Wow, how things so quickly change. As expected though, some people think our dependency on technology is a bad thing. What will happen if we experience a mass EMP attack? Or a solar flare screws up our satellites? It would seem as if people are not as independent as they used to be. On the other hand, technology provides us with a good deal of information and allows us to connect to others across the globe. Surely it’s not all bad? What do you think?
For those of us that use RSS readers (anyone?), Google will be shutting down their synchronized reading service on July 1, 2013:
We know Reader has a devoted following who will be very sad to see it go. We’re sad too. There are two simple reasons for this: usage of Google Reader has declined, and as a company we’re pouring all of our energy into fewer products. We think that kind of focus will make for a better user experience.
Actually, this is the best news that has happened to the RSS market in years. Ever since Google got their on RSS in 2005 they have done nothing but stagnate innovation. This changed after the iOS as far as clients were concerned, but it just goes to show that Google is not always doing what’s best for the market. Already we have a replacement that was made in less than a day! It’s only a matter of time until others fill this hole soon.
I think this is great because we should be seeing some innovation in the coming weeks or months. For those who do not use RSS feeds, you have to start using them if you are serious about reading multiple blogs on a regular basis. For Mac users I recommend using Reeder but for Windows users I recommend burning your computer and getting a Mac instead. You will have better reading experiences on a Mac, trust me.
This is a fun little resource I found that might help some of you out. I am both a student of the graphic design and a sound board technician/projector guy for my church. This unique may be a very specialized combination that but maybe this will help someone else out as well.
To protest against SOPA and PIPA, popular (and perhaps unpopular) sites like Google, Craigslist, Wikipedia, Reddit, Youtube and others have taken the fight to congress by spreading awareness about this new bill. For those who are not already aware, this bill threatens to bring the end of the internet as we know it into an age of internet communism. Like any good liberal doctrine, it starts with presumably good intentions (e.g, combating piracy) but the bill purposely exploits this in order to advance their idealogy of big government. Apparently, it’s good to “pirate” money through welfare, social security, and other ridiculous programs but online piracy crosses the line because it takes away from corporations. It all makes sense! Wrong. If we’re entitled to money, health care, and the like then we’re entitled to getting other things for free as well.
Christians, on the other hand, should be quite alarmed by this bill as it is but one step toward censoring free speech on the basis that it counts as discrimination, hate speech, and indoctrination which is contrary to what the secular elites may judge to be perfect and holy. If you give the government this kind of power it will not be afraid to use it to push their corrupt agenda. It’s not unrealistic either as just recently, Obama and his ilk attempted to take away our religious freedom by binding churches to follow their discrimination laws but thankfully, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled against their irrational bigotry. This is not something you can simply be indifferent about. We’re called to be a light to the world and today the internet is absolutely the most powerful medium for doing so. If you insist on being indifferent, then you may as well be indifferent about the gospel too.
