IBM dives into OpenOffice.org development

IBM joins forces with OpenOffice.org to contribute code and resources starting with the iAccessible2 accessibility tool. Once it’s assimilated into OpenOffice.org, it’ll make ODF more attractive to governments, which often require that the technology they purchase be accessible to all of their users, including the disabled.

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Christian of the 21st century

“The Christian of the future will be a mystic or he will not exist at all.”–Karl Rahner.

Fr. Bob Struzynski, OFM told me that a couple of years ago during one of my visits to Mt. Irenaeus. It resonated for me then and continues to more and more each day and week. I am drawn more and more to the mystical Christ. I always was. There was always something much deeper than words for me. Continue reading “Christian of the 21st century”

Thoughts on the 1960’s and now

In reading the comments on the feed at Lifehack.org that I wrote about yesterday I’m struck by the tone of some of the comments. Life is not as some would have us believe an us vs. them. It’s not conservative vs. liberal. Life is very nuanced. Life in the 1960’s that’s drawn the ire of some conservatives was very unsettling. It was a time of flux much like today. There were wonderful things that happened like Martin Luther King, the Civil Rights movement, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the 1964 Worlds Fair, Neil Armstrong walking on the moon.  There were terrible things that happened like the little girls getting killed in the 16th Street Baptist church bombing, the Kennedy assasinations, the Martin Luther King assasination and the Vietnam war. Continue reading “Thoughts on the 1960’s and now”

Be yourself

I came across a great piece of writing this morning and I wanted to share it.

Conformity has very little to recommend it. Trust yourself and trust others. Our world has so little trust even a little more is precious. If you can’t trust who you are—the naturally valuable, curious, interesting, and exciting person you were born to be—why should anyone else trust you?

Mediocrity and inner frustration are the true price of conforming. Only those with the courage openly to live their dreams can ever hope to find lasting satisfaction with their lives.

Read more here.

Hazy summer thoughts..

It’s hot here tonight. It’s muggy and hot. Today the daytime temperature in the Genesee Valley and Rochester, New York area exceeded 95F. That’s very warm in Western New York. It may not be global warming but it’s unusual. I went shopping at the Lands End Inlet store adjacent to Market Place Mall in Henrietta, New York. Continue reading “Hazy summer thoughts..”

Navman

In the last six years I’ve purchased a half dozen GPS units. Up until recently they all had been hand held units. My first two units were Magellan 310 and Magellan 315 units which I purchased for handheld navigation when I’m flying. Last year I purchased a Magellan Explorist. Continue reading “Navman”

Well said..

I came across this video on TalkingPointsMemo. It’s to the point and part of what is wrong with both Democrats and Republicans.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRnAUFMSUZc]

More thoughts

When I was a child I grew up next to the Arcade Library. I learned how to read at school and I’m blessed with enough intelligence and a sense of curiosity to wonder how things work. I spent hours each week at the library as a child learning how to read and gather more information and vicarious experiences from the authors I read. I even learned skills out of books, but most of the time I needed visual models. Before the World Wide Web was born I would curl up with encyclopedias at work and read them. I’m really fascinated with learning about the world we live in. Continue reading “More thoughts”

Thinking out loud

I got a nice email from a colleague who’s been writing me as part of an ongoing discussion about the use of Open Office in a K-12 school system. Long story short we’re going back to using Microsoft Office 2000 with students because using Open Office 2.0 made some teachers uncomfortable.  Continue reading “Thinking out loud”

Shift Happens

I may have written about this before, but it’s more timely each day. It’s a story that isn’t told much on mainstream media. Today’s politicians are focused on “important issues” like gay rights, gay marriage and abortion. The media has a larger story to tell about Paris Hilton and other celebrities. The MSM can’t be bothered with stories that really matter to you and I. That is why a short video clip has to circulated by bloggers, the Gutenbergs of the twenty-first century. I hope you take time to watch this well done video and ask yourself how this affects your life.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMcfrLYDm2U]

We’re surrounded by lots of folks who don’t realize that the world we were born into is changing. The United States is on its way down and both India and China are on their way up. Did you know that China holds most of our debt?  When I was a young boy, Nikita Krushchev, former Soviet Premier, stood at the United Nations and stated, “we will bury you.” That was frightening to a little boy. We were soaked in fear by our government that the Soviets were going to do us in. We had air raid drills and nuclear disaster drills. We were always prepared for an armed onslaught from the dreaded Russians. It never happened, but what has happened is the gradual sell off of the United States by our own politicians and policy makers. We buried the Russians, but the Chinese and Indians are going to bury us and they won’t even fire a shot.