The Price of a PC in Today's Economy

I get asked for computer recommendations all the time. All the time, and I love it. I'm glad people respect my expertise being a professional in the industry for a long time, and I am happy to help them. Having the right computer can really empower a person, make the more productive, and yes, even make them more confident.

As with any computer recommendation, price always plays a major factor. It is usually the number one criteria when purchasing a computer as most people have a fixed amount they can spend. In today's economy price is even more a concern. This video plays out a scenario I often experience when helping people:

<br/><a href="http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?vid=0bb6a07c-c829-4562-8375-49e6693810c7" target="_new" title="Laptop Hunters $1000 - Lauren Gets an HP Pavilion">Video: Laptop Hunters $1000 - Lauren Gets an HP Pavilion</a>

Now, to all my Mac friends, of which there are many, I am not out to spark a flame war. I am just stating the fact that an equivalent powered Mac costs 50%-100% more than a PC of the same power. You get more value and options for your money with a PC, and one can get quite a good PC laptop for around $700. Though I still use Macs in my profession, just one of the many reasons I switched from Mac to PC was value, and value is always a concern when people are shopping for a computer.

Another quick tip for computer shoppers: the best time to buy a computer is not after Christmas which most people think, but during the back to school sales for new computers, and right after school starts (Oct-Nov) for great refurbished deals.

So Many English Bibles!

One of the latest research projects I have taken up over the past year has been into the realm of bible translations. Us English speakers who love God's word live in an exciting time where there is a wealth of good bible translations available. Most countries only have one, maybe two translations of the Bible. This is a good problem for us English speakers to have! I will be posting more updates, but here is some preliminary information for those who want to know more about the bible you own.

There are two major translation methods. Formal equivalence (word-for-word), and functional equivalence (thought-for-thought). In all translation methods, the main goal should be to accurately speak what is communicated in God's word without changing the intended meaning or inserting bias.

Word-for-word translations are not necessarily better, and there is no true word-for-word bible translations. Even the phrase word-for-word makes it sound better and more accurate, but this is not necessarly the case. For example, here is a true word-for-word translation of John 3:16:
"Thus for he loved the God the world that the son the only/unique he gave so that every the one believing in him not may perish but have life eternal."

Yeah, so translators need to take some liberty in moving words around so the meaning is not lost. Translations like the King James (KJ), New American Standard (NASB), and English Standard Version (ESV), would be considered word-for-word, even though they really are not. Those that speak a second language will know one could never do a true word-for-word translation. These formal equivilance translations try to give presidence to the form of the original Greek or Hebrew and translate that form into English. This does not always work well, which is why we get a lot of "bible sounding" language that does not sound like proper English.

Also, the English language changes. When the King James was being read in the 1600's, people understood it because people spoke that way. We don't speak that way today which is why people often scratch their heads when reading King James, and that's not how the original Greek and Hebrew was. Formal-equivilance with an outdated language can make something nearly unreadable today. Ah, and you likely thought it was you when you couldn't properly read the bible! The original language of the bible was in the original tounge of people that day so one could understand it.

Also, how would you translate "he is in a pickle" into a different language? This is an English idiom which means someone is in trouble. Does it mean this person is litterly inside of a pickle? Idoms don't translate well as cultures are different, and idoms change over time. Mistranslating idoms such as the example above in word-for-word translations comes up with some funny verses as Mark Strauss demonstrates from the Better Bibles Blog:
Amos 4:6 ESV “I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities” Luke 17:35 ESV “There will be two women grinding together. One will be taken and the other left.”

Functional equivilance, or thought-for-thought translates the same thoughts idea, and idoms from the original language into the language we speak today. The best example of this would be the New Living Translation (not to be confused with the Living Bible which is a paraphrase). The NLT is not a paraphrase as so many mistake it as, but an excellent formal equivilance that is readable and accurate tranaslated by a team of scholars from the original Greek and Hebrew. It also translates outdated time, length and volume measurements into measurements we use today.

Then there are versions such as the New International Version (NIV) and New English Translation (NET) which vary between the two translation methods when appropriate while still attempting to retain rediablilty and accuracy. On the opposite end of the spectum are paraphrases, or translations that places someone interpertation and theological spin on, usually done by one person. If you have The Message, or any other dumbed-down paraphrase, please get rid of it as there are more readiable and accurate to God's word translations out there.

While there are many good bible versions, there is no perfect bible translation, or translation method. Both methods have their pros and cons. My personal favorites are NASB, NIV and NLT. My primary bible is a NIV which I supplement with a NLT, and use a NASB on occasion. I also consult other versions such as the NET, ESV and KJ with Strong's Numbers.

Which bible version do you use?

White Boy Geek Rappers

One of the many things the internet has done is level the playing field for creativity, allowing a voice to those who would normally not be heard. One only need to look at the rise of Homestarrunner or Ask A Ninja for proof. Here is a video by Sniper Twins which is geeky, and very well done.

Self-admition to Media Bias for Obama

The mainstream media is biased, liberal, and those who still believe that news reporting is objective and fact driven are sorely mistaken. At least The Washington Post admits their blatant biased agenda in the 2008 election towards Obama. The first paragraph of the story is an unforgiving self-admission of bias. Some of the more interesting admissions were:

• Laudatory opinion pieces: 32 Obama / 13 McCain
• Negative pieces: 32 Obama / 58 McCain
• Obama got the editorial board's endorsement.
• Stories and photos about Obama in the news pages outnumbered those devoted to McCain.
• 57 percent of the stories were about the horse race and 13 percent were about issues.
• (Picture coverage) Obama led in most categories.
• Some readers complain that coverage is too poll-driven. They're right, but it's not going to change. (Jason's note: Did the polls represent the opinion of the public, or polls influence the public? Polling can lead the lead the person being polled or be made to get the intended results. Also, polls are not issues or stances.)
  
• The Post did nothing on Obama's acknowledged drug use as a teenager.
• The Post went over Palin with a fine-tooth comb and neglected Biden. They are right.

This only affirms the fact the one be a critical thinker and properly discern information. If you ever saw the X-Files, you remember The Lone Gunman, a rogue group of three publishing their own magazine of critical stories the media did not cover, or covered up. Critical news sites are hard to come by, but one I have been reading more of lately has been World Net Daily, which often covers stories before they are mainstream, or stories the mainstream media refuses to.

This Washington Post admission is a sad commentary on major mainstream American journalism where self-interest is disguised as critical analysis and has a major impact on influencing the election. The candidate's image instead of their stance on issues were covered, turning this election into nothing more than a high school prom popularity contest.

The full article can be read here.

Peter Pan Street Names

In Big Bear California, there is a street section along North Shore Drive named after characters from Peter Pan. I first noticed this driving up there on a weekly basis doing computer work for the resorts. Below is a map listing the streets Peter Pan, Tinkerbell, Michael, Wendy, and Nana. Unrelated, there is also Cinderella Drive. Do you have any examples of creative street names?


View Larger Map

Up Trailer

Pixar set the bar so high with Wall-E, I don't know if they can match it. Here is the new trailer for their next film, Up.


And remember Wall-E comes out soon!

Christians, I'm Calling You Out

Christians...

If you didn't vote Yes on 8 to protect biblical marriage...
If you didn't vote Yes on 4 to notify parents before children murder other children...
If you didn't vote for a Pro-Life presidential candidate to prevent 1 million murders a year...

...I'm calling you out. You are sitting on the sidelines. Your priorities are wrong. You are weak. You are doing just what the German church did when Hitler was taking power.

If this offends you, good. I make no apologies, because your beef is not with me, but with God. These are clear issues that the bible is completely black & white about. Get off your butt, recheck your priorities, and don't make the same mistake four years from now. Be the salt of the Earth, be a shining light in the darkness. Don't allow evil to triumph because good men have done nothing.