April 2016

New Definitions of Masculinity

If change is scary, it’s going to be an increasingly scary world out there for us white male cisgender heteronormatives (we did a pretty good job of mucking things up)… We’ll probably need a new definition of masculinity, too. There are many groups in society who have lost an empire but not yet found a …

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Episode 49: Thinking Out Loud 108: Whose head am I in? – Thinking.FM

  “Elisabeth”and “Merianna” talk about head hopping, naming characters, and feminism. They also talk finally, finally about the ending of Allegiant and what Veronica Roth is working on now.  The reasons you were not promoted that are totally unrelated to gender | McSweeneys  A Conversation with Whales | NY Times Spartanburg Humane Society Is Rey’s …

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Episode 48: Thinking Religion 75: Supersessionism as a Tortured Metaphor – Thinking.FM

  Dr. Thomas Whitley and Rev. Sam Harrelson talk about The Rains Down in Africa, cultural adoption, gender identities, and the supersessionism of “The American Dream.” Mentioned: Thinking.FM is a Launch Partner on Google Play Music Podcasts Kristen and Dax do Toto | Nerdist Prince’s “Get Off” Performance on MTV in 1991 (R.I.P. Prince) | Billboard …

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Sonic’s New #SquareShake is First Milkshake Designed for Instagram

Fast-food restaurant Sonic will debut their new line of milkshakes with a campaign especially designed for Coachella. On April 16, festival-goers will be able to order a #SquareShake exclusively through Instagram and pay by posting a picture to their accounts. Source: ‘Instagram-Exclusive’ Milkshake Hints At The Future Of Social Commerce It’s for the Coachella music festival, …

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Episode 47: Thinking Out Loud 107: Hey, I Know A Writer! – Thinking.FM

  Elisabeth and Merianna talk about what to do when opportunities get dropped in your lap, the dangers of comparing yourself to other people, and who to listen to. Ray Bradbury said, “jump off the cliff and learn how to make wings on the way down.” So, why not jump? Mentioned: Elizabeth Gilbert how to …

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The Psychology of Instagram

Taking a photo and posting it on Instagram, with or without a mug in the frame, is a way for all of us to become our own historians, grasping at tangible evidence of our time on the planet. “Instagram,” Suler said, “is therefore a tool for validating one’s life.” Source: Instagram Is Ruining Vacation — …

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What Facebook’s bot developer platform for Messenger means for your church or business

The bot era has officially begun. In a widely expected move, Facebook today announced tools for developers to build bots inside Facebook Messenger, bringing a range of new functions to the popular communication app. Facebook believes Messenger can become a primary channel for businesses to interact with their customers, replacing 1-800 numbers with a mix …

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Stephen Hawking is backing a project to send tiny spacecraft to another star system within a generation

The concept is to reduce the size of the spacecraft to about the size of a chip used in electronic devices. The idea is to launch a thousand of these mini-spacecraft into the Earth’s orbit. Each would have a solar sail. This is like a sail on a boat – but it is pushed along …

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In honor of #nationalpetday here’s a fun piece on pets from ancient Greece and Rome

The ancient Greeks and Romans were more lavish than the modern world in their expressed affection for beasts. Theirs was a splendid opportunity to know animal life at first hand, not because there were more animals, but on account of the very close relationship effected by polytheistic principles and religious customs.1 Both literature and art …

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Be careful with Emoji on different platforms 😁

Just seeing the difference in emoji presentations is revelatory in itself. But then it gets even more interesting. GroupLens researchers asked subjects to rate 22 anthropomorphic emoji from five platforms by sentiment, using a scale that ranged from strongly negative (-5) to strongly positive (5). And here’s where you start to see where “grinning face …

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Soon, most of what you do on a computer will be done via bots

“Is everything going to become a bot? I don’t think so. There’ll probably still be static apps for professional and authoring tools; Photoshop and CAD and Excel and Evernote aren’t going away; and video games will still be video games. Most of the squishy stuff in the middle, though, will go conversational. Anything that involves …

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Episode 45: Thinking Out Loud 106: Introducing… – Thinking.FM

  Elisabeth and Merianna talk about the art of writing and the powerful way writing can impact people’s lives. Why are you scared to share your story? There’s someone out there who needs to read it. Start introducing yourself! Mentioned: Camp Nano Poor Writing Skills Are Costing Business Billions Computer Writes Novels Her Writers on …

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Episode 44: Thinking Religion 73: Unknown Futures – Thinking.FM

  Dr. Thomas Whitley and Rev. Sam Harrelson discuss the future of medium sized churches, marketing to millennials, and the role of self-selecting in our identity formations. Mentioned: Lotteries: America’s Shame | The Atlantic Facebook Live | FB Pope Francis’ Amoris Laetitia | NY Times The Shrinking PhD Job Market | IHE Mashable laid off politics team …

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Why Your Church or Nonprofit Website Needs Regular Security Updates

One of the items Harrelson Agency itemizes on invoices when building out a new client website (particularly when using WordPress or Drupal) are maintenance and security updates for the year. It’s not a major cost, but I often receive questions about the charge and whether or not it’s really necessary. That’s particularly the case when dealing …

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