Thursday, October 29, 2009

Cult of Impersonality, I Feel the Earth Move, -and- Sorry Boss!


Cult of Impersonality - Church of Scientology hits rough patch
I Feel the Earth Move - asteroid blast reveals holesin earth's defenses
Sorry Boss! - administrator's filing mistake leads to $1.26 billion judgment against PepsiCo

On this day in history: October 29, 1994 - Armed with a semi-automatic rifle, Colorado upholsterer Francisco Duran fires 27 shots at the White House from the sidewalk on Pennsylvania Ave. Because he opted for Chinese-made SKS rifle, few of Duran's shots come anywhere near the building. Nevertheless, he receives a life sentence for attempting to assassinate President Clinton.

Born on this day in history: October 29, 1971 - Winona Ryder (1971 - ) Born in Winona, Michigan, actress Winona Ryder made her film debut in Lucas (1986), and went on to starring roles in such films as Little Women (1995) and Girl, Interrupted (1999). In 2003, she was convicted of shoplifting in a Beverly Hills department store.

Scripture of the Day: For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against
the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. - Ephesians 6:12

Video of the Day: Google Android Phone for Verizon Wireless





Imagine my surprise when I encountered this scene while passing through Walmart on the way to my office this morning! Click to enlarge.






Google Android Phone I have viewed today's video no less than a dozen times. This phone is awesome. It is everything that my iPhone is not! I am eager for my 2-year contract for the iPhone to end! This is a year away, and my mind reels when considering what the state of smartphone technology will be at that time!





The mail delivery lady brought our new Roku Digital Video Player yesterday. If you have a account, you need one of these devices! If you do not have a , account, you need one of these and a Netflix account!

The Roku connects to the Internet via your LAN—using either a wired or wireless connection. When I set up our Roku, it immediately downloaded new software via the Internet and updated its operating system.

To access movies and television programs, simply browse Netflix with a computer (or iPhone or other smartphone), choose selections and click the Add to Instant Queue option. Once selections are made, they appear within a few seconds in the Netflix Instant Queue on the television via the Roku.

The Roku player is like having your own video library at home with over 50,000 choices – from the best movies, TV shows and sports. The Roku player is the easiest way to watch anything and everything from – Netflix, Amazon Video On Demand, and MLB.com instantly on your TV. You never have to wait for a DVD in the mail or pay late fees ever again.

Over 17,000 Choices Instantly from Netflix!
Watch as much as you want on Netflix— watching instantly is already included in your Netflix unlimited membership for no additional cost. You still get all your DVDs by mail, but now you'll also get over 17,000 movies & TV shows streamed instantly to your TV with the Roku player. There are no ads or trailers, and you can pause, rewind and fast-forward all you like.

Over 45,000 Choices Instantly from Amazon.com
With Amazon Video On Demand — you can browse and purchase all your favorite movies & TV shows on your TV with the Roku player and watch them instantly. You will enjoy new movies the day they’re released on DVD or watch a TV show you missed the night before. Amazon Video On Demand titles cost between 99 cents and $4.99 to rent, with no subscription fees required.

Watch Live MLB.TV Baseball Games on the Roku Player
MLB.com and Roku have teamed up to bring your favorite team instantly to your TV. Watch Major League Baseball games LIVE, from anywhere in the country. Or catch up on a great game from earlier in the week. With your MLB.TV Premium subscription and your Roku player, live and archived baseball games are now at your fingertips.

But That's Not All...There's More Coming Soon

At Roku, we're off to a great start, but we don't intend to stop now. We plan to offer access to even more great channels from other partners. Without doing anything, your Roku player will automatically receive periodic updates that will add more new "channels" for you to enjoy. Get Roku and watch what you want, on your schedule. It’s the ultimate in instant gratification.

We watched Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed 2008 PG [Hosted by Ben Stein, this controversial documentary examines how pro-intelligent design scholars and scientists are often chastised, fired or denied tenured positions by those who believe in Darwin's theory of evolution. Nathan Frankowski's film explores how scientists who believe in God are oppressed and how the acceptance of Darwinism might have played a role in the formation of the Nazi regime.] I had seen this movie previously, and Laura was watching it on her notebook when I arrived home. I connected the Roku and started the movie from the beginning—displaying it on our 47" Vizio LCD HDTV. This movie is wonderful, and I highly recommend it to everyone.

Suspension - 2008 NR [After surviving an auto accident that killed his wife and son, Daniel (Scott Cordes) resolves to restore his son's damaged video camera and soon makes the startling discovery that the camera has the ability to stop time at the touch of a button. At first, Daniel uses this remarkable newfound capability to try to help a woman who lost her husband in the very same accident—but he quickly finds himself falling victim to his own unchecked power.] This is one of the most peculiar movies I have ever seen. I watched it on my 17" widescreen HP notebook, after Laura had gone abed. There is no real character development, and the script wanders seemingly aimlessly, but it is (if little else) interesting. I do not particularly recommend it, but at the same time, I do not discourage anyone from watching it. No doubt watching this movie had a large part in the development of the dream I had last night!

[While I slept] I received a telephone call from a Google design engineer who offered me a Google Android phone to beta test. I eagerly agreed, and the phone arrived the following day. Just as I was unpacking the phone, I received a telephone call from the engineer. He told me to avoid the red button, since he had determined that it had been programmed incorrectly. I used the phone throughout the day and marveled at its power, speed, and abilities. I was in a local park, sitting on a bench, relaxing, and watching people cavort about. The urge to depress the red button was impossible to ignore, and I pressed it! Immediately, people froze. Time stopped. I began posing people while they were frozen in time and soon became famous for these portraits.

Technology News
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