Tech Tips for Catholics

Last November, Fr. Augustino and Br. David flew out from the Bronx friary to MC and gave a talk at Catholic Underground LA.  It was great!  Fr. Augustino was supposed to preach at 6:45 p.m., but instead led the core team and the few early birds up to the church to pray a Divine Mercy Chaplet and a Novena.

I was really really excited about meeting Fr. Augustino for the first time.  Fr. Stan was the first CFR I ever met when he came and performed at my high school once upon a decade ago. I think Fr. Stan would leave an impression on just about anyone, so I checked out the community’s website, which has an e-letter of spiritual thoughts and advice posted every week.

I am not embarrassed to say this—I’ve been reading the CFR e-letter off and on for years, and since Fr. Augustino writes for the e-letter often I guess you could say I’m kind of a fan…in addition to being a CFR groupie : )

If you need some more CFR goodness in your life, watch this short documentary on them. It must have been made a while ago as some of the friars are still being called “Brother” but have been introduced to me as ordained priests:

Pax Christi,
Rebecca

Every Friday I post the top 5 favorite blogposts that I’ve come across throughout the week.  You have all weekend now to check them out : )

1. Exposing Twilight: Critical Reviews of Stephanie Meyer’s Saga
2. Did YouTube Just Turn On HD For Real?
3. Craigslist Crackdown
4. Orthodox Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow has died.
5. The Secret of True Love

If you have a blogpost that you would like to share with me feel free to contact Catholic Tech Tips and I will get it.

Have a great weekend!

Joshua

December 5th is the official day of the Ninja!  So in honer of this day, you should read this awesome blogpost titled “The Only Thing We Now Lack are Vatican Ninjas!” Then, create your own Wee Ninjatron! And most importantly, show off your ninja moves throughout the day!  Your co-workers will think you are weird, but who cares, It’s National be like a Ninja Day!

Now, if only I could remember how to make those paper throwing stars that I used to make as a kid!

Here are some cool Ninja stuff that every Catholic Ninja should have in his arsenal:

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“Henry the Ninja” by Popple (MP3 Download) - Every Ninja needs a theme song. Popple is a Christian band (for those of you who have not heard of Popple).  Click here to view more details

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“Catholic Ninja” (T-Shirt from PhatMass.com) - The perfect t-shirt for ninjas in training. If you’re Catholic, a Ninja, or both, then this shirt is for you. Click her to view more details

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“Essential Catholic Survival Guide” (Book) - This book can be used by anyone (especially Ninjas ; ), anytime, anywhere to defend the Catholic faith. It is indexed according to topic in a unique question-and-answer format that allows the reader to find the right answer to any question instantly. It covers the questions and misconceptions people have about the Catholic faith on a variety of topics, including: The Church and the papacy, Scripture and Tradition, Mary and the saints, The sacraments, Salvation, Last things, Morality and science, Anti-Catholicism, Non-Catholic churches and movements, Practical apologetics, and more! Click here to view more details

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“Guerrilla Apologetics for Catholics” (Autographed Book by Author) - A guide to Catholic Apologetics that uses a conversational, questioning style that puts the reader on the offensive, instead of the defensive, but in a charitable way that will foster discussion of faith — instead of quarrels or shouting matches. After all, talking about your faith shouldn’t mean losing friends. Click here to view more details

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“Good Soil” (DVD) - Starring Shin Koyamada (The Last Samurai, Wendy Wu Homecoming Warrior)
Written and Directed by Craig Shimahara

Ships from Europe brought Christianity to the shores of Japan in 1549. For nearly 100 years the seeds of faith grew under the watchful gaze of the shogun. But the fear of foreign influence eventually gave rise to persecution. By 1624 Japanese Christians had only a few more years of peace.

Masuda Jinbei, a Japanese Christian of the samurai class, draws his strength from his faith, family, and fencing. Life is good, until the shogun decrees a brutal policy of religious cleansing. Now Jinbei must choose between his family and his faith.

This short film (Running Time: 22 minutes) combines a retelling of the parable of the sower with a glimpse of the plight of the Japanese converts to Christianity under the shogunate. Click here to view more details

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“The Way of the Christian Samurai” (Autographed Book by Author) As Christians, we are called to be both servants and warriors for Jesus Christ.  The samurai, whose very title means “one who serves,” were skillful warriors of feudal Japan who devoted themselves fully to the service of their masters, willing even to sacrifice their lives in service to their lord. Christians are also called by their Lord, Jesus, to take up their cross and follow Him, and to seek to lose their life for His sake (Matthew 16:24-25). Click here to view more details

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Have any other suggestions? Leave us a comment.

Save money this Christmas season by using CheapTweet!

If you sell Christian T-Shirts, Books, DVDs, CDs, or any other type of items or services, you may want to try utilizing CheapTweet to spread the word about any sales you are running.  You do run specials don’t you?

One of the neat features of CheapTweet is that you can either save a tweet deal or share a tweet deal.  Did you catch what I just did there?  Instead of saying “sweet” deal, I said a “tweet” deal.  Maybe it will catch on : )

I’m horrible at Guitar Hero, the couple of times I’ve tried it at Kmart.  However, I have cousins who love the game, and have gotten pretty good at it (not quite as good as this 8-year-old, but : )

Guitar Praise (similar to Guitar Hero® or Rock Band®) is now available for the Computer!

Product Description: From the creators of the hit game Dance Praise comes Guitar Praise! You can grab the guitar and play along with some of Christian music’s top bands.  Pretend you’re right there on stage with your favorite bands as you handle the guitar controller and play the notes they’re playing.  Or you can add your own unique sounds as you shred those riffs or blast the bass by using the whammy bar.  Watch out, though–if you can’t keep up, the artists stop and take a break, and you’ll have to start all over!

You’ll get a USB Guitar controller (requires 4 AA batteries that are not included), the CD-ROM Game, wireless adaptor, and guitar strap.  To play, press the fret buttons and strum on the strum bar in time the color-coded cues as they scroll across the screen.  If you tilt the guitar at the right time, you’ll activate spinner bonuses for maximum points. There are 4 different levels, so beginners can start slowly, while experts will have their fingers flying as they use all 5 fret buttons while playing the chords and burning through the riffs!

Guitar Praise supports 2 guitar controllers so you can play alone or with a friend.  Each player can play the same track, or one player can play lead and the other play bass. You can even send surprises to your opponent to mess with their playing.  Keep score and earn enough points to get a new guitar with richer sounds and different effects.  Best of all, this game has over 50 songs from some of today’s top Christian artists like 12 Stones, TobyMac, Stellar Kart, Skillet, David Crowder, Hawk Nelson, SuperChick, Caedmon’s Call, Lincoln Brewster, Relienk K, Whitecross, and many more.  The lyrics also display on the screen so that you and your audience can sing along as you play.

Part 1

Part 2

As always, feel free to comment if you’d like.

Advent08 is more than just a way to count down the days to Christmas; it is a way to help transform Advent into a journey of faith.  It is a way to help prepare for the coming of Jesus to live among us, so that the good news of Christmas morn lingers on long after the packages are opened.

This nifty little app is compatible with both the iPod Touch and the Apple iPhone.

Advent08 features include:

• A fully interactive Advent calendar, complete with virtual ‘doors’ that unlock daily as Advent progresses.
• Twenty-five daily devotions, centered in Scripture, to guide reflection and prayer.
• Stunning religious imagery, classic hymns and supplemental prayers that reflect themes from the daily Scripture selection and the Advent journey.

iHabitus develops software that delivers Christianity’s rich cultural traditions using the latest technological advances in a way that is careful, reverent and deliberate. The company’s process is careful, because technology can too often lead to distraction over devotion; it is reverent, so to act as ambassadors of Christ; and it is deliberate, so not to let the medium define the Message. The company’s next launch will coincide with the Lenten season in advance of Easter Sunday 2009.

For my Birthday/Christmas gift, my wife bought me the DCL20A+ computer monitor.  I’ve never had a flat screen monitor, let alone a monitor this wide!  The best part is the affordability of this monitor.  You can’t beat the price (well, maybe you can today, because it is Cyber Monday).

Here are the display specs:

• 20.1 TFT 16:10 wide LCD Monitor
• High resolution 1680 x 1050
• High brightness: 300cd / m2
• High contrast up to 1000:1
• Fast Response Time 2ms (G To G)
• Smart OSD menu
• Support VGA and DVI
• Builst-in AC adapter
• Wall mountable with VESA standard
• Certified for Windows Vista™

Tip: Cleaning an LCD Monitor: It is important to use the right products to clean a LCD screen.  The wrong cleaner can damage the surface of your display.  There are many new cleaning products on the market designed especially for LCD displays.  Though I recommend using a soft, lint-free cloth and a special LCD cleaner,  you can also use a cleaner that contains any of the following: Water, Vinegar (mixed with water), or Isopropyl alcohol.

DO NOT Use cleaners that contain any of the following agents:  Acetone, Ethyl alcohol, Ethyl acid, Ammonia, Methyl chloride!  DO NOT spray any liquids directly on the LCD screen. Always apply the solution to your cloth first!  ALWAYS use a soft cotton cloth.  Some materials, such as paper towels or old rags can scratch and/or damage the LCD screen.

If you have any recommendations for a monitor of choice, feel free to post your comments.

Every Friday I post the top 5 favorite blogposts that I’ve come across throughout the week.  You have all weekend now to check them out : )

1. The B16s Behind The Music
2. Happy New (Liturgical) Year
3. Art is sterile without concern for truth and goodness, Pope argues
4. Amazing Hero Art (Rob Surette)
5. Pro-Life Television Commercials set to air on MTV beginning the day after Christmas.

If you have a blogpost that you would like to share with me feel free to contact Catholic Tech Tips and I will get it.

Have a great weekend!

Joshua

Season 5 is closely upon us!  And  if you are as excited as I am, then you might want to check out this very cool widget!

I can remember when I was a kid, shopping at the grocery store with my grandma. We were skimming down the cereal isle when a little comic book caught my eye. I picked it up and showed it to her, flipping through the pages. She knew what it was apparently, because she quickly took it from my hands. Now that I’m older, I understand why she reacted as she did.

Jack Chick has been spreading fear into the hearts of Christians for decades (in fact, Chick has sold more than 700 million of his tracts). “It used to be you were only in danger of running into this sort of thing in a Turnpike rest stop bathroom or tucked in a blazer pocket at the thrift store,” writes one blogger.

Chick Publications has sadly jumped into the realm of new media. Chick tracts can now be embedded in Facebook, blogs, and other online mediums.

Little is known about this man. For the most part, Jack T. Chick has done a pretty good job of staying out of the public’s eye. Just try to search for a recent picture of Mr. Chick and the only one you may find is the one taken back in the Summer of 2006, at Victory Baptist Church. The first question on Chick Publications’ website, in the FAQ section is, “Is Jack Chick still living?” Their response, “Yes, he’s very much alive, in spite of some very humorous obituaries occasionally posted on the internet…”

So, who is this man? Well, funny you should ask. Jimmy Akin, Director of Apologetics and Evangelization at Catholic Answers, has come out with his latest book titled “The Nightmare World Of Jack T. Chick.” Jimmy Akin’s new book reveals everything you need to know about Jack Chick and the many lies he tells about the Catholic Church and its teachings. Learn how you can defend the faith against Chick’s lies and ridiculous claims!

You can read about the time when Jimmy met Jack Chick. The drawing of Mr. Chick, that is on the cover of the book, was done by Jimmy himself. Here is the story behind this drawing.

Jimmy Akin has authored a few books. You can read Jimmy Akin’s story “A Triumph and a Tragedy,” in one of the “Surprised by Truth” books. He has authored books suchas: “Mass Confusion” and “The Salvation Controversy”, as well as others. You can hear Jimmy on Catholic Answers Live.