AppleTV software update

We're on our third AppleTV remote. Apparently having a 2-year old chewing on it isn't within the expected "normal" wear and tear for it.

Software update to the rescue!

The latest update for the ATV seems to let you program almost any remote for it. There's a new option that lets you step through each of the common functions (left, right, select, play, fast-forward, etc.) -- for each one, it tells you to press the button on your remote that you want to perform that action. It couldn't have really been any easier, and now we get to use our TV remote to control our ATV.

Way to go, Apple!

Marriage defined?

A few questions on this whole thing:

• Many claim that homosexuality is genetic, which would imply that it's hereditary. Really?*



• So marrying any other person should be okay? How about one's brother? or daughter or son? Move the line, but only exactly this far...



• Suppose a church said, "We will not perform nor honor marriages between hispanic people." What kinds of legal challenges might come to such a church?



• The LDS church supports almost everything that same-sex couples are wanting. (Search for "hospital" on this page from lds.org.) What do these couples want that they don't already have? Marriage certificates?



• Protesters are vandalizing church property (writing on walls, damaging fences, etc.), harassing members, and in some cases attacking them. Do these protesters know how those church members voted on Prop. 8? That kind of behavior doesn't sound like something those kinds of people would tolerate in other circumstances.

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* I wonder what the strict-evolutionists think of this idea.

Head-lights: 2 years

I just realized that as of last Friday this blog has been going for 2 whole years! I've impressed myself, I didn't figure I'd submit more than a few posts when I wrote that first one. But I've had a great time and hopefully you have too.

Happy 2-year anniversary, readers. The future is looking brighter every day.

- Bryan

2-line Twilight review

1. Pretty good depiction of a rather weak-story taken from a very cool premise.
2. 75% of the movie-goers were teenage girls, only 3 other adult males in the room.

"You need only believe the truth."

Henry Eyring Sr.:

The significant thing about a scientist is this: he simply expects the truth to prevail because it is the truth. ...

A young man [once] asked [me], "In high school we are taught such things as pre-Adamic men, but we hear another thing in Church. What should I do about it?" I think I gave the right answer. I said, "In this Church you only have to believe the truth. Find out what the truth is!" ... This Church is not worried about that question or other similar questions, because the Church is committed only to the truth. ...

Fortunately there is a way to find the *real* truth, John 16:13, though often it takes more time than I'd like.

Some have asked me, "Is there any conflict between science and religion?" There is no conflict in the mind of God, but often there is conflict in the minds of men. Through the eternities, we are going to get closer and closer to understanding the mind of God; then the conflicts will disappear.

I also noticed this quote, which sounds a lot like my "justified skepticism" entry from earlier.*

Finally, perhaps a believer never does more disservice to religion than to support the truth with bad arguments. The listener spots the obvious errors, becomes impatient, often "throws out the baby with the bath," and turns away, even from true religion.

The world is so full of "legacy" bad arguments I'm surprised there are still people who convert to the gospel these days.

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* I find it fascinating how often I think I have original creative ideas, but really they're just me recalling something I read a long time ago and thinking it was my own. Hence I don't get to be very critical of Bill Swanson, whose book ended up doing the same thing.

College student tries to hug a panda

Aren't panda bears just so cute and huggable? Some college student in China thought so too, so he jumped in and tried it.

The guy's lucky he survived.

Now doesn't Obama strike you as the kind of guy who thinks the terrorists are simply misunderstood people who just need a hug?

Extension cord and a bag of chips

How to properly coil long cords so they don't tangle:

... and how to close a bag of chips without a tie/clip: