August 05, 2008
5 Reasons to get an iPhone during transition!
So, you absolutely read it right. After saving and lusting and hoping to get an iphone since their inception, I have finally gotten one. And yes, it has lived up to the hype. In fact, during this time of transition, I can think of little else, other than my wife, and my zen-infused Anglican spirituality that has helped me more.
So, here are my: 5 Reasons Why I believe Everyone Needs an iPhone During Major Transition
1. Maps and Directions- When Laura and I were here pre-iPhone, we got really frustrated and lost. Atlanta ain't Geneva. Yep, you read it right, it says ain't; however, that doesn't even remotely diminish the fact that on our next trip, post-iPhone, we have experienced less frustration in transit and shopping.
2. Cuisine Options- I've added the program Loopt to my iPhone. o say the least its good fun. But more than good fun, it helps me find great food and read reviews of them. So, as in tonight, Laura and i wanted a good Indian. So, we jumped on Loopt, searched it out, and found one just down the road. We'll venture there tonight to see if it lives up to our famed Little India. Man I miss those guys!
3. Photos of randomnimity- Sure this may be petty, but if you like snapping photos of randomness, you can also use it do that and actually geo-tag your location. Memories mapped. Kind of reminds me of a great movie that I can not remember if I've ever plugged on this blog: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Must see for couples. Especially those together for more than 3 years. Required for those who've managed more than 10!
4. Knowing where your friends are..when they are few! Laura and I are adjusting and starting a new. YES we deeply miss our friendships in Geneva (more with everyday), but we are also meeting new people here. Many of whom, because of the afford-ability of the iPhone here, are able to have them. With that new program i mentioned above (loopt) we can see where each other are. We can connect if we are close, or even see if we are near someone we know. If so, we can drop a line or text or just give a call and see what's happening. If good!
5. You just feel connected! I have waited for a while to really try to find something that allows me to feel connected to all the apps on my mac. Closest I found recently was my Ipod Touch. But, as you mac enthusiasts would know, there are no phone capabilities there. Yet, with the iPhone I have been more than amazed at the way things just sync together and bring a since of macarmony. You get that: macarmony. You heard it here first: mac + harmony= macarmony.
So, if you know someone who is moving, or if you yourself are making a big transition, make sure you take care of yourself or your loved one, and reach for the iphone. You'll thank yourself, and they will thank you! Trust me.
Macarmoniously...
joshua c
(listening to iron & wine)
Posted by joshuacase at 06:10 PM | Comments (0)
June 24, 2008
Apple=Community Part 2
So a few weeks back I posted a video about Apple culture. Well now, even more of what we-who-love Apple suspected is proving true according to Josh Brown.
Josh recently posted this blog about Apple culture in which he described the sense of relief with retail-that-works-for-good and a memorial service (of sorts) for one of the 'family' of the Apple store he now works at.
Here is part of the post:
"I’ve had so many positive experiences being a part-time specialist. And I hesitate to even write about the positive things that I’ve experienced because I don’t want to step on any toes by blogging about work. All that to say, I went in as a part-time specialist being pretty skeptical of the retail world. Granted I love Apple computers and have had both the hardware and software enrich and make my life easier for years. But I wrongly assumed that just because it was a retail company that it would be similar to my other prior retail experiences. And my hang-ups with commercialism in general.
I was wrong. Apple has been amazing. And the culture you become a part of when you use an Apple computer is only that much stronger when you become a part of the growing family who work for the company."
Read the rest here.
Again, as we all suspected, at least those of us who love Apple, it is more than a consumer good. It is a culture and a community to which we belong. Even after interacting for a brief period this week with Josh and his co-workers, they love what they do, and the goodness they add to the lives of those they care for.
Stay tuned for more updates of life in the community called Apple.
plotting goodness...
joshua
Posted by joshuacase at 10:29 AM | Comments (0)
September 20, 2007
iphone gets closer....YES!!!
The iphone is getting closer and closer!! England. Germany. YES! I can't wait...and yes, I've been saving since the rumors!!
HOP SUISSE! HOP SUISSE!!
jc
Posted by joshuacase at 08:10 AM | Comments (3)
August 21, 2007
Tuesday is for Thomas and ilife 08
For my Tuesday is for Thomas clip, I'd like to direct your attention to Alan Creech. Here is his post from today on Thomas Merton.
Rereading a bit of Thomas Merton the other day (Love and Living) and came across the chapter named "Rebirth and the New Man in Christianity." Good, good, good. He touches on a couple of things that are and have been problematic in all realms of Christianity. Here's a lengthy quote...
The all too familiar oversimplification of Christian belief, which makes it seem to be a formalistic method of gaining for oneself a place "in the other world" as a reward for good work and sufferings in the present life, obscures the real meaning of the Christian's metanoia, his participation in the death and resurrection of Christ by baptism and the eucharistic life of self-forgetfulness and fraternal love. This death to the "old self" and new life in the Spirit sent by Christ "from the Father" means not only a juridical salvation "in heaven" and "in the hereafter" but much more a new dimension of one's present life, a transformation and renewal not only of the Christian as a person but of the community of believers, the brotherhood of those who have received "the Spirit of Christ" and live in "the grace of Christ."
This is a statement directed at all of us who may be tempted, in whatever Christian tradition, to look at the point of our salvation in Christ as merely "getting to heaven." I have heard and do hear this kind of focus in every corner of the Christian world - well, every one that I've been involved in enough to speak about. This is not only a Protestant disorder, it is well evident in Catholic circles as well. When the focus of our Christian lives, what we do or don't do, how we worship, whether we receive this Sacrament or that and how often, how and how much we pray, what we believe or don't believe - all that is really only about making sure we "make heaven" or "get to heaven." Wow, have we actually developed a way to make salvation selfish? Hmmmm, looks like. If it's really only about ME getting into the heavenly country club, then ME needs to re-figure how we think of salvation, what it means and what it's for.
Our vision of what salvation is all about needs to widen. Really, we're looking at God, as He has gotten our attention, and learning to listen to what HE wants for the whole world, us included. By saying yes to Him we are stepping into a holistic fixing of the cosmos. It is neither only about believing something, praying a prayer and getting your soul stamped, nor being good, praying right, making sure you go to confession enough and don't think about sex too much. There are elements of both those ways of looking at things that are completely legitimate and which factor into the whole thing, but by themselves, as "the point" - nope. OK, I'll end with another section of the chapter, just after the first there - another statement of needed balance...
This renewal of life cannot be understood if it is seen merely as a ritual affair, the result of certain formal, exterior acts (though to some Christians it means little more than this). Nor is it an emotional conversion followed by adherence to a set of new attitudes and convictions, based on this sense of inner liberation (though here again some Christians attach undue importance to somewhat superficial psychological experiences and seek to bring them about).
As I said - good, good, good stuff. Good stuff for all our minds to chew on. Peace.
--------------
I've also been getting accustomed to iLife 08. The new iphoto is great. Or at least i am enjoying it. Unfortunately, like Fernando, I have a 12 inch Powerbook and its not fast enough to run the new imovie. Its ok. My wife's can run it...i think.
For more on iLife 08, check out Fernando's pretty thorough thoughts here.
Have a great week...
jc
Posted by joshuacase at 10:30 PM | Comments (0)
March 14, 2007
Video Blog Wednesdays
Posted by joshuacase at 09:02 PM
February 06, 2007
Help please!!
I am having a horrible time at getting junk posts to my blog! Can someone please help me put a block on my blog?? Where can i get the plug-in? Please help!!
thanks...
joshua!!!
ps.
i am using movebale type version 3.2
Posted by joshuacase at 10:22 AM | Comments (0)
February 01, 2007
Report on Global Climate Change
So tomorrow it happens. A new report on global climate change will be released. In Paris, the glittering lights of the Eiffel Tower will go out for 5 minutes to highlight the effects of energy consumption.
While there is much speculation on what will or will not be said during the day, the good news is, more and more people are concerned with the state of the environment than ever before. Thanks to real changes in weather patterns and the dramatic experience of the more than poor, people are choosing to listen to mother nature at last! Of course, Al Gore's movie An Inconvenient Truth didn't hurt matters. Thanks Al!
Throughout the ages, Christians have played an important role when it comes to effecting social change. While often they have been late in waking up to the issues at hand, they have still none the less chosen to engage. And while over the last century evangelical Christian theology has had little good to say about how to promote sustainability or clean energy, at last, more and more Christians are caring, acting, and calling others to be play a role in caring for the environment.
As we enter into tomorrow, i leave you with this reflection by Thomas Merton entitled, The Climate of My Prayer:
Our mentioning of the weather-our perfunctory observations on what kind of day it is-are perhaps not idle. Perhaps we have a deep and legitimate need to know in our entire being what the day is like, to see it, and feel it, to know how the sky is grey, paler in south....I have a real need to know these things because I myself am part of the weather and part of the climate and part of the place, and a day in which I have not shared truly in all of this is no day at all. It is certainly part of my life of prayer
Have you thought today about your part in the climate? Why not ake a couple of minutes now...
Posted by joshuacase at 02:34 PM
Why I Like UNICEF...
UNICEF really appeals to me. I have board member here at YFC Geneva that works for them. They work hard at empowering young people, and overall...they seem to just be about good things.
I found this article about how UNICEF is working to use Second Life in innovative ways to bring education and empowerment to adolescents (something they do well) about issues that really matter.
If you have some time, look around their site. If you have extra money, consider them as a place to give!
peace...
jc
Posted by joshuacase at 07:01 AM
January 25, 2007
Davos, Jim Wallis, Web 3.0
The World Economic Forum continues to take place in Davos this week and there are few conversations (at least from my perspective) which ought to be making the headlines. What i did not know was that Jim Wallis (of God's Politics) is participating in one of the sessions. That is, I did not know until he told us here.
One of the summaries that i have been looking at is the one on Web 3.0 (Beyond Web 2.0- From Content to Collective Knowledge). As you read through each of the summaries, you really get a sense for the nuggets of gold floating around at this summit.
A couple of the highlights from this session are very practical, very human, and very real. They read:
a. The technology will expand possibilities, but human beings must still figure out how to make good use of everything. Quoting Wired magazine founder Kevin Kelly, Gage said: "Google has the answers. So what are the good questions? That is an art. We had better get the questions right."
b. New developments will create threats to privacy and, at the same time, opportunities. As machines develop "the ability to talk behind our backs," said Gage, they will be able to do things like identify the location of a person at any time. "The police will love it and we will love it. It will be a business opportunity."
c. The virtual reality website Second Life is increasingly being used by businesses and politicians. "It changes how we view human interaction," said Gage.
It seems to me the more digitial we go, the more we have to use real life to recreate there. I am optimistic about what seems to be the progress of humanity, especially when we start really getting the technology to work for us. I guess the most interesting aspects of this was the brief insight into the development of things like Google One Box for Enterprise. Seems to be a tool for data creation from....well as they put it, unstructured data on the internet. Now that's real stuff...a program that reads, collects, and creates whole new ideas that make sense from previously unstructured data. Geez, as a person who is high on ideation and input, this is nightmare...what good will i be?
Well, it's not that good. Here is the Google One Box for Enterprise launch announcement. I guess I am still safe!
Still waiting to see if Bono is gonna show up. He generally does...guess I'll just have to keep watch!
Posted by joshuacase at 04:15 PM | Comments (0)
January 24, 2007
Leaders Arrive in Davos, Switzerland
Well, they are arriving. And, its still snowing.
Yep, just as the leaders arrive in Davos for the World Economic Forum, the Snow just keeps on coming. Maybe this is global warming's way of saying, "do something"!! I guess time will tell.
Not heard yet if Bono will be there; however, Bill Gates will be speaking on the 27th. See the full list of speakers and presenters here.
Posted by joshuacase at 07:45 AM | Comments (0)
December 13, 2006
Crackberry Addiction: Signs of the times
The following article is in many ways an indication of the signs of the times. Living and working in Geneva there are loads of people who seeming live via their blackberry. Although i think i know several people who are doing pretty good at balancing work, family, and the "crackberry" (as it is beginning to be called globally) experience, i can also say i know far more who don't.
I'd also be willing to admit, if i thought i could manage life with one (or afford the monthly costs in Europe), I'd get one. But alas, there in lay the problem.
I was once in Starbucks writing when i watched a young women from the UK get up from where she had been having a coffee and cake with her boyfriend to go to the toilet. As she left the table, he reached into his pocket. Looking around, he quickly turned pulled out his blackberry and turned it on. As he was just beginning to scroll i could see her coming, but i did not tell...i waited. As she arrived back to the table to see him scrolling away on the blackberry. As she smacked him on the head a flood of verbally abusive and yet deeply emotive language came out as she screamed about how all she had requested was two days of no work. Two days of no blackberry. Two days just for her.
These my friends are the signs of the times; we must, at all costs learn to unplug; even if in some cases that means remaining online. Electronic media is not bad. Our inability to be present with those nearest to us is what is bad.
Maybe i should petition the makers of Blackberry to put a warning on the label? A warning which says: "Warning: The following device has the potential to create the sensation of hyperconnectivity. Such sensations maybe dangerous to your health and extremely addictive. Blackberry recommends that users turn off the mobile device for no less than 6 hours per day to ensure normalcy in personal and/or family living."
I don't know, maybe i'm wrong.
Posted by joshuacase at 02:29 PM | Comments (1)
October 26, 2006
Human Version 2.0
Alan Mann has posted an interesting conversation piece on Jason Clark's blog. Jason does a great job of inviting others to participate on his site. Alan, along with Paul Mayers generally host pretty good conversations. If you don't know them, you should!
Be sure to check out these thoughts on Human version 2.0. Wierd....but interesting theological, political, economic implications if they do happen. Better start getting ready i guess...
jc
Posted by joshuacase at 07:57 AM
October 11, 2006
Thinking about things to come...and plotting goodness
Last night Laura and I went to a Geneva pre-screening of the movie An Inconvenient Truth. It was quite compelling. Over the course of an hour and forty-five minutes, sitting in a packed movie theatre, we watched as the story of climate change was unveiled before our eyes. Sure, I've been in conversations with others all over the world about how the myth of climate change really is a myth. And, well, i guess at times i've thought that it was ok to think about it, and to act if an opportunity was given. But this movie...this movie was good; especially if you are looking for a reason to get involved in making a difference in the world.
The facts themselves are compelling. And possibly, for many, the most difficult part of the movie and of the whole issue of climate change is that people will have to experience that this is a moral and scientic issue; not just as a scientific issue. That the numbers do add up. That we do, as Dr. Mark Smith suggests, have just one planet is critical to our efforts and actions on earth.
The other side of this story is that we can make a difference. Even if we do not buy the climate change "myth", people of every religion (Christianity especially in my case) must make sure that their worship of God includes an deep understanding of how the actions of our lives make us good stewards of the good creation. It's no longer just about whether we grew the right crop in the right field. It's no longer about whether we ought to spray for misquitos in our neighborhoods. Yes, these issues do matter; however, we live in a global village and local actions can have global consequences. We can make changes in our homes, in our neighborhoods, in our parishes, in our cities, in our countries which will have lasting effects on the environment, and thus, every living creature. The decisions that we take, the actions that we choose, reflect our desire to be about the plotting of goodness (or of evil) for the next generation.
And this my friends, is the true challenge of plotting goodness: that we recognize that the smallest of decisions in our faith-centered lives give opportunity for greater goodness to come into being for the age to come. And, that we recognize we must begin to make changes in our personal lives which greater reflect the Good News of a good people, compelled by our deepest of convictions, to look after a Good Creation.
Again, the movie was quite compelling. If you haven't seen it, i recommend it. But don't go see it alone! Take one, two, five or fifteen of your friends with you and talk about it afterwards. Ask each other: "how is this information going to effect our daily and community lives? How might we as friends, reflect to our community, our city, our world, that we feel we need to be looking after our world in a more radical, and sustainable way?"
Let me know what you come up with....plotting goodness....
jc
Posted by joshuacase at 09:37 AM | Comments (0)
August 16, 2006
A great read!
I have to confirm the suspicions of my friend Lammert Vrieling about Shane Hipps book. It is a must read!! Shane Hipps' book, "The Hidden Power of Electronic Media" is an amazing read. It does an amazing job at addressing not just how media impacts people with the content it channels, but also how the channels themselves become a subtle, even more dangerous message. The book challenges us to reflect on the words of Marshall McLuhan, one of the ancient voices ever referenced in this work, that "the medium is the message".
I can highly, and will continue to highly recommend this book. Though for many of you, I'm at least a year behind!
Posted by joshuacase at 10:15 PM | Comments (0)
June 20, 2006
Life hacking or hacking out life?
Last week's copy of the Economist has a very interesting section entitled, "Reprogram Your Life". The article talks about the issues raised by the increase of technology that is supposed to better our lives, but has in many cases, pejoratively effected the ways of our now wired lives. It deals with a notion called "life hacking" which refers to "applying a programmer's mentality to streamlining daily routines and getting things done."
The article states, "Life hacks aren't tied to business ideas of efficiency. People spend all this time making themselves more efficient and they start to wonder what efficiency is for. They refill their lives with things that aren't borning workaday activities-meditation,yoga,ways to calm down." Interestingly, it goes on to read, "Mindfulness is another common aspiration of life hackers, whose hyperactivity is a double edged sword, providing a boon in a multi-tasking work-environment, but leaving its most skilled practitioners feeling empty and frayed, tugged in all directions at once." Is it just me, or does this sound/feel vaguely familiar??? Thanks economist!
If one goes to the Life Hacker website, you see that it touts itself as the space that, "recommends the software downloads and web sites that actually save time. Don't live to geek; geek to live."
That's right, "don't live to geek; geek to live!" It also suggest the website 43folders. More to come on this I am sure!
Posted by joshuacase at 01:12 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack