A wise and frugal government which shall restrain men from
injuring one another, which shall leave them otherwise free to regulate
their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from
the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good
government.
- Thomas Jefferson
I’ll be in Brazil for the next two weeks conducting medical relief,
repairing homes, and hosting VBS fun in poorer villages
along the Amazon. As you can imagine, I’m excited.
Since it’s unlikely I’ll find a WiFi hotspot in the rain
forest, I’ll be placing the blog on autopilot to publish some scheduled
stories while I’m away. I’ve got some fun articles to write when I
return (and, of course, show off a ton of photos), so stick around!
The 10 Commandments of Mac Optimization has generated a lot traffic, staying on the del.icio.us "popular" list for 2 days. I’m honored that you’re all here!
Several readers have suggested new applications and the recommendations have been excellent thus far. Let’s take a look at what’s been mentioned:
WhatSize
is a replacement for OmniDiskSweeper. The interface is similar but the
app is completely free… and deletes files (as opposed to
OmniDiskSweeper, which requires a license). After some experimentation,
I’ve come to prefer WhatSize’s method of hard drive exploration.
It’s definitely a keeper.
GrandPerspective
is similar to WhatSize and OmniDiskSweeper in revealing where
your hard drive space is being used. That’s where the likeness ends,
though. This free app presents a graphical display of disk usage, with
larger files represented by larger portions of the "tree map." It’s an
effective way to observe your hard drive at a glance; certainly worth
keeping around.
Camouflage
is a free replacement for Desktopple Pro. Its purpose to the easily
hide and reveal your icons (from the menubar) and it does so admirably. I
like the simplicity of an app like this - it does everything it claims and nothing more.
Stay tuned for a complete smackdown comparison of OmniDiskSweeper, WhatSize, and
GrandPerspective in a few weeks. If you’ve got more suggestions, be sure to
leave them in the comments!
Boeing and NASA have tested a new "flying wing" X-plane. Very cool.
Unclutterer examines ways to deal with recurrent clutter.
The rumored new iMac keyboard is hot.
ThinkSecret looks at the changes in the latest Leopard seed.
The NYT takes a compelling, if one-sided, look at the issue of workers’ family leave.
GraphicConverter 6 has been released. A nice update to an already great app.
Southern Baptists are 30 times (!) more likely to be obese than non-Christians. Not a big surprise, but boy are those casseroles good.
The Oakland, CA city government thinks a group flier promoting "a forum for people of
Faith to express their views on the contemporary issues of the day.
With respect for the Natural Family, Marriage and Family Values" amounts to homophobia. Listen, guys - improper capitalization is not hate speech, no matter how uncomfortable it may be.
What to do with dangerous ideas? We talk about them, talk around them, censor them - but should there be ideas too dangerous to discuss?
"The new Democratic-led Congress has been hit with approval ratings of less than 25 percent largely because of its failure to deliver on a campaign vow to withdraw troops from Iraq." Who wrote this Reuters article about Cindy Sheehan? Who forgot the active voice and where’s the evidence for this assertion? Editorialized news at its finest worst.
Macs are ready out of the box, but what happens after they’re removed from the cardboard cocoon? Lethargy. Torpor. They get
slower, too.
Like all computers, you’ll find gunk is gradually–and quite literally–accumulating inside your Mac. It needn’t be that way. For the sake of your Mac’s soul, I present the 15… oy… 10 commandments of keeping your Mac fresh - Cupertino fresh.
10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s new Mac.
It happens to most Mac users - the breathless anticipation of a newly announced Mac and the despair when your Core2Duo suddenly feels
more like a IIe. You were the vanguard yesterday; today you’re an antique.
Before you empty your wallet for that new iCandy, consider extending
the life of your current Mac. If you’re using an older OS X version (e.g. Panther), an upgrade to the latest iteration will give your
previous-generation Mac that just-out-of-the-sexy-styrofoam feeling. New versions of OS X typically make
older machines run faster than their predecessors.
Also, keep your applications up-to-date. To do so,
download AppFresh
(free beta) to automatically check for software changes. A
MacUpdate subscription ($40) includes a similar app that integrates with
their site. If you’ve migrated to an Intel Mac from PowerPC, it’s
vital that you use the Universal Binaries of your applications; generally, the most recent version of an application will be Universal.
You should also consider updating your Mac’s hardware. New sticks of RAM (preferably in matched pairs), an external hard drive, and a new monitor are cheaper options for giving your computer a new lease on life.
9. Thou shalt not bear false security.
Sure, your Mac is a stable and secure machine, but a false sense of
security can allow performance to deteriorate unnoticed. Be aware of what your Mac is doing.
MenuMeters
(free) is an essential app that resides in your menubar to give you
instant access to system activity. I use it to show RAM and processor
usage, but it’s flexible enough to fit most needs. Highly recommended. iStat Nano
(pictured, left) is a free Dashboard widget that also gives ringside seats to the
internal action by displaying temperature, fan speed, uptime, disk usage,
processor-hogging processes, and much more. Some users also prefer the newer iStat Menus (free) to the more established MenuMeters.
For automated piece of
mind, Onyx (free) and MacJanitor
(free) are unbeatable for scheduling the regular execution of
maintenance scripts that clean and optimize your system (Note: Tiger
automatically runs these scripts, too). Onyx is an essential app for this and a
host of other reasons, and is quite similar to the equally excellent Cocktail ($15).
8. Thou shalt not steal. From developers.
This commandment involves long-term concern for your Mac. Stealing or
cracking an application means that the developers–all of whom put
food on the table with their software revenue–don’t get compensated
for their hours of grueling labor. This gives the developer less
incentive to develop new applications (or continue development on
others), which hurts the entire Mac ecosystem.
If you enjoy using a
platform for which a plethora of software is available, help foster
creativity by paying for the apps you use. It’s easy to steal
software… but then the moral life isn’t an easy one. The
straight and narrow road is difficult, but there’s generally less traffic.
7. Thou shalt not commit peripheral adultery.
Adding peripherals to a system can enhance productivity… and lead to sloppy habits. Take a moment and observe the
devices plugged into your Mac. Have you used all of them recently? Do
all need to be powered-on? Removing unnecessary and unused
peripherals can lead to a more productive workspace and less power consumption.
The wages of peripheral sin also come in the form of heat build-up.
While reflecting on this article, I realized that my two external hard
drives were sitting directly below the monitor of my newish iMac, an
arrangement that not only generates considerable heat (for both the
HDDs and iMac) but also blocks the Mac’s airflow. Heat
is lethal to electronics, so ensure that your peripherals are arranged
for maximum heat dissipation.
Speaking of beating the heat, a quick shot of canned air through your
Mac is a prudent move. Dust clogs fans (making them noisier),
contributes to heat build-up, and may actually be toxic. Remember, cleanliness is next to godliness.
6. Thou shalt not murder thine files. (But if thou doest, be of thankful heart for thine merciful backups)
File backups, like all maintenance, should be done consistently and
comprehensively. OS X Leopard’s Time Machine will solve most of our
backup woes, but until then we’ve got numerous options… some of which
you’ll want to keep when the new cat arrives.
Superduper is often recognized as the king of Mac backups; it’s free for the basic version and $30 for the full, scheduled version. BackityMac ($10) is another recommended backup app. You can even backup your Mac with online hosting or storage. It doesn’t matter how you go about it. Just do it.
5. Honour thy startup and thy reboot, that thy days may be long upon thine Mac.
Our Switcher
brethren know the perils of too many Windows programs opening at
startup; hours (well, ok, minutes) of toil in MSConfig made us rejoice
when our Macs were instantly ready upon boot. After a few
months, though, well-meaning apps can claim startup privileges that
may slow down your machine.
Thankfully, it’s simple to change startup applications. To adjust your settings, visit System
Preferences > Accounts. Click on the account you’d like to edit and
then click the Login Items view. Add, modify, or delete entries to your
contentment. Another tip: to set an application to start at login,
right click on the app’s Dock icon and select “Open at Login.”
Once you’ve edited your Login Items settings, a reboot is in order.
Though often neglected, rebooting your Mac creates a clean slate from
which to work. No forgotten-but-open programs hiding in your dock; no
memory leaks.
4. Remember the Stevenote day and keep it holy.
I’ll admit that this commandment isn’t essential to Mac maintenance, but it will make your Mac experience more pleasant. Steve
Jobs’s keynote addresses are the highlights of the Mac fanboy’s year
for numerous reasons; new hardware and software is usually announced, and the presentations are always informative and entertaining. Plus, iWork and iLife users will find that
Steve’s keynotes are a wealthy resource for discovering new
features of the latest iSuite.
3. Do not use the Mac’s brain in vain.
Just as it’s unhealthy to fill the human brain with too many episodes
of Grey’s Anatomy, it’s equally unwise to fill your computer’s hard
drive with drivel. Reclaiming your disks will make your Mac
faster and more efficient.
Start with OmniDiskSweeper, which the OmniGroup (purveyors of other fine applications, such as OmniWeb)
states, “is a utility for quickly finding and deleting big, useless
files and thus making space on your hard disks.” That sums it up,
really; it’s a free app to discover where your disk space went.
What about file fragmentation? Windows users will be familiar with the
defragmentation process, in which related but distant files are placed
side-by-side on the disk. OS X uses the HFS+ filesystem, which
degfragments most files on the fly. Apple doesn’t recommend defragmentation for most users,
but states that it may be beneficial for those who consistently work
with large files (the rumor is over 20 megabytes, but I couldn’t find supporting documentation). Anecdotal evidence would suggest
that defragging isn’t highly effective. Final verdict: defrag your drive with an
application like iDefrag ($30) or Techtool Pro ($98) only if you’re a Paris Hilton tape home movie aficionado.
2. Thou shalt not worship graven icons.
A cluttered desktop obliterates my productivity like an icon-covered
Death Star staring down my Planet Dangihatethesespreadsheets. The
problem is made worse by the fact that OS X treats each icon as a tiny
window, wasting system resources.
Thankfully, I’ve found a new hope. Two, actually. The first is simple:
clean the desktop. File things into proper folders and get them off
the wallpaper. If you’re still distracted by the remaining icons, try
out Desktopple Pro
($17) to hide them temporarily. Incidentally, Desktopple is also
a great productivity app; it automatically hides unused windows and can
block the entire screen to eliminate
the peskiest distractions.
1. Thou shalt have no extra apps before me.
I’ve observed two types of computer users. One type -
the Swadites - tries a new application each week. We’re constantly
downloading, griping, critiquing, deleting, and then griping that we
deleted what we downloaded. Then there’s my grandmother
(for whom I also setup a Mac) who is happy alternating between
Firefox, Solitaire, and Mah-jonng. And back to Solitaire.
Those appaholics like me should take a stroll through your
applications folder to find the apps you really don’t need. You’ll
free up disk space, prevent future
I-wanted-to-open-this-file-in-iTunes-but-it’s-opening-in-this-app-and-oh-my-what-
is-this-thing-and-how-can-I-force-quite-this-hideous-UI
moments, and bask in a cleaner machine.
Two other applications that may go unused: Dashboard and Spotlight.
If you like the Dashboard but don’t use it often, simply remove all but
the essential widgets (a few suggestions). If it sits permanently hidden in your F12 key, just disable it or switch it off using Onyx. Either way, you’ll be freeing system resources and memory. To turn off Spotlight, you can head to the terminal or use Cocktail. Make sure to erase the index to free up additional space.
Conclusion
Keeping your Mac in top form is easy with the correct tools and a personalized maintenance schedule. Use the tools listed here or find what works best for you. If you’ve got something I should add to this list, let me know in the comments. After all, these are just suggestions - few things are written in stone.
If you liked this article, why not subscribe to this blog?
In the coming weeks I’ll post about my personal essential apps, how to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome using your Mac, and more. Besides, it’s a fun place to be. Welcome!
Updated 7-27-2007: Added iStat Menus
Via lifehacker, a test to help identify your most effective learning habits and environment. It will likely confirm your present-but-unexamined suspicions.
A scrupulous writer, in every sentence that he writes, will ask himself
at least four questions, thus: What am I trying to say? What words will
express it? What image or idiom will make it clearer? Is this image
fresh enough to have an effect? And he will probably ask himself two
more: Could I put it more shortly? Have I said anything that is
avoidably ugly?
- George Orwell, Politics and the English Language
The moped hurled me over the cliff. Air. Wind. Silence. My thoughts moved slowly like this:
1. I’m airborne.
2. Hey, this feels incredibly like a Playstation BMX racing game!
3.
Look at those rocks below.
4. I’m going to die.
5. I’m going to die and
my life is not flashing before me.
6. I’m going to die and my last
thoughts involved a Playstation!?!?!!
7. Wow, that ground is… [Impact]
My unintended flight on the Greek
island of Alonissos didn’t kill me, but the medical bills and my
perpetually throbbing foot are reminders of what not to do while
traveling abroad.
I’ve discovered much in my college-budget trips
through Europe, Africa, and South America, and to save my traveling
brethren the same parting thoughts of Playstations, I’ve compiled this fairly comprehensive guide to making your next trip a little cheaper… and pain
free.
Do your homework
This should be where your trip
begins. Start by deciding when (and where) to go - will it be during
the peak tourist season? Will the climate require any special clothing
or travel arrangements? Are there any immunizations needed for the region (and any proof of immunizations, such as the Yellow Fever card)?
Make friends
Friends are always handy, but they’re
essential when traveling abroad on a budget. If you have a friend that
lives in the locale you’re visiting, ask if you can crash at their
place. Make sure you leave some money to cover all the orange juice you
drank… generosity deserves generosity in return.
If you don’t have an expatriate friend to show you the city,
traveling in a small group might be wise. By adding one or two friends
to your trip, you can split the most expensive costs (lodging, meals)
while ensuring a memorable trip.
Two words of warning, though: never
travel in a group larger than 3-4 (decisions will be nigh impossible
otherwise) and only invite friends with whom you willing to spend a lot
of time.
Carpe Diem… and do not go gentle into that good night
Most of your expeditions should take place in daylight. Some
cultures–I’m looking at you, Britain–shut down quite early (many
restaurants and businesses close up between 5-6 p.m.), which means
you’ll need to rise earlier than normal. I’ve often justified
sleeping-in while abroad, but that’s a mistake - you’ll get enough
sleep when you’re dead, and you’ve only so many hours of daylight. So,
go to bed early, wake up early, and relish in the full day you have
ahead. Many European hostels also offer free “continental” breakfast (Get it? On
the continent?); another cost saving measure.
Another reason to sleep early is more practical: bad things happen
at night. Sure, you can get mugged at
the Spanish Steps at noon, but
there truly is safety in numbers, meaning that it’s more likely to
happen at midnight than noon. Navigating a city in the dark is also
much more difficult, compromising both safety and sanity.
Oh, and on the subject of sleep… bring along plenty of earplugs.
They’re the traveler’s best friends. And to avoid jet lag, resist the
temptation to fall asleep before the sun goes down and consider buying
some No Jet Lag tablets that work wonders for some.
Protect yourself
The majority of Earth’s
population is nice the majority of the time, but there are
exceptions. Thankfully, vigilance and common sense can save you from
all but the most brutal of our race.
First, keep track of your belongings. Always. When walking with
bags, hold them so that no one can access them without you noticing
(e.g. sling your backpacks around to your side). When seated, put your
foot through the straps; when dining, set the bag on the table. A
hidden waist pouch is excellent for carrying your valuables.
If you must leave your bags unattended (to the chagrin of that annoying airport intercom), use a ziptie or combination travel lock to clip the zippers closed. One of my favorite travel accessories is the Pacsafe eXoMesh
that encloses my bags in a steel wire mesh that locks to a nearby
object, keeping the bag from being slashed or stolen. These are
essential if you’re staying in a hostel.
Watch your P’s and Q’s and ATMs
Banks exist to make
money; remember that while you travel. Chances are, your credit card or
bank is charging you 1-3% on every purchase you make with their
card. To avoid this, consider opening an account with another bank if
they’ll waive the fees for awhile. While I studied in the UK last year,
Bank of America was willing to waive all foreign transaction fees if I
opened an account. Though I was happy with
the service, I closed my
account when I returned in favor of my main bank. This tip alone can
save you hundreds of dollars.
If you want to use a credit card, hunt for one with no transaction fees,
such as those from Capital One. Credit cards are a safer than a debit
card; you have more chargeback privileges in case you get ripped off
(No! Seriously! It’s a real Rolex!) and if it’s stolen, no money is
withdrawn from your bank account. Just ensure that your card company
knows you’re going abroad before you leave… many a voyager has had her
card deactivated due to use away from home.
Travel light, travel right
Assemble everything you
need for your trip 3 days before you leave. Then remove half of it. You
now have the essentials. Use those 3 pre-trip days to live out of your
suitcase, so you can discover if you’ve forgotten any essentials. A packing list can also be handy.
You might consider moving entirely to a carry-on.
It’s not a simple adjustment, but it’ll save you time (no waiting at
the baggage claim), stress (never a lost/damaged/pilfered bag), and
money (no fees for overweight checked bags).
Planes, Trains, and Mopeds
In Europe, travel is cheaper and easier than in America. EasyJet and RyanAir
sell plane tickets that can cost as little as $30-60, and train tickets
are even cheaper. If you plan to do considerable travel by rail, look
into getting a Eurail or Britrail Pass to save cash. And it goes without saying (though I’ll go ahead and say it): avoid mopeds. At all costs. They’re one of the highest causes of injuries
for traveling Americans (which I discovered after my accident). Much
like a sorority girl, they seem easy and fun. Don’t be fooled.
McDiet
Two pieces of seemingly contradictory advice:
eat the local fare and experience international fast food.
You haven’t
really experienced a city without eating its food; Paris isn’t Paris
without a warm, freshly made Nutella crepe. Having said that, it can
also be fun to visit your hometown fast food joints. McDonalds - which
I otherwise loathe - is a welcomed taste of home while abroad. It’s
also entertaining to see how other nations integrate themselves into the McWorld; some marketing gimmicks (“McTexas” in Italy) are downright hilarious.
If cheap is what you’re after, consider cooking your own food.
Grocery stores are a fascinating insight into culture and help the
wallet considerably.
Stay connected and informed
If you’re traveling
alone (as I often have), ensure that someone knows your whereabouts at
all times. If you’re in an accident (as I was), they’ll know where to
look. A cell phone can give cheap peace of mind and pay-as-you-go plans
are easier to find worldwide than in the US. A digital copy of your
insurance records, urgent prescriptions, passport, airline itinerary,
and other important documents add even more security - store them
somewhere free like box.net for easy, international access.
Fly the frequent skies
Frequent flier miles are like a second currency - you can buy them,
exchange them, earn them, and burn them. Although they can buy you free
flights, you’ll get more for your miles if you use them for upgrades to
business or first class.
How to maximize your miles? First, be loyal to an airline. Choose one
that has good coverage, good prices, and good customer service. That’s
tough in the U.S., but you’ll only harness the power of miles if
they’re consolidated with one airline. Second, use a credit card that
gives large rewards. Miles-geeks currently laud the Starwood American Express card,
which gives you points that can be transferred to almost any airline
program… and can get you free nights at Starwood hotels. It carries a
$30 annual fee after the first year, though, which is an important
consideration. Third, look for opportunities to earn miles, with credit
card promotions and other giveaways. Finally, make sure your miles
don’t expire; if you don’t earn or spend any miles for 18 months, most
airlines reset your account to 0. See the related resources (at the
bottom of the page) for sites with more information on miles programs.
Skip Souvenirs
Quick - recall all the souvenirs
you’ve purchased on your last two trips. Where are they now? If you
bought them for yourself, have you thought about all of them since your return? If they were a gift, how many are in use?
Almost every souvenir I’ve ever purchased, for myself or a friend,
has been a waste. The stupid stuffed “Nessy” beanie thing I bought at
Loch Ness (”it’ll be a conversation piece in my lonely graduate student
apartment!”), the djembe drum I bought in Kenya; all collecting dust.
The hand carved salad tongs I gave to my grandmother, now buried deep
in a dark drawer.
The only souvenirs worth buying are those that will hold special
meaning for someone. If it’s an obligatory souvenir (grandmothers,
in-laws), buy something cheap that either looks expensive or has a good
story attached. Splurge on the unique, local gifts that will be a
keepsake for someone in the future. Avoid all the rest.
The road less traveled
Don’t overlook the charms of small towns. Sure Paris is fun (and we’ll always have Paris),
but why not take a train to the hidden gems of Normandy? The further
you venture from the heavily traveled areas, the cheaper and more
unique the world becomes.
Your travels will also be much more meaningful if you integrate
your itinerary with your interests. Fans of Wordsworth and Coleridge
(and, in fact, anyone visiting the UK) would be remiss to pass an
opportunity to discover the lake country. Christians should guarantee
that Thessaloniki, Phillipi, Athens, and Corinth are central to any
travel in Greece.
In conclusion…
Mark Twain states in Innocents Abroad,
Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness,
and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad,
wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by
vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.
He’s
right - few things can enlarge your cultural and intellectual horizons
like a journey to an unknown land. It’s an exercise in discovering our
unique quirks and qualities and the things that unite us as a people.
Thankfully, mopeds don’t have to be one of them.
Further Resources
If you liked this article, why not subscribe to this blog? In the coming weeks I’ll detail how to survive an accident while traveling, my favorite travel accessories, and more. Besides, it’s a fun place to hang out.
Websites:
onebag.com -
An absolutely essential page detailing how to travel light. It has
revolutionized the way I pack and will do the same for you. Highly
recommended.
kayak.com - A travel search site that aggregates all the best prices from the airline websites and other search engines, like orbitz.
FlyerTalk -
A community dedicated to getting the most out of mileage programs.
These folks (mostly men, it seems) are hardcore travelers - listen and
learn.
freefrequentflyermiles.com
- A frequently (often daily) updated site with the latest ways to score
easy flier miles. Gary also explains how to get the most out of a miles
program.
SmarterTravel - Good articles on various travel topics.
Books:
The
Packing Book: Secrets of the Carry-on Traveler - An excellent book, similar in topic to
onebag.com, that goes into greater depth on packing well.
Smart Packing for Today’s Traveler - Another good traveling book, offering similar but unique information to that in The Packing Book.
Tips for the Savvy Traveler - Indispensable tips for the new traveler with good advice for the more seasoned among us.
Traveler’s
Tool Kit - A great general travel manual, covering topics
ranging from planning a trip to medical emergencies. Highly recommended.
Guerrilla Travel Tactics
- This is true road warrior stuff. It’s a great book if you’re looking
for ways to save time, money, and your blood pressure level.
Thanks to chacabuco for the moped photo. I didn’t take one because, ya know, I was flying on it.
Gas Prices Rise on Refineries’ Record Failures - How long until we create an energy economy that doesn’t depend on these guys?
How to beat Iraq’s insurgents? Ask the British.
It looks like I Now Pronounce You Chuck And Larry has been pronounced disgusting by most. As one review cogently points out, it’d odd that a movie that–ostensibly–wants to break down stereotypes spends the movie suffocating in them. It’s too bad, since it was an opportunity to foster understanding instead of more animosity.
Librarians are engaged in a prose-filled revolt over the abandonment of the Dewey Decimal System in favor of what the pro-Dewey camp calls the "Googlization" of library searches.
T-mobile’s Hotspot @ Home, lost in the furor over the iPhone, is a similarly groundbreaking idea - it means free cell calls over WiFi, from anywhere in the world. It’s the kind of erasure of barriers - internet, cellular, landline - that will (hopefully) one day lead to global, unified phone services. That’s something to look forward to.
Fred Thompson’s political capital is on the rise, leading other Republican candidates to rethink their strategies.
A 75-year-old woman in Sweden gets 40 gigabits-per-second internet. Her daily usage? Reading a handful of newspapers. More proof that there’s no justice in life.
Wal-mart begins selling a $298 PC. With Vista. And OpenOffice.
A patent reform bill has passed its House committee. Although this by no means ensures passage, it shows that Washington isn’t blind to the problems facing our current system. It’s getting a good reception in the tech community - where it’s arguably most needed - with the hope that it’ll mean less litigation. Fewer patent lawyers = good.
Josh from Fire and Knowledge has a great post on what Christians ought to read.
Christians should be readers. We should read and meditate on the Bible,
of course, but we should also read theology. Good theology systematizes
and explains the Bible in ways we would be pressed to come up with on
our own. Few of us are a Jonathan Edwards, John Owen, J. I. Packer or
John Piper, and we would be wise to learn from them.
Most of us know we should read the Bible and theology. But what
about other subjects, like literature, history, biography, science, and
culture? And what about books by non-Christians? I think we should read
widely, and yes, that includes reading non-Christians. John Calvin
thought so too [...]
God has set up the world so that even non-Christians can find truth. I’ve learned truth from Christians and non-Christians. We can’t expect non-Christians to have sound theology, but they are some of the best authors in other subjects. If we reject their Spirit-given insights because they are non-Christians we, as Calvin says, "insult the Giver."
Obviously this point requires careful reflection, but it is a good one. As Christians, good books - and indeed all secular media - can aid our walk with Christ. Bad secular media can do great harm. What is required of believers is not a cultural monasticism, but rather a thoughtful method of filtering the wheat from media the chaff. The main point is that we must not dismiss anything out of hand, but instead ask a series of questions.
These questions gain urgent importance in our media-obsessed culture; our answers to them should have greater influence than most of us allow.
If you’ve ever wondered how best to store a pineapple (store at room temperature for 5 days, then send to fridge), don’t miss this post on the Periodic Table of Produce.
WikiHow gives tips on waking up without an alarm.
Have your cake and eat it too! Well, at least don’t worry about enjoying life now and later.
Optimize your videos for YouTube uploading.
TechCrunch takes a fascinating look at how Ron Paul has used Web 2.0 for his campaign.
NYT: Democrats roll on with their populist call for government intervention, solar power usage lags behind enthusiasm, and the GOP finds itself trailing in fundraising. Ah, the irony in the richest candidates lamenting the disappearance of middle class cash.
What would happen if humans suddenly disappeared? Earth becomes one vast wildlife preserve.
Harry Potter and the Death of Reading "More than half the adults in this country won’t pick up a novel this year, according to the National Endowment for the Arts. Not one. And the rate of decline has almost tripled in the past decade."
Michael Moore - his girth itself a reason for health care reform - jumps Wolf Blitzer for a misleading CNN report. Apparently the CNN report used untrue facts. This as opposed to Michael Moore, who merely misleads by omission. Gotta give him props for resisting the sound bite culture, though.
Thoughts about the site? Questions? Recipes? Haiku?
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Hello. I’m Jason.
Hi. I’m Jason, but my friends call me "Swad." I’m a 23-year-old graduate student at the University of Chicago studying social and political thought. I graduated from Drury University in 2007 with
degrees in Political Science and Communications, along with a minor in Global Studies. I temporarily lived and studied in London and Greece. I was born just outside Springfield, Missouri and I still love the Ozarks.
I’m passionate about faith, music, technology, nature, politics, literature, old movies, people, tea, travel, history, philosophy, chess, Age of Empires, hanging out with my grandmas, Sunday naps, used bookstores, BBQ, and sweet tea.
25 random things about me.
1. My great uncle Paul, who is a Baptist minister, baptized Brad Pitt.
2. I can do a pretty decent Sean Connery impression.
3. I shook the hand of George W. Bush in the East Room of the White House in 2003 as a part of the US Senate Youth Program.
4.
I’ve visited Canada, the Bahamas, Mexico, England, Greece, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, Austria,
Germany, France, Ecuador, Kenya, Tanzania, and Brazil (floating the Amazon). I’ve also been to more than 30 U.S.
states (including Hawaii and Alaska).
5. If you visit my apartment after 4 p.m. on an evening when I’m free, I’m probably in PJs, slippers, and a robe.
6. I was a Boy Scout and can still recite all the mottoes. I also went to Space Camp. Twice.
7. When I grow up I want to be an author, inventor, a champion of justice, a loving father and faithful husband…
8. … as opposed to my childhood, when I told my parents I wanted to be a fire hydrant.
9. I started a website in 2005 (insanelymac.com) that I recently sold for just enough money to make it through grad school.
10. If I could have dinner with one famous person from history, it would be C.S. Lewis.
11. I graduated in a class of 50 from Fair Grove High School.
12.
I play (or used to play) the trumpet, baritone, guitar, and piano. I’m
also a classically-trained vocalist and sang the title role in an opera
(Amahl) when I was 9 and 10.
13. My sense of humor is like something you’d overhear from the dinner conversation of Aaron Sorkin, Woody Allen, and Mark Twain discussing New Yorker cartoons and making fun of Oscar Wilde.
14. I enjoy taking my grandmothers, both of whom live alone, on dates.
15. My first name means "healer." I hope to live it.
16.
I have a freakish memory for random (i.e. pointless) facts and
relationships between things/ideas, but really suck at remembering
names and the course of events, regardless of their importance.
17. I’ve built several Windows computers in the past. Now I use a Mac.
18.
I’m outgoing when I’m around friends but consider myself a
fairly private person and, in general, am not as self-confident
as most would think. I’m most content in a warm room with a fireplace, a
thick book, and a cup of hot tea.
19. I consider myself a connoisseur of biscuits and
gravy, a dish which my grandma fixes every Sunday morning. I’m also a chocolate chip cookie purist.
20. If there existed a never ending flow of orange juice, I probably still couldn’t get enough. My monthly supply of OJ is about 10.5% of my monthly food budget.
21. I’ve forgotten how to write anything in cursive other than my name. The few checks I write are always in print.
22.
As a sweeping (and not terribly accurate) generalization, I think old
movies are better than new movies, old books better than new books, and
old music better than new music. But I enjoy it all.
23. I want never to fit a simple stereotype.
24. My parents took me on my first date in the 5th grade. 1970’s brown, orange, and red RV. Shag carpet. 3 beds. It was our only working vehicle at the time.
25. I want the world to remember me as a man who led, challenged, and served.
About the site.
For any interested parties, I designed this site myself (starting from a bare TypePad template) as an exercise in CSS-driven minimalism.
Thanks to John Gruber, Jason Kottke, Paul Stamatiou, and Joshua Sowin for design/content inspiration. This blog is powered by TypePad, an iMac, a Macbook, and several dozen cups of Earl Grey.
Oh… and the answer is 42
Hello, I’m
Jason Swadley, and this is my blog. I’ve had a blog (in some form) since the early
dawn of these “weblogs,” but I’m establishing this one to
accomplish two goals.
First, I am fascinated by this medium and, second, I need my online publishing fix.
Two years ago I started InsanelyMac.com, which I recently sold… the
sale of which has left me without a venue to say what I’m thinking. I
also love the power that blogging gives to us; it’s a big democratic
megaphone that gives success to those who have something meaningful to
say.
Finally, I am committed to improving my writing and couldn’t think of
better accountability than using the world as a sounding board. The
posts here may not be frequent, but hopefully they’ll be worth our time.
Thanks for sticking around. Here we go.
