Incredible advancement in very important science… “With its latest AI program, AlphaFold, the company and research laboratory showed it can predict how proteins fold into 3D shapes, a fiendishly complex process that is fundamental to understanding the biological machinery of life. Independent scientists said the breakthrough would help researchers tease apart the mechanisms that drive……
Tuesday, November 17, 2020
Since I was in college (maybe before), I found the concept of pillows strange. So, I started sleeping without one. I’ve always primarily been a “stomach sleeper” (which is a benefit if I ever do contract Covid, I guess). My normal sleeping posture involves my head resting on my left arm face down with my……
Monday November 16, 2020
This is something else… https://twitter.com/ProducerMcD/status/1327084294444085249?s=20 Monday’s are always slightly (if not totally) chaotic here at home. Like many Americans, we’re homeschooling our children while working from home. After 8 months or so of this, we’ve gotten into a pretty good rhythm and everyone basically understands our schedules and roles. There are days when emergency client……
Friday, November 13, 2020
It’s been a week but still relevant: https://twitter.com/AynRandPaulRyan/status/1324295586795827200?s=20 Here in South Carolina, I’m seeing a mix of responses to the spiking Covid rates. Some of our friends (especially parents of young children) are full of despair and “over it” to put it lightly. I also have clients in-town who seemed confused when I say “No,……
Instagram’s New Home Screen and Importance of Reels
Today we’re announcing some big changes to Instagram – a Reels tab and a Shop tab. The Reels tab makes it easier for you to discover short, fun videos from creators all over the world and people just like you. The Shop tab gives you a better way to connect with brands and creators and……
ZOOM and Google Calendar
Just received this email from ZOOM regarding changes to how Google Calendar allows for default conferencing options… Many of us in the post-Corona Virus world have learned to love the integration between Google Calendar and ZOOM available in Google Suite / Workplace. Google evidently has noticed that and is pushing out a change that makes……
Embrace Spontaneity in Your Zoom Calls
Most surprising, he said, was how much his students came to enjoy brief appearances from his pug puppy, Gus. Warner hasn’t decided yet whether Gus will continue his cameos, but the response was a good sign that spontaneity still has a place in Yale’s classes. “It acknowledges that we’re all doing this from various spaces……
About the Microsoft and Walmart Acquiring TikTok Deal
The idea would be to help turn TikTok U.S. into more of an e-commerce app for creators and users, much like what TikTok parent company ByteDance does with a similar app in China. Source: Microsoft working with Walmart on TikTok deal – Axios One of the main reasons TikTok has taken off with influencers, soccer……
Chalk Apocalypse
So, when Hagoromo announced that it was going out of business in 2014, it caused a rupture in the math community.” I referred to it as a chalk apocalypse,” Conrad said. In a panic, mathematicians across America began stockpiling resources in preparation.” I calculated how many boxes I would need to last 10 to 15……
Maybe George Lucas Was Right
I’ve been rewatching Star Wars with my 4 year old son the last few weeks. We started with A New Hope > Empire > Jedi then worked our way back to Phantom Menace and now Attack of the Clones (with Revenge of the Sith then Clone Wars after that). I have to admit… after the……
Rise of OnlyFans, Decline of Influencer Marketing
Interesting dynamics for the marketing world (something I’ve been arguing for since “influencer marketing” became a thing years ago) as we continue to see re-evaluations of things like Google Ads and social media marketing as well. The landscape is changing rapidly and I’ve been on a ton of strategy calls with clients lately trying to……
“Reopen” Domain Surge
Propaganda and misinformation are easy to propagate on the web as one of my mentors, Wayne Porter, would frequently show me. Now is not the time to let our guard down. That lookup returned approximately 150 domains; in addition to those named after the individual 50 states, some of the domains refer to large American……
5 Years of Apple Watch
Wow, seems like yesterday… can’t believe it’s been five years. Today marks the fifth anniversary of the Apple Watch launching on April 24, 2015. Source: Looking Back on Five Years of Apple Watch – MacRumors
Facebook Launches Messenger Rooms to Go After ZOOM’s Market Boom
Interesting play that was pretty predictable. But I do wonder if Facebook’s presence with nonprofits, churches, and small businesses will mean that Messenger Rooms takes off on a steep path of adoption? I think it just might because so many people in those areas are “already on Facebook” and comfortable with the platform as opposed……
Google Slashing Marketing Budget
Read the tea leaves, folks. Things aren’t “re-opening” anytime soon. This is a long term situation and those at the top of the food chain are very much aware of the coming choppy waters… Google is slashing its marketing budgets by as much as half for the second half of the year, according to internal……
Episode 160: Gesticulating Wildly
This week we take a look back on a fascinating week of religion news and discuss how to talk to people who don't think the same way you do before closing out with a little history lesson on Acts 4-5. Support Thinking Religion Links: Loving Enemies Is Hard at Post-Impeachment Prayer Breakfas…… | News &……
Episode 159: You Can’t Get a Babysitter For Church
Merianna and Sam discuss church schedules, life of the pastor's spouse, missing Sunday morning worship, Micah 6:8, and high church baptists. Support Thinking Religion Links: The Aviator (2004) – IMDbJohn Roderick (musician) – Wikipediaoremus Bible Browser : Micah 6What is a High Church Baptist? – Sam Harrelson
Episode 158: We Don’t Talk About That in Church
This week, Revs. Merianna Neely Harrelson and Sam Harrelson discuss canonization, the politics of commentaries, Jonah's Whale, interpretation history, Doomsday Clock, Harrowing of Hell, and masturbation lessons from Sunday School. Support Thinking Religion Links: Did Jonah Really Get Swallowed by a Whale? | The Institute for Creation Research — Yikes… quite the hot take here……
Google’s Ads Updates in Search Results
We manage a number of Google Ads campaigns for clients. We’ve definitely noticed an uptick in desktop CTR’s since the updates (same as what happened with mobile last year). But a Google Ads campaign is only as good as the conversions it drives. If the quality tanks b/c of more junk clicks, ad spends will……
“The Next Day” Sermon
Bonus episode here as the main show will be coming out a little later this week. This is audio from Sam's sermon on John 1:29-42 this past Sunday at Garden of Grace UCC in Columbia, SC about sin, community, identity, and why he started going to church. Support Thinking Religion Links: oremus Bible Browser :……