Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-07-25

Posted by admin in Uncategorized on July 25th, 2010

  • @bgodwin wow, way cool and scarey! in reply to bgodwin #
  • @daveruse wow, pretty cool and scarey! Trust my worthwhile guys are still worthwhile! Come back where u belong!!!! in reply to daveruse #
  • Drop Felix off @ downtown Greenville bus station 2 begin his long journey bak2 Singapore.Stop by Falls Park 5am. http://twitpic.com/26ftld #
  • Steven's first visit to American icon – Chick-fil-a. Asks "why the cow?". Welcome to American branding. http://twitpic.com/26solm #
  • Where can we go to compare income in Singapore with income in Greenville SC? For example $40k/yr Sing = ??? Gvl? #
  • 59% of young people in England believe that Bible believing Christians are a danger to society. – Ken Ham @ defending faith conference 2010 #
  • Ken & Buddy in pulpit at Cades Cove church built in 1827. http://twitpic.com/275zxf #
  • On the road again – trip 32 to creation museum. Taking friend from Indonesia. Love the emphasis there on biblical truth and authority! #
  • Steven's first meal @ CrackerBarrel and my first time to be first customer of the day! http://twitpic.com/279lca #
  • Summer time is a great time to take the family to Creation Museum. Let me know if you need tickets. The place is a great faith builder! #
  • My children are among the first @CreationMuseum visitors about 17 years ago! Things have advances a bit. :-) http://twitpic.com/28f3ys #

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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-07-18

Posted by admin in Uncategorized on July 18th, 2010

  • Seven from Singapore enjoys the savory experience of unboxing his first iPad – welcome to USA Day 1. http://twitpic.com/24ywqz #
  • Friend from Indonesia is served his first meal at Mimi's Cafe-too big, he exclaims. Americans have bigger gas tanks to fill I reply. #
  • Steven & Felix from Indonesia introduced to authentic American Asian food at PF Changs. http://twitpic.com/265uh2 #
  • Observations about America from Indonesians: food portions large, people friendly, many trees, fewer people, not enough ipads for sale. #
  • Assisting my Indonesian friends to buy into the American dream – home ownership. http://twitpic.com/269o2h #
  • Indonesian bros get yet another view of America – Pisgah Inn, located 5000 ft atop the famous Blue Ridge Parkway. http://twitpic.com/26at34 #

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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-07-12

Posted by admin in Uncategorized on July 11th, 2010

  • Docked in Juneau. Only 3,730 from home! http://twitpic.com/22y0cn #
  • Yum, yum salmon boat – 80K salmon on board! http://twitpic.com/230zny #
  • Skagway, AK: started in late 1890's to help 100k people make it to the Klondike GoldRush. 30k made it. About 200 found gold. Very soapy past #
  • Nothing like a duck tour in Seattle to end an awesome 30th anniversary Alaskan cruise! http://twitpic.com/246f5m #
  • Let's play ball baby! Mariners hosting the world champion Yankees! http://twitpic.com/248b0s #
  • Grandslam 8th inning by hometeam. 4-1 mariners ! Sweet ball. #

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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-07-12

Posted by admin in Uncategorized on July 11th, 2010

  • Docked in Juneau. Only 3,730 from home! http://twitpic.com/22y0cn #
  • Yum, yum salmon boat – 80K salmon on board! http://twitpic.com/230zny #
  • Skagway, AK: started in late 1890's to help 100k people make it to the Klondike GoldRush. 30k made it. About 200 found gold. Very soapy past #
  • Nothing like a duck tour in Seattle to end an awesome 30th anniversary Alaskan cruise! http://twitpic.com/246f5m #
  • Let's play ball baby! Mariners hosting the world champion Yankees! http://twitpic.com/248b0s #
  • Grandslam 8th inning by hometeam. 4-1 mariners ! Sweet ball. #

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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-07-04

Posted by admin in Uncategorized on July 4th, 2010

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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-06-27

Posted by admin in Uncategorized on June 27th, 2010

  • Lifting up my eyes&1800cc's, unto the hills(great smokies).final leg of our amazing 1500 mile bike trip!Great strength from God's creation! #
  • Unbelievable basketball tricks. U will think these are doctored. I tell u, they are NOT! http://wurl.ws/DWuP #
  • @foxandfriends your audience will b totally dumbfounded: real basketball trickery.These guys did this during study hall. http://wurl.ws/DWuP #
  • According 2 1 estimate, in 2010 we will generate 1200 exabytes of data-60M X the content of the Library of Congress.Visualization is king! #

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Will someone please define WIN

Posted by admin in Worthwhile on June 24th, 2010

Software creation is one of the most intellectually creative human activities. One of challenges is to define when a piece of software will be done. Feature creep is the norm in software development, which of course postpones completion. If you plan to take a trip this summer you usually start by deciding where you will stop. Same is true for worthwhile software creation.

As I listen to the debates on the war in Afghanistan, everyone says “we must win”. I like to win. I want to win. I do things to try and win. I agree we must win. But the missing element is “what does win look like in this war?” Past generations defined war winning by surrender. Does this still apply today to the war on terror? I think not. Please define win otherwise what we are asking of our American soldiers seems highly illogical and likely immoral!

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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-06-20

Posted by admin in Uncategorized on June 20th, 2010

  • at AT&T store, can't help wonder if apple told them today is the iphone upgrade day! 1 person on duty.Lines out the door.Software problems! #
  • 1800cc bike ride adventure to the motor city with my good friend and pastor John lehman! http://twitpic.com/1×1qwr #
  • First thunderstorm was a killer! found this abandoned car wash was great shelter for me and the bike. http://twitpic.com/1×319t #
  • Awesome riding the Goldwing at 4:30am thru mountains seeing sunrise. Sure beats the deadly thunderstorms of last night! #
  • Tell your gps to avoid highways then drive from Toledo to 16 Mile Road north of Detroit & u will have the unforgettable ride of your life! #
  • Perhaps this new tax would help legislate morality :-) look carfully at the sign http://twitpic.com/1xlxft #
  • Tigers clobber nationals 8-3. Motor city on a much needed rebound! #
  • Heading from Detroit to Toledo. Would love to connect with some past or present LABC'ers! #
  • Great time reconnecting w/my boyhood pastor, Dr Les Hobbins, Lewis Avenue Baptist Church. What a godly legacy staying faithful 2 God's Word! #
  • Big bike adventure part 2 – journey back home. Rule #372 of biking – u r ever lost on a motorcycle. #

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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-06-13

Posted by admin in Uncategorized on June 13th, 2010

  • Praise the Lord! Tiberius & I completed our 600 mile bike adventure in 12 hours! No rain. Amazing. What a way 2c this land we call America! #
  • Up, up and away with five Worthwhile guys to Creation Museum! #
  • Terror in the eyes of the @worthwhile guys @CreationMuseum! http://twitpic.com/1uuw03 #
  • @daveruse pf changs man! in reply to daveruse #
  • Cinci Reds game with Worthwhile SBB'ers, Steve Ham and Paul Ralph of AiG! Perfect night for the ole ballgame! #
  • @mfant thanks! in reply to mfant #
  • Worthwhile guys threatening to hack toyota plant network! :-) here we come. Big tour scheduled – thanks to Beth! http://twitpic.com/1v1y1b #
  • Toyota plant tour thanks to beth @worthwhile! Kaizen, just-in-time, pulling are integrated part of their process! #
  • Just saw a robot doing exactly the job it took me and five others do at Jeep 30 years ago! Gotta love automation! #
  • @worthwhile guys are designing first iPad-based personal tour app for @creationmuseum. Toyota tour guy was very interested. #
  • 60% Toyota team members have perfect attendance annually. #
  • @worthwhile guys start the wireframes for the new Digital Docent ipad app for @creationmuseum as we cruise along I75 homeward bound. #
  • Burning rubber, really!, at Carolina Motorsports Track! Awesome speed under control. Wow! Addicting! #
  • Burning rubber burner is my name, smoking corners is my game! :-) #
  • Finished riding the cherloah skyline. On our way to cades cove next. Lovin the Goldwing! #

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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-06-06

Posted by admin in Uncategorized on June 6th, 2010

  • From my son: She said yes on top of the ferris wheel at Navy Pier after fireworks and a funnel cake. :) more details to come. #
  • @joefeser ugraded one in reply to joefeser #
  • Oh no, I feel my life's second kidney stone on the move! Where's the morphine!!! #
  • @daveruse stop tweeting and you will have the time! ;-) in reply to daveruse #
  • Why's everyone in Greenville county heading downtown? Graduation day! Life is about to rev up for many 18'ers. #
  • @joefeser riverside high graduation. I am here :-) in reply to joefeser #
  • @joefeser Honda gold wing. Flying to st Louis 5:30am to pick it up! I am pumped! in reply to joefeser #
  • @jpait you r on my mind! Praying for the Creator of your body and soul to heal and improve you. Miss u! in reply to jpait #
  • Up, up and away to capture my first gold wing! St Louis and the great arch baby! Looks like great biking weather out there. #
  • Off to see golden arches of st lewy on my new golden wing! http://twitpic.com/1tut4g #
  • Typical PC madness here at arches museum- starts by telling us how we cheated the Indians! http://twitpic.com/1tvi1u #
  • Feel like Lewis and Clark of 21st century with my riding buddy tiberius! Golden arches to bible buckle of the south in a single day! Wahoo! #
  • Closing in on louisville #

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please get the facts before typing

Posted by admin in Ministry on June 3rd, 2010

Recently fox news posted an article involving a very bad situation that occurred 13 years ago which involved a young girl and two independent baptist churches, one in New Hampshire and one in Colorado. In an attempt to help communicate the facts in this situation I am posting, by permission, this letter which was written by Pastor Will Senn, a very good friend of mine. I hope it will help squelch the inaccurate comments that are being targeted against these two excellent biblically sound ministries.

Dan Wooster

May 30, 2010

Dear Church Family, Folks and Friends:

I have attached a letter that gives a fuller picture of the recent story which was broadcasted on Channel 4. Normally, the less said and written is the best approach to take when the media either misrepresents a story or when someone is maligned. In this case, our founding pastor, Dr. Matt Olson and one of our former youth pastors, Dr. Chuck Phelps are being grossly misrepresented. Our church is indebted to these men. They are also my friends. Now is not the time to distance ourselves from them, but to pray for them and to stand with them. Our church is not directly involved with the incidents, although the media and those who despise our form of Christianity will try to bring us into it.

The attached letter is my “Official Response.” We have nothing to hide. You are welcome to use this letter in any way that you believe promotes the edification of the body of Christ and the glory of God.

We had a special prayer meeting tonight to pray for those involved and for the Lord to protect our church’s testimony and most importantly the Lord’s Name. Let’s pray that His Name will not be tarnished.

This past Wednesday Channel 4 contacted our church to ask about a girl who once attended our church about thirteen years ago whose name is Tina. Prior to Tina’s coming to Colorado she lived in Concord, New Hampshire and attended Trinity Baptist Church. Allegedly, at that time and in New Hampshire, Mr. Earnest Willis, a married man and member in the church, impregnated her. Tina was only fifteen at the time. Tina’s family (single mother, father in prison) was apparently limited in how they could help her and it was suggested that the Landrys, who were in our church at the time, would be the best to minister to her. Dr. Chuck Phelps knew the Landry family when he was the youth pastor at Tri-City and also had all three of the Landry boys in his church at one time or another for a church internship. Tina agreed to come to Colorado where Dr. Clovis Landry and his wife Diane took her in and cared for her. She was homeschooled and loved. To Tina’s credit she did not seek an abortion, but instead carried the baby and at birth gave the child up for adoption to a loving, Christian family. Tina’s own testimony regarding her time at Colorado, the Landrys and Tri-City had been favorable.

Recently, Tina was encouraged to press charges against Mr. Earnest Willis in Concord, New Hampshire. The man was arrested and charged and then released on bail. Brian Maass, a Channel 4 News reporter, was made aware of this story and on May 27, he reported on Tina’s alleged rape in New Hampshire. There were additional statements made regarding Dr. Chuck Phelps, Dr. Matt Olson and our church. I would like to comment on those issues and make these clarifications:

1) Dr. Chuck Phelps, former pastor of Trinity Baptist Church and Dr. Matt Olson did not work together to hide Tina from the authorities or from her mother. Tina’s mother brought her to Colorado and later visited her on several occasions.
2) Dr. Chuck Phelps and Dr. Matt Olson did not collaborate to protect Mr. Earnest Willis, the man alleged to be involved sexually with Tina. Dr. Chuck Phelps does not believe that Tina was responsible for being allegedly raped and has said, “She’s not responsible for being raped. Of course not. She was an underage minor. That’s why I called” (the police).
3) There was no delay, nor negligence in reporting the alleged crime to the proper authorities. In fact, Dr. Chuck Phelps immediately called in the report to the police and to the division for Children, Youth and Families on the same day when he was made aware of the alleged relationship between Mr. Earnest Willis and Tina. In addition, Dr. Chuck Phelps urged Tina and her mother to talk with the police, but they would not. Dr. Chuck Phelps then called the police a second time to let them know about the situation. Unfortunately, it appears the authorities on both occasions did not respond to his reports, and apparently no investigation was made. Three weeks after these reports were submitted to the police, Tina and her mother left for Colorado.
4) Neither Dr. Matt Olson nor Tri-City Baptist Church harbored Tina or sought to hinder any legal process past or present. The arrangement for Tina to come to Colorado was between Dr. Chuck Phelps and the Landrys, not between the two churches or the two pastors. Tina’s mother was very pleased with the arrangement for her daughter.
5) Trinity Baptist Church and Dr. Chuck Phelps, now the pastor at Colonial Hills Baptist Church, continue to cooperate with the law enforcement agencies. This was true from day one and remains true today. If Tri-City Baptist Church is asked to assist in anyway in the investigation, we will cooperate fully to see justice delivered.
6) Dr. Clovis and Diane Landry were an incredible blessing to Tina and an exemplary example to our church family. The Landrys gave to her from their hearts, they homeschooled her, provided her a home and family and did their best to assure her a healthy pregnancy and the safe birth of her child. It is my understanding that Tina has spoken very highly of her care received from the Landrys.
7) Neither Dr. Chuck Phelps nor Dr. Matt Olson did anything illegal. Pastor Olson did not, in any way, publically draw attention to Tina in a negative fashion, nor did he require her to do anything privately such as writing a letter of apology for something she did not do. 8) I was not here at the time, but those who were, remember the church reaching out to Tina and accepting her. She was not isolated from the teens as reported. She was encouraged to mix with the young folks of the church and with the teens of other churches. Tina sang in the church choir and played her flute in the services. This is not a life of isolation.
9) Tina willingly gave her daughter up for adoption to a very godly family who could not have children of their own. This is the bright spot of the story – this little child was the answer to that couple’s prayers! Pray that this child will not be hurt by this story!

For several reasons I have asked Pastor Robbins to represent Tri-City Baptist Church in these matters. In this case, he was here at the time of the incidents in question. Pastor Larry has an impeccable testimony in our community which he has built these twenty-eight years while on staff at Tri-City Baptist Church. He is loyal and incredibly trustworthy. He also understands the media and is very level-headed in his responses under pressure. Hence, Pastor Robbins is my go to guy on these matters with the public and will do a great job with these sticky issues. I do not believe this will be the last media attack on Dr. Chuck Phelps, Dr. Matt Olson or Tri-City Baptist Church. This story is already receiving national attention.

I believe the right course of action for us to take is to commit these matters to the Lord who “judges righteously.” As Christians and as citizens of this great country, we truly want justice to be served in the case that relates to Tina. Do pray for Tina, she is undoubtedly going through a difficult and an emotional time. Let us pray that the media will get their facts straight and will report them in fullness and in fairness. Let us pray that Christ’s name will not be tarnished. Let us pray that this potential ordeal does not hinder our ministry or distract us from the work of the great commission. The words from the song, A Passion for Thee, are appropriate at this time for our meditation.
“Set my heart, O dear Father on Thee, and Thee only. Give me a thirst for Thy presence divine. Lord keep my focus on loving Thee wholly.”

Let’s keep our focus on God and “be an example of the believers.” Let us love God, our neighbor and even our enemy with all of our heart! May the Lord use these trials to fuel revival in our hearts, our churches, and our country!

Heartily in Christ,
Pastor William J. Senn, III

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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-05-30

Posted by admin in Uncategorized on May 30th, 2010

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Success generates success

Posted by admin in Internship, Worthwhile on May 24th, 2010

I am wired for success. I strive to succeed. I fear failure. I study methodologies which feed success. I pay close attention to others who have succeeded. It is my personal belief that God, the Creator of all, has put within mankind a strong appetite for success. One of the lessons of success is that past successes help fuel future successes.

Don’t believe it? Try coaching a team of athletes who have never won. Nothing will energize them more than that first victory. All the practices, though important, all the peep talks, though inspiring, cannot provide the extreme level of energy that success pumps into the souls of the team members. Just ask my daughter Sara to tell you about the high school girls’ soccer team she helps coach. :-)

As I return back to Greenville SC from Denver for about the 15th time, I am contemplating ways to expand The Worthwhile Company into the West. Making connections, learning of needs, seeking office space, searching for the right team, feeling out the business/technology climate, all these actions help me determine when the time is right to launch out into new markets. But for me, one of the most compelling reasons to expand comes from the encouragement of past success.

Each day I receive an email that summaries our income transactions for the day. I like these emails. It is sort of like getting up in the morning with a pulse, a daily reminder that the Lord of life has granted me the blessing (and associated responsibilities) of another glorious day of life! One of my joys is to use these emails to probe into the details of a customer we serve. It helps me learn how Worthwhile is serving them to make their calling more worthwhile. Today I ran across the following testimony from a customer of about two years. He said “Because of the inherent limits spoken language has with ultimately describing a sensation, I can really only express my experience with Worthwhile in barbaric sounds of elation. If considering Worthwhile, nothing in the world would give me more pleasure than to share these sounds with you.”

Wow! I can hardly express the joy and confidence that flooded my mind. What a privilege to serve a group of employees who are able to (and desire to) work together to serve customers with Internet technologies in a manner which generates this type of response! It empowers and energizes me to seize the opportunities of growth with great confidence that, by the grace of God, our past success will help generate future success!

Let’s go west Worthwhile!

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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-05-23

Posted by admin in Uncategorized on May 23rd, 2010

  • Up up and away with son Jonathan; making history at camp grace Wyoming! http://wurl.ws/k9hH #
  • Enjoyed a world famous Johnson Corners cinamon roll in fort Collins Colorado! #

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A real men’s retreat – wyoming style

Posted by admin in Family, Ministry on May 21st, 2010

May 20, 2010

Dear Men, Fathers and Sons:

If you are still deliberating about coming to the Men’s Retreat tomorrow and Saturday at Camp Grace let me give you twenty reasons why I think you should come:

1) Wyoming is a beautiful state. It is supposed to be in the 70’s here in Colorado. Why spend a weekend here when you can have the 20’s. Big Piney, Wyoming boasts of being the coldest spot in the nation. The reality is that Camp Grace does not own a thermometer, but if it did, it would top Big Piney as the coolest spot in Wyoming. Come to Camp Grace because it is cool!

2) Wyoming has four seasons: winter, winter, winter and road construction. Come and enjoy one of Wyoming’s four seasons. Most folks in Wyoming have more miles on their snow blowers than they do on their trucks. Please come, it will be seasonal.

3) Most of the local restaurants in Wyoming are closed from November through March. It is now May. Most of the restaurants are open now, but you won’t need to stop if you come to Camp Grace, because we are going to have a feast on Friday night. Paul Dickman is looking for steaks. With all the cars going up Fletcher Park Road in the dark in the open range – I think we he will find steak. There are no “vegetarian specials” on the menu in Wyoming. Order steak or you can order the chef’s salad and pick off the three pounds of ham and turkey.

4) Time stops in Wyoming. They measure distance not in miles but hours. There is a sign when you come into Wyoming that says, “Welcome to Wyoming turn your clocks back twenty years.”

5) Folks in Wyoming sleep with a loaded gun by the side of the bed. We are going to have a shooting contest with some of the Wyoming pastors and their church families. I will personally buy a steak dinner for anyone who can outshoot Pastor Driscoll or James Baker’s wife.

6) You don’t have to think through what to wear or bring to wear in Wyoming. Just put on some camouflage and a baseball cap. Folks in Wyoming wear camouflage even to weddings. Wyoming people have a suntan that curves around the middle of their foreheads. Don’t wear droopy shorts in Wyoming – you look like an idiot they say. Do bring warm clothing – remember Wyoming’s four seasons. Again, youth pastors no pink blankets.

7) You won’t need to wash your car before coming to camp. Two-wheel drive vehicles are not permitted in Wyoming. Bring your 4×4’s. If you don’t have a 4×4, use this weekend’s trip to Camp Grace as an excuse to explain to your wife why you now need to purchase a 4×4. Everyone in Wyoming drives pickups and they all wave. It’s called being friendly. If someone waves at you from a pick up truck don’t just stare at them – wave back! Come to camp and meet some new friends.
8) Wyoming folks love sports. Spotlighting is a sport. Bring your spot lights. There are deer, elk, cantaloupe, buffalo, bear, mountain lions and wild turkey running wild all over the mountain. We will go spotlighting.

9) Men, if you are still thinking about coming. This may put it over the top, our son John likes to purchase fireworks and especially bottle rockets. He would be very pleased to take your kids out into the woods and fields and have an authentic bottle rocket war. He also would be glad to send home with your ten-year old some fireworks and matches. What camp in America allows for this treat? Also, fireworks are legal in Wyoming. Actually, everything is legal in Wyoming.

10) Come to Camp Grace and don’t bring your cell phone (it won’t work) or your computer. Come and enjoy life without electronic devices. Dan Wooster please leave all your gadgets in Denver. The only tower in Wyoming, is Devil’s Tower.

11) Wyoming is a very religious state. They have one more religious holiday than we have in Colorado. It is called the “OPENER” which is held on the closest Saturday after November 1.

12) Wyoming does not have a drug problem like Colorado. If you bring “coke” into a home in Wyoming it better be brown, wet and served over ice. If you bring “Mary Jane” into one’s house she better be cute, know how to shoot, drive a truck, know how to use jumper cables and have long hair.

13) Wyoming is a patriotic state, they have more folks per capita in the Navy, Army, Marines and Air Force than any other state. Wyoming is a safe state. They install security lights on their house and garage and then leave both unlocked.

14) Dave Utter there will be no white water rafting on this trip due to the eighteen inches of ice on the Laramie River. When the ice thaws in August we hope to do some white water rafting. Please come and join us for the Camp Grace adventure camp in August.

15) Wyoming has some beautiful landscaping. Look for statues of deer accenting the blue spruce in the front yard. Note the target practice deer in the backyard that can be reached from the bedroom window upstairs with a compound bow. The drive is worth it all. Great time for fellowship.

16) The preacher this weekend is Gary Robbins, Pastor of Pioneer Baptist Church. Pastor Gary lives in the Laramie Mountains in a home he built with his own hands. It has no power or electricity. You have to go through a number of fences to get there. He goes into down to get his emails at the library. Gary is “half crocodile, half horse, and half bear.” He is the reincarnate, Jeremiah Johnson, the ultimate mountain man. Come for the preaching and to encourage these Wyoming men. Real Men go to camp in Wyoming!

Well, I hope these twenty reasons have pushed you over the edge. If it has, please email Paul Dickman at paul.d.dickman@gmail.com and let him know your intentions. Hope to see you at Camp this weekend.

Heartily in Christ,

Pastor Senn

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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-05-16

Posted by admin in Uncategorized on May 16th, 2010

  • Wahoo! School is out.Hatched another batch of bit builders to build worthwhile software. I am free 2 focus on other Worthwhile matters. #
  • First Worthwhile TeX meeting of the summer. Great having the interns on board. Lots of bit building! #
  • Kingston Plantation @ North Myrtle Beach-perfect getaway place with my perfect bride. Plus biker week-wahoo! #
  • Want an overwhelming sense of awe? Watch the IMAX version of Hubble 3D. Man that scope has power to unveil the power of God! #
  • Ocean beach + breeze + Quickbooks via remote connect on an ipad 3G = shazam relaxing! #

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Every Website Needs a Betty

Posted by admin in Internship, Worthwhile on May 14th, 2010

We love it and we hate it. We can’t do without it and we wish we could sometimes. We are tantalized by it and at times tortured by it. What is it? Instant connectedness. The Internet facilitates it. The Web delivers it. Our dependency on it grows, at times like a lush rose bush, and at times like cancer!

My frustrating experience with Norwegian Cruise Lines online cruise registration has painfully reminded why every great website needs a Betty.

My wife and I signed up for our first cruise. We are looking forward to celebrating 30 years of married partnership and friendship by joining several friends along with the former president of our Alma Mater, BJU, for an Alaskan cruise on the Star Ship of the NCL. Part of the process involves an online registration at their website, where my frustrations began. I will spare you the ugly details and get right to my most worthwhile point.

The process assumed I knew things that I did not. For example my name. Now I know, you are thinking, man if you don’t remember your name then you probably need to avoid taking a cruise! You are thinking that because you are human, not computer. Humans are creative and flexible. Computers are fast and accurate. (good place to out in a reference to computational thinking)

What is my name, at least according to the NLC database? Why is that important? The registration process demanded that I start with my name, ship name I was cursing on (oops, lovely iPad/Apple OS auto fix of my mistypings, another blog topic), the date of our departure and finally, the most inhuman information of all – my registration number. The system wanted to make sure I wasn’t trying to hack in and take over the navigation of their cruise ships or something!

I tried every variation of my name I could think of – Dan, Daniel, Edgar (my full name is Edgar Daniels Wooster III, and when I refinance my house it takes about 10 minutes to acknowledge all the aliases I have). Finally in totally frustration I decided this website needed “the Betty function”. So I called Betty Fagge. She is the most awesome event organizer in the world. If I know she is behind setting up a trip, I want to go. I have traveled to China with her and my wife and I are looking forward to this Alaskan cruise, all because of her!

So Betty very calmly and patiently guides me thru the online registration process. It was a walk in the park, once we figured out my name, according to the NCL db, is “E Daniel”! You see, Betty is everything that a computer is not. She is creative, flexible and kind. This comes from being created in the image of One who is all these things and much more, but I digress into another great blog topic. :-)

Now in this age of automation, can a business justify having enough Betty’s on the payroll so “frustrated idiots like me” can call in for a personal guide thru their online systems? Probably not. But yet never under estimate the return on investment value of great, human based, customer service that is only a phone call away ( wow, another worthwhile blog topic, guess my summer schedule is filling up fast). So what’s a business to do if they want software (defined as an automated solution to a problem) to interface between them and their customers? The sales answer in me says “you need Worthwhile” or you can do it yourself if you are ready to assemble a team with the follow skills and expertise.

1. Graphic designer – make things look great
2. Content designer – say the right things in the right way
3. Software designer – make it work right (correct, robust, useable, efficient, secure – just to name 5 of the 10 qualities of worthwhile software)
4. Database designer – make sure you are collecting and storing the data you and your customers will need
5. Production manager – to make sure all of the above are free to focus on their expertise and that everything comes together right
6. Network administrator – make sure the website is properly hosted (secure, efficient, available, expandable, scalable – you do expect your business to go I hope)
7. Search Engine expert – to make sure people find this great website
8. Interaction designer – to make sure the customer experience is worthwhile and enjoyable rather than worthless and frustrating. Hey, would someone please pass this blog to the folks at NCL please? :-)

This world of connectedness can open up great doors of opportunity for your business or ministry, but to do it right, to provide worthwhile interactions with your customers, requires a growing body of knowledge and skills. This is one of the many things that thrills my heart to have the privilege of working with the great team of bit-building experts assembled together at The Worthwhile Company!

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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-05-09

Posted by admin in Uncategorized on May 9th, 2010

  • @thinkhammer questions about presentation technology I will be using Tuesday at innoventure. Who do I talk to? in reply to thinkhammer #
  • Success + Arrogance = Failure (Jim Collins #cfaleadercast) #
  • what would b lost if @worthwhile disappears? the answer to this question will help define who we r. #
  • @jnalley cs dept moving back to our early roots – library. Good bye atom-based info, hello bit-based info! :-) in reply to jnalley #
  • @rwinte cs dept moving back to our early roots – library. Good bye atom-based info, hello bit-based info! :-) in reply to rwinte #
  • @ChrisRackley no sales? U must call it something better? Problem solver? U r selling every day. And u r darn good at it! :-) in reply to ChrisRackley #
  • Tony Dungy @ #cfaleadercast – inspiring,humbling,greatness! I am 1 husband 2 my wife. I am 1 parent 2 my kids. I am 1 servant 2 my team. #
  • @ChrisRackley Tony Dungy @ cfaleadercast – everyone is a salesman. :-) in reply to ChrisRackley #
  • Small companies must limit their growth based upon getting the right people. – Jim Collins @ #cfaleadercast #
  • Delta passes out cookies to entire audience @ #cfaleadercast as Ed Bastian, CEO, prepares to speak. #
  • Grandchildren are God's reward for not killing your children. – John Maxwell #

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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-05-02

Posted by admin in Uncategorized on May 2nd, 2010

  • The power to live the Christian life is found in the promises of God in Christ, not in the performance of the Christian. #
  • @BarackObama this is your opinion. I strongly disagree and hope more states follow arizona's great example of freedom! in reply to BarackObama #
  • Here we go again! Gotta shutdown Magic 3-point shots! Gotta win tonite! Man, the level of energy here tonite is explosive! #
  • So I am talkin with MJ about his bobcats. He wants to know how to make em more @Worthwhile! Gonna help him improve the next instanciation! #
  • Oh boy, apple's soon 2b launched iAd will bring the joys of TV like ads into those fun little "free" apps! Gotta love the free market :-) #
  • Last day of classes! Moving cs dept! Building duplexes! Wilds board meeting! Wanna getaway on bike with my good friend Mike! #

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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-04-25

Posted by admin in Uncategorized on April 25th, 2010

  • The most advanced notebook computer in the history of mankind just arrived on my doorstep! Wahooooo! http://twitpic.com/1hdb1y #
  • @Beth_Honshell urdabest! Lookin forward 2dabigshindig2mora :-) in reply to Beth_Honshell #
  • Lovin watchin my detroit tigers play ball on my iPad. Sure better than the pocket transistor radio I use 2 take w/me 2 elementary school #
  • 2 sets of tests & 2 sets of projects r now in the graded pile! Wahoo! End of year draws near. Students, have no fear. The grader is here. #
  • Charlotte Bobcats – first playoff home game eveeeeeeeeer! #
  • Yep, it's official! My son's first NBA playoff game! Man do they hate duke players!!! http://twitpic.com/1i4jwi #

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