplify administration of multiple deduplication devices

Global data deduplication can simplify administration of multiple deduplication devices

08 Sep 2009 | W. Curtis Preston

via searchdatabackup.techtarget.com

http://www.datavaultsecurity.com/TomSims

IT security defenses misdirected | Tech News on ZDNet

By Manek Dubash ZDNet UK
Posted on ZDNet News: Sep 15, 2009 4:50:03 AM

Businesses are finding it difficult to prioritize defence strategies against cyberattacks because most of them do not have an internet-wide view of the attacks, according to a report from Sans, the security training organization.

As a result, two security risks — web applications and phishing — carry the greatest potential for damage, yet users instead tend to concentrate on less-critical risks.

via news.zdnet.com

http://www.datavaultsecurity.com/TomSims

Associated Baptist Press - Opinion: Fact and fiction on the abortion-reduction bill

By David Gushee, Joel Hunter and Ronald Sider Monday, September 14, 2009

(ABP) -- We are pro-life evangelical Christians with long records of ministry and scholarship in which we have stood up for the unborn and for a society in which every child is welcomed into life and provided the opportunity to flourish. But we also recognize the legal and cultural realities in our nation right now in relation to abortion law.

We believe it is appropriate for us as Christians to support practical strategies that can reduce the demand for abortion even as we continue to hope and work for broader legal and cultural changes. And we feel compelled by our faith in Christ to look for the best in other people, to seek common ground where we can, and to be open to the surprising winds of God's Spirit that sometimes blow us into common effort with surprising partners.

www.abpnews.com TO READ ARTICLE

As a pro-life, consistent-life Christian, I am always glad to see any reduction in the number of abortions; I deplore the culture of convenience that makes abortions normative and easy; and I mourn the abandonment of political progressives of what I always felt was rightfully their cause.

I cannot wrap my mind around any philosophical position that sees abortion or the taking of human life for any reason as desirable or tolerable.

However, I don't think the fight to end abortion has made much progress as it has been conducted. Any time people are severely polarized, characterized, and demonized they become radicalized.

Thus, everyone becomes further entrenched in their positions and nothing changes.

If we continue to fight the battle for life the way we have been fighting it, more and more unborn children will be aborted. The normal reaction of anyone being pushed is to push back.

There is an assumption that I believe is generally false, that the pro-choice camp loves abortion and wants to see more babies aborted. I have never heard that from anyone in that camp with whom I have spoken face to face. No matter how drastically I disagree with them, I have no right to assign to them views they do not hold.

Therefore, I make the assumption that some, maybe not all, but some people who want to keep abortion legal, also want to reduce the number of abortions. To the extent that they want to do that, I want to help them.

At the same time, I think people should speak their minds, be prophetic, proclaim justice against the grain of popular opinion, and maintain the integrity of their biblical and moral beliefs. But that does not license them (or us) to misrepresent the facts.

Good arguments do not need to be embellished, sensationalized, over generalized, or given in anger in order to be more effective and convincing. Good arguments can stand on their own.

And if we truly believe, as I do, that we have the Word of God on our lips when we speak scriptural truth, we can trust the Holy Spirit enough to deliver that Word with a quiet spirit, gracious heart, and a gentle tongue. We know that the Word itself has the power to convince the heart without our extra help.

One problem is that we start trusting sources who trust sources who trust sources who somewhere along the line have made inaccurate statements either intentionally or unintentionally. However, because we trust the source passing it on, we adopt it as the absolute truth.

Then, we weaken our arguments.

We do so when we, who say we believe in the power of God to use His Word and touch the hearts of men, employ and trust in the same manipulative techniques which the rest of the world embraces without thought.  Our message gets lost in a noisy, bitter exchange of godless rhetoric.

We make a grave and subtle false assumption when we believe that we cannot cooperate with people toward a common goal unless we can agree with them about every other notion that they espouse.

So nothing gets done.

I will teach and preach sexual purity and abstinence, but I do not expect that the be preached by those who do not believe in it.

I will teach a preach standards of behavior for believers in Jesus that seem very odd to the rest of the world, but I do not, for a moment, presume that they will be adopted by the rest of the world.

Frankly, I believe in helping to prevent pregnancies before the issue of abortion is raised and helping poor mothers to carry their children to term once they become pregnant. I remember the day when most conservative evangelicals felt the same way.

Are we primarily interested in saving lives or making political hay?

Obama Cautious on Faith-Based Initiatives - washingtonpost.com

Activists Cite Campaign Pledge, but President Is Slow to Break With Bush Policies
By Carrie Johnson

Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Candidate Barack Obama drew little attention during last year's presidential campaign when he ventured into the thorny territory of church and state.

While President George W. Bush had expanded government contracts to faith-based groups, Obama promised to end that arrangement if the groups proselytized to the needy they served, or hired only members of that faith.

Today, that campaign pledge -- along with other complex questions of religion and government -- are posing something of a dilemma for President Obama, as he tries to balance increasing pressure from the left to renounce Bush-era policies against a desire to find common ground on social issues.

www.washingtonpost.com TO READ

Could this be because the policies against using the funds to proselytize have always been in place - even under Bush?

Could it be because the Administration recognizes the effectiveness of community and faith-based organizations which are accountable locally, must raise a large portion of their operating expenses, and are subject to local scrutiny?

Could it be because faith-based organizations possess a large pool of willing, caring, volunteers with deep connections to their communities?

Could it be because the President's campaign statement, ""If you get a federal grant, you can't use that grant money to proselytize to the people you help and you can't discriminate against them -- or against the people you hire -- on the basis of their religion," was always true?

Ferris Bueller : The Frontal Cortex

Jonah Lehrer is a contributing editor at Wired. He's also written for The New Yorker, Seed, Nature, the Boston Globe and is a contributor to Radio Lab. He's the author of Proust Was A Neuroscientist. His new book is How We Decide. He comments here on Megan Daum's interesting reflection on on the late comedy director John Hughes, and his eccentric cinematic representations of adolescence:

via scienceblogs.com to READ

Looking at Ferris, many a young man felt he was starring in the mirror.

"Ferris Bueller's Day Off," as you may recall, was a comedy, not a "disease of the week" program on the major networks.

Religion reporting is losing its prominence in American newspapers - The Boston Globe

MINNEAPOLIS - I spent the last few days here at the 60th annual convention of the Religion Newswriters Association, which is the national organization that represents the dwindling band of us who cover religion in the media. Attendance is off this year, in part because newsroom travel budgets are down, but also because the religion beat itself is suffering a serious reversal of fortune.

www.boston.com to Read

Now every two-bit blogger like me can be a religion reporter ...

... at least second hand.