Archive for February, 2007

The Revelation Song

Monday, February 26th, 2007

The Worship Team at Central has done this song a number of times, and it gets me right there every time. I’ve never been able to find much about it online; I figured that it had been recorded & was on CD. Not that I could find anyway.

Last time it was used in a worship service I recorded it three different times, but each recording has some little glitch with it, but I love listening to it anyway. Laura Wick did an awesome job on it (but then again I think I’d enjoy anything she sang.)

Today they did it again, and had the lyrics on the screen, along with the name of the songwriter — Jennie Lee Riddle.

Turns out I’m not the only one that’s been touched by this song; she’s got quite a following. Don Moen has even included her on one of his CD’s, which is available through iTunes. Jennie’s church, Gateway Church in Dallas, TX, has quite a worship music ministry, and produces & sells their own CD’s — and books — online. I’ve already bought the Don Moen version on iTunes, but will probably buy the Gateway CD — Living For You — to help support the ministry.

But in truth, I think I prefer the Central worship team’s performance!

Posted in Faith & Worship, Music | Comments Closed

The Go-Hub

Monday, February 26th, 2007

gohub.jpg

I love bikes, and love to ride them. But the trouble with bicycling as a means of everyday transportation is that it takes serious work to get somewhere in a decent amount of time. That serious work makes one sweat, and while I don’t have a problem with sweating per se, there are times when sweating is just not… nice. I don’t know about you but I don’t like smelling myself all day after biking to work, and I’m sure others don’t appreciate it either.

So, I’d really like to get one of these; a Go-Hub electric motor. It’s a motorized assist to make the ride easier… To flatten the hills and make the ride to work (or wherever) much less strenuous (and make me easier to be around throughout the day.) And for the ride home, I’d be free to use it or not; get some exercise or get there fast. While I’m not a treehugger by any stretch of the imagination, I still have a difficult time with the concept of driving 2,000-plus pounds of metal just to get my sorry butt to where I need to go. Most of my trips around town are just me in the car, and if I could do it without having to pay for the gas, all the better.

The Go-Hub is essentially an electric motor built into the hub of a front wheel. It sells for about $550, and comes with the battery pack, throttle, etc… The price sounds a bit steep, but considering that I’d be able to get by without buying gas for weeks in a stretch, I think it’d be worthwhile. The batteries give it a range of 25-30 miles, and recharge via 110V AC in a matter of a few hours.

Now to convince the Chief Financial Officer that this would be a good idea…

Posted in Cool Technology, Fun! | Comments Closed

It’s a Small World (and getting smaller)

Tuesday, February 20th, 2007

I just discovered Skype, and am really, really impressed with how that works, and it’s potential. Skype has been around for a while, but not many people know about it or what it can do for them. It’s an Internet-based telephone system that offers free worldwide computer-to-computer calls. That’s F*R*E*E!

It’s a really great service, and I love the FREE part of it. Last weekend Yvonne talked with Thom & Ellen Schotanus, who are BGC missionaries in Cameroon. They are supported in part by our church, and we first met them face to face when we visited Cameroon in 2004. And Yvonne was talking with him like he were on the other side of town. Of course, there’s the 7 hour time differential to deal with, but that’s not insurmountable.

Earlier this week I was using Skype to chat with a guy in Australia, giving him some help in figuring out why an accellerator card I sent him wasn’t working. I was complaining about the below-zero (Farenheit) temps, and he was complaining about the 35 degree (Celsius) temps there. And it didn’t cost a dime.

Between e-mail, Skype and Google Earth (and Google Maps), the world is getting smaller all the time.

Posted in Computers | Comments Closed

Who the heck is T. Denny Sanford?

Monday, February 5th, 2007

Sioux Valley Hospital, a mainstay of healthcare in Sioux Falls, SD, since the 1800’s, just disappeared this weekend. From now on it will be known as Sanford Health, in honor of T. Denny Sanford, who donated $400,000,000 to the hospital foundation this past week.

A Google search yields some interesting results; Sanford is #117 on Forbes’ list of the 400 wealthiest Americans. Interesting that Forbes’ shows Sanford as one of the top philanthropists in the country, and his goal in life is to “Die broke”. Also interesting is that he’s known by his friends as the “wolt”; World’s Oldest Living Teenager. I think I could like this guy.

He’s a lifelong entrepreneur, having made his fortune himself in the banking industry, more specifically First Premier Bank and Premier Bankcard, both based in Sioux Falls.

Philanthropy.org has a nice article on the man and his gift.

Both Yvonne & Emily work at Sioux Valley… I mean Sanford Health. And the campus is only a few blocks from home. On the news last night they showed an architect’s rendering of what the campus might someday look like; I wonder how close it will be in say ten years.

Posted in Just Stuff, sioux falls | Comments Closed