BITS kickoff I am sponsoring an on-campus club called the "Biola Information Technology Society" (BITS). We are having our first meeting tomorrow night at 9:30 at the SUB at Biola. The club's stated mission is to:

• use information technology for ministry opportunities.
  
• help with IT career planning.
  
• meet and network with other Biola students who are interested in a career in IT.

The Biola Computer Store has graciously donated iTunes gift certificates and an iPod nano as giveaways for the first meeting! We hope to generate a lot of interest in the club tomorrow night and get off to a good start!

If you're around campus, drop on by.  ¶ 6:55 AM 1 comments

  What were they thinking?
I just read the Frank Hayes column in Comuterworld on FEMA's disasteraid site. For some inexplicable reason, FEMA is requiring the use of IE6 to apply for disaster aid. Hayes' article does a good job of blasting FEMA. But I'd like to also add my $.02. In the review process for making this decision (assuming that a review process was used), did they even think of the fact that, in a major disaster, schools are often used as shelters and that many schools have only Apple Macintoshes? Or that a disaster victim may get set up on a low-cost Linux/Firefox PC?

When I went to the FEMA site to check on this myself (posted photo), it turns out that you don't even see the browser compability error until you are already three screens into the process!  ¶ 12:12 PM 0 comments

  Two places at once I have been invited to be an occasional poster over at the GodBlogCon blog. I will be posting there on issues having to do specifically with blogging and the impact it is having. Check it out.  ¶ 10:00 AM 0 comments

  Our civic responsibility Today in my MIS class, we discussed the NAE's statement For the Health of the Nation. This document is a call to evangelicals to get off their butts and get involved in our society. For a good analysis of it, see the extensive review at Mark D. Roberts blog site.

The reason I have my MIS class read this document is to get them thinking about our responsibility as Christians to those who are less fortunate and specifically to those who are on the other side of the digital divide. In our discussion today, I was pleasantly surprised by some of the well-thought out responses, both in support of the statement and not supporting it. For the most part, those that did not support it thought it was too vague; those supporting it appreciated the fact that it made them think and it was, at the very least, an attempt at unifying evangelicals together for a larger purpose.  ¶ 9:29 PM 0 comments

  So you want to help... Here are some links to several sites where you can donate to help out with the relief effort for Hurricane Katrina. Click on the link for more information on each organization and to donate.

Salvation Army
Red Cross
Samaritan's Purse
Evangelical Free Church of America
Soldier's Angels

Do it.  ¶ 9:41 PM 0 comments

  Mark D. Roberts on the web's response to Katrina Looks like everyone is taking notice of this trend. Check out this article by Mark D. Roberts on the phenomenon.

One point I'd like to make here: I am hearing a lot of self-congratulations from bloggers on how great their response is and how they are "making a difference". While this seems to be true, let's not forget those who have always been making a difference: the Salvation Army, the Red Cross, and many other fine organizations. Less self-congratulation and more helping is what's needed.

Categories: Hurricane Katrina, disaster  ¶ 7:59 AM 1 comments

  Using technology to connect with those in need The scenes in Louisiana and other parts of the South are nothing new. Hurricanes and earthquakes have always been with us, and their impacts have had varying levels of devastation. What is new is that we can connect as never before with those going through it. Before the web, we could get reports on these sorts of disasters through television and newspapers. But now, we can get real stories about real people, direct from those being affected. Pictures can be uploaded instantly. Relief efforts are available at the click of a button. We can even immediately turn to Christian leaders for guidance, comfort, and wisdom. For those willing to take the time, the full impact of this disaster can be absorbed.

As Christians, it is our duty to help those in need. I hope you take the time to understand what has happened, reflect upon it, and then do your part to assist those as God leads you.

Update: Doug Tennapel is graciously offering a copy of one of his books OR an original drawing from his Catscratch TV series to anyone giving $50 by the end of the day today. If you needed a bit more prodding - here it is!

Categories: Hurricane Katrina, disaster  ¶ 8:35 AM 0 comments