2/28/2007

the open source video project - coming soon


There is a new project coming. The open source video project is a collaborative effort to build a worship experience. You'll be hearing more about how you can participate in it soon.

Get thinking about how you can portray worship through a multimedia presentation.

Grace,

Des

2/25/2007

the CORE

So, I've started in on a new project:

http://www.thecorevideos.com.

It's army specific - but I think it's going to be hot.

Des

2/23/2007

Bandwidth Test II

You may remember that I posted about a new bandwidth testing service some time ago. They're redesigned now but still very cool.

2/22/2007

Calling all Salvationists to an Open-Source Army

Attention Salvationists:

Your help is desperately needed.

For a couple of years now, some of us (in the USA South at least) have been crying out the mantra, "I am the Salvation Army," or "WE ARE the Salvation Army" in response to the thought that us soldiers are members of an organization that has become short-sighted at its upper levels. Whatever you believe about that statement, it is true that the Salvation Army will ultimately live or die by its soldiers, it's ground troops that either are or are not doing the leg work. We all have a role.

Those roles have the potential to cause reverberations that could shake the foundation of the army. Our actions, our thoughts, our passions have the potential to set of a nervous system response that will flow all the way the head of our army.

Your input is important - even when it seems as though it has not.

The concept of "Open-Source" has been around in software development for years. Essentially, it represents a community of people with different backgrounds contributing to a joint project resulting in a product that benefits the entirety of the community and the world at large. I know you want input into our army. We have griped and complained long enough. But that's the wrong approach.

You, no matter who you are, represent some of the most valuable assets the Army has. You are on the ground. You have a feel for the lay of the land. You know what some of the real needs are. If you're like me, you don't need the army or anyone to tell you what needs to be done because you can see it first hand. That requires you to act.

But you want to bring the Army to these new places too. You don't want to see the army die from stagnation.

There are lots of ways to contribute. Find a need and meet it - it may be simple or it may be crazy - ask God and your friends for help and then do it. Talk. Don't just argue or gripe or complain. Talk to inspire others (corps officers, soldiers, atheists, goths, skaters, etc). Defeat hell on earth by spreading the riches of heaven.

There's another project that involves thinking (a secret op that I'm letting you in on): for now, I'm calling it The Salvation Army Core. Read this and tell me what it means:

We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God and that they only constitute the Divine rule of Christian faith and practice.

Dont' just tell me what it literally means . . . but what does it mean in terms of action? What do we do with this? Because we believe that to be true, how does it manifest itself in our lives from day to day? We have known (or should have an idea) what this literally means for a long time. Have you thought about how it translates into action? What's faith without action?

Claim it. Foot soldiers, you have the power to win or lose the battle. Leadership can do some things to reposition the troops, but who is fighting the battles?

Grace,

Desmond

2/20/2007

Harper, Gates announce AIDS vaccine initiative

Even to a hard-core Mac fan-boy Canadian living in America, this is very cool:

Canada will be the site of a new facility to manufacture and test vaccines to fight HIV/AIDS, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates announced Tuesday in Ottawa.

Ottawa will contribute $111 million toward the new Canadian HIV Vaccine Initiative, while the Microsoft founder, through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, will donate $28 million.

Harper and Gates signed the multimillion-dollar agreement during a news conference on Parliament Hill.

The new initiative will accelerate the pace of finding a vaccine to fight the virus that causes AIDS, and move possible vaccines to the clinical trial stage more quickly, said Harper.

"HIV/AIDS is one of the most heartwrenching health crises the world has ever seen," said Harper. "It is one of the greatest scientific challenges of our time."

Gates said: "AIDS is a very tough problem. The long-term solution is a vaccine."

Gates sidestepped a question on whether he believed Harper, who didn't attend the 2006 Internatlonal AIDS Conference in Toronto, was making the announcement in a bid for support ahead of an expected spring election.

"I'm glad to hear that putting research money into AIDS makes people politically more popular," said Gates, drawing laughter from those at the news conference.

Efforts aim to prevent AIDS

Worth about $50 billion US, Gates is the world's richest man. He has endowed the foundation, named after himself and his wife, with $24 billion US to support global health, library and education initiatives around the world.

Through their foundation, Gates and his wife Melinda have donated more than $500 million US to AIDS, as well as tuberculosis and malaria.

Speaking to the CBC's Peter Mansbridge last week, Gates said he expects a vaccine will be developed in his lifetime.

Gates will address the Canadian Chamber of Commerce later Tuesday.

Roughly 65 million people around the world have been diagnosed with AIDS since it was first identified in 1981. The United Nations estimates close to three million people died from the disease in 2006.

Original Story at: CBC.ca.

Grace,

Des

2/16/2007

Brody

Another shot of Brody and Des.

Brody being sweet

This is a great shot of Brody. Excuse his cleaning practices - but he is pretty funny. He made me laugh.

Des

2/15/2007

Overview of Google Browser Sync, a Firefox Add-on

Linux Tech Daily provides an overview (with screenshots) of Google Browser Sync for Firefox. It synchronizes not only your bookmarks, but also your settings. A perfect fit for people who run Firefox from multiple computers. This overview covers installation, use and privacy.If you use Google and you use Firefox (like all of us really should) and you use it on multiple computers, then you really need to have a look at this tool.Des



read more | digg story

2/08/2007

razealittlehell.com

Hey.

One of the things I've been working on lately is a site developed completely using Flash for the course that I am currently completing. I had an idea some time ago to develop a site called razealittlehell.com - inspired by a sermon from Mars Hill. Since I had to develop a site for the course anyway, why not choose this one.

So, if you want to see what I've been working on . . . just go to http://www.razealittlehell.com/testing/RazeHell.swf. There is a lot left to be done, but I keep changing/tweaking/editing this every day. I've got about a week left on it . . . any feedback would be appreciated.

Grace,

Des

2/02/2007

Got some time to Kill?

If you've got some time to kill, there are 4 videos here that you may want to watch. These are two projects of the Carolinas' Music and Arts Conservatory video class from the summer of 2006. Basically, these students had to write and direct these scripts and I pieced the footage together at the end of the summer. Since YouTube limits me to 10 mins of video, I had to break both into two pieces.

So, enjoy

JohnBoree Part 1:


JohnBoree Part 2:


James Q. Liger Part 1:


James Q Liger Part 2: