The Cougar Abogado

Today's Spiritual Message: Sharing Testimony through Music

2012-02-12T15:46:00.000-08:00

I hope you enjoy this video about one of America's most accomplished classical violinists.

For more, please see this article on the lds.org website.

NEWLY UNEARTHED (& UNDOCUMENTED) KEYBOARD SHORTCUT FOR HYPERLINKS IN GMAIL

2012-01-30T18:42:00.000-08:00

Well keyboard shortcut lovers, I often grumbled to myself about why Gmail lacked a keyboard shortcut (unlike Docs) for creating a hyperlink.

GRUMBLE NO MORE!

Ctrl + k = create a hyperlink in Gmail

W00t.

As this lovely keyboard shortcut was new to me, I assumed it was part of the new look Gmail. Take heart, ye traditionalists, ctrl + k works in the "old" Gmail, as well.

May all your hyperlinks be brighter and faster with ctrl + k.

\m/

Yesterday's Spiritual Message: The Temple - A Beacon

2012-01-30T18:30:00.000-08:00

I hope you enjoy this message from President Monson on temples.

For more about temples, see http://mormon.org/faq/church-and-temple/

Saving Gobs of Money in Textbook Purchases: upcdatabase.com -- the ULTIMATE Textbook Deal Finder

2012-01-25T18:24:00.000-08:00

I think many of you will agree with this statement: A textbook (or, for me, a casebook) is a textbook is a textbook.

Sometime in the past year or two, I discovered what I consider the ultimate student's tool to finding low-cost textbooks: upcdatabase.com

Who knew acquiring textbooks could be so painless, both in terms of time spent researching and money spent purchasing?

The site provides a meta search of countless textbook providers, sortable by total price (my personal favorite), merchant, condition, book price, or shipping cost. There's even a direct link to the merchant's webpage where the book is offered.

I'm ashamed I just recently thought to post about this remarkable tool, seeing as I'm already wrapping up my third and final year of law school . . . For those of you still braving the east wind of textbook expenditures, may this offering provide you peace of mind, fatness of wallet, and a refuge from the storm.

I <3 upcdatabase.com and the free, open market. GO CAPITALISM!!

(Oh, and if you're curious just how much you could save on a given purchase, determine the UPC code for the book, click on "Look Up" (found under Actions:), enter the UPC code, and compare the various results. I'm confident you'll be very happy with the cost separation.)

Eating Crow and Liking (er, +1ing) the New Gmail

2012-01-20T20:44:00.000-08:00

Gasp! Yes, CA readers, it's true: About last Friday or so, I decided I would take the new Gmail challenge and dive into the new interface. In other words, I decided to use the new look for at least a day or two to decide whether I would really get used to it, as I had heard others report they did.

As a former critic of the new appearance, let me say I now strongly prefer it to the old look. DOUBLE GASP!! Ironically, one of my biggest hangups became, perhaps, my favorite feature: The minimalism.

In the new-look Gmail, t's all about the emails, peepers.

That's right, kids, the new interface cuts straight to the email. Some complain there's too much white space. I'll tell you what, click on the big gear and select Compact -- that will display plenty of emails. On the other hand, I really like the "Cozy" density and cringe to think of the stress on my eyes, reverting back to compact-style.

And, talking of white space, here's a further irony: Getting rid of many "buttons and knobs" (thank you, Arthur Weasley), I feel more comfortable and focused on my email.

In short, when I went back to take a peek at the old Gmail, my eyes felt strained, and I felt stranded in a cluttered garage.

Yes, the old look's more traditional and has less "white space," yet, consider its comparative clutter.

Ahhh. Now my eyes focus on the email (because, seriously, why would I want to focus on my chat search box, etc.?)

I'll be candid in saying I feel hesitant about the degree of transparency on some themes, like Turf. Yet, maybe that's just me or, like my conversion experience, simply an initial, gut reaction.

I imagine some might like less turf behind their email.

At the end of the day, users still must opt-in to use the new-look Gmail, and this after about two or three months out of the gate . . . I'm unsure what the hold up is. On the other hand, I definitely suggest giving the new look a shot for a couple days and then comparing/contrasting. I definitely think old habits can die hard, especially in Gmail land (see the comments and be warned of some potty mouths). So, take a chance, and if you also decide to make the switch, I hope your diet will be crow free, unlike mine. Provecho!

Today's Spiritual Message: Power of God

2012-01-15T16:27:00.000-08:00

Today's spiritual message centers on the priesthood and follows the life of a young man at around age 12 (when he receives the priesthood) up until shortly before his death. I'm very impressed with the message and the cinematography (3D images?).

Today's Spiritual Message: We Can Live with God Again

2012-01-08T11:02:00.000-08:00

I think anyone who has lost a loved one will enjoy this video.

Merry Christmas!!

2011-12-26T08:59:00.000-08:00

Sorry this is a day belated. Also, I think I've shared this message before. On the other hand, I love how it captures the kind of true worship so often missing from the Christmas season these days.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Holiday Newsflash: Michael Bublé is Mel Tormé

2011-12-20T20:59:00.000-08:00

Yep, folks, this revelation hit me like a ton of bricks. While I blissfully thought (for years) that Michael Bublé was simply a chip off the much, much older Harry Connick Jr.'s block (Jr.'s 44, Bublé's 36), a one-time glimpse and whisper of another jazz singer on Pandora, today, unearthed the truth that ¡Bublé's actually a wax reproduction of The Velvet Frog, Mel Tormé! Behold. (I will divulge the nitty-gritty details, later.)

Bublé and Tormé:

Too Close for Comfort

And for you skeptics, you so-called "intellectuals," who think even seeing is insufficient for believing, sink your teeth into this nugget of solid gold FACT: Both guys sing jazz and have French-sounding last names that end in "é." Faaaaact. Are you kidding me? What are the chances? My exceptional training in the statistical law of large numbers tells me the p-value (random chance or mere coincidence) in this French connection is too striking to ignore or simply dismiss, offhand. (For all you egg heads, all I'm trying to say is the connection's "statistically significant," all right? Now that I've mouthed the magic academic words, can we please move on? Thank you.)

And for all you stingy audiophiles who unrelentingly insist that the proof is in the production, listen to this:

Click the image for Tormé's rendition of Too Close for Comfort

Setting aside the corniness of the razor joke, how can anyone who has ever seriously listened to Bublé tell me anything other than he kidnapped The Velvet Frog, locked him up in his, The Frog's, own seven-lock trunk, regularly cut off locks of his hair, and drank polyjuice potion on the hour, every hour, until he finally assumed Tormé's appearance and vocal structure? How do you like 'dem kippers!?!

Polyjuice potion is, of course, banned among jazz singers, and no doubt the F-Word (master of conspiracy theories and illicit mixtures) will want to investigate these claims. In the meantime, Bublé's well-wishers must hope that, next time, he bestows his avarice on a dude with a less awkward nickname (seriously, The Velvet Frog?).

Disclaimer: Yes, I realize having a two song comparison of the same song (Too Close for Comfort) would have been much cooler than expecting readers to actually use their imagination and comparative sound skills. On the other hand, some guy whose last name ends with é apparently felt that would have been too close for comfort . . . Oh, and this is NOT a legal advertisement. Please consult a licensed abogado for that sort of thing.

Yesterday's Spiritual Message: The Coat - A Story of Charity

2011-12-19T19:45:00.000-08:00

While I think you might be amused with the (unintentional?) humor from this cartoon, I think you'll also feel warmed by its message.

Today's Spiritual Message: Acting as Bible Characters

2011-12-11T17:36:00.001-08:00

I enjoyed this interview with a handful of actors from the new Bible videos I posted about, last Sunday.

I principally love the message they share that God lives and loves us.

(P.S. for you Apple lovers, you might want to check out the free Bible Videos iPad app.)

Today's Spiritual Message: Ringing in the Christmas Season with Free Bible Videos

2011-12-04T19:22:00.001-08:00

Tonight, the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gave a Christmas devotional. In it, President Henry B. Eyring announced the Church is making available a number of free Bible videos, online.

I'm unsure how to (or if I even can) embed a video, yet, so you'll need to visit the site, to see them.

These videos can be accessed at BibleVideos.lds.org.

“It is our hope that these New Testament videos will help people to visualize what they have only been able to imagine, and to more deeply feel the truths of the New Testament as they witness the Savior’s life and not just as they read about it,” said Elder Lynn G. Robbins, executive director of the Media Services Department. “Hopefully, there will be entirely new insights into the Savior’s character that will help viewers feel of His love and inspire them to want to be more like Him.”

I hope you enjoy the new site and videos!

How to get the new Google bar (early)

2011-12-01T03:04:00.001-08:00

Cross-posted from my Google+ account.

For everyone who shares my Google nerdery. (Note: Deleting my cache and cookies was insufficient for me; I had to enter the proffered code.)

The trick is to enter some code into your browser's JavaScript's console, as described on Google Operating System.

Thanks to Alex Chitu for the screenshot and instructions.

What are your initial reactions? I like the streamlining. The menu rollover's more time consuming for me than I hoped. I think I agree with many comments I've seen about Google bar's size . . . maybe it will go on a diet, soon. Finally, I assumed the top-right section of the bar would dangle more Google+ bait for the non-initiated: Maybe Google's content with the Sign in button, coupled with +You being the first option on the new (and automatically displayed on google.com) rollover/drop-down menu.

I was expecting to see + baiting like, "Ready for some real sharing? Try Google+!" Maybe Google's trying a less-aggressive approach. Maybe the aggression lies in a Google bar that's about three times bigger than the black bar.

For comparison: The now-old black bar, before taking size-enlarging steroids.

Sunday's Spiritual Message: Men’s Hearts Shall Fail Them

2011-11-29T19:18:00.001-08:00

"And all things shall be in commotion; and surely, men’s hearts shall fail them; for fear shall come upon all people" (Doctrine & Covenants 88:91).

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T20:20:00.001-08:00

First, let me say to one and all, Happy Thanksgiving! I really enjoyed my day off with family and friends. My daughter ran around (trying to escape her parents' restrictive arms) so much, she fell asleep with pie in her mouth, on the way home. Good times.

In addition to my family, I'm very grateful for this nation and the religious freedom we enjoy.

O beautiful for pilgrim feet,
Whose stern impassion'd stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America! God mend thine ev'ry flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!

To that end, I highly recommend this article on the pilgrims and religious freedom, from the LDS newsroom.

Today's Spiritual Message: Eastern European Youths Discuss Their Experience with the Book of Mormon

2011-11-20T18:02:00.001-08:00

A number of young people (I assume members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) accepted the challenge to read from the Book of Mormon for 20 minutes each day. Below, they share their experience.

Rugby Star Gives Up Millions for Missionary Service

2011-11-13T04:50:00.002-08:00

"Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God" (Doctrine & Covenants 18:10). In my mind, this scripture is one of the principal answers to the question, "Why would a 19-year-old leave behind millions of dollars to serve a mission?" The story of young rugby player Will Hopoate is just one such example:

There is another inspiring story of a young man who gave up two years of his life and, in his case, an opportunity to play on the best rugby team in the world. His name was Sidney Going. He is widely recognized as one of the best rugby players to ever play the game and is often referred to as "Super Sid." His story begins at 2:15 in the video below.

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

"Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen" (Matthew 28:19-20).

Tangled Hairless

2011-11-06T19:12:00.000-08:00

Tangled. I've been hinting to the F-Word I would do this post, for some time, now.

Back when I saw previews for Tangled, I more or less shrugged and went on with my life. Then, about two or three months ago, I believe my wife was losing her sanity with our daughter, so she purchased an iSomething version of Tangled.

I'm surprised to say I was quite delighted with the film. Being a father of a daughter, now, I'm much more concerned about the modesty (or lack thereof) and innuendos in princess movies than I used to be.

I enjoyed this film's plot-line and particularly the rare fact that, for once, the princess actually had a mother and a father. Yes, I know things can happen to parents: My father passed away when I was seven. On the other hand, I've been dazed and confused about parental-princess situations for so long, now, it's true. Regarding Tangled and as the F-Word described, nearly one year ago, I felt rather choked up, during the movie, especially to see the king lament the ongoing absence of his sweet princess, after some seventeen years. I still feel pained to think of losing my own daughter and how devastated I would feel.

So, as the F-Word did, I strongly recommend this film to anyone seeking out a wholesome and uplifting princess movie (or simply a Disney movie with a decent plot, some adventure, emotion, and a lot of laughs).

Hairless. Now to the part of this post's title I'd actually been hinting at: Hairless 7 Part Dos. While I'm generally inclined to give my every last thought on something, today, I'll try to keep it short and sweet for you: I disliked this movie.

Call me a purist. Call me boring. All I ask is that you, gentle reader, consider what the film did to an exceptional novel: In the words of Paul, "As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other Hairless unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed."

Okay, okay, I'm the first to admit a movie is incapable of capturing every marvelous detail from such a glorios novel (even in 276 minutes or 4.6 hours, combining the two movies). On the other hand, why is it the filmmakers have constantly changed the plot-line, broken the everlasting goodness?

Rather than produce a ten-page, bullet-point list of serious infractions, I'll simply recount three, here, that come immediately to mind: 1) Hairless and V-Mart grabbing each other around the neck, jumping off a tower, and zooming all through the castle. What in the wide, wide world of sports? 2) Rather than V-Mart leaving Snape in a cold and pitiless manner, we have Hollywood gore, with blood splattered walls and Snape convulsing against them. Honestly. 3) Hermoine and Ron try to kill the snake by chucking rocks at it, and it dodges them, just getting annoyed. Wow. In my mind, 3) and 1) are almost up there with Vader screaming, "Noooo!" after Emperor Palpatine almost nervously informs him he killed Padme.

In sum, I was revolted with how often the film tangled up the novel's previously crisp story or gratuitously added unnecessary Tom-foolery (wink, wink). In a day where movies drip with extravagant bursts of action and brief tweets of plot, I suppose what I've written is exactly why the film is one of the highest grossing productions of all time . . .

Today's Spiritual Message: A Book of Mormon Story

2011-11-06T15:40:00.000-08:00

I hope you enjoy today's spiritual message about an English bishop from Jamaica's experience with the Book of Mormon.

BYU v. TCU: Mistakes Were Made

2011-10-29T18:42:00.000-07:00

I was really looking forward to last night's BYU/TCU game, as I considered the Horned Frogs the last serious opponent BYU would face this season, as well as the first serious opponent, since Riley Nelson took over at the helm.

In short, I'm bummed out BYU lost, impressed with some of its better moments, and still trying to wash the turnovers and mistakes out of my brain.

Riley Nelson. Once again, I was super impressed with his grit and determination. I was so impressed that, even though I wanted to jump off our balcony after his two desperation turnovers, I felt sorry for the guy, rather than disgusted. Here's an example of that unerring determination I'm talking about:

How many quarterbacks will bust out a gutsy play like that and then high-five the line judge? Full of win. Next time, I just hope the high-five will come in celebration of an imminent victory, rather than a yippee, two-point conversion (when we're still down by double digits).

Special teams. Wow. Talk about a roller coaster evening. I think we basically handed the game to TCU on special teams and field position (other than Falslev's punt return for a touchdown). How is the defense expected to defend against a speedy TCU offense with just 30-40 yards between them and the end-zone?

Defense. Speaking of the defense, I was impressed on the whole -- especially in the second half with how it kept stuffing TCU's offense when we had to make a stop -- and simply nauseous with some of the missed assignments that led to immediate scores.

Conclusion. If I remember correctly, TCU got all or virtually all of its points under something like five minutes, total. FIVE MINUTES! Field position and missed assignments. I loved how BYU battled back, in spite of what I believe was a 25-point deficit.

If Riley can learn to take a sack instead of creating a turnover, special teams can get the ball out of our side of the 50 on a punt, and if the defense can avoid touchdown-inducing mistakes, I'd call the team quite solid. As things currently stand, who's next on the schedule? The Idaho Vandals. The who? Is that a high school team? Anyway, I guess we can look ahead to the bowl game against Army, Navy, or someone similar and a brighter season, next year (sigh) with better execution and greater success.

Today's Spiritual Message: What Our KJV Bible Cost

2011-10-23T20:48:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, people assume that because members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ("Mormons") accept scripture outside of the Bible, such as the Book of Mormon (a translated, ancient text) or modern revelation, that we disregard or disbelieve the Bible.

The fact is, "We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly" (Articles of Faith 1:8).

Today, I started watching a three part documentary about the lives and martyrdom of those who gave so much so that you and I, or anyone who wishes, can have the word of God and read it for himself. The presentation is called "Fires of Faith."

Here's a trailer. I believe you can watch the full documentary, on demand, at byutv.org

BYU Football 2011

2011-10-19T08:56:00.001-07:00

Okay, this post represents my effort to keep a promise I made to a friend that I'd write on this subject. Enjoy.

First few games: I was very disturbed with the offense's inability to execute in the red zone. Who cares if I can make long, sustained drives, if I peter out when it counts (putting points on the board)? I really liked the defense's opportunism, particularly Van Noy's forced fumble in the Ole Miss game, returned for a TD, to basically win the game. I'll simply forgo mentioning the UU game, other than to say I'll never show my face in SLC, again, for the next 30 years. What I will say about the game is that it represented the story of the team's early-season mentality: great or okay one half, poor or awful the other.

Ah, sweet Van Noy delights, available at your local Lavell Edwards stadium or anywhere BYU plays a football game

Utah State comeback: I almost lost it, with BYU down something like 10 points with only the 4th quarter to go against Utah State. Seriously. When's the last time the mighty Cougars lost to the Aggies at home? when Karl G. Maesar was BYU president? I had been "most displeased" with Heaps' bittersweet performances and the offense's overall "apparent lack of progress." Thankfully, as the F-Word so eloquently described, Samson, Sunshine, or just plain Riley, came out with his flowing locks streaming in the air, slashing through the Aggie defense and, eventually, leading the bleeding Cougars 96 yards for a, "Are you serious?!?" capstone, comeback drive. I almost wept with joy. That whole comeback was Beck-Harline in the endzone type of goodness, particularly the catch in the endzone goodness. Full of win. At a minimum, I felt and looked like Jean Luc Picard, as I celebrated that glorious (and relieving) victory.

Remember the Titans (as in the move)?

Since Utah State comeback: BYU has since played San Jose State and Oregon State, emerging victorious in each contest. I'll decline to comment on the games much, since I saw only recap articles, describing what happened. On the other hand, from what I remember, the team has gashed open the yards with its offense, particularly the running game, and I look forward to seeing some serious scoring, when I witness my next game (hopefully, on Saturday).

Regarding the team, in general, I believe I've read that the players are really excited with Nelson's grit, hard work, and determination. Moreover, from what I saw of him in the Utah State game, I was, myself, singing his praises. My questions are how long it will go on before he gets hurt (running the ball so much), and how will he fare against an excellent pass defense?

BYU Football independence: I absolutely love it. "[Y]e are a chosen generation, . . . a peculiar [football team]." Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are often seen as weird or, at least, different, and, frankly, that's our preference. BYU's football independence symbolizes the fact that we stand for playing games on Saturdays, rather than Sundays and that the organization behind BYU football is much, much bigger (and more important to us) than the football team, and, dare I say, that BYU is willing to stand up for its Honor Code, rather than Ohio State its way through recruitment challenges. In fact, many people have developed an interest in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints simply because of BYU's football team, and, in my mind, that interest is worth much more than any number of national championships or fiscal riches flowing into the university. D&C 18:10.

Would it surprise you if the term "Brothers," here, has at least a dual meaning?

So, could BYU rake in more cash with the Big 12 or some other hoity toity conference? Absolutely. Would BYU be guaranteed to play better teams and have a stronger schedule? Hands down. Would BYU-faithful be able to watch (or re-watch) most or every game? I strongly doubt it. Would the highfalutin conference give BYU guff about refusing to play on Sundays (and maybe adherence to its Honor Code)? I think so. In short, while I'd love to rise and shout about more bing in BYU's pockets, I'm happier than a clam, just to see the team gut it out as a peculiar team, a band of brothers. For more on this subject, I highly recommend the article I linked to, above.

Okay. I have shared my thoughts. Rise and shout.

HAPPY 500TH POST! Today's Spiritual Message: Things as They Really Are

2011-10-16T05:20:00.000-07:00

"Time flies on wings of lightning, we cannot call it back." I've written on this subject a few times and it's still something I greatly struggle with -- and I lived two years on a rigid schedule, absent TV, email, friends, dating etc., waking up early and going to bed by 10:30.

As I imagine some of you might also be having similar struggles with prioritizing your time, I'm confident you'll enjoy this brief video, incorporating words from Elder David A. Bednar, as well as the full video of Elder Ian S. Ardern's recent general conference talk, A Time to Prepare.

SEO & The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

2011-10-13T05:34:00.000-07:00

On a daily basis, I try to follow the Savior's admonition to, "Search the scriptures" (John 5:39). Recently, I've coupled my study of the Book of Mormon with study of the New Testament. In supplementing my reading, I often use study guides, published by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints because they incorporate explanations and insights shared by modern prophets and apostles.

This morning, when I went to pull up the pdf URL of the New Testament manual I use, I accidentally ended up on google.com. (Using Chrome, I can search Google straight from my address bar.) Apparently, Chrome thought I had typed in New Testament as a Google search. What was the second result for New Testament (coming only after the source of all knowledge, Wikipedia)?

Try Googling "New Testament" and see what you find.

Curious, I did a brief search on the subject of the LDS Church and SEO, and I found this article from Daily Mail in the UK. It turns out there are a number of Google searches that will yield a page from the Church in the top ten results, including friend, ensign (which comes in at #1), new era, old testament, etc.

Maybe the F-Word can enlighten us with a conspiracy theory discussion, here.

In the view of many Latter-day Saints, including myself, this result will hardly be surprising, as we were commanded by the Savior to, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations" (Matt. 28:19-20).

Using the Internet as a tool to spread the glorious message that the Jesus is the Christ, and that He has restored His Church on the earth, today, is a method frequently encouraged by the Master's prophets and apostles. Messages from Elder M. Russell Ballard and President Dieter F. Uchtdorf are just two examples that come to mind. Said President Uchtdorf, "My dear young friends, perhaps the Lord’s encouragement to 'open [your] mouths' (D&C 60:2) might today include 'use your hands' to blog and text message the gospel to all the world!"

Indeed, I firmly believe the principal reason the Lord has inspired men to create modern marvels such as the Internet and social media is to spread His message that His Church is on the earth, again, today, and "that God is, not was; that He speaketh, not spake" (Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, quoting a challenge from Ralph Waldo Emmerson to Harvard Divinity School students in 1838).

I add my witness, once again, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that He has restored His Church to the earth, again, today, even the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. While some might call this declaration "bold" and feel disconcerted to hear it, many were also taken aback when the Savior, Himself, proclaimed His own divinity (see John 6:25-62, particularly 60-62).

Rather than take my word that these things are true, I invite you to visit mormon.org, search, ponder, and ask our Heavenly Father for yourself. I promise you that if you will "ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, [the Eternal Father] will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things" (see Moroni 10:3-5, which refers specifically to the Book of Mormon).

New Feature(s) Coming to Google Docs?

2011-10-10T17:12:00.000-07:00

Okay, now that I'm fresh off some conspiracy theory reading from the F-Word, I want to do some hypothesizing of my own: Something new might be coming to Google Docs, involving Google+.

How do I know, you ask? Well, have a look.

Docs

Drawings

Spreadsheets

In Docs, Drawings, and Spreadsheets, the notification count and share button are each conspicuously absent. I checked this across three machines (HP, iMac, and chromebook), three OSes (Windows 7, Snow Leopard, and Chrome OS), three Chrome versions (canary, mac dev, and cros dev), and three separate Google accounts. All three show the same behavior in docs, at least -- I have yet to check the others on all three and will let any adventuresome reader take up the call.

Is this a bug or something bigger? I hope the latter.

What do I prognosticate? In the absence of a bug, I assume this will be something like Google Maps rolled out, where we click on the share button to share the doc, drawing, or spreadsheet we're currently working on with our friends/circles.

What do you think? Bug, feature, or conspiracy theory? (I'll leave the Illuminati out of this one; I've already got enough to worry about, now that I know the truth about DIA.)

(Yesterday's) Spiritual Message: What Did Heavenly Father's Prophets and Apostles Say, Last Week?

2011-10-10T02:27:00.000-07:00

Last week, I mentioned that prophets and apostles, called of God (our Heavenly Father), would be speaking to all the world.

Here is one of the messages the chief prophet and apostle (the equivalent of a modern Peter, Moses, Noah, Abraham, etc.), President Thomas S. Monson, shared with us all, entitled Stand in Holy Places:

In addition to President Monson, the Church is also guided and directed by other prophets and apostles (15, including President Monson) and seventys, as described by Paul in Ephesians 4:11-14 and called by the Savior, Himself, as recorded in Luke 10:1 (seventys) and Luke 6:12-13 (apostles). An overview of who the principal leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are can be found here.

The messages given by all the prophets, apostles, seventys, and other Church leaders can be read, listened to, watched, and downloaded, here.

As always, I'd love to answer any questions, or you can certainly visit mormon.org and search for yourself.

(Very) Basic Image Editor Lands in Chrome OS 0.16.1122.0

2011-10-05T13:09:00.000-07:00

Some of us wanted it (at least I did) and the Chrome OS team supplied it: A basic image editor. Sadly, for me, it's one feature short of the main feature I cared about: Blur/smudge. Ah, well, at least it has crop.

Really, though, is this some secret plot for me to keep using Picnik, even though I much prefer image editors like Awesome Screenshot or Aviary Image Editor? Sigh.

Also new in this build: The Wi-Fi icon now has lines on it to more clearly delineate current signal strength, I assume (I actually suggested this a while back and am less thrilled with it, in practice); the plus tab button is now an inchoate + button . . . once I hover my mouse over the empty diamond, the + comes to life! I can appreciate the hip GUI-ness of it, and I can also see some folks (especially those over 50) scratching their heads about where the plus tab button is.

This is the extent of what I, and at least WReithmeyer, have noticed that I consider worth mentioning.

What hidden goodies have you guys noticed that you'd like to add to the pile of fun?

Click the Gallery button and . . .

Now we can auto-fix, crop, brighten, rotate, or undo to our heart's content (or upload to Picasa, via Share button).
Maybe blur/smudge will arrive by Christmas -- sorry, Winter Solstace.

P.S. Gotta love getting the green, your-update-is-ready icon (especially for an OCD update freak, like myself).

Come, Listen to a Prophet's Voice

2011-10-02T08:37:00.000-07:00

The Lord's prophets and apostles speak, today at 12pm and 4pm eastern. I invite you to watch and listen: http://lds.org/general-conference/watch?lang=eng

Did the Chrome Team Ditch the Bookmarks Section and Bring Back the Bookmarks Bar?

2011-09-28T08:48:00.000-07:00

Update: I'm thinking this is a bug or Chrome OS specific, since my wife's Apple computer is running Chrome 16.0.891.1 and has the bookmarks section.

Is it just me, or has the Chrome team decided to shelve the whole bookmarks section of the new tab page?

As my daughter would say, "Wheeeeere'd ya go??"

From what I can tell, the bookmark section reverted back to the bookmarks bar, as seen, above.

Is this on all four platforms, or just Chrome OS 0.15.1011.43?

Do you think this change is permanent or temporary?

If intentional, why the change?

Sites Displaces Reader in the Google Navbar

2011-09-27T05:48:00.000-07:00

Have you created your site, yet?

Yep. In Gmail, Calendar, Documents, and Photos, Google Sites has now given Google Reader the boot in the persistent navbar (to my dismay).

Why?

From what I can tell, Google's looking to ramp up interest in Sites. I have yet to ever create one, so maybe I'll gain an interest.

The cost? I now have to click on More>Reader to get to my Google Reader. Yes, it is the most difficult thing I've ever done. Sob.

What other thoughts do you have on the change?

Today's Spiritual Message: Tell Me the Stories of Jesus

2011-09-25T20:51:00.000-07:00

I'm always tickled when my daughter sees a picture, video, or other image representing the Savior and shouts, "Jesus!"

What a blessed opportunity parents have to teach their children, from a young age, the stories of Jesus. To that end, I hope you enjoy this performance by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir from the October 2010 General Conference.

You may also enjoy this eponymous message (Tell Me the Stories of Jesus) by Elder Neil L. Andersen.

Locked vs. Unlocked Google+ Albums

2011-09-22T05:35:00.000-07:00

Again, another Google+ account cross-post.

When did Google add this feature?? Regardless, I love and am impressed with how Google is giving users control over their content (at least as far as accessibility among other users is concerned). I also enjoy the explanation, coupled with the feature's intuitive use.

What do you think?

Diva Photo Shoot

2011-09-22T05:31:00.000-07:00

FYI, this is a cross-post from my Google+ account (in case you follow me here, only).

I love my photogenic daughter and photo-taking wife! I'm also impressed and amused how mom made it appear like daughter was posing the whole time . . .

Today's Spiritual Message: Flecks of Gold

2011-09-18T18:47:00.000-07:00

We often fail to appreciate how much the small things in life can add up. Enjoy.

New in Blogger: Post Albums

2011-09-16T19:47:00.000-07:00

Hats off to my wife for pointing this one out to me: Yes, F-Word, now that the wife has beaten me to a tech news scoop, I have (once more) relinquished my man card.

So, here's the story. My wife's basking in the warmth of some pictures from one of her recent, private posts, only to realize there're some kind of Google+-like thumbnails at the bottom of the screen . . . After some investigation, I've concluded each Blogger post now has it's own album of post-specific photos. Observe:

Blogger post albums: Who knew, right?

An added bonus (in addition to the album-style rendering, I mean) seems to be that I can now access post pictures, absent having to open up/reload a new tab. Nice.

How much does or will this have to do with Google+ integration, as I originally assumed?

Busy-ness

2011-09-15T05:19:00.000-07:00

This morning, I'd like to share some thoughts from my reading in the Book of Mormon.

In 1 Nephi 17:45, Nephi chastises his brethren because of their wickedness and accompanying insensitivity to spiritual things.

The late Elder Joseph B. Wirtlin observed, "This is a noisy and busy world that we live in. Remember that being busy is not necessarily being spiritual. If we are not careful, the things of this world can crowd out the things of the Spirit." Book of Mormon Study Manual, page 39 or The Unspeakable Gift, April 2003 General Conference.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf echoed this sentiment and recently remarked,

Let’s be honest; it’s rather easy to be busy. We all can think up a list of tasks that will overwhelm our schedules. Some might even think that their self-worth depends on the length of their to-do list. They flood the open spaces in their time with lists of meetings and minutia—even during times of stress and fatigue. Because they unnecessarily complicate their lives, they often feel increased frustration, diminished joy, and too little sense of meaning in their lives.
It is said that any virtue when taken to an extreme can become a vice. Overscheduling our days would certainly qualify for this. There comes a point where milestones can become millstones and ambitions, albatrosses around our necks.

Of Things That Matter Most, April 2011 General Conference.

I recognize I often fall pray to this syndrome, myself, and I invite us all to take some time for quiet reflection, communing with God, and focusing on the things that matter most, especially our family.

Today's Spiritual Message: In Memoriam, 9/11

2011-09-11T06:54:00.000-07:00

Today, my heart is full of pondering, of remembering that fateful day, from ten years ago. I will always remember watching the events of 9/11 unfold, from the remote TV in my physics classroom, in high school. I'm so grateful for those who gave their lives to save and rescue others.

Remembering those who gave their lives.

Tom Brokaw and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir will air a special 9/11 broadcast, today.

In remembering 9/11, I invite you to watch a special memorial broadcast, recorded by Tom Brokaw, who was a news anchor detailing the events of 9/11, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, who quickly performed a memorial service. The broadcast will be aired throughout the day.

Finally, invite you to read two different articles reflecting on 9/11, one by Thomas S. Monson, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (in the Washington Post) and the other by Emory Cook, of BYUtv.

May we be a better people as a result of the 9/11 tragedy -- more full of love and compassion, and may God bless America.

"Web Worker" Extension/App/Process(?) in Chrome OS

2011-09-10T05:17:00.000-07:00

This morning, I discovered another a little something that's at least new to me in Chrome OS:

Extension, app, process, plugin? What is Web Worker?

I believe Web Worker has something to do with Google Docs because it seems to have disappeared after I closed out the two docs tabs ("apps") shown, above, and then reappeared, after reopening one.

I did a brief bit of research and came up with . . . nothing. So, guys, what's this Web Worker instance in my task manager? Please sound off below or on my Google+ post.

A Potpourri of Updates in Chrome OS 0.15.1011.0

2011-09-09T19:46:00.000-07:00

Chrome OS dev 0.15.1011.0 landed, tonight, and I'd like to share a few observations:

File manager gets, well, a file cabinet icon (rather than the empty box logo)

The bookmark manager now has (or has had, and I'm just finally noticing it) a link in the
Bookmarks section of the New Tab page

Extensions are now included in and redirected to the settings page, with a fun makeover, recently sighted by Dinu
Correction: Wrench>Tools>Extensions navigates to the old page, rather than this one -- I assume this will change

Synced tabs and search engines are almost here!
(Well, technically, they are here, as flags)

Lazy Background Pages -- some extensions can be prevented from running until they are called upon -- cool
Update: I tried this out and it seems to disable LastPass and possibly other extensions, too:
you might want to wait for this one

What else have you guys noticed? Thoughts/comments? Again, I also want someone to tell me what happened to multiple profiles, as a flag . . .

OH, I almost forgot to mention the boot up screen now has a Chrome-y animation and white background. Okay(?).

Today's Spiritual Message: The Sting of the Scorpion

2011-09-04T15:37:00.000-07:00

Our actions all have consequences. Some of them really sting.

The Savior Jesus Christ reaches out to all of us who have felt the stinging consequences of sin, pleading, "[W]ill ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?"

Click here to read more of the message behind the video.

Print Preview Lands in Chrome OS (Sort Of)

2011-09-01T04:24:00.000-07:00

You may recall how, a few weeks ago, I lamented Chrome OS's lack of print preview. Print preview fans, strap on your seat belts because print preview has landed in Chrome OS . . . as a flag. In case this term sounds new, go to about:flags or chrome://flags, to see the myriad EXPERIMENTAL features for chrome/chrome os there. Frankly, I strongly suggest you avoid enabling a flag unless you're determined to have it (as I am with click-to-play and print preview). With that caveat, behold the screenshots:

Is the add/remove URL headers/footers new to print preview, or just new to me?

Who knew my Real Estate Transactions notes could look so good?

Ah, spreadsheet print preview!

So, there you have it. In my very brief tests, I ran into only one page that failed to load a preview correctly, and I was able to do a refresh, and it worked fine. While I'm sure there will be plenty of hiccups, here and there, you may want to give the print preview flag some love, especially if you love print preview like I do.

By the way, the whole reason I blundered upon this flag, in the first place, was because I was searching for a multiple profiles trigger. Renji, or anyone else, how can I set up multiple profiles on Chrome OS, inside one account, like I can on a dev/canary Windows build of Chrome?

Thanks for reading, and happy previewing!

Omnibox History Sync Now Available in Chrome

2011-08-30T04:22:00.000-07:00

P.S. I forgot to mention Dinu spotted this in Chromium, back in May: http://chromestory.com/2011/05/google-chrome-to-sync-typed-urls-and-browsing-sessions-now-in-chromium/

Omnibox History Sync, now available

Well, folks, the picture and caption say it all. I updated my Cr-48 this morning to 0.15.950.0 and saw a message on the new tab page, telling me omnibox history sync is now enabled. Hurray!

Now all I need is for Alex, Dinu, or someone else to explain or find out exactly what this means. :)

New Google+ Look (Option) Arrives for Docs

2011-08-29T12:19:00.000-07:00

Update: I believe at least the Docs viewer is (for whatever reason) currently excluded from the new look.

Well, folks, the option for the new Google+ look (or integrated Google, if you prefer) is here.

Just go to a doc, spreadsheet, etc. and select, "Give it a try."

I'll let Alex and others do a complete dissection. For now, I'm simply glad to see it getting a start.

What do you think about the new look? Regardless, I think I'll need some time to get used to the loss of color.

Does Google Calendar Now Gray Out Old Events?

2011-08-29T07:48:00.000-07:00

Update: Thanks to a comment from reader Renji, I have learned this is, in fact, a setting in Google Calendar, called "Event Dimming," located in the settings page. Glad to know I have some shreds of eyesight and sanity left. Now, I'd like someone to clue me in on when this feature started (or, if it was months ago, let's just forget I asked).

Looking at my calendar, this morning, I believe Google Calendar has started to gray out old events, making it easier to focus on today's appointments. Is this new and intentional, is it old, or am I just seeing things? (You are instructed to disregard the red line in the first image.)

By the way, while I like Aviary's suite of tools, I get really annoyed with it's "user-friendliness" . . .

Today's Spiritual Message: Reversing Our Moral Decay

2011-08-28T04:40:00.000-07:00

The other day, I read an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal by Rabbi Lord Sacks, the chief rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth (in the United Kingdom).

Many have blamed moral decay for the recent riots in the UK

Rather than summarize the entire article for you, I will excerpt a few points and strongly urge you to read the rest: In the recent British riots, of those charged with crimes,

60% had a previous criminal record, and 25% belonged to gangs.

This was the bursting of a dam of potential trouble that has been building for years. The collapse of families and communities leaves in its wake unsocialized young people, deprived of parental care, who on average—and yes, there are exceptions—do worse than their peers at school, are more susceptible to drug and alcohol abuse, less likely to find stable employment and more likely to land up in jail.

The truth is, it is not their fault. They are the victims of the tsunami of wishful thinking that washed across the West saying that you can have sex without the responsibility of marriage, children without the responsibility of parenthood, social order without the responsibility of citizenship, liberty without the responsibility of morality and self-esteem without the responsibility of work and earned achievement.

Indeed, I'm unsure whether many would agree there even is an objective morality, anymore. On the other hand, there used to be. Consider, for example, the words of President Thomas S. Monson, 84:

We have come to the earth in troubled times. The moral compass of the masses has gradually shifted to an “almost anything goes” position.

I’ve lived long enough to have witnessed much of the metamorphosis of society’s morals. Where once the standards of the Church and the standards of society were mostly compatible, now there is a wide chasm between us, and it’s growing ever wider. (Priesthood Power, April 2011 General Conference.)

So what is the solution to this moral decay and ever widening chasm? According to Lord Sacks, a return to religion. According to British Prime Minister David Cameron, and as I understand it, a return to families.

The family must be the focus of our efforts to reverse moral decay

I am in favor of both solutions, with particular emphasis on the family. In 1995, the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints made a prophetic statement on the family, which reads, in part:

Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.

WE CALL UPON responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society. (The Family: A Proclamation to the World.)

So, what can you and I do to reverse moral decay, in promoting the family as the fundamental unit of society? We can vote, we can write letters to the editor, we can blog, we can tweet, we can email, we can shut off the vulgarity and violence found on TV, the Internet, and countless movies. We can stand up and say, "enough is enough, and this is where I draw a moral line in the sand that I refuse to cross."

In closing, I love this quote, shared by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf and attributed to Saint Francis of Assisi, “Preach the gospel at all times and if necessary, use words." (Waiting on the Road to Damascus, April 2011 General Conference.)

What else are God's prophets and apostles teaching about the family and other important topics, today? "Come and see." (reference to John 1:45-46.)

Automatic Sign-in for Google Sites in Chrome 15

2011-08-25T05:11:00.000-07:00

Update: I want to tip my hat to Dinu of ChromeStory, for spotting a glimpse of this in the Chromium code, back in June: http://chromestory.com/2011/06/using-chrome-sync-you-are-already-logged-in-to-google-account/

Over the past couple days, I've stumbled across what I believe is a new feature in Chrome 15: Enable automatic sign in for Google sites.

The functionality is a little less automatic than advertised, as it appears the feature allows me to manually click on "Sign in," which will enable me to avoid typing in my username/password.

Neato for people who want to avoid using LastPass. For me, I prefer the full automation LastPass provides (I land on a site and LastPass fills in my credentials and logs me in).

Obama Calls Bush Unpatriotic for $4T Spending -- Then Does the Same in 33% of the Time

2011-08-24T19:48:00.000-07:00

How meaningfully delicious are campaign hope and change? Take a look:

Oh, and guess when our very own President Obama called lonesome, "#43," unpatriotic for spending too much? July 3, 2008. Hmm. That's surely not "Washington politics" at play, is it? By golly, gee whiz.

Let me see if I'm understanding President Obama correctly: Spending $4 trillion over 8 years is unpatriotic. Okay, so, spending $4 trillion in two and half years, after previously criticizing the former $4 trillion spending as unpatriotic? . . . I guess spending the same amount in less than 33% of the time is, at least, "change."

On the other hand, I believe most would agree: "That's not the kind of change we need." (Although the country could use some more change -- $$ -- and a lot less spending.)

One last, parting question, posed by Ed Morrissey of hotair.com: “If Obama can use the increase in the national debt to question Bush’s patriotism, doesn’t it follow that increasing deficit spending by 152 percent per month makes Obama 152 percent more 'unpatriotic' than Bush?”

Well, gentle CA readers, I'll let you decide.

(Formerly Caps Lock) Search Key on Chromebooks Can Also be Keyboard Shortcut List Trigger?

2011-08-24T12:18:00.000-07:00

Okay, this title might look like a lot to take in, so let me set the mood for you:

I'm cozying up, down here in the law school basement, which I just (finally) found out about (in my third year of law school), thanks to a friend of mine, and getting ready to read for Real Estate Transactions. Yes, please, hold in your excitement.

While I'm looking at the syllabus for the class, I'm surprised to see something -- when I accidentally tap the disabled (for me) new tab/search key (formerly caps lock), the keyboard shortcut list for the docs viewer pops up. Za? That's right, CA readers, the disabled new tab/search key can also act as a one-key shortcut to pull up at least some Google services' keyboard shortcut list.

Behold:

Who knew a disabled key could accomplish so much?

As I'm feeling the crunch to actually do the readings I set out to do, here in this dank room, filled with centuries old law books, I've tested this theory only in the Docs viewer, the Docs home page, and Google Reader. The list showed up in the first two and defied me in Google Reader.

So, maybe this is just a Google Docs trick. Why, just the one, though? Why any, for that matter?

Anyway, which other Google services can you get this earth-shattering and delightful new trick to work for? Please let me know. Happy (hopefully non-law school) reading, to you.

Chrome OS Battery Status Notification Gets a Fun Face-lift

2011-08-22T08:21:00.000-07:00

This one's for all you (fellow) hardcore Chrome OS/chromebook lovers. If you've been involved with Chrome OS's development, over the months, I imagine you will have noticed how far the UI has come. A recent change I noticed in the 0.15 (dev) build -- released Friday -- is when I click on the battery icon, I now see a big and nifty green battery, giving me a more visual display of what battery percentage I have left.

Observe:

I love that bolt of lightning graphic

And we all want to be more green, right?

While maybe I'm less excited about this than, say, if my Cr-48's performance were to have jumped 50%, I do view this tweak, at a minimum, as some evidence that corroborates Google's claim that a chromebook is, indeed, a computer that gets better over time (where I definitely feel the reverse about my Windows machines).

Today's Spiritual Message: The Blessings of Scripture

2011-08-21T15:44:00.000-07:00

My family and I read a scripture in 2 Nephi, the other day, that I feel closely applies to today's message:

Their land is also full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made. (2 Nephi 12:8.)

I am amazed and saddened with how much we, as humans, currently glory in our own intelligence and learning, often, to the point of extolling ourselves for how much more advanced we are than our lowly forebears.

Ironically,

scriptural ignorance [previously] abounded because people lacked access to the Bible, especially in a language they could understand. Today the Bible and other scripture are readily at hand, yet there is a growing scriptural illiteracy because people will not open the books. Consequently they have forgotten things their grandparents knew.

I am so grateful for William Tyndale and other scriptural martyrs, who made it possible for us to have (in English) the volumes of scripture we so often take for granted, today. What a marvelous blessing the scriptures have been in my life.

To learn more about the scriptures and what modern prophets and apostles have said about them, I invite you to visit lds.org page where I originally found this video and click on its various, surrounding links.

Chromebook Google Talk Launcher Explained (Kind of)

2011-08-20T05:09:00.000-07:00

About a month ago, I wondered aloud what the Google Talk Launch[er] app was or did. Now, I believe I can confirm that the whole point of the app is to launch another program, now an extension, rather than an app, Google Talk . . .

The app launches the Google Talk extension.

Here's the extension.

Another screenshot I wish I had taken yesterday, at work, is that Google Talk is now a browser extension, which can load at startup (on at least XP), absent even opening Chrome. The new extension appears to do what the native program does: Allow users to chat, etc., outside of Gmail.

So far as I can tell, if I have uninstalled the Google Talk extension, or for whatever reason, if it's just missing, the Google Talk Launcher app will send me to the Google Talk extension page in the Chrome Web Store, where I can install it . . .

At the end of the day, I think I've still find the answer to the question, "Why?" In other words, why have an app where all it does is lead me to the functionality of an extension. So, while I feel a little more in the know than last month's post, I'm still grasping at straws for the logic behind all this.

Chromebooks' Secret Caps Lock Keyboard Shortcut Revealed

2011-08-16T14:16:00.000-07:00

For all you kill joys who want the twitter version of this post, see my public Google+ entry: https://plus.google.com/u/1/110524638589641892271/posts/37uSn9tnukz

I'm confident the rest of you Chrome OS and chromebook afficionados still reading are aware that chromebook machines very intentionally dispense with the caps lock key (hurray!). In its place, we find the new tab/search key, which, unsurprisingly, opens a new Chrome tab with the cursor placed in the search/address bar (also called the "omnibox"), when pressed. The re-worked key can also be disabled, which I prefer, as I often trip over it, much to my annoyance.

On the other hand, and as bamboozled as you may feel to hear this, I sometimes actually want to use all caps. GASP! Yes, my friends, it's true.

When I do dabble in typing insanity (using all caps), I like to get out of it as quickly as possible and usually feel burned out, holding down the shift key for a slew of letters, words, or, (the horror!), sentences. I.e., I like keyboard shortcuts.
So, fellow keyboard shortcut lovers, rejoice! Why? Thanks to my man Aaron on Jay Lee's blog, we now know there is, in fact, a quick chromebook shortcut for capslock: shift+shift (shift on the left of the keyboard + shift on the right).

Behold! There is a keyboard shortcut for caps lock (other than the caps lock key) -- look at the top-right.

Maybe this shortcut is undocumented in the alt+shift+/ overlay (map) because Google and the Chrome team want to avoid a return to SHOUTING! in the forums. Well, guess what, Googlers, THE SHORTCUT IS OUT!

Just remember, if you find yourself TYPING IN ALL CAPS, and, after you scratch your head why, look to the skies (the top-right corner of your chrome window) to see if something is awry -- the caps lock function may be engaged. So, Maverick, if you want to turn it off, then disengage! (Press left shift + right shift.)

In conclusion, you now know how to quickly activate (and deactivate) caps lock on a chromebook, and please, gentle CA readers, use this power responsibly. Thank you.

Today's Spiritual Message: The Book of Mormon (Scripture)

2011-08-14T12:27:00.000-07:00

You may have heard about the Book of Mormon Musical on Broadway. To my knowledge, it tracks a couple of missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ("Mormons"), as they encounter difficulty, trial, and, to put it gently, a whole lot of "stuff," in Africa . . . So what about the book that shares the musical's name? I love the Church's official response to the musical:

The production may attempt to entertain audiences for an evening, but The Book of Mormon as a volume of scripture will change people's lives forever by bringing them closer to Christ.
—Official Church Statement on the Book of Mormon Musical

And so it does.

And now, behold, I will testify unto you of myself that these things are true. Behold, I say unto you, that I do know that Christ shall come among the children of men, to take upon him the transgressions of his people, and that he shall atone for the sins of the world; for the Lord God hath spoken it. (Alma 34:8)

And I said unto him: Believest thou the scriptures? And he said, Yea. And I said unto him: Then ye do not understand them; for they truly testify of Christ. Behold, I say unto you that none of the prophets have written, nor prophesied, save they have spoken concerning this Christ. (Jacob 7:10-11)

I add my testimony to those of Amulek, Jacob, and so many Book of Mormon prophets that Jesus is the Christ, the One sent to suffer and atone for our sins. I also testify that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and another testament of Jesus Christ. I invite you to gain this own witness for yourself, by following the instructions given in Moroni 10:3-5. I add my promise to Moroni's that if you will ask God with a sincere heart and real intent -- meaning you are willing to act on the answer you receive -- you will come to know by the power of the Holy Ghost that the Book of Mormon is true.

To learn more about the Book of Mormon, its power and witness of Christ, along with its origins, I invite you to visit http://mormon.org/book-of-mormon/. To learn more about how the Book of Mormon has impacted my own life, I invite you to click on the image, at the right, that says "I'm a Mormon . . ." (beneath the heading, "My Mormon.org Profile").

As always, please feel free to share your thoughts, questions, and comments, below.

4 Scripture Study Tips for Latter-day Saints and All Scripture Readers

2011-08-11T06:35:00.000-07:00

One of the many things I love about life is that we can each learn something new and benefit from it, every day. This morning, I came across another arrow in the student's quiver of tools for understanding the scriptures and would like to share it, along with a few additional tips for studying the scriptures:

1. LDS Scripture Citation Index

How many times has 1 Nephi 1:20 been quoted, by whom, and what did he/she have to say about it?

The LDS Scripture Citation Index provides an index of LDS scriptures (the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price). Ever wonder what a certain verse of scripture means? Look it up in the index column, on the left, and see how various speakers have expounded it. I like how professor(?) E. Larsen explains how this works (see 6.). For example, I love how Elder David A. Bednar expounds the phrase "the tender mercies of the Lord," from 1 Nephi 1:20. If you missed them, I strongly recommend you read, study, and ponder his remarks, noting especially that those who are "chosen" by Heavenly Father become chosen by choosing Him (through keeping His commandments, etc.), rather than winning some kind of celestial lottery.

2. The Book of Mormon and Other Student Manuals

I especially recommend reading the BoM Student Manual in Google Chrome, for fast loading.

Latter-day Saints accept an open cannon of scripture and may, therefore, benefit from the inspiration and insights of modern prophets and apostles. I love how the Book of Mormon Student Manual compiles many insights and explanations about the different verses I'm studying. You can access even more manuals, such as for the New Testament, at institute.lds.org/eng/.

3. My Study Notebook from lds.org

Keep track of your studies with My Study Notebook

I'll avoid going into great detail, here, and simply note what may seem obvious: My Study Notebook helps readers with an LDS account keep track of their thoughts, highlights, bookmarks, and more. Whenever you want to study and search the scriptures, I strongly suggest you first go to https://lds.org/study-tools?lang=eng&clang=eng because it will log you into your study notebook home page, enabling you to quickly return to your most recent reading via a bookmark, which I'll discuss next, and ensure you're keeping track of your notes and highlights while studying (otherwise, you'll have to login when you want to annotate, highlight, etc., anyway).

4. Scriptures.lds.org Bookmark Tool for Keeping My Place in My Online Study

My friendly red bookmark helps me get back to where I left off in my reading.

Now that I'm starting to read the Book of Mormon again, from the beginning, I've decided to jump in and try doing it online at scriptures.lds.org. I'm still undecided how I feel about reading the scriptures online versus actually touching them, as they're one of the few things I generally read off my computer screen. With that said, I've come to appreciate the bookmark feature associated with My Study Notebook. Access it by clicking on the bookmark button in the middle-left section of the bottom toolbar. For the moment, I believe I can set a bookmark only at the top of the page, even though I though can slide the bookmark up and down. Maybe it's because I'm on the development channel for both Google Chrome and Chrome OS.

That's all for today! Please share your own thoughts and suggestions in the comments section or on my plus post: https://plus.google.com/u/1/110524638589641892271/posts/gGDz8nCSwGP

Will you also please let me know what questions you have about anything you read in today's post?

Happy studying!!

New Text Completion Tool in Bloger?

2011-08-11T04:11:00.000-07:00

While writing another post, I came across what I believe is a new feature in Blogger: Text completion suggestions.

See the blue pencil next to the red dictionary with the Aa on it?

First of all, let me point out that you can show single suggestions or multiple suggestions. I far prefer the single suggestions, as I seem get really distracted with the multiple suggestions, while the single suggestion almost seems like a convenient spell checker when I'm typing fast -- it can get annoying when it misinterprets my intentions.

How do I accept the suggestions? Just press the space bar. I'm unsure how I felt and about this functionality. I feel a little wrong-footed with it. On the other hand, I think I might really grow to love it. What do you think? Please sound off in the comments below or on my plus post: https://plus.google.com/u/1/110524638589641892271/posts/71FVRTtuRfr

Today's Spiritual Message: Expressions of Love

2011-08-07T03:55:00.000-07:00

Elder Richard G. Scott recently asked the following question: "Do you tell your wife often how very much you love her? It will bring her great happiness. I’ve heard men tell me when I say that, 'Oh, she knows.' You need to tell her. A woman grows and is greatly blessed by that reassurance. Express gratitude for what your spouse does for you. Express that love and gratitude often. That will make life far richer and more pleasant and purposeful. Don’t withhold those natural expressions of love. And it works a lot better if you are holding her close while you tell her." The Eternal Blessings of Marriage.

Life for me has, indeed, been far richer, more pleasant, and more purposeful, when I follow this counsel. How could it bless your life?

Google Dictionary Has Gone the Way of All the Earth (It's Dead)

2011-08-05T06:01:00.000-07:00

Update: Thanks to reader John Hauxwell for reminding me that the Google Dictionary extension still works. For me personally, I rarely use the click-on-the-book option because I'm huge on keyboard shortcuts and really prefer the full page view, over the extension bubble. I do love the ctrl+click-on-a-word definition combination.

Boy, I'm an unhappy camper, today. First, I lamented Print Preview's absence from Chrome OS, and now I mourn the loss of a dear friend: Google Dictionary.

To die: to sleep; No more.

Whyyyyyyyyyy!!!!????!!! I suppose Google wants to unify everything and make sure people use google.com for all their searching needs. Maybe Google's just trying to humble me to the dust, today.

But I got there ahead of you, little Google—I reached a work-around [below] before you could completely alienate me, I understood the truth before you caught up, I fixed the problem with a work-around three hours ago, and the myth, the legend, the Google Dictionary is [still] truly mine!

I hope you Hairless fans out there appreciate that one. Yes, I believe I have, in fact, found a work-around:

Did Google think I would be scared to violate Google Dictionary's marble tomb?

It's all thanks to a custom search engine I made: http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=%s#hl=en&prmdo=1&q=%s&tbs=dfn:1&tbo=u&sa=X&ei=fN87TrauE8zC0AG47cWRCQ&sqi=2&ved=0CBgQkQ4&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.&fp=fdbe5bcf5e3c173e&biw=1600&bih=837 I'm unsure if it will work for everyone. On the other hand, it's worked for me, every time, today, on a number of different searches. Let me know if you want help setting it up.

Yes, like Dumbledore, though Google Dictionary's body decays in the white marble tomb in the grounds of Google castle, its power and functionality live on through alternate means.

Rest in peace, Google Dictionary

Print Preview Missing from Chrome OS???

2011-08-05T05:21:00.000-07:00

This morning, I'm discouraged and rather hacked off to discuss something I finally realized, to my embarrassment as a proud Cr-48 owner, just yesterday: Print Preview and its beloved print to pdf functionality are missing, ausento -- no where to be found in Chrome OS . . .

If it's ballyhooed in Chrome 13 stable, where in the world is Print Preview in Chrome OS?

At first, I assumed I was simply overlooking the Print Preview action button, somewhere. Alas, after doing some research in the Chrome OS bug reports, I'm convinced the functionality is glaringly absent: http://code.google.com/p/chromium-os/issues/detail?id=16082

On the other hand, from the looks of the same report, there are, thankfully, a number of people requesting (expecting?) this feature.

Another thing I'm confused about is the priority the Chorme OS team (as noted in the bug report, above) has given Print Preview: "2 - Normal. Desired for, but does not block, the specified milestone [14] release." I'm perplexed that the Chrome team proudly declared Print Preview with print to pdf "finally" available in Chrome 13, yet it might miss Chrome OS 14 . . . The Chrome team declared over 900 "users [from] around the world" (I'm glad this is an international concern) indicated, with stars, their interest in print preview for Chrome. Maybe Chrome OS will start to get similar numbers, unless this functionality is added soon.

I'm really disappointed. I definitely enjoy Print Preview and I love print to pdf. Is this omission a department disconnect or something else? If the functionality is baked into Chrome, itself, as a trumpeted and much awaited feature, why is it truant from its namesake OS!

Chromebooks (finally) get file unzip!

2011-08-04T03:23:00.000-07:00

That's right, chromebook, aficionados, the ability to unzip zip files has arrived (experimentally) on chromebooks, with perhaps minus the Acer, at the moment, via the latest dev build 0.14.811.15: Press ctrl+alt+t (this is called "crosh") and type in experimental_storage enable and press enter. Voila, I can now unzip files! Big thanks to William for pointing this out to me: http://chromeos-cr48.blogspot.com/2011/08/cr-48-dev-channel-update-01481115.html

See the Open archive action button on the right?

Same archive file, unzipped.

I assume this will land on the next stable release, so, in about six weeks (probably a touch longer, since Chrome OS 0.13 is still baking). I'm really glad to have this obstacle removed. While I rarely deal with zip files, I absolutely loathe having to do the back and forth of downloading/uploading.

Next, I really hope we'll get the ability to save files from a random site directly to Google Docs and unzip them (rather than just view and open certain files) there -- which seems to me would go nicely with the whole "new thought"/cloud computing concept.

Today's Spiritual Message: Provident Living

2011-07-31T19:01:00.000-07:00

The phrase "provident living," or living within our means (not spending more than we have) may sound like a joke to many in the world today, especially after we just went through an economic recession where people could simply "state" how much income they wanted to get a house, and our nation still teeters on the brink of default.

Personally, I'm so grateful that the Lord has called prophets and apostles in our day and age to warn us about avoiding excessive debt.

Here is a link that discuss living within our means and a message from President Thomas S. Monson, which discusses, in part, avoiding excessive debt (given in 2006).

Hope you enjoy both.

Scratchpad Gets a Makeover

2011-07-28T11:41:00.000-07:00

I was hoping this day would come. The Chromium team has given scratchpad a makeover. Now all we need is offline Docs . . .

I'll give you a sprinkling of what I've seen and let the big guns give you the full run down.

Polished interface

I'm impressed with how slick the new interface looks. Before, with the red, green, and blue dots, I felt like I was jamming on something a 1st grader put together. Sorry, devs. Also, the previous version just listed the given notes, while this release gives a date. Nice. See the turning throbber icon next to my NEW NOTE? I was impressed with how fast notes would automatically sync up with my Google Docs.

Old v. New

More Old v. New

I like how the new version gives more formatting options, including font type, size, ~~strikethrough~~, color, and highlighting. Looks like the new version lacks a quick delete button . . . I wonder if people were accidentally deleting their notes?

Scratchpad opened with new Panels flag turned on in dev chanel

I'm less than a huge fan of the new Panels flag, with the Scratchpad app, although I did see a comment or two in the app installation page that sang its praises. Seemed pretty glitched out, to me.

Oh, three other awesome new features are the ability to search for notes, sort them, and open notes/list in full-tab view. +1.

Hopefully, I'll avoid anyone hacking my system via this app: thechromesource.com/chrome-os-hacked-via-scratchpad/

Now if I could just get some keyboard shortcuts (other than ctrl+b for bold, e.g.) . . .

Today's Spiritual Message: I Choose to be Pure

2011-07-24T06:21:00.000-07:00

In an age where "anything goes" and, so many "call evil good" (Isaiah 5:20), I'm delighted to see six young people stand up and declare that they can control their sexual appetites and that they are happy because of that decision.

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Today's Spiritual Message: T-I-M-E Spells Love

2011-07-17T19:16:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I struggle to remember one of the greatest gifts I can give my family is my time. How often do we like to feel busy and important? Yet, what could be more important than spending time with our family? I love what President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said last October General Conference, “In family relationships love is really spelled t-i-m-e, time.”

What do we make our priorities?

"Let’s be honest; it’s rather easy to be busy. We all can think up a list of tasks that will overwhelm our schedules. Some might even think that their self-worth depends on the length of their to-do list. They flood the open spaces in their time with lists of meetings and minutia—even during times of stress and fatigue. Because they unnecessarily complicate their lives, they often feel increased frustration, diminished joy, and too little sense of meaning in their lives."

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

I invite you to read President Uchtdorf's message, "Of Things That Matter Most," along with a message from this month's Ensign (the official magazine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), "T-I-M-E Spells Love."

Google Talk Launch App(?) and New Window Switcher on Chrome OS 14.0.751.0

2011-07-15T20:43:00.000-07:00

Update: Upon further discovery, it turns out the []]] button (next to the full-screen button) has been transformed from a window switcher (alt+tab) to a window maximizer (alt+spacebar+x on Windows).

Okay, as I've said, recently, I usually let these kind of posts go because someone's generally already covered them. Maybe I've failed to see anything on this one (yet) because it's late on a Friday night . . . Such is my geekdom.

When I saw on Jee Lee's blog feed that there was finally a new, 14.0 Chrome OS build, I had to try it out and test the waters.

Sure enough, I got what I wanted: At least two new morsels.

1. Google Talk Launch App(?)

A Second Google Talk App??

So far as I can tell, all this "new" app does is add another button, with the word "Launch," which does what the previous Talk app already did . . . Someone want to let me in on the secret?

2. New Window Switcher Icon and Functionality: Multiple (Side-Side) Windows with New Keyboard Shortcuts, along with Extended Click for Window Switcher Icon

A new icon, double windows, and more clickable space, oh my!

That's right, folks, the Chrome team appears to have ditched the old window switcher icon in favor of what I consider a more svelte and attractive option. To be candid, I just figured out it's functionality, so sit down for this one: When the top-right icon has multiple windows, this means that clicking it will show me my other window(s), behind my current window. Next, when the icon is solid, clicking it will maximize my current window, covering up the other one.

The Chrome team also (kind of) added some functionality I'd been hankering for, for a long time: The ability to flick my mouse to the top-right of the screen, click, and have the window change back and forth. What the Chrome team produced is actually different from what I was expecting -- the new icon switches between maximized and full-screen view, rather than flipping between windows. I'm confident this new development will really please people who want to see multiple windows at once, and I can always use the alt+tab combo to get between various windows. Something I'm a little bummed about is that if I want to just maximize a window, rather than making it totally full screen, I think I have to click the window switcher icon, which I dislike because it's a lot more time consuming to target than to simply flick my mouse to the corner or press alt+tab. So, in other words, if I'm seeing things correctly, there is no keyboard shortcut to maximize a partially opened window. :( Ah, well. I suppose I have a hard time getting everything I want in a new release . . . ACTUALLY, upon snooping around a little, while Chrome decided if Blogger was going to crash or recover, I discovered a keyboard shortcut to re-size windows: alt+. and alt+, Going all the way with alt+. is equivalent to maximizing the screen, although slower than one keystroke or single combination. As I said, it can be hard to get everything we (geeks) want. I do generally appreciate a friendly work-around, though, so thanks Chrome team. :)

What else have you guys noticed in the 14.0 build?

P.S. I seem to have my ctrl+(window switcher icon) screenshots showing up outside my screenshots folder in my File Shelf folder . . .

Acer Wifi Chromebook Arrives (Finally)

2011-07-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

Well, chromebook aficionados, it looks like Acer's wifi-only chromebook has finally arrived (just under a month after it was scheduled to join the party) and it comes in at $80 less than Samsung's wifi-only model, or a round $350.

Here are the specs of both available chromebooks, from Google.

The Cromia, as it's called, is a tad lighter than the Samsung Series 5 (2.95lbs v. 3.26), has a slightly smaller screen size (11.6" v. 12.1"), runs out of battery about 30% faster (6 hours v. 8.5), and is, some complain, less stylish. Here is the Cromia on the left, with the Series 5 to the right.

Moreover, some believe the Series 5 has a better keyboard, which we'll actually find out, after we get some real hands-on reviews.

Finally, I believe the Cromia has a higher screen resolution and supports HDMI output, rather than the Series 5's VGA.

Cromia v. Series 5

My principal questions for comparison would be how much smaller do the screen and keyboard feel, and is there any difference in performance? If any of these three factors is significantly poorer on the Cromia, I think I'd very well lean toward the Series 5.

Further on performance, the processor/RAM specs are, to my knowledge, identical.

Also, while the Series 5 battery life is notably better, I'm almost always right next to a power outlet, anyway, so that and other features, like a tiny difference in weight and video output, would hardly impact my personal decision.

In the final analysis, maybe the biggest difference between the two is the $80 (or about 18.5%) discount the Cromia offers over the Series 5(?).

What do you think? Will you buy one over the other, or either one, at all? Why?

Please sound off in the comments section or chime in on my Google+ post.

I first saw this announcement on Dinu's Chromestory. Thanks for the news, Dinu!

(Updated at 12:21pm eastern, changing the Cromia weight, based on this eWeek article.)

Today's Spiritual Message: Watch Your Step

2011-07-10T05:25:00.000-07:00

In today's world, so many of us want to justify our actions by saying, "It doesn't hurt anyone else." I suggest we take a step back and ponder how accurate that defense really is, if ever.

Does any one of us live in a vacuum? Who can doubt the verity that our actions affect others, our children, future generations, and the world. Ever heard of the butterfly effect?

Blogger Gets a Facelift!

2011-07-08T04:58:00.000-07:00

Just as I'm about to send this news to Alex Chitu and others, I see Alex already knows about it. Sheesh!

New post editor.

New Interface

I suggest you check out Alex's review for a detailed look.

For now, I mainly really like how clean and newfangled (futuristic) it looks. I'm sure I'll develop a deeper opinion, soon. [After writing this, I also learned I can, finally, edit photos in Blogger. Too bad Picnik's crazy slow (for me, anyway) and lacks a lot of common features that free screenshot tools have, like blur.]

As another tip (I'm in a tipping mood), if you hate having your blog load on your slow machine (hey, my Cr-48's got a pretty cheap processor) and you just want to get straight to a new post, open the New Post link and then bookmark it, and use the bookmark whenever you want to quickly get to a new post, bypassing your full, published blog.

What do you guys think?

How to Ctrl+End on a Chromebook

2011-07-08T04:43:00.000-07:00

If you're like me, you live off keyboard shortcuts. Also, if you're like me, you have a Cr-48 or other chromebook and have been irked that they lack a true way to get to the begging/end of a document, which can normally be done using ctrl+end/home. The Chrome OS team knows about the issue and is working on it.

Many of my docs are a lot longer than four words . . .

This morning, I stumbled upon a workaround: Just press shift and click on the bottom/top of the scroll bar.

That's it! I hope this tip helps those of you (if any?) who have been agonizing over this on your chromebook.

Chrome OS Stable on Cr-48 Has Arrived(?)

2011-07-06T21:37:00.000-07:00

FINAL UPDATE; Okay, I tried the stable build for like five minutes, yesterday, got annoyed with how slow Pandora made my Cr-48, coupled with the fact that both Chrome OS flash plugins failed to work with Google Music (ironic, for the stable build?), and I disliked how slow the build felt, in general. Maybe these are some of the reasons why the 12.0.433.231 "stable" build is missing from cros-omahaproxy.appspot.com/.

Update: After downloading a new Chrome OS recovery image, and according to my chrome://settings/about page, I am indeed on the stable channel.

See where it says "stable-channel x86-Mario"

Funny thing is, I'm failing to see the build listed on the http://cros-omahaproxy.appspot.com/ page.

I see a Samsung (Alex) stable channel, but where's the Mario (Cr-48) stable channel listing?

I'm curious to see how this turns out . . .

I mainly want to see if Chrome OS stability = increased speed/performance (while unstable Chrome OS = slow). We'll see. [Original post follows.]

Well, I'm confused on this one, folks.

Supposedly, a stable channel release of Chrome OS on the Cr-48 has been released. From my experience (see my comment at Jay Lee's blog), it may be available only as a system restore image . . .

I'll try again, tomorrow.

Any thoughts?

Want a Google+ Invite? Let Me Know

2011-07-06T20:37:00.000-07:00

FINAL UPDATE: And they're gone again . . . Rather than go through this update process every time, if you'd like an invite, please let me know, and I'll send you one, when I have the ability. Thanks.

2d Update: Looks like invites are back on. We'll see how long it lasts. Let me know if you'd like one.

Update: The moment I went to start sending out invites, this image disappeared . . . Either Google's really clamping down on the number of invites it gives out, or Google+ demand is as impressive as some believe. To be candid, I'm more inclined to believe the former. When will + be open to one and all? (I've seen some speculation that it will happen by the end of the month.)

Taken from my + account . . .

Today's Spiritual Message: And This Be Our Motto: "In God Is Our Trust"

2011-07-03T14:24:00.000-07:00

Have you ever sang the second and fourth verses of The Star Spangled Banner? I had that privilege at church, today, and really got choked up:

In God is our trust.

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

To me, this photo says it all.

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

I'm really touched by the second verse's reference to the sacrifice and suffering of our heroes of war who gave their life to gain and protect our freedom. I know a number of brave men who have served our country in war and were also willing to give their lives. I honor them.

I'm also moved to think back to a time when the whole nation stood up together and "Praise[d] the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation." How I wish we would have that same reverence and veneration, today!

Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ, who hath been manifested by the things which we have written.

Ether 12: 2. I hope and pray that we will, as a nation, return to praising the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.

Many of our forebears crossed the Atlantic in an outright
trust and general dependence on God. How much can
the same be said about this nation, today?

While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,

Let us swear allegiance to a land that's free,

Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,

As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer.

God bless America,

Land that I love.

Stand beside her, and guide her

Through the night with a light from above.

From the mountains, to the prairies,

To the oceans, white with foam

God bless America, My home sweet home

God bless America, My home sweet home.

A Couple Chrome Tips: Open Multiple Bookmarks and Select Multiple Tabs

2011-07-01T23:37:00.000-07:00

First of all, I imagine someone like Alex, Dinu, Daniel, or Nigel has already posted on these tips. With that said, the other day, while I was reading my morning scriptures, I came across a few tricks I had either forgotten, never realized, or simply never read about:

Open multiple bookmarks. Just about every morning, I have three pages I want to open up, and I can get annoyed with having to find the URLs or even with clicking on them in my most visited section. For some reason, I had it finally click in for me that I could simply bookmark the three pages and then, perhaps, open them all at once. It's possible. Here's how.

I'd show you the right-click action with its accompanying menu . . . alas, Chrome OS forbids me. Nooooo!! the naysayers were right, it can't do everything!!!

1. First of all, save your three bookmarks (or however many) into one folder.
2. Next, either place that folder on the bookmarks bar or find it via the "Other bookmarks" folder.
3. Finally, right click the folder and then choose whether to open all of them in the current window, a new window, or an incognito window.

For some reason, opening the bookmarks in the same window leaves the current tab in its current state, in addition to the newly minted tabs. E.g., if I open the three bookmarks from my specified folder from the new tab page, I'll now have four tabs: My three bookmarks, along with the new tab page (still open). I suppose it is a struggle to try and win 'em all . . .

Select multiple tabs. I'm unsure why I thought to try this one. Sometimes, you might want to close/move/etc. multiple tabs that are not adjacent to one another. Well, we can achieve this dearest wish of our heart by simply pressing the ctrl key, while clicking on the targeted tabs. That's it. Now we can move them wherever we want (within boundaries, of course, people, be reasonable), close them, pin them, etc. Pretty straightforward.

Can you see how the three top-right tabs are selected?

As the emperor in Amadeus would say, "Well, there i'tis." Translation: That's it.

"And now," as Dumbledore would likely declare, "it really is time for bed."

Today's Spiritual Message: Moments That Matter Most

2011-06-26T19:44:00.000-07:00

HAPPY 450th POST!!! Picasa Icon Viewing Tip

2011-06-22T20:06:00.000-07:00

Yes, CA faithful, it's time for a long-lost computing tip from the CA.

Do you use Picasa as your default picture viewer? Well, I do. This has nice little benefits like a fun slideshow effect, when viewing images from my file folder. What's the downside I've grumbled to myself about for the past few years? Image icons are displayed as a flippin brown hill with trees on it!!

Seriously, what's with the hill/trees graphic (rather than an actual preview of the images)?

Finally, the other day, I put my grumbling to rest and got out my search hat. Ironically enough, I found the answer in about 10 seconds.

So here's the low down on how to fix this annoyance on a Windows machine:

Open your folder window and click on Tools>Folder options (as shown below)

Next, click on the view tab, as follows: View>Always show icons, never thumbnails

You'll want to make sure the "Always show icons, never thumbnails box is unchecked (as shown below)

Finally, choose your image size (small, medium, large, JUMBO-large, etc.):

I recommend large or extra large, especially if the folder is a pictures folder (you can always change the display size, whenever you want)

VOILA!! Now, I can finally see what picture "IMG_2948" actually is, absent opening it up in Picasa.

Ah, now visible memories.

For those of you who ever upload screenshots (or, frankly, any pictures at all), I imagine you'll really enjoy this change, if you're a Picasa user who's been agonizing over this wonkiness.

Please hit me with any questions or comments in the, well, comments section.

Today's Spiritual Message: Father's Day

2011-06-19T19:01:00.000-07:00

This Father's Day, I want to share the lyrics to one of my favorite hymns:

O my Father, thou that dwellest
In the high and glorious place,
When shall I regain thy presence
And again behold thy face?
In thy holy habitation,
Did my spirit once reside?
In my first primeval childhood
Was I nurtured near thy side?

For a wise and glorious purpose
Thou hast placed me here on earth
And withheld the recollection
Of my former friends and birth;
Yet ofttimes a secret something
Whispered, "You're a stranger here,"
And I felt that I had wandered
From a more exalted sphere.

I had learned to call thee Father,
Thru thy Spirit from on high,
But, until the key of knowledge
Was restored, I knew not why.
In the heav'ns are parents single?
No, the thought makes reason stare!
Truth is reason; truth eternal
Tells me I've a mother there.

When I leave this frail existence,
When I lay this mortal by,
Father, Mother, may I meet you
In your royal courts on high?
Then, at length, when I've completed
All you sent me forth to do,
With your mutual approbation
Let me come and dwell with you.

(O My Father, LDS Hymn #292.)

Often, I feel like we've lost an appreciation for God, at all, let alone as our literal Father. Today, I want to testify that we are, as Paul said, His "offspring" (Acts 17:29), His children. I witness that His greatest achievement lies not in the creation of earths, universes, or cosmoses, but in aiding our progression to become as He is:

For behold, this is my work and my glory -- to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man (Moses 1:39).

Thus, like our Father-in-heaven, my greatest joy, here on earth (and next to being married to my wife) is to raise and love my sweet daughter and other future children, in some tiny degree, as He loves and raises you, me, and all of us.

Will You Wii U? Some Hardcores Might, I Probably Won't

2011-06-18T22:23:00.000-07:00

First of all, let me say this could be one of the only "by-request" posts I've ever done, especially outside the wife-requested genre.

Next, let me disclose that the F-Word will likely chafe at anything I have to say in this post, as he revoked my video game man card many moons ago. Rest assured, my head is still hanging in shame.

Now, to the subject at hand: The Wii U. Announced to hit the masses next year, the Wii's successor will arrive roughly six years after the original wooed the non-gaming public back in 2006.

Sorry, I failed to find a cool shot of the Wii U stacked on top of its predecessors.
On second thought, I'm unsure the ancestors would have the bulk to support it . . .

While I'm in disclosure mode, let me also confess that the extent of my knowledge on the Wii U extends basically to its Wikipedia page (that heavenly haven of all knowledge) and maybe one half an article from a usually computer tech site (I think it was CNET).

How large do the casual gamers loom?

My gut reaction on this one is that Nintendo's aiming to chip away at (or destroy) its casual/child gamer image. While many have long caricatured the Nintendo gaming experience as built for children (Mario, Zelda, etc., seem much more child friendly than Grand Theft Auto, Halo, or Resident Evil), the Wii magnified this pronouncement to the nth degree: Nintendo marketed, and people accepted, the Wii as the we device -- which is to say everyone can and will want to play it, rather than just the 30-something vampires, existing in their parents'/grandparents' basement. While my general observation is that a lot of people enjoy playing the Wii, I imagine most of the casual Wii gamers were, and are, well, casual. Nintendo, like MS, Sony, or any game company, is in it to win it, which is to say, make $. Let's do the familiar Parreto analysis: If just 20% of our customers actually buy 80% of our games (in terms of count sold), we just might want to please that lot most. So who is this mythical 20%? The hardcores (maligned above as parasitic vampires).

How does Nintendo lure back the hardcores?

What have hardcore gamers been screaming for ever since the Xbox and PlayStation 2 emerged from the labs? To my knowledge, hardcore graphics, hardcore games, and hardcore everything. Yes, I'm amused with how vague that proclamation sounds, myself. On the other hand, I think it fits the mold of escaping the Wii's casual (non-hardcore) image.

Get it, hardcore? Thanks, Wikipedia!

HARDCORE: Just looking at the machine (the Wii U), I think to myself: Is this an Xbox 360 in Nintendo's clothing? Will the new Jumbo-large controller play Halo 3000, in addition to Mario and Zelda? With HD rendering and a newfangled controller, I assume Nintendo's gunning hardcore to get its core users back, who are always the hardcores (or lure some away from MS and Sony).

FAMILIAR: As I heard about the new name, I asked myself, "Wii U"? Based on what I've seen, my assumption is that Nintendo's trying to toe the line of keeping the "casual" gamers in tow ("Seriously, folks, it's still a console grandma and grandpa can enjoy, it's still a Wii!"), while tantalizing the hardcore. Nintendo appears to have some success in store from the casual, thanks to its Wii-backward compatibility. On the other hand, why just back to the Wii, rather than the Cube, as well? Maybe the assumption here is that too few casual gamers have Cube memorabilia and too few hardcores would care enough to play Cube games, anyway.

SUCCESS? While I'll leave a detailed analysis of the Wii U's detailed specs and chances at financial success, I'll give it a moderate shot of winning back (or gaining) some of the hardcore gamers, while likely keeping on board any casual gamers who actually care enough to plunk down the $ for another system. I think much will depend on the $ tag and how the iPad, er, new controller sits with the masses.

PERSONAL REACTION: While I've long been a Nintendo "fanboy," I've also long since been dead to video game counsels and, pretty much, gaming in general. I imagine my current personal preference is demonstrated by the image at the top of this blog, along with its (the blog's) regular content. So what's my BOLD, F-WORD STYLE PREDICTION? THIS IS THE LAST REASONABLY SUCCESSFUL CONSOLE GENERATION AND ALL PREDECESSORS WILL RUN OUT OF THE CLOUD. See this article on how cloud computing is starting to throttle the console market, thanks to higher internet speeds, enhanced capability via HTML5, etc., and which more or less summarizes my newspaper-destiny forecast of the console market.

The future of gaming.

I hope you enjoyed this CA production. Please vent any outrage or smug agreement in the comments section, below. Thanks.

Google Instant Pages on Chrome

2011-06-14T16:55:00.000-07:00

If you think Google Instant is cool, check this out:

Other than the President Obama homage, I'm pretty darn impressed.

Today's Spiritual Message: Honesty: You Better Believe It!

2011-06-12T18:19:00.000-07:00

We live in a world that increasingly turns a blind eye to lying, cheating, and deception. Sometimes our deception may go unnoticed by others. On the other had, we know what we have done, and God knows what we have done. If we tell ourselves otherwise, we're deceiving only ourselves.

Apple Introduces iCloud, Sues Whole World for Rights to the Word "Cloud"

2011-06-07T07:56:00.000-07:00

Okay, I'm writing this one as a favor to my Apple enthusiast friend who is a borderline Chrome OS convert.

First of all, let's disclose the obvious that I have adopted Steve Ballmer's "All in for the cloud" mantra and am virtually a paid Google employee. Phew. With that off my chest, I will continue.

Is that the Soundcloud logo in silver!! Someone file suit, quick!

Mr. Jobs (to avoid contention, I'll refrain from using my favorite nick name for him) and company have released a new way to cut the USB/Firewire cords and still sync data across different devices. What's new? Rather than manually storing all my data on all my Apple branded products, I can now entrust all my data to Apple's online iCloud service, which will sync the data to my different devices for me. Pretty cool. What's the same? Yes, you guessed I would say it: "walled garden." If I want to sync my data across different devices, I'd better be wearing a turtleneck and jeans (sorry, I gave in to the temptation!). In other words, I have to own an automagical Apple product, or I'm hosed.

As I commented on Chrome OS Site, I see this move as Apple essentially doing what Microsoft does best: Tying users to its own products and services, except for Apple takes the magic one step further, decreeing that users must use its infallible products, or die (okay, just lose access to their data).

I'm glad to see things moving more and more toward the cloud -- wait, am I allowed to use that word, now? -- and my preference is for users to take their data where they want, when they want it (which many will argue Google fails at because ubiquitous internet has yet to arrive).

For those who chafe at using Chrome OS because, GASP, it stores everything in the cloud! how is iCloud any different? In a lot of ways, I welcome Apple's pretended venture into the clouds (I say pretended because where do I access my data? I presume on locally-installed programs, er, apps) because more and more people will realize that trusting our data to third parties (again, GASP) is inevitable.

0 visible dollars (the cost is built into the products/services) does seem a lot better than MobileMe's $99 price tag.

Yes, iCloud may be free to those willing to don a turtleneck and jeans, day in and day out. For those who want to slip into something else (use a non-Apple product), iCloud is, as I understand it, the antithesis of free.

I have a dream that one day my children and grandchildren will be able to access their data and apps wherever they go and on any machine, not because of the products they own, but because they will have universal access to it across any device.

I will hand it to Apple and assume this service will appease many fans, while allowing it to somewhat dip a toe into cloud computing. On the other hand, I feel like Apple and Microsoft will eventually lose substantial ground to companies like Google, Facebook, and Amazon, because the former two insist on maintaining their tired (did you like that snark?) and true business models.

In the early 2000s, Apple broke out of its customary PC/laptop shell and opened up to all things iPortable. Is iCloud the beginning of Apple's transition to cloud computing? I doubt it, but time will tell.

For more, Google iCloud. ;) Or, you could simply read what I consider an even-handed article from CNET.

You may now shower me with boos, hisses, weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth. I have only one request: Do it in the comments section, for all to see. }:-)

Today's Spiritual Message: Teaching Youth about Chastity

2011-06-05T20:24:00.000-07:00

Now that my wife's keyboard is officially fixed, I will leave you with a brief message about how the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches its youth about chastity.

Youth are encouraged to regularly review and live the values taught in the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet (the link includes many more resources than just the pamphlet).

We live in a world "that call[s] evil good, and good evil; that put[s] darkness for dlight, and light for darkness; that put[s] bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" (Isaiah 5:20). As such, I am very grateful to have reminders about what really is good, especially when the world seems to have changed its mind. (For example, things like sexting and outright promiscuity are now seen as "good" and healthy, when previously they were thought of as "evil" and "bitter.")

The +1 Button Is Here! Spread the Love . . .

2011-06-01T19:56:00.000-07:00

Can you see it, below, in the footer of this post, next to the Gmail, Blogger, Twitter, Facebook, and Buzz share buttons?

Well, it looks like this, except gray:

It means you agree/like something

Here's a fun little video that describes the +1 button's appeal:

Actually, I forced (okay, politely asked) my wife to search for a post I had +1'd, and, sure enough, we saw my +1 recommendation, right in her search results. Very cool, in my view.

If you want to add a +1 button to your own blog posts, as I have, go to the +1 Webmaster site to get the code and then go to Design>Edit HTML on your blog and follow the instructions given on the webmaster site.

I imagine you'll find more simple/understandable instructions by Googling "place +1 blog" or something like that. Happy +1ing and please +1 this post and other CA (my) posts you enjoy. Cheers!

Memorial Day

2011-05-30T13:31:00.000-07:00

Here's to the soldiers who have fought for the freedom and liberty this great nation, often giving their lives.

Thank you, and God bless America!

Code Breaking

2011-05-25T20:11:00.001-07:00

This title might surprise you, given what the post is about and my affinity for internet technologies.

So, for the past while, our Honda Accord has given me the "c0de" message on its display and prevented me from listening to anything. Anything. Okay, maybe an occasional, digital beep.

Thankfully, I found a nifty help video on YouTube, which helped me find the key to cracking the code.

So, where did I find our well-hidden, secret stereo code (and why on earth is there one, in the first place?)?

On the back of the ashtray!!

That's right, kids, McGiver has nothing on me. Absolutely nothing!!

I will now enjoy my 30 minute commute, feasting on General Conference talks, rather than freeway white noise.

The New LDS Media Library Has Arrived!!

2011-05-24T04:48:00.000-07:00

Sort of.

Check out the new LDS Media Library by clicking on the image above or below.

For right now, the Library has a limited selection of videos and a lot of explanations of new social media and what the Church will be rolling out soon. From feature films to highlightable e-books, I'm getting excited!

The Media Library contains a number of descriptions of how the Church is and will be using online media.

Be sure to visit the site to see how you can better prepare Family Home Evening lessons, share with friends, enjoy a movie together, and more.

Today's Spiritual Message: An Apostle's Introduction to the Book of Mormon

2011-05-22T19:24:00.000-07:00

Hope you enjoy it.

Careful Closing the Dumpster: Something Might Leap Out at You

2011-05-21T19:15:00.000-07:00

Here I was, lamenting how bored I felt, with my wife shooting a wedding (photography, rather than guns), chrome and other news essentially evaporated (even the rapture failed to materialize and make my desolation more exciting), and my daughter fast asleep. To assuage my lamentations, I decided to take out the trash, which consisted of two bags of diapers . . .

Over the past day or two, I've felt rather zealous about closing our two dumpsters' doors -- all four of them. Why? Well, the other night, I went to throw out some trash when I heard something fall on the ground. I assumed the worst, yet found only some trash, which looked like it might have fallen from a bag with some tear marks in it. Failing to see anything living, other than the heaps of trash, I went on my merry way.

The next day, I obtained my evidence: A bandit-faced creature, skulking near one of our dumpsters and trying to look pitiable. I starred it down and it tucked it's tail and ran for the hills (which were only a few feet away, anyway).

Now I imagine you can now understand my conviction for securing the dumpster doors (even if someone else left one or more open).

Finally, we end where I began: Depositing some valuables into the dumpster.

With proactive zeal in my heart and bodily safety on my mind, I approached the far side dumpster, as one of its doors stood already ajar. After delivering my fragrant treasures, I went to close the dumpster door when, "Yeaaaaaaaahhhh!!" some animal shot out -- thankfully, away from me -- and booked it like a teenage-girl running to procure the latest Twilight installment. After overcoming heart failure and flashing images of rabid claws sinking into my flesh and long nights in a stiff hospital bed, I caught my breath and slowly walked away, thankful to have my skin and good health intact, ready to take the trash out another day.

Okay, so the title is slightly misleading

Cute and cuddly, eh?

Alphabet Tutor in Action

2011-05-19T12:49:00.000-07:00

I'm getting nervous about the day when I see a random credit card purchase for toys neither I nor mom knew about . . .

GERMANY PHOTOS (are finally here)!!

2011-05-15T20:05:00.000-07:00

Okay, peeps. Here it is, the moment you've all been waiting (months) for! The Germany trip photos.

Enjoy! (Please click on the Picasa icon in the bottom-right-hand corner of each album viewer if you'd rather see a full album view, rather than a one-picture-at-a-time slideshow.)

If you want me to comment on them, give me a call, and I'll give you the three hour tour.

I'll probably get more up here from our more "socially acceptable camera," as my wife calls it.

(See my wife's blog for exacting details of our adventures.)

Today's Spiritual Message: WE Are Children of God

2011-05-15T19:20:00.001-07:00

I hope you enjoy this video about our heavenly heritage.

Confession: I'm a Parselmouth

2011-05-15T11:09:00.000-07:00

"I can speak to snakes. I found out when we've been to the country on trips — they find me, they whisper to me. Is that normal for a wizard?"

Thankssss, amigo!

Okay, so V-Mart said that and my character was less narcissistic about his ability.

The other day, my wife, daughter, and I were at a local park, when we walked past an old school bathroom (like something from a reptile house -- or Hogwarts). Long story short, turns out we saw what we think was a Black Rat Snake, hanging on the windowsill, its long tail tucked into the corner of an old, grated window. I'd say it was as short as three feet or as long as four or five.

We called the police (hey, the thing could have been a Basilisk, for all we knew!), and they showed up like two days later. Okay, after about 30-40 minutes. We wanted to avoid creating a panic, so I sat by the bathroom and, uh, kept watch, until they arrived.

Two little girls came skipping down to the reptile house, err, bathroom, and were perplexed, when I told them to go and ask their parents for permission. "Our parents already said we could," the girls insisted. "Did they know there was a snake in the bathroom?" I asked. Both girls apparently failed to distinguish the snake from the brick and one started walking into the bathroom . . . I sternly told her to come back, and, once the girls had it click in their minds what I was talking about, they ran away, screaming, "Snaaaaake!"

Is the Chamber of Secrets located underneath a wash closet in a Cincinnati park?

"Oh, great," I thought. Some dad's going to come down, looking to punch me in the face because he thinks I'm a weirdo, hanging out by the girl's bathroom. Actually, their father just stood in the door, with his back to the snake and commanded the girls to go to the bathroom because, darn it, they said they had to go! (I think both girls felt differently, at that point.)

Once the folks in white showed up, one of them wanted to get out some kind of extendable stick and put the snake in the trees. "No, Bill! What if it's somebody's pet or it's poisonous or something!?" Ah, yes, the calm-headed reasoning of the female officer won out, and we presume they waited until animal control (or someone similar) turned up.

Good times, eh?

I'd give you two non-stock photos from my "1.3 Mage Pixels Mobile Camera" (it literally says "Mage"), except they're pretty low resolution, and I lack a way to transfer them, anyway. Just pretend like this is Hairless and use your imagination. Savvy? Awesome.

(See my wife's blog for more.)

Breakfast Blinis

2011-05-10T11:59:00.000-07:00

YUM.

I made some buckwheat blini pancakes for my wife and daughter, out of a fancy cook book, and we loved them.

I highly recommend it. Let me know if you want the recipe. The only bummer is that part of the preparation is letting the batter rise for 2-3 hours . . .

Yep, Poppers, this stuff goes well with a nice sip cup!

That's a spatula, rather than Harry's head, "floating in mid air!"

I highly recommend getting real maple syrup: I tip my hat to my wife for this judgment call

Proper fork use recommended

I'm detecting something . . .

. . . I'm getting it . . .

. . . almost . . .

. . . yes, truly amazing!

Take your blinis with you, wherever you need to go!

Breakfast blinis: The ultimate rock-out breakfast food

Happy Mothers' Day!!

2011-05-08T20:26:00.000-07:00

"Who can probe a mother’s love? Who can comprehend in its entirety the lofty role of a mother? With perfect trust in God, she walks, her hand in His, into the valley of the shadow of death, that you and I might come forth into light." Thomas S. Monson.

The holiest words my tongue can frame,
The noblest thoughts my soul can claim,
Unworthy are to praise the name
More precious than all other.

An infant, when her love first came,
A man, I find it still the same,
Reverently I breathe her name,
The blessed name of mother.

George Griffith Fether, “The Name of Mother,” in Best-Loved Poems of the LDS People, edited by Jack M. Lyon and others (1996), 218.

On this Mothers' Day, I want to give thanks to the three mothers I am closest to: my wife, my mother, and my mother-in-law. I have received unique and special gifts from each and am eternally grateful for their love and devotion.

Above all, I want to give thanks to my sweet and darling wife. She is the apple of my eye (my daughter's a close second), the mother of my child, and the wellspring of my hopes and dreams. Sweetheart, I love you -- Happy Mothers' Day!!

In celebration of this special day, here are some pictures of the children my wife takes care of, on a daily basis. I hope you enjoy them.

We love you, mom!!

(Germany pictures are on their way, I promise!)

Harry Potter 7, Part 1 Reviewed

2011-05-04T20:49:00.000-07:00

Google Chrome for Dads

2011-05-04T10:23:00.000-07:00

This one tugs at my heart strings:

Hope you enjoyed it.

Great Chrome App for Toddlers: Alphabet Tutor

2011-04-28T13:26:00.000-07:00

My daughter seems to love playing on the computer (especially assaulting my keyboard), so I've recently been checking in on the Chrome Web App store, every so often, to check for games/apps I think she'll enjoy.

Today, I found one I want to rave about: Alphabet Tutor.

Your kids will love practicing their number/letters with Alphabet Tutor!

Here's Alphabet Tutor's description from its creator:

Alphabet Tutor features two modes to help children (ages 2+) learn to recognize the letters by name.
Freestyle mode says the name of each letter pressed aloud and displays it on the screen.
Quiz mode asks the child to locate a specific letter on the keyboard and press it. Hints can be enabled to show the letter on the screen after two incorrect answers.
You can choose between displaying uppercase and lowercase letters and enable numbers depending on the level your child is prepared for.
Tested and approved by my 2 year old daughter.

I strongly recommend you try this out with your toddler -- I think you'll be very impressed. I also recommend you sit at the computer with your toddler. I think you'll really enjoy the experience.

P.S. If you have yet to install Google Chrome, repent, install it, and then install this app.

Today's Spiritual Message: He Is Risen!

2011-04-24T16:39:00.000-07:00

Today, is, I submit, the most important holiday of the year: Easter.

12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

"There would be no Christmas if there had not been Easter." - Gordon B. Hinckley

I know that Jesus Christ lives and because He lives, we will all be resurrected.

I hope you enjoy the following Easter videos.

New Google Navbar (Finally) Switching to Email Address Instead of User Names?

2011-04-22T22:25:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: I think I figured out what's really going on, this morning. I believe Google uses first/last name by default, unless I open up another Google account, in which case subsequent services will show the email address, rather than the first/last name. What's your preference? I suppose Google wanted to shorten the ID space, since I imagine most first/last names are shorter than myname@gmail.com. I'm now undecided.

"And Cougar Abogado came unto Google, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the navbar be my name, put it: but if my email address, then put it. And Google answered him not a word."

Peradventure Google sleepeth, and must be awaked.

I've been wondering for the past few days whether Google is (hopefully) switching its navbar name plaque from the user's chosen first/last names to the user's email address (as seen, above). When I poked around, just now, every Google service, other than Picasa, showed my names, instead of my email address . . .

Who cares? Well, some people have multiple user accounts and yet, here's a shocker, they still maintain the same first/last name! Allow me to illustrate: Let's say my first and last names are, respectively, Cougar Abogado and my email address #1 is imanawesomecooldude@gmail.com and my email address #2 is thedude@gmail.com.

If I'm using multiple profiles, I might accidentally take some action in thedude account, thinking it's the imanawesomecooldude account. Catch my drift?

I hope this issue can be resolved soon, so we can avoid slaying anyone, down by the river.

(I wonder who actually owns those email addresses -- I assume someone, perhaps a bot, does.)

Google Calendar Adds Dynamic Date Favicon: It Knows What Day It Is

2011-04-22T14:19:00.000-07:00

Here's an update I've been expecting to see for some time. Google Calendar's favicon (or browser tab icon) will now show what the day's date is. Observe:

From Alex Chitu's Google Operating System

According to Alex Chitu, "Google Calendar is the first Google service that has a dynamic favicon," meaning it responds to data/changes.

As the Google Calendar Blog notes, "Today's date is now always a short glance away." This is frankly the main reason I am writing this post.

I occasionally forget what the date it is and want to see it at a quick glance. I normally have a time keeping device visible (we filthy Americans are such time gluttons, especially compared to Germany, IMO). On Windows 7, I minimize my taskbar and have an extension, Cool Clock, displayed in Chrome; on Chrome OS, I use the built-in time piece at the top right.

Cool Clock in Windows 7

On the other hand, I rarely have the day's date in front of me because I rarely care about the date. So, normally, I would have to take an extra two-five seconds to actually click (gasp, I know!) on something to bring up the date. Now, since I generally have my Google Calendar up, in a pinned tab (as in the first image), I can have quick-access-to-today's-date goodness.

Chrome OS Clock

Ah, the marvels of technology.

Now, if I could only get a device to zap me, every time I read another mindless article, whose general content I could have absorbed, simply from reading the title. Well, on second thought . . .

Today's Spiritual Message: Avoid Procrastination

2011-04-17T20:14:00.000-07:00

I'm one to talk. Anyway, as I'm getting ready for bed, here're a few verses of scripture I'd like to share on the theme of procrastination:

32 For behold, this life is the time for men to bprepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors.

33 And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed.

34 Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis, that I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say this; for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world.

35 For behold, if ye have procrastinated the day of your repentance even until death, behold, ye have become subjected to the spirit of the devil, and he doth seal you his; therefore, the Spirit of the Lord hath withdrawn from you, and hath no place in you, and the devil hath all power over you; and this is the final state of the wicked.

http://lds.org/scriptures/bofm/alma/34.32-35?lang=eng#31

Please note that in LDS doctrine, hell is a temporary experience and essentially everyone will eventually merit some degree of heaven (except for literally a handful or two of people): http://lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/76.31-39?lang=eng#30

See Doctrine & Covenants 76 for a more complete explanation of how heaven will be divided.

Congratulations to Matt & Deena!!

2011-04-17T20:02:00.000-07:00

Last month, my family and I went out to Salt Lake to witness (and participate in) my brother-in-law Matt's wedding.

We really enjoyed ourselves, and I kept most of my hair, even though I had the main daughter-watching duty!

Here are a few photos. I hope you enjoy them.

CONGRATULATIONS, MATT & DEENA!

I think most grooms seem to like this moment . . .

Down the aisle!

Cutting the cake

Van Halen, anyone?

GQ with my sip cup (my wife really likes this shot)

Hey, I like the camera, peeps! (I'm unsure whose legs . . .)

She must really love me, to take a picture with me, while I'm sporting an upside-down boutonniere