CircleCount helps you better understand Google+

2013-05-30 15:28:12 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Very cool, but the idea of bunny's on the brain is a bit creepy. 

2013-05-27 18:16:34 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 7 +1s)

I find this talk at a Christian church in Mississippi refreshing. Although the title identifies him as an Atheist, in the video he identifies as a Secular Humanist and he makes some very sober, yet non-confrontational points about who he is and how he got there. It's long,  but worth the time. 

2013-05-22 21:36:56 (1 comments, 1 reshares, 18 +1s)

I love how well this man handled this.  This is great positive exposure for Humanists.

To quote a bit of what he said: “This is a room in which there are many challenging debates, many moments of tension, of ideological division, of frustration. But this is also a room where, as my secular humanist tradition stresses, by the very fact of being human, we have much more in common than we have differences.”

2013-05-22 14:48:06 (0 comments, 2 reshares, 3 +1s)

I believe there are only two things we are guaranteed of.  One is the life that we have.  The other is the legacy we leave behind based on the choices we make.

Do we serve ourselves or others?
Do we end suffering or inflict it?
Do we bring hope to others or steal it away?

We will all pass on, but the choices we make live on like an echo in those we leave behind. I think this kid really got that in a big way. His song is beautiful, but his legacy is majestic and echoing. 

#zachsobiech

2013-05-18 00:00:28 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

This sermon was a little unnerving to give. Nothing like exposing oneself.

2013-03-19 23:23:32 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

I took this outside my building today, really enjoying the contract of light and dark. A metaphor for DC for sure. 

2013-03-18 20:44:43 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Pearlstein raises some good questions about our approach to markets and government that question the wisdom of left and right beliefs.  The overall question though I think lines up nicely with the video shared by +Jennifer Hancock earlier today. Markets are neither good nor bad and we need to make ethical choices based on facts. Thoughts?

2013-03-14 13:42:49 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Anyone ever attend the Humanist Institute? Is it worth the investment in time and money?  http://humanistinstitute.org/

2013-03-11 19:08:18 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 3 +1s)

Like the author says, the sample size is WAY too small to draw conclusions. But he also points out, rightly I think, that there is far too little data concerning the use of religion in our criminal justice system. Could Humanists provide a credible alternative that is based on data and not belief?

2013-02-10 06:00:11 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

This is such a sweet story and the video is very well done. 

2013-02-06 17:30:45 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Did these young women do the smart thing by quitting, or should they have continued playing?

2013-02-06 17:29:07 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

You just stepped out of the gondola into a strong wind at the peak. It’s cold and you’re weighing whether to drop into that powdery black diamond chute you’ve always dreamt of...or sliding down the nearest blue for hot cider at the base. 

With 38 new run and lift maps for some of the most popular mountains across the US and Canada, Google Maps can be your “go to” mountain guide. Whether you’re shredding Lake Louise or Whistler Blackcomb Resorts (see below), Google Maps  can help you find your way down the mountain to your next adventure. See you on the slopes!

Read on: http://goo.gl/7uBMj

2013-02-04 19:56:11 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Curious how this will turn out with the tech giants on one side and the telecoms on the other. I hope some version of this gets a test drive. 

2013-02-01 19:57:43 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

In China, you can have some prosperity with your burger and fries or a fortune with your pizza! 

2013-02-01 15:50:11 (8 comments, 0 reshares, 5 +1s)

2013-01-22 21:47:08 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Exit polls in Israel show Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party winning a narrow victory in Tuesday's parliamentary elections, after a surprisingly strong showing by centrists.
 
Data published as the polls closed showed Netanyahu's Likud-Beitenu slate winning 31 seats in the 120-member Knesset.  The centrist secular Yesh Atid held 19, followed by the Labor Party with 17 seats and the far-right religious nationalist Jewish Home with 12.

Do you think this result will change the way Israel deals with the Palestinians?

2013-01-09 19:24:01 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

Best photo caption of the day: "The blue and pink colors denote the presence of large masses and hot gases".

Sounds like my dad's house at Thanksgiving!

But its from an article in Wired that's actually quite good and suggests the existence of Lord Vader, um, dark forces that affect dark matter in space. 

2013-01-09 04:08:53 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 3 +1s)

I am looking forward to trying out processing. Lots of good potential there. Amazingly creative stuff being done with it. 

2013-01-08 00:33:45 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Chinese state media have quoted a senior official as saying Beijing has decided to scrap its decades-old system of detaining people in forced labor camps - a practice long criticized by rights groups. 
 
In a brief report Monday, television network CCTV's microblog quoted Politburo member Meng Jianzhu as saying China will stop using the "re-education through labor" system this year, after the nation's rubber-stamp parliament approves the decision.  It said Meng made the comment earlier in the day at a meeting of the political and legal department that he heads.
 
China's official Xinhua news agency re-published the CCTV report before it was removed from both the Xinhua and CCTV websites several hours later without explanation.  Chinese authorities often order the removal of Internet content that they fear could encourage dissent against the government. ... more »

2012-12-29 16:58:34 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 6 +1s)

Snow feels very peaceful to me. 

2012-12-18 19:06:38 (0 comments, 4 reshares, 1 +1s)

This is frickin awesome. Well done YT!

2012-12-17 23:53:59 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

The shootings in Connecticut have gotten me thinking about how Humanists can be most helpful.

I would love to hear your thoughts.

1. Those who have deep religious faith have a built in support network to help them get through this. I have no intention of knocking the beliefs of others at a time such as this. But Humanists could provide support and help to non-believers dealing with this tragedy, and others, just by letting them know we are here if they need us.

2. By being visible in a positive way, we can let others know that it is possible to deal with loss in a non-religious way. We can show those who are inclined to be skeptical that there are healthy ways of dealing with loss that is human centered, not supernaturally centered.

I am not sure what is the best way to get such a message out, but I do think it could be useful. 

I'm curious what... more »

2012-12-17 21:06:30 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

The U.S. Capitol, as fogged in as the people who work there. 

2012-12-13 19:25:06 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 2 +1s)

Curious when Google Play will allow people to purchase things as a gift for others. It would be really nice, for instance, to buy my son an app or my wife a ebook, without having to sign on to their device. Just curious +Google Play when we might be able to do something like this and have an email sent to them for the download. 

2012-12-12 06:32:39 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

The U.S. Capitol at night can be such a beautiful sight.

2012-12-10 06:53:20 (16 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Why is it that in online forums such as this one, the Atheist boards seem to light up while humanism seems relatively quiet? I joined the Atheist community also (since I am one), but find that I get easily bored with the constant shots at religions.

Don't get me wrong, I have taken many such shots before myself.  But it has gotten to the point where it feels hollow, easy and usually unfulfilling.  Christianity, all by itself, has enough holes to sink all the ships in the world.

It is important to push back on theists, especially those who would force me to live my life by their myths. But there has to be more to it than that. 

I'd rather discuss is ethical and philosophical issues that excite my intellect and offer me an emotional outlet that is not based on believing in fairy tales. 

What say you fellow humanists, why doonline At... more »

2012-12-08 05:22:07 (9 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Thanks for the invite +Paul Vasquez.

I'll start by saying that the reason I'm attracted to humanism as opposed to simply Atheism is I believe the question of God or no God is the wrong question.  The question that drives me and shapes my philosophy is "Who is Responsible?" Who is responsible for our world, our future and our actions? The only logical answer is, "we are". We choose to build or destroy. We choose to act compassionately or with malice.  For better or worse, the world we leave to those who come after us is our responsibility.

From that I get a humanist philosophy that challenges me to reason and act based on compassion for others and the desire to make good use of this one short life I get.

Thought that might be a good place to start a discussion. 

2012-12-07 19:44:13 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Really cool song. Never came across these guys before. 

2012-12-07 05:00:57 (5 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

It is not a coincidence that my birthday is also Talk Like a Pirate Day!  

Arrgh

2012-11-28 17:17:17 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

My latest VOA report (and this was a fun one to prepare):

2012-11-25 16:47:53 (12 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

So I'm switching to Andriod and am considering the Note 2 or the Razr Maxx HD.  Anyone have either of these phones yet and want to give me their impressions?

2012-11-20 00:02:54 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 1 +1s)

Sometimes a song just completely clicks.  This Willie Nelson cover of Pearl Jam's "Just Breathe" is very emotional for me. I now know what I want played at my memorial service. 

2012-11-19 22:48:37 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

On this day in 1863, Abraham Lincoln gave one of the most famous speeches in American history.  With his very short Gettysburg Address, Lincoln delivered a poetic summary of the U.S. civil war and its consequences. 

Surprisingly, Lincoln was not the featured speaker that day. Edward Everett, the featured speaker, talked for more than two hours before Lincoln stood to speak for just a few minutes. 

Lincoln did get one thing wrong in his speech, when he said the world would not long remember what was said that day. Nearly 150 years later, most American school children are taught about the famous Gettysburg Address.

How do you think the speech holds up for a modern reader? Does it hold meaning for those who are not Americans?

"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated toth... more »

2012-11-15 07:15:36 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

I laughed so hard at this article.  Best line: "You want me to pay 40 bucks for an old sack? OH BUT IT'S HUNGARIAN. They're known for their sacks!"

2012-11-02 01:37:16 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

I live at the Jersey Shore. Did you see Brian Williams of NBC reporting from the hardest-hit area? That's where I live. The area has been devastated. Entire towns were destroyed. There are mile-long lines for gasoline at the few stations that have any. I'm hearing a lot of people in other parts of the country complaining that people shouldn't “politicize” this natural disaster, and I have one thing to say to them:

Shut up.

Just shut the hell up. There's an election next week, and this is politics. Now is exactly the right time to point out that we have one candidate who wants to eliminate or cut FEMA (it depends on which day you ask him), who thinks the states should handle this stuff themselves, who thinks disaster relief should be a for-profit enterprise. One candidate who said that it is “immoral” to borrow money to help disaster victims.One can... more »

2012-11-01 22:24:30 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Really interesting look at how ordinary Americans are making up their minds on who to vote for this year.  Well worth the look!

#election2012  

2012-10-31 23:15:13 (0 comments, 2 reshares, 3 +1s)

Found this via +WIRED 

Best. Airline Video. Ever.

I am such a freakin geek and can't wait for the movie next month. 

2012-10-30 23:13:50 (2 comments, 1 reshares, 4 +1s)

Star Wars 7? Noooooooooooooo, for the love of Jar Jar make it stop.

2012-10-30 02:56:11 (3 comments, 1 reshares, 1 +1s)

Huge explosion at Con Ed plant during Hurricane Sandy. Go about 20 seconds in to see it start. 

2012-10-29 18:26:08 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

This wind map of the U.S. is amazing to look at and a bit scary if you live in the path of Sandy. Well worth a look. 

http://hint.fm/wind/

2012-10-19 05:10:19 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Binder reviews on Amazon have gone political and hysterical. 

 "...let me just point out one glaring omission: While this is a lovely, multi-purpose binder, IT DOES NOT COME WITH WOMEN."

Not as epic as "Three Wolves Howling" (http://www.amazon.com/The-Mountain-Three-Short-Sleeve/dp/B002HJ377A), but not bad for just two days. 

2012-10-18 06:46:50 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

This is a short audio segment (and transcript) of Leonard Bernstein on the 1950s program "This I Believe" where he explains his clearly humanist beliefs.

2012-10-15 15:51:18 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

Military officials say 14-year-old Yousafzai flew in a special air ambulance supplied by the United Arab Emirates to a medical center in Britain.

The Taliban last week shot the teenager for her outspoken support of girls’ education and her criticism of the militant network. 

The military said in a statement that Yousafzai, who had been successfully treated by top Pakistani surgeons, needs skull-bone replacement, as well as long-term and intensive neuro rehabilitation.

2012-10-13 04:28:58 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

What wears red and chokes in the big game?

Any Washington team in the playoffs.  Ugh, can't believe it, but yet I can. 

2012-10-02 04:45:05 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

I found the driver +Paige Moss :)

2012-09-30 05:09:12 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Trying to decide if I'm gonna go with the Note 2 or the Razr Maxx HD when they come out in a few weeks.  Anyone recommend the previous versions of either?

2012-09-22 17:19:28 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

Great view at the +Google reception at #ona12

2012-09-22 06:20:55 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

I had a great time at the Google reception in SF tonight!  Thank you +Richard Gingras and +David Smydra.  BTW, Happy 10th Birthday Google News. 

2012-09-21 23:09:27 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

+stephanie clary of +Breaking News just gave a shout out to Google Plus at #ona12 . They now have more than 500k followers here. I'm trying to figure out how to make this more useful for +VOA News, which I help run. But it can be done. 

2012-09-21 17:53:40 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

I'm sitting in a very informative session on collaborative reporting at #ona12