two or three . net

GUIDE: Favorite Google Chrome Extensions

I have moved off of Firefox for Google Chrome, for now.  If you load the DEV version (5.x), you finally have an almost worthy browser from Google.  Here's my favorite extensions.

Last Update: 05.17.10

GUIDE: Books on Christianity and Science

Here's my list of resources for those interested in the history of religion and science, both pro and anti-religious.

THEIST

For the Glory of God: How Monotheism Led to Reformations, Science, Witch-Hunts, and the End of Slavery by Rodney Stark

Stark argues that faith in God encouraged Christians to invent science. Having read other books making the same claim, I think Stark's approach to this question is one of the best. Not only does he go over the development of technology in the so-called "Dark Ages," and show how the "Enlightenment" picture of Copernican era science is a myth, he studies 52 key early scientists, and shows that more than 60 % were "devout," while only 2 were skeptics. The critic below who asks why Christianity did not produce science in Russia did not read attentively: Stark argues that faith in God was a necessary, but not sufficient, cause of the rise of science. Other factors were also involved. ~ From this excellent review

Setting Up A New Windows PC - Updated

I seem to build or rebuild a Windows hard drive regularly (like again today), so here's my updated list of what to install. 

Last Update: 04.17.10

Changes:

• added CleanMem

Guide: Best Atheist / Secularist / Anti-theist Podcasts?

I love the whole debate scene, and I have listened to a lot of Christian and non-Christian news podcasts, and narrowed down my favorites to Guide: Favorite Podcasts for Christians. Now, I want to venture out into the land of my ideological opponents.  Here's my list so far.  Most of these I got from the list at Podcast Alley.

Last Update:  03.01.10

Guide: Best Podcasts for Christians

I have subscribed to many podcasts over time, and most of them fail to enlighten significantly.  However, a few have stood the test of time, and I enjoy them regularly. You'll note that most of them are weekly rather than daily - because less often usually means better content. 

Last Updated: 03.01.10

Added:

• Conversations from the Pale Blue Dot (the only atheist podcast worthy of being on my Christian podcast list)
• I also demoted many from Essential to Good - trying to keep the best up top.

Guide: Best Android Apps for the Motorola Droid

Here's my list of favorites.  Feel free to comment, and bookmark this page, I will update regularly, I'm always testing.  Thanks!

Last Updated: 02.26.10

Updates:

• I have stopped updating this page, but have created a new public list of my favorite android apps at appbrain.com

Guide: Conservative Social Action Blogs

I subsribe to way more blogs than I read.  I wanted to pare down my political blogs to just the few that would help me take action against the alarming initiatives of the Obama administration.  Here's my latest list.

Last Update: 11/20/09

• American Family Association
• Faith 2 Action
• Glen Beck - the 9/12 Project
  
• Heritage Foundation

Guide: best online Bible tools

There's a ton out there, and Aaron, please feel free to add to this list.  Here are my favorites so far:

Bible Study

• biblegateway.com – this site I use quite a lot because you can search a passage across many translations at ONCE, and view the differences (try Passage Lookup in the left nav) – includes translations into other languages
• blueletterbible.org  - all in one study tool to find commentaries and word definitions, etc.  Totally cross-linked and cross-referenced.
• netbible.org – this one is interesting bc it is the first “open source” bible, meaning that there are no copyright restrictions like with ALL other English bible translations.  Also, they offer copious interpreters notes to go along w/ each verse, including alternate readings and why they made certain interpretive decisions.  You can mouse over footnotes to see them below.  You can also buy this translation, with all the notes, as a regular Bible.  However, I did not do that because it is not my favorite English translation – there are others (copyrighted ;) that I like more, as far as readability are concerned (probably roughly equal in translation quality).

History and Background

• ccel.org - Christian Classics Etherial Library has lots of good secondary docs, including stuff by the Church Fathers

Commentaries

• searchgodsword.org - lists commentaries next to search results

Theology

• 263 Theology Questions and Answers on Video
  (reclaimingthemind.org)

Firefox 3 Extensions - Updated

Lots of stuff broke with the FF 3.5 release.  Items with * are broken.

Last Update:  07.14.09

• Added Tab Mix Plus Dev release to ESSENTIAL
• Added to COOL BUT NON-ESSENTIAL
• Addedto TRYING
• Added to RARELY USED
• Added Kallout to REJECTED

Guide: Blackberry Curve Software Resource Links

Here's my list of useful Blackberry links.  See other Blackberry Guides in Guides.

Last update:  08.13.09

Added

• BlackBerry OS Super Page

Blackberry Curve Tips, Tricks, & Troubleshooting Guide

OK, this is not a comprehensive guide, just things I have had to look up to solve.  I'll add to this as I solve problems.  Here's a current list:

• Added Making Google Voice your main voicemail

Last Updated:  04.18.09

Blackberry Curve - My Favorite Software and Accessories

Last Update:  09.21.09

• Added Viigo News

Essential Products for Babies III - Furniture, Climbers, and other large things

In Part I, I covered medicines and ointments.  Part II - Transportation.  Now, on to furniture and climbing toys I think are essential for the new parent.  This list is woefully incomplete, but here's the things we found incredibly useful.

1.  Changing table with a drawer or two - we didn't have one of these for our first child, but putting one downstairs in the living area was a huge help - upstairs, we change on the bed, but down, there is only the floor or the kitchen table.

Essential Products for Babies II - Transportation

In Part I, I covered medicines and ointments.  Now, on to transportation items I think are essential for the new parent.

1. ERGO Baby Carrier - supposedly better than the BabyBjorn, these are pretty handy, but mostly for Dads.

Guide to safe, effective online shopping

There are many steps to finding and purchasing items at the best price online.  And there are a growing number of great tools to help.  Here are my tips for safe, effective, online shopping.

Last Update: 03.21.09

• Added Amazon Discount Finder

Essential Products for Babies I - Medicines and Ointments

As a father of three, I have tried many products for babies and toddlers.  Here's my best of list.

1. Baby Oil - great for cleaning crusty noses and faces, moisturizing dry scalps and skin, and a great massage and marital aid

Songbird Extensions Guide - Updated

For those of you who love to use Firefox extensions, you'll love Songbird, an iTunes-like music player, but open source, so you can add all kinds of extensions, using the exact same screen metaphors as Firefox - in fact, I think it's somehow based on FF.  I wonder if the extensions for both will interfere.  Argh, a new software addiction!  Here's my list of extensions.

As with FF, they have an aggressive upgrade path, so extensions compatible with v. 0.5 are labeled with a * (note:  v. 0.6 is on it's way, and already in a stable beta if you want to try it).

Last Update: 04.18.08

Blackberry Curve Software Also-rans

Here's the software I tried that is either decent but not used, or bested by another product, or at worst, sucks.  Check out my Blackberry Curve Software - Favorites for those that bested these products. See other Blackberry Guides in Guides.

Last Updated:  04.08.08

• Added Reverse Lookup 

Firefox 2.0 Extensions - Updated

Latest update: 03.12.2008

• added Tab Scope to ESSENTIAL
• added Ad Block Plus, Bandwidth Meter and Diagnostics, Firefox Preloader, Microsoft Activities for Firefox, Pricepinx to TRYING
• added AutoSaveTextToCookie , DownloadHelper, DownloadThemAll!, Firefox Companion for ebay, Grab and Drag, MyVidoop Plugin, NoScript, Unplug, VideoDownload Helper to RARELY USED
• added (nothing) to DON'T LIKE
• updated CLEO Extensions file (see instructions for uploading all my extensions, below).

My Favorite Web 2.0 Services - Updated

Last Updated:  03.04.08

• Added RefTagger

I'll update this regularly like I do my Blackberry, Firefox plugins and Setting Up A New Windows PC pages.

How to turn off annoying MS Word Features

UPDATE 08/28/2007

• Thanks to Jim for helping complete the turning off of "Show Markup."

Here's my list of things to turn off.  Man, they are annoying.  Enjoy.

How to add a progress bar to your PPT presentations

Go to http://www.indezine.com/addin/thermometer/ and follow the instructions.  Nice.

How to change the default properties for new MS Excel 2003 workbooks

If you get tired of having to always delete the extra blank worksheets in a new excel workbook, or tire of having to set up the same headers and footers you always do, you can just change your default workbook to match your preferences.  Below, I give you two methods.

Firefox Tricks: Searching from the Address Bar

I've permanently removed the search box from my Firefox toolbar.  I've hated it because the keyboard shortcut to set the focus on it is CTRL-K, which is a pain, esp. compared to the very easy ALT-D to set focus on the address bar.  Wouldn't it be easier if I could specify which search engine I wanted, as well as enter the search term right into the address bar?  You CAN, and it works nicely.

Essential iTunes Windows Plugins

Updated:  10/17/07 - moved most plugins to "Don't Use Anymore"

This isnt' really a spiritual issue, but I use iTunes on windows XP.   In addition to iTunes, there are some cool things you can use with it:

• iTunes - if you are still using Winamp or Windows Media Player, I strongly suggest you try itunes.  It is way better than WMP, and I think it's easier to use than winamp.  BTW, after you install it, I recommend the following setup items in Edit > Preferences:
  • Podcasts Tab:  Check for new epidisodes (every hour), Keep (last 10)
  • Sharing:  Turn it on for your friends on the network
  • Advanced > General:  Keep iTunes folder organized (this is a good idea)
  • Advanced > Importing:  Import Using (MP3 encoder) ***this is important because the default is AAC - it's a better codec, but mp3's are easier to share across other players.