The Alliance eCommunity: The Alliance eCommunity -> Jason Linscombe's Blog

i have been spending the day getting inspired and working up a new sign-in process for cmalliance.org. right now it's a little complicated creating an account, logging in to the system and navigating around. ecommunity and mycma aren't connecting well together and sometimes users are required to login multiple times during a session. we're also trying to make it easy to keep up with your favorite countries and international workers as updates are posted online. if you have any good ideas throw them my way!

today has been an especially busy day working with the team on the upgrades for the ecommunity. i'm finally getting a chance at home to collect my thoughts. much of these upgrades today are technical improvements... mostly behind the scenes. although there are a few nice things on the front end.

one significant change is the blog section. you can now make your blog visible to guests (no login required) if you choose. sign in is required for posting comments. there are some great updates in the profile page and control panel sections. i hope you enjoy the new look find great ways to connect with others in the alliance.

avery helping me at work today

i was reading this article on Wired News called Fighting Fat-Wallet Syndrome which expressed the author's frustration with having a card for everything under the sun right in your wallet. I know in mine, i have my medical insurance card, my driver's license, bank/credit cards, and about half a million discount cards for qdoba, starbucks, and other places to eat.

the point is that with today's technology, there is no reason this couldn't all be linked to your driver's license or some common/generic card which all of them are linked to. i could totally see where this was going... i figured embeded chips in your wrist or head would be the obvious choice since cards can get lost or stolen. i've always thought the "end times" must be near with all of the "signs of the times" and thinking that we certainly have the technology in place to start up the infamous 666 as mentioned in the bible. however, i was surprised to read on with it taking a different angle.

i find it interesting to think about how our corporations would go into shock from not having all of that "free" advertisement in our wallets. forcing businesses to remove their logos from a discount card or membership card in favor of consolidating everything into one would be a nightmare for identity theft. but the real thing holding it up would be that many companies use that card as a primary means of advertising and collecting information about customers. think about how many times you've gone to starbucks just because you see that card. logic tells me the'll never go for it! i know that's not true... i've read revalations, but i just find this ironic.

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did you know that the Alliance website has several RSS feeds? check it out: http://www.cmalliance.org/rss

what is RSS you ask? Really Simple Syndication. Basically we package content from the website in a standard format which lots of web browers and news readers can understand. then, when content changes, your news reader will let you know about the updates. Wikipedia has lots more (than you'll want to know) about RSS if you are curious: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RSS

BERLIN (Reuters) - An aggressive squirrel attacked and injured three people in a German town before a 72-year-old pensioner dispatched the rampaging animal with his crutch.

The squirrel first ran into a house in the southern town of Passau, leapt from behind on a 70-year-old woman, and sank its teeth into her hand, a local police spokesman said Thursday.

With the squirrel still hanging from her hand, the woman ran onto the street in panic, where she managed to shake it off.

The animal then entered a building site and jumped on a construction worker, injuring him on the hand and arm, before he managed to fight it off with a measuring pole.

"After that, the squirrel went into the 72-year-old man's garden and massively attacked him on the arms, hand and thigh," the spokesman said. "Then he killed it with his crutch."

The spokesman said experts thought the attack may have been linked to the mating season or because the squirrel was ill.

from reuters.com

WASHINGTON, DC—In a nationally televised address reminiscent of President Kennedy's historic 1961 speech pledging to put a man on the moon, President Bush responded to the global warming crisis Monday by calling for the construction of a giant national air conditioner by the year 2015.

Concept art shows how the 800-mile-wide device would function on a "high cool" setting.

"Climate change is real and it demands a real solution," Bush said. "Therefore, I am committed to dedicating all of the technology, all of the brainpower, and all of the resources we need in order to keep America cool and comfortable well into the 21st century."

The National Air Conditioner Initiative is expected to be the largest public works project in the nation's history. Because technology capable of creating an air conditioner that can fulfill the cooling needs of a continental land mass does not presently exist, the president estimated that research and development alone will require at least $100 trillion in both federal and private sector funds.

"The challenge of building an air conditioner for all Americans will be the greatest we have ever faced," Bush said. "But we must face it. We must act now to ensure that our children and our children's children can live in a world where they don't get sweaty and have to change their shirts all the time."


'We have a responsibility to future generations.'
President Bush

While Bush's speech left many questions unanswered, such as whether the one-touch cooling settings would be under federal or state jurisdiction, reaction from congressional Democrats and Republicans has been largely favorable.

"I applaud the administration for finally taking this issue seriously," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said. "Such a giant apparatus means that Americans from all walks of life, not just the wealthy and privileged, will be able to get relief from the rise in the Earth's surface temperature. And it will create a great many jobs. Just removing and rinsing out the huge filter will require tens of thousands of seasonal laborers."

Petrochemical industry leaders voiced early support of the plan, which would stimulate additional exploration and production of oil and gas to satisfy the machine's staggering energy needs.

Some fiscal conservatives, however, decry the cost of the project and the gargantuan electric bills that would result, saying that a series of mile-high oscillating fans stationed in the Pacific Northwest and blowing in the direction of the jet stream would accomplish essentially the same thing and save billions. Conservative commentator Pat Buchanan expressed his concern that illegal aliens would benefit unfairly from the air conditioner, since many of them work outside, and questioned President Bush's ability to "seal the nation's borders in order to keep the cool air in."

Environmental groups like the Sierra Club have taken a tough stance on the president's plan, demanding it contain legally binding language that ensures the air conditioner will be switched to a special energy-conserving "sleep" setting when the country cools off at night. The White House has shown interest in an "economy mode" option that could be used in the event of a budgetary crisis, but it is still unknown whether such a massive unit would qualify for an Energy Star certification, let alone accommodate built-in money-saving features.

The strongest opposition to the plan has come from Canada. Because the proposed National Air Conditioner would cover 90 percent of the state of North Dakota and face south, the U.S.'s northern neighbor would be directly in the path of superheated air expelled from the machine's back vents. Though Prime Minister Stephen Harper said this would create drought conditions and devastate their farmlands, most believe Canada lacks the clout to halt Bush's air-conditioning agenda.

American air conditioner manufacturers, with whom President Bush reportedly consulted extensively prior to announcing the initiative, will soon be awarded tens of trillions of dollars to design and build the components necessary for the giant unit. Industry leader Lennox is expected to receive at least $30 trillion, including a massive installation fee, while the Carrier Corporation, Trane, and Amana are all jockeying for the next largest contracts.

"Global warming threatens us all, whether we're mowing our lawns, rafting down a river in a national park, or driving to the end of the driveway to get our mail," Bush said. "The task that lies ahead is undeniably hard. But if we do not succeed, we will be profoundly inconvenienced. And I promise you: America will not let that happen."

Speaking at a Democratic National Committee fundraiser Monday night, Al Gore said that now that Bush has taken up the cause of global warming, the former vice president and environmental activist will redirect his energies toward developing a personal spacecraft capable of transporting a family of four to a distant planet.

from The Onion

Challenged, encouraged, broken, and restored, the Alliance family leaves General Council 2007 renewed and more determined than ever to find the Father's lost children and bring them home to His Kingdom. Council 2007 ministered to the Alliance family with some of the most dynamic and inspirational speakers ever-their own!

Alliance president Dr. Gary Benedict led the services with the grace and humility of a servant leader. Our hearts were compelled to worship our Lord through the powerful music teams of Kelvin Walker and Essex Alliance Church.

"Does your ministry matter?" asked John Stumbo in his opening-night message. "Let God give you the power to make an eternal difference," Ron Morrison exhorted. Jonathan Schaeffer reminded us that God's extraordinary power will be made manifest through willing and able ordinary people who provide a holy temple for His Spirit.

God's power touched many lives during Friday night's Healing and Communion service. On Saturday morning, Dennis Episcopo examined Gary Benedict's dream to see Alliance churches filled with healthy, high-capacity leaders who unleash their churches and their laity to complete the Great Commission. "Ministry is tough," he said, "but God wants His leaders 'pumped' and ready to follow Him."

As the procession of flags from every nation representing Alliance work filled the auditorium Sunday morning, the Missions Rally brought it all back to what we're here for-every two minutes, someone comes to Christ through Alliance ministries. The Alliance matters!