Celtic Odyssey

Well, it’s been a crazy six months but Ubuntu’s latest Operating System (OS) is available today ! It’s Ubuntu 11.04 (‘Natty Narwhal’) and it’s quite a change from the tradition look that people have come to expect from Ubuntu. I have been testing this since the Alpha 1 release (I installed the Alpha 3 release as my everyday system) and, while it’s been a wild ride, the finished product is absolutely amazing to use and stunning to look at! One of the biggest changes is in the different versions. There is no longer a netbook version or a desktop version. There is just one interface - Unity - for all devices; desktops, netbooks, tablets, etc. Yes, you read that right, even tablets. Ubuntu 11.04 ships with the new uTouch technology that allows you to touch the screen to manipulate your system (if your system hardware has this feature). I’m not going to write a long post about it but encourage you all to go over to OMG! Ubuntu to look their wonderful page dedicated Natty . It’s full

Three monks walked slowly, meditatively, towards the huge oak tree in the center of the grove. They had just come from the Morning Office where the Gospel reading was the Sermon on the Mount . Without saying a word, they all sat in a circle under the mighty oak tree, an ancient symbol of Life. They sat in silence for a long time. Finally, the youngest monk asked, ‘What do you think it means?’ ‘You don’t want my opinion,’ the oldest monk said. ‘I think that it is a goal, something that we try to achieve. But...’ the last monk paused. ‘But I don’t think it is something that we can obtain in this world’s realm.’ ‘Then we will never try,’ the oldest monk replied. ‘What do you mean,’ the youngest monk asked. ‘I mean that if we think that we can’t achieve it, we will not try to achieve it.’ ‘So, you think we can be perfect now?’ the last monk questioned. ‘There is no indication,’ the oldest monk said, ‘that our Saviour’s words were meant only as an unrealizable ideal. Do you really

Over several years now, my wife and I have had an ongoing conversation regarding ways to help those in need. But, like a lot of us, the need is overwhelming. The more we see, the more we want to help. But the reality is, we just don’t have the resources—whether that’s time, talent, or treasure (and in our case, it’s usually all of the above!). We squeeze some room in here and there, but for the most part, we just don’t know where to turn. And, let’s be honest, how much change can one or two people make? Whether it’s devastation in Japan, or the enormous issues plaguing Africa, or the child slave trade, it’s just too much. Or is it? What if there were ways that our everyday decisions could impact people on a global scale? What if there was a chance that just, say, buying a shirt, could help reduce the exploitation of people around the world? The good news is that there is! I just read a book that helps ordinary people work for change in everyday ways. It’s called Everyday Just